JonPB Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Anybody shooting exclusively with MF lenses? | |
If I had the kind of budget that I did when I was new to photography, I'd get the NEX-3 and a Mitakon focal reducer, paired with 35/2.8, 50/2, and 100/2.8 (or f/4 macro) lenses from an orphaned lens mount like Canon FD, Minolta MD, or Olympus OM, for under $400 all told. I think the Mitakon is worth considering because it might be cheaper than buying, say, a 24mm lens for normal wide angle work, but if you don't have an eye for wide shots then save the ~$100 and go for an ordinary adapter. That kit would be slow to operate but would be capable of recording most kinds of scenes for ~20" enlargements or HDTV display. I shot a NEX-3 alongside a film camera and it served nicely for digital images--though it truly is a slow camera to use with manual lenses due to the all menu diving that's required. But, when cheaper is better, that's a solid route to take.
I currently shoot a NEX-7 with a Speed Booster. This costs about as much as an A7 today, so I don't know which one I'd prefer if I had to do it over again, but the NEX has a rangefinder-style EVF which is quite nice to use with my dominant left eye. Again, I like shooting wide lenses; if short-tele is more your thing, then adapted lenses on a NEX-7 makes for a substantial upgrade from the NEX-3. If you shoot with high ISO frequently, the NEX-6 is probably a better choice, but I don't usually go above 1600 and I prefer the 7's handling.
I've never shot a Fuji X, but the X-E1 is priced rather nicely for a camera with an EVF and the native lens selection there is very appealing for those times when you just want something compact and automatic.
As far as features go, I've found that focus peaking is a brilliant idea that never really paid off. In low contrast scenes, focus peaking doesn't show up at all; in high contrast scenes, it shows up everywhere. I leave it set to low so that it never gets in the way, and sometimes it is useful, but it is more distracting to look for the focus peaking and not see it than to just use the viewfinder like a ground glass screen. Which, by the way, works about as well as a manual focus camera. You lose some details in the highlights and shadows, but you gain a useful DOF preview and working-aperture function. I'm a big convert to EVFs.
The only mandatory feature to me is to have a large viewfinder--and the bigger the better. Larger, higher definition viewfinders give your eyes more information to work with when they're trying to identify the focal plane. The OM-D E-M5 is too small for my tastes while the NEX-7 is acceptable.
I think the only hard and fast rule is that, if saving bucks is important, you should buy used. New cameras are increasingly treated as luxury items, so they're very nice when brand new but there's also a substantial amount of depreciation. Save your money for good lenses, instead.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jon
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