I am always looking for a compact interchangeable lens camera to always keep with me with a couple prime lenses, I am a bit complicated to satisfy, I would want a viewfinder, a back button AF and a joystick or pad to choose AF point, DX sensor would do fine (nah, m4/3 won't do, when it needs I want to be able to achieve isolation with a bright lens), I had a brief experience with Fujifilm long time ago and wasn't impressed if not for the beautiful and small 35mm f1.4R, put my eye into a Sony A6700 viewfinder and, uhm, not the biggest, not the brightest and lack of AF point selection, never handled a Panasonic so I can't tell but, to begin with, which producer you think has the best AF?
I shoot Nikon and pretty happy with it, the ZFc is too toy like, the ZF is beautiful but not properly a camera to always have along, I like the size of the Fuji XM5 or stuff like that but no VF and it is legit, won't fit into that body so either give VF up or raise volume constraints, any suggestions?
The Sony a7Cii is a great full-frame compact that meets most of your requirements. While it doesn't have a joystick, its lock-on AF tracking mode is even better for many users (me included). You simply point the camera so the AF box is over your desired place/object and press the focus button. The camera will then focus on that same thing as you reframe.
You are one of many who has been waiting for somebody to release a high performing compact ILC with a good EVF. I'm hoping that maybe the A7CIII or S9II will finally provide what we have wanted for so long. I too shoot Nikon, but I have given up on them ever releasing what we want.
I mean, I understand the FF sensor requires more space so I'd fine with a DX one but won't do it without a viewfinder and a way to adjust focus point, can't care less about single memory card slot, to an extent even the stabilizer is not necessary and the advantage of a DX body would be smaller lenses, I often thought of the A7CII but lenses are big.
GiovanniAprea wrote:
I mean, I understand the FF sensor requires more space so I'd fine with a DX one but won't do it without a viewfinder and a way to adjust focus point, can't care less about single memory card slot, to an extent even the stabilizer is not necessary and the advantage of a DX body would be smaller lenses, I often thought of the A7CII but lenses are big.
I'm afraid you're looking/hoping for a unicorn. Such a camera doesn't (yet) exist.
A lot of us hold out hope that the next generation of A7c/r bodies will give us an improved EVF. But I doubt they'll be able to do it without increasing the body's height/bulk. Personally, I find the A7cr EVF more than usable, but I know a lot of people don't like it. You should at least consider trying one before you dismiss it. It's an incredible camera for its size.
Failing that, my advice would be to get an a7Rv and pair it with some of the smaller lenses that are available. The overall kit size can still be quite compact.
There's so many great, small, AF lenses available to build a compact kit
The a7C II viewfinder is a noticeable improvement from the original a7C. Brightness doubled which makes the new EVF much more usable outdoors. The small physical size is still its Achilles heel and all the center hump design bodies like the a7* and a9* are significantly more comfortable to look through for extended periods.
As @MikeEvangelist says, the best overall option is using one of the larger bodies with a smaller lens if the EVF is your primary concern.
I understand that VF takes plenty space, now I have no clear memory of when I stuck my eye into either my old X-Pro1 or when in a store or off a friend I handled both the A6700 and A7C (don't remember if original or MKII) but, size wise, I wonder how much smaller than my Nikon Z6II, again, the only thing I wonder is that with a FF sensor lenser are bigger and I don't like 35mm like things, my ideal is 50mm and I'd be happy with an f2ish lens
Look at the comparison, without the L bracket the Fuji is almost same size as the Nikon except grip and VF but bigger sensor and bigger battery, I thought of that XM5 thing which got no VF
GiovanniAprea wrote:
...size wise, I wonder how much smaller than my Nikon Z6II, again, the only thing I wonder is that with a FF sensor lenser are bigger and I don't like 35mm like things, my ideal is 50mm and I'd be happy with an f2ish lens
Look at the comparison, without the L bracket the Fuji is almost same size as the Nikon except grip and VF but bigger sensor and bigger battery, I thought of that XM5 thing which got no VF
Size wise sure the A7C is smaller but not to an extent to make it consider a tool to always keep along not to mention the VF res and lack of a joy to pick focus point, if I have to give up on those then I rather go DX and a real smaller body like an A6700 or a Fuji, a temporarily and cheaper solution could be to go third part lenses and try a small 40-50mm (50 is my fav all around thing, I never made my eye adapt to 35 even tho I found out many a times, with the few zooms I own, that it comes very useful in many a chances but I simply can't adapt to it) in the f2ish flavor to keep dimensions within reasonable and look forward to a camera like the ZR with a detachable VF
The 6700 lacks a joystick, but it still has AF point selection via either the rear wheel or the touchscreen. And, if you're not impressed with it's EVF, don't expect anything different with the C series. It's the same EVF. It's also roughly the same EVF in the Fuji X-E5. The Nikon Z5II probably isn't smaller enough than your Z6 to make the difference, but it has the nicest EVF on the smaller cameras and gives you two SD slots.
Still, if you want the best AF, I think a compromise is in order. I made my peace with the 6700's shortcomings and love it. I tried out the a7cII for the past month and ended up selling it to a coworker. It's a great camera with speedy, sticky AF, but I just didn't see FF bringing anything to my uses (mostly family travel) that APSC wasn't covering with less weight.
