Reddit mentions: The best mirrorless camera lenses

> I've looked at shots taken from the Fujifilm FinePix X100 and honestly, I find they are jaw dropping. But then I see similar shots from say a Canon EOS550D and I look at them, and they are nice, they are clear, but they just don't have that 'thing'. That I see in photos from a Fujifilm FinePix X100. I'm sure a newer DSLR has more 'flexibility' but that's not generally what I am looking for I think.
> Now I'm not talking about any 1 camera brand in particular. But I know for example that people who've owned rare and expensive cameras can agree. Some cameras just take shots that can make anything look incredible. I've never really seen that in a DSLR camera... the photos look detailed, clear and colour is well reproduced. But I feel like there's no 'essence' in the photos.
> Look at these shots from the Leica M7 for example:

You, my friend, are cursed. Before you even start taking photos you've realized that you can see the differences in how lenses render, and you know that to you the use of better lenses will make a difference in the satisfaction you feel when you get everything else right.

I have a few pieces of advice:

• For you, the lenses matter more than the bodies. You should be able to get a 16x20" print from any ("obsolete") 6 megapixel camera on the used market, but you need to buy into a system with the sort of lenses that you like.
  
• The Fuji line-up has some outstanding lenses. You will be happy with the prime lenses (those of only one focal length); you may be happy with the higher-end zooms.
  
• Other line-ups will work for you as well. If you buy a system made to mount third-party manual-focus lenses you will be really happy with old Leica lenses made for film cameras, though you won't like the prices (even used.) Contax RF lenses are nice as well, as are most Zeiss lenses. The Leica photo you linked above was shot with a Voigtlander lens, which is actually made by Cosina (if I remember correctly) - a high-end lens from a company with a rather low-end reputation at the time.
  
• I'd avoid DSLRs and look at mirrorless: Fuji (with their own lenses), Olympus/Panasonic with the higher-end primes (this one would be a good lens to start with, though used would be fine as well), or something comparable.
  
• Folks say photographers have affairs with cameras, but they marry lenses. This is correct. The number one thing you should be looking at is the quality and variety of lenses currently available. Promises don't matter as much as what you can get right now.
  
  If you wanted to go new the Fuji X-Pro-1 is available in kits with 35mm and 18mm lenses for cheap right now, because the X-Pro-2 has been announced. Any of the X-cameras will work for you, and if you can wait a few months you may find some really good deals out there. The Olympus OM-D is a very capable camera as well that can support some really good lenses. Lots and lots of good, usable cameras in the used market. Just make sure you're looking at the sorts of cameras that take the sorts of lenses you like.
  
  Don't get caught up in the megapixel debates. Full Frame > APC-C (Fuji) > m4/3 (Olympus/Panasonic) as far as objective performance is concerned, but people nowadays are really picking nits here. Wall prints from any of these systems aren't hard once you learn proper technique and the capabilities of your camera, but some lenses draw images in a very special way. If you can see that, and you value it, then that really limits the systems you'll likely be happy with.
  
  And that's a good thing.
  
  (Another thought: before you buy, or as you get discouraged, go a a site like Flickr and filter based on the equipment you're considering, or that you're not making perform to its max. See what photographers better than you can produce, and use that as inspiration. You'll find that all camera platforms are capable of outstanding results, but they all offer different trade-offs. The goal is to find the trade-offs that work best for your situation).
  
  Edit: Wow - thanks for the gold.
  

First of all I'm going to start by saying that these cameras have different sensor sizes, namely APS-C, Micro Four Thirds and 1inch sizes. There are advantages and disadvantages to either ones but In general these are the main characteristics:

APS-C sensors - medium to large-sized lenses, slightly long minimal focusing distance (around 0.5m with a normal focal range lens), shallower depth-of-field (more blurred backgrounds in pictures)

Micro Four Thirds sensors - small sized lenses, very short minimal focusing distances (20/30cm with normal focal range lenses), more depth-of-field than ASP-C (less blurred backgrounds in pictures)

(I'll talk about the 1inch sensor further below)

There are other differences that vary on a camera by camera basis but those are the most important things for you to keep in mind. I will mention for each of the examples you gave the sensor size and some of the characteristics of each camera system as briefly as I can.

> Canon 750DKIS 24MP Digital SLR Camera (with 18-55mm IS STM Lens $764

.

> Canon EOS 700D 18MP Digital SLR Camera (Twin IS Lens Kit) 18-55mm STM & 55-250mm STM Twin Lens K $849

APS-C sensor cameras - both of them will offer relatively similar performance. The 700D deal with two lenses is a nice one, but it's only useful if you like to shoot telephoto pictures (pictures of things that are very far away from you). I would prefer to get the 750 because the sensor is slightly better and it has wireless, so it is a bit more future-proof and better performing. For the price difference between the 750D and the 700D you could buy one of the many budget lenses for the system that offer surprisingly good results. I recommend the Canon 50mm f1.8 which will give you very beautiful results with shallow depth of field: https://www.amazon.com/Canon-50mm-1-8-STM-Lens/dp/B00X8MRBCW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469622115&sr=8-1&keywords=canon+50mm+f1.8

Olympus OM-D E-M10 MKII Compact System Camera with 14-42mm EZ Lens 764

Micro Four Thirds - a very small but well-performing camera that is just an all-round good package. It has better image stabilization than the Canon built into the body. What that means is that for most situations you practically don't need a tripod. If you want a camera that is capable of giving you very good image quality but still be small and compact enough to carry around without much hassle, this is a good option. Most of the lens options aren't as cheap as the ones for the Canon systems, however Sigma makes a few lenses that are very affordable and high quality so I recommend checking those out if you are on a tight budget.

> CameraPro FUJIFILM X-T10 Mirrorless Compact System Camera Silver Body Only $597 ($797, Cashback $200) - Do I need to buy a lens still?

APS-C sensor camera - Yes you will need to buy a lens for it. Fuji cameras tend to be slightly more expensive than other cameras that compete with theirs but in terms of "raw" specifications they fall behind in some aspects. Video recording on most Fuji cameras is very poor. Even so, people that shoot phtoos with Fuji cameras love it because they usually have great ways to operate the camera that make them very enjoyable to use and most importantly, I'd argue that they offer the best images out of all APS-C cameras without tweaking them. In the long-run I think Fuji would be the most expensive choice but it would also deliver the most pleasant results. If you want a lens recommendation to start off with I suggest the Fuji 35mm f2.0 https://www.amazon.com/Fujinon-XF35mmF2-R-WR-Black/dp/B016S28I4S/ref=sr_1_33?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1469622522&sr=1-33&keywords=fujifilm+x+lenses . Although Fuji is expensive, it is the camera system I mostly appreciate at the moment, and the one I'd like to own in the future due to its lens selection which offers a lot of very high quality glass and the absolutely gorgeous image quality. Another note is that Fuji's lenses tend to be some of the smallest ones in APS-C lens systems.


Sony Cybershop RX100 or RX100 II? (599 vs 795) -

1inch sensor (the smallest, meaning more depth of field) - these cameras are very compact and actually small enough to be pocketable but they are also the most limited in terms of performance, particularly low light. When I compared an RX100 to my Olympus which has the same sensor as the E-M10 camera you linked, it didn't perform as well in low light both in terms of focusing speed and image quality but in outdoors with decent lighting you can get really excellent results. In my opinion the RX100 is the perfect "secondary camera" if you own an APS-C camera but don't always want to carry around with you, but if you end up going with a Micro Four Thirds camera you don't have as big of a need for a secondary smaller camera.

I hope this is helpful to you, I know it's a long post but I tried to make it as short as I could without entering into small minutia. Let me know if you have any further questions.

Well I can't really speak to the X m1. That does look like a good deal. I know the Fuji's are great cameras. It looks like it has great image quality and that is of course very important. That said, I trust Steve Huff. I checked out what he had to say some. He doesn't have a lot on it but this bit gives me pause about this particular Fuji " I see the Fuji X IC Bodies as an immature imitation in looks alone. Maybe in 2-3 more years but today? No. (X100s is a different story). The X-M1 is an odd camera. BAD ergonomics with big lenses on a think tiny body with dodgy AF, no EVF, cheap feel, and other odd ball things going on with it. A departure from the X-Pro 1 and X-E1 for sure, and not sure why. Next to the GX7 set, the X-M1 FEELS like a toy made for a child while the GX7 FEELS like a tool made for a photographer. Sounds harsh but I am telling you my honest opinions after shooting and handling all three of these. Of course the Leica is in another league when it comes to build and feel as it should be. The Fuji also had the worst color as the pedal in the photo is closest to the Leica and Panasonic. The Fuji is quite a bit off so I am hoping Fuji ups their game in 2014 with something that takes it all 3 steps up."

Source: http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2013/10/03/crazy-comparison-leica-m-240-fuji-x-m1-and-panasonic-gx7-part-1/

Here is his review of the A6000 -- http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2014/05/27/the-sony-a6000-digital-camera-review-sony-steps-it-up-again-by-steve-huff/

In the comments on the review he address a person Recommending a Dslr over the A6000 and he sums up a lot of my thoughts on it. "The D5300 is also a chunky, plasticly DSLR camera with all large and clunky lenses. The A6000 is faster, sleeker, and can mount any one of thousands of lenses out there. I use a cheap $30 Jupiter lens on my A6000 with stunning results. The A6000 is probably the most underrated APS-C mirrorless made today. It’s a screamer that looks nice, is fast as lightning, and works well with just about any lens you would want to use from Nikon, Canon, Leica, Voigtlander, Zeiss..and so on …The Zeiss 24 1.8 is superb, the Sony 35 2.8 is awesome as is the 55 1.8. The 70-200 is fantastic. Sony has really stepped it up with the 6000 over the previous generation.

To those who want an A6000, they will not want a D5300 due to the fact that it is a DSLR, which any way you look at it will be larger due to the lenses and thick body. Can the D5300 take nice images? Of course, all cameras can today but the #1 thing to look for is enjoyment in using it.

Battery life, well, you can buy a 2nd battery for the Sony for $6 :) Both are the same price, but the Sony offers faster Af, smaller body, thousands of lenses to mount including the old jewel like RF lenses that are so so good, and cheap batteries. The built in mics for video are also very beefy and good giving a nice big full sound.

So for me, I would never recommend a D5300 over an A6000 unless someone wanted a DSLR and nothing else."

Every camera is different and you have to find the one that fits your needs best and most importantly is comfortable to use and doesn't get in the way. I also have a Sony 5n which is a steller imaging device. But the stupid menus and not great ergonomics got in the way. I have so much more fun using the A6000 that they aren't even in the same realm anymore for me. The menus are totally changed, the grip is very comfy for me and it has an evf. It also is quite unique in this price range(even quite a bit more) in that nothing and I mean nothing can touch it with its autofocus speed and accuracy. It immediately allowed me to get pictures with ease that would have been incredibly challenging if not impossible with the 5n. It was able to lock onto, and track, a caterpillar and the cocoon it was building swinging in the breeze and fire off 11fps all tack sharp. Amazing. It covers 92% of the frame as well and none of the dslr competition cover that much or are as accurate. For any kind of quick action there is no comparison. Now as far as lenses I am going to dive into the wonderful world of vintage glass this upcoming year.

I have the Sony 50 1.8 and it is quite the lens and great on the A6000. It is only $250 now and I wouldn't have an E mount without it. OSS works great and it is very sharp wide open. I just received the Sony 18-105G F4 for Christmas. I am disappointed as it is not as versatile as I had hoped due to it being quite soft in comparison wide open.

So to wrap up my thoughts for the moment the A6000 is now $598 U.S. most everywhere now and a lot of times you can get a two lens kit for the price I paid just for the camera. I would put the $598 A6000 and $250 SEL 50 1.8 up against any new combo in that price for image quality as well. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=a6000&sprefix=a6000%2Caps

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-50mm-Mid-Range-Mount-Cameras/dp/B005NX7HY6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419871512&sr=8-2&keywords=sel+50+1.8

A few assumptions need to be made to make this post not 10 pages long. I assume you have approximately $500+ dollars to get started. If you don't it'll be clear where you can cut back, but lose out on quality.


In order to do what Duncan does, you need a few items:

1. Camera: The best bang for the buck "no" budget camera right now for solo shooters who film themselves is the a5100. The a6000 is also nice but doesn't have a flip out monitor which helps when making sure you're in focus and also filming yourself, and also loses out on some other video features. This camera depletes our budget immediately but starting out strong is good. You can always save up money for more stuff later down the road. If that's too expensive you can look into a used a5100, or a Sony NEX-5N. You lose out on fast auto focus, a higher quality codec, and a flip out monitor. Could you get a DSLR? Sure. But anything that would come close to competing with the a5100 in terms of video specs would be well over $1,000.
   
   
   
2. Tripod: You don't really need a tripod. You could stack up a bunch of books and put your camera on that. Unfortunately you wouldn't have pan/tilt capabilities but it'd work. However, filming "b-roll" of your completed minis to add supplementary footage may be difficult handheld. So, if I were to buy a "no" budget tripod, it'd be this one. I personally used this. It's great for beginners, pretty rigid, but suffers when exposed to elements like water/sand. It also only has 2 axes of motion as opposed to all 3 (not the biggest deal for video, more so photography).
   
   
   
3. SD Card: Your camera probably comes with one (unless you buy used or some other deal). If you need one, seeing as how you'll be filming to a 50 mbit codec (XAVC, higher the number, better the quality of the footage), you'll need a card with at least a 50 mbit read/write rate to keep up with that codec. Here's one.
   
   
   
4. Microphone: Duncan's voice is nice and clear. The mic on your camera is absolutely terrible. You will sound like you're talking into a tin can. This isn't a problem with the camera either, it's a problem with all on-camera microphones. There's a few solutions to this. You could pick up a lavaliere system. One interesting one is the Rode Smart Lav. You plug it into your smart phone, click record on your smart phone, record on your camera, sync it with a clap, and you're off. Most cameras come with a 3.5mm jack to plug in an external microphone, but this one does not (kind of good and bad, bad for "no" budget film making). This forces us to look for an external recorder to capture our audio (in the case of the smart lav, your phone acts as the external recorder). A good external recorder and mic combo with be a Tascam DR-05 and a Rode VideoMic Go plus some accessories like a cold shoe mount + mic stand. Out of these set ups, I prefer the smart lav. When/if you look into getting a recorder/microphone solution, spending more money garnishes much better equipment to a certain degree.
   
   
   Bonus 5: Lenses. As usual, lenses that come with the camera are not the best in terms of sharpness. So I have 2 recommendations to supplement your camera. An incredibly sharp (in terms of detail) lens but it only can take advantage of Sony's slower auto focus, or a less sharp lens that can auto focus very quickly. Combining sharpness + capability to utilize Sony's new fast auto focus features costs $$$. It does exist, but I'm hesitant to link it.
   
   
   My recommendation: If you know you want to get into this, buy the a5100 and an SD card (if you need it). Play around with the camera, its settings, different set ups, etc. Once you're familiar, buy the tripod, film test tutorial of you painting something, edit it and render/publish it. Once you're certain you are enjoying the process or the outcome, buy a better mic set up, and then finally a better lens.
   /u/RamenProfitable

Hello /r/photography !

First time poster here. I'm sure you guys get a lot of posts like these here, so sorry for that. I'm very seriously considering purchasing my first camera over the holiday season, perhaps like a Christmas present to myself. I've always been interested in photography, took a few classes in HS/college, but I've never actually owned a camera before.

I'm actually a retail associate at a store with a sizable DI department and I've found myself hanging around there checking out some cameras and lenses during my lunch breaks recently. I've been doing what research and reading I can but as a potential new photographer its a bit overwhelming to start. Even some of the menus and settings on the DSLRs are confusing.

Anyway. Right now I'm eyeing the Sony a6000 as my gateway into the world of photography. I've picked up and held most of the cameras in our shop and I definitely appreciate the smaller compact design of a mirrorless versus the traditional DSLRs. I'm sure I would be fine with a DSLR and in the end the lenses will be the same size but I would prefer a mirrorless, I think. At this point, my major reservation with the a6000 is what I've read about the E mount lens selection being quite small.

From what I understand Sony is still adding to this lineup but there is a much smaller selection of compatible or native lenses for the E mount series compared to, say, Canon or Nikon. I'm wondering if this might be a reason to consider going with a different camera. I checked out the EOS M3 as well, which I believe is a similar price/specs to the a6000 but I think I would prefer to have the EVF the Sony has. However, I'm assuming the M3 has a much larger selection of compatible lenses.

For what its worth, we have a bundle similar to this in my store https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ILCE6000YB-Mirrorless-Digital-55-210mm/dp/B00NO1T55I which also includes a 50mm prime (I believe its this one https://www.amazon.com/Sony-50mm-Mid-Range-Mount-Cameras/dp/B005NX7HY6 ) open boxed for $599 on the tag, and could possibly get it cheaper. I'm not sure if an open box item qualifies (I would have to ask) but I do also have access to Sony's Premier Rewards program which I could get up to a 40% rebate on the a6000.

However, for the sake of finding some alternatives to look into, lets say my budget is about.. $700 USD before taxes. Could possibly flex it to $800. I can probably get similar accomodations on most brand of cameras and lenses that my store carries. For me, this would be a very large purchase and I want to make sure I get the best fit and I would probably be using this camera for at least 5 years and adding lenses/accessories as I go.

What are some good alternatives to the a6000 in this price range? I'd prefer mirrorless if possible but I'm not totally opposed to a standard DSLR. I like the manual controls (was considering a5100 originally) on the a6000 even though I don't know what most of them do. Prefer to have a viewfinder. APS-C sensor.. not convinced on m43.

My endgoal is to be shooting macro but at this time I don't think I can afford the investment into a 90 or 100mm macro lens as a total beginner photographer. Mostly interested in doing flowers/mushrooms and inanimate objects but being able to shoot small creatures would be cool. Was considering tubes or maybe a reversal ring in the meantime. Also interested in general nature/city photography.

Any suggestions you guys might have would be great. So far the a6000 seems like the best fit for me but I want to explore all my options before making any purchase. Sorry for the long post. Cheers!

1. Not necessarily. A 50 mm f/1.8 and a little cropping would be fine, at least to start for a moderate price
   
   
2. You have a good eye and a solid style, and that's the hard part. A wide aperture to blur the fore/background naturally would help with that 50/1.8 lens. Look into making a DIY lightbox to get some softer, more controlled light with softer shadows and fewer harsh reflections
   
   
3. Lighting is definitely hard, but technically it should be a little easier at the scale of board games. The geometry works out such that cheaper and smaller softboxes, umbrellas, reflectors, and other equipment will be easier to buy and easier to control than much larger gear for larger subjects. A small umbrella over a tiny board game piece is effectively enormous (good). Look into a full video course on studio lighting, and flash photography over on Lynda or Skillshare - it'll be like an hour or two long in total. If you go to college, they may hook you up with free Lynda account like FSU does for students and alumni. Your local library may also give you access.
   
   
4. I'm most comfortable with Canon because I have one, and there seems to be a wider selection of lenses, but I think you're fine here. That's a great camera and Sonys are known to work really well indoors in low light. Definitely not a misstep, but there's a lot more to photography than just buying a nice camera. Check out YouTube for LOTS of tutorials on post processing.
   
   P.S. Lightroom/Photoshop are the industry leaders in post processing, but I am cheap and I like RawTherapee/Gimp which are the free, open source alternatives. Editing is just as important. Take the skills you learned on your iPhone editing software and continue doing the same kinds of things on desktop (or mobile) but with a bit more control. Good luck.

/u/eligoscreps - if you're a filmmaker and don't need a still photo camera, I recommend a real cinema camera.

Sadly, the cameras recommended here are still cameras that have been modified to record video.

Some do a better job than others, but for $1500, all you're going to get is a compromise still/video camera that shoots RAW stills, but records video to an amateur 256 color 8-bit compressed codec.

For short films, it might be better to get a camera with a professional level RAW video codec and more color space than you can get from a still camera - such as the 1080/60p RAW Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera.

Here is a ~$1530 setup built around the BMMCC [Referral Links]:

• [Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera with a free Olympus 40-150 lens - $995] (https://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Design-Micro-Cinema-Camera/dp/B01D7ZOYUG//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) (or [979€ in Europe (without the free lens)] (https://www.amazon.de/Blackmagic-Design-Cinema-Steckplatz-Speicherkarten/dp/B00WNFK0P0//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerev02-21))
  
  
• [Feelworld F570 Monitor - $196] (https://www.amazon.com/FEELWORLD-Camera-Monitor-1920x1080-Monitors/dp/B077HL14W4//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) (or [185,99€ in Europe] (https://www.amazon.de/Feelworld-Kamera-Monitor-1920%C3%971080-Bildschirm/dp/B077HRR625//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerev02-21))
  
  
• [LP-E6 battery plate for the monitor - $13] (https://www.amazon.com/Feelworld-LP-E6-Battery-Monitors-Compatible/dp/B079CD2G2N//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) (or [12,99€ in Europe] (https://www.amazon.de/Feelworld-Batterie-Bodenplatte-Monitore-kompatibel/dp/B07848R29X//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerev02-21))
  
  
• [7Artisans 25mm f/1.8 low light lens - $69.99] (https://www.amazon.com/7artisans-25mm-F1-8-Panasonic-M4/dp/B073F52N4W/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) (or [89€ in Europe] (https://www.amazon.de/gestaltet-F1-8-Manueller-Panasonic-Micro-M4/dp/B074XVVM54//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerev02-21))
  
  
• [Tascam DR-05 recorder with free headphones - $99.99] (https://www.amazon.com/Tascam-Portable-Handheld-Digital-Recorder/dp/B00MWJROWY//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) (or [88€ in Europe (without the headphones)] (https://www.amazon.de/Tascam-DR-05-Tragbarer-hochwertiger-Taschenformat/dp/B00LU8K790//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerev02-21))
  
  
• [Rode Video Micro - $56.95] (https://www.amazon.com/Rode-VideoMicro-Compact-Camera-Microphone/dp/B015R0IQGW//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) (or [47€ in Europe] (https://www.amazon.de/Rode-Microphones-VIDEOMICRO-VMMICRO-VideoMicro/dp/B015R0IQGW//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerev02-21))
  
  
• [Rode Micro Boompole Pro - $99] (https://www.amazon.com/Rode-Micro-Boompole-Ultra-Lightweight-Modular/dp/B015ZXVACI//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) (or [91,75€ in Europe] (https://www.amazon.de/Rode-Micro-BoomPole-Modular-galgenmast/dp/B015ZXVACI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=A1KYK2OH0QW7ZQ&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1526868101&linkCode=ll1&tag=hybrcamerev02-21))
  
  With this setup, you can get the mic close to your talent, as seen [here] (https://youtu.be/dfoopvFcY1E) and produce image quality like this in 1024 color 10-bit ProRes and 4096 color 12-bit losslessly compressed CinemaDNG RAW:
  
  Narrative
  
  
• [L’ÉCHAPPÉE SAUVAGE (fiction short film) by Loïc Porcher] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera/videos/250883189)
  
  
• [REMINISENCE (2017edit) by Roman Ruetten] (https://vimeo.com/245268799)
  
  
• [GENE Teaser by Giant Leap Productions] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera/videos/179117336)
  
  
• [Au lac by Thomas Fontaine] (https://vimeo.com/189062822)
  
  
• [G O N E - A Lost Visual Poem by Roman Ruetten] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera/videos/201612875)
  
  
• [Micro by Noam Kroll] (https://vimeo.com/152176332)
  
  
• [THE DEAD by SUPERIOR FILM] (https://vimeo.com/219680922)
  
  
• [Metaphores of Life - short film by J&J Films] (https://youtu.be/BtIqbe5b7M0) (upscaled to 2160p)
  
  
• [Love Story - Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera by JSFILMZ] (https://vimeo.com/175951426)
  
  
• [DEPARTURE - Sci-Fi / Afrofuturist / Noir Short Film by Donovan V.C.] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera/videos/2044950069)
  
  Docs
  
  
• [Behind The Scenes - “A Pirate’s Tale” by Noam Kroll] (https://vimeo.com/163465118) (BTS shot with the BMMCC, scenes from the film shot with the URSA Mini 4.6K)
  
  
• [Tim by Rove Media] (https://vimeo.com/187855177)
  
  
• [Training Day - Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera by Simon Shasha] (https://vimeo.com/155747487)
  
  Music Video
  
  
• [Dara Under the Tree - A Night like This ( LIVE ) by Hugo Brand] (https://youtu.be/zciqPcL6InE) (1080p)
  
  
• [Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera Footage - Silver Darter - 'Amnesia' Music Video by Tiddly Films] (https://youtu.be/61hGtIyUvFE) (1080p - table scenes shot with the BMMCC, bathroom scenes shot with the BMCC)
  
  TV commercials and promos
  
  
• [ACCIDENTAL LOVE // PERŁA SPOT by Tomasz Dobski] (https://vimeo.com/180172474)
  
  
• [The Gathering Karak Pancake Ad by Chema García (Mumford)] (https://vimeo.com/165262005) (shot with the BMMCC and the BMPCC)
  
  
• [I Love Rolki ŁÓDŹ by Kuba Sobański] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera/videos/182920186)
  
  
• [Carmen Steffens Beachwear 2017 by Michelangelo BernardoniPLUS] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera/videos/170094455)
  
  
• [Vogue Shareable: Abarth 695 Rivale by Daniele Piatti] (https://vimeo.com/237715868)
  
  
• [Carmen Steffens Verão 2017 by Michelangelo Bernardoni] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera/videos/166286622)
  
  
• [backstage Svetlo tm by Alexander Ladski] (https://youtu.be/XSlUlPX95kY)
  
  
• [After Hours - Maniere De Voir by Craig Murfin] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera/videos/243911486)
  
  Slow Motion
  
  
• [Black Magic Micro Cinema Camera - Slow Motion Test by Rob Ellis] (https://youtu.be/ex_FgWeXeTU) (1080p - 12-bit losslessly compressed RAW)
  
  
• [Solitude (Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera - Slow Motion Test) by Color Film Productions] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN4Q7NOFIfI) (1080p - 10-bit ProRes)
  
  
• [Maniere De Voir by Craig Murfin] (https://vimeo.com/254553988)
  
  
• [After Hours - Maniere De Voir by Craig Murfin] (https://vimeo.com/243911486)
  
  The BMMCC captures so much information at 1080p, that it still looks clean when blown up to 4K:
  
  
• [Blackmagic micro cinema camera +Glidecam HD4000 + Sigma 18-35 f1.8 Art lens by Hugo Brand] (https://youtu.be/u59w1Yke1M0) (upscaled to 2160p)
  
  
• [Open // Jezze B (Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera Music Video) by Thomas Shomo] (https://youtu.be/qxnnZBMGfEU) (upscaled to 2160p)
  
  
• [Litesound Brothers - HTW - Jason Derulo Nicki Minaj - Swalla [Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera] by litesoundband] (https://youtu.be/mFkxWsA0B44) (upscaled to 2160p)
  
  
• [Live one take performance Micro cinema camera + Sigma 18-35 art + Glidecam HD4000 by Hugo Brand] (https://youtu.be/reldQDPY_go) (upscaled to 2160p)
  
  There are many more examples in the [Pocket/Micro Cinema Camera group] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera) I moderate over on Vimeo.
  
  Although Blackmagic cameras have a steeper learning curve than consumer cameras, and color grading in post is pretty much mandatory - in my view, they are the best pure filmmakers' cameras in this price range and well worth the money.
  
  If you decide to go with the BMMCC, you might want to subscribe over at r/bmpcc and r/Blackmagicdesign - lots of knowledgeable folks there who can help you get the most out of your new camera.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with finding the right setup for your needs!
  
  

I love the camera. It consistently stuns me. t2i was my first camera, then GH4, and now GH5. I rent/use C100/C300 FS7 and RED Epic when needed.

The absolutely biggest thing about the GH5 that has completely changed me as a shooter is IBIS. I can now use the glass I want to use with the freedom of being handheld.

4k 10-bit is the next big feature that really excited me with the GH5. It gives me 'just' enough room in post to fix a lot of shots when compared with 8-bit. V-LOG is a necessity IMHO.

Slow motion is OK up to 120fps. There are limitations and the codec gets spread really thin, but I'm getting some very impressive results.

Dual SD is nice. Full HDMI is nice. The EVF is quite good. Internal sound is quite impressive, especially with this XLR accessory.

Anamorphic mode is really, really cool. I am meeting a local studio to do some camera tests and talk about low budget anamorphic shoots later this month. It's getting me on people's radar that I really want to get on.

The drawbacks are the small sensor. This is the weak link to the camera. It's still very capable of producing incredibly cinematic images, but it might just be a tad bit harder to do compared to a Super 35 camera.

TBH, as much as I love the GH5, it's not really an 'A-Cam.' Ergonomics and dual IBIS when paired to a lens like this one makes it an ideal B-Cam. I made the decision to purchase an EVA-1 last month. As a solo shooter, I plan on keeping the EVA-1 on sticks as my A-CAM, with the GH5 on a sling to grab opportunity hand-held shots as my B-CAM. One could rig the GH5 up and lock-it-down and get great results (as I have been doing), but it really excels as a handheld 'floater' due to it's features/ergonomics.

The camera that I currently use is the Panasonic GX1.

It is small and light and currently very cheap, I paid more than $1000 for this camera and lens.

It takes photos like this, this, this, this or this, depending on what lens you put on it. Each lens has it's own advantage (and sometimes disadvantage).

With the 14-42mm X-pro kit lens that comes in this set, you'll have one the smallest most versatile lens on the market, of any camera. You can fit the camera in a small pouch like this. The other advantage of that lens is that it boasts one of the fastest, if not the fastest autofocus times. This photo was taken with that lens.

For going on safari, one of the best possible lenses is this one, it is very long and will allow you to take close ups of animals from far away. These photos are taken with long lenses, but not on the GX1 or with that lens.

GX1 with 14-42mm X-Pro = $549

100-300mm lens = $499

If you want a cheaper lens, you could get the 45-200mm for $295.

The money saved could be spent on a nice prime lens, like this 20mm f1.7, this lens is fantastic because it's the same size as the 14-42mm X-pro, so if you have a nice fitted case, the camera will fit with either lens on it. It takes photos like this.

I know you said you only want to spend $150 on the other lens... but trust me, it is a lot better to spend more on the lens, and less on the body, because bodies go down in price quickly, but lenses stay the same/similar. They can be used on your next camera when you upgrade.

My own lenses are worth much more than my camera bodies.
***
Full disclosure, all amazon links are /r/photography links, and some profit from those sales will go towards /r/photography community projects, such as our photo competitions. This is completely non-profit and I do not receive any money from this.

Please shop around, and don't be afraid to buy second hand or from eBay. And yes, go ahead and buy other camera brands, they're all good!

Do you only have the kit lens for the ep3? If you have any sort of decent lens selection I'd personally stay on m43, at least for now. The lens selection for the M50 is poor, and canon just released a brand new lens mount that's completely incompatible with it. Some people are worried about the future of the system. It probably isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but it is a weird time to be buying into EF-M.

If you don't have any other lenses, you might want to think about whether or not you should be on an ILC system at all. A good compact camera with a fast lens like the LX10, RX100, LX100 or Canon G series will probably take better pictures than an m50 with kit lens or an em3 with the oly 12-40. If you decide to stay with an ILC, do you find yourself limited by your current camera? 24mp is great, but if you're not doing big crops or giant prints you might not even notice the difference. Generally speaking, investing in better lenses tend to have a bigger payoff than getting a new body, but if there's something specific about your current camera that's holding you back it might be time to upgrade.

I personally think the best inexpensive camera right now is the Panasonic GX85. It's a great camera, an amazing value, and will work with your existing lenses. I think the best first lens for m43 is the Panasonic 25mm f1.7. It's $150, optically excellent, and great in low light. It isn't a zoom, but it's a useful focal length for lots of different applications.

I've traveled to quite a few places with my kit lens. It's pretty damn good.

You still have time to fill out the rest of your stuff, if needed:

Filters:

Singh-Ray Filters makes a "ColorCombo LB" filter. Works like wearing a pair of polarized GOOD quality sunglasses outdoors. I never took it off. Excellent quality and helped when the sky was overexposed and when I generally wanted to get a more intense color.

Lens:

Your kit lens will be more than fine for anything during the day. But at night is different. The kit is meh at night. You definitely want something to capture night time. Maybe some star time lapses? Those are always cool.

Leica 15mm F1.7 My wallet hurt when I bought this, but to be honest, it's on my camera more than it's not. It makes the night look amazing. The quality is awesome too.

Panasonic 25mm f1.7 - compared to the "nifty fifty" on a full frame (25mm*2=50mm). This is our "go-to" as a second lens (for day and/or night), but to get an idea of how 'zoomed in' it is, take your kit lens and rotate it to "25mm". That's how this lens is. Too much for me, but it's still worth mentioning.

Panasonic 45-150mm f4.0-5.6 - I just bought this lens from Amazon Warehouse for $100. It's very well built and serves it's purpose (when I want to zoom in on something far away).

Microphones:

If you want a better microphone get the Videomic Pro+. The difference between this and the others are that the mic turns on/off automatically when the camera turns on/off and it has a USB rechargeable battery.

Batteries:

Speaking of extra batteries, you're going to want more. There are three types: cheap non-decoded, cheap decoded, and OEM (which are decoded).

Non-decoded means you won't know how much battery you have left in the camera. Obviously that's dumb. Spend a little more and get decoded. I really like these OAproda 2 pack + charger. No battery lasts as long as the OEM, but it's close enough. Plus, the OAproda charger is much thinner than the others and charges via USB.

SD Cards:

I love these SanDisk Extreme Pro. I purchased the 128gb because I NEVER want to be in a position that I can ever possibly run out of space.

You'll want a way to copy the files to your pc. This Transcend USB 3.0 works amazingly, and it's $9 for a two pack.

External Drive:

You WILL run out of space on your laptop. You can either purchase 3-4 SD cards, or you can get an external HDD. Each has it's pros and cons.

Battery Pack / cables:

Whether it's your phone / headphones / batteries / tablet / whatever, I suggest the Anker PowerCore. These things are beasts. One of these made sure I was able to fly from here to Australia without worrying about battery levels.

You'll also want to carry extra wires. Whether MicroUSB, USB-C, or Lightening, I would never use anything else but Anker PowerLine


International Charger:
I used the BESTEK Travel Adapter and loved it. Plenty of ports to charge stuff on. It has a small fan (to keep it cool) that some people say bothers them, but I'm the lightest sleeper and it didn't bother me. Barely heard it.

I'd say it comes down to your budget. If money isn't an issue, get the $699 one. It's a good deal, the 55-210 can provide some fun creative opportunities, and you can always sell the lens for a small profit if you find it's of no use to you.

If you need to stick to a budget, get the $599 one (I think Amazon even has a deal now where you can get the $599 one with a $50 Amazon gift card added in for free). Realistically, you won't be using the telephoto lens that much and it's not a must have.

I think the kit lens is good, it is what it is and gets the jobs done. For amateur photographers/newbies, I think it's also a good way to get acquainted with what kind of photos you most like to take and it forces you to get more familiar with the a6000 in order to take the best possible shots. You can take great photos with the kit lens, don't give in to the haters.

Some other things to keep in mind when thinking about budget:

You'll definitely want to buy extra batteries and an external charger. With the kit lens, it's also worthwhile to get a 40.5-52mm step-up adapter ring, a 52mm lens cap, and a 52mm circular polarizer-- adds some nice capabilities at a low cost.

If you don't want to spend too much money, I'd recommend getting the $599 one with $50 Amazon gift card and then buying the Sigma 30mm F2.8 for $169 (https://www.amazon.com/Sigma-30mm-F2-8-Black-Sony/dp/B00BQXL5CM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483033428&sr=8-2&keywords=sigma+30mm). It'll serve as a fantastic primary lens that you'll probably use a lot more often than the 55-210 lens -- but then again I don't know what kind of photos you like to take :) (you can also get the Sony 35mm f/1.8 which is a little higher quality and also has image stabilization unlike the Sigma lens, but at $400 it might really strain the budget :-O )

And of course, down the road you can buy an adapter for cheap and pick up some incredible legacy lenses (f/1.4, f/1.8) for under $100 if you buy them used. Those will require manual focus, but it's still pretty neat.

But more than anything, enjoy the new camera! It's an incredible piece of equipment that's insanely fun to shoot with, so good for day to day photography :)

Here are two good options to look at depending on what you care about most.

1. The Panasonic G85 is best for shooting really stable video and captures motion really well. It has really good in body stabilization. The low light performance is fairly good on this camera, but the next option is better for that. Here's a review of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv2OWv6pWVM I would get a constant aperture zoom lens like the 12-35mm F2.8, and maybe just get a camera body. Keeping budget in mind, I would much rather have the G85 with a good lens over the GH5 with a cheap lens, but that's up to you. The GH5 is an excellent camera, just depends how you want to budget everything.
   
   
2. The Sony a6500 is a good low light camera. This camera will perform better in low light than the Panasonic, but the video isn't quite as smooth, especially when the camera is moving around really fast. It also has in-body stabilization, which is fairly good, but not quite where Panasonic is. It's autofocus is also a little better. Th Here's a similar review for this camera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3gmhQI6Gi0
   
   For audio, a Zoom H4n lav kit is a good bet. That way you can record everything on a dedicated recorder and hide the lav on the person. I wouldn't want to try wireless, too much can go wrong. This is a better option than the Zoom H1 since the hold switch will prevent it from accidentally stopping recording from a button press. On camera audio is as simple as a Rode microphone. They're all an improvement over the camera's built in audio, just pick something that has the features you need. (Also make sure to put a windscreen on it for outdoors)

The kit lens is good because it can zoom across a wide range of perspectives but bad because it's "slow" in light gathering terms. This means that you'll be less able to get non-blurry shots as the lights get dimmer (sun set, indoors, dinner time lighting, etc).

So my suggestion would be to, assuming you want to take photos at dusk/night, get a fixed focal length prime lens. These lenses are bad because they can't zoom at all and so you have to use your feet to zoom but good because they can shoot in significantly dimmer light.

But which prime lens to get? You can get them at a reasonable price in the zoom levels of: 15mm, 17mm, 20mm, 25mm, and 42.5mm. I'd say the way to go would be to buy the G85 with the kit lens, use it, and see which focal length you take the most photos at or your favorite photos at. Some people suggest taping the zoom lens to be fixed at a focal length of whatever prime lens you might buy and shooting with that for a week or so to see if you can handle being stuck at that range.

• 15mm https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-LUMIX-LEICA-SUMMILUX-H-X015/dp/B00J8H7H48/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=15mm+f%2F1.7&qid=1564608134&s=gateway&sr=8-2
  
• 17mm https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-M-Zuiko-Digital-Thirds-Cameras/dp/B00CI3R4VU/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=17mm+f%2F1.8&qid=1564608233&s=gateway&sr=8-1
  
• 20mm https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-LUMIX-MIRRORLESS-Thirds-H-H020AK/dp/B00DJS830Y/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=20mm+f%2F1.7&qid=1564608313&s=gateway&sr=8-3
  
• 25mm Lumix https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-LUMIX-MIRRORLESS-THIRDS-H-H025K/dp/B014RD6RC0/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=25mm+f%2F1.7&qid=1564608151&s=gateway&sr=8-2
  
• 25mm Olympus https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-M-Zuiko-Digital-Thirds-Cameras/dp/B00HWMP0XG/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=25mm+f%2F1.8&qid=1564608237&s=gateway&sr=8-4
  
• 42.5mm Lumix https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-42-5MM-MIRRORLESS-OPTICAL-H-HS43K/dp/B00H36U69Y/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=42.5mm+f%2F1.7&qid=1564608146&s=gateway&sr=8-2
  
• 45mm Olympus https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-Silver-Cameras/dp/B0058G40O8/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=45mm+f%2F1.8&qid=1564608241&s=gateway&sr=8-3
  
  A lot of people are also of the opinion that using a prime lens as a beginning photographer will help you get better quicker by limiting the range of things you can do (no more zooming) and forcing you to think more outside the box.
  
  Personally, I like the 15mm range for all around shooting (it's similar to the perspective a phone camera would give you). And I like the 42.5mm for specifically taking portraits, which I do a lot of when hanging out with friends. The Olympus lenses are worth considering if you can save some money by going with them. Theoretically they won't autofocus as quickly, but the difference should be negligible (we're talking milliseconds here).
  
  I'd also suggest looking at used lenses (ebay or Amazon's used marketplace give me the best results). Anything in good to excellent condition that says there's no mold or scratches on the glass will perform fine. You can usually expect to save about 20% of the new price by going used, sometimes more. The majority of my lenses are used and I've never had a single issue.

Hello everyone!
Just got the a6000 recently with some christmas money and I freaking love it already. I've been doing some research and I want to try out an upgraded lens. The kit is fine, but I'm definitely seeing the benefits of a lower aperture prime (more bokeh effect, better in low light, etc.)

I've narrowed down my search to the Sony SEL35F18, SEL50F18, and the Sigma 30mm F2.8

The SEL35F18 definitely seems best to me overall, and I'm thinking it probably makes sense to just suck it up and go straight for that. However the Sigma is also attractive because it seems like a great budget alternative. The SEL50F18 is probably last on my list because at ~$300 currently, its just not a significant enough difference in price from the 35... Any advice is appreciated!

I know it's been stereotypical to jerk off to the Panasonic G7, but after using it for two years as both a dedicated video and photo camera I've became extremely comfortable using it and can vouch for its superiority. This is the first camera I recommend to family and friends, and at $500 nothing can compare to it.

I'd recommend with the spare cash picking up the 25mm f1.7, its fabulous for the price and produces some amazing results.

Heres my website if you want to check out what I've done with the camera.

The Panny 12-35 f2.8 is by far my most used lens, and it compliments your friend's 35-100 f2.8 nicely.

I also have the Panasonic 25mm f1.4 which is a great lens - there's no OIS, which is a downside for a lot of people but if you have a steady hand or a tripod you're ok. I use this a lot on weddings. You could by the 25mm f1.7 for sightly less.

The next lense I'll be buying is the Voightlander 10.5mm f0.95 - it's pricey but a fast wide lens is something I've been looking for for awhile on the m43 system. Voightlander has a variety of f0.95 prime lenses compatable with your sytem - I think a 25, 35, 50 and 80mm IIRC. Had I not alreaday had those focal lengths covered I may have picked one of those up too.

for only $80ish bucks this 9mm BLC (body lens cap) fisheye lens is awesome. Lot of people overlooking it. It's locked at f7 but that's not an issue since I am ususally shooting with it during the day or timelapsing with it in low light with a slowshutter (great for wedding or even timelapses - like this one of mine). I keep it on my camera instead of normal lens caps.

Similar I'd recommend looking into some older lenses and using an adapter. To cover my longer focal lengths I use an older Zeis 50mm f1.4 prime from my analog photography days - it's effectly 110mm with the crop factor.

For extremely cheap ($10-$50 bucks on ebay) you can buy c mount tv lenses. Almost all are f1.4 and have a real milky dream like look to them. They can be cool - check this video out for an example HERE. 16mm lenses can be converted aswell but they'll be way more money.


All my suggestions by the first two are fully manual lenses. That's not everyone's thing sometimes FYI, but I feel like those people are more from the photography side of things. I basically shoot the same stuff you do from the sounds of it - concerts, music vids, commercial stuff, weddings. etc.

I switched from m4/3 to the sony a6500.

It has its flaws, for sure.

• Stupid placement of the memory card
  
• inability to change mic volume in anything but video mode
  
• touch screen isn't very intuitive
  
• No headphone jack
  
• Rolling shutter is bad in 4k
  
• No flip out screen
  
• Over heating? I've only shot 4k for 10 minutes max, camera was a little warm, but so far so good
  
  I've taken some really great photos with it, huge improvement, miles better than with my old m4/3. I mean its triple the price, so I hope it would be better. I bought it with the sigma 30mm f1.4. So far besides how much the body costs and the few flaws I do love it. and the auto focus is SO GOOD.
  
  Not gonna lie, I have had second thoughts of "I coulda bought a gh4/g85 and used the extra money to buy so much other stuff" so consider that.
  
  I'm still an amateur, but I now understand why the GH5 would be the better camera for professional work. It has everything.
  
  
  

The stickied QA thread would be a better place for this. Also, here's the faq.

Still, to give you a little something more, at your price range used is a pretty good option.

Megapixels don't matter. Get a camera made with a 1", m43 or aps-c sized sensor on a camera made within the past 3 (maybe 5) years.

All the brands are solid. Find one you like and buy it. If you're going new, a local camera store will probably match the going rate online.

There are lots of options with different strengths, but in your price range they're pretty much all good cameras and all will produce great images.

I prioritize portability, but also like being able to change lenses to get better low-light performance (etc.), so I have a m43 camera. You can get a used body (e-pl5, e-pl7, e-m10) plus a 25mm lens (50mm equivalent) for about your desired price point: panasonic lens, e-pl7.

I see people recommending the 50mm f/1.8, but on an aps-c sensor it is a bit long and can feel kind of limiting. I'd recommend getting the Sigma Art 30mm f/1.4, it's closer to 50mm FF equivalent and a super great lens, and it's within your budget. It's versatile, fast, well-built and you'll get beautiful creamy bokeh with it.
https://www.amazon.com/Sigma-30mm-F1-4-Contemporary-Lens/dp/B01C3SCKI6

Sample images: https://www.flickr.com/groups/2955549@N21/pool/

Edit: just saw you mentioned landscapes, easy, Tokina 11-16mm.
https://www.amazon.com/Tokina-ATXAF116DXIIC-11-16mm-DX-II-Canon/dp/B00E3Y4XZM/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1521639979&sr=1-5&keywords=tokina+11-16mm

Sample images: https://www.flickr.com/groups/2110505@N24/pool/

I got my NEX-5N (body only) a month or so ago (first camera, so I'm still a beginner), along with the Sony 30mm f/3.5 macro lens and the Sigma 30mm f/2.8 prime lens.

1. It's small, but gives superb IQ for it's size. It shoots comparable photos to entry DSLRs like the D3100 and T2i. Although irrelevant, people you meet/encounter will underestimate the pictures it can take because it doesn't look like a DSLR.
   
   
2. Lack of an optical viewfinder is a huge annoyance if you're shooting in sunlight. I've found myself wanting an optical viewfinder (built in) simply because the screen can sometimes look off, especially when it has smudges and stuff on it; but the screen does serve its purpose well. There's also that add on OLED EVF, looks nice but kind of expensive... If you plan on getting a 5N and the OLED EVF, might as well get the 7.
   
   
3. Lens ecosystem is sort of small, but not really. You can also use old manual lenses, etc. I also don't know why, but the Sony 50mm f/1.8 prime lens was in extremely limited availability for the past few months, which pissed me off. And if you look now, the Sigma 30mm is in low availability at Amazon... But Sony does have a 16mm wide angle, fisheye converter, extreme wide angle converter, 18-55mm, 50mm, 30mm macro, 18-200mm, 55-210mm, and a Zeiss 24mm.
   
   
4. Not too many buttons on the actual camera itself. It has a dial with a center click, and 2 buttons on the top and bottom of the dial. You can customize the buttons to do what you want, which I have set to the focus point, ISO, WB, focus option, metering mode, and creative style. I'm learning in manual mode, so it would be nice if there was more physical buttons on the camera so I could quickly change settings.
   
   
5. Autofocus feels slightly slow (for the 30mm macro it's a given) on the Sigma 30mm f/2.8. If I'm walking down the street and try to snap a photo real fast at maybe ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/1000+, I can, but it doesn't seem too fast.
   
   
6. The swivel LCD screen is a very nice feature.
   
   Like everyone says about these cameras, if you're looking for excellent IQ in a small package, the NEX 5N / 7 fulfills that request. If you're looking to invest into the NEX system, I'd go for the NEX-7. Also, don't even bother with the C3; the 5N is much better for ~$100.

Congratulations on purchasing the GH5, it's a great camera for the price and will help you learn a lot.

I'd like to forewarn you... MKBHD shoots his videos in 8K on a RED cinema camera. No GH5 will ever be able to match that resolution or image quality. But... YouTube compression in mind? You can get pretty damn close.

Before you start buying lenses, make your decision about which system to adopt (EF vs. M43) carefully. There's a saying around here that goes something like "a camera is temporary, but glass is for life" meaning that investing in lenses should be done so carefully because you will have them for a long time.

I'm not sure what your budget is, but for a hobbyist/beginner, staying on the micro four-thirds side will be cheaper.

A great lens that's cheap, has a sharp image, and can produce a very similar result to what MKBHD makes is the Panasonic 25mm f1.7. Fast prime, basically M43's "nifty fifty" (keeping in mind the 2X crop factor).

That lens will get it done. To produce a product similar to MKBHD, you are better off spending your money on good audio equipment and good lighting. Your camera with that lens should be enough to get you there with those things in mind.

Hello!

We ask that all self-serving/ gear related/ help-desk questions be directed to our Official Questions Thread currently up and running.

Your post has been removed.

Thank-you


__

Here is the source for your post so you can copy-paste easily:




I'll be traveling all throughout Israel early August and bringing with me a Sony a6000 with the kit 16-50mm and 55-210mm lenses. I will also bring this lens as it quickly became one of my favorites for street life photography. I'm leaving behind Nikon AF Nikkor 35-105mm 1:3.5-4.5 D as well as Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8 prime. The low light is great with the 50mm, but the FOV isn't great with APS-C I've noticed, and as I'll be in a desert where it will be fairly sunny I figure I can go without the added weight/stress of breaking a lens. For night shots, I plan to just play with long exposures and layering in post-production.

Accessory wise, I'm bringing plenty of on the go lens cleaners and dusters and brushes to keep sand/salt etc. to a minimum.

I will also have 5 batteries and two Kingston 64GB SDXC 90MB/s (r) and 45MB/s (w).

That was a brain dump, so thank you if you read through that. I'll be bringing this bag as well for day packing and camera equipment protection

I've never done desert shoots and honestly have more practice with film than mirrorless so any recommendations would be great!

Thanks in advance!

Im new to the game as well, but so far these are the things I have picked up for my G6:

first, i bought a G6 kit that came with some handy stuff

I have also purchased

A slightly better tripod

A flood light

Battery pack for said light

Variable ND Fader for filming out doors

Rode shotgun Mic

Zoom H1

Lav mic to go with the H1

Headphones to listen for levels

Triple Mount Hot Shoe

Backpack to hold everything

This is just a fun lens, and its cheap the 50mm means its a 100mm equivelent, so its for really tight portraits, but the low aperture is good for low/light and for a very shallow field depth. When I am able to use it, this lens produces the most popular results when i post them online.

new strap cause the one that comes with the G6 sucks!

What i want to get:

A bigger zoom lens I am mostly interested in videography(weddings etc), and this would be good for back of the house shots)

The M 3/4's "nifty fifty"

I didn't even spend $100 on my adapter. I got a cheap $20 adapter for MD/MC minolta lenses. But I am thinking of upgrading to one with a filter. So all my non-kit lenses are manual.

I have the Minolta rokkor 50mm 1.7. I also have the super cheap Fotasy 35mm f1.7 CCTV lens, which I got simply to have a faster lens.


I like it a lot, but I am definitely no wiz at manual shooting. My manual lenses I mostly use if I know I can take my time to shoot. Like if I offer a friend a "photo shoot" for fun, or am taking pictures around the house. My photos are usually of still or patient subjects. like my cat. Or some leaves. Flowers. Family parties.

I take time to refocus a new shot, while some are very quick. I switch to a kit lens if I need speed, since they are the only thing I have with autofocus.

I am considering getting (a bunch of lenses) like the sigma 30mm f1.4 or sony 50f1.8. Maybe the sigma 60mm instead.

Overall, I do like what I have. I am most excited that I haven't spent a fortune on lenses and stuff. but since none of my adapted lenses have the AF right now I cannot comment on it.

Full frame is going to give you the best low light performance for sure (the 6D is a solid choice, as will the Nikon D610 and Sony A7-series cameras).

That being said, light and small with average sensor size you'd do well to look at some of the modern APS-C offerings that Fuji and Sony have. Fuji has some crazy nice glass for their lenses, some of which is pretty affordable. You could pick up an X-T1 for ~$900 and 35mm f1.4 for ~$450 (or 35mm f2 WR for $300) for a solid start, then save up for a longer zoom lens in the future like their 50-140mm f2.8 OIS WR. Of course, there's also 3rd party options like Sigma making lenses for the X-mount too. And finally, this is all assuming you're buying brand new, you can save a good deal of money going the used route.

Hi /u/tserbear - good question. It really depends on the kind of movie you're making. Traditionally, narrative filmmakers use manual focus (and the GH4 has great focus aids to help with that) - but for documentaries, news, 'run & gun' and casual shooting, autofocus is really helpful (I use it all the time).

If you think you'll need fast autofocus while shooting video, you should probably skip the Speed Boosters and consider inexpensive native micro 4/3 lenses instead (such as the "$200-ish" [Sigma 19mm] (http://amzn.to/1ysce8r), [30mm] (http://amzn.to/ZQ7GsR) and [60mm] (http://amzn.to/1xnoPYN)). These are great autofocusing lenses and a very good value for your money.

Again, hope this is helpful!

Bill

Start with something like this:

http://youtu.be/F8T94sdiNjc

It will give you an idea about what all the knobs and dials can do.

Realize that a "kit" lens is way more of a limiting factor then the camera. A a6000 is a marvellous technical achievement. To reach the limits of its capabilities you will most likely need some quality lenses. An all in one super zoom lens might not be the best choice(I assume that was the type of lens in your kit). The relatively cheap alternative but impressive improvement in quality can be had with prime lenses. The Sigma 30mm 2.8 comes to mind.

So once you have an idea about how all the knobs and buttons can affect an image go look at other peoples work. Flick is a good a place as any when starting out. I am sure the even have a grouping for just images taken with a a6000. Your brain should start to make the connection between how an image looks and what the settings are to recreate it(after a while you will even make the connection to videography, you will notice DoF in movies and such). Then if you have a "good eye" you will be creating images better then the ones you were initially imitating.

but it wont happen without lots of time and practice.... My guess is that no one here was born a photography savant. Many have spent years working on their craft.

I thought about those Neewer tubes but decided to pay a little more and get the all-metal set. They should be here tomorrow and I can report back OCE I try them out. The cool thing about tubes instead of a macro filter is that you'll be able to use the tubes with any and all E-mount lenses.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JIJNMQM/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_U8buyb8DNRWDT

Also, if you're new to E-mount and not wanting to spend too much, you might consider getting a Fujian(Fotasy) 35mm f/1.7 cctv lens. Super cheap, gives you a lens that has a shallow DOF, great bokeh, and I'm guessing it might be my favorite to use on the extension tubes once I get them

https://www.amazon.com/Fotasy-N35-Mount-Mirrorless-Cameras/dp/B00KWNA1VS

Also, I thought it was nice seeing the various methods compared:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PFgg9zYzCYk

One last edit: from my research, I think the close up filters will reduce your effective aperture and require more light, but I don't think that's the case with extension tubes. Something to keep in mind if you don't have a flash (since I think it would be more necessary with the screw on filters)

So with a $250 budget that gives us 2 or 3 options for lenses. As I mentioned before, I think the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 is your best bet. It's a good focal length (It shoots like a 50mm on a full frame camera) and is a really good price for what you get. As someone said else where in this thread, framing is what really matters in these scenarios, so any lens really will do the job for these scenarios. If you want a zoom lens though the two options that sit inside of your price range are Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 which is a pancake version of the kit lens that comes with the camera usually. This will keep your rig super small yet super versatile as well. Finally, if you have it, I would just use the kit lens. If you don't have it here is a link for it. It should do everything you need and is sharp enough for most people who would be using a G7. If you have any questions feel free to ask!

So I bought the Sony a6000 body only and went and bought a SEL50F18/B 50mm f/1.8 Lens off Amazon, as I saw that was the recommended first lens to buy. I like the lens, but everything seems zoomed in, and I just want a regular lens as if I were looking through my eyes. I tried playing in the settings and the lens comes built in with magnification(I guess???) Here are two images I took to show how zoomed in the lens is. I'm such a fucking noob and just want to get the stock lens that comes with the camera :-) thx for any help! and my hand was pretty far from the camera and it just looks so zoomed in??

14-42mm is a solid coverage lens, especially if you're starting out. Keep in mind, this is not a full frame camera, and depending what format you're shooting in your crop is 2x. So 14mm, basically, functions like a 28mm lens and 42mm is closer to 84 and so on. That should be fine for the majority of wide shots as well as close ups.

Another positive for this camera is that lenses for the micro 4/3 mount are relatively cheap compared to Sony or Canon lenses. I would recommend the 25mm 1.7 lens Panasonic sells for something decent in low light situations though. It's a very inexpensive auto focus lens. Not a zoom lens though so you'll need to plan around that focal range.

Either way, for a starter cam this is by far the best option out there imo. As I said, I shoot commercial and narrative stuff exclusively on Sony and I wouldn't change that. But I also spent 3-4 years shooting on Panasonic as well, and won film festivals with things I've shot on that same exact sensor. It's fantastic. I still shoot my podcast on G7's because they have no recording time limit, exceptional battery life, and have that great native image.

Probably not going to be a super popular opinion but somebody already recommended the GX85 so I'm going to go with a different camera. Assuming that the 500 pound budget is including a body and a lens getting something like a refurbished em10 mkII is pretty nice. Sure it's not the best camera as it doesn't have an articulating screen very limited video support, which the MKIII "solves", and no 4k. But the camera is going to go for $200-350 refurbished, the MkII is a beast of a camera at that price with Olympus's famous 5 axis in body stabilization. This also giving you enough money to buy a very cheap but good prime lens such as the Panasonic 25mm 1.7

Hi /u/KyleSamaSensei- if you want to take "sharp pictures" plus make "higher quality short films" and "easily shot videos" with the same camera - you don't want a RX100 (not a very good video camera - e.g., no mic jack, no headphone jack, a small sensor and a fixed lens), the NX30 (not a very good still or narrative film camera - e.g., small sensor and poor still camera ergonomics) or the T3i (hard to use as a video camera - e.g., no autofocus, no peaking for manual focus without a firmware modification, no power zoom, no headphone jack, 12 minute continuous video limit, viewfinder blanks out when you're shooting video).

For about the same amount of money as the NX30, you can get a [new $1590 Panasonic GH4] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=131341528714&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) (with 96fps slow motion and 4 times the resolution of any of these cameras) plus a [$300 3x power zoom lens] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005J5TZVG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005J5TZVG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20).

Set the GH4 on auto and you'll have an easy to use travel camera with a power zoom that will produce great stills and video. Here are some examples:

Still photographs: https://www.flickr.com/groups/gh4/pool/

Travel videos:

Phang Nga Thailand: http://vimeo.com/99523009

Bhutan: http://vimeo.com/99041955

Italian Ghost Town: http://vimeo.com/105184729

Guadeloupe: http://vimeo.com/109191770

When you get back and want to make high quality short films, you can buy or rent better lenses, lighting and sound and make films that look like these:

Siren: http://vimeo.com/110753225

Forgiveness (shot with GH3 and GH4): http://vimeo.com/110386363

Storm: http://vimeo.com/109145141

Intersect: http://vimeo.com/108535410

This is absolutely the best still/video camera you can buy below $2000 right now.

Good luck with your decision and have fun on your trip!

The Panasonic 25mm f1.7 lens is an absolute steal at $150 or so, I had a lot of fun with it this weekend after getting it on Thursday. There are some documented issues on this lens with a thing called focus shift but (check my comment history) I ran some tests and wasn't able to reproduce any of the problems other people seem to have had. For a relatively small (on my GX85 the whole kit fits in my jacket pocket) and lightweight lens with good bokeh and sharpness with a wide aperture for low-light situations, fast autofocus, and the versatile 25mm (nifty fifty) focal length, I can't think of a better bang for your buck. You might get marginally better results with the Oly equivalent but not worth more than twice as much money.

As far as downsides to this lens, its focal length is a little tight for landscape shots (I'll still be using my 12-32mm pancake kit lens for those), and it's not as compact as the 20mm f1.7 Panasonic. But with the 20mm pancake being over $100 more, I couldn't justify it, especially with the problems the 20mm apparently has with slow autofocus (no bueno for street photography and shots of fast moving pets). I wanted this lens to take pictures of the puppy I'm getting in a month, and because I needed to add a solid fast prime to my collection (I'm a noob just like you).

Given all the research I did last week leading up to purchasing the lens, I would wager that the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 is as good a beginner prime as you can get on an m43 system and I'm happy to answer any questions you might have or take some test shots if you wanna see what the lens looks like :)

EDIT: Appears the lens has gone up to $250 on Amazon since I bought it last week, but looks like it tends to be go back to around $150 often based on recent price history: https://camelcamelcamel.com/PANASONIC-LUMIX-MIRRORLESS-THIRDS-H-H025K/product/B014RD6RC0

SECTION | CONTENT

--|:--
Title | G85 vs A6500 - Best option for film making? Max Talks EP#4
Description | Which camera is the right fit for you? Filmmaking, Vlogging, and Videography G85 Amazon➡ http://geni.us/jEyA76A A6500 Amazon➡ http://geni.us/bffB4nA If you enjoy our content please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $2 a month helps us make more and better content for you! https://www.patreon.com/MaxYuryev -------------------------------------------------------------------- This Review was Shot using: Camera on Amazon➡ http://geni.us/bffB4nA Lens on Amazon➡ http://geni.us/dmcMpa Mic on...
Length | 0:10:14


SECTION | CONTENT

--|:--
Title | Panasonic G85 OWNS the Sony a6500 in almost every way...except one
Description | This is just a quick update after shooting my first ever video on the Sony a6500 since deciding to try and switch to it from my Panasonic G85/G7/GH4. I'll just keep walking you guys through what I'm learning as it happens if that's cool with you! New Sony camera & lens: http://amzn.to/2owhmEU Must-have other lens for new camera: http://amzn.to/2pJlBiv Mic I use on my vlogging rig: http://amzn.to/2oQcvBU My bendy-tripod: http://amzn.to/2pkAJ8R Old main Panasonic camera: http://amzn.to/2pJl5AU F...
Length | 0:07:41






****

^(I am a bot, this is an auto-generated reply | )^Info ^| ^Feedback ^| ^(Reply STOP to opt out permanently)

You have an a6000. Invest in a decent flash and a diffuser and learn to use them. Since you're talking about portraiture, you need a flash, especially if there's no/little ambient light. Even in brighter light a flash can be very useful. There are a LOT of youtube videos on using flashes that can help you out.

Note, the video linked above is A: not mine, he's a guy who does a lot of good gear reviews for Sony APS-C gear, and B: is a decent, yet inexpensive, flash, you can go up in price from there.

Also, you never mentioned what lens you're using. Assuming you're just using the 16-50mm kit lens, invest in a good fast lens for the kind of photos you're describing. The Sigma lenses are fantastic and a great value for the a6000 series cameras. I absolutely LOVED the Sigma 30mm f/1.4. They also make fast 16mm and 56mm lenses for e-mount APS-C cameras that should be just as good as the 30mm is.

Finally, after all that, the a6000 isn't the best low-light, it's an older sensor, so it's not going to be as good as an a6400 or a6500, but it does do well. IMO it's only good up to ISO 3200, beyond that it gets grainy.

well, the kit 12-60 is this one, right?

Between those two, the big differences are just image quality and aperture - the 12-35mm has a constant f/2.8 aperture, whereas that one is 3.5-5.6. Basically, this means the 12-35 can do better in low light, and you can zoom in and out without having to adjust the exposure, whereas with a variable aperture zoom, you'll have to tweak the exposure because you lose stops as you zoom in. The 12-35 II is also Dual IS 2.0 compatible, whereas I think the 12-60 only supports Dual IS 1, though I could be wrong.

Of course, the 12-60 does offer a longer zoom range, though!

There is another 12-60 that costs more, which I suspect would be closer to the 12-35 in image quality, and while it's also variable aperture, the range is better (2.8 to 4). I haven't used this one, but I assume it's around equivalent to the 12-35, except it's likely a bit heavier and there's the variable aperture issue.

To be honest, though, for most purposes any of these lenses would be fine. I love the 12-35 and so do lots of other folks, but I'm amazed at the quality I get out of even Panasonic's cheap little prime lenses, so I'm guessing even the cheap kit lens can do great things. You'd just need to be conscious of the variable aperture and decreased lower light performance.

If I could afford it i'd replace my 12-35 and my 25mmf1.4 with the 10-25!

If I was buying the 10-25 like you I'd get the 35-100 f2.8 which is on offer right now on amazon, referral links included.

I'm also a big fan of my 42.5mm f1.7 for portraits and bokeh time. You could get the 42.5mm f1.2 , but it's manual focus only more expensive. Amazing quality piece of glass though. I love the 42.5mm focal length, I suggest you check it out :)

Free Stuff:

• Use Capture One Express for raw processing; its free.
  
• Use DaVinci Resolve for video editing; its free.
  
• Be able to shoot videos longer than 30 minutes.
  
  Low Cost (Under $30):
  
  
• Have at least one or two spare batteries.
  
• Remote triggers are nice; long range ones are even better.
  
• Mini Tripods are better than no tripod.
  
• Get a hot shoe cover (with a bubble).
  
• Almost always shoot with your lens hood on.
  
• Get the timelapse app.
  
• These flash bounce cards are magic.
  
  Expensive:
  
  
• Shoot RAW and get a big SD card.
  
• The sigma 30mm F/1.4 is almost glued on. I use it a lot.
  
• If looking for a flash checkout Flashpoint and the transmitter (rebranded godox). I have 3 of them.
  
• Flash Bender is a great all around flash modifier; knockoffs work pretty well. If you get a big flash you'll want a modifier.
  
  
  Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyAlpha/comments/4zb5zt/what_are_the_things_i_should_know_read_about_my/
  

I've been shooting with a Panasonic Lumix G3 for the last few years and recently got myself the 25mm f1.7 lense because I love street photography. The pictures are turning out nicely but I really feel like getting a new camera around christmas. Does getting the GH5 make much sense? What recommendations do you have?

While I really love Canon (I borrow a 650D and the 50mm 1.8 from school all the time) and would love to change to DSLRs, I feel kinda bad "abandoning" a 250$ lense like that.

Below camera and lenses are up for sale

Olympus E-M10 Black Body (certified reconditioned - 90-day repair warranty and 30-day money back guarantee, never used ) - $300 OBO

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HPQ09GM/ref=twister_B00PHRUKWO?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Ver. II R Black (certified reconditioned - 90-day repair warranty and 30-day money back guarantee never used)- $150 OBO

https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-14-42mm-3-5-5-6-Interchangeable-Panasonic/dp/B005DHL98W/?th=1


Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ Lens (Silver) - bought from Bestbuy - Still has 6 months warranty left - gently used- excellent condition $180 OBO

https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-14-42mm-f3-5-5-6-Interchangeable-Panasonic/dp/B00HWMOZEG/

Panasonic LUMIX G Lens, 25mm, F1.7 ASPH., Micro Four Thirds - H-H025K - Black - Still has 6 months warranty left - gently used- excellent condition $120 OBO

https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-LUMIX-MIRRORLESS-THIRDS-H-H025K/dp/B014RD6RC0/

Selling these as I am looking to buy PRO lenses.

I am deciding between two lenses for my NEX6 and would like some input. This 19mm and this 30mm. I would love if someone could help me pick one. I want to know which will be more versatile. I only have the 18-50 kit lens and want a prime that I can use for everything. Is there a good site to compare what the difference between the focal lengths are with example pictures? If you had to choose between the two which would you go with?

Thanks for any help.

I just sold my DSLR gear to transition to M43 for size and convenience.

I picked up an Oly OMD-EM5 on the used market for a great deal. I think I will have up to $1200 remaining to spend on lenses (or keep). I'm considering the Panasonic 25mm 1.4 and Olympus 12-40mm 2.8.

I'll be doing general all around shooting. Nothing specific.

Does it seem like a solid starting point or should I look into different lenses?

Is there a 'holy trinity' of lenses that are considered the best? As you can tell, I'm one of those noobs that like really nice lenses that surpass my skills.

Landscape and portraiture are completely different with respect to lens needs. Here's some thoughts, but get ready to open your wallet.

Landscapes will be the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0783J5BWP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XKeHDbA4H058S

Portraiture would be good with with the 50mm F1. 8 OSS Sony https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EPWC30O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6MeHDbSH3FX9K

You'll be served well with the excellent Sony 24-105 G PZ OSS if you want a single travel companion. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENZRQH8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bIeHDbD47B6XM

So the electronic focus is somewhat of an issue because I have to do it by hand instead of using my follow focus rig, but imo the quality is superior to the old Nikon lenses I've collected by far. And I paid $475 for it refurbished. It retails for $900. It's definitely my go to if I don't know what the conditions will be and need to move quickly.

That said, Rokinon DS primes are by far my favorite and they are available as Nikon or Canon mounts, meaning you can take them with you as you grow. They would definitely be my first recommendation if you are getting serious.

I have an Olympus OM-D E-M10 mkIII that I bought used as my first real camera. I'm enjoying it a lot so far as an amateur. I have the 14-42mm EZ lens on it.

I'm looking to expend to maybe one or two affordable prime lenses, as I've heard the lens I have is only okay as a starter lens.

The panasonic 25mm is great for the price, and seems to be just what I'm looking for as a simple portrait lens. I also see a lot of 7artisans lenses on amazon, thoughts on those?

I'm also looking for a wide angle, large aperture lens to have some fun with shooting night shots/night sky. Any recomandations?

I bought a G85 a few weeks ago, and I'm looking for one lens to carry around. Requirements:

• Must be weather sealed (moving to east Asia in a month and will be traveling extensively)
  
• Bonus if it has OIS for some light video work
  
• Good low-light performance
  
  I've been shooting with the 15mm Panaleica for 10 days, which came with my purchase. I like it, but I think a zoom lens will fit my shooting style better, plus the 15mm isn't weather sealed.
  
  I'm looking at the following two lenses:
  
  
• $900 - Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8
  
• $800 - Panasonic Leica 12-60mm
  
  Any recommendations? Positive/negative experiences with these lenses?
  
  Thanks in advance.
  

OK, I now see the lens in this image is a Panasonic Lumix Leica lens with a smaller thread, no doubt set up to perfectly fit this rectangular Leica lens hood which (which I now think this is), but there's something about this lens hood that I like, as I'll be shooting video, and I'd love to get one to fit my Panasonic Lumix G V Vario 12-35 lens attached to my soon to be acquired GH3.

It all depends on how close you can get to the action. There aren't many great telephoto lens for the E-Mount system so you'll have to look at third party lenses. Since the a6000 is APS-C, you can take good photos with this 50mm f/1.8 if they're close enough but you definitely won't be able to get tight shots unless they're literally right in front of you. You could definitely use this 15-105 f/4 if the field is lit well, but you'd have to bump your ISO up a bit. But sports at f/4 with a APS-C sensor is definitely pushing it.

Not saying this is the best choice, but my first buy was:

a Sony NEX-7 body for ~$250 (used from Adorama)

and a 30mm f/2.8 Sigma ART lens for $170 (new from Amazon)

For a total of $420

I'm just a beginner like you, but I've been totally happy with mine. Just know that if you make the initial investment in mirrorless, there aren't a lot of lenses to choose from yet.

When I went looking for advice, people told me not to buy a kit because the kit lenses are just... worse in general. So I bought the body I wanted and a lens with good reviews.

I went mirrorless because I wanted something small and non-threatening for street photography, and I went with Sony because I heard good things about their sensor.

Here's an album of some pictures with this setup

The L810 is a superzoom, it's designed for travel or sports where you might want to zoom way far in on a bird or a player (etc). It has a sensor that is .43" diagonal, which is on the small side for a compact camera.

Read this: engadget explains sensor sizes

and then consider this: Panasonic GF-3 Kit

Lacks the zoom range, but with interchangeable lenses, you can also put on a telephoto like this one: Panasonic 45-200mm lens

The Micro four-thirds system is great, it's compatible with lenses and accessories from several manufacturers.
Buy used when possible, ebay/craigslist (or equivalent, you darn kiwi) are your friends.

I have asked this question before but I am still as confused as I was when I asked it the last time. I am trying to decide between the 25mm and 45mm micro four thirds (so 50/90 for dslrs) focal lengths for a prime. I have taken shots at both focal lengths and I can't really decide upon which one to go with. I even tried taking a selection of the photos that I like the most from my collection and took a sum of the focal lengths and averaging it which gave me 35mm (70mm for dslrs). I am trying to get my first prime and I don't want to be disappointed once I buy it. I am looking at the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 ASPH and the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f1.8

Can someone guide me through how I would choose what is best for me? I already own a M.Zuiko 12-50mm kit lens but I am really looking for something that I can keep on the OMD EM5 all the time when I am travelling.

I have been looking up websites and reviews and everything and both these lenses seems to be good. Here is my instagram in case someone needs to see the kind of photos that I take. I only started a few weeks ago, so there's not much in there.

Hoping someone can help me with this decision.

Thanks for the tip, do you have any lens you would recommend?
The lens included above would be good for?

And would this be a good low light lens? and is there anything cheaper ... (T_T)

The best bet would be a zoom lens and a fixed f1.8 lens for versatility?

The a6000 is a great camera. They also have some pretty cheap high quality lenses. Lenses like this are great.

The a6000 is a great camera at a phenomenal price. Pick up a used body (e.g. here or, if you're really on a tight budget, here) and a couple prime lenses.

Some of the other commenters complain about the lack of lenses, but you don't reasonably need f/2.8 zoom lenses to cover all of your focal lengths. Just pick up a Samyang 12mm (e.g. this one for $239), a Sigma 30mm f/2.8 (e.g. this one for $170), or a longer one if you want (e.g. the Sigma 60mm, or even an old Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 or 100mm f/4 macro for use with an adapter).

Having said that, there are other great cameras you could buy within your budget (e.g. the Olympus OMD line). But the a6000 is a great camera, and the E mount system is plenty diverse in practice.

Neewer buy cheap, print their brand on, and sell for a very slight premium. If you can work out what it is they've rebranded it'll give a better idea of the quality.

This lens in particular looks like a rebranded Meike 35mm which I've actually got one of on EF-M mount.

I'm about 95% sure that the Neweer branding on their amazon pack shot is photoshopped on... I bet you that you can peel a label off the front of that lens and it'll have the meike brand on.

In my experience, it's actually a fairly decent lens. Little soft round the edges, but nice bokeh and an unclicked aperture, I've got some casual use out of it.

I'd imagine with a lens this cheap though there will be a lot of variation from lens to lens though...

I didn't pay $80 for it though... more like $60 direct from China.

On the other hand, did a complex job where we needed like 30 lav mics to be used by school kids. Bought Neewer ones for ~$5 each so they could be disposable and they actually had fairly decent reviews. Half were dead on arrival.

Since ReverserMover covered the Sony, I'll just hit on the Fuji lenses here.

​

The kit 18-55mm f/2.8-4 is actually a pretty good lens, far better than other kit lenses I've seen. It's sharpness is on par with some Nikon primes I've used (admittedly the cheaper primes, not the top end ones). So if nothing else, that would be a good one.

The 35mm f/2 and 23mm f/2 are both great lenses that aren't too expensive, although for a bit more money there are wider apertures for those focal lengths. The 56mm f/1.2 is another great lens, and the wide aperture is a huge plus doing any portraits in lower light.

The 90mm f/2 is a good lens with a bit more reach if you need a longer focal length, but if you're just shooting casually then the 50-230mm f/4.5-6.7 will cover a good range. The downside being the smaller max aperture, so the lens isn't the best for anything low-light.

​

If you just want something cheap to mess around with, 7artisians and Neewer have a handful in the sub-$100 range. These aren't the sharpest lenses, they're full manual only (including focus), but they are cheap and can be fun to shoot.

This Neewer lens worked great for me for a while, it's cheap and fast. I now own 2 sigmas , the 30mm and the 56mm so I can compare them against the Neewer lens. The Neewer produces great results although its definitely not as sharp as the Sigmas, but overall for $80 bucks you get nice bokeh and a nice prime. In my opinion the only problem with this lens is that it's manual focus only, but with focus peaking for photos you get nice enough results.

If you want a nice shallow DOF similar to the 35mm range you'll be wanting to look at the Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.7 as the closest equivalent (30mm).

If you want 50mm, go for the Leica 25mm f/1.4.

The thing is that the GH5 has the 5 Axis IBIS like the GX85 / G85 series which means you can get some good footage on these lenses which have no stabilization on them.

If you want a full duty zoom go for the Panasonic 12-35 f/2.8 II as the original version does have issues with aperture flickering while zooming.

The Leica lenses are notably sharp and provide a great amount of bokeh given how hard it is to get shallow depth of field on MFT.