MrSMW

I was also interested in those Sigma DP cameras except for one thing, shockingly bad low light capability! I like ‘left field’ gear. Partly because I am somewhat willful and partly because I don’t like following the herd. But at the same time, not if it’s to my detriment. Which it was a bit too much when I only used that OG X100. Or rather to my clients detriment. I’d go Hassie X2D with a pair of primes if I could. Something around 28mm for indoor and something around 50mm for outdoor and just use cropping. Maybe in a few years when pricing comes down as my final stills camera for the last few years of what will be a 30 year industry career…

A few years back, I hoped they might do something like this with the X100 series as 35mm on an APSC sensor was always just a little too tight for my needs. And when I say 'little', I mean 150mm. And this is the thing I especially like about my A7RV with the Tamron 28-75 and that is if I treat it like a pair of primes, which is effectively what I do with all my zooms so they are respectively: 20, 40, 28, 75, 70 and 180, I have 6 focal lengths from 3 lenses. If I set and use in camera APSC crop, discounting the wide end of each of the 3 zooms, I now have 9 focal lengths by adding in; 60, 112.5 and 270. I actually DON'T use the APSC crop mode on any of them except the 28-75 and treat that lens/camera combo as a; 28/75/112.5 and that covers me for over 90% of my needs. I could even use it for 100% at a push, but being the consummate professional that I am, will switch out to a wider or longer lens if the situation demands. It gets even more appealing with a 100mp body like the Fuji or Hasselblads because you can then effectively have 3 focal lengths from a prime. I love the purity of a single focal length and as I have mentioned before, shot an entire year's worth of work on just a 35mm lens...but then decided I was being a bit of a pretentious prick at such times as say being stuck at the back of a cathedral, so went back to being less of an arse. But for personal stuff, I have always always always favoured a fixed single prime approach. I have just 'enhanced' that capability by using the extreme ends of any zoom lens on a single body. Last year I did it with a 24-90 lens, but I've always found 24 a but too wide for general purpose and prefer 28 and 90 is a bit too long, especially indoors. The 28-75 is faster, (f2.8 throughout rather than f2.8-4), smaller, lighter and this year I have 61mp and not 24mp to play with. The difference has been quite eye-opening. Expected, but still eye-opening. When the 28mm Q3 came out, I considered it, but I think we're down to something like 10mp (might be less?) at '75mm' and it's still 'just' a 28mm, but this 43 makes things a lot more interesting...except I'd need the 28mm model also. Now if they brought out a 70/75mm model, I'd skip the 43 and go for the book ends. But having said that, £€'s... Even on my vast salary...

You’ll have to take my word for it. Zero agenda, but I don’t have the time to dig out old hard drives but 100% if I shot any of these side by side, I can see a difference. Other than my website and social media, nowhere, - it’s a typical 1000-2000 deliverable images for every client. What they do with them I could not say, but any image could be printed any size. Not sure about that! Extremely high? Rough calculation, gross, about 60x cost? Ha, too personal, but enough to suit our family needs. Not as much as a dentist who can afford that 10k camera 😉

There is. But you can also have the flexibility of going out one day with just a single prime and then on other days, say for work purposes and have a zoom or multiple lenses. Which is why I probably would struggle to go back to a fixed lens these days, ie, because we can have the same principle, but with that interchangeable lens body.

Really? I had the same sensor X100V in the XT3 and the S5ii/Z6ii beats it. I have the same sensor as the Q3 in my A7RV and that beats both of those. Nah. Those APSC sensor cameras put out good quality for sure, but few would say comparable even with 24mp full frame when it comes to outright image quality. 60mp A7RV is on another level. I’ve been through the sensor/image quality improvement process over the last few years and it’s definitely a real thing. There’s a noticeable difference moving up, but the difference is even more apparent if you go back after any time. Just my experience anyway…

I wouldn’t go that far… If it was €£$3500, it would be as cool as f*ck. A modern tilt screen, IBIS, large sensor, relatively compact camera, is highly desirable to a lot of folks, me included! From the OG X100 (my favourite camera of all time relative to it’s time) to it’s latest iteration, plus the Sony RX1R, the Q2/Q3 and even the little Ricoh’s, it suits a lot of folks! My only issue has been the lack of longer lenses with these things and Fuji got around it with a wide angle and tele adapters and the 60mp jobs with cropping and multiple models a la Ricoh are an option, but probably a bit pricey for most having 2x Q3’s! It has got me thinking though that a pair of the latest X100’s, one with the wide and the other with the tele, would make a really great combo, especially now that they have; IBIS, tilt and a decent amount of megapixels for some further cropping…

*SPOILER ALERT BELOW* Or they bring them back from the dead like in The Fall Guy movie (which technically is not a sequel as it was a series) with Lee Majors having a cameo role as an old lady pretending to be a security guard. There was also some other old rubber sex doll security guard who I guess was the ‘hot chick sidekick’ from the series in the 80’s but has since been remodeled too many times with synthetic materials. Otherwise I hate sequels long after the fact other than one exception, Bladerunner 2049. Which coincidently, was also Ryan Gosling.

This is how we get our ‘facts’ these days… Some fella with his clickbait YouTube channel talks a load of shite and some folks instantly believe and report it to others like it’s the gospel. I saw some other fella on his channel the other day, reporting the spec of the S1Hii as fact based on spec lifted off this guys channel which he got from where exactly? I shouldn’t comment, it makes me slightly cross all the utter BS ‘info’ out there 🤪

The other thing about this Q3 is I already have a 1/2 price one, in a more ergonomic body and with the ability to change lenses. It’s called an A7RV. And even cheaper and a similar style body to the Q3, the A7CR. Except that one only has a single card slot and the rear screen isn’t anywhere near as good, plus some other ‘deficiencies’, because I looked really hard at it as a ‘budget Q3’, the limiting factor of that camera being the 28mm. I rarely need to go wider than 28 and 28 I much prefer over 24 and though that sensor has the ability to crop and crop fairly hard, I also need 75+mm and that is beginning to push things a leetle too far. So nope, went for a used ‘like new’ A7RV for €1000 less than current retail with 3 lenses giving me from 20-180mm. Also, it can use adapted WITH AF, Leica lenses. IMO, it IS a better and more wallet friendly option than a Q3 or SL3, but without a red dot badge. I’d love a Leica or a Hassie but the reality for me is I cannot afford the latter and cannot justify the former.

Very nice…but I only buy kit for work purposes and it wouldn’t work for me in that regard even if it was 1/4 the price. Actually, at 1/4, I’d find a way…but it isn’t and won’t be in my working life time, so sadly not 😏

A lot of folks seem to poop on Sony for video when comparing it to some others, but in recent years, I think that is not the case anymore? From what I have seen… There used to be that odd green cast thing going on, but not anymore and I think they lost that when jumping to 10bit? Depending on what/if happens with L Mount over the Winter, ie, any S1 line replacement, I might just go all in on Sony next year… I don’t need to and very happy with my current set up of L Mount for video and Sony for stills, but having worked with that for a few months now, realise I could improve upon that set up both financially and logistically, by going all in on Sony. No rush, we’ll see, but no issues with what’s coming out of recent Sony cameras for the last few years.

100%, what else could it be? ”Yes, we looked around for the best cameras we could find regardless of budget and the clear winner was the Apple iPhone 15 (Pro) because, you know, well it’s just the best camera out there right now”. Just because you can, does not mean you should. But then at the same time, it’s kind of fun. Didn’t Soderbergh do a film a few years back on just his iPhone he whipped out of his back pocket? I seem to remember seeing posters all over the Paris Metro… Just as long as the average person doesn’t believe it’s all about the phone! But then, what is the harm if they did? Anyway, I’m going all in on FX3’s because you know, ‘The Creator’…

I’ve seen ‘cinematic with Lego’ on TikTok 😜

To qualify, I mean an actual proper collab camera, ie, RED lut yes, ✅ Z Mount for Komodo camera, maybe… but an actual RED/Nikon cinema camera which is what some hope for? Dunno about that…

So reading between the lines, Nikon were being sued and rather than paying 85+ mil, they spent 85 mil on buying out RED and have spun it as a buy out for the tech. Or the media have spun it out as a buy out for the tech. And we have all been assuming some juicy RED Nikon stuff is imminent. The likelihood is nothing is imminent and may never happen at all as these things do tend to take a few years to develop. Ah well, I wasn't getting too excited anyway because as I have been saying lately, I have actually reached the point where I am passed the point of 'needs' now and any future purchases will be based on no other factor than I fancy it. And then, only if I can afford it.

So either way, RED’s shareholders came out on top. Unless Nikon actually have a viable plan, they just spent a ton of money on possibly a pipe dream?

This. Or a phone.

Yes, something to be aware of with MPB is that condition rating is not always or purely about actual ‘condition’ but sometimes, what’s not in the box. If there even is a box. I have had stuff downgraded when selling because I did not send in a widget or doodah it originally came with. And that is fair enough.

6th month warranty with used gear from MPB. Don't fear 'like new' or 'excellent' condition from reputable sources! I bought a used 'good' S5ii a few months back and to be honest, could have been 'excellent' as other than the tiniest signs of use that made it obvious it was not 'brand new', absolutely zero difference real world. Sincere well done. Most just slap it on a credit card or use direct debit. I haven't had the former for over 7 years but guilty of the latter, ie, I never 'save', - I either have the funds or I don't, but I appreciate a person who does or has to save for some/anything.

That was pretty much my conclusion. On one hand, I loved the size, weight, build and sheer feel of the thing in the hands…but I shot it side by side with the S1H…and then had to use & grade the footage. I think in isolation, I would have noticed and cared less, but side by side, that did it for me. And yes, the low light was not great so the final nail in the coffin. To the OP, I’d also look really hard at a Lumix S5, the original model.

MPB

I’d never buy a Cannon camera myself. Cheap shit knock off’s. The extra n is always a bit of a giveaway… Otherwise I love me the OM-1. Did not quite meet my work needs, but a beaut of a camera is so many ways.

Video or stills or both? I’m thinking both based on your own comments Andrew? A7cii then, but I am very tempted myself with a ZV-E1 for low light stills… Only 2 things put me off and have stopped me. Thing 01 is low-light focus is not amazeballs compared with say a Nikon Zf and Thing 02 is I don’t have any brass. My vote is pick up a used Nikon Zf and use the excellent Megadap adapter for near native use. Excellent stills and video, focus, low light, DR, IBIS. The ONLY reason I sold it was the ergos were not quite good enough for my all day pro use with zooms and bigger lenses. Otherwise, IMO, it’s the best ‘Sony’ camera within your budget. I might just pick one up again for next years season. I think I just sold the idea back to myself 😂

Sadly, that seems to very much be the case. There has been some innovation but it never seems to sell and the market seem to like conservative as much as the manufacturer. Maybe, or instead, wake up some of the others. Indeed…unless again, as above, other more progressive companies act as a wake up call and the sleeping giants are woken finally and called to action. Or go extinct one by one.

Thinking about it, is the launch of these things not a good sign that Lumix are still making new cameras so it follows that a new ‘S2’ line will be next? We just need confirmation that a load of familiar suspect YouTubers are off somewhere exotic as a heads up and then we will have had ‘official’ confirmation 👍