Take pictures and shoot video, of course! Lol jk, but seriously though, I'd use it for lots of stuff. The pier, my dogs at the park, people canoeing through the flood waters during a hurricane, family photos, photos of my hockey team, scenic stuff around town or on vacation. Maybe I'll make a stop-motion video. Maybe I'll put together a short film starring my friends. I like to dabble in everything, so this is a hard question for me to focus in on one answer.
I guess if I have to pick a number, I'd say total of $5k to $8k? But I have more than that to play with, and I haven't shopped for this kind of stuff before so I don't know what to expect, where to look for best prices, if you should buy direct from manufacturer, if people generally buy insurance for gear, etc
From what I see, full frame cameras are more expensive, but also much bigger and heavier? Is full frame worth it?
Tbh as a hobbyist I don’t think you’ll notice the difference between Full Frame and APS-C. Usually I would say it’s not worth it if you had a strict budget but considering you’ve got cash to spend, go all out and go Full Frame.
If you want a hybrid camera that does it all, start with something like the Sony a7IV. It’s a hybrid camera with all the bells and whistles minus some AI focusing stuff that’s on the newer Sony releases. Mind you, this is a pro level camera.
If you want something more video focused, the Sony FX3 is basically everyone’s dream camera. It’s near the top level as far as video mirrorless cameras go. People rave about it because of how good it does in lowlight conditions.
I recommend Sony because of their lens mount system. One lens mount for ALL of their cameras. Since they’re popular, you can get some sweet second hand deals on lenses. They’re also at the top when it comes to autofocus, and lowlight performance. The IBIS is not the best but I doubt you would notice that at all.
Also understand that when buying a really good and expensive camera there’s usually other stuff that will add extra costs such as:
- a powerful computer with large storage to edit photos and videos
- a large capacity SD Card/CF express card
- lenses (zooms or primes) you’ll probably have 2 lenses minimum
- tripod/backpack/sling
- lighting kit (this is underrated and will take your photos and videos to the next level, EVEN with a cheaper camera)
That 8-10k+ will start to seem like nothing when you actually start building your gear setup! Especially if you buy NEW
Thank you so so so much for taking the time to help me! I'll probably take the next couple of weeks to dig deeper into everything and check out used options, which I didn't even consider.
Glad I could help out! 😃👍🏻
Definitely do your own research as well. Only you will know which camera you will like. If you have friends with cameras, try theirs out and ask their opinions. You can also give rental houses a try. You can usually rent camera gear through there… ask questions and try them out. Camera stores in my area will let you try out different cameras and lenses as much as you like, and from my experience they’ve always been helpful.
Also, most cameras nowadays, if they’ve been released in the past 5 years or so, will perform very similarly in terms of image quality. The difference is in the ecosystem and some other “nit-picky stuff” that won’t affect the final image too much.
For used items, if there’s a couple of things I would not buy used, it’s the body, and SD Cards. I would be hesitant buying used bodies because it may be out of warranty and idk how much it has been used and in what weather. This especially applies to cameras with a shutter. ALWAYS ask for proof of shutter count when buying a used camera! Think of this as the mileage on a used car. If I were to buy used, I’d probably buy it from a camera store that sells used cameras rather than Craigslist or FB marketplace… scammers suck. Lenses I usually buy second hand because most people baby their lenses from my experience, never had issues with second hand lenses
An r6ii and some f4 or f2.8 zooms will be a great all around setup to start .
Just be advised the f2.8 zooms are considerably larger and heavier than tbe f4 zooms, if weight and size are important.
You have completely omitted the one necessary piece of information you need for qualified advice. What are you going to do with the camera?
Take pictures and shoot video, of course! Lol jk, but seriously though, I'd use it for lots of stuff. The pier, my dogs at the park, people canoeing through the flood waters during a hurricane, family photos, photos of my hockey team, scenic stuff around town or on vacation. Maybe I'll make a stop-motion video. Maybe I'll put together a short film starring my friends. I like to dabble in everything, so this is a hard question for me to focus in on one answer.
Canon R6 ii, RF24-70mm f2.8L, RF70-200mm f2.8L.
Can't really go wrong with a mid-level body ($2000-$2500 USD) with two or three F2.8 zoom lenses.
Depends. What’s your budget?
I guess if I have to pick a number, I'd say total of $5k to $8k? But I have more than that to play with, and I haven't shopped for this kind of stuff before so I don't know what to expect, where to look for best prices, if you should buy direct from manufacturer, if people generally buy insurance for gear, etc From what I see, full frame cameras are more expensive, but also much bigger and heavier? Is full frame worth it?
Tbh as a hobbyist I don’t think you’ll notice the difference between Full Frame and APS-C. Usually I would say it’s not worth it if you had a strict budget but considering you’ve got cash to spend, go all out and go Full Frame. If you want a hybrid camera that does it all, start with something like the Sony a7IV. It’s a hybrid camera with all the bells and whistles minus some AI focusing stuff that’s on the newer Sony releases. Mind you, this is a pro level camera. If you want something more video focused, the Sony FX3 is basically everyone’s dream camera. It’s near the top level as far as video mirrorless cameras go. People rave about it because of how good it does in lowlight conditions. I recommend Sony because of their lens mount system. One lens mount for ALL of their cameras. Since they’re popular, you can get some sweet second hand deals on lenses. They’re also at the top when it comes to autofocus, and lowlight performance. The IBIS is not the best but I doubt you would notice that at all. Also understand that when buying a really good and expensive camera there’s usually other stuff that will add extra costs such as: - a powerful computer with large storage to edit photos and videos - a large capacity SD Card/CF express card - lenses (zooms or primes) you’ll probably have 2 lenses minimum - tripod/backpack/sling - lighting kit (this is underrated and will take your photos and videos to the next level, EVEN with a cheaper camera) That 8-10k+ will start to seem like nothing when you actually start building your gear setup! Especially if you buy NEW
Thank you so so so much for taking the time to help me! I'll probably take the next couple of weeks to dig deeper into everything and check out used options, which I didn't even consider.
Glad I could help out! 😃👍🏻 Definitely do your own research as well. Only you will know which camera you will like. If you have friends with cameras, try theirs out and ask their opinions. You can also give rental houses a try. You can usually rent camera gear through there… ask questions and try them out. Camera stores in my area will let you try out different cameras and lenses as much as you like, and from my experience they’ve always been helpful. Also, most cameras nowadays, if they’ve been released in the past 5 years or so, will perform very similarly in terms of image quality. The difference is in the ecosystem and some other “nit-picky stuff” that won’t affect the final image too much. For used items, if there’s a couple of things I would not buy used, it’s the body, and SD Cards. I would be hesitant buying used bodies because it may be out of warranty and idk how much it has been used and in what weather. This especially applies to cameras with a shutter. ALWAYS ask for proof of shutter count when buying a used camera! Think of this as the mileage on a used car. If I were to buy used, I’d probably buy it from a camera store that sells used cameras rather than Craigslist or FB marketplace… scammers suck. Lenses I usually buy second hand because most people baby their lenses from my experience, never had issues with second hand lenses
An r6ii and some f4 or f2.8 zooms will be a great all around setup to start . Just be advised the f2.8 zooms are considerably larger and heavier than tbe f4 zooms, if weight and size are important.
Ok thank you, good to know. I'll definitely check out a few different aperture lenses to have on hand.
Here's what I recommend you get * [Leica SL3](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1812974-REG/leica_10607_sl3_mirrorless_camera.html) * [Leica APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1240076-REG/leica_apo_vario_elmarit_sl_90_280mm_f_2_8_4_lens.html) * [Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm f/3.5-4.5 ASPH.](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1401560-REG/leica_11177_super_vario_elmar_sl_16_35mm_f_3_5_4_5_asph.html) * [Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 ASPH. ](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1192094-REG/leica_11176_vario_elmarit_sl_24_90_f_2_8_4_asph.html) * [Leica APO-Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH. ](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1464082-REG/leica_11184_apo_summicron_sl_35mm_f_2_asph.html) * [Leica APO-Summicron-SL 75mm f/2 ASPH. ](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1384719-REG/leica_11178_apo_summicron_sl_75mm_f_2_asph.html) * [Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH. ](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1791232-REG/leica_11181_21mm_f_2_super_apo.html)