Mirrorless Cameras (MILC) and Lenses
- Thread starter snowhiker
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Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
As with all things Sigma, it's bulky AF. It's forgivable for an everyday walking around 24-70/2.8 but the long lens is an extra-special complication.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
I think the only non-stabilized EF/RF lenses I have are my Sigma 50/1.4 and Canon 100/2.8 Macro.
The Sigma tele macros had super slow AF on natively EF DSLRs. They are actually a little better on MILS.
I don't know the AF issues with the Sigma 70-200/2.8, but the Canon RF 70-200/2.8 Z would be better in almost every way.
I don't know the AF issues with the Sigma 70-200/2.8, but the Canon RF 70-200/2.8 Z would be better in almost every way.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Adobe is apparently increasing the price of its baseline Photography plan from $10/month to $15/month for users paying monthly. It's still $20/month to get the 1TB plan monthly and $120 for the plan if it's billed annually. I think Lightroom Classic + Photoshop is the cheapest package deal it has either way but even if they don't change the cost of the annual plan, knowing that they can just decide to charge more whenever they want is a huge reason I've never signed up in spite of the temptation to do so.
ddrueding
Fixture
Reading your post inspired me to go see what the price here has done. It went up in the middle of this year. And it seems they learned from the cable TV industry years ago. I only want Photoshop, Premiere, and Illustrator, but the cheapest way of getting that is paying for everything.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Resolve Studio is $350 as a lifetime payment and Corel Draw shows up in Humble Bundle for like $20 every three months or so.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
LM and I have had conversations about Topaz Photo AI and I did bite the bullet and pay to upgrade to the latest version.
The current version, 3.5, has AI Denoise that is on par with what Lightroom Classic does and which is functionally instant, unlike the ~10-second-per-image-at-best-but-only-if-the-Adobe-runs-on-the-right-GPU deal Lightroom does.
I'm also getting pretty great results with the "Recover Faces" function. I fully realize that this is a program making up detail that isn't really there, but my test image was a group photo taken on ~30 year old 1.2MP camera and I have to say this is maybe the one place where I truly see AI image manipulation doing great work. Every one of over a dozen people in that pic was recognizable once I did a 4x enlarge and put it through the recover faces function.
I'm impressed enough to put in a good word here.
The current version, 3.5, has AI Denoise that is on par with what Lightroom Classic does and which is functionally instant, unlike the ~10-second-per-image-at-best-but-only-if-the-Adobe-runs-on-the-right-GPU deal Lightroom does.
I'm also getting pretty great results with the "Recover Faces" function. I fully realize that this is a program making up detail that isn't really there, but my test image was a group photo taken on ~30 year old 1.2MP camera and I have to say this is maybe the one place where I truly see AI image manipulation doing great work. Every one of over a dozen people in that pic was recognizable once I did a 4x enlarge and put it through the recover faces function.
I'm impressed enough to put in a good word here.
jtr1962
Storage? I am Storage!
Speaking of Lunar, he hasn't posted in a while. Do you know if he's OK?
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
I'm sure he's fine. I know he's pretty frustrated with PC stuff.
I suspect LM will be very happy to see AMD Strix Halo APUs once that stuff starts shipping.
I suspect LM will be very happy to see AMD Strix Halo APUs once that stuff starts shipping.
jtr1962
Storage? I am Storage!
I haven't been following stuff lately but that sounds like a game changer. 16 cores, 40 CUs, AND 128GB of memory. I've been saying for a long time AMD should put dedicated memory on their APUs. I guess the chip would attempt to cache the most frequently used stuff in the on-chip RAM, and use system RAM for any graphics needs beyond that.
EDIT: For some reason I was thinking of the 128GB of RAM as 128MB. Hence the rest of my post. 128GB is obviously enough RAM for the entire system but it turns out the RAM isn't on chip, but adjacent to it. Still would be nice to see an APU with a few hundred MB on chip.
EDIT: For some reason I was thinking of the 128GB of RAM as 128MB. Hence the rest of my post. 128GB is obviously enough RAM for the entire system but it turns out the RAM isn't on chip, but adjacent to it. Still would be nice to see an APU with a few hundred MB on chip.
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ddrueding
Fixture
That 128GB of RAM has me looking at them for AI training purposes. The Framework Desktop looks like a great fit for the purpose.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
That's how Intel Arrow Lake works on mobile, but as far as I'm concerned, on-SoC RAM is a disease we don't want to spread past ARM. Bad enough that Macs and most Chromebooks work that way.
I'm trying to help another photographer I know get back on her feet. She had to sell her cameras and lenses to pay off medical debt. Myself and quite a few friends have agreed to pitch in to get her something but the gulf between what can be had for $400 and $500 is unreal. I'm hoping to get her in a Canon R50, even if it's secondhand. The cheaper option would be an R100. The R100 doesn't have a touch screen on the back, doesn't have eye autofocus or really any of the tricks of a contemporary mirrorless body. It might as well be a 15 year old Canon Rebel. I hadn't been paying attention to the low end cameras, but that extra $100 makes an entire world of difference. I suppose I'm bringing it up just as buying advice for someone looking to go entry level, but it is useful information to put out in the world.
ddrueding
Fixture
My daughter has been really enjoying an old Canon S110 point and shoot camera. Unfortunately it has finally decided to stop working. Being 13 years old and in use by my daughter since she was 5, it owes me nothing.
That said, she doesn't want to use my old Sony A7II because it is too big. Something that fits easily in the pockets of girls clothes is important.
I know low-light capability has been her biggest limitation with the S110, so an improvement there would be nice.
Under $1k would be great, I think the G series is probably too big. Any suggestions welcome.
That said, she doesn't want to use my old Sony A7II because it is too big. Something that fits easily in the pockets of girls clothes is important.
I know low-light capability has been her biggest limitation with the S110, so an improvement there would be nice.
Under $1k would be great, I think the G series is probably too big. Any suggestions welcome.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Look at an R50. My partner's backup camera. It's very close to a somewhat larger R7, but with fewer controls on the back. The kit lens is 24-70 equivalent and not great for aperture, but the RF 35mm is cheap and excellent.
A Sony Alpha 6700 is probably over a grand but it's TINY for being as capable as it is and there is a lot to be said for all the lens options available with one.
I think Canon does have a new PowerShot but who wants a fixed lens?
A Sony Alpha 6700 is probably over a grand but it's TINY for being as capable as it is and there is a lot to be said for all the lens options available with one.
I think Canon does have a new PowerShot but who wants a fixed lens?
ddrueding
Fixture
Even the new PowerShot wouldn't really work. Pockets in girls clothing is honestly a joke. She's still 11, so her hikes are frequently interrupted by climbing trees or playing in a playground, so it really does need to fit in a small pocket. The S110 she's used to is not much bigger than a pack of cards. I'm actually considering the Sony RXO II.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
My GenZ Ladies all carry/wear small backpacks rather than purses, which are a little more forgiving for someone who wants to keep something on hand. There's a decent chance the camera-inclined will have one with them, and if not they might have a Switch or a Surface Pro on hand. Half of a kilogram doesn't seem like insanity for them.
I really like a Ricoh GR III for a fairly small point and shoot body. They're not much bigger than a pack of smokes and they have a 28mm/2.8 lens, which is a decent compromise for vlogging and portraits.
I don't completely hate Action Cams (what that Sony thing is) but they have tiny sensors and they tend to make noisy output whether they're used for photos or video. Your guy says it's a 1" sensor and that IS bigger than a GoPro, but for $700, just go buy five Samsung S20s and a couple Otterboxes for them. I suspect the overall output will be similar and the controls will be much more familiar to your daughter, and then she'll get all the filters and shit the kids like and ultimately focus assist and more flexible lens options.
Samsung actually did make a Camera that ran Android. It's kind of a cool concept, but it never got any software updates, but it does have a fairly versatile zoom lens and they still sell for $200. It's phone sized but about three times as thick.
I really like a Ricoh GR III for a fairly small point and shoot body. They're not much bigger than a pack of smokes and they have a 28mm/2.8 lens, which is a decent compromise for vlogging and portraits.
I don't completely hate Action Cams (what that Sony thing is) but they have tiny sensors and they tend to make noisy output whether they're used for photos or video. Your guy says it's a 1" sensor and that IS bigger than a GoPro, but for $700, just go buy five Samsung S20s and a couple Otterboxes for them. I suspect the overall output will be similar and the controls will be much more familiar to your daughter, and then she'll get all the filters and shit the kids like and ultimately focus assist and more flexible lens options.
Samsung actually did make a Camera that ran Android. It's kind of a cool concept, but it never got any software updates, but it does have a fairly versatile zoom lens and they still sell for $200. It's phone sized but about three times as thick.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Yongnuo just released a $700 micro four thirds camera running a current build of Android. The body includes support for a SIM and therefore a 4G data connection and since it's Android, you can do real time video effects or directly live stream from it. It's sold with either 35mm or 24-70mm equivalent lenses or as body only. It's about the same size as a phone but about twice as thick (without a lens attached, anyway).
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
As a person who is excited about lenses I will never own, Sony released a $3900 50 - 150/2 lens today. It's enormous, weighing in at 1.4kg and having a 95mm front element, but the focal range and fast aperture are lust-inducing. Knowing that such a lens is technically possible and affordable, hopefully all the major brands will have something similar in a few years.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
I hit up a "Bin Store" today, a place where they re-sell returned items from Amazon and other big internet retailers.
I found a new, complete Sony A7 iii with the 24-70/3.5 - 5.6 kit lens for $200. Absolutely nothing wrong with it except the retail box was mangled.
Full frame, 24MP, 4k30 video, dual card slots and respectable AF? And it weighs like 20 ounces? Yes, please.
I also got a couple AM4 motherboards ($25 each) and a 32GB DDR5 kit but the camera is the real win.
I found a new, complete Sony A7 iii with the 24-70/3.5 - 5.6 kit lens for $200. Absolutely nothing wrong with it except the retail box was mangled.
Full frame, 24MP, 4k30 video, dual card slots and respectable AF? And it weighs like 20 ounces? Yes, please.
I also got a couple AM4 motherboards ($25 each) and a 32GB DDR5 kit but the camera is the real win.
jtr1962
Storage? I am Storage!
The camera itself without the lens retails for $1,500. Sounds like a steal.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
My goal with this new guy is to get a Tamron or Rokinon 35 - 150/2-2.8 FE mount lens. They're relatively affordable and the variable aperture zoom is all on the fast end of the scale. It's a lens that doesn't have an equivalent in Canon's ecosystem and truly could be a single lens for almost everything. The six year old Autofocus on the Sony makes it better as a back-up body than something I'd care to use full time, but my normal practice has been to carry bodies with a 24-70/2.8 for primary shooting and either a 15-30/2.8 or 70-200/2.8 on my second body. The 35-150 would be a lot more versatile overall, but it would also make the prospect of carrying a fast prime around a lot more appealing instead.
I found out there's at least one company making an m.2 to CFexpress type B adapter as well. This is a huge deal since actual CFexpress type B cards are outrageously expensive, like 4x the cost of plain old NVMe drives.
I found out there's at least one company making an m.2 to CFexpress type B adapter as well. This is a huge deal since actual CFexpress type B cards are outrageously expensive, like 4x the cost of plain old NVMe drives.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
I've used my Nikon gear just a few times, and they've been sitting in the dry cabinet all these years. Would like to sell them but not sure where / how where I live. Also too lazy to get off my ass. Probably has little to no value today with all the mirrorless stuff now in vogue.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Your lenses likely have decent value if you have any beyond the standard kit option, or you may find a young person who would just be happy to have a camera body at all and pass it on to them. If you happen to know a young mother, I've yet to meet one who didn't want one who didn't want to take 500 pictures of their baby a day (he typed, seeing the notification that his friend has posted 44 new snapchat story updates of her baby in the last two hours). Nikon switched the the Z mount for its mirrorless bodies, but F mount lenses are still in demand since they adapt just fine.
I don't know if India has an equivalent to KEH or MPB but for those of us in North America, they'll usually give you about 20% of the resale price for whatever you send in, but that can be a lot easier than trying to sell $25k worth of equipment yourself sometimes.
I'm somewhat hardcore about keeping at least one body around if I'm doing anything outside daily activity, so my cameras do get used. There have been a few times this has bitten me. I had a bar in New Orleans refuse me entry for even having a camera stowed in a bag, for example, but it's also comically true that if I put a lens with an 82mm filter thread on a body, I get mistaken for a professional photojournalist and allowed to go places I should be able to. I've been doing a lot of street photography this summer, so 16, 24mm, and 28mm "pancake" lenses have been mainstays over the workhorse lenses I usually carry. I have this stupid little guy here that cost me $60 and shoots at infinite focus at F11. It's made for basically every contemporary mount, so if you have a camera body, it'll work.
I don't know if India has an equivalent to KEH or MPB but for those of us in North America, they'll usually give you about 20% of the resale price for whatever you send in, but that can be a lot easier than trying to sell $25k worth of equipment yourself sometimes.
I'm somewhat hardcore about keeping at least one body around if I'm doing anything outside daily activity, so my cameras do get used. There have been a few times this has bitten me. I had a bar in New Orleans refuse me entry for even having a camera stowed in a bag, for example, but it's also comically true that if I put a lens with an 82mm filter thread on a body, I get mistaken for a professional photojournalist and allowed to go places I should be able to. I've been doing a lot of street photography this summer, so 16, 24mm, and 28mm "pancake" lenses have been mainstays over the workhorse lenses I usually carry. I have this stupid little guy here that cost me $60 and shoots at infinite focus at F11. It's made for basically every contemporary mount, so if you have a camera body, it'll work.