Need Advice for a DSLR camera for a travel blog

[dms1]

I recommend the Canon g7x mark ii for a pocketable camera, much cheaper than the Sony RX100iv mentioned above and the Sony can only record in 4k for a few minutes at a time and then it overheats. If you want a DSLR, both the entry level Nikon and Canon (rebels) will do 1080P just fine. If getting a Canon Rebel, get a STM lens or an L lens.

 

[fike]

nobody has mentioned the very good value you get from the compact, interchangeable lens, mirrorless cameras from Olympus. Excellent quality. Great selection of lenses for you needs. Weather sealed. More compact than most DSLRs including the Sony A7 series. Try the EM5II or EM10II with one or two prime lenses for very low light conditions. All of my photos for the last few years have used Olympus gear, sometimes in very harsh and/or wet conditions. https://www.flickr.com/photos/trailpixie/

 

[fike]

Another note on some comments above...don't plan to use older "adapted" lenses. Unless you have exotic leica glass (costing thousands of dollars each) or something like that, modern and economical lenses will be sharper and focus faster than anything you can do with your old lenses and an adapter on a Sony or Olympus or Panasonic or Fuji mirrorless camera.

 

[Nivel Egres]

I'd not go to a mirrorless camera for travel or wilderness photography due to battery life (mainly). My personal choice would be a mid-range cropped sensor DSLR (e.g. D70 or equivalent) and a couple good lenses, depending on a budget.

 

[fike]

I'd not go to a mirrorless camera for travel or wilderness photography due to battery life (mainly). My personal choice would be a mid-range cropped sensor DSLR (e.g. D70 or equivalent) and a couple good lenses, depending on a budget.

Three extra batteries (overkill in batteries) are much smaller and lighter than the lenses and bodies made for full-sized DSLRs.

 

[Nivel Egres]

Three extra batteries (overkill in batteries) are much smaller and lighter than the lenses and bodies made for full-sized DSLRs.

The good quality lenses are going to be the same weight and size, laws of physics can not be circumvented.

This is obviously a good topic for a holy war, lets get into it. My lady, being a pro, owns a few Canon bodies (1D MkIII, 5D MkII and 7D MkII) as well as a fancy medium format system while I got two Sonys - a mirrorless A7S and a lens-style QX1. Plus, she also owns a lot of fast and fancy glass, since the lady does a lot of motion photography indoors. I get to play with all of it except of the medium format equipment, which I am not even allowed to touch.

I'll make the following contentios statements:
(a) lens-style body is a nifty little thing and works seamlessly with Canon L-glass via Metabones adapter
(b) the Sony lenses are kinda crap compared to the Canon ones and the choices are rather narrow
(c) for shooting outdoors on "dedicated days" I usually reach for 5D
(d) the days when I am climbing myself I usually take the QX1
(e) the actual mirrorless Sony is good for shooting video and that's kinda it

So I'd say if you already own a smart phone, buy a lens-style body, buy an adapter and then buy used Canon lenses off KEH or Ebay. If you aim to do a lot of shooting and hope to get published, buy a mid-range DSLR from the two majors.

PS. Remark from the GF "remember that you are buying into a system, not just a camera"

 

[fike]

Canon makes good glass. Their sensors are crummy and have been inferior for several years. High ISO noise and dynamic range are poor. Unless you are already in the Canon system, I wouldn't recommend anyone start with a Canon. For full-sized DSLRs, Nikon (using sony sensors) remains king of the hill for sensor performance and makes some pretty darn good lenses too. Otherwise, for larger camera systems, the Sony A7s are excellent.

If compactness is important, then the cropped sensor Olympus and Sony cameras are nice. The Sony glass still isn't too impressive though its APS-C sensor is quite good. Olympus sensors aren't quite as good, but their glass is excellent. Panasonic has some nice lenses too and is excellent if video is your passion.

There are cameras for every niche. The low-end niche is largely filled by some pretty decent cell phone cams, but if you want more durability or the ability to do artistic things, then you might as well move past the digicams to an interchangable lens system camera.

 

[Kerensky97]

The good quality lenses are going to be the same weight and size, laws of physics can not be circumvented.

You'd think so but Leica glass is some of the most respected and fastest in the industry and they're tiny in comparison to the bulky high speed Canon lenses.

Also the laws of physics applies more to the crop of the sensor than the quality of the glass. Smaller sensors are capable of smaller glass. The "drawback" is that you'll likely have a larger equivalent Depth of Field but given the subject of this forum these will likely be used in landscape shots where the opposite is desirable anyway. Cropped sensors can allow you to take hyperfocal shots at very fast apertures and not risk going into the realm of small aperture diffraction. Plus you can do it hand held and not rely on a tripod or blurring from a windy day.

 

[Nivel Egres]

Also the laws of physics applies more to the crop of the sensor than the quality of the glass. Smaller sensors are capable of smaller glass. The "drawback" is that you'll likely have a larger equivalent Depth of Field but given the subject of this forum these will likely be used in landscape shots where the opposite is desirable anyway. Cropped sensors can allow you to take hyperfocal shots at very fast apertures and not risk going into the realm of small aperture diffraction. Plus you can do it hand held and not rely on a tripod or blurring from a windy day.

Of course, smaller sensors would need smaller and less complex lenses (cell phone cameras are a fine example of that). However, because of the very same laws of physics, nobody wants a really small sensor but instead most people want bigger ones (for some reason, pros still pay huge sums for things like hasselblad). The very same pros still shoot large format film, too.

PS. As with regards to Leica, comparing their prime lenses to Canon zoom ones is not really right, you know
PPS. If you all you shoot is landscapes, this conversation is meaningless - the days of the DSLR for serious digital landscape photography are numbered (though no digital system can compete with a good old 4x5).

 

[Kerensky97]

PS. As with regards to Leica, comparing their prime lenses to Canon zoom ones is not really right, you know

I actually had the primes of both in mind. Holding a Summicron in hand is mind boggling after dealing with Canikon primes. Especially when you think of how much that tiny piece of metal and glass in your hand is worth.

Which is also why I don't think I'd ever recommend Leicas for outdoor travel blog use. It's like a taking a Mercedes G Wagon offroad, you'd be too afraid to of damaging it to do anything.

 

[WMPhoto]

So, I'll give you a bit of background about me before I give my advice that I give everyone who asks... what camera should I get?
I am the owner and CEO of Big Ten Photo... Yes, the Big Ten Conference. www.BigTenPhoto.com
We provide team photographers for all of the Big Ten Universities, cover all of the B1G Tournaments, and provide Team photographers for most NCAA events including many non Big Ten Teams.
Little schools you may have heard of. USC, LSU, Florida, Oregon, Texas... just to name a few. On average not including myself and staff, We hire anywhere from 40-70 additional photographers through out the year.
So... To answer the tougher question that it sounds as to what camera you should get... I always tell people a very simple answer... Find a good camera cheap on eBay... Right now, Canon's 1Dx is going for around $3,000...
The Mark IV is going very cheap...$1500 or so, The Mark III even cheaper, I just saw one for $300? Usually these cameras are very well kept as well as very well used. They are built to be used hard... You will get way more bang for you dollar doing this. Worst case scenario you get a body with a blown shutter... The most I've ever spent on replacing a shutter was $400. With a new shutter, the camera is virtually brand new.
As for lens... Well I can't talk enough about the need for good glass. That being said, you probably aren't looking to spend that kind of cash... There are a ton of alternatives to expensive glass out there. Just figure out what exactly you are looking to shoot. Canon and Nikon make mid level glass for just about every range. Generally speaking Prime (NON-ZOOM) Glass is always better than zoom. That being said, there is always use for a couple of good zoom lenses in the bag.
When I'm out, not working, I usually have a 14mm,24-70, and a 70-200. With all of that said... I also still carry a Holga Medium format camera as well... Just for fun. very cheap, plastic everything... But fun to play with.
Feel free to pm me any questions you may have.

 

[haven]

I think the mega-$$ DSLRs have their place for magazine, sports and fine art photography. The OP is talking about a travel blog, where the photos will be compressed and scaled down for viewing on a cell phone. Surely a less expensive model will suffice.

 

[kojackJKU]

Honestly, take a look at the Sony A7. It's been the go-to for action photographers for a while now. Packs way smaller than a true DSLR and takes the best low-light shots in the business right now. I'm actually looking at them to replace my not-that-old D3200.

Listen to Bob Ross.....Afterall, He's awesome! ha ha. For a DSLR if you have your heart set on one, Sony A7 is a sweet camera. I use Fuji x-s1 for most of my photos for our blog, and a Fuji x10 for walking around in cities etc. Both have the same sensor, engine etc. So photos setup on one, look exactly the same as the other.

 

[thethePete]

The A7 is not a DSLR. Compact point and shoot cameras limit you as far as lens selection and aperture if you want to shoot low-light, or at any great distance.

 

[kojackJKU]

The A7 is not a DSLR. Compact point and shoot cameras limit you as far as lens selection and aperture if you want to shoot low-light, or at any great distance.

No, its a mirrorless, SLR style camera with exchangeable lenses. Most people still call them DSLR. My X-S1 is a pro compact and is AWESOME. The zoom, picture quality and features make it awesome. It does sports extremely well with the burst captures it can do, as well as awesome video. I am not sure if my x10 can burst the same or not, but its great as well as its small rangefinder style is easy to carry.