Suggest a new camera

[Rob MacKillop]

not for me, but for Rhona, my daughter. She will be going to Goldsmiths after the summer to do a Design degree. There are of course different aspects to design, and at Goldsmiths they concentrate more on the artistic, blue-sky, conceptual side of things. Rhona, in her art work and design, likes to get inspiration from nature: flowers, plants, bark, etc, but also from land and seascape formations.

She doesn't at all like using my Merrills

Currently she has a Canon 1100D with the basic 55-90 zoom lens, now scratched over its glass surface!

I'm contemplating treating her to a new camera during the summer, budget up to £1000, though she might add more of her own savings. It has to be digital. She is contemplating going to Berlin at the end of July for a 12-day course in digital photography at an International summer school. So, she seems keen on it.

Maybe she just needs better and more appropriate lenses for her 1100D? Or maybe a fresh start with a smaller system would be better.

Your thoughts, appreciated...

 

[Pete Askew]

Hmm. tricky. Based on what we see here, the Fuji XT-1 with a zoom lens would fit the remit if you could find the right deal (refurb?). Or maybe, new lenses for the Canon.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

That would be nice, though she might have to prize it out of my cold dead hands!

 

[Pete Askew]

Don't tempt her, Rob. She'll be a student by then. They're ruthless I tell you, ruthless!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Forgot to add that she needs to be able to do video with it. I've read that the xt1 has only a basic video, with few ways of controlling it.

 

[Pete Askew]

In that case, my first choice would be a Sony A7s - but that would blow the budget.

Panasonic GH4 would be an alternative.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Actually, the Panasonic GH3 with 14-140mm lens comes in at £1K, and it has a great video camera in there. Current front runner.

Park Cameras: https://www.parkcameras.com/p/P014184K/compact-system-cameras/panasonic/gh3-14-140mm-kit

 

[Pete Askew]

Yes, very capable indeed.

 

[Pete Askew]

And, if you know what you're doing, more than capable:

"

"

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I saw that, and kept thinking, "what has this to do with the GH3?" - not realising it was all taken with it.

 

[Pete Askew]

I guess good storey-boarding, decent camerawork and consistent PP might have helped a bit! He did a great documentary using a Sony Rx100 (and the Barbie Cam film wasn't bad either!).

 

[Rob MacKillop]

And Final Cut Pro...

Moving film seems like far too much trouble. I just know I wouldn't have the patience.

 

[Brian Moore]

Must be digital, eh...? Stumped!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Now, now, young Brian, we have observed you using a digital camera on occasion

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

A hard choice me thinks. At first i thought the merril's until you mentioned Rhona not liking them. I'd thought the'd be super cool for a student, but what do I know about being super cool. Nowt probably.
The GH3 had been brought up, I was thinking along those lines of micro four thirds. Having had the EM-5 that system does have superb lenses, the largest choice from all mirrorless systems and the system's lens are very small as well, as against all the Fuji and sony's where the lens's are all DSLR size.
Have you looked at the Olympus OM-D EM-10 , I believe it has the same Sony 16MB sensor as the EM-5 , with the one difference it has 3 way in body stabilisation rather than five way. By all accounts a superb camera. £700 with two lenses, not sure how good those two lenses are. But body only maybe, and the new 12-40 f2.8 is expensive but meant to be stellar from their pro line. http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/ca...0-camera-with-14-42mm-ez-40-150mm-lenses.html

The OM-D EM-5 is the old model which I have but one up from EM-10 and goes for around £500 body only, half price from new i believe.
The video is not up to the standard of the panasonics though. If Rhona does need to do serious video, at your price the GH3 is where it is at. The new GH4 does 4k but not needed and the GH3 is used professionally for video.

As Pete mentioned the Sony A7 series, expensive but you could sell a guitar or two

 

[Brian Moore]

Now, now, young Brian, we have observed you using a digital camera on occasion

That doesn't mean I'm not stumped!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, Julian. I was thinking about your OM-D, but, as you say, the video is not up to the GH3. The A7 looks excellent, but the profits from my ukulele books won't stretch that far

 

[Pete Askew]

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/olympus-omd-em-10-kit.19987/#post-156092 ?

 

[Paul Lange]

Maybe not where you wanted to go but the Sony RX-100 III? The video may not be up to what you are looking for but it is a high quality but pocketable camera. Very easy to carry around.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks Pete. Thanks Paul. The more consideration, the merrier.