Thinking of a new camera - advice needed

Rob MacKillop

Rob MacKillop

Edinburgh Correspondent
I'm in a slump, just not feeling inspired to get out and take photos. I'm not sure how much of the slump is due to needing a break, or whether a new camera would get my eye excited again. Today I looked at some scenes which would have had me snapping away happily a few months back, but I refrained as I felt I knew exactly what it would look like through the lens.

So, if a new camera will get me excited again, what should it be. I have no funds to speak of, so would first have to sell my Fuji X100 and Fuji XS1. Not sure what I'd get for them. I hope to raise £700.

Hamish would doubtless suggest the Sony RX100, and Pete might suggest the Ricoh GR Digital III? How do they compare? What else should I be looking at?

All four cameras mentioned above are fixed-lens cameras, which I like. I don't do sports photography, so speed is not an issue. Clarity, great AF, RAW files - these are important things to me. Sounds like I need a Fuji X100! :)
 
Hi Rob,

I think we've all gone through similar stages. For me personally, X100 is quite good for the type of London street photography I do (crowded busy environment). But if I was to travel aboard, I would (personally) find it too limiting and prefer to carry my 5D2+lenses instead.

New camera equipments did bring me some inspirations, but that didn't last long. IMHO, finding inspirations from the type of photography that suits your life style and resonates with your passion is perhaps more long lasting. :)

I guess first assessing what style of photography that "speaks" to you might be the way forward. Camera equipments are not everything, but some types of cameras do make certain styles of photography "more convenient" to perform.

Good luck, Rob!

Jim
 
Jim Kuo said:
Hi Rob,

I think we've all gone through similar stages. For me personally, X100 is quite good for the type of London street photography I do (crowded busy environment). But if I was to travel aboard, I would (personally) find it too limiting and prefer to carry my 5D2+lenses instead.

New camera equipments did bring me some inspirations, but that didn't last long. IMHO, finding inspirations from the type of photography that suits your life style and resonates with your passion is perhaps more long lasting. :)

I guess first assessing what style of photography that "speaks" to you might be the way forward. Camera equipments are not everything, but some types of cameras do make certain styles of photography "more convenient" to perform.

Good luck, Rob!

Jim
Click to expand...


Really good advice there Jim
 
definitely good advice!

setting your self challenges is another good way to get shooting ...
Maybe if you also have the hunger for a bit of gear (we all get it dont we) you could try a fully manual meter-less camera of some sort and go out and guess exposure ... dunno, something fun like that ...
 
you can always sell DARREN a well looked after & cheaply price x100 :-)
 
Thanks all. Good advice, Jim, and greatly appreciated. I think you are right, in that I need to choose the camera for the style of photography I want to do. My honeymoon period is over. I've done lots of experiments, learned quite a bit (and forgotten more) and need a direction. That will give me (ahem) focus.
 
If you want to beat the blues I'd sell summat else and take the X100 on a holiday :)
 
I know you mentioned you wanted grea AF and all that, Rob, but why not go completely different and shoot a pinhole camera for a little while? I think the potential results might suit your easthetic while also providing a different experience. That picture of Rhona is very nice. Personally I prefer a slight bit of oof to crystal clarity in most instances. Nicely done.
 
Thanks, Brian. I think you might be on to something. Might pull out my Pentax K1000, buy some film...Pinhole stuff a possibility too...
 
All great advice Rob. But I think the photo you have posted of Rhona (very nice by the way) and Brian's idea is likely where you are headed. Looking back at your work, you seem to have moved more towards the contemplative side of image making. The X100 is certainly capable of satisfying much of that but something slower and much more manual may well be the way to go. Shifting to film for a while and slowing your shooting rate might be a good (and affordable) way forward. Going manual focus might also be a useful exercise - I very rarely use AF (even on the D3) except on the GR and RX100 (no practical alternative). I also think that restricting ones options is a good idea and I rarely take more than one lens with me and even more rarely use a zoom. From my perspective I would think as a general camera the X100 is a good choice. Maybe the film SLR would provide the alternative route (or even a low cost MF camera).
 
Thanks, Pete. Yes, I need to get back into the mechanics of it all, for a while at least. Medium Format would be great. I'll give it some thought. See anything worth buying?
 
Rob im pretty much down on the funds, Nokia 201 2mp is what ive had since paralympics (had to sell all my cameras to pay bills).
Photos i been posting are from last three years.

Last week & this week i managed to scrape together just about £60.
Sony f707
Sony S70, S75, S85 all F2
Olympus 5050 f1.8, 5060 28mm but f2.8
Ricoh GX f2.5 but gorgeous iso1600

They all give a look just not seen in modern cameras ... older more natural sensors (1/1.8 to 2/3, 5mp) & CCD.
M9 is closest how its photos look with its CCD.

Also as they are chunky, clunky, slow compared to modern cameras i really like their handling & that they make me stop & ponder.

If you like photoing people perhaps the Olympus colour skin tones supposed to be so natural.

...


In the end i went for Sony F707 as it has f2-2.4 38-190 i wanted fast for shallow dof (doeable from my experience with Minolta A200 f3.5 at 200mm).
Has manual focus as i do like blurring things time to time.
Super liveview i really like as i can get the shot near enough how i want (i was spoilt EP1 & NEx5 liveview & would only buy a cam with liveview).
& i wanted approx 200mm looking at past photos.

...

I think older cameras do have certain charm and can maybe reignite passion.
 
Last edited:
Looks tempting. I've just sent an old guitar to a guy in Belgium. If he likes it, I have the dosh...

- - - Updated - - -

Good post, ahmad! Puts it all in perspective. I look forward to seeing your new images - your old ones are wonderful.
 
Agreed, and your often very simple but beautiful images Ahmad can make those of us who have been known to stray into arrogant take a step back and readress what we are doing (maybe I'm speaking for my self??)
anyway, I've told you what I think of your shots before, so I won't harp on ... If shy is what makes the photos so good then stick with it I say :)
 
ahmad bhai said:
Rob im pretty much down on the funds, Nokia 201 2mp is what ive had since paralympics (had to sell all my cameras to pay bills).
Photos i been posting are from last three years.

Last week & this week i managed to scrape together just about £60.
Sony f707
Sony S70, S75, S85 all F2
Olympus 5050 f1.8, 5060 28mm but f2.8
Ricoh GX f2.5 but gorgeous iso1600

They all give a look just not seen in modern cameras ... older more natural sensors (1/1.8 to 2/3, 5mp) & CCD.
M9 is closest how its photos look with its CCD.

Also as they are chunky, clunky, slow compared to modern cameras i really like their handling & that they make me stop & ponder.

If you like photoing people perhaps the Olympus colour skin tones supposed to be so natural.

...


In the end i went for Sony F707 as it has f2-2.4 38-190 i wanted fast for shallow dof (doeable from my experience with Minolta A200 f3.5 at 200mm).
Has manual focus as i do like blurring things time to time.
Super liveview i really like as i can get the shot near enough how i want (i was spoilt EP1 & NEx5 liveview & would only buy a cam with liveview).
& i wanted approx 200mm looking at past photos.

...

I think older cameras do have certain charm and can maybe reignite passion.
Click to expand...


Great answer, I've always been a big fan of thinking the camera is pretty irrelevent in the whole process, hence the reason i swap between iphone and canon
 
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