Camera gear discussions

Erm A6000 vs A6300 vs EOS700D
Which is the most worth it ? Also whats the consensus on 2nd hand cameras because that opens up alot more options? I'm currently leaning towards the A6000 with the kit lens and maybe 1 prime lens

 

It depends on you as the photographer. What do you want to do with the camera?

Check the specifications and look at what works for you. Try the camera out if possible and test whether it feels good in your hand.

 

For secondhand cameras, bear in mind that anything with a mechanical shutter (DSLRs mostly, not sure if any others have this) would have reduced shutter counts, so they're only recommended if you are planning on a stop-gap option before upgrading in the near future, otherwise you should take into account refurbishment costs when the shutter wears out. I'm not too sure about electronic shutters, maybe someone else could chime in on this.

 

I can't say for certain to what is best for you, but I will say I have been quite happy with my a6000. I sold my Nikon D7000 for the a6000 and there isn't much I miss about the D7000. I got both my a6000 and D7000 second hand (actually traded my D7000 for my a6000), and as long as the shutter count isn't crazy high, it is in good shape, and has been cared for I would definitely take a look at second hand.

I have the kit lens, 24 1.8z, and 50 1.8 and I think its a great set of lenses. The kit lens is actually pretty good and for the size of it you really can't complain. The other neat thing with mirrorless is how easy it is to manual focus, so using lens adapters and vintage lenses are always an option too. I also have an old Nikon 55mm macro that I got some pretty great shots with using an adapter. The lenses you get will just have to reflect what you like shooting, but for the price and convince I would grab the kit lens. If you have any other questions about the a6000 or lenses for it I can try my best to help you out with them!

 

I'm planning to pick up photography as a hobby. Maybe some landscape and street photography. The A6000 seems like a pretty good choice but I'm not sure if I should up my budget for the A6300 to be future-proofed, or the A6000 + a lens. The DSLRs presumably have a better battery life right, but do the mirrorless cameras really have a terrible battery life?

 

I am not that familiar with the upgrades made to the A6300 vs the A6000, but I can tell you that future proofing with digital camera's doesn't really exist. The technology is changing so rapidly that you are unlikely to keep a camera for the long term anyway.

Upgrades between models are generally auto-focus speed and/or sensor quality (increased high ISO performance, more megapixels, etc). You might also get improvements in battery life, lcd screens, electronic viewfinders, build quality. Figure out the difference between those things in the models you are considering to help you decide which one meets your needs. I don't care about auto-focus or lcd screens, so I would see if they have increased the quality of the sensor or increased battery life. Obviously this is an oversimplification, but for general use I think you would be fine with a previous generation camera. People tend to exagerate the differences between camera's. it is rare that there is a new camera that is a huge improvement over the previous model. Just get something, use it, and learn what you want through experience.

If you want to future proof you are better off doing it with lenses. Since you are considering the Sony's, any of the full frame E-mount lenses can be used with the A7 series should you want to upgrade. Any quality lenses will last a lot longer than a digital camera will.

 

That is the one thing that my D7000 did much better than my a6000, battery life. I just keep a spare battery on hand with my a6000 and an external charger and haven't had any issues.

The a6300 does have some improvements over the a6000, but if you can get a good deal on the a6000 I wouldn't pass that up unless 4K video is crucial to you.

 

One of my favourite cameras ever. It's such an intuitive and effortless camera to use. I moved on to 'bigger and better things'. More often than not, I wish I hadn't...

 

Micro 4/3 (aka mirrorless) cameras do tend to have poorer battery life than DSLRs, but how much worse it is depends on how you use it.
I've always heard that Sony mirrorless cameras have some of the worst battery lifespans of all mirrorless cameras. But people stick with Sony because of the image quality

 

I've used the a6300, awesome camera. We had a shot where we had one as a b-camera to my A7s II - obviously a different usage scenario.

If I were you, see if you can swing by an electronics store that carries it. I know the Best Buys within and near Los Angeles carry them. I think the thing that bothers me the most about the a6300 (and all subcompact mirrorless cameras) are the handgrips. Very particular thing. If it doesn't feel right in your hands (even just at first), it may never at all.

I'm definitely in the feel/usage camp vs features - the full frame A series cameras are great, but I'm not sure I'd own one with their handling. YMMV.

 

A6300 worth the upgrade over the A6000?
In terms of an amateur photographer/casual shooter should I just consider the A6000?

 

What about Fuji? X-E2 can be picked up used for good prices. The lenses are stellar.

 

I'm with Zerodeefex on this, it's a hell of a lot better in use, but $1000 is a hell of a lot of money too dude.

Unless you rely on this stuff for day to day work, the a6000 is enough. Hell the a5000 is enough.

Outside of CaNikon, its a good time to be a shooter right now. Lots of cool stuff coming out, affordably for the most part.

 

f**k this. I'm at my limit with my A7RII. I have never had to wrestle with a camera so much just to take photos...

Has anyone transitioned from Nikon and actually made it work for them?

 

Try a Phase One. I bought one last year and it's been a shit show experience.

I've gone Canon to Phase (stills)/Sony (video). Traditional SLR's are just so reliable, but so boring.

 

My first camera was Nikon F5, and then D7000. After that, I made a big jump to Olympus m4/3. I owned 2 Olympus cameras with few pro lenses. Two months ago, I sold all of my mirrorless gears in favor of Nikon D610 & lenses. The major annoyance of mirrorless system is EVF delay during continuous shooting. Last week I went whale watching; D610 served me very well (even though my arms were tired at the end of the trip).

Tried Sony A7R/S and none competes with ol' DSLR in general performance. However, I like Fuji system - their shutters are really quiet!

 

I switched from a D7000 to an a6000 without many issues, but I will say that I'm a pretty casual user these days.

What's not working for you?

 

I started on Minolta X's. Digital has been Nikon; D200, D90, D750. Now A7RII.

A couple of people convinced me to go mirrorless and while I can see some benefits (along with the 24-70 G Master being one of the best lenses I have ever shot with), the process of actually taking photos has become so unnatural and cumbersome that I just don't enjoy it anymore. Responsiveness, blackout, slow buffer and battery life suck. I realise the R in A7RII has a lot to do with these issues. Ergonomically I just haven't been able to adapt to the camera and 6 months basic functions still require a fair degree of conscious thought.

The camera and lens produce great results but I just don't want to use them, so what's the point? I'm not doing any paid work anymore so I'm seriously considering scaling down to something (hopefully mirrorless) with better ergonomics.

The new Fuji X-T2 looks interesting. Does anyone have experience with the current X-T1 with regards to my issues with A7RII?

 

I believe that mirrorless cameras are best when paired with prime lenses. My Olympus E-M10 was paired with 12-40 2.8, and the balance is waaaay off plus my long hands had difficulty gripping. I can't imagine mounting 40-150 2.8, let alone heavier lenses. Don't get me wrong; mirrorless are improving and fine for casual usage. I agree with you; mirrorless battery won't last as long as DSLR (simple physics). Speaking of responsiveness, buffer & control, Olympus E-M1 is actually good (albeit EVF blackout exists). Fuji is the quietest after electronic shutter & Leicas. Sony has best sensors. But for now, I won't let go my D610.

Thinking to upgrade to D500 lately... Until Jotun destroyed the plan