What do you think is most important in a camera?

jeepee wrote on Sunday 21 January 2024 at 09:28  | reply

For me, color rendition is the most important thing, skin tones for example. I don't want to spend a lot of time on it in Lightroom. Ergonomics is also important, does the camera sit comfortably in *my* hand, not too big or too small, buttons in the right place for me (and buttons over having to dive into preferably clear menus). Are there ample lenses with character available (the latter nowadays with system cameras and adapters is not really a problem anymore to make suitable).
Less important is the number of megapixels, I used a 12 MP camera with great pleasure until quite recently, but full frame is preferable because of the shallow depth of field and the possibility of separating the subject from the background. Autofocus capability is also less important for my photography. I hardly use video, so I don't have many requirements here either. The number of shots per second is not important at all.

martinphili wrote on Sunday 21 January 2024 at 10:53  | reply

Good question.
With my current camera, I very occasionally reach the limit of my ISO and every now and then I could use a slightly higher frame rate.
But regardless of which new camera you buy: all of that is perfectly fine with those things. So then you end up looking at things like ergonomics, menu structure and so on. And that is purely personal, of course.
That said: I’m always lugging around a 5D with a battery pack and heavy lens. Maybe I should take a look at a more compact and lighter little device that delivers the same quality (and has the same range in terms of lens) as my current workhorse.

I have 'too many' good cameras... Fuji Xpro 2, Olympus Pen F, Nikon P1000 etc..each with their own options in terms of possibilities, settings and lenses...I'm now considering trading in or exchanging everything... well, almost everything (I'll keep the P1000 for bird photography) to return to what made me happiest... a Leica full-frame rangefinder...with max. 2 lenses.. but a digital version...😉 back to the roots...

kok.f@ziggo.nl wrote on Tuesday 23 January 2024 at 10:53  | reply

This is so subjective and dependent on personal preferences. Every brand and model has its pros and cons. But it takes more effort to find a bad camera (do they still exist?) than a good one. Very trite, but with every camera, that button at the top right is the most important. Whatever camera you have, you’ll always find some function with a particular brand/model that makes you think ‘I’d like to have that on my camera too’. I dare to counter that with: dare to be satisfied with what you do have. And for reassurance, good cameras exist, the best ones don’t.

Good quality of the color rendition, at least 24MP
bluetooth and definitely GPS !!

Absolutely Bluetooth and GPS. Incomprehensible that GPS isn't standard in the camera. Don't come at me with a phone, I want it in the camera. Regards Rudolf

My considerations are as follows: after lugging around Nikon photo equipment for years to take macro shots in nature, I came across the Fuji FinePix 5000. It takes macro shots with considerable depth of field handheld in the field. (I didn't have to try that with bellows and a Nikon camera). The colours were also immediately to my liking. I am not a pixel freak, 6 Mp is sufficient for a computer screen. How can you display a 40 Mb shot in its entirety on your monitor? Most photographers are not professionals and view their results on a PC monitor that is 8 Mp?
And with these cameras, weight is no longer an issue. I am a satisfied Fuji user because of the colours. And I now use the 5000, 5500, 5600, the Hs30 EXR, the 9800 for macro shots, and my street camera, the X30.

My first SLR was a Petri, fully manual, because it was affordable for me (over 40 years ago) with a K-mount as the lens mount. The next camera became a Pentax P50. Which I could use my already purchased lenses on. After more than 20 years of faithful service I switched to a digital camera. And you can probably guess: another Pentax so I could still use my 'old lenses'. By now I have been using my Pentax K10D for over 15 years again, and regularly with my old lenses. A nice camera with a lot of ease of use. Now I am considering a new camera because of a higher ISO range. And yes it will undoubtedly be another Pentax.... Nice that Pentax has kept the same lens mount all these years.....