Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: marcmccalmont on September 04, 2013, 01:23:30 pm
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A friend at work is looking for a camera and lens around $1500 for general use
Nikon D5200/Sigma 17-50 f2.8 OS
Pentax K-5II/Pentax 17-70 f4.0
Any other combinations that would maximize image quality on his budget?
Thanks
Marc
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I'm surprised there haven't been responses here. Perhaps some of that stems from the splitting-off of the smaller cameras to a different forum. I will be a little brash and suggest a micro4/3rds camera. I have put my Panasonic GH2 to excellent use, that is, until I got the small Sigma Merrills (which I cherish for their file quality, which translates beautifully into quite large prints). I think an important question is what size your friend wants to be able to print to (if at all). If he (or she) isn't going really large, a m43 camera is one he would more readily carry with him, and his price point would enable some lens choices, for the fun and pleasure of different lens perspectives. Also, he may appreciate the 4/3 dimension of the file, instead of 3/2. The ability to switch among several aspect ratios (4/3, 3/2, 16/9, 1/1), which can be done on the GH2 without losing inordinate numbers of pixels (because of the larger-than-4/3-sensor on this particular model -- which I don't think they've replicated on the later models) is helpful creatively. The OMD-EM5 was too small for me, but I would suggest looking at the G or GH series from Panasonic, and some of their excellent lenses. Also, if you're willing to suffer through some focus-hunting, the 4/3 lenses (not micro4/3) Michael R. raved about in a post some time ago, are worth looking at, for use with an adapter. The one big thing to pay attention to with the 4/3 cameras is whether you are getting image stabilization (if you want it) with the combination you are using of either Pana or Oly camera and lens. -Barbara
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Thanks for the suggestion Marc :)
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With that budget, I will suggest the Fuji XE-1 plus the 18-55 lens. This is being sold with discount as a kit in some countries. Very good camera for general use.