The results are in! Best gear of 2019 - winners and runners-up

I use 4 different camera brands.

Three brands..

I had 3 ilc brands down to 2. But 2 of them were just only for a few lenses. Nikon because I already have like 10 lenses, not stupid/ nor rich enough to sell and rebuy. Plus I have nikon film cameras, since I am part of a local photography group. Panasonic for my little travel ilc. Sony I dropped when nikon came out with the ff milc, was rocking the OG a7 and nex3. Had the fuji em1 for a day, then back in the mail box.

I have 4 different brands + 2 film cameras , my favorite is the Sony

I have a Panasonic Lumix and two Sonly E-mount cameras, as well as (adapted) Canon FDn, Sigma, Voigtländer, Sony and Samyang glass.
I even still have an old Canon Powershot camera (from 2005) in my cabinet.

Now, that's quite a brands, ain't it?

I think that many people do have more gear from more than one brand in their possession.
And while I do not possess a Sony A7iv, I still voted voted for it as gear of the year, because of the significant advantages it offers over its competitors.

I am Sony A7 R3 user.

I would only vote for Sony once they sort their dumb touchscreen out.

More to the point - what would you call photographers who actually care what DPR thinks? Or what the people on this forum think ?

Good industrial design is not really just about looking "sleek and modern".

It's about function and ergonomics as much as aesthetics.

In this respect, the user interface of Sony deserves the criticism it gets.

Think about how Apple iOS changed how people interact with complex devices. Sony UI is essentially the opposite of this. It's ugly and clunky and inconsistent - the touch screen does some things but not others. Items in the menus are scattered around across pages and pages. All this could be much better.

Ironically it is probably Leica with the SL2 that does this best. The controls and menus are elegant and simple - Ingenius in their design.

This is what good industrial design looks like.IMO.

"In this respect, the user interface of Sony deserves the criticism it gets."

Off course thats your opinion but you are presenting as if it is a fact.

well, can't argue about that...
camera manufacturers should learn a thing or two from smartphones.
regards

@NemanRa, the EOS RP is a brick (for example)? Please, tell me.

I’m of the opinion that Sony has great design. They’re the only ones I know of where I can map shutter speed to the rear dial, aperture to the front dial, and ISO to the rear wheel to control the whole exposure triangle with one hand and without doing any button combos.

When I shot Nikon I had to hold a button and spin a dial to change ISO instead of doing it directly and with Fuji and had to take my hand off the grip to change the ISO dial (not sure how Canon and the rest do it).

@daftpunk.. most photographers I expect agree with you. Just here at DPR.. A very few, very prolific posters, have a hard time accepting certain facts.

Strolic Furlan

Nope, the RP is a great compact camera! A good alternative for 6D (and much lighter). Add the 24-105 and you're set for pretty much anything... As for my comment, I was thinking about DSLRs and new Pana 135 bodies...
Regards

Meh...... ergonomics, menus, design.... mostly subjective because there is little to criticize that can be measured or validated. It strikes me as curious that as Sony improves menus and ergonomics significantly the cries about ergonomics and menus seem to grow louder. I think in 2020 these cries are 95% drama and 5% valid (and I'm probably being generous with the 5%).

Sony is great for data junkies and those who research the performance stats and charts so they feel they have chosen the “best”. They are less attractive to the creative side of the brain IMO. These are the people who note the Sony’s lack “soul” or other such subjective stuff. The poor touchscreen and illogical ugly UI is a part of that.

I am in the latter camp. I have thousands invested in Sony but try as I do, I respect them but don’t like them.

My S1R is objectively not as good, but I prefer using it.

@Daft Punk...
Is there anything you can offer in terms of actual evidence to support your assertions? I contend that you can peruse this Sony A7 group or many others and find images at least as creative as anything you'll find in a Panasonic group. I think I know the answer to this question but I'll ask again anyway.... can you provide anything at all to back up what you're saying?

https://www.flickr.com/groups/sonya7_a7r/pool/

https://www.flickr.com/groups/3785734@N21/pool/

NemanRa,

thank you.

Daft Punk sums it up perfect himself:"I don't like Sony". No wonder all this weird and bold claims.

The claim that brand has something to do with creativity is sheer nonsense.

I have good reasons to not like the Sony cameras I own. I have explained why - if you dont get it why should I care? Sony UI "gets in the way" of picture taking sometimes so YES, it does affect creativity.

Having menu items scattered around illogically affects creativity.

Greying out controls and locking up when buffering affects creativity.

Disliking the poor design of the user interface affects creativity. I am sorry ( and a bit surprised ) that creative people cannot see this.

We are clearly very different in how we think. But to dismiss this as "nonsense" is arrogant and rude. I am sorry I am disrespecting your preferred brand of inanimate consumer electronic item.

i own and i don't like sony. this movie we have been seeing for years now.

Indeed. So you would think that if Sony listened maybe they would do even better. Mind you, DPR forum is the last place to have a reasonable debate about the issue.

Sony basically offer the best tracking AF in the business and a great range of lenses, all wrapped up in average cameras which for some people can be frustrating to use. YMMV. I think we can leave it there.

Daft Punk is trying to make his subjective opinion a global fact, but without factual arguments. All he has is his subjective opinion, which is valid for himself, and maybe also for some others.

It is OK not to like something, but trying to convince everybody else like Daft Punk is doing, is fanaticism.

@Magnar W.. actually Daft Punk has expressed time and time again..that he uses Sony, but does not like its UI. Fanaticism in regards to a particular camera brand, by definition one would ONLY be able to find fault or the opposite...would NOT be able to find any faults AT ALL. You are the latter, as far as Sony is concerned.

Classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Magnar W - you are being disengenuous.

I have given my reasons for disliking Sony cameras even though I use them. Menus, illogical layout, poor and inconsistent use of touchscreen etc.. all you do is seem to snipe at the messenger while offering no defence of your own. Poor show.

@ cbphoto123: Seems like there are tons of people taking care of what they find bad. No need for one more whiner.

I prefer other and way more efficient channels to reach Sony when pointing out issues with the gear. And yes, they listen.

@Magnar W.. spin spin spin. So in your opinion, no one should bring up any issues, things they would like to see improved on products they currently use..here at DPR. Regardless of which brand.

I don’t see you in a single other thread (Non Sony) being “defensive” an “apologist” with such zeal on behalf of Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm etc.. at all. Anyone who questions, anything, has any issues at all about Sony..is a “whiner” “hater” “troll” etc... Isn’t it all a bit hypocritical on your part?

Although you certainly have a thing for mirrorless (Sony) over “mirrored” formats.. maybe not being able to look in the mirror is really your issue.

@ cbphoto123: There is a difference between discussing what is an issue, what one like or dislike, and spraying forums with one's dissatisfaction.

If you follow the Sony forum, you will find issues that are discussed seriously.

@Magnar W... and then there is the fact that you have over 7000 posts in 4 years...with one of your very 1st posts “defending” being an “apologist” for Sony... and its lossy compressed raw. It has been the same Sony apologist behavior with you here ever since. Only ONE BRAND can do NO WRONG, and that’s SONY for you...does make one wonder.

@ cbphoto123: You repeatly post this claim about me. O surprised. And now, as always, without arguments.

@Magnar W... what claim? U have actual arguments?

@Magnar W... Confused by this ”claim” ... “without arguments”. Your posting history, very consistent in theme, the protagonist is Sony.. the vast majority of just over 7000. Those “arguments” are “without argument”? Honestly confused. Facts are not facts? Alternative facts? Your deflection really is an art of sorts.

@ozturert

//95% of voters for A7RIV don't even own it//

1. You made up this percentage.
2. It is not a requirement of voting to own the product you are nominating. If anything that would lead to favouritism and bias.

"95% of voters for A7RIV don't even own it"

Yes but they had to pick it because it is amazing camera with great ergonomics.

Guys, I was trying to make a point but you are automated to reply negatively to anyone commenting on Sony.

@Ozturert

So you point out you weren't trolling Sony by calling the people who picked you up on it Sony fanboys?

Can you see what the problem is here?

NOTE:
Since I know you can't, I'll help you out. Try posting without mentioning Sony, a brand you irrationally dislike and have nothing good to say about.

@rubberdials.. let me help you out.

Try posting without mentioning Sony, a brand you irrationally like and have nothing bad to say about.

I am not wailing, metely commenting. Am I not entitled to an opionion?

"Am I not entitled to an opionion?" Yes you are, but accuse fan boys for the result is simply childish

> Sony fan boys

we aint fan boys. i used to shoot canon, switched no nikon, and lately to sony e mount, what you expecting from us? sony making best gear in current year what you expect for? not to tell that sony making best gear? keep silence cause canon and nikon need some attention?

sony brought so many innovations on market that it desrved #1 manufacturer label for now, and this is totally fair.

it would not be fair to silence the sony users in name of the owe to canon and nikon

I’ll give you brand loyal, but the others? Nah.

Why GFX, not the PhaseOne very near true 645 then?

winkalman, that is correct.

As you say, more people run to McDonald's when they crave a burger. If you did a poll more people would call McDonald's their favorite.

Best is not synonymous with most popular. In fact, it's frequently the polar opposite of that.

"If you did a poll more people would call McDonald's their favorite."

That is almost certainly false. Just like with the cell phone camera, it's merely cheaper and more convenient.

winkalman

You are arguing about an Internet poll. Are you so stupid as to claim it will determine the "best", or do you realize it is only an unreliable popularity contest?

And only a fool would cry that "popular" and "best" are " frequently polar opposites" without explaining what is meant by "best" and for whom.

Gearguy Of theYear = Mister Spaceman = Oskar P = Rex C = a DPR future ex-member who never really knew how to behave online. Joined Dec 12, banned in a few days and will reappear into another nick.

Everyone says jay-A is also Kendra wheelwright.

Now that makes perfect sense.

And this guy is upvoting himself, because nobody else in this thread would upvote him and he's constantly getting one upvote each comment.

@TrollGuyOftheYear: why would I set up another account while I'm not banned? Makes no sense at all.

You keep on reappearing, offense after offense after offense. There's a simple rule: if you want to keep your nick, get yourself an education and stop offending people. Or start using your photo gear instead of getting frustrated by it.

Created a new account dedicated to this thread = troll of the year?

Best-selling =/= best.

FatFish - A Canon equivalent of the a7Riv will be announced in early 2020. I actually think it will beat the Sony in every area apart possibly for eye-AF.

A Canon equivalent to the a7Riii is not expected, but almost certainly there will be a lower resolution "twin" to the aforementioned Canon, intended as a semi-pro "workhorse", i.e. a mirrorless equivalent to the 5DMkiv.

Both cameras are pretty much guaranteed to have IBIS, twin card slots, very good battery life, excellent ergonomics and weatherproofing, and a new combined AF joystick/AF-ON control.

These are of course only rumours, but apparently those "in the know" consider them to be deliberate "leaks" from Canon.

There's two big ares that I worry Canon can't catch up and that's video features and dynamic range. Both are important for many users (and part of how Sony have made huge gains in the industry). If Canon can release a 40+ mp camera with 14 stops of DR, IBIS, full frame 4K, dual cards slots and reasonable fps for a competitive price of $3k or less I and many others who have abandoned Canon will be happy.

FatFish - Video doesn't interest me personally so I won't get into that aspect.

Dynamic range *is* important to me, but I have no issues at all with the DR of my 5DMkiv which is plenty enough to cope with very contrasty lighting, and doesn't give me any major issue with noise at up to ISO 3200. You can bet that the DR in the next generation of RF will be even better. Maybe a tad less than Sony/Nikon at below ISO 400, but nothing to be concerned about IMO.

What I expect is for Canon to offer a choice of hi-res and lo-res models that are otherwise more or less identical, just as Sony, Panasonic and Nikon have done.

The lo-res (35MP?) model will have better DR and a fast (10fps?) burst rate. The hi-res (75/83MP?) will of course be able to shoot MRAW at lower resolutions too, but you'll be stuck with around 6fps.

continued....

I expect Canon to stagger the launch so that the hi-res model is released first, giving them time to modify the specs of the lo-res version depending on feedback.

They'll also delay it because they want to offload as many 5DMkiv bodies as possible before releasing a MILC successor. The hi-res version on the other hand needs to be released quickly because the 5DS is near the end of its product life.

That's my best guess. Either way, I'll wait until maybe March or April when I have a decent break between projects, before deciding which FF MILC to use alongside my DSLRs. If I had to choose a camera right this second, it would be the a7Riv, but I think it's worth waiting to see the Canon announcement.

Judging by the discounts on the 5D4 and EOS R (the former I just bought on heavy discount), hope that is a sign they have something new coming!

You can already experience the best of both worlds: use the R4 and the 135mm 1.8 together!

@entoman

//A Canon equivalent of the a7Riv will be announced in early 2020. I actually think it will beat the Sony in every area apart possibly for eye-AF.//

Words fail me entoman.

Much is uncertain in the torrid times we live in but one thing is guaranteed not to happen and that's the prediction contained in the words of yours quoted above.

If Canon releases a high resolution full frame milc in 2020, there is only one metric where it is likely to 'beat' Sony and that is in physical number of megapixels.

In AF accuracy and speed, fps, battery life, DR, image quality, customisation, IBIS and general performance it will be behind Sony.

Actually, it is an "Olympus" sport judging by the some of the comments on the EM-5 iii review.

Yeah, how many have used the lens that isn't out yet!?

@bufo vulgaris This is just meant to be a bit of fun and not serious!

@bufo vulgaris

//How many of the voters have actually used the gear they voted for?//

It appears to have escaped your notice that this is actually an equipment review site and its raison d'etre is that you don't own the products that are being discussed.

And how many of us get to know personally politicians we are voting for?

Are you asking or assuming?

That's fine, but I like the full quote from Rep. Giffords -

“None of us is as dumb as all of us. It means that when you get a group of people together to make a critical decision, groupthink can set in. There's all this technical information, a critical decision needs to be made, and everyone starts marching in the same direction. There might be some people who think it's the wrong decision, but they don't say anything. They just remain a part of the group. We've learned that groups can make stupid decisions that no single individual in the group would make.”

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/534064-none-of-us-is-as-dumb-as-all-of-us

I think any school teacher can easily show you the math to disprove that theory.

Ooo, I'd like to see the math to prove anything to do with human behavior. Does it involve irrational numbers?

It's pretty simple math. No average or median can be lower than all individual members of it's data set.

Interestingly, you are both right!

Sigma doesn't have a big enough fan base to be forced to recognize. Surely it is worthy.

Worse how?

@biza43
He's referring the video where the guys included GFX100 in best camera list because of the image quality yet say how expensive it is.
They then included the Noct in worst lens because it's expensive yet has amazing quality.

Didn't really make sense..

Now the Noct shows up in this best gear list based on voting.

DPR video was based on their personal opinions yet the articles are based on reader voting. They now have two official "Best of" content which contradicts them selves somewhat.

The video and written article should contain the same gear but jut like their content, this is just my opinion ;)

I thought that was clear - one is DPR's stance, the other is readers poll.

so reviewers think it's bad.....normal people vote it good....bit of a disconnect there, are review sites in touch with the common people or not i wonder.