Have your say: Best gear of 2018

Bob - So please tell us, what is your favourite piece of photographic gear released in 2018?

Dec 19, 2018permalink

BobT3218

entoman:
Oh yeah, 2018, good point. I'm far from an early adopter so I guess I shouldn't have budded in. Sorry!

Dec 19, 2018permalink

Saaaaaaad

Yeah, best product of 2018 should have had the selection expanded. I voted for the A7III myself, but my votes would've been A7iii, X-T3, then Nikon Z6 in third position, as i feel its a better product to the Z7.

But the Z6 wasn't the top in any category, so it's not listed.

Dec 20, 2018permalink

Peak freak

Well, I gave my vote to the A7III. I think it is revolutionary value for money. (That is, the big players need to be more competitive. Thank you Sony).
Then I went for lenses; the Tamron, and then the Sony 24/1.4. If Canon gave us an optically excellent, 450 gram 24/1.4, we would be raving about it just like the RF 50/1.2.

Dec 19, 2018permalink

mgoldberg

Sony, Sony and Sony. And Sony. What year is it again?

Dec 19, 2018permalink

Hard to tell. They win every year they release a FF mirrorless. ;)

Dec 19, 2018*permalink

ZeroXlim

Get a life, no point looking post with hatred

Dec 31, 2018permalink

NCB

Bit strange. No Canon EOS R. No Nikon 24-70 f4 S. No Nikon Z6. No Panasonic GH5S.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Those probably didn't make the final round cut.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

icic

z6 was just out less than a month ago. so not enough supporter out there yet to vote for it. From what I see, it better received than z7 for more capable af, higher frame rate and much better video than z7 of not the best in FF market

Dec 19, 2018permalink

The Fat Fish

The X-T3 and A7III cameras are strong contenders for first place and not much can be improved for the price.

I’d love to see a Bayer X-T3 with IBIS but that would easily add another $200+ onto the price.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Fujifilm is doing perfectly fine with X Trans, I don't expect a large migration to Fujifilm if they went Bayer. Fujifilm has better things to do than worry about X Trans vs. Bayer. Updating their focusing motor in their f1.4 primes should be a priority since the XT-3 is the first XF body to focus like a beast. And some argue to be the most important their Battery Life. Really don't know why a new battery wasn't introduced with the XH-1.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Clayton1985

I agree that the A7III is strong but weather sealing, build quality, grip, EVF, rear LCD and touchscreen can be improved on the A7III which are some of the advantages the Z6 has over the A7III and both are the same price range. But A7III has advantages too and Nikon probably priced the Z6 lower than they planned because of Sony's aggressive price for the A7III.

Jan 3, 2019*permalink

Vladyslav Kosulin

This is the 'best' product of the year, not 'the most impressive' one.
And because photo manufacturing is a business - I voted for M50 because this is really bestseller - just look at retail stats.
Speaking about impressions - I put XT-3 and 28-70 to 2nd and 3rd place.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

sirhawkeye64

Best overall I put A7 III simply because it has very similar IQ and performance as the D750, one of the better (pro-sumer/enthusiast) Nikon DSLR bodies, plus it's almost a direct contender to the D750, but mirrorless.

The other two were sort of a toss-up: the Z7 (and Z6 although it wasn't on the list that I saw), and the RX100 (although it's getting a little too pricey). I was tempted by the XT-3 but for many, it may be a marginal upgrade if you already have the XT-2 and don't do video.

I will say the XT-100 is a good little camera, but I had it for about a week and ended up returning it. It feels too cheap to me, you can't customize most of the buttons (a big disappointment). But for a beginner or casual shooter, it's a good camera with good perormance. I just like a bit more customization (plus even with the included "grip" it still didn't feel comfortable in the hands--too small for me).

Dec 18, 2018*permalink

GinoSVK

Sony a7 III and Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L imprest me most this year.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

RF 35 f/2 IS is way underrated.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

GinoSVK

4sofnature Optically nice Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM is no underrated, just does not special enough. They are similar lenses at Nikon, Sony and also at Canon DSLR lineup.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

In contrast, RF 50L is overrated. Bigger, heavier, and pricier than EF 50L for a little IQ improvement, even if it manages to find its buyers.

Dec 19, 2018permalink

Peak freak

I get the impression the Sony 24GM is underrated. It is relatively small, light, fast and apparently, optically excellent. And yet, I keep seeing some people say that the Sony mount is too small?

Dec 19, 2018permalink

1.2 lenses and so-called the big mount advantage are market gimmicks, made by those who are unconfident with their sensor performance.

Dec 19, 2018permalink

LessMirrored19

best prime lens : sony
best zoom lens : tamron E-mount
best compact/fixed lens : sony
best entry level ilc : fuji
best midrange ilc : sony
best high-end : fuji

isnt it worrying that there is no canikon winner ?
or photography has changed ?
may be the D6 is Nikon's DSLR era swan song. just like the F6 of the film era ?

Dec 18, 2018permalink

waldoh

Great summary. Both of those companies invested early on in mirrorless and are now reaping the rewards while the 2 sleeping giants are learning it’s not so easy to just walk into a new market.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

zero sector

best trollers : sony fanboys

Dec 19, 2018permalink

There is no D6?

Dec 19, 2018permalink

Huh. Funny, my D500 and 300/4 are still chugging along.

Dec 19, 2018permalink

adk38

You know there's a real world outside of DPR?

Dec 19, 2018permalink

adk38

Think another poster said it well. A7III match a 3-4 year old Nikon
"Best overall I put A7 III simply because it has very similar IQ and performance as the D750, one of the better (pro-sumer/enthusiast) Nikon DSLR bodies, plus it's almost a direct contender to the D750, but mirrorless"

Jan 4, 2019*permalink

But I can buy a D750 for around 700 bucks used.

Jan 5, 2019permalink

riveredger

I shoor Nikon but voted for the Canon f/2 zoom lens. I think this is the type of producr that can spur industry wide changes to faster zooms.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Hautedawg

Faster zooms are exactly what the industry doesn't need. Bigger, bulkier, more expensive lenses that are meant to be convenient.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

io_bg

Hautedawg, having the option of ultra fast zooms doesn't hurt.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

riveredger

There are plenty of slower zoom lenses already available. I see nothing wrong with having faster options...

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Canon develop fast lenses because they are not confident with their high ISO performance that they need faster lenses, whereas Sony always manages to improve their sensors. Just look at how clean high iso images/video clips A7sii and A7iii are capable of producing.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Hautedawg

History is showing the companies have limited resources available for lenses specifically, which is why they aren't released often.

Considering how smartphones are eating into the industry, I'd much rather them focus on smaller more portable lenses and pair them with advanced sensors with better low light performance, than bulky lenses which will hasten the downfall of ILC.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Building and focusing on big fast lenses is another attempt for manufacturers to counter a declining industry. Sell less but profit more mentality. Let's see how far it takes them.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

I feel a less cynical view is also important. CaNikon are going for these huge aperture lenses because Sony doesn't or maybe can't. It doesn't make CaNikon's systems better but it does make them unique and aiming for separate niches is safer than going head on creating the same lens as the competition but hoping its better.

Dec 19, 2018permalink

More choice is never bad.

Remember we've had very good ultra-fast zooms for a while (Sigma f/1.8 zooms).

Dec 19, 2018permalink

Slideshow Bob

@Hautedawg...
If all you put on an ILC is a slow zoom that neither excels in difficult conditions, or produces terrific results, why NOT use a phone?
Fast lenses have always been used to produce results that lesser systems could not, and that's still the case. For ILCs to survive, they have to be able to do something phones cannot.

Feb 6, 2019permalink

My cellphone camera is the equivalent of around f/13-f/14 FX equivalent, and it just goes down from there if I have to zoom (which is just in-camera cropping). You don't need f/2 FX equivalent to beat cellphones.

Feb 7, 2019permalink

G Dickson

Right. So you use the presence of film simulation modes to help decide that a medium format camera is a winner. Hmmm.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Guessing it has to do with value, as the 50R is the cheapest MF body ever.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Suave

I saw nothing this year that made me go: "I've gotta have this, take my money".

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Agreed. Plenty of interesting cameras but nothing that makes me want to upgrade my 5DS and 5D4. I'm waiting until the pro version of the EOS-R appears, by which time there will also be new iterations of Sony a7 and a9, and maybe another hi-end Nikon. Until then I'll stick with my trusty DSLRs.

Incidentally my vote was:
1st Nikon Z7, 2nd Sony a7iii, 3rd Fujifilm XT-3

Dec 18, 2018*permalink

brendon1000

For me it was the A7 III. I was stumped just how much better it was than my older A7 II in every conceivable way that I went out and bought two ! Now that I have been using it for the past few months I have to say its every bit as good as its specs claim to be. One of the biggest pains I had with my earlier cameras was battery life and this camera really removes my biggest gripe with my earlier A7 II.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

AbrasiveReducer

Agreed. Nothing that exciting or free from flaws. But the Sony 24mm gives hope that somebody sees a market for high-quality, portable camera equipment.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Wanderer23

@brendon1000 i have no int int eh a7 III, but agree with you. for what it is, and its price point and timign of release, perfect. really put pressure on the entire market. Also Agree w/ the 24mm giving hope for high quality in small/light. Excited to see what canikon can do on the wide prime front, though I do imagine w/ their larger diameter mount the lens will have to be bigger/heavier....

Dec 19, 2018permalink

I'm pretty sure the days of massive generation to generation improvements are dead. New products are definitively better but its not like the A7R3 or Z7 is taking stills 5D2s can't dream of or anything.

Dec 19, 2018permalink

Dr Blackjack - Yes, in terms of image quality, today's cameras and lenses are capable of producing enormous finely detailed prints.

However, a combination of powerful new processors, organic sensors, pixel-shift, global shutters, and AI technology will, in the not too distant future, result in massive leaps forward.

The time isn't that far off when smartphones (heaven forbid) will have 100MP sensors. Using the tech mentioned above, they'll be able to digitally zoom up to 100x and produce prints large enough to satisfy almost anyone.

I think all of that will come within 10 years, but will arrive in stages, with major leaps forward every 2-3 years. Unless Sony, Samsung, Huawei and Panasonic go bust.

Dec 19, 2018*permalink

100MP sensors on smartphones are going to be incredibly diffraction-limited. We already have f/2 lenses on the things.

We are at the point where noise levels in nearly all circumstances are shot-noise-limited. This can only be improved by gains in quantum efficiency of the sensor, and sensors are already pretty close to physical limits.

In order to do much better without enlarging cameras and lenses we're going to have to violate (an unconventional version of) the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

Dec 19, 2018*permalink

Entropius - I'm not claiming to be an expert, but this is how I see it:

Yes, diffraction would be a potential major issue, but pixel-shift could quadruple (or more) the effective MP count. Currently pixel-shift IQ is limited due to the time taken to move the sensor between the 4 shots.

But, with the advent of global shutters, and virtually instantaneous readouts due to more powerful processors, these 4 (or more) shots could be executed in such a short space of time that subject movement would have very little effect.

At the same time, AI would correct any mismalignment and context-aware tech would eliminate digital artefacts.

Image stabilisation will also be much more effective in future, so it should not be necessary to use high ISO. Luminance noise will be reduced to virtually zero by virtue of ISO-invariant sensors and multi-shot merging.

Dec 19, 2018*permalink

continued...

Small sensors mean small lenses, so F2 or wider apertures will be the norm. In-camera focus stacking will create more depth of field when needed, but with small sensors and consequent short focal lengths, depth of field can cover near-to-far distances. And, when desired, it can be made effectively shallower by developing tech that is already in some smartphones.

Sure, this is just guesswork based on what I read, but I have no doubt that the limitations you refer to will be overcome in a relatively short space of time.

Dec 19, 2018permalink

Wanderer23

Hard to disagree with you entoman! And all this is coming very quickly I imagine. Now... eBay and fredmiranda to sell my gear....

Dec 19, 2018permalink

goodgeorge

I miss Nikon Z6 here. I consider it better than Z7. The resolution excelent in both and Z6 is faster, has better video and is better in low light.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

Z6 is undermarketed and the reader results show. Its definitely the more interesting cam for me too

Dec 19, 2018permalink

Galeidan

Sony A7 III will most likely win this poll. It is remarkable camera and really pushed (alongside with Sony A9) Canon and Nikon "over the edge" to make their first mirrorless FF cameras.

However my choice is Fujifilm X-T3. Pretty much the best all around camera in its price range and only things that I'm missing are ibis and a bigger battery. Maybe Fujifilm include those in X-T4.

Dec 18, 2018*permalink

io_bg

Canon and Sony's FF mirrorless cameras (and systems) have been in development way before the a7 III was released.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

sfa1966

Canon EF-M 32/1.4. Not listed.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

CanonSharpShooter

EOS M is the industry's best kept secret. Looks like Canon doesn't want us to know about it too.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

b/c it's not better than Sigma 30 1.4 DN that was released 2016 and cheaper.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

@CanonSharpShooter

"EOS M is the industry's best kept secret. Looks like Canon doesn't want us to know about it too."

They don't even want third parties to know about it. Too bad about the lens selection.

Dec 19, 2018permalink

MyM6II

Yep. EF-M 32mm f/1.4 is my favorite gear for 2018. A fantastic lens !

Dec 19, 2018permalink

BrentSchumer

Interesting to see the divergence in results and reciews (e.g. the X-T100)

Dec 18, 2018permalink

The Fat Fish

The M50 has its fair share of criticisms in reality. The insulting 4K implementation was one of the biggest but it also has one of the worst native lens lineups and also lacks IBIS.

The X-T100 with it’s also useless 4K implementation isn’t perfect but it marked an important move for Fuji. Bayer is making its way into higher end cameras and I can’t wait!

Dec 18, 2018permalink

BrentSchumer

IBIS is a bit unlikely at the M50's price point. It's the perfect beginner APS-C camera on paper, but I just didn't like the feel of it in my hands.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

The M50 that I saw at my local best buy had it's mode dial falling apart. That camera felt extremely cheap. I didn't believe someone could build something cheaper in feeling than the Sony A6000.

Dec 18, 2018permalink

@Love Photography 888

"I didn't believe someone could build something cheaper in feeling than the Sony A6000."

Try a GH2. Tonka toy through and through. A6000 feels like a Nikon D5 in comparison.

Dec 19, 2018*permalink

The Fat Fish

The M50 is the most toy-like feeling camera I have used in the past few years. I agree the A6000 didn't feel too strong but oddly the A6300 felt great.

Dec 19, 2018permalink