5R or 6? I don't have a lot of money!

First post but long time reader of this site. I've been taking photos for a long time and its mainly been for pleasure. I've been studying photography a lot lately and would love to go deeper.

I've always had Sonys so an NEX camera is an easy choice for me.

My dilemma is this: I really don't have much money. I may only have around $500-550 to spend on my camera. I can get a 5R for that amount. If I save for the 6, it would take like 6 months longer. I'm not poor, lol, but my wife and I are putting money away to move so $550 is the max I can spend.

The 5R looks amazing, but the integrated flash and viewfinder of the 6 is really attractive. Should I go ahead and dive for the 5R or wait a while for the 6. I'm leaning towards grabbing the 5R and start shooting rather than wait. I recently had a Sony HX100V and it had both EVF and screen and I mainly used the screen.

I'm thinking out loud here kind of but any advice would be great!

One way to think about this:

Write down 3-5 things that are most important to you in a camera. What kind of photos do you want to take? What subjects will you be taking pictures of most? And only then: what features will be most important to allow you to accomplish that best?

Then compare the camera's feature set based on that sub-set of needs.

All cameras and lenses are compromises, so first figure out what you really want to do with a camera, then find the compromise that suits your particular needs best.

Joe

For me the selection between the 5R and 6 was easy. I had a few digital cameras before, all with EVF. However, I never used them. Not even once. For my eyes the LCD screen is a lot easier. Only under direct sunlight, you need to shade it. As for the flash, I saw the tiny external flash on my friend's 5N could be on there all the time without getting in the way, as long as you do not use an external EVF.

I bought the 5R right after Thanksgiving. I got it with the 18-55mm lens for $648, but also with a $50 gift card, 16G Sony SD card and 2% reward from B&H. So the total was about $570.

The only regret was not being able to buy the kit with the small 16-50mm power zoom. The 18-55mm is kind of large, and 100% overlaps with the 18200LE lens I also have.

One day I might sell the 18-55 and purchase the 16-50mm power zoom, or the 16mm pancake. Not sure yet.

Thamnophis said:

One way to think about this:

Write down 3-5 things that are most important to you in a camera. What kind of photos do you want to take? What subjects will you be taking pictures of most? And only then: what features will be most important to allow you to accomplish that best?

Then compare the camera's feature set based on that sub-set of needs.

All cameras and lenses are compromises, so first figure out what you really want to do with a camera, then find the compromise that suits your particular needs best.

Joe

Click to expand...

This is great! I'm definitely going to do this!

Zhe Zhang said:

For me the selection between the 5R and 6 was easy. I had a few digital cameras before, all with EVF. However, I never used them. Not even once. For my eyes the LCD screen is a lot easier. Only under direct sunlight, you need to shade it. As for the flash, I saw the tiny external flash on my friend's 5N could be on there all the time without getting in the way, as long as you do not use an external EVF.

I bought the 5R right after Thanksgiving. I got it with the 18-55mm lens for $648, but also with a $50 gift card, 16G Sony SD card and 2% reward from B&H. So the total was about $570.

The only regret was not being able to buy the kit with the small 16-50mm power zoom. The 18-55mm is kind of large, and 100% overlaps with the 18200LE lens I also have.

One day I might sell the 18-55 and purchase the 16-50mm power zoom, or the 16mm pancake. Not sure yet.

Click to expand...

This is really what I wanted to hear. I need someone else to say that they are fine with the screen. I'm definitely going to pick up the 5R.

I love the APS-C sensor and the NEX cameras are just darn sexy!

Thanks!

The EVF is important for some people but I find it useless. I like to get the camera down to kid level, or lower if I'm taking macro pics. Traveling, especially in less developed areas, I hate having a camera stuck to my face when people are often self-conscious.

I would much rather have the camera near my waste taking quick shots without being too conspicuous.

That said, last week taking pics in bright sun after a snowstorm I was suffering from snow blindness after a half hour squinting at the LCD panel. But those situations are few relative to the benefit of the LCD for me.

Why not the Nex 3r? $500 new w/ the 16-50 powerzoom lens, same sensor as the 5R/6.

Ithinkiamjoseph said:

Ithinkiamjoseph wrote:

Ithinkiamjoseph said:

For me the selection between the 5R and 6 was easy. I had a few digital cameras before, all with EVF. However, I never used them. Not even once. For my eyes the LCD screen is a lot easier. Only under direct sunlight, you need to shade it. As for the flash, I saw the tiny external flash on my friend's 5N could be on there all the time without getting in the way, as long as you do not use an external EVF.

I bought the 5R right after Thanksgiving. I got it with the 18-55mm lens for $648, but also with a $50 gift card, 16G Sony SD card and 2% reward from B&H. So the total was about $570.

The only regret was not being able to buy the kit with the small 16-50mm power zoom. The 18-55mm is kind of large, and 100% overlaps with the 18200LE lens I also have.

One day I might sell the 18-55 and purchase the 16-50mm power zoom, or the 16mm pancake. Not sure yet.

Click to expand...

This is really what I wanted to hear. I need someone else to say that they are fine with the screen. I'm definitely going to pick up the 5R.

I love the APS-C sensor and the NEX cameras are just darn sexy!

Thanks!

Click to expand...

The screen works just fine. Even in bright daylight. Yes, it become P&S like, you can't always see every detail, contrast and fine focus, but it doesn't matter when you use AF and pp. I like the EVF now for MF on legacy lenses, it is just easier to see the detail, but for AF you don't need the EVF, as the LCD works fine. Plus, any non-bright sunlight shot is just as easily framed in the LCD as in the EVF. I mean, it works for all P&S cameras and cell phones, doesn't it?

There are LCD shades as well, that take up no space. I have used them and they do help, just enough, to not having to put the LCD in "daylight" mode (which changes color tone).

I am actually going back to taking the Nex-5N more often with just a pancake lens, just because it is so small then.

I'm not seeing anything about a 3R. You mean the 3N?

Just MHO.

Try to find NEX-5n

Focus Breather said:

Just MHO.

Try to find NEX-5n

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll take an 5N if I can find it too. There seems to be more 5Rs out there now. So the 5N is a little harder to come by sadly. But it's what is available when I get the money.

I was in a similar situation a very short time ago (just bought a 6 last night actually).



My suggestion would be to go and play with a 5R. Best Buy should have a demo model out on the floor that you can play with. I spent a good 30 minutes playing with the 5R, and when I was done I knew that I wanted a 6.

For me, I find that the 5R is just too small to hold comfortably, and that my hand would become very tired or cramp up from holding the 5R for any extended period of time. The 6 has a larger grip so it is easier to hold. While the touch screen in the 5R was nice, I didn't find myself using it all the time, and actually preferred to use the top/bottom buttons paired with the rotating wheel and center button for navigating the menus. While I am a bit bummed that the 6 doesn't have a touch screen, it shouldn't be that big of deal. And the EVF is a nice added bonus, as is the built in flash on the 6 to help with lighting indoors until you can get a better lens.

Having said all that, the 6 is still going to be outside of your budget. Bodies typically sell for about $650-700, while the kits go for around $800-900. I spent $800 for the body (and all the extras that come with it originally), as well as the lens. If your budget is a firm $550, then you'd have to wait a while to pick up a 6 with a lens at that price point. However, I wouldn't just go buying a camera because it fits your budget. I would want to make sure that the camera is comfortable, especially if there will be days where you will be walking around handling the camera all day, the last thing you want is an uncomfortable camera.

Either way, you'll be happy with the image quality. I can't wait to get my 6 and start playing around with it.

Ithinkiamjoseph said:

Ithinkiamjoseph wrote:

I'm not seeing anything about a 3R. You mean the 3N?

Click to expand...

Yes 3N, sorry for the confusion.

save your money and buy my 5n in the for sale forums

Try the big box stores like Future Shop or Best Buy. Sometimes they will sell off a demonstrator for a largely reduced price. That's what I did plus I got even more off because someone had stolen the lens. So I got my 5R at half price that way. Speak to the manager and keep checking. Maybe you will find a 6 for the price of a 5R that way, who knows?