Returning alpha A6000 need replacement suggestions

MicMac01 · Dec 14, 2015

Just received my new Alpha A6000 but I will return because too big and not happy with the lens quality (16-50mm) need help.

First I am not a expert in any way regarding photography. I want to get a the best possible quality small camera for less than $1000 lens included. I thought that the solution was simple mirrorless system, A6000 having the best reviews, the bundled 16-50 and 55-210 kit lens for best value and versatility.

But as I learn more and after I have seen the size of the camera I am worried that I made a mistake.

I need the camera for more outdoor than indoor

Photos of the kids (has to be fast so that I can get multiple shots of before they notice otherwise they will run)

Nature shots - plants, flowers, trees, rocks I love getting close would love to use a macro as my prime but they are large and expensive.

Video indoor

Skyline/mountain shots - I can never get decent photos using mt point and click

I think I made a mistake because

if I want high IQ then I would be better not getting the kits lens but just buy the body and good prime lens. But I could not find a good prime lens for the A6000 that had some zoom and was small and in my price range. (Why dont we get reviews that are best camera and lens combinations for certain price ranges??? all these reviews include premium lenses not kit)

So now I am thinking should I go for the samsung nx500 whiich is supposed to have a good kit lens 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 S ED OIS Power Zoom is it that good????

Is even the samsung 500 to big to be considered truly portable, is there combinations of smaller sensor/better lens that will still fit my price range and give the same quality shots as the samsung???

Finally I am even more confused when I read that point and click cameras that can give better image quality than the above camera for example Sigma C82900 (but it does not have video). Will I be bale to get better photos using the Sony cyber shot RX100 111 compared to the above???

Sorry for the novel but it is frustrating the more I read the more questions I have please provide the best camera lens combination that you think will work

Ido Scharf · Dec 17, 2015

Why not get a Sony RX100 IV? It's a terrific camera (with a great lens), looks to me like what you're looking for.

Here's a quick size comparison with the a6000 and NX500, with kit lens mounted for each: http://j.mp/1magF30

Rudi Maes · Dec 17, 2015

The Samsung NX500 is a much praised camera. If you don't need an EVF, it's certainly a camera to look at.

The Sony A5100 is a little smaller than the NX500 and also good.

The RX100 III or IV are excellent compacts, but the above camera's will be better in low light.

Rudi

baloo_buc · Dec 17, 2015

I do agree that the kit lens is not very good.

Nevertheless if you consider the minuscule A6000 to be a large camera I would be very surprised that any good camera will match both your requirements for good IQ and microscopic size.

apiron · Dec 17, 2015

If you want something pocketable: Sony RX100 m3 (the m4 is overpriced and the extra features are not worth the extra money imho).

The step above in terms of image quality: Panasonic LX100 (it's a bit bigger, but noticeably smaller than the A6000).

Astrotripper · Dec 17, 2015

MicMac01 said:
Just received my new Alpha A6000 but I will return because too big and not happy with the lens quality (16-50mm) need help.

[...] I want to get a the best possible quality small camera for less than $1000 lens included. I thought that the solution was simple mirrorless system, A6000 having the best reviews, the bundled 16-50 and 55-210 kit lens for best value and versatility.

But as I learn more and after I have seen the size of the camera I am worried that I made a mistake.

Well, A6000 is not exactly big camera. If this is a problem, you options get limited.

MicMac01 said:
But I could not find a good prime lens for the A6000 that had some zoom and was small and in my price range.

This one confuses me. Either you want a prime or a zoom. I think you meant something else, but I don't know what.

MicMac01 said:
So now I am thinking should I go for the samsung nx500 whiich is supposed to have a good kit lens 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 S ED OIS Power Zoom is it that good????

If size of A6000 is a problem, I don't see how NX500 solves that.

MicMac01 said:
Is even the samsung 500 to big to be considered truly portable, is there combinations of smaller sensor/better lens that will still fit my price range and give the same quality shots as the samsung???

Two options.

Go the premium compact route. Sony RX100 is a very capable pocketable camera. Panasonic LX100 offers better ergonomics and image quality, but at the cost of larger size (it's only slightly smaller than A6000).

Or get a Panasonic GM5. You get the benefit of interchangeable lenses, and Panasonic has some interesting options. The 12-32 kit zoom is tiny and is regarded as one of the best kit zooms in the system. Add a tiny 35-100/4.0-5.6 to the mix and you got a 24-200mm equivalent range covered with two small lenses. There are also a few small primes available, Panasonic 14/2.5, 20/1.7 or Olympus 17/2.8 pancakes for example. Plus a few non-pancake, but still relatively small lenses, like Panasonic 15/1.7, 42.5/1.7 or Olympus 17/1.8, 25/1.8, 45/1.8.

There are rumors that Panasonic will soon introduce GM7, so maybe there will be some sweet deals on GM5.

In general, if you don't plan on investing in primes or don't need long telephoto, then I would go with fixed lens camera instead of interchangeable lens camera.

Anyway, all the above options offer built-in EVF (assuming RX100 models III or IV, not I or II), which is a big plus, at least in my opinion. If you can get by without EVF, you might have a few more options (Sony A5100 for example).

justgo99 · Dec 17, 2015

MicMac01 said:
Just received my new Alpha A6000 but I will return because too big and not happy with the lens quality (16-50mm) need help.

I went through the same ordeal with the a6000. The raw image quality was good, but it was a pain to use and the kit lens was just plain rubbish.

MicMac01 said:
First I am not a expert in any way regarding photography. I want to get a the best possible quality small camera for less than $1000 lens included. I thought that the solution was simple mirrorless system, A6000 having the best reviews, the bundled 16-50 and 55-210 kit lens for best value and versatility.

But as I learn more and after I have seen the size of the camera I am worried that I made a mistake.

I need the camera for more outdoor than indoor

Photos of the kids (has to be fast so that I can get multiple shots of before they notice otherwise they will run)

Nature shots - plants, flowers, trees, rocks I love getting close would love to use a macro as my prime but they are large and expensive.

Video indoor

Skyline/mountain shots - I can never get decent photos using mt point and click

I think I made a mistake because

if I want high IQ then I would be better not getting the kits lens but just buy the body and good prime lens. But I could not find a good prime lens for the A6000 that had some zoom and was small and in my price range. (Why dont we get reviews that are best camera and lens combinations for certain price ranges??? all these reviews include premium lenses not kit)

So now I am thinking should I go for the samsung nx500 whiich is supposed to have a good kit lens 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 S ED OIS Power Zoom is it that good????

The nx500 is good, however it is important to note that Samsung is starting to phase out camera production completely so support may be a bit iffy. That aside, it takes very good photos and the kit lens is much better than the Sony's, but when I tried it I found some small but significant annoyances such as the control dials being to loose, the buttons being too hard to press and the video mode on the whole.

This is not a good camera for video. Which is difficult to say because it takes some very very detailed and crisp 4K video. However the crop is too great, there's no dedicated video mode and the whole H.265 codec is still too much of a pain to use and edit. The whole point of the codec is that it avoids compression artefacts while maintaining a small video file size. So 15mbps will have the same compression as say 100mbps video. However a lot of programs still can't view it and it takes extreme processing power (>i7-extreme) to edit and grade it. And the main problem I found with viewing NX1 video is the colour. It just doesn't look cinematic or nice. So if you want a versatile video package, the NX500 isn't it.

MicMac01 said:
Is even the samsung 500 to big to be considered truly portable, is there combinations of smaller sensor/better lens that will still fit my price range and give the same quality shots as the samsung???

Well how small is truly portable? Pocketable? Then your selection has narrowed a lot. Your basically limited then to high end compacts and (very) small ILCs.

MicMac01 said:
Finally I am even more confused when I read that point and click cameras that can give better image quality than the above camera for example Sigma C82900 (but it does not have video). Will I be bale to get better photos using the Sony cyber shot RX100 111 compared to the above???

Sorry for the novel but it is frustrating the more I read the more questions I have please provide the best camera lens combination that you think will work

There are a few paths you could go down.

1. High end compact. If you need the 4K video, then look no further than the Sony RX100 IV or the Panasonic LX100. They both have non-interchangeable lenses, but they zoom from around 24-70mm (35mm equiv.), they both take lovely 4K and they both take nice stills as well. The RX100 has the more features such as the super slow-mo video, a better viewfinder as is smaller. The LX100 on the other hand has a faster lens and will take better photos with its larger sensor.

2. Small ILC camera. The a6000 is one of the smaller interchangeable lens cameras, but the it's not the smallest. For that you'll have to look at the Panasonic GF/GM series of cameras. They're both tiny and rock equally tiny kit zooms. They're both cheaper than the two fixed lens cameras (depending on region) and they both take better photos than the upper two. There's the GM5, the more expensive of the two, which costs around $600. It has a small viewfinder but its screen doesn't tilt at all. Then there's the GF7. It's screen tilts 180 degrees to take selfies, but it has no viewfinder. It's around $400. I have GF7 myself and it's brilliant. Truly tiny, good ergonomics and great photos. Easily better than any RX100 camera and for much less money too. The kit lens for these cameras also use physical rotation to zoom, not stupid electric zoom that lacks any feel or tactility. Neither cameras do 4K video however.

Hopefully that helps.

riveredger · Dec 18, 2015

Honestly, you will not find a better stills/video camera in your price range and considering your size requirements.

justgo99 · Dec 18, 2015

riveredger said:
Honestly, you will not find a better stills/video camera in your price range and considering your size requirements.

I would have to argue though that the NX500 is better in almost every way apart from lacking a viewfinder. Better sensor, better IQ, way better kit lens, way better video, better ergonomics and easier to use menus.

golfhov · Dec 18, 2015

MicMac01 said:
Just received my new Alpha A6000 but I will return because too big and not happy with the lens quality (16-50mm) need help.

First I am not a expert in any way regarding photography. I want to get a the best possible quality small camera for less than $1000 lens included. I thought that the solution was simple mirrorless system, A6000 having the best reviews, the bundled 16-50 and 55-210 kit lens for best value and versatility.

But as I learn more and after I have seen the size of the camera I am worried that I made a mistake.

you are gonna run into a wall here. the a6000 abd kit are a very small setup. you will be splitting hairs in size between the nx500

MicMac01 said:
I need the camera for more outdoor than indoor

this helps. rx100 and lx100 do well in good light

MicMac01 said:
Photos of the kids (has to be fast so that I can get multiple shots of before they notice otherwise they will run)

hopefully they are yours.......

MicMac01 said:
Nature shots - plants, flowers, trees, rocks I love getting close would love to use a macro as my prime but they are large and expensive.

yup.....

MicMac01 said:
Video indoor

MicMac01 said:
Skyline/mountain shots - I can never get decent photos using mt point and click

this probably has more to do with you than the equipment.......

MicMac01 said:
I think I made a mistake because

if I want high IQ then I would be better not getting the kits lens but just buy the body and good prime lens.

part of photography is weighing convenience, quality, and costs. most zooms suffer compromises that primes dont have to suffer. obviously zooms are more convenient

MicMac01 said:
But I could not find a good prime lens for the A6000 that had some zoom and was small and in my price range.

????????what

MicMac01 said:
(Why dont we get reviews that are best camera and lens combinations for certain price ranges??? all these reviews include premium lenses not kit)

because you would have 20 to a 100 different reviews for each camera......

So now I am thinking should I go for the samsung nx500 whiich is supposed to have a good kit lens 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 S ED OIS Power Zoom is it that good????

it is better than the so y but if you are not at all happy with the sony i do not think the small bump is going to make enough of a difference

Is even the samsung 500 to big to be considered truly portable, is there combinations of smaller sensor/better lens that will still fit my price range and give the same quality shots as the samsung???

Finally I am even more confused when I read that point and click cameras that can give better image quality than the above camera for example Sigma C82900 (but it does not have video). Will I be bale to get better photos using the Sony cyber shot RX100 111 compared to the above???

Sorry for the novel but it is frustrating the more I read the more questions I have please provide the best camera lens combination that you think will work

you may be happier with an lx100 or rx100ii. they are not "better" but may be better for you

MicMac01 · Dec 24, 2015

Looking at the point and click cameras more I did narrow it down to either the RX100 1V or Cannon G7x. In the end the much lower price point, touch screen ( to help focus ) and the longer zoom pushed me towards the G7x.

But in the end I could not get over the feature limitations of the lens - no ultra wide option, macro or zoom >100. I also did not like the speed. I have a casio exilim EX-ZR200 which I know does not qualify as serious camera but the super high speed means that I have managed to get some fantastic pictures of my camera shy kids because by the time they notice me taking a photo it is too late I already have ten out of which one or two are probably pretty good. Also it does good macros because you can focus so close to the subject and decent zoom.

But the Casio is terrible as soon as you loose any light and I want wider than 24mm for landscapes and want more IQ.

MicMac01 · Dec 24, 2015

Rudi Maes said:
The Samsung NX500 is a much praised camera. If you don't need an EVF, it's certainly a camera to look at.

The Sony A5100 is a little smaller than the NX500 and also good.

The RX100 III or IV are excellent compacts, but the above camera's will be better in low light.

Rudi

Thanks I like the NX500, most importantly because the kit zoom lens is supposed to be very good. The A5100 looks great and is smaller but I want to max the IQ and it seems that NX500 has better kit lens and sensor

michael

MicMac01 · Dec 24, 2015

baloo_buc said:
I do agree that the kit lens is not very good.

Nevertheless if you consider the minuscule A6000 to be a large camera I would be very surprised that any good camera will match both your requirements for good IQ and microscopic size.

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You bring up two great points, first the A6000 is small compared to traditional DSLR's but the smaller size is essential for me, otherwise I just will not bring it with me. But every camera I look at that is smaller than the A6000 seems to have less IQ. (although the E-PL7 seemed to get very good results in Imaging Resources comparison. Also it seems that you have to put on big lenses on the smaller cameras to get good IQ which defeats the point of a small camera???

So it look like the size of the A6000 is the best I can do

Michael

MicMac01 · Dec 24, 2015

apiron said:
If you want something pocketable: Sony RX100 m3 (the m4 is overpriced and the extra features are not worth the extra money imho).

The step above in terms of image quality: Panasonic LX100 (it's a bit bigger, but noticeably smaller than the A6000).

Thanks for the recommendation, what I would like to know is, under daylight conditions, does the Sony RX100 m3 and the Panasonic LX100 have IQ the same as Samsung nx500 with kit 16-55 lens for portraits, actions shots and landscapes?

MicMac01 · Dec 24, 2015

Astrotripper said:
MicMac01 said:

Just received my new Alpha A6000 but I will return because too big and not happy with the lens quality (16-50mm) need help.

[...] I want to get a the best possible quality small camera for less than $1000 lens included. I thought that the solution was simple mirrorless system, A6000 having the best reviews, the bundled 16-50 and 55-210 kit lens for best value and versatility.

But as I learn more and after I have seen the size of the camera I am worried that I made a mistake.

Click to expand...

Well, A6000 is not exactly big camera. If this is a problem, you options get limited.

--------yes I am starting to realize that

Astrotripper said:
Astrotripper said:

But I could not find a good prime lens for the A6000 that had some zoom and was small and in my price range.

Click to expand...

This one confuses me. Either you want a prime or a zoom. I think you meant something else, but I don't know what.

--------Sorry what I meant was a day to day lens with some zoom capability

Astrotripper said:
Astrotripper said:

So now I am thinking should I go for the samsung nx500 whiich is supposed to have a good kit lens 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 S ED OIS Power Zoom is it that good????

Click to expand...

If size of A6000 is a problem, I don't see how NX500 solves that.

---------I thought that the NX500 was smaller but now realize they are nearly exactly the same size

Astrotripper said:
Astrotripper said:

Is even the samsung 500 to big to be considered truly portable, is there combinations of smaller sensor/better lens that will still fit my price range and give the same quality shots as the samsung???

Click to expand...

Two options.

Go the premium compact route. Sony RX100 is a very capable pocketable camera. Panasonic LX100 offers better ergonomics and image quality, but at the cost of larger size (it's only slightly smaller than A6000).

Or get a Panasonic GM5. You get the benefit of interchangeable lenses, and Panasonic has some interesting options. The 12-32 kit zoom is tiny and is regarded as one of the best kit zooms in the system. Add a tiny 35-100/4.0-5.6 to the mix and you got a 24-200mm equivalent range covered with two small lenses. There are also a few small primes available, Panasonic 14/2.5, 20/1.7 or Olympus 17/2.8 pancakes for example. Plus a few non-pancake, but still relatively small lenses, like Panasonic 15/1.7, 42.5/1.7 or Olympus 17/1.8, 25/1.8, 45/1.8.

There are rumors that Panasonic will soon introduce GM7, so maybe there will be some sweet deals on GM5.

In general, if you don't plan on investing in primes or don't need long telephoto, then I would go with fixed lens camera instead of interchangeable lens camera.

Anyway, all the above options offer built-in EVF (assuming RX100 models III or IV, not I or II), which is a big plus, at least in my opinion. If you can get by without EVF, you might have a few more options (Sony A5100 for example).

---------The RX100 and LX100 both look good how about the Cannon GX 7? it seems comparable and much more reasonabley priced????

---------Thanks for the GM5 recommendation it looks great and you could not get smaller with the kit zoom but how does the IQ of the GM5 with the kit lens outdoors and inside compare to the RX100, LX100 and GX7?????? Also it seems that when you start adding macro, wide angle or longer zoom lenses, that the total size increases so much that it no longer fits in the pocket so I am thinking if I am going to use different lenses then the smaller body size is less of a advantage???? does that make sense??

----------This has forced me to think about lenses and I think that in the long run I would like to have the ability to shoot landscapes with very wide lens, up close with a macro, a standard small zoom for day to day and then one prime lens for low light.

MicMac01 · Dec 24, 2015

justgo99 said:
MicMac01 said:

Just received my new Alpha A6000 but I will return because too big and not happy with the lens quality (16-50mm) need help.

Click to expand...

I went through the same ordeal with the a6000. The raw image quality was good, but it was a pain to use and the kit lens was just plain rubbish.

justgo99 said:

First I am not a expert in any way regarding photography. I want to get a the best possible quality small camera for less than $1000 lens included. I thought that the solution was simple mirrorless system, A6000 having the best reviews, the bundled 16-50 and 55-210 kit lens for best value and versatility.

But as I learn more and after I have seen the size of the camera I am worried that I made a mistake.

I need the camera for more outdoor than indoor

Photos of the kids (has to be fast so that I can get multiple shots of before they notice otherwise they will run)

Nature shots - plants, flowers, trees, rocks I love getting close would love to use a macro as my prime but they are large and expensive.

Video indoor

Skyline/mountain shots - I can never get decent photos using mt point and click

I think I made a mistake because

if I want high IQ then I would be better not getting the kits lens but just buy the body and good prime lens. But I could not find a good prime lens for the A6000 that had some zoom and was small and in my price range. (Why dont we get reviews that are best camera and lens combinations for certain price ranges??? all these reviews include premium lenses not kit)

So now I am thinking should I go for the samsung nx500 whiich is supposed to have a good kit lens 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 S ED OIS Power Zoom is it that good????

Click to expand...

The nx500 is good, however it is important to note that Samsung is starting to phase out camera production completely so support may be a bit iffy. That aside, it takes very good photos and the kit lens is much better than the Sony's, but when I tried it I found some small but significant annoyances such as the control dials being to loose, the buttons being too hard to press and the video mode on the whole.

This is not a good camera for video. Which is difficult to say because it takes some very very detailed and crisp 4K video. However the crop is too great, there's no dedicated video mode and the whole H.265 codec is still too much of a pain to use and edit. The whole point of the codec is that it avoids compression artefacts while maintaining a small video file size. So 15mbps will have the same compression as say 100mbps video. However a lot of programs still can't view it and it takes extreme processing power (>i7-extreme) to edit and grade it. And the main problem I found with viewing NX1 video is the colour. It just doesn't look cinematic or nice. So if you want a versatile video package, the NX500 isn't it.

justgo99 said:

Is even the samsung 500 to big to be considered truly portable, is there combinations of smaller sensor/better lens that will still fit my price range and give the same quality shots as the samsung???

Click to expand...

Well how small is truly portable? Pocketable? Then your selection has narrowed a lot. Your basically limited then to high end compacts and (very) small ILCs.

justgo99 said:

Finally I am even more confused when I read that point and click cameras that can give better image quality than the above camera for example Sigma C82900 (but it does not have video). Will I be bale to get better photos using the Sony cyber shot RX100 111 compared to the above???

Sorry for the novel but it is frustrating the more I read the more questions I have please provide the best camera lens combination that you think will work

Click to expand...

There are a few paths you could go down.

1. High end compact. If you need the 4K video, then look no further than the Sony RX100 IV or the Panasonic LX100. They both have non-interchangeable lenses, but they zoom from around 24-70mm (35mm equiv.), they both take lovely 4K and they both take nice stills as well. The RX100 has the more features such as the super slow-mo video, a better viewfinder as is smaller. The LX100 on the other hand has a faster lens and will take better photos with its larger sensor.

2. Small ILC camera. The a6000 is one of the smaller interchangeable lens cameras, but the it's not the smallest. For that you'll have to look at the Panasonic GF/GM series of cameras. They're both tiny and rock equally tiny kit zooms. They're both cheaper than the two fixed lens cameras (depending on region) and they both take better photos than the upper two. There's the GM5, the more expensive of the two, which costs around $600. It has a small viewfinder but its screen doesn't tilt at all. Then there's the GF7. It's screen tilts 180 degrees to take selfies, but it has no viewfinder. It's around $400. I have GF7 myself and it's brilliant. Truly tiny, good ergonomics and great photos. Easily better than any RX100 camera and for much less money too. The kit lens for these cameras also use physical rotation to zoom, not stupid electric zoom that lacks any feel or tactility. Neither cameras do 4K video however.

Hopefully that helps.

MicMac01 · Dec 24, 2015

riveredger said:
Honestly, you will not find a better stills/video camera in your price range and considering your size requirements.

Thanks, I assume that you are referring to the A6000, is that recommendation based on the A6000 with kit lens????

Michael

MicMac01 · Dec 24, 2015

Thanks for all of the information and suggestions I can not tell you how helpful it has been,

This is where I am now please critique.

The point and clicks are not going to give me the wide angle, macro and indoor options that I would like?

If I want higher IQ and multiple lens selections then the camera size will need to be around the size of a A6000 or NX500, the size advantage of the smaller size of cameras such as the GF7 does not matter when multiple lens are used because then the total size of the unit will no longer fit in your pocket.??

If I want to get the best combination of base and kit lens the NX500 or the GF7 would be a good choice.?? Which would you choose and why

I want the option to do wide angle landscapes is the Samyang 12mm f/2 / Rokinon 12mm F2.0 the best value option for that??

I also want a prime lens for low light any recommendations??? I might have to hold of on this for the time being if it is too expensive.

Finally I want a small point and shoot as back up, it has to be rugged, handle water, sand, drops and so on any recommendations.??? price range (discounted not list) would be $100-$200.

Thanks again for all your help I look forward to your help for this final stage.

Astrotripper · Dec 24, 2015

MicMac01 said:
Astrotripper said:

MicMac01 said:

This one confuses me. Either you want a prime or a zoom. I think you meant something else, but I don't know what.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Sorry what I meant was a day to day lens with some zoom capability

I see, that makes sense now.

MicMac01 said:
The RX100 and LX100 both look good how about the Cannon GX 7? it seems comparable and much more reasonabley priced????

That's G7 X. I guess it's not a bad alternative to RX100, considering lower price. I'd say it's inferior to both RX100 (at least III and IV) and LX100, but might be worth considering if you plan to take the compact route.

MicMac01 said:
Thanks for the GM5 recommendation it looks great and you could not get smaller with the kit zoom but how does the IQ of the GM5 with the kit lens outdoors and inside compare to the RX100, LX100 and GX7??????

That little kit zoom lens that comes with GM cameras is one of the best, if not the best of the cheap kit zooms in Micro 4/3 system. So in terms of things like sharpness, it will be very good. But still, it is a much slower lens than those fixed compact lenses.

LX100 is a clear winner here. With both a fast lens and a large sensor, it's the best in terms of DoF control and low light performance. So for both outdoor and in-door shooting, it's going to be doing great. But even the 1-inch sensor cameras are going to be on par or better in this regard than a GM5 with a kit zoom.

MicMac01 said:
Also it seems that when you start adding macro, wide angle or longer zoom lenses, that the total size increases so much that it no longer fits in the pocket so I am thinking if I am going to use different lenses then the smaller body size is less of a advantage???? does that make sense??

Yes, I know what you mean. You ultimately have to decide where your priorities are. First of all, you will not always need to drag all the lenses with you.

MicMac01 said:
This has forced me to think about lenses and I think that in the long run I would like to have the ability to shoot landscapes with very wide lens, up close with a macro, a standard small zoom for day to day and then one prime lens for low light.

And this is what a camera like GM5 can give you (at a cost, unfortunately).

A pair of Panasonic zooms: 12-32 and 35-100, will offer you a very compact and lightweight coverage of a very wide range of focal lengths, from wide (24mm eq.) to telephoto (200mm eq.).

For ultra wide angles, there's Olympus 9-18, which is a very small and lightweight lens. Panasonic also offers a wide angle converter for its 14mm f/2.5 pancake prime. That turns it into a 11mm lens, but that's only marginally wider than the 12mm you get with a kit lens, and only around one stop faster.

Macro lenses are large (long) by nature, but Panasonic 30/2.8 macro is the smallest and is a very good lens. But it won't be a pocketable combination, unfortunately.

And finally, there are a few primes that will truly let you make the most of it. A Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 is an obvious candidate, being both very small and offering great image quality. It's a fast, wide-ish normal prime, it should be a very nice option for low light and in-doors shooting. For in-doors, I find the standard 25mm a bit too tight, so a lens like the 20mm should be a better fit for that.

There's also Olympus 17mm f/2.8, but at that aperture, it's not that big of an advantage over the kit zoom (about 1 stop).

A lot of the fast primes are not as tiny, but still quite small, like the PanaLeica 15mm f/1.7, or Olympus 17/1.8.

And of course, if you ever decide you want to have some fun with shallow depth of field, there are lenses like Panasonic 42.5/1.7 or Olympus 45/1.8.

You can see exactly how they would match the camera, with this official matching simulator .

I would suggest you go over the lenses and choose those that would be potentially interesting to you and see if you can justify the cost. It might simply be a better option to get a cheaper fixed lens camera for the time being, like RX100 or G7 X (or LX100 if you decide to sacrifice portability for quality and ergonomics).

An interchangeable lens camera really only makes sense if you are willing to make use of that ability to change lenses. Sometimes, it might simply not be worth it.

Also, you might want to check if maybe there are wide angle converters available for any of those compact cameras. You can do the same for macro. Obviously, it will not be the same quality as dedicated lenses, but at least should give you a very affordable way to experiment with those types of photography.

KCook · Dec 24, 2015

MicMac01 said:
Thanks for all of the information and suggestions I can not tell you how helpful it has been,

This is where I am now please critique.

The point and clicks are not going to give me the wide angle, macro and indoor options that I would like?

None go wider than 24mm (in SLR width of view). In practice 24mm is very wide. I hardly ever need a wider FOV than 24mm for landscapes. I do have a UWA for my DSLR that goes out to 16mm (SLR effective) but only use it for architecture, interiors, and trick shots of vehicles, not landscapes.

MicMac01 said:
If I want higher IQ and multiple lens selections then the camera size will need to be around the size of a A6000 or NX500, the size advantage of the smaller size of cameras such as the GF7 does not matter when multiple lens are used because then the total size of the unit will no longer fit in your pocket.??

With 2 lenses a pocket carry is not very practical, although a few die-hards will carry the additional lens in another pocket. So at this point expect to use a camera bag. M4/3 lenses are a little smaller than lenses for APS-C. So a bag full of M4/3 lenses can be a little smaller than a bag for the APS-C lenses. Of course the way out of this dilemma is to replace all of those lenses with a super zoom. The 14-140/150 zoom lenses for M4/3 happen to be quite good. Still not quite as good as a prime and rather high prices.

MicMac01 said:
If I want to get the best combination of base and kit lens the NX500 or the GF7 would be a good choice.?? Which would you choose and why

I have more confidence that the Panasonic brand will continue in the camera market than the Samsung brand.

MicMac01 said:
I want the option to do wide angle landscapes is the Samyang 12mm f/2 / Rokinon 12mm F2.0 the best value option for that??

I also want a prime lens for low light any recommendations??? I might have to hold of on this for the time being if it is too expensive.

Low budget fast primes are generally an advantage for DSLR and M4/3.

Kelly Cook

Returning alpha A6000 need replacement suggestions

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