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Budget Friendly Camera with Mic Input and IBIS? (Around $400 used?)

Started Nov 10, 2018 | Discussions thread
Michael Meissner
Michael Meissner Forum Pro • Posts: 28,013
Consider FZ300

Off The Mark wrote:

Is there a more-or-less budget-friendly m43 camera that would have a mic input (and decent built-in preamps) and have IBIS? Preferably around the $400 mark for the body only would be great. Used is fine.

I would like to get something for my 13-year-old son, and would probably want to slap a shotgun mic in the hotshoe. A flip out screen would be ideal because I am sure he is going to want to shoot himself (figuratively speaking, of course).

I was thinking of getting a used Panasonic G7 but realized it doesn't have IBIS.

Does it have to be a micro 4/3rds camera? The FZ300 would appear to be perfect for the job:

  • Current list price is $400
  • External microphone support
  • Fully articulating screen
  • Weather sealing
  • IBIS
  • 25-600mm equivalent fixed f/2.8 lens
  • Sure the sensor is 1/2.3" and not 4/3rds, so it might be less effective in low light situations, but the f/2.8 lens gives you 1-2 stops over the cheaper consumer lenses.

I see in reading other posts, you might be considering the G85 with the 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 lens.  That too is a fantastic combination, though at $800 it was out of your budget range.

A used Olympus E-m5 mark II with one of the cheaper zoom lenses might be also useful (if you want weather sealing, consider the Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens).

 Michael Meissner's gear list:Michael Meissner's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Olympus TG-5 Olympus E-M5 III OM-1 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 +13 more
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