Looking for replacement for aging bridge camera

Hi everyone,

I am looking for a replacement for my aging HX200V bridge camera. I have had this camera for almost 12 years now and although it still works well, it does not work well by today's standards and I am looking to change the camera. I have very much enjoyed using my HX200V and it's done pretty much everything I can throw at it, within reason. I've also enjoyed the DSLR-esque style of the camera and the zoom has been beneficial. I would say that I am an enthusiast hobbyist but by no means a professional.

The obvious solution would be to get a RX10IV since that is at the upper end of the bridge camera market and it seems to have all of the features I want, aside from an ND filter. The only problem with this is the age of the camera, given that it was released in 2017, it's almost 10 years old and would prefer to get something more recent. If we assume that there won't be a RX10V then this decision becomes substantially more difficult. I am considering getting a mirrorless camera or DSLR however I am not sure about the practicalities of getting one because I am unfamiliar regarding interchangeable lens cameras since I haven't properly used one before. I would also like to have a hybrid camera since I shoot video just as much as I do photography these days.

To complicate things further I am still not sure about getting a interchangeable lens camera due to how heavy (or not so heavy as the case may be) the weight of the camera and lenses could be. This is especially if I am taking the camera travelling which I regularly do.

As a result I am considering getting a different camera however I am unsure of my options.

The other cameras I am considering are:

Fujifilm X-S20. Seems to have a great colour scheme however there are concerns about the autofocus. I also think the film dials might be slightly gimmicky? There is also no weather sealing on the camera which is another downside.

Sony a6700 (or maybe slightly older models if needed). I do like the Alpha series however I am not sure about the viewfinder placement and I haven't investigated the camera as much as the other ones I have mentioned.

Olympus OM_1. I like this camera a lot however it is slightly out of my budget unfortunately. One slight caveat is that none of the cameras I have mentioned in this list have a GPS which I have found to be of great assistance, so some advice concerning this would be of benefit too.

I have a budget of roughly £1500 (this is the price of a RX10IV) although I can go slightly higher if necessary. If I do end up getting an interchangeable lens camera I would like to include a telephoto lens as well as the body and kit lens, if this is possible.

I am so confused regarding all of the options that I am half considering getting a better phone (I have an iPhone 13 which takes very good images) however I dislike taking photographs with my phone and find it difficult compared to a regular camera.

Sorry if this post is a bit jumbled.

Thank you!

OM-5 would fit the bill nicely.

A used OM-1 would be an option at under £1k from a reputable reseller like mpb, Wex or LCE, or an E-M1 III and spend more on lenses.

Mark Sloe said:

OM-5 would fit the bill nicely.

A used OM-1 would be an option at under £1k from a reputable reseller like mpb, Wex or LCE, or an E-M1 III and spend more on lenses.

Click to expand...

The OM1 mk i doesn't have human subject detection only FaceEyeAF, the mk ii has human subject detection.

You often see discounts on OM kits with Pro lenses included. Indeed there is a cashback at the moment. That can be cheaper than buying a body and lens both used, certainly was for my OM5.

I have no view about which body best suits OP. An Om1 mk i would certainly be a big jump up from a bridge camera. Having a free and OK RAW processor with AI noise reduction might be a bonus for OM.

On the other hand the OM5 packs a lot of capability into a small and affordable body.


OM5 plus 12-45/4

That kit cost me £950 new with full warranty. Doubt it will be that cheap again, but it might be close. I'd probably buy a used 40-150/4 next, and then a 20/1.4 in OP's position.

If OP really needs that 800mm equivalent, it's either a 100-400mm or maybe a Nikon P1000 - the birder's bridge camera.

Andrew

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

I had one for a while and really liked it. Upgraded to an ILC for stock and larger prints, but the FZ1000II is good for prints up to 24". Nice controls, ergonomics and UI, reasonably large EVF, fast AF, and a relatively bright lens. I see used ones on eBay for around $600.

An a6400 or a6600 with 18-135 kit zoom is a good budget walkabout option for around $1000-$1200 used. Also used a7C with Tamron 28-200, but this might be a bit over your budget.

--
Event professional for 20+ years, travel & landscape enthusiast for 30+, stills-only.
http://jacquescornell.photography
http://happening.photos

My first thought would be : go for a higher tier bridge camera.

Either the RX10IV (which is an amazing camera), or on the Lumix side, the FZ1000 Mark II which doesn't zoom as far ("only" 400mm compared to 600mm on the Sony) but also costs significantly less.

If weather sealing is important to you, the Sony RX10IV is sealed while the Lumix isn't.

If you want to go for a mirrorless camera, I would probably go micro four thirds if you want to have a competent camera in a relatively smaller package comapred to other brands.

You can look at the OM-5, or if you prefer larger grips, then the Olympus E-M1 mark III which is basically the same camera in a different shape and with a couple less features.

The original OM-1 is also an excellent value if you get it used : on MPB UK, you can find one for as low as £800.

Lens-wise I'd probably go for the 12-45 f/4 Pro and maybe add the 75-300mm lens later if you want to do telephoto work.

Welcome to the forum!

My first bridge camera was the HX200V. I loved that thing. After six years of use I sold it to a friend who still uses it.

Then I purchased an RX10 (I). Awesome travel and hiking camera. I used it for 6.5 years and sold it to another friend.

Since almost two years I have been using an RX10 IV. It's a brilliant camera, go for it. Much better image quality and autofocus than your HX200V. All you need in one package.




Meteora, Greece. 2013. Sony HX200V.




Andes, Peru. 2017. Sony RX10 (I) + Hoya polarizer + Cokin ND grad.




Sony RX10 IV. 2023.



--
Gear list: eyes, brain, hands and a couple of cameras.
Instagram: @rodrigo_pasiani
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rodrigo_pc/albums/72157697391983321

Hi, I have recently moved from the brilliant FZ1000 mk2. A truely great and versatile camera on which I have taken 1000s of pictures.

However I wanted a bit more, so I have just invested(literally!!!) into the OM5. I've had a DSLR in the past but found lugging the kit around was just too much. But with the OM5 everythiong is so much smaller and lighter.

OK the 20mp sensore is same resolution as the FZ1000, but slightly larger in size which helps with amount of light going in.

On a side by side comparison the colours and sharpness of the OM5 exceed that of the FZ1000 and especially when cropping.

You will never get the sheer flexibility by moving from a really good bridge cam but the OM5 results are excellent. I too looked at the Sony, but I felt exactly the same as you, it is now quite old and actually has exactly the same sensor as the FZ but cost far more.

#Money wise OM often have discounts or money back offers or give a free lens. They are not cheap but horrendous either. the 12 -45mm kits lens is a cracker.

Tough call, I do miss the lightness and versatility of the FZ1000, but the leap up in quality of the OM5 speaks for itself and the lenses are much much smaller and light then a dfslr.

Woody

Ukwoody44 said:

You will never get the sheer flexibility by moving from a really good bridge cam but the OM5 results are excellent. I too looked at the Sony, but I felt exactly the same as you, it is now quite old and actually has exactly the same sensor as the FZ but cost far more.

Click to expand...

The RX10IV has a stacked sensor and FZ does not. I think there's nothing in the bridge cameras can beat the sensor.

Here is a high level overview ( via google): "A "stacked sensor" in a camera is a more advanced design compared to a "normal" sensor, where the key difference is that the stacked sensor has its circuitry layered on top of the photodiode array, allowing for significantly faster data readout speeds, leading to improved performance in areas like burst shooting, autofocus, and low-light photography, while a normal sensor has all its components on a single plane, resulting in slower data processing." Not sure about the low-light though but the key is the autofocus.

My aopologies, I genuinely thought it was the same sensor,sorry.

Mark Sloe said:

OM-5 would fit the bill nicely.

A used OM-1 would be an option at under £1k from a reputable reseller like mpb, Wex or LCE, or an E-M1 III and spend more on lenses.

Click to expand...

Apologies everyone for not replying as quickly as I would have liked to! This post was made almost 3 weeks ago!

Thank you for replying! It is much appreciated!

I like the look of the OM_3 however the specifications are not as good as I would have like them to be. For example the OM_3 only takes around 300 shots per charge compared to the rx10iv's 400 shots per charge or the hx200v's 450 - 490 shots per charge (especially not compared to say the Fujifilm X_S20's 700ish shots per charge!).

I also saw the camera in person over the weekend when I was in a camera shop in London and I didn't like the lack of grip on the camera, I'd prefer a more traditional larger grip. The size of the cameras and lenses were appealing to me though.

I think making this thread may have created more questions than answers!

ahaslett said:

Mark Sloe said:

OM-5 would fit the bill nicely.

A used OM-1 would be an option at under £1k from a reputable reseller like mpb, Wex or LCE, or an E-M1 III and spend more on lenses.

Click to expand...

The OM1 mk i doesn't have human subject detection only FaceEyeAF, the mk ii has human subject detection.

You often see discounts on OM kits with Pro lenses included. Indeed there is a cashback at the moment. That can be cheaper than buying a body and lens both used, certainly was for my OM5.

I have no view about which body best suits OP. An Om1 mk i would certainly be a big jump up from a bridge camera. Having a free and OK RAW processor with AI noise reduction might be a bonus for OM.

On the other hand the OM5 packs a lot of capability into a small and affordable body.


OM5 plus 12-45/4

That kit cost me £950 new with full warranty. Doubt it will be that cheap again, but it might be close. I'd probably buy a used 40-150/4 next, and then a 20/1.4 in OP's position.

If OP really needs that 800mm equivalent, it's either a 100-400mm or maybe a Nikon P1000 - the birder's bridge camera.

Andrew

Click to expand...

I've thought about the OM_5 but I am against it for the reasons I have outlined above.

I do very much like the look of the OM_1 (to make it a bit more bridge camera-esque and easier for me to get on with) however I would prefer one of the larger lenses which I cannot afford. For example the OM_1 with the 12 - 40mm lens is 24 - 80mm full frame equivalent and is around £1500 at the time of writing. I would prefer something a little bit more telephoto which means my next best option would be the 12 - 100mm lens which is 24 - 200mm equivalent in full frame, which seems to be okay.

Problem is that the 12 - 100 is almost £1000 which I cannot afford, unless I get a standard lens and then compromise on focal length or get the lenses used. To put this into perspective, you can buy a Sigma 16 - 300mm lens for around £550 new which will basically do everything I have ever wanted, even if the weight of the camera will be substantially more.

I also saw the OM_1 on sale last September when you could by the OM_1 new alongside the 12 - 100mm for £1700 which was a bargain however I wasn't sure about purchasing and didn't end up getting it.

I still feel a bit stuck so any advice would be appreciated!

Rodrigo Pasiani said:

Welcome to the forum!

My first bridge camera was the HX200V. I loved that thing. After six years of use I sold it to a friend who still uses it.

Then I purchased an RX10 (I). Awesome travel and hiking camera. I used it for 6.5 years and sold it to another friend.

Since almost two years I have been using an RX10 IV. It's a brilliant camera, go for it. Much better image quality and autofocus than your HX200V. All you need in one package.


Meteora, Greece. 2013. Sony HX200V.


Andes, Peru. 2017. Sony RX10 (I) + Hoya polarizer + Cokin ND grad.


Sony RX10 IV. 2023.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply!

Your photographs are incredible! Thank you for posting them, especially the one from Peru! The versatility of the rx10iv is what appeals to me especially the more DSLR aesthetics of the camera.

Incidentally, this is one of the best photographs I have taken with my hx200v. It's overlooking Cregennan Lakes in Wales, somewhere on top of a mountain.


Cregennan Lakes, Wales on a Sony hx200v

ConfusedPhotographer said:

ahaslett said:

Mark Sloe said:

OM-5 would fit the bill nicely.

A used OM-1 would be an option at under £1k from a reputable reseller like mpb, Wex or LCE, or an E-M1 III and spend more on lenses.

Click to expand...

The OM1 mk i doesn't have human subject detection only FaceEyeAF, the mk ii has human subject detection.

You often see discounts on OM kits with Pro lenses included. Indeed there is a cashback at the moment. That can be cheaper than buying a body and lens both used, certainly was for my OM5.

I have no view about which body best suits OP. An Om1 mk i would certainly be a big jump up from a bridge camera. Having a free and OK RAW processor with AI noise reduction might be a bonus for OM.

On the other hand the OM5 packs a lot of capability into a small and affordable body.


OM5 plus 12-45/4

That kit cost me £950 new with full warranty. Doubt it will be that cheap again, but it might be close. I'd probably buy a used 40-150/4 next, and then a 20/1.4 in OP's position.

If OP really needs that 800mm equivalent, it's either a 100-400mm or maybe a Nikon P1000 - the birder's bridge camera.

Andrew

Click to expand...

I've thought about the OM_5 but I am against it for the reasons I have outlined above.

I do very much like the look of the OM_1 (to make it a bit more bridge camera-esque and easier for me to get on with) however I would prefer one of the larger lenses which I cannot afford. For example the OM_1 with the 12 - 40mm lens is 24 - 80mm full frame equivalent and is around £1500 at the time of writing. I would prefer something a little bit more telephoto which means my next best option would be the 12 - 100mm lens which is 24 - 200mm equivalent in full frame, which seems to be okay.

Problem is that the 12 - 100 is almost £1000 which I cannot afford, unless I get a standard lens and then compromise on focal length or get the lenses used. To put this into perspective, you can buy a Sigma 16 - 300mm lens for around £550 new which will basically do everything I have ever wanted, even if the weight of the camera will be substantially more.

I also saw the OM_1 on sale last September when you could by the OM_1 new alongside the 12 - 100mm for £1700 which was a bargain however I wasn't sure about purchasing and didn't end up getting it.

I still feel a bit stuck so any advice would be appreciated!

Click to expand...

OM UK have just launched a "refurb" sale including body plus lens kits at very attractive prices. Have a look.

You might need to sign up to the newsletter to get the code.

A

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

ahaslett said:

ConfusedPhotographer said:

ahaslett said:

Mark Sloe said:

OM-5 would fit the bill nicely.

A used OM-1 would be an option at under £1k from a reputable reseller like mpb, Wex or LCE, or an E-M1 III and spend more on lenses.

Click to expand...

The OM1 mk i doesn't have human subject detection only FaceEyeAF, the mk ii has human subject detection.

You often see discounts on OM kits with Pro lenses included. Indeed there is a cashback at the moment. That can be cheaper than buying a body and lens both used, certainly was for my OM5.

I have no view about which body best suits OP. An Om1 mk i would certainly be a big jump up from a bridge camera. Having a free and OK RAW processor with AI noise reduction might be a bonus for OM.

On the other hand the OM5 packs a lot of capability into a small and affordable body.


OM5 plus 12-45/4

That kit cost me £950 new with full warranty. Doubt it will be that cheap again, but it might be close. I'd probably buy a used 40-150/4 next, and then a 20/1.4 in OP's position.

If OP really needs that 800mm equivalent, it's either a 100-400mm or maybe a Nikon P1000 - the birder's bridge camera.

Andrew

Click to expand...

I've thought about the OM_5 but I am against it for the reasons I have outlined above.

I do very much like the look of the OM_1 (to make it a bit more bridge camera-esque and easier for me to get on with) however I would prefer one of the larger lenses which I cannot afford. For example the OM_1 with the 12 - 40mm lens is 24 - 80mm full frame equivalent and is around £1500 at the time of writing. I would prefer something a little bit more telephoto which means my next best option would be the 12 - 100mm lens which is 24 - 200mm equivalent in full frame, which seems to be okay.

Problem is that the 12 - 100 is almost £1000 which I cannot afford, unless I get a standard lens and then compromise on focal length or get the lenses used. To put this into perspective, you can buy a Sigma 16 - 300mm lens for around £550 new which will basically do everything I have ever wanted, even if the weight of the camera will be substantially more.

I also saw the OM_1 on sale last September when you could by the OM_1 new alongside the 12 - 100mm for £1700 which was a bargain however I wasn't sure about purchasing and didn't end up getting it.

I still feel a bit stuck so any advice would be appreciated!

Click to expand...

OM UK have just launched a "refurb" sale including body plus lens kits at very attractive prices. Have a look.

You might need to sign up to the newsletter to get the code.

A

Click to expand...

I've seen them but they weren't the right lens/body combinations, however I shall try to have another look! I tried to put in a reconditioned OM-1 body and a 12 - 100 (reconditioned) and it wouldn't apply the code to either of the body/lens. Would I have to purchase both of them separately?

ConfusedPhotographer said:

Rodrigo Pasiani said:

Welcome to the forum!

My first bridge camera was the HX200V. I loved that thing. After six years of use I sold it to a friend who still uses it.

Then I purchased an RX10 (I). Awesome travel and hiking camera. I used it for 6.5 years and sold it to another friend.

Since almost two years I have been using an RX10 IV. It's a brilliant camera, go for it. Much better image quality and autofocus than your HX200V. All you need in one package.


Meteora, Greece. 2013. Sony HX200V.


Andes, Peru. 2017. Sony RX10 (I) + Hoya polarizer + Cokin ND grad.


Sony RX10 IV. 2023.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply!

Your photographs are incredible! Thank you for posting them, especially the one from Peru! The versatility of the rx10iv is what appeals to me especially the more DSLR aesthetics of the camera.

Incidentally, this is one of the best photographs I have taken with my hx200v. It's overlooking Cregennan Lakes in Wales, somewhere on top of a mountain.


Cregennan Lakes, Wales on a Sony hx200v

Click to expand...

Thank you for your kind words. Your image is great, what a beautiful landscape.

Travelling, especially hiking, with a 1 kg do-it-all camera is liberating. From landscapes to birds and everything in between, including pseudo-macro. And no lens change.

--
Gear list: eyes, brain, hands and a couple of cameras.
Instagram: @rodrigo_pasiani
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rodrigo_pc/albums/72157697391983321

ConfusedPhotographer said:

The only problem with this is the age of the camera, given that it was released in 2017, it's almost 10 years old and would prefer to get something more recent.

Click to expand...

Don't worry too much about when the camera was released. Camera improvement has really plateaued. If 2005-2015 had 10 points of improvement, 2015-2025 was 1 point.

I was kind of shocked to see how well my 11 year old FZ1000 photos hold up to the current 1" sensor offerings.

Rodrigo Pasiani said:

ConfusedPhotographer said:

Rodrigo Pasiani said:

Welcome to the forum!

My first bridge camera was the HX200V. I loved that thing. After six years of use I sold it to a friend who still uses it.

Then I purchased an RX10 (I). Awesome travel and hiking camera. I used it for 6.5 years and sold it to another friend.

Since almost two years I have been using an RX10 IV. It's a brilliant camera, go for it. Much better image quality and autofocus than your HX200V. All you need in one package.


Meteora, Greece. 2013. Sony HX200V.


Andes, Peru. 2017. Sony RX10 (I) + Hoya polarizer + Cokin ND grad.


Sony RX10 IV. 2023.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply!

Your photographs are incredible! Thank you for posting them, especially the one from Peru! The versatility of the rx10iv is what appeals to me especially the more DSLR aesthetics of the camera.

Incidentally, this is one of the best photographs I have taken with my hx200v. It's overlooking Cregennan Lakes in Wales, somewhere on top of a mountain.


Cregennan Lakes, Wales on a Sony hx200v

Click to expand...

Thank you for your kind words. Your image is great, what a beautiful landscape.

Travelling, especially hiking, with a 1 kg do-it-all camera is liberating. From landscapes to birds and everything in between, including pseudo-macro. And no lens change.

Click to expand...

Thank you for saying that my image is great! It is much appreciated!

The lack of lens changes is certainly appealing to me, especially as I already have a good understanding of the RX10 system. One of the main things that I like is more the style of the camera, not so much the zoom (although my HX200vs zoom has proved useful in the past, I haven’t used it very much) which is why I am still considering my options.

Do you miss any of the features of newer cameras compared to the features of your RX10iv? This is one of the issues I am still debating with myself about.

ChaosCloud said:

ConfusedPhotographer said:

The only problem with this is the age of the camera, given that it was released in 2017, it's almost 10 years old and would prefer to get something more recent.

Click to expand...

Don't worry too much about when the camera was released. Camera improvement has really plateaued. If 2005-2015 had 10 points of improvement, 2015-2025 was 1 point.

I was kind of shocked to see how well my 11 year old FZ1000 photos hold up to the current 1" sensor offerings.

Click to expand...

Why would you say this is? You wouldn’t say to buy a new phone/laptop/computer that was 8 years old. Why is it different with cameras?

I am aware that digital cameras tend to hold their value compared to other technology however the thought of buying a new camera that is so old puts me off substantially, especially when you consider new features such as the computational photography mode on OM System’s newer cameras. This also applies to the weight of the OM System camera but this is a separate discussion.

ChaosCloud said:

ConfusedPhotographer said:

The only problem with this is the age of the camera, given that it was released in 2017, it's almost 10 years old and would prefer to get something more recent.

Click to expand...

Don't worry too much about when the camera was released. Camera improvement has really plateaued. If 2005-2015 had 10 points of improvement, 2015-2025 was 1 point.

I was kind of shocked to see how well my 11 year old FZ1000 photos hold up to the current 1" sensor offerings.

Click to expand...

Yeah this is very true. Sensor improvement when it comes to image quality figures (dynamic range, noise levels) have stagnated for a bit more than a decade now, ad you see cameras that were released back in 2012 that still perform just as well as cameras released today.

Where modern cameras will have an advantage is for everything that isn't tied to image quality : autofocus speed, readout speed on the sensor, video specs, screen quality for EVFs and back screens, more user friendly menu systems, lighter cameras, sensor stabilzation,... Those things. The newer you go, the better they get (although that isn't necessarily an exact science, you can still fins cameras that are 10 years old or more that will have characteristics that are up to modern standards (like the IBIS in Olympus cameras around 2015, or the EVF quality in Fujifilm cameras around 2014/2016)

ConfusedPhotographer said:

ChaosCloud said:

ConfusedPhotographer said:

The only problem with this is the age of the camera, given that it was released in 2017, it's almost 10 years old and would prefer to get something more recent.

Click to expand...

Don't worry too much about when the camera was released. Camera improvement has really plateaued. If 2005-2015 had 10 points of improvement, 2015-2025 was 1 point.

I was kind of shocked to see how well my 11 year old FZ1000 photos hold up to the current 1" sensor offerings.

Click to expand...

Why would you say this is? You wouldn’t say to buy a new phone/laptop/computer that was 8 years old. Why is it different with cameras?

Click to expand...

When it comes to sensor performance, there is something called "quantum efficiency". Basically how well the photodiode in the pixel is able to convert photons into electrons to give an electric signal.

That efficiency has plateau-ed in the last decade, we've see gains so minimal that nowadays if you want better dynamic range, you aim for a larger sensor that will have more light gathering capabilities, not a newer sensor, because chances are the newer sensor isn't tremendously better than the on that's several years old (and sometimes, it's worse : stacked and semi-stacked sensors are known for having worse dynamic range figures than their non stacked counterparts : cameras released in 2024 like the Nikon Z6III and its semi-stacked chip has less maximum dynamic range than a D600 released in 2012 when used at base ISO)

ConfusedPhotographer said:

I am aware that digital cameras tend to hold their value compared to other technology however the thought of buying a new camera that is so old puts me off substantially, especially when you consider new features such as the computational photography mode on OM System’s newer cameras.

Click to expand...

Well nobody suggested that you pay new price for old tech. However there is very little to gain when it comes to camera performance by getting a newer camera.

If what you want is the computational stuff, well you already know where to look (if what you want is the internal ND filter dimulation or grad ND stuff, otherwise most of the computational doo-dads you'd find in an OM camera like Live Composite, Live Time, High Res pixel shift etc have been present in Olympus cameras since 2015)

ConfusedPhotographer said:

This also applies to the weight of the OM System camera but this is a separate discussion.

Click to expand...