Fujifilm X-T30, Sony a6400 added to &#39;Best Cameras under $1000&#39; buying guide

I've owned an A7. It is a piece of junk. Worse video I've ever seen from a camera, no IBIS, ugly, OOC colors, terrible menus, poor focusing and controls, etc. The old oily D600 is a better camera in almost every way possible, including better IQ and ergonomics.

Honestly, if you are considering old cameras, none of these mentioned come close to the NX1, but that is a dead format.

Neither the A6400 nor the XT30 is a bad choice. I'd prefer them with IBIS, but besides that, the are both very good.
If you want a camera for jpegs only then get the T30. Gorgeous colors make you look like a pro.

Mar 15, 2019permalink

thoth22

Piece of junk is a tad harsh about the a7. I guess you are not much of a videographer or photographer if you can't take decent pics or video. Go back to learning the craft. If you have a compelling story to tell, you can shoot it on just about anything and people will watch but if you produce the same old same old then why watch.

Mar 21, 2019*permalink

https://www.sony.com/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilce-7m2-body-kit

Sound like you are clueless about the A7. Tons of video artifacts and a bad codec and bit rate. Moire is a real problem as is rolling shutter.
If you want to tell a story, your iPhone is a better solution than lousy A7. Maybe you need to take a beginners class so you can not look so silly.

Mar 21, 2019permalink

thoth22

I'm saying if you have a good, interesting story to tell it doesn't matter if shot on a 1980's camcorder or a Red Epic, people will watch it. Most of the stuff produced now by hwood and everybody else is same crap different pile.

Mar 21, 2019permalink

keeponkeepingon

No A7 ($799)
No A7II ($999)

?????

(Sony MSRPs in the USA not what you can get on the street where it's more like that price with kit lens.)

Everyone is all gaga over how cheap the $1300 RP is yet sony just sits quietly in the corner lowering prices; bringing fantastic full frame tech into everyone's reach.

Mar 15, 2019*permalink

Revenant

I believe these buying guides use list prices, since street prices may vary both over time and regionally.

Mar 15, 2019permalink

keeponkeepingon

Revenant, I quoted list prices given by Sony on their web site as the MSRP. Street prices are often $200 below the sony listed price.

Body Only
ILCE-7M2
$999.992

Body + 28-70 mm Zoom Lens
ILCE-7M2K
$1,199.99

DPreview has argued in the past that they use the MSRP at introduction but the thing is Sony keeps models "current" and around so long the prices from 2016 (when the A7II was introduced) are not really relevant to someone shopping today.

For anyone with $1000 in their pocket the A7II should be on the list "best cameras"

The fact that dpreview is trying to act like a static print medium with regard to manufacturer listed prices makes this "buying guide" useless for anyone shopping for an "under $1000" camera".

Like the entire camera industry dpreview is acting like a too-slow-moving dinosaur providing less and less relevance to shoppers today.......

Mar 15, 2019*permalink

Revenant

I fully understand that DPR can't keep track of fluctuating street prices, but yeah, if the list price has changed the buying guides needs to be updated to reflect that.

Mar 15, 2019permalink

mrpuggy

What’s the 56mm like on the new Fuji’s? I shot it on the xe1 and the af was horribly slow

Mar 14, 2019permalink

Playtez29

I noticed an improvement right away. Hard to tell how much better but definitely better.

Mar 26, 2019permalink

No arguments about the recommended cameras - all of these would make good choices.

It must be very difficult though for dpr, and for camera buyers, to set such an arbitrary price limit. I doubt very much if most buyers would limit themselves to such a round figure, particularly if there was a more desirable model at just a few dollars over the limit.

This is complicated further by the fact that camera manufacturers know how much influence dpr has over buying decisions, and they know what price limits dpr sets for such comparisons. I suspect certain prices, presumably set by the importers, are deliberately adjusted so that cameras fall within one of dpr's price brackets.

My advice to buyers. for what it's worth, is to make an effort to look at a few models that are slightly above the $1000 limit, as e.g. the Sony a6500, at only slightly higher cost than the a6400, has IBIS.

Mar 14, 2019*permalink

cosinaphile

instead of setting limits of above or below , they could say "around or about"

for example "cameras costing approximately 750 to 1000 usd "... or some such wording ...

i agree with you assessment , imagine if the a6500 was 10 dollars more than the 6400 but was disallowed due to a pointlessly exact cutoff amount ?

ibis in a camera 10 buck more would be no brainer

Mar 14, 2019*permalink

otto k

Better yet, depending on where you are, a6500 is cheaper than a6400. In local stores here, they're both 1050 eur body only.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

otto - a no brainer then, for Sony fans.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

otto k

I'm staying with my NX500 with 16-50, 50-200, 30/2 and 45/1.8 that cost me ~1000 eur total. Not worth chasing newest gear all the time (cured my GAS by loaning a few cameras and realizing that I'm the limiting factor).

Mar 14, 2019permalink

otto - Yes, ultimately it's us, the photographers, that are the limiting factor, not the gear we use.

But when we do buy new gear, it's worth saving money by considering grey imports, so long as you use a supplier with a proven record of reliability, and a good track record for warranty repairs.

Another option is to seek out models that are about to be discontinued - usually a model that was released 2-3 years ago will cost less than half the launch price, and will do the job just as well as the one with the latest bells and whistles.

Mar 14, 2019*permalink

Well, DPReview praises the Olympus EM10 III very highly, it seems. Tied for best in category. Is that an indication that it will soon be discontinued?

Mar 14, 2019permalink

In USA and Canada, the A6500 is hundreds more than the A6400.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

captura - The first version EM 10 was released in January 2014 and was replaced with the EM 10 ii in August 2015 - a product cycle of 18 months.

That model in turn was replaced with the EM 10 iii in August 2017 - a product cycle of 24 months.

It's now March 2019, so the EM 10 iii has been around for 19 months, so logically it will be replaced in the next 4-5 months.

If you want to save money, wait until the new model is announced, and the cost of the current model plummets.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

Most enthusiasts have preferred the Series II. The series III was simplified for use by beginners. Maybe Olympus is anxious to sell an overstock before announcing the new model.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

captura - Right now on Amazon USA, the a6400 body is $898 and the a6500 body is $1010, a difference of $112, hardly "hundreds more".

Mar 14, 2019*permalink

https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2019/03/04/olympus-qa-cpplus-2019-finally-why-e-m5-iii-running-late-why-not-to-worry

captura - Olympus are currently in the process of transferring all camera production from China (yes Olympus cameras are built in China) to their factory in Vietnam, to save labour costs.

This is a very complex move that impacts on production capacity. At the moment they are concentrating on getting the E-M1X out of the door, so the release of other models, including new iterations, is somewhat delayed.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

fsc1

Both systems have their own advantages so it's just a matter of personal choice...

Mar 14, 2019permalink

I need a new camera with the attributes of both. Waiting for the A6700; an updated A6500.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

cosinaphile

2 fine machines ,,,,no judgment

Mar 14, 2019permalink

FuhTeng

I agree. I'd go for Fuji knowing what I know now about how I shoot and what I shoot and how much I enjoyed my rental, but the a6400 is excellent thanks to the Sigma prime family.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

The A6400 falters when it comes to the Sigma primes. The A6500 has IBIS and the A6400 does not.
Those same lenses work on the slightly smaller mFT sensor (2/3rds of a stop difference). Unless the subject is moving quickly a SIgma 56/1.4 can be used with a 1/10th shutter speed or possibly slower with many less expensive mFT cameras. The Sony would need about a 1/120th shutter speed. Even 1/60th is a full stop difference and 1/30th is 2 stops, but are greater than the 2/3rd stop difference with the sensors. And of course 1/15th gives the camera with IBIS a 3 stop advantage. That's ISO12800 vs. ISO1600.

The same goes with the Fuji and their 56/1.2 lens. Handheld in low light only buys you shallow DoF. IQ is going to suffer. For Cathedrals and museums, and shots under candlelight, you are stuck shooting at over 1/100th hand held.

Mar 14, 2019*permalink

panther fan

@Cam Eralens

Well the 56mm is probably the worst example you could chose, since they are primarily made to shoot people, something where a slow shutter speed doesn't help.
Also the A6500 isn't part of the market category and comparison of this article. So it doesn't really matter for this comparison

Mar 14, 2019permalink

The Sigma f1.4 primes are super-sharp on the Sony A6xxx series, including of course, the A6400. The Sigma DN DC 30/1.4 was the sharpest lens ever recorded by DxO on the A6xxx series. However it's performance on M43 is much less sharp, but with improved bokeh.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

Those Sigmas are as sharp as anyone needs on all cameras.
But they are limited on the A6400. With the A6500, and most mFT cameras, you can shoot handheld in many more situations. And in many situations you will get significantly better IQ with a camera that has IBIS. I'll take "just really sharp" vs. "super sharp but ISO12800" any day.
So I'd rather have the A6500 or most mFT vs. the A6400 and T30 because of the greater versatility.

Mar 15, 2019*permalink

That Fuji is great deal. 30.0 fps stills, 200 Mbps bit rate for 4K video, and those gorgeous Fujifilm colors. Eterna for video is simply wonderful.
It also has higher resolution viewfinder and LCD which is nice. Can't fix that with FW. :)

Neither has IBIS though.

Mar 14, 2019*permalink

panther fan

Uhm they both have the same 2.36 Mdot resolution for the EVF. And the X-T30 EVF is significantly smaller than the A6400 EVF 0.62x vs 0.72x. So the EVF experience on the Sony should be quite a bit better.

Other advantages for the Sony are the better AF system and larger buffer.

They are both great cameras. And at least one of them should win. No idea why they chose the E-M10 iii

Mar 14, 2019permalink

Revenant

"We've added this camera to this buying guide to show its specifications and features in context of the competition. When our full review is complete the camera will be considered for an award."

That text is found in the sections about the X-T30, E-PL9 and a6400, and it explains why none of them were chosen.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

ms18

But I'm sad still they aren't your picks. These two are the best camera under 1000. Fuji as a system sony as body

Mar 14, 2019permalink

FuhTeng

They're not the picks yet because the reviews aren't complete. I'll be shocked if the EM10III continues as the pick when the reviews are complete.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

The story says. They are not considered as pick until the reviews are complete. Only after the complete review will they evaluate the top-pick decision. Pretty clearly stated.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

Eugene CH

I don't understand something: the devices are new. The reviews have not yet been completed. The customers have not yet been able to have them on hand to test them themselves. And you've already included them in"'Best Cameras under $1000'"??? Isn't that a little premature based on factory data alone?

Mar 14, 2019permalink

These cameras are out. Available in the market now... in stock. You go into a store TODAY and buy one. (B&H has the a6400 in stock in NYC or mail order with the kit lens). Just because the full reviews haven’t been completed doesn’t mean they have no idea how the cameras perform. Read the article..

Mar 14, 2019*permalink

ms18

In this case, they should not have any picks at the moment. I'm sure these two cameras are amazing than those already there

Mar 14, 2019permalink

They had picks before th a6400 was even announced. So anytime a good sounding camera is announced, they have to rescind the pick until a full review can be done? There would never be any pick. Patience. And read the text.

Mar 15, 2019permalink

Superior continuous A/F and eye/animal -eye A/F with the Sony A6400.

Mar 14, 2019permalink

Mac McCreery

I just want a nice shot.

Mar 14, 2019permalink