DPReview TV: Chris and Jordan pick their dream camera kits

My dream "money is no object" camera kit is a bunch of Leica junk that I can resell to fund travel photo opportunities.

If that's not an option, than replacing my A7R3 with an R5, 100-500mm, 100mm macro, 14-35mm, and 24-105mm. Or maybe replace the 24-105mm with a prototype Tamron 28-200mm for RF mount.

My dream camera would have a lens that does not exist jet.
I would like to have a 200-800 f 5.6 with built in 1,4 TC.
And since this is my dream, not heavier than 6 LB ;-)

I would just get the mirrorless version of what I have today, a D850 and D500 with the best Nikon primes up to the 105 F2.8 and the 24-70 f4 for travel. For wildlife I would add the 400 F2.8 with the 1.4 and 2X convertors as well as the 200-500! With that kit, I can do anything, including shoot good video. Now, if the Z8 and Z9 don't have as good an AF as the R5, I would go with Canon gear, based on the R5. I'd never go with Sony, my hands are too big and I hate the cheap feel of those cameras.

Sony A1 and Fuji GFX100s.

I have lens for both systems already so just needed the bodies.

I am a hobbyist and I wanted to try the Nikons. Already have a Canon 5DRS but still want to try the Canon mirrorless. So if I have a ton of spare cash I will head out to buy a Z5, D780 and a R5, and a bunch of lenses for all three systems. Would also like to try the Olympus OM-D E-M1X. Also please get me one each of S1, S1R, S1H and a few sigma lenses for the L mount. OK the shopping list is getting a bit long...

For most people dream camera is still a7m3/a7r3. Both are very good for its price and e-mount is very developed.

I found my dream kit years ago when I switched to Fuji. I was a FF or die type of person who found something in Fuji that no other manufacturer offered: “a return to the art of photography”. From beautiful crafted bodies that offer the full manual experience, to elegant compact primes which render like classic Leica lenses and film simulations that to this day still make my jaw drop when I open an image for review on my laptop - no one system (and I have had them all, just ask my wife how much I lost lol) has given me this much pleasure.

If it's a dream why stick to one camera. I have several dream cameras and I would get all of them. The only limitation being the size and weight I would be willing to heft around. Get all the lenses too. I once made a list and came up with 15 cameras and around 150 lenses off the top of my head. The problem is every few weeks DPR announces some new gear that I want to add to the list and it expands like the universe. I have a list for cars too. Computers. Places to visit.

I am fortunate enough to be already in posession of most of my dream kit. I am a landscape/nightscape/wildlife/astrophotography imager. In the astrophotography realm I could definitely upgrade my dedicated cooled astro camera and telescope but that is out of the scope of this article. So in the realm of terrestrial photography, I happily use an R5 with the RF24-105 and the RF100-500 and then the hopefully soon to be released and delivered RF 14-35 to replace my EF 16-35 used with the converter. These lenses give me continuous 14-500 coverage in 3 lenses, to cover all landscape and a reasonable amount of wildlife scenarios. If money were no object I would add the RF 800 f/11 and then maybe an EF 200-400 and certainly the RF 600 f/4, with appropriate extenders.

In real life I am deciding between the RF 1.4x extender and the RF 800...

One interesting point that Chris made: if money is no object, then the joy of using the camera gear becomes even more important.

Hence we see some insight into why Leica sells so well for its price. Those who can afford Leica are looking for the experience of using a camera, as well as the results.

It's the same with other luxury items, like luxury cars...it's the experience and pride of ownership that matter.

One point for all camera companies to consider as the camera market as a whole moves more upscale: the consumers with the money to spend and inclined to do so, who want more than a smartphone, want not just better results but a great experience. This will only intensify as time goes by.

So all camera companies should invest in good designers and UX experts.

The bigger and more important question here is:

Does this 'dream gear' make you a better photographer....

And that answer is clearly: No.
Better invest into training if you are looking to get better results.

I want a digital back to go with a camera I loved working with for decades. It must have the same aspect ratio, so that the lenses remain the same focal length in use .... and though a live view screen on the back with all the obvious folding ability, I would enjoy focusing with the good old rack and pinion system and judging it manually on the ground glass screen. Ahhhhh the pleasure of the Mamiya RB 67. The total package could be no more than 100 mp , and offer pixels playing in low density arrays with a perfect low ISO quality.

RF 28-70mm f2 got no love from anyone?!

Since there really seems to be no real rules concerning how many Cameras, I would set an rule of no more than one Lens per Camera. Then this would be my Camera Kit.

FUJIFILM GFX 100S with the FUJIFILM GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR Lens

Nikon Z 7II with the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro Lens

Sony Alpha a7R IIIA with the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens

Canon EOS R3 with the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM Lens

Panasonic Lumix GH6 with the Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S. Lens

I'll just buy a Noct and put it on my Z5.
Who needs more?

Hubble.

Great series and I'd love to see more with specific focus. My personal wish, what system for backpacking in the mountains, a compromise between weight, focal range and quality.

My dream setup is a Pentax K-1-3 (the one with 42MP and K-3-3 AF) and then I'd pay a lot to get my collection of early, silver MIJ FA Limiteds back. (Never should've sold those!)

Or just a Fuji GFX100S , some big lenses, and a golden parachute retirement so I can enjoy it all!

It's been said many times but Chris and Jordan regularly put out some of the most entertaining, informative and well balanced videos on camera gear around.

Kudos to them for working hard to come up with these great ideas for videos at a time when new releases are slow due to the obvious reasons.

Don't want more gear, just want more new opportunities.

I'd say my dream kit is the kit I have today... I mean this partially as a snarky comment, but also seriously too. It's not top of the line, but it's also not the bottom of the barrel either. I think it's important to keep some things in mind: there will always be something better/newer, and once you ween yourself from being obsessed about gear you'll enjoy photography more because you're not focused on gear, but rather on shooting. This is kind of the approach I've taken... now that I've built my kit, I'm not so worried about gear because I have the lenses I need to shoot the stuff I like to shoot and I've redirected my energy (and money) towards things like travel and experiences, and to so much gear. I'm not saying you can't dream about gear but for me personally, I don't really think much about the "dream" camera system. (But this is just my take on this topic and those "Best Camera/Lens" debates.)

Nice episode.

What would I have?

Sony A1
50mm F-1.2

The other toys I already have. I use an A7R iii. And have 9 great Sony lenses.
I’d love a Leica, but I too am liking Auto Focus.

Not to crush the party here, but...Sally, as wedding & portrait photographer, one would need 45 or 60 MP...uhum...yes, to see every pore into the human face...every eyelash, spot, every imperfection into the face....seriously, these high MP DSLMs are much better for cropping, being used with preservation, architecture, landscape photography, but YMMV...

It's very simple, if money would being no object, speaking digital, a M10-D, since i dislike LCDs and all the xyz features not being needed onto a digital Camera, with a handful of Lenses, Summilux 21/1.4, 24/1.4, 35/1.4 and 50/1.4 Summilux Lenses alltogether. And for my Film Experience a Leica M2/M4/M6 Series on top of that. Simplicity is king. i'm distracted with features galore, and tons of (sub)menues. And video - i'd never need or want, because i do shoot stills.

/edit But for real life, i am settled and okay with the old gear, which i do shoot, fine with that. No need to exchange, upgrade right now.

A fine weekend, good Light.

It's all the cameras that have marked the history of digital
My collection of DSLR / ML: https://www.flickr.com/photos/maoby/albums/72157644364384041
I love being able to use old digital cameras, and to be able to compare them in my own way, to the cameras that will see the light of day in the next few years.

If money is no object... I would hire somebody to carry all those fast FF lenses I wish I had, but don't like to carry them around.

Mine:
Nikon Z8 (>60 MP with Next Gen IBIS)) with 24-120 S