DPReview TV: Chris and Jordan pick their dream camera kits

Fujifilm GFX-100s, GF 23mm, GF 110mm, GF 120mm (plus what I already have)

What about for the next one of these you could try choosing a versatile one bag kit? A lot of readers are amateurs, who may have a favourite subject but will embrace any opportunity that comes along because they enjoy photography. For example on a walk you could take scenery, birds in flight and on branches, insects and flowers. You might do some portraits of family and friends. Maybe architecture or go to a sports event, or try a slow shutter speed image of the sea, etc. The kit needs to fit in a backpack or a messenger bag so you can put it in the car and also be practical to carry around. Is that an interesting challenge?

My dream kit:

R5
24-105
35mm 1.8
100 macro
100-500
600 F4

For light travels: Fuji X-E4 + 27mm

Dream Camera: a true X-T3 successor: Hopefully an "X-T5"
- keep the form factor (inclusive screen!)
- better specs (electronic, EVF, etc..)
- Better build and weather-sealing
- Flash wireless commander integrated in the body
- Better Wifi
- Slightly bigger and gripper buttons and rear/front wheels for use with gloves.
- new sensor with base ISO 100 but keep a same megapixel count. 28 mpx would be perfect
- firmware features like live raw conversion, full-screen mode in EVF, faster delete, direct playback..
- Better battery grip with similar layout as the body.
- The lock switch on the grip should match the lock menu.
- a robust IBIS (eventually).

Actually, it's not that expensive, it's design.

Alsp, keep updating old cameras' firmware !

Fantasy kit:

- Olympus OMD EM 5 III with reinforced bottom plate

- Weathersealed 17mm f/1.8
- Weathersealed 35mm f/1.8
- Weathersealed 9mm f/1.8

Money no object, but size and weight is an object. That makes my Olympus M43 kit with smaller prime and zoom lenses, Fujifilm X100 (both T and V in my bag), and Panasonic LX100ii the clear winners for me. In the end, it's the photographer, not the gear, that delivers the results.

I will never understand this concept being continually pushed how upgrading your equipment is essentially pointless. I will never understand this basic presumption by so many that folks aren't always trying to improve their photography skills. So yes, better equipment does matter. GEAR does matter. Besides, this article is about YOUR dream Camera Kit. Not about whom can or can't do what with it.

That hardly means it has to be the latest an greatest from whomever, but you certainly aren't going to see the vast majority of those folks running around with an Polaroid Instant Film Camera an producing an wide range of quality work. Gear matters, always has, always will. But again, this isn't about that, it's just about buying without any limitations. Your Dream Camera Kit. So if you are fine with something from 30 years ago, that hardly means somebody else should be too.

forget about that dream camera, i would like a spare $50k to double the size of my studio :-)

If it’s about kit available now, I guess I’d have to go for the Hubble Space Telescope. Money is burning a hole in my pocket and I just can’t wait for the release of the James Webb Space Telescope. I do so hate 30 year refresh cycles ;-)

Frankly the cost of photographic equipment is such that even a fairy basic mid to top range kit, Say a Canon R6 and set of three lenses is 6K+ for many that is fantasy

Nikon F6, upgraded by Nikon to shoot with E-lenses, 28mm AF-S f/1.4E, 58mm AF-S f/1.4 and 105mm AF-S f/1.4E. In addition, unlimited supply, including quality processing, of Kodak Tri-X, Portra 160, 400 and 800, Ilford Pan-F 50 and Adox CMS-20.

Maybe throw in a D850 too, just in case I want to post a photo on Facebook.

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But truth be told, I'm actually very happy with my two Panasonic GX8 bodies and assorted lenses. And when shooting film, I have this Nikon F80 that I paid $100 for and an old 85mm lens that sounds like a freight train when focusing, but still produces beautiful portraits.

And this makes me think back to when I was just starting out in photography, and saying to myself "if had that shiny new $8K Canon 1Ds Mark II and those SIXTEEN point SEVEN megapixels...I'd never want more!"

Fuji XT4 like body with the Sony A7R IV 60 megapixel Bayer sensor sensor but with Fuji's color science and pixel shift. And the modified Fujicron line of lenses for this body 23/2, 35/2, 50/2 and 16/2.8. The ability to use existing FX lenses with 26 megapixel in crop mode on this body. The GFX line of bodies and lenses is way bigger and heavier.

My dream kit would be a Fuji GW680 IV with 6x8cm digital sensor ;))

If that dream kit had to be my daily driver? A1 plus Sony 16-35mm f/4, Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8, and Sony 200-600mm G, along with some smaller lenses.

If I could just order from anything in the menu, no limits and no questions asked? I’d love the full systems for the Nikon SP, Alpaflex, Rectaflex, Contarex, Contax Aria… the list is long, and they’re almost all for film 😬

The bodies don't scare me much but the lenses, now that's scary. They keep coming, it never ends.

I started with a dream of perfect camera, ending up with 7 cameras and 21 lenses, plus an empty wallet..
It must be a wrong dream, I should have dreamt a perfect photo.

I broke myself by owning too many cameras. I decided to buy a camera from every major manufacturer 2 years ago and test them against each other - specifically for portrait skin tones.

I now find photography to be boring. Or at least not as much fun as when I had 1 camera and 1 lens and shot with it for something like 5 years.

If money were no object I could keep buying expensive lenses until I got a copy I was happy with.

My dream kit would include the world before the “war on terror” made the world a “safer” place, when I used to be able to travel easily in far flung destinations across Africa and Asia without the expectation that nasty things might happen.

No problem. Canon R5 with a Ninja V+.
Best AF today video and stills
Best 8K video (RAW and 10 bit 4:2:2) with unlimited shooting with Ninja V+
Best IBIS in a FF camera (Nikon is neck and neck)
Best 4K video (2:1 oversampled) also unlimited shooting with Ninja V.
IMHO, best JPEG and RAW colors (Fujifilm is neck and neck, and yes RAW color is not equal)
Best selection of manufacturer lenses (Nikon comes close).
Tied with Nikon for Best ergonomic.

The Ninja V+ also gives me an easy to read 5 inch screen.

Since you asked... :-)

If the money was really, REALLY no object, I'd buy Sony (the company... well, at least their imaging and sensor divisions), and have them design and build the camera and lenses to my specs ;-)

And now to something completely different...

Nikon F2-AS

Nikon Z6ii and 24-200 mm.

5D Mark V or D850 replacement.
Yeah, one can dream...

A7 iv (if chip shortage ever allows) + 24-70 GM.

Yeah, I'd like those younger eyes, too. Then I'd grab a mint Leica M3 with a 50mm Summicron f2 and take along a decent Gossen LunaPro meter.

My dream camera is the Nikon DL 18-50.
So pity Nikon canceled it. I even keep an old B&H paper catalog from 2016 where this camera was actually listed for $846.95.

I already have my dream camera, and it's a Canon R5, and it works perfectly with all my old EF lenses. Plus my new RF lenses are incredibly performant.

I have my dream cameras for full frame - there is not much missing…
D850 & A1

But what is missing is a better RX10 with better viewfinder!

A Leica CL updated with a full frame sensor to use with my M-lenses.

My dream kit is a competent set of lenses and a body, and a plethora of gorgeous models available for shooting at any time ;)

My dream camera would likely be the Sony A2 (soon to be released ) with the 24 1.4. I find that it is actually possible to have too much gear. It gets in the way of grabbing and working more quickly and creatively with what one has.

I'm 68, and I'd like the eyes I had in '68.

We're all different, in a good way. My dream camera is what I have... a Panasonic G9 (I have two) with a nice assortment of (MFT) lenses. Do I find the lack of phase detect AF a limitation? No. Panansonic's DFD CD AF is spot on accurate and very rapid FOR STILLS. I shoot sports (horse polo) and I have never felt under-gunned by the AF. How about low light and MFT? Hasn't been an issue for me with fast Sigma lenses and Panasonic's amazing IBIS. I stopped using tripods. The only area where I feel a little compromised by the MFT crop is my inability to get razor thin depth of field. In every other way, this three year old design is such a remarkably capable camera that, even though I have the resources, I don't have the desire to migrate, unless it's to a "G10" :-) Jack

I just want the opportunity to travel wherever I want and stay for as long as I want. Then my pictures will be more interesting, regardless of the gear used ;)

I’d want something that doesn’t quite exist… an Olympus OM-D E-M5 mkVI that has Sony A1-level AF, a 24mp sensor with a base ISO of 64, 6K video with internal 10-bit O-log recording at up to 120fps with a built-in electronic VND filter, and of course a 20mm Panasonic 1.7 pancake with a much faster, quieter AF motor and no breathing. That camera could keep me happy for a long, long time.

I'm with Jordan, if money is no object why would you limit yourself to one camera? Heck I already have a few and I'm working within the constraints of a budget.

Right tool for the right job or occasion, no single camera covers it all. If I was swimming in cash I might add a Q2 to my FF & M4/3 kits, for starters. I'd probably spend a lot more on lenses than on bodies too...

If money were no object, I would take the Nikon 120-300 f/2.8, both extenders, the EOS R5 and pay Metabones to develop a full working Nikon F to EOS R adapter with AF ;-)

Edit:
Ah I almost forgot about the memory cards. I would get a bunch of Pro Grade Cobalt 650GB CFExpress cards, some Sony tough SF-G SD cards and a bunch of HDDs (non HE for archival purposes and larger HE drives for current storage).

What I like most about this video is the collaboration between all the photography review luminaries!

Almost every camera from 2016 onwards is a dream camera for me.
It's amazing what we have nowadays.
Regards