Camera & lens combo

stevie1965

stevie1965

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stephen
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Hi all.

I'm looking for suggestions on a Camera & 1 lens combo. I mainly photograph leandscapes, seascapes, macro, & I like to zoom into sunsets &sunrises. The research I've done has shown I would need to go to 300mm. The sensor needs to be at least M43 and don't mind going up to full frame. I need help to get the right combination please.

Tia, Steve.
 
Might help if you state your budget before folks start recommending anything from £500-£5000
 
I’n testing prototype custom gpt, this is the answer it produces:

Hi Steve, I’m happy to help with your question!

Based on your interest in landscapes, seascapes, macro photography, and zooming into sunrises and sunsets (up to 300mm), here are some suggestions for a camera and lens combo:

Camera Recommendations

1. Micro Four Thirds (M43) Option:


• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III or OM System OM-1:


Lightweight, weather-sealed, and excellent for outdoor photography. These cameras also have impressive in-body image stabilization (IBIS), great for handheld macro shots.


2. APS-C Option:


• Fujifilm X-T5:


Great for dynamic range and color science, excellent for landscapes and sunsets. Its weather-sealed body adds durability for outdoor conditions.


3. Full-Frame Option:


• Canon EOS R8:


A lightweight, affordable entry into full-frame with good dynamic range for sunrise/sunset scenes. Paired with the right lens, it can handle macro and telephoto needs well.


• Sony A7 IV:


A bit more advanced, offering great image quality and versatility across genres.


Lens Recommendations

For your needs, a versatile zoom lens or a prime/macro combination might work well:


1. Micro Four Thirds Lenses:


• Olympus M.Zuiko 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3:


An all-in-one zoom lens that covers wide-angle to telephoto.


• Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro:


A sharp, lightweight macro lens for close-ups.


2. APS-C Lenses:


• Fujifilm XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6:


A weather-resistant zoom lens for wide-angle landscapes and telephoto shots.


• Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro:


Excellent for detailed macro work.


3. Full-Frame Lenses:


• Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM:


A budget-friendly all-around lens for landscapes and moderate zoom.


• Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS:


A versatile zoom covering wide-angle to telephoto.


Questions to Refine the Setup Further

To give a more precise recommendation:

• What’s your budget range?
• How portable does the gear need to be?
• Do you want one lens for everything or are you open to a two-lens setup (e.g., macro + zoom)
 
My choice would be a Fuji XT-? body and their 18-135 lens. That doesn't go as long as the 300mm you've been told you want but does offer the same field of view as a 200mm lens on a full frame body. A set of extension tubes would add macro capability.


ETA - despite my Fuji recommendation being the same as in the post above this one, I'm NOT artificially intelligent!
 
Last edited:
stevie1965 said:
Hi all.

I'm looking for suggestions on a Camera & 1 lens combo. I mainly photograph leandscapes, seascapes, macro, & I like to zoom into sunsets &sunrises. The research I've done has shown I would need to go to 300mm. The sensor needs to be at least M43 and don't mind going up to full frame. I need help to get the right combination please.

Tia, Steve.
Click to expand...
I don't think you will find one lens that does all you want to start with. There is a huge difference between shooting macro and up to 300mm. As Paul says knowing youy budget would help.
All I can say is what I am happy with minus owning a macro lens yet. That is a Panasonic G9ii with the 12-60 leica elmarit lens (around £2000) and the 100-300mm lens (£500) .in full frame terms that would be double the length
 
The correct answer to this question is "it depends".

We need to know what you hope to achieve, what your intended use for the images will be, what size your final images will be, what sort of audience you wish to share the images with...

Any specific advice you receive will also be highly personal, so you need to filter what you're told carefully. The person recommending kit may well be very happy with it but that doesn't mean anything because you may find it just doesn't suit you.

I use cameras ranging from pocketable travel zoom cameras such as the Sony HX90 or Panasonic TZ70 via M43 and APS to full frame. All have their uses and I like what I have but you may hate all of my choices. I'm not trying to put you off but just pointing out the pitfalls of such an open question.
 
Thanks all for your responses. I would like an all-in-one lens on a camera with a good sensor. I loved the quality of the XT30 but I didn't like the lack of zoom from the 15-45mm kit lens. I thought I would1 be better suited to going back to a bridge camera so I bought an FZ2000. Anyway, so I've been back & forth, just sold a TZ70 because the quality was lacking. So I've finally decided on image quality with more zoom this time. But along the way I've seen that getting the right combo is important. My budget is max £1000....ish

Cheers.
 
@stevie1965 the custom comes back with the following. Looks reasonable but may contain mistakes.

Thanks for clarifying! With a budget of around £1000 and a focus on good image quality paired with an all-in-one lens, here are some suggestions that meet your needs:


APS-C System Options (Better Image Quality)


1. Fujifilm X-S10 + XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR


• Why?


This combo offers the excellent image quality you loved from the X-T30 with the added versatility of a 7.5x zoom range (27-206mm equivalent). The 18-135mm lens is weather-sealed, making it a great option for landscapes and seascapes. The X-S10 also features in-body image stabilization (IBIS), helpful for handheld shots.


• Cost: Around £1100 (a slight stretch, but worth it for the quality).


2. Sony Alpha A6400 + 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS


• Why?


A compact APS-C mirrorless system with excellent autofocus, dynamic range, and a versatile zoom lens (27-202.5mm equivalent). The lens covers wide-angle to decent telephoto for landscapes and sunsets, all in a lightweight package.


• Cost: Around £1000-£1050 for the kit.


All-in-One Bridge Camera (More Zoom)


If you’re leaning toward simplicity and zoom reach, a bridge camera might still fit:


1. Sony RX10 IV


• Why?


One of the best bridge cameras for image quality, featuring a 1-inch sensor and a built-in 24-600mm lens with sharp optics. This setup is perfect for sunrises, sunsets, and macro shots while being portable and convenient.


• Cost: Slightly above budget at £1200 new, but you may find used/refurbished options closer to £1000.

Considerations

• If ultimate image quality is the goal, the APS-C options with interchangeable lenses offer more flexibility for future upgrades.


• For a true all-in-one experience with a long zoom, the RX10 IV stands out.







Cheers,


Tim
 
Hi @stevie1965
I’d point out that the whole point of an interchangeable lens camera is that we can pick the best lens ‘for the job’.
There genuinely isn’t a lens that does everything you want, because whilst you can get a superzoom, it’ll never have true Macro ability. That’s just a fact.
And a superzoom won’t be as good as a pair of even decent kit zooms. Because it’s asking too much.
 
Slightly above budget, but I would recommend a used Olympus E-M1III + 12-100mm f/4.0 PRO zoom for this. This gives a full frame equivalent Field of View of 24-200mm. You should be able to source this combo for approx £1200 - £1300 used in the UK. Keeping in mind that the Olympus 12-100mm lens is a "superzoom", the IQ achieved from it is pretty impressive throughout the range. It's not a macro lens, but it still focuses pretty close. If 300mm field of view is a must, you can add the Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 to the setup for an extra £150 new / £75 used.

Alternatively, an E-M1III combined with an Olympus 14-150mm F4-5.6 II lens would give you a full frame equivalent Field of View of 28-300mm and you should be able to source this for less than £1000 used in the UK. This is still a capable lens, but has more optical compromises than the Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0.
 
There are many options.

One relatively inexpensive package, which I like, is the full frame Nikon D600 with the Tamron 28~300mm. With carefull shopping I got the two for less than £500...

Camera Nikon D600 Tamron 28-300mm A65 DSC00155.JPG

For the sort of photography I tend to do, it's a useful combination...

Man on bench drinking from Can Heavitree Rd D60_4296.JPG

Builders crane at Exeter bus station D60_4224.JPG

Black cats in driveway D600 D60_4842.JPG

However, I'm more interested in impact than in "high quality". If your tendencies are otherwise, you may want to look elsewhere. On the other hand, the D600 is a good dSLR with a 24MB sensor and useful features, now generally available at very good prices second hand.
 
If you're open to second hand purchases, you can get a lot more bang for your buck!
 
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