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Old 05-05-2014, 08:35 PM   #1
dammage79
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So I'm planning on doing some traveling for the next year or so and I feel I need a good camera to take with me. I was going to go DSLR but decided on a mirrorless as they're lightweight and easier to travel with.

I've also narrowed down my choices to a couple not withstanding other recommendations.

I should clairify that I am no professional photographer so I'm not look for ALL the bells and whistles but certainly looking for something better than a point and shoot pocket camera.

I've done a bunch of research and I find within my budget constraints ($500-$850) that two cameras really stick out.

The first one is the Sony A6000 ($799 with lens and before taxes). It's at the higher end of my budget but it does have the fastest auto-focus on the market and shoots @ 11fps. Which is handy. has an ISO range of 100-25600 for pictures and 100-12800 for movies. The image sensor is also bigger.

I've also read a lot of reviews and I've found that there is a resounding dislike for the stock lens that comes with it. (I'm buying the kit because I really cannot afford a better lens at this point) So that is a little concerning.

The other camera is the Samsung NX300. Shoots @ 9 fps , has the same ISO range as the A6000 but is 20.3 MP versus 24.3 MP for the A6000.

Plus side for this camera though is it has three different lens options to choose form when you make the purchase. Including a 2d/3d lense. Seems a bit gimmiky to me but meh, could be a cool option one day.

Both have Wifi, both can shoot RAW (not a major selling point as I'm quite new to upper end Cameras, but will eventually be a nice thing have).

Differences: The Samsung has an AMOLED Touchscreen. The Sony does not. Being a Layman, that may be a the deciding factor as the ease of use comes into play.

While the Sony uses NFC connectivity, which seems useful for using your phone as a remote.

The only thing I may have an issue with going forward is lens selection. From my understandng the Sony's have a wide variety of lenses to choose from while Samsung being relatively new to the market have limited choices.

Anyways, I made this thread seeking some input that may help in my decision. But I will say that the cheaper Samsung seems like a great starters camera while the Sony may be a better option long term.

Last edited by dammage79; 05-05-2014 at 09:38 PM.
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Old 05-05-2014, 08:50 PM   #2
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Just bought a new camera for the wife. Got the Sony Nex6 from The Camera Store in Calgary, with two lenses, for just less than the A6000 kit. Yes it is old, yes the auto focus is slightly slower than the A6000, but the two lenses were a huge factor with the Nex6. For her purposes, she would have more fun, and use her camera more, with the two lenses.
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Old 05-05-2014, 09:35 PM   #3
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I just got an a6000 and I love it. My needs in a camera might be different than yours though, but it's as quick to focus as they say it is. I can't wait to get out and shoot some skateboarding with it.

Here are a couple of sites to compare the two choices you mention.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/com...cts=sony_a6000
http://snapsort.com/compare/Samsung-...ny-Alpha-A6000

One thing to mention is the a6000 has an electronic viewfinder while the NX300 doesn't have one at all. That can be important if you're shooting in bright sunlight since the back LCD can be hard to see.
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Old 05-06-2014, 02:55 AM   #4
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Another must-view resource is DxOMark:

http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compa...-300___942_851

The Sony beats the Samsung for signal/noise ratio, dynamic range, tonal range, and colour sensitivity at all ISO levels. Granted, sensor quality is just one aspect to your decision - but Sony's sensor is better in every way.
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Old 05-06-2014, 05:51 PM   #5
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I got my hands on both today + the NEX 6 .

The A6000 is super light, too light IMO. Doesn't have that $800 feel to it. The NEX 6 on the other hand feels exactly how one of those camera's should, bloody shame the guts from the A6000 couldn't be shipped over to the NEX 6 body.

The NX300, great balance between the two sony's all around. I can get their telephoto lens for a reasonable price as well. Their viewscreen though, is far superior to the A6000, at least to my eye.

In the end, for the $895.99 after taxes I could pay for the A6000 with just the kit lens and no memory card, I can buy the Samsung with the 18-55 mm lens, a 32GB memory card, a wall charger for the battery, the telephoto lens and a tripod (super cheap one of course).

I could go with the NEX6 with just the kit lens and buy a tripod and memory card and stay under Budget as well.

I think I'm going with the Samsung. who knows though, theres a week between today and the day I am going to make the purchase so I will likely flip flop a bunch.

But after getting my hands on them today I really felt comfortable with the Samsung in my hands.
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Old 05-06-2014, 06:40 PM   #6
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Most accessories and other lens makers like Tamron and Sigma make lenses for two companies, Canon and Nikon. I always recommend to go with one of the big two for cameras.
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Old 05-06-2014, 06:52 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dissentowner View Post
Most accessories and other lens makers like Tamron and Sigma make lenses for two companies, Canon and Nikon. I always recommend to go with one of the big two for cameras.
Except neither has managed to make a great mirrorless camera. I love my Canon DSLRs but they're way behind Sony, Panasonic and Olympus.

I do have a Sigma 30mm lens for my Sony. It's excellent and was only $200.
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Old 05-07-2014, 11:56 AM   #8
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Have you looked at the Canon SL-1? Its about the same weight as the A6000 but gives you access to all the canon lenses. My concern about mirrorless is they often have really good specs on auto focus speeds but slow in practice. It would be interesting to take one out on a moving subject and see how many keepers you get.

I have even used the SL1(using high end lenses) for my sons hockey team pics and it performed well. The kit lens is fine for travel and you could always add a prime lens for low light. No wifi and gps but you can get sd cards with wi-fi so that's not an issue.

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Old 05-07-2014, 05:40 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flamenspiel View Post
Have you looked at the Canon SL-1? Its about the same weight as the A6000 but gives you access to all the canon lenses. My concern about mirrorless is they often have really good specs on auto focus speeds but slow in practice. It would be interesting to take one out on a moving subject and see how many keepers you get.

I have even used the SL1(using high end lenses) for my sons hockey team pics and it performed well. The kit lens is fine for travel and you could always add a prime lens for low light. No wifi and gps but you can get sd cards with wi-fi so that's not an issue.
The a6000 is a lot smaller and better in pretty much every way. I have a Metabones adapter so I can use my Canon glass, but I bought the a6000 because it's compact so that kinda defeats the purpose.
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Old 05-07-2014, 10:06 PM   #10
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And now, I'm in the a6000 camp, debated going down to the NEX 5 series but thats really too small for these man mitts.

Then the NEX 6 has horror stories about their menu set up and how unorganized it is.

Really, I should just pony up the dough and get the a6000. I don't want to get good at using these things and regret the small stuff later like having a viewfinder.

@Flamenspiel, I thought about DSLR but the body is too big for my needs. The size issue was a big factor in my decision to go Mirrorless.
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Old 05-07-2014, 11:12 PM   #11
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As a person who spent a lot of money on photographic equipment including five pro bodies and a variety of expensive lenses, my advice for a novice is to not fall into a quasi-professional camera trap set by camera store salespeople. Most amateur-grade DSLR's are simply not good enough for anything, regardless of the maker. And this is putting it mildly.

From your original post I understand that you need a reliable, easy to use camera for memories while traveling. I strongly recommend a compact rangefinder Nikon One V1 system with a 10mm/2.8 prime lens and a removable flash. It is a very compact and lightweight setup that would help you take excellent sharp high-res photos. I bought one for my wife and we took it with us to Switzerland last month. Very impressive little thing. Don't buy kit zooms that are also offered with it sometimes; they are crappy and useless. For what you need, a 10mm/2.8 prime is a great and fast all-purpose lens with decent optics. If you ever decide to take photography up a notch, Nikon One body can take any pro-grade Nikon F-mount full-frame lens with a simple adapter. And it should fit your budget nicely. Any questions, PM me, will be happy to help.

Sample shots in different lighting situations in a green programmable mode (nothing set manually):









Last edited by CaptainYooh; 05-07-2014 at 11:29 PM.
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Old 05-08-2014, 12:56 AM   #12
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I'm surprised it hasn't been said already (maybe because of budget) but if you can find one in your budget range, Fuji is currently making an unbeatable range of mirrorless cameras.

If it's not in the picture, then I'd go with Sony (who makes some of the best lenses available).

I, for one, applaud the decision to forgo the DSLR for something a little different and something that is really a lot more well suited to most people's needs. Whatever you choose, choose the highest quality build with what "feels right" to you. If it were me, I would avoid Samsung and stick with the Fuji/Sony/Olympus field of things, but if you think the Samsung meets all your needs then I can't personally fault you on it.

I have an X-Pro, and the wife has a high end Sony point-and-shoot. It's a great combo together. Look at the images produced by each camera with similar lenses, and see how you like the quality and colouring of the images. Regardless, it sounds like you're going to pick up a great camera.
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Old 05-08-2014, 01:11 AM   #13
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My personal opinion: if you're not looking for background blur, and you're shooting in daylight, any camera with a zoom lens is fine, and manual exposure is nice. If you're looking to do nightscapes, you need manual exposure up to 30 seconds and a tripod.

If you're doing low light with movement, tracking fast subjects, or trying to get bokeh (background blur, typically for portraiture), then the camera/lens starts to matter a lot more.

I wouldn't want to travel with a single prime lens. I'd want a zoom!

Last edited by SebC; 05-08-2014 at 01:34 AM.
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Old 05-08-2014, 01:14 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SebC View Post
My personal opinion: if you're not looking for background blur, and you're shooting in daylight, any camera with a zoom lens is fine, and manual exposure is nice. If you're looking to do nightscapes, you need manual exposure and a tripod.

If you're doing low light with movement, tracking fast subjects, or trying to get bokeh (background blur, typically for portraiture), then the camera/lens starts to matter a lot more.

I wouldn't want to travel with a single prime lens. I'd want a zoom!

A zoom... or two primes
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Old 05-08-2014, 01:33 AM   #15
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By the way, since we're talking mirrorless here. I picked up the 56mm 1.2 for the Fuji, and wide open that thing is BEASTMODE in low light.

Took a few shots of my wife in a dark museum and the detail it picked up was out of this world. No motion blur, just perfection. If any Fuji shooter is considering it, do it, the lens will make you jam your jeans.
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Old 05-08-2014, 01:33 AM   #16
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A zoom... or two primes
Two primes is still missing a lot. A zoom and a prime is a much better combo.
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Old 05-08-2014, 02:04 AM   #17
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I'm probably going to be slaughtered by those who love cameras... but here is my suggestion:

(Pitch fork comment) Sony makes great photo taking cameras for idiots (like me, or strangers) who never stray from auto, in the mirrorless and the RX100 lines.

I currently own a NEX 5N. It's "small" but it's still clunky as #### to run around with on a vacation if you don't have a dedicated camera bag. Great low light shots even though the NEX 5N lacks a dedicated flash. I'm considering the RX100 MKI (not MKII) right now for about $550 as a primary and giving my GF the NEX 5N.
The RX100 is smaller and takes great photos (Supposedly comparable to the NEX 5N). The ability of someone picking up the RX100 for the first time and taking a #### picture is excruciatingly low which is important to me. I was playing around with it at a Sony store and could only get blurry photos in semi low light if I moved half an inch after pushing the shutter. It's auto focus (Milliseconds) is way faster than the NEX 5N (1 second?) and I currrently already rarely get blurry photos.

Try the RX100 MK I or MKII and see what you think. Maybe it's not what you want, but give it a spin anyways. It's in your budget, it'll take great pics and it'll save you the weight of a bigger camera when running around on vacation. Even if you feel like a mirrorless or DSLR in the future, the RX100 still will make a great secondary and I don't foresee many point and shoots that size completely humiliating it any time soon. If you want to toy around, it has options, plus you can play with the flash angle to be a little artistic or something (that wobbly flash is actually a feature apparently).

Last edited by DoubleF; 05-08-2014 at 02:06 AM.
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Old 05-08-2014, 02:06 AM   #18
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Most amateur-grade DSLR's are simply not good enough for anything, regardless of the maker. And this is putting it mildly.
wut. This... is just not true. If that's putting it mildly, I'd like to see you put it not-mildly.

My advice to the OP is to not get too caught up in "specs" ie, 11fps vs 9fps seriously does not matter at all. Neither does MP at this point in the game. You will probably like some extra zoom (not a prime) and probably want fast (smart) autofocus. Tie-breaker is ease of use and comfort. The ability to quickly change shutter speed, aperture, ISO is a definite bonus.

I have a Fuji x100s, but I would hesitate to recommend it to a beginner, because I can see the learning curve being frustrating. I don't have any experience with the cameras you're looking at, but when people say the kit lens sucks, they are usually pixel-peeping nerds. Every kit lens I've ever seen for any camera is good enough for a beginner. Don't sweat it. Viewfinders are awesome... for people used to them. You won't miss it if you've never used one in the first place like 98% of the population.

You say, "I don't want to get good at using these things and regret the small stuff later like having a viewfinder.", but that is really the best case scenario. It would mean you stuck with photography long enough that you've reached the limitations of your camera. Sell it, upgrade to something else and eat the $200 or whatever you lost on the resale. Consider it a learning fee and be excited you can start to peep at pixels like the rest of us nerds.

#1 rule of whatever you buy is use it. #1 rule of taking good photographs is stand in front of interesting things. The camera you're holding while standing in front of that interesting thing isn't a big deal.
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Old 05-08-2014, 02:15 AM   #19
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Ah yes... specs. I really don't get why people run around spouting specs on cameras. It's like running around spouting specs on a computer. As sun said, the best camera is a camera you use. You're not going to die of eye cancer because you started taking instagram photos on an iphone. A amateur grade SLR isn't going to turn you blind, but the risk is that if you enter that amateur range SLR, you'll quickly desire to upgrade or downgrade. Go big or go home is good advice as long as you will use the camera you purchase.

Do you already use an SLR or mirrorless? Then you know the pains. If not, try borrowing one (any one), maybe a friend with a back up collecting dust, I dunno. Go hiking with it and take beautiful pictures with it and some point and shoot and then go home and compare the photos and evaluate whether the higher picture quality is worth it.

Pictures have a shelf life for me for like 2 weeks before they're buried in whatever back up drive till who knows when.
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Old 05-08-2014, 08:16 AM   #20
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I'm probably going to be slaughtered by those who love cameras... but here is my suggestion:

(Pitch fork comment) Sony makes great photo taking cameras for idiots (like me, or strangers) who never stray from auto, in the mirrorless and the RX100 lines.

I currently own a NEX 5N. It's "small" but it's still clunky as #### to run around with on a vacation if you don't have a dedicated camera bag. Great low light shots even though the NEX 5N lacks a dedicated flash. I'm considering the RX100 MKI (not MKII) right now for about $550 as a primary and giving my GF the NEX 5N.
The RX100 is smaller and takes great photos (Supposedly comparable to the NEX 5N). The ability of someone picking up the RX100 for the first time and taking a #### picture is excruciatingly low which is important to me. I was playing around with it at a Sony store and could only get blurry photos in semi low light if I moved half an inch after pushing the shutter. It's auto focus (Milliseconds) is way faster than the NEX 5N (1 second?) and I currrently already rarely get blurry photos.

Try the RX100 MK I or MKII and see what you think. Maybe it's not what you want, but give it a spin anyways. It's in your budget, it'll take great pics and it'll save you the weight of a bigger camera when running around on vacation. Even if you feel like a mirrorless or DSLR in the future, the RX100 still will make a great secondary and I don't foresee many point and shoots that size completely humiliating it any time soon. If you want to toy around, it has options, plus you can play with the flash angle to be a little artistic or something (that wobbly flash is actually a feature apparently).
Definitely don't see anything wrong with your comment, not that I've done enough to be a camera guy. I own the RX100MK2 as a small pick up alongside my T3i which I originally have shot with and continue to use.

The photo quality is great for the RX100 especially for its class as a point and shoot. At the same time if you want specifically a point and shoot it fails a little bit in that regard with being slightly chunkier and not as quick as its comparables in focusing. Quality both build and photography wise, it has no equal. Maybe when the RX200 comes out but of course that will cost a pretty penny.

Bounce flash is always a neat feature to have.


To throw my 2 cents, along with Fuji being mentioned as a Mirrorless alternative, Olympus has to be in the conversation as well for starter gear. If you're looking to have some potential to grow with, Mirrorless is a great way to go as the quality is 'good enough' that most people are impressed and/or content with the quality of photos. Range of lenses especially for micro 4/3rds is vast enough to provide solid coverage with primes and zooms. Honestly wish I went down that route now that I know what I know. Smaller body as well though I still enjoy the solid feel of a DSLR.

Also as for traveling, shooting with wide only all day. I like to live dangerously.
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