Searching for a new camera…what a rabbit hole

[guitarpreston]

Let me start off with I’m mostly a knuckle dragger. I’ve got a GoPro 7 black and an old Sony dsc-h200 from 2014 that I’ve permanently borrowed from my dad, and iPhone 12. I have used my GoPro quite a bit on mtb rides, and hadn’t messed with the Sony in a long time. Fast forward to this weekend and I decided to try to use something besides my phone to take some pics and vids shooting my ML. It’s in the upper 40s and the go pro won’t stay on so that’s a bummer. I assume the batteries are roached (I charged 3 the night prior). Set up the Sony and take some vids and later go to cut them together and it looks like it was taken on a dollar store Android (I know the nice ones have good cameras don’t start lol). So I’m now thinking about replacing both for some better shots of adventures and stuff with the family. Good grief what a rabbit hole that is. I’m not super adept when it comes to photo editing, color grading etc idk anything about shutter speeds or exposure. I just want something that will take better pictures and video than my phone. Wouldn’t mind a decent zoom but I can digiscope and get decent results instead of carrying around a huge lens. I know the action cam can never replace the regular camera and vice versa based on their uses so I’ll likely upgrade both.
What are you using that’s not super complicated?

 

[ElkBro]

Wow, this is a rabbit hole!

Two years ago, I brought out a full Sony A7 series/lens set up for a backcountry trip, but I didn’t like the extra weight. The pictures and videos were amazing, especially when using a longer zoom lens. Was it worth it? Debatable.

Last year, I used a DJI Pocket 3 and an iPhone Pro for video. The Pocket 3 was incredible - it had amazing stabilization and shot in 10-bit raw for color grading later. I mostly filmed in 120fps at 4K (12 megapixels) and took photo stills from that footage after I applied a grading. The problem was that it only had “digital zoom,” which I’m not a fan of because it degrades the image. For photos, I wouldn’t hesitate using an iPhone 12. That phone is great for taking pictures, as long as you frame the shot correctly.

If you’re thinking about getting into mirrorless cameras, wait for Sony to release the A7V in 2025 (hopefully). That will be a great camera for both stills and video. Just make sure you invest in good lenses.