The 3 best cameras on the market IMO

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Tario & I are big gadget and tech junkies. We talk about gadgets nearly as much as we talk golf clubs.

I wanted to make a post about what I think are the best 3 cameras currently available that are not medium-format.

I'm excluding brands like Leica & hasselblad.

- Sony A7R - 36mp no AA. same Sensor as D800E but in a small package - able to use nearly any lenses with adaptor: Nikon/Canon/Ziess etc..

- Nikon D800E - 36mp no AA. sharpest best still images available today and killer dynamic range

- Canon 5D mkIII - 22mp best performance at high ISO, low noise in darker settings, hackable with ability to shoot RAW Video, fast & snappy to use

All of these are in the 2500-3000 range body only. Lenses are the expensive part but if your looking for a kick ass Camera these are the choices I suggest.

Here is a size reference chart with the A7R

A7R Photos

Nikon D800E

5d MKIII

[wmclarenf1]

The 800E takes in hands down for me for the stars and stripes bikini shot! All else is not important!!!!! :-)

[mygreenaliem]

I have D800E and it's very special indeed.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

I have D800E and it's very special indeed.

You have the beast of the bunch. I think the E produces the sharpest photos of any camera with top class dynamic range. Now imagine that same sensor in the small A7R. Your also able to use metabones III adapters to use other brands lenses like Nikon & Canon while still maintaining autofocus & image stabilization.

[604_skyline]

Chris,

if one were to purchase a D800E, which lenses would you recommend to go with it?

as well, why the reason to exclude Leica?

Edited December 10, 2013 by 604_skyline

[hardboiled]

Chris,

if one were to purchase a D800E, which lenses would you recommend to go with it?

as well, why the reason to exclude Leica?

The 24-70 would be a great general purpose lens.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Mjr. D]

I also have a D800E and it is almost flawless. It can do everything with all it's modes, cropping ability, FX/DX, color metering, 51pt (D4) autofocus system. Files are huge but who cares, a terabyte HD is becoming cheaper and cheaper.

[hardboiled]

I just got an Sony A7R with a Carl Zeiss 35mm.

All the image quality of the D800E in a tiny package. I still cant believe the photos that this cam takes.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

I just got an Sony A7R with a Carl Zeiss 35mm.

All the image quality of the D800E in a tiny package. I still cant believe the photos that this cam takes.

I've got the same, It's amazing. It can be a little too much detail at times, the autofocus is pretty bad so I use manual focus peaking most of the time. I picked up the metabones III adapter and put all my L glass on the A7R. It takes some of the softer canon lenses and cranks them sharp. I'll post pics shortly. Trouble with keeping RAW clean still it's so new.

I consider this camera unforgiving.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Chris,

if one were to purchase a D800E, which lenses would you recommend to go with it?

as well, why the reason to exclude Leica?

Leica is very special indeed and we should also throw in the Nikon DF which has the D4 sensor in it. It depends on what your going for really. I have a MKIII which is soft and snappy. I would always envy the sharpness of the D800E but was already invested in canon glass. So when the A7R comes around it has the D800E processor in it and an adapter that maintains auto focus, peaking, image stabilization and all the perks I'm on board. I can also use Nikon glass too!

Also Leica is just too expensive, if your a gear junkie you get the body and go nuts on lenses. With Leica that's not as easy.

The question is do you want a small or very big camera? Are you willing to give up focus IQ for a reduction in size?

The A7 should be in the mix as well as that is the A99 sensor in it. That camera fixes most of the autofocusing issues that the A7® yet is slightly less sharp.

[604_skyline]

Leica is very special indeed and we should also throw in the Nikon DF which has the D4 sensor in it. It depends on what your going for really. I have a MKIII which is soft and snappy. I would always envy the sharpness of the D800E but was already invested in canon glass. So when the A7R comes around it has the D800E processor in it and an adapter that maintains auto focus, peaking, image stabilization and all the perks I'm on board. I can also use Nikon glass too!

Also Leica is just too expensive, if your a gear junkie you get the body and go nuts on lenses. With Leica that's not as easy.

The question is do you want a small or very big camera? Are you willing to give up focus IQ for a reduction in size?

The A7 should be in the mix as well as that is the A99 sensor in it. That camera fixes most of the autofocusing issues that the A7® yet is slightly less sharp.

no too worried about size or anything like that as you mentioned in your first question. I am ultimately just looking for as close to a perfect all around camera one could buy, I know they are all going to have little flaws here and there, but if there was one out there that was as close to perfect as you could get would that be the 800E?

finally what lens would you personally recommend with the 800E?

you seem to like the a7 is that cause you can use lens' from different manufacturers?

[+TourSpecGolfer]

If your new to photography you may want to go with a prosumer camera and not a professional camera.

If all you want is power and you don't mind carrying a BEAST around the 800 or 800E is awesome! It's big and lugging around lenses is not easy at all. In fact you end up leaving your camera at home more when it's that big.

I can't suggest a lens to you because I don't know what you shoot. I would say stay away from most zoom lenses. Prime's are the best.

What I'm drooling over is the Ziess Otus 55 1.4

If your new to photography many of these items are like a 26hcp playing razor thin blades, you may want something more forgiving.

[Bill3508]

What prosumer camera would you recommend?

[+TourSpecGolfer]

What prosumer camera would you recommend?

What types of things would you shoot the most?

[Shambles]

I'm old school so I'm still of the frame of mind that the lens makes the camera. Granted that the new chips have expanded the role of the camera bodies, a good lens that balances well on the body is a must for any general purpose camera. Most of the time, a 50mm will be plenty good but I like the added flex of a handy zoom like my 28-105mm. For portraits I like the 105 but prefer the flexibility of the 80-200 especially for giving the model room and also for softening features. It also works pretty good for landscape. I'm still using the D200 but don't do a lot of shooting these days.

Shambles

[Mjr. D]

Best overall camera regardless of size and if you're not a pixel peeper would probably be the 5DMKIII. Pair that with the 24-70 II (best zoom on the planet in that range) and a 70-200 F/4 or F/2.8 and you're laughing.

If you want best overall camera and are a pixel peeper and don't mind large files it's the D800E - 14-24, 24-70, 70-200. Done.

Zooms are great unless you're a pixel peeping elitist snob (which many photographers are and that's ok!).

Other choices are definitely the new A7r - except auto focus isn't great, apparently and it uses OLED finder.

And yes the new Otus is THE single best lens for an SLR ever made, hands down. I want one just to hold in my hands, lol.

[Mjr. D]

Little compact pocket cam with great image quality - Sony RX100 II.

[604_skyline]

is this Ziess Otus 55 1.4 compatible with the d800e?

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Best overall camera regardless of size and if you're not a pixel peeper would probably be the 5DMKIII. Pair that with the 24-70 II (best zoom on the planet in that range) and a 70-200 F/4 or F/2.8 and you're laughing.

If you want best overall camera and are a pixel peeper and don't mind large files it's the D800E - 14-24, 24-70, 70-200. Done.

Zooms are great unless you're a pixel peeping elitist snob (which many photographers are and that's ok!).

Other choices are definitely the new A7r - except auto focus isn't great, apparently and it uses OLED finder.

And yes the new Otus is THE single best lens for an SLR ever made, hands down. I want one just to hold in my hands, lol.

Mr.D knows his stuff. I personally got the 5d MKIII over the D800 or D800E because It's faster and more snappy and also has really good high ISO performance. Skyline, this is what I would suggest if you want something a bit easier to use and want to capture things that move. It's not about megapixils or prestige, it's about what will get YOU the best pictures. The D800E is for professional print photographers. You want to know your style before jumping to something that big, It could be like trying to hit drives with a putter. You could easily spend 10-20k to realize it's not what you wanted.

Yes the Ziess Otuss 55 1.4 works like a dream with the D800E but It sounds like you just want to toss money at something. It's like golf you need to know your game before you buy. I'm almost positive you will hate lugging around an expensive beast like that. If you are not very comfortable with shooting with M or manual don't buy this sort of camera. In photography lessons are even more important than they are in golf! It takes at least years to learn so start on something like Mr. D says 24-70 on the 5d mkIII. It's still arguably equal to the D800. It's the same price as the D800E just more user friendly with the D800E you will have a harder time capturing moving objects, harder time getting focus which is most important, and it may just be too sharp.

Also look at the Nikon DF, It's the D4 sensor in a retro package. Awesome camera!

Little compact pocket cam with great image quality - Sony RX100 II.

Totally and it's a great price as well. My wife had the RX100 then moved to the Fuji X100S, RX10 is awesome too but I think the A7 image quality is top notch. A99 DSLR in a tiny package. Revolutionary and no doubt the A7/A7R are the biggest thing to happen in photography in years.

Here's a fun vid:

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[Mjr. D]

All points SPOT on. Nice job Chris!

[604_skyline]

Chris,

I could see your point as per you mention of just throwing money at something, but in the end I think we are all here because we like the best of the best, not only in the golf world, but just in general, like you with your vehicles as well, sure it maybe overkill, but there is something to be said about quality and piece of mind that you have the best of the best.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Chris,

I could see your point as per you mention of just throwing money at something, but in the end I think we are all here because we like the best of the best, not only in the golf world, but just in general, like you with your vehicles as well, sure it maybe overkill, but there is something to be said about quality and piece of mind that you have the best of the best.

I totally understand what you are saying, you want the absolute best, but there is no best in this hobby, it's similar to golf clubs. Best what? Most megapixels, Best Low light performance, Best Autofocus, Best ISO performance? No camera has everything.

It comes down to what you will shoot and at what focal length and what type of shooting experience you desire.

I do have a recommendation, the Hasselblad H4D 200MS – $45,000 for just the body and figure about 5-15k per lense, 5 lenses would make a great collection. It's the top of the line camera from one of the best camera makers in the world. It has an resolution of 200 million pixels and I guarantee everyone will be impressed with your gear.

[604_skyline]

I do get your point, maybe a better question I should have asked earlier in the thread would have been a nice quality camera that a beginner who could/would take lessons and not out grow the initial purchase and could work his way into optimizing the camera that he purchased originally, if that makes any sense?

But then again that contradicts your point about a beginner buying a set of blades....

Edited December 21, 2013 by 604_skyline

[Mjr. D]

D800E

[Mjr. D]

DX mode with proper vertical grip or AA batteries - 6FPS.

You can use this camera almost anyway you want. 51pt autofocus in DX mode at 6fps and it's good sports camera.

Best dynamic range on the market.

37mp (huge cropping ability)

Focusing sees in color (5D MKIII only black and white)

14-24 - best wide angle lens on earth

24-70 - top two or three zooms on earth (in this range)

70-200 - top two or three zooms on earth (in this range).

Some of the best ISO performance in RAW there is.

Bult in Flash (5DMKIII doesn't have one)

Most versatile camera available there is.

Looks awesome, weather sealing, etc, etc.

Menu banks suck and Ken Rockwell will tell you his 5DMKIII destroys his D800 but he's about the only one.

5DMKIII if you want all around excellence and usability and shoot jpegs, primarily.

D800E if you want a special tool with unlimited flexibility and lasting power and shoot raws, primarily.