Hard decision -- which mirrorless to choose?

<p>I am a DSLR user for many years now (of course there were the "old" SLR's from way back when as well) and I have been spending lots of time on different websites trying to figure out what I should buy among the several choices for a mirrorless camera.<br /> Sony (NEX and alpha series), Fuji, Panasonic, Olympus ... etc all offer great choices and that is why it is becoming a real chore to try and pick one!</p>

<p>My criteria are: (not necessarily in that order)<br /> 1. size and weight: I need something that is easier (than a DSLR) to carry/stuff in a coat pocket or a small case.<br /> 2. great IQ (I should have put that first) <br /> 3. comes with a built-in viewfinder <br /> 4. interchangeable lenses<br /> 5. offers a good-to-great IQ zoom lens (in the 14-16mm to 50-60mm range)<br /> 6. offers a great prime lens in the 24 to 35mm range.<br /> 7. good ergonomics<br /> *. I shoot RAW pretty much all the time with the DSLR's, if that counts. I wouldn't mind a camera which gives excellent results in JPEG as well.<br>

*. I don't do video, no matter how good the camera is for doing so.</p>

<p>Recent options have been:<br /> 1. Sony a6000 (when it becomes available)<br /> 2. Sony NEX 7<br /> 3. Fuji (too many to pick from ... but they all look good to me in terms of IQ and image quality)<br /> Note: with the Sony's, I can also use my SLR glass via an adapter (yes I know, the lenses become manual "everything" but that's OK)<br /> Maximum price range (with lens): $800 - 1200, give or take a few.</p>

<p>Suggestions anyone?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>JP</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I recently went through the same thing, trying to find a travel camera so as not to have to carry a full frame Canon kit around all the time. I narrowed my search down to the Sony NEX - 6 (or pick one) and the Fuji EX-1. While the smaller size of the Sony was a big draw, the lens selections available with the Fuji and the, in my view, excellent IQ sold me on the Fuji. I can't put it in my pants' pocket but it fits easily in a jacket pocket. The 35mm f/1.4 lens is a great addition to the zoom kit lens as a walk around. I've had no regrets at all in going for IQ over a slightly smaller size.</p>

<p>Most of your criteria were the same as mine when I went through the same decision process. I finally chose the NEX-6 and I have no regrets.</p>

<p>I also bought the Sony NEX-6 and have no regrets; the kit 16-50 lens is ok but the 35 f1.8 is better. regards, cb :-)</p>

<p>When I decided to finally try a MILC system, I made the choice because of a high end lens I wanted to use and then I purchased one older body that costed a fraction of the cost of the lens, to go with it. Together they would have fitted the top of your budget considering the "give or take a few" part. :)</p>

<p>I suggest to investigate what lenses you want to use and decide based on that. Lenses hold their value much better than camera bodies, are useful for a longer period of time, and impact image quality more visibly.</p>

In technical performance terms the Fujis and Sonys are pretty similar. The difference is design philosophy - Sony is more

electronics, Fuji is more dials and rings. Fuji lenses are usually better but more expensive.

<p>I also chose between the Fuji X-E1 and the Sony NEX 6. I got the Fuji, but the Sony was also excellent, and I would have been just as happy with it. I got the Fuji for two reasons 1) It looked cooler. 2) The 'kit' lens was a bit faster and of very good quality.</p>

<p>I am like the other earlier posts looking for a smaller, lighter outfit than my Nikon for travel. I ended up choosing the Sony NEX 6, I use it with the primary lens being the 16-70 f/4-very nice, clearly less compact than the kit 16-50 mm lens. I find the 10-18 mm lens a real winner, and the 24 mm f/1.8 is a beautiful lens for indoor candid; in short, lens choice is not an issue for me. Considerations that haven't been mentioned are the ergonomics and menus- I think these are really personal issues and maybe don't get enough consideration.I obviously haven't tried the A6000. But it appears the camera is very similar in handling to the NEX 6.</p>

<p><strong>For $800</strong>, a 24MP Sony Alpha A6000 Camera with it's 16-50mm is hard to beat. <br>

<br>

It's fine competitor runs a bit more than double that at $1,700. <br>

The 16MP Fujifilm X-T1 Camera with it's 18-55mm zoom; even with some extra capabilities, is it worth double?</p>

<h1> </h1>

<p> </p>

<p>If you prefer the Fuji ergonomics, sure it's worth double. The lens is also a lot better. But really, the better comparable for the A6000 would be the X-E2 kit at $1300, or the X-E1 kit at $800. The X-E1 doesn't have the PDAF sensor that the A6000 and X-E2 do, but it's really quite good and has the good kit lens.</p>

<p>If you want the smallest best quality cheapest approach with an EVF, the Sony NEX 5n/r/t with the external $250 EVF is still unsurpassed. I have the 5n. The a6000 gives a run for the money, but it is bigger and the EVF doesn't articulate, but it has its more current benefits too that are significant.<br>

The latest Olympus and Panasonic micro 4/3rds products are nice and offer a wide variety of lens options from both makers and are really really small good alternatives to point and shoot cameras, but I still can't make them make sense as the best choice for your "serious" gear. The sensors just don't measure up to APS-C sensor quality from what I have ever read or seen myself.<br>

Also, APS-C sensors have the benefit that other Legacy and older lenses are usable at something at least similar to their original focal lengths at a 1.5x crop instead of 2x crop. I am reluctant to poo poo Samsung given that I don't know much about their cameras...but I will still poo poo them. That leaves Sony and Fuji.<br>

If I didn't have any other film lenses (and I have a lot) and wanted maximum capability over size, I would just probably go with a Fuji X-E2 or X-T1 because the controls are intuitive and the available lenses are good.<br>

For anybody with legacy lenses like me, I would probably say go ahead and get the Sony A7 full frame. Use your Legacy lenses. Buy a couple new ones if you need AF and wait for more.</p>

<p>The real question is do you want a Sony NEX 6 or wait for the A6000 next month. I have the 6 and it's great and a great deal right now. Either would be fine. I'm sure others will have their favs to recommend.</p>

<p>Just a few thoughts / IMOPO on top of the several worthwhile opinions you've been given:<br>

* IMO, the big advantage of the Sony A6000 over any of the real competitors is what appears to be lighting-fast on-sensor phase-detection auto-focus. That alone would make me choose the A6000 over the NEX-6, but that may not matter to you, for the types of shots you take.<br>

* Sony's weakest spot is your zoom lens. The 16-50mm is <em>very</em> compact when off, but by all accounts it is optically mediocre. The Sony 18-55 is generally regarded as somewhat but not hugely better optically, but is much larger. The Sony / Zeiss 16-70mm is probably the lens to get, but it costs $998 alone, although B&H lists a $1299 kit with a NEX-6, Sony / Zeiss 16-70mm, and Sony 20mm f/2.8 (what a deal!).<br>

* The Fuji X-E1 kit ($799) and X-E2 kit ($1299) seem like good options too. I suspect their kit lens is better than the two cheaper Sony kit lenses but not quite as good as the Sony / Zeiss.<br>

* If you can live with the somewhat smaller Micro Four-Thirds sensor, the Panasonic GX7 + 14-42mm kit ($959) is interesting.<br>

There are other options that might fit your criteria, but I tend to dismiss them as too big a package and/or too expensive relative to their sensor sizes and/or other capabilities.</p>

 

<p>Everytime I see a Fuji photograph I want one of their cameras. Their lenses are also reported to be very good indeed. Sony have now moved into the first rank, making Canon look at bit tired and Nikon....well Nikon have gone mad and can be written off in my opinion. But Fuji seem to me to the the most photographer-friendly company out there.<br>

All this will count for nothing of course when you have to make the decision in the shop. I would definitely buy on instinct, as both options have considerable merit. It all comes down to how you feel when you pick them up. I knew within....I'd say less than 90 seconds...that I was going to buy my GX1- it just felt right as soon as I picked it up. I do not regret it. When I picked up the legendary X100S, it felt hollow and nothing like the quality I expected. I was intrigued by the A7 and have come back to handle it several times. I'd quite like one, but am waiting till I get my mitts on the XT1 before I decided which camera to desire. But do take a good look at the lens line-up. This is something Sony need to work on ugently. No more flashy bodies- get some decent lenses which don't cost a fortune</p>

<p>You have done a lot of research and you know a lot about the options. What make the decision hard are your criteria. You gave 7 conditions to consider, in fact, eight and the last one (which is not least important) is the price range. My suggestion is to reduce the number of conditions to two or three, and it's very unlikely you can ignore the price range. The second condition not to be ignored should be quality. Add only another condition and make your decision.<br>

My conditions were: Price less than $700, Great IQ, Convenient LCD+Viewfinder (as articulated LCD and OVF)</p>

<p>It's not fair! You tried to make us do the hard work for you. You have all the information you need you just need to sort them out. But with the criteria you got I think the answer is NONE.</p>

<p>Sony? Fuji? Flip a coin. I went for the XE-1 and 18-55 and have no regrets. The Fuji lenses are excellent.</p>

Depending on budget, any Fuji interchangeable lens camera in the X series, from the X-A1 to the X-T1.

I've used three of them and they are excellent.

<p>I went through the same process a while ago and picked the Olympus E-M5. Today I'd take an E-M10.<br>

<br />It's a hard decision because almost all the choices are good. Most of us aren't going to have a drastically better experience with one camera over another. <br>

<a href="https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/04/nex-7-lens-imatest-resolution-comparison">There are better Sony lenses than were available in 2012</a> but to me the lens situation in M43 is still far, far better. </p>

<p>Another vote for E-M10. I also agree that your list is too long and you expect too much from us. You should narrow down the list and tell us your preference. In the internet age, there are so many reviews on line, still not enough to get you started? Better tell us what specifically bothering you to make the decision. As far as I am concerned, there is no stand-out mirrorless system yet, and they each have a niche with a set of pros and cons.</p>

<p>My personal bias is also toward Fuji. They are innovative, do what they say they'll do, and unlike Nikcanon, and perhaps Sony, definitely stand behind their products by being aggressive with firmware upgrades, even for older cameras, and taking care of problems such as the relatively minor issue of flare (only with the door open and with bright light entering) on the X T-1. Ask Nikon how responsive they were to the D600 oil on the shutter issue. No one knows who will survive in the long run, but I'm a D800E user who uses his rarely and who uses his Fuji X E-1 and now X T-1 all the time.<br>

Remember, you're buying a company and a system, not just a camera or a lens.</p>

<blockquote>

<p> Sony's weakest spot is your zoom lens. The 16-50mm is <em>very</em> compact when off, but by all accounts it is optically mediocre.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>As someone who owns both of the Sony kit zooms, please allow me to disagree with "all accounts". I have tested the two head to head and while the 18-55mm is very nicely made, the tiny 16-50mm, though more plastic feeling, is better optically at all similar focal lengths. Yes, there is extreme corner vingetting and high distortion at 16mm(software correctable) but from 18mm on it's quite good. Especially one stop down from wide open. As good as any kit lens I've ever used from Canon or Nikon. I saw the Photozone images and assessment and, while I generally find their testing good, it does not jive with my experience, or images, with this kit lens. In addition to being a decent anti-shake kit optic and super compact, it focuses lighting fast. My experience with the lens is on a NEX 6. I don't know how it will fare on a 24mp sensor.</p>

<p>personally, i chose the Fuji system, mainly because i wanted to build an actual system, not just stop with the kit lens. the responses so far will tell you there are a lot of choices out there that are capable, so it really comes down to what you want to do, what UI you prefer, and how far you want to go in the system. btw, people say the Xe1 isnt an action camera, and though the focus isnt nearly as accurate as a pro DSLR, it is possible to get good action shots in extreme low-light with the 35/1.4 and a fast SD card. the 18-55 is reportedly even faster to focus.</p>

<p>I have been going through this choice myself. My criteria pretty much matches yours, except for number three. I am willing to compromise on the small size as well as viewfinder requirement, with the preference for small size. Since I want to keep my DSLR system in place, and thus the investment, I was trying to optimize cost as well. Your number three requirement would remove it from consideration, but I am right now gravitating towards the Fuji X-M1. As I read it, give or take a little, it is highly comparable to X-E1/X-Pro1 and close to X-E2 (except for the PD AF) in performance and most features, though it lacks the viewfinder.</p>

<p>I am staying away from any sensor smaller than APS-C, simply because APS-C is the smallest sensor size I think I can live with for subject-separation/DoF purposes.</p>

<p>I am also tempted by this <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/980267-REG/samsung_ev_nx2000btbus_nx2000_with_20_50_and.html">Samsung deal</a>, wonder what people think of this as a travel set? The only reservation is the lack of OIS on the 20-50, and that the wide is not wide enough.</p>

<p>I want to thank everyone for their input and I now have tweaked my choices down to two choices, having come to the conclusion that I am willing to up the price range a bit:</p>

<p>1. <strong>Sony a6000</strong> with the SEL 18-55mm for $1149.00 at Henry's Camera (Canada) -- not available until the third week of April 2014 but I am in no rush.<br /> One thought: get the a6000 with the kit lens ($799.00) and maybe consider getting the 18-55mm later if I don't like the kit lens?<br /> I thought that, at first, the SEL 16-50 would be OK and the kit price would be lower ($799.00) but I keep reading all kinds of negative comments on how "bad" it is at the 16-18 mm end.</p>

<p>2. <strong>Fuji XE-1</strong> with the 18-55 kit lens at $799.00 (same price as the Sony a6000 w/ kit lens)<br /> I am trying to convince myself that the Fuji has better "end results", i.e.: image quality?<br>

The XE-2 (kit) is very tempting but I am pushing the budget another $150.00 over that of the a6000/SEL 18-55</p>

<p>So, I'm going to "sleep on it" for a few days ... Unfortunately, there are no Sony nor Fuji dealers around here and that would probably make a huge difference if I were able to hold the cameras in my hands before making a final decision.<br /> Cheers for now and, thanks to everyone again for helping me out with this.</p>

<p>JP</p>