Upgrading From iPhone

I have a funny feeling this has been asked 2.3 billion times, but I'm having no luck searching (or coming up with the right search terms).

 

I'm rekindling my interest in photography. I even got nostalgic about film, but now that I have processed a few rolls recently, I have decided to stick to digital instead of film. I do have a couple inexpensive but fantastic cameras for 35mm (Kodak Retina IIIC (big C)) and medium format (Voigtlander Perkeo II 6x6 and Bessa II 6x9, though the Bessa wasn't inexpensive). With my old Rollei 35S that I've kept over the last 30 years, I'm sure these will quench any future thirst for the film experience.

 

Now for digital...I have an iPhone 11 Pro that produces some quite acceptable images given the convenience of always being in my pocket. But I want to turn it up a few notches. I don't want a "system" camera like I did in the "old days" (a Nikon or Leica and a small variety of lenses). I do want the best quality I can get in a package that is small enough to carry with me without thinking twice about carrying a bulky camera bag.

 

Two cameras that have piqued my interest are the Fujifilm X100V, and a Lumix (model escapes my memory). I shoot mostly candids (the 35mm film equivalent of a 35mm focal length was my favorite) and some portraits (where the 90mm lens in 35mm film format was my favorite). Would the X100V be "unflattering" as a portrait camera? Would a zoom lens (roughly 28 or 35 to 90mm focal length in the 35mm film format) on a Lumix provide better results?

 

My true question is to know what you might recommend? The X100V and Lumix zoom are only a couple examples that come to mind. What would you suggest as a portable but highly capable digital camera that can produce flattering portraits as well as street-scenes or group photos?

 

Or, if this question has indeed been asked too many times to interest you in answering, might you direct me to existing discussions, or offer some choice search terms? Thanks in advance!

Olympus Pen-F with 17mm 25mm f1.8 or is also worth considering or with a 12-40 zoom. It is a system camera, but you don't have to use the whole system of course.

The X100V and Lumix zoom are only a couple examples that come to mind. What would you suggest as a portable but highly capable digital camera that can produce flattering portraits as well as street-scenes or group photos?

 

The (choice of) camera is not what produces 'flattering portraits' - the lighting and the skills of the photographer are the main ingredients.

 

I think what you might be getting at is "will I be limited with a fixed focal length lens camera, like the X100v?"

 

Considering -

 

"I don't want a "system" camera like I did in the "old days" (a Nikon or Leica and a small variety of lenses)." and "I shoot mostly candids (the 35mm film equivalent of a 35mm focal length was my favorite) and some portraits (where the 90mm lens in 35mm film format was my favorite)."

 

Then I think if you want to begin a new journey, picking up from your film days, a zoom lens choice would be best for you.

 

WW

I would expect that a 35mm FOV equivalent lens would not be ideal for a tight head shot but would be fine for almost anything else. If you really want a 35mm FF FOV, then the Fuji X100 may be what you want. Other pocketable alternatives would be the Sony RX100 series and similar cameras from Panasonic and Canon which use a large sensor (for a compact camera), but a sensor that is still much smaller than the APSc sensor in the Fuji. Those cameras have zooms generally from 24mm (FF FOV) up to 200mm.

 

Any interchangeable lens camera will of course be far larger and heavier than these fixed lens alternatives. You may want to consider a Nikon Z50 with its very compact 16-50mm kit lens (24-75mm FF FOV). Really good camera, great sensor, and purportedly a really sharp kit lens.

The Lumix LX100 II is made for you. Large sensor, yet pocketable and useful zoom range:

Panasonic DC-LX100 II Review

I have a Sony RX100iv. The later models (I think they're up to RX100vii or viii) zoom from 24-200. It will fit in your shirt pocket and provides 4K video as well They use 1" sensors which do great on my 75" UHDTV. Be forewarned, they're expensive. Here are some shots.

Flickr Search

If you're looking at the Fuji X100 series cameras, you might also want to take a look at the X-E series.

 

An X-E4 with the 27mm f2.8 pancake is about the same size and considerably cheaper than an X100V. It is an interchangeable lens system, but as above, you don't have to use it as such.

I never really shot an iPhone, but believe Fujis are a pretty close match, when it comes to getting great pictures straight out of camera. Buy something cute and fairly recent to go with their awesome 18-55 "kit"zoom (thats their more expensive one).

 

Sorry, there is still no workaround for ill suited focal lengths. If you occasionally need a 90mm (equivalent) either get a zoom or a 2nd lens or maybe a different 2nd camera, to use on such occasions. 2 Fujis can still be lighter than a DSLR with bigger zoom.

Another possibility is something like the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS or one of the other Powershots like the

Canon PowerShot SX540 which is cheaper.

 

However, I have to confess that I personally actually went from one of the older Powershots for a 'pocket' camera to my iPhone, because I really do have the phone in my pocket almost all of the time, even if the 'quickie' images are not so good.

 

Edited February 19, 2021 by JDMvW