Didn't think I would be wanting another camera so soon

jonbeeza

jonbeeza

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I bought an old D90 a few month ago, this was to simply throw over the shoulder and go off. This was to be without too much of a worry about it getting damaged, seeing it was an old camera that did not cost me a lot. I use it mainly for wildlife, and other things that I spot in the distance. So I always have the 28-300 lens stuck to it. Trouble is, I am starting to notice the weight, when I go on longer walks.

So I am looking for something much more lighter, with the same sort of focal range and IQ or better. Not looking for a new purchase, but something a little on the older side. What could get for a few hundred quid? Certainly not interested in a bridge camera, I really dislike them.
 
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twist said:
How much exactly is a few hundred quid?
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Probably somewhere in the region of three or four, so only looking at much older stuff. It is only as a camera for when I go on my long walks.
 
twist said:
Youd likely need to go to M43 (the d90 is not a hefty dslr) and then maybe something like a 14-150mm.
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Just stuck the camera and lens on the kitchen scales, and D90 with old 28-300 lens combined weight is 2LB 9OZ. A bag of Sugar weighs 2LB 3OZ. It may not be a lot of weight to most people, but I am of slight build, plus I am a little on the older side. :)
 
jonbeeza said:
Probably somewhere in the region of three or four, so only looking at much older stuff. It is only as a camera for when I go on my long walks.
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Olympus 14-150, but could look at the Panasonic 14-140mm at a little less.

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Then look at a M43 body, something like a EM10 / EM5 / GX7 / G6

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Lefrash said:
a sony a6000 is cheap and cheerful these days! small, light, although you might struggle to get a cheap 300m lens
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I agree, No such thing as a cheap Sony 300mm :LOL::LOL:

I had the Sigma 300mm f2.8 at around £3,500 - lovely lens but not cheap or light

Les
 
jonbeeza said:
I bought an old D90 a few month ago, this was to simply throw over the shoulder and go off. This was to be without too much of a worry about it getting damaged, seeing it was an old camera that did not cost me a lot. I use it mainly for wildlife, and other things that I spot in the distance. So I always have the 28-300 lens stuck to it. Trouble is, I am starting to notice the weight, when I go on longer walks.

So I am looking for something much more lighter, with the same sort of focal range and IQ or better. Not looking for a new purchase, but something a little on the older side. What could get for a few hundred quid? Certainly not interested in a bridge camera, I really dislike them.
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How about a change of lens? A DX 18-200 will be lighter than the 28-300. Or even an 18-300.

Screenshot_2020-07-26 Nikon Camera Lens NIKKOR Lenses for DSLR, Wide Angle Lenses UK.png
 
One possible drawback with the GM5 is that it's electronic shutter only with the mix of advantages and disadvantages that brings.

I have a Panasonic GX80 and a GX9. These are RF style MFT cameras so you save the EVF hump and some grip bulk. Of the two the GX80 will possibly be cheaper, it's 16mp rather than the 20mp of the GX9 but personally I see next to no difference in image quality. The GX9 is the better camera and has things the GX80 doesn't such as the tilting evf, a physical focus mode switch and also has auto ISO with exposure compensation in manual mode. The GX80 is a maybe a teeny bit smaller and lighter and no doubt cheaper.
 
Thanks for the replies so far.

I am looking at used camera sites, and having a nose at Mirrorless. Lots of reasonable priced bodies, just the lenses are where the cost is.
 
jonbeeza said:
Thanks for the replies so far.

I am looking at used camera sites, and having a nose at Mirrorless. Lots of reasonable priced bodies, just the lenses are where the cost is.
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One good thing about MFT is that the lenses are IMO reasonably priced and reasonably easy to find on the used market.
 
My current walk about set up cost less than £200. Old D90 and an old Tamron 28-300 lens. I really don't see the need to spend a massive amount of money. There are plenty of very old cameras and lenses out there, they are still very capable, and still produce good images. It is just a case of tracking them down.

I am looking at pre owned sites now.
 
At £200 or there abouts I think you're going to struggle to get anything significantly better than what you have now. You may be lucky, but it may take work , persistence and luck and what you end up with may still be a creaking old DSLR and cheaper superzoom. Maybe a Canon 20D and a Sigma 28-300mm (I had both of those) could be worth a look? As far as I remember the 20D was a bit of a step up from the D90 but if it's enough of a step up to bother I'm not sure. Another option could be a FF Canon 5D (the original 5D) and the Sigma 28-300mm.

Back in MFT land I had a Panasonic G1 which I really liked and they and the slightly more recent G2 can sometimes be found for peanuts but although the IQ is IMO very good at ISO 100-400 at higher ISO's these cameras show their age against newer and more expensive options and longer lenses are often more expensive too.
 
jonbeeza said:
My current walk about set up cost less than £200. Old D90 and an old Tamron 28-300 lens. I really don't see the need to spend a massive amount of money. There are plenty of very old cameras and lenses out there, they are still very capable, and still produce good images. It is just a case of tracking them down.

I am looking at pre owned sites now.
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Not if you want that zoom range, a big sensor and a much lighter setup. Thats the catch.
 
I'd think laterally and look at carrying systems that spread the load better. IMO you're unlikely to find anything that will offer similar IQ at a significantly lighter weight, so try making the weight easier to handle. When I'm carrying my Fuji with the 100-400 mounted, I tend to hook the lens's foot over the chest strap of my camera rucksack, maybe a similar "hack" would help you, Jon. Even a simple neoprene strap (I use Op-Tech ones for my heavier kit) makes carrying an outfit like a D750 with a 70-300 VR mounted easy.
 
I'd look at a proper pocketable camera to complement what you have.
One with a decent zoom restricts your options and tends to boost the price.
 
@jonbeeza is it the weight or is it how you're carrying it? "Back in the day" when narrow straps were standard getting a wide strap made the world of difference to me...
 
woof woof said:
At £200 or there abouts I think you're going to struggle to get anything significantly better than what you have now. You may be lucky, but it may take work , persistence and luck and what you end up with may still be a creaking old DSLR and cheaper superzoom. Maybe a Canon 20D and a Sigma 28-300mm (I had both of those) could be worth a look? As far as I remember the 20D was a bit of a step up from the D90 but if it's enough of a step up to bother I'm not sure. Another option could be a FF Canon 5D (the original 5D) and the Sigma 28-300mm.

Back in MFT land I had a Panasonic G1 which I really liked and they and the slightly more recent G2 can sometimes be found for peanuts but although the IQ is IMO very good at ISO 100-400 at higher ISO's these cameras show their age against newer and more expensive options and longer lenses are often more expensive too.
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But there will still be a fair bit of weight there. So I will probably look at Mirrorless. I could up the budget a bit, if I liked the set up, and it was a much lighter option.
 
jonbeeza said:
Absolutely nothing wrong with them, I just think they look ugly.
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Thats an interesting point of view :p If you can get past the "look", I think you'd be very happy with a Sony RX10 mark one, Panasonic FZ1000 for sure.They"look" very good anyway, I'd argue, and definitely deliver the goods!
 
4wd said:
I'd look at a proper pocketable camera to complement what you have.
One with a decent zoom restricts your options and tends to boost the price.
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I already have a Canon G7X, but that is only 24mm to 100mm. I go for a lot of long walks, and I like spotting the wildlife and various other subjects across the canal, so I would like a decent zoom.
 
jonbeeza said:
But there will still be a fair bit of weight there. So I will probably look at Mirrorless. I could up the budget a bit, if I liked the set up, and it was a much lighter option.
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Much lighter = M43 as already posted. The lenses arent expensive unless you are buying top glass as with any system, but you only mentioned wanting a walkabout lens with the same focal length of your dslr, which there arent many combo options.

Lets start again, will you be carrying / purchasing other lenses?
 
hunnymonster said:
@jonbeeza is it the weight or is it how you're carrying it? "Back in the day" when narrow straps were standard getting a wide strap made the world of difference to me...
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I go for long walks, and I am noticing the weight. Even with it slung over my shoulder. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am only very small built and I am getting on a little. To me it feels like a fair bit of weight. It is OK if I am taking photos in one spot, and not wandering too far. But I have started to do longer walks, to try and keep fit.


IMG_2330.JPG

The camera and lens may look small in my hand, but I soon notice the weight of the combo, after a few miles.
 
twist said:
Much lighter = M43 as already posted. The lenses arent expensive unless you are buying top glass as with any system, but you only mentioned wanting a walkabout lens with the same focal length of your dslr, which there arent many combo options.

Lets start again, will you be carrying / purchasing other lenses?
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No, I only plan on carrying one lens, for when I am doing my long walks.
 
Again, try a wider strap! Even my old F65 with a 50mm started to dig in to my shoulder after an hour or 2 with the standard narrow strap. An Op-Tech Pro strap will make even a D90/28-300 combo feel light.
 
This is what I use, love it ....

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That's the GX80+45-150 .... total weight = 626gms

There's a smaller body, the GX800 @ 269gms, the above lens @ 200gms. Total weight = 469gms

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EDIT to add some wildlife samples, all GX80+45-150:

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Or Olympus omd-em1 + the one of the lightweight Lenses mentioned above .. a used body with warranty can be had for circa £200 and lens about £100
 
keep the D90 and buy a decent Lowepro rucksack which, with chest straps, will spread the load considerably

I use one (79yo not fit, asthmatic)..... (y)
 
Thanks again for all the replies, I have been looking at a few used bodies, it is just the lens really. I want something lightweight. I do have a camera bag that the D90 will fit in with the lens attached, and the bag does fit snuggly over my shoulder. I have recently lost a hell of a lot of weight, and I have started to do long walks, so I now notice the weight of the camera.

Seems silly I know, as the lost body weight should negate the weight of the camera. But with my body feeling so light now, I can notice the camera weight instantly. Anyway, off to trawl the used camera sites for a mirrorless of some sort. I have taken note of suggestions offered above. Thanks :)
 
Here's a couple of links for you Jon @jonbeeza

GX800 at MPB

Pana 45-150 at MPB

£154 + £124

I got into this stuff on recommendations by peeps on this site.

I'm using the GX80+45-150 (300 equiv) to replace my Nikon D5300+18-200 (300 equiv) because I'm getting old and weak.

I also have a Panasonic 100-300, but find it a bit unwieldy.
 
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GX80 is a good call, heard decent things too about the Panasonic 14-140mm

For a bit more cash the GX9 is excellent, use mine all the time for travel photography.
Unlike you I don't want long focal lengths so it mostly has a 12-35mm attached
 
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The GX9 will probably be my next body.

I've not used the Pana 14-140 but it sounds appealing.

Fab lenses I've got include the 12-60 and the 25 f1.7

The 12-32 that came with my GX80 is one I can't get on with, although it's in my bag when out with the 45-150. It's tiny.
 
d00d said:
The GX9 will probably be my next body.

I've not used the Pana 14-140 but it sounds appealing.

Fab lenses I've got include the 12-60 and the 25 f1.7

The 12-32 that came with my GX80 is one I can't get on with, although it's in my bag when out with the 45-150. It's tiny.
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I'm with you about the 12-32, no love for that at all and sold mine on pretty quickly.
I have a fair selection of lenses, primes and zooms and find m4/3 is perfect for all my purposes

Back to the OP now, if you want a DSLR style body the G80 is very good and about half a pound lighter than your D90, smaller too.
Very nice camera, in body stabilisation (as is the GX80 and GX9) and weather proof too
 
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d00d said:
Here's a couple of links for you Jon @jonbeeza

GX800 at MPB

Pana 45-150 at MPB

£154 + £124

I got into this stuff on recommendations by peeps on this site.

I'm using the GX80+45-150 (300 equiv) to replace my Nikon D5300+18-200 (300 equiv) because I'm getting old and weak.

I also have a Panasonic 100-300, but find it a bit unwieldy.
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Thanks for the suggestion and link. Only little niggle, would be no view finder. Just trawling through MPB now, and looking at mirrorless option.
 
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