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Charles B

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Charles
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For travel and street stuff I very happily use an Olympus E-M1 Mkii. I’m now in the market for something to use on a tripod for landscape. macro and a bit of portrait work. I’m drawn to full frame and like to print keepers up to A3. I have a budget of around £1,500 for camera and lens(es) and would happily buy used.
My research has thrown up several possibilities but to help my decision I would really welcome any thoughts from anyone kind enough to oblige.
 
This is where you are going to get bombarded with loads of suggestions that are all very well meaning but unlikely to provide a definitive answer - simply because there is no one single correct answer.

First up has to be - what is your current kit lacking? Can you get A3 prints out of it that you're happy with? If so, then 1500 quid is a great budget for what you need lens wise with your current camera. Just a quick look at camerapricebuster shows you can get an Olympus 7-25mm lens as well as a 60mm macro for £1300, and that's brand new, and 2 high quality lenses. That allows for an average tripod, but if you bought 2nd hand you could save another £100. Thats without going grey market where its cheaper still ( but that's a discussion for another time that's been done to death )

If you're adamant that you want full frame, then really its older kit (that can still get incredible results - being a couple of generations behind doesn't matter too much in theses genres as you don't ned the latest AF or ultra high ISO)

Here it's something like a Canon 5d mark 3 or Nikon d800, both in the region of £500 with good used lens options available.

Sony is realistically probably out of price range

Mike
 
The cheapest way into mirrorless FF is with an early Sony A7 model. The earlier model don't have the latest focusing goodies but are easily up to landscape and portrait use. A used A7III and one lens could possibly be in budget and if not then a used A7 or A7II should be easily possible and either of these could leave more money available for a lens or lenses.

I have Panasonic MFT cameras and the image quality I get from my 1st generation Sony A7 easily surpasses anything I've ever got from MFT.

Oh, and one thing you can do with these cameras is use film era manual lenses on them via cheap dumb adapters. You can do this on an Olympus MFT camera too but on a FF mirrorless camera film era lenses will give their intended FoV.

I've just done a quick google and a Sony A7II and 35 and 85mm f1.8's could be in budget or swap one of these for the 24mm f2.8 G.
 
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Many thanks for the replies. Can’t help but be drawn to full frame even ‘though my Olympus will print to A3. I suppose it’s about wanting the best possible image quality, dynamic range, good bokeh etc.
 
Bigger sensors often give a greater sense of depth than smaller ones, so I'd quite understand why you want to do this.

I'd probably consider Nikon D810 if more of your work is landscape, D750 if lower weight and more mobility/fewer pixels is desirable. Choose the best glass you can afford to match, but don't be afraid of older models. Sigma ART are strongly recommended too. Don't scrimp on lenses, or you'll waste the advantage of a large sensor.
 
There’s a used Nikon z6 with 24-70 F4 lens in the for sale section at a good price.
 
You can pick up a used Sony A7R3 + Tamron 17-28 for around 1500 squid. heres a body (not the most fantastic condition):

www.ebay.co.uk

Sony Alpha a7R III 42.4MP Mirrorless Digital Camera - Black (Body Only) for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Sony Alpha a7R III 42.4MP Mirrorless Digital Camera - Black (Body Only) at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!
www.ebay.co.uk

lens:
www.ebay.co.uk

Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD Sony FE Fit Lens Uk Model | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD Sony FE Fit Lens Uk Model at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.
www.ebay.co.uk

edited- I listed an APSC lens by mistake
 
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I would say landscapes will be easily handled by the Oly as long as there is reasonable light and you are not having to pull detail out the shadows. That is where the full frame sensors really shine. I made plenty A3 prints on cameras with less resolution and teh Oly lenses are excellent so I would say invest in glass
 
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