Camera gear discussions

Do you mean a gimbal head for a tripod? I guess you do, as you mention the weight, and, I don't think hand held-held gimbals add much for still photography? ??? --- I have no experience with either type. Oh... you're even talking about monopods. (I often don't read properly first time through <blush>)

I'm sure you'd cut a fine figure swinging a big lens through great arcs as you chase the planes. I'm hearing music from British WW2 films in the background

I have a doubt, though, that a monopod might turn the whole scenario a bit more Chaplain than War-hero?

 

I use a Giotto's MH1301 ball head. But that Movo gimbal looks very nice.

 

I just got one of these used, but I'm waiting for a plate from Ali. Supposed to be a gimbol for monopods.
https://www.manfrotto.com/us-en/heavy-telephoto-lens-support-w-rc3-rapid-connect-plate-357pl-393/

 

I haven't used my Fuji X100S for 5+ years now, been using an iPhone only. I'm going to Northern Ireland and the Republic in September, and kinda jonesing to use a real camera again. I liked the Fuji a lot, but often wished I had more lens. My GF has a Canon R10 and an 18-150 lens and I've been using that for a few days to see if I'd get along with it for this trip. It's big. A lot smaller than a full frame, a little smaller than some other APS-C, but still bigger than I'd want to carry all day every day. I always thought the size of the Sony RX-100 V or VI was just about perfect, but other than the zoom, is it really going to be any better than an iPhone 14 Pro given its 1" (cough, bullshit) sensor?

Otherwise there's the APS-C Sony A6500 with 16-50 zoom or the Fuji X-E3 with 16-45 zoom. The Fuji is the smaller body, but the Sony 16-50 zoom is incredibly small and maybe not much different overall.

Must have built-in flash.
What say you?

 

I thought about going for a ball-head but they seem a bit finicky to adjust to get the right amount of friction/play. On a tripod it might not be so bad but fumbling around on a monopod is probably just asking for trouble I think.

 

Wow! That looks like it could support an elephant!
I don't think I'd feel comfortable relying on a 'hanging' fixture though. I'd feel safer using a traditional vertical mount, which also makes me think that the 'side-mount' of the Wimberley is a potential minus point.

 

Don't know if this helps but I find that I only take my DSLR somewhere when I have actually planned to go and take some 'considered/composed' photos of something relevant or interesting, otherwise if it's just speculative or unplanned I use my camera phone.
You also have the added risk of theft/damage if you're checking it in as luggage on your flight, or having it snatched at knifepoint while you're wandering around the mean streets of Derry/Dublin/Belfast/Craggy Island! lol

 

Has to do with the center of gravity. For "smaller" lenses, like 100-400 or 200-600, I think one mounts the plate on the bottom. For larger lenses, like a 400 or 600 prime, the upside down is better since the center of gravity is below the pivots.

 

I love my a6500, and it's shutter count is now about 80k, on four years.

Not so much the old 16-50 kit lens. It is no better than an old compact at much less money. the only good thing about it is that it is almost pocketable

Many times the weight, size, and cost, I now use a Tamron 17-70/1.8 as my "kit" lens.

Ball heads. For me, it was hatred at first attempt! A pan+tilt head is so much easier. I don't know why ball heads have become the default comes-with-the-tripod thing. I must be missing something! People tell me that the more expensive ones are easier, but still, I guess there must be a knack to them

My a6500 and GAS. The next step...

People say that designed lifetime means nothing. A shutter might die sooner, or go on for millions.

The a6500 has a designed lifetime of 50,000, and, as mentioned, it is now around 80,000. It is in good conditioned (mostly used indoors) and working well, and I am not unhappy with its pictures. But nothing is immortal and... ... ...

The new a6700 has got me thinking hard. At first, I was dead set on buying (might have done, but it is not available in this country yet: coming very soon).

All the new AI autofocus stuff is excellent. I do complain that they have given us a more complex camera with few customisable-control options. But bottom line is that, all that aside, the Image Quality is not going to be any better than a655/a6600. This is especially the case as most of my pics are in light that requires ISO1600 and wide apertures.

So I'm thinking of leaving behind the beautiful, small, light, rangefinder bodies and buying an a7iv.

 

A6600 & A6700 don't have built-in flash. I really don't want to give that up.

 

Neither did I.

Until I realised that almost all the lenses I now use are too long and it is useless.

There times that I pop it up and use one finger to direct it upwards to bounce, but not many. I'm happy to give it up.

(And I've got two Godox units. One pretty small and one a bit bigger.)

 

they all suck and I don't understand why they seem to be the default option either

 

It’s the same as with audio: An iPhone for photography is ok just as AirPods Pro 2 are ok for music. Both deliver enough to be satisfied in many circumstances, and both are extremely convenient. The results are more than good enough for most people, and not in a condescending way, they are objectively good.

But if you’re the kind of geek who obsesses over the details—well, better gear will deliver more of that.

 

This is me exactly

That is partly why I don't want to lug the R10 around; I intend to have whatever (if any) dedicated camera in my carry on, and in a general bag of some sort with raingear, etc. whilst walking about. An RX-100 could fit in a cargo pants pocket.

 

And me.

(although I quite often take the camera out thinking I'll take some pics and... don't.)

 

Anyone out spotting the Perseids this evening?
I'm doing speculative and continuous long exposures from my roof terrace but I haven't seen a single one yet @00.30.
Way past my bedtime!

 

Stayed up until 3.30am before the chilly night air and the crick in my neck from looking up into the sky got to me.
Saw a lot of fantastic, bright meteor trails but sadly didn't manage to photograph any of them. I was excited when I was sure a couple would have been in frame until the brief image review revealed nothing. Bummer.

Was shooting 30 second exposures using the 500 rule at 16mm focal length which is the widest lens I currently have, with the idea that shooting a wide field of view would increase my chances of catching a meteor.
All the best laid plans...
Off to bed *yawn*

 

Man, there are a few of these $400 Sony A6400 on eBay right now - brand new w/lens and accessories. 4 different sellers in different parts of the U.S.; each with 0 previous sales. I also see a similar one in completed sales. Must be a scam, yeah? I notice under 'Item Description From Seller' it says Sony RX-100 VII. I asked the seller to clarify, no response.

 

Thoughts on a Monday afternoon:

I was a pocket shooter for years and years, favoring the Canon Powershot series, with the S95 being the last one I used before trying to go “big boy” with a Canon T3i APS-C dslr. After a couple international trips, the whole getup was just too much. Back down to pocket shooters with the Sony RX100III and then an RX100IV. Love, love, loved them. Very nearly the peak of pocketable tech (pop up flash, pop up viewfinder, fold out screen, etc). But as smartphones got better, and as full frame cameras got smaller, I wanted both less and more. I wasn’t able to fully commit to the smartphone as sole camera life and ended up jumping up to full frame when the Sony A7C launched. It was everything I was hoping for. A real, noticeable step up in quality, not just in low light. Video that shames even the best smartphones still. A compact size, that was actually easier to handle compared to the pocketable shooters. The only reason I am looking to upgrade is because I am getting more and more into the video side of things, and while the A7C is great, I am curious what I might be able to get out of something even more advanced.

I also agree with most claiming that a smartphone can get most normal people 90% what they want. Just like some Airpods or Sony BT headphones will do the same for personal audio. But there is something gratifying about gear that is only really limited by the user. Kind of like the ritual of spinning discs or pour over beverages. There is a satisfaction to be gained from the doing. That is in part why I am still going down the gear rabbit hole for photography. Even though I took more pictures and videos on my phone my last couple trips, I still enjoyed using my camera more. I do see less and less of a point in investing in new pocketable cameras and even crop sensor systems due to the ever improving AI available for both smartphones and post processing outside of the feel/ergonomics. I think compact full frame and/or smartphone is the way to go for the most versatility and highest ceiling.

That all said, recent confirmed rumors are telling me that the A7CII and A7CR aren’t everything I was hoping for, and the current crop of full-sized A7 series are similarly compromised, so I will likely retract my FS for the A7C and work on my craft basics (should have done this years ago…). I will likely upgrade my smartphone instead so I can see what the current gen of high end smartphone is capable of (Samsung S23Ultra or the Sony Experia I V). Maybe by the time the A7SIV comes out, I will be good enough at the craft to justify upgrading to it then. Monday afternoon ramble over.

 

And here I go with my ball head on a D750 after getting rid of my A6000.