photoxelsIII. ENTHUSIAST (EXPERT)
INTRODUCTION
I. ENTRY-LEVEL
II. SERIOUS (ADVANCED)
III. ENTHUSIAST (EXPERT)
IV. PRO
You are now technically considered an expert, being proficient in different camera systems and how to make the best of your camera, lenses and accessories. Photography has become a passion and you want to up your game. You may have used different models and brands, and may have developed a preference for a certain brand. You may have also settled on what you like to photograph, and what you buy at this stage will depend on whether the camera has the features you are looking for as well as the lenses and other accessories you need.
Since a camera is a “system” camera, you will probably spend quite a bit on lenses and accessories as time goes by and you delve deeper into your passion. There are lenses specifically crafted for portraits, landscapes, macros, wildlife, sports, etc. You will find that quality lenses can easily be the most expensive equipment you can buy and, while you may upgrade your camera model, you will almost certainly still keep on using the same lenses over many years and camera model upgrades.
So now, you need to carefully and deliberately think about which “system” you want to attach yourself to for the long haul. Consider which camera brand and lenses you are most comfortable using and determine to stay with them for many years. This allows you to learn all the ins and outs of your camera and system.
Some photographers obsess over the little quirks in their camera (forgetting that there is no “perfect” camera) and constantly change from one model to the latest one, from one brand to another–always chasing the latest features and never taking the time to really learn to get the most from their equipment and become better photographers. When you have acquired several camera bodies, lenses and accessories, changing camera brand and lenses often can end up being a very expensive luxury few of us can afford to indulge in. So, now is the time to settle on one camera brand, lens mount and lenses.
In fact, at this stage, you can be handed any camera and start taking good pictures with it because you have completely mastered the fundamentals of good photography. You do not spend hours on forum boards arguing the pros and cons of different camera systems and their features — or lack thereof. The camera is a tool in your hands. You (the photographer) take (imagine, compose, create, craft, crop, post-process, …) the picture.
Canon EOS R5 C QuickFact Sheet
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Canon EOS R5 C Digital Camera (Body Only) (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
CANON EOS R5 II (Jul 17, 2024)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Canon EOS R5 II Mirrorless Digital Camera (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Canon EOS R5 Digital Camera (Body Only) (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Canon EOS R6 II QuickFact Sheet
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Canon EOS R6 II Digital Camera (Body Only) (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Canon EOS R6 Digital Camera (Body Only) (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (Oct 23, 2019)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Fujifilm X-Pro3 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (Jan 15, 2016)
Read our Fujifilm X-Pro2 Review
Fujifilm X-Pro2 QuickFact Sheet
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Fujifilm X-Pro2 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Fujifilm X-T5 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
FUJIFILM X-T4 (Feb 26, 2020) 
Fujifilm X-T4 QuickFact Sheet
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Fujifilm X-T4 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
The Fujifilm X-T3 is an APS-C camera. What distinguishes the Fujifilm X Series cameras from other interchangeable lens cameras is the beautiful retro design with dedicated analog controls: Shutter Speed dial, Exposure Compensation dial and ISO dial on the camera body, as well as an Aperture ring on its XF lenses. This puts the controls you need to adjust the most often right at your fingertips and providing an immediate tactile and visual feedback. If you are old enough to have used film SLR cameras, you may delight in these controls; if you have grown up using a Mode button and Command dials on film SLRs and DSLRs, you may not get used to them. Or, you may also delight in them — as many have found out!
Aside from its gorgeous look, superb handling and compact size and weight, the X-T3 is probably the best affordable still and 4K video camera you can purchase today. Fujifilm has also lots of superb lenses available. If you don’t need full-frame resolution, the X-T3 captures pictures with excellent image quality and may even renew your joy of photography. It’s that kind of camera.
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Fujifilm X-T3 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Read our Fujifilm X-T2 Review
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Fujifilm X-T2 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Leica M11-D (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Leica M11-P (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Leica M11 Monochrom (Apr 13, 2023)
Leica M11 Monochrom Press Release
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Leica M11 Monochrom (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Leica M11 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Leica M10-R (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Leica M10-P (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Leica M10-D (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Leica M10 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Nikon Z7II (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
The Nikon Z7 is Nikon’s first serious camera, is full-frame and we would slot it at the top among the very best cameras currently available for serious and advanced photographers. For their first full-frame, the Z7 is impressive as a hybrid 45.7MP still and 4K video camera, delivering excellent image quality in a body smaller and much lighter than an equivalent DSLR. It features 9 fps continuous shooting, in-body 5-axis image stabilization for a 5 stops gain, a high resolution 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder and 2.1M-dot tilting touch 3.2-inch LCD. There is also an OLED top plate display.
In its first iteration, Nikon has seen fit to include only one XQD card slot — a decision that has disappointed event photographers who depend on twin slots for backup purposes to ensure peace of mind.
Some photographers who prefer to leave a tripod plate permanently attached to their camera have also found that some plates protrude too far out and do not allow Nikon’s F-to-Z lens mount adapter to attach.
The Z7 will be compared to the D850 DSLR and found wanting in the area of AF: the AF is not as sensitive in low light, AF Tracking is not as reliable or easy to engage, Face Detection is also not as reliable. But this is true of all cameras and is one of the last bastion for to conquer before they can claim to be master of the hill.
The Z7 is lighter, smaller, handles superbly, is weather-sealed, shoots 4K video at 30 fps, has in-body image stabilization to eliminate camera shake, has a beautifully high resolution electronic viewfinder, and can shoot silently when needed. As Nikon’s first generation full-frame camera, it has a few kinks to work out, but the Z7 is nevertheless an impressive camera capable of producing stunning images with very good dynamic range and low noise at high ISOs. The Nikon Z7 also has an excellent intervalometer and time-lapse movie mode if you’re into this type of photography.
If you are a Nikon DSLR shooter and have been holding out switching to, your reasons have ran out. Though there are some feature and control changes you’d need to adapt to, the Z7 is a Nikon thru and thru and is the that will win you over. You may not want to get rid of your D850 DSLR yet, but now is the time to get the Z7 (or Z6) and immerse yourself into shooting and workflow. When your perfect Nikon camera does come along, you’ll be ready to make a complete switch and the transition will be smooth for both yourself and your clients.
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Nikon Z7 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Nikon Z6III (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Nikon Z6II (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
If you do not need the 45.7MP resolution of the Z7, then the Nikon Z6 at 24.5MP shoots at 12 fps and basically is similar in all other specs to the much pricier Z7.
It competes directly with the Sony A7 III, and some of you may prefer it for being slightly larger and more ergonomic than the A7 III. Where it needs to improve on is the AF Tracking and Eye AF. Not that the Nikon Z6 is not capable of tracking a subject and maintaining focus, but the Sony A7 III does it much better.
If these two AF features are not that important to your type of photography, then you should definitely try out the Nikon Z6. Remember, it’s also very important how a camera fits in your hands and how you easily, effortlessly and, dare I say, enjoyably interact with it. The Z6 also has the advantages of all the excellent Nikkor lenses already available for it with the use of the FTZ adapter.
Nikon could improve the Continuous AF issues with a firmware update, but I would bet the Z6 II will solve that. Meanwhile, you can enjoy shooting with the Z6 and perfect your workflow.
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Nikon Z6 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
OM SYSTEM OM-1 II (Jan 1, 2024)
OM SYSTEM OM-1 II QuickFact Sheet
OM SYSTEM OM-1 II Press Release
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– OM SYSTEM OM-1 II (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
OM SYSTEM OM-1 QuickFact Sheet
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– OM SYSTEM OM-1 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 Mark III (Feb 12, 2020) 
Olympus E-M1 III QuickFact Sheet
Olympus E-M1 III Press Release
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 Mark II (Sep 19, 2016)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-S5IIX / S5II (Jan 4, 2023)
Panasonic updates its popular S5 with hybrid Phase-Detect AF and scores a best value for money full-frame still/video camera.
Panasonic S5IIX / S5II Press Release
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix S5II (all prices in US $)
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-S5 (Sep 2, 2020)
Panasonic seems to be quietly moving away from Micro Four Thirds (MFT), and the Panasonic S5 is its full-frame version of the popular and highly acclaimed GH5 (a MFT).
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix S5 with a 20-60 kit lens and Accessories (all prices in US $)
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-GH7 (Jun 5, 2024)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix DC-GH7 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-GH6 (Feb 22, 2022)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-GH5s (Jan 8, 2018)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-GH5 II (May 25, 2021)
Panasonic GH5 II Press Release
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 II (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-GH5 (Jan 4, 2017)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
PANASONIC LUMIX G9II (Sep 12, 2023)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix G9II (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $) .
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-G9 (Nov 8, 2017)
Panasonic introduced the first camera, the G1, in 2008. Now, 10 years later, the G9 currently sits atop its many — and sometimes confusingly named — models. The G9 is the photography-centric equivalent of the video-centric GH5, the latter recognized as perhaps the best professionally-oriented video interchangeable lens camera.
The Panasonic G9 shoots 4K/60p video and also offers both headphone and microphone jacks.
The G9 features 6.5 stops of image stabilization — the highest of any interchangeable lens camera. It can shoot 20 fps with Continuous AF, a 3.68M-dot EVF (with a high 0.83X equiv. magnification for a large view), a 1.04M-dot 3-inch fully-articulated touch LCD, Dual UHS-II high speed card slots, AF Tracking and weather sealing.
The impressive Panasonic G9 is a ground-up redesign with much improved handling, image quality and Continuous AF. Though its sensor is 20.3MP, its High Resolution mode captures and combines eight shots into an 80.6-megapixel image.
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Panasonic Lumix G9 (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $) .
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Sony A7R V (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
SONY A7R IV (Jul 16, 2019) / A7R IVA (Apr 7, 2021)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Sony A7R IV (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
SONY A7R III (Oct 25, 2017) / A7R IIIA (Apr 7, 2021)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Sony A7R III (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Sony A7S III (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Sony A7S II (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Sony A7 IV (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
The Sony A7 series of cameras provided the impetus for both Nikon and Canon to urgently and seriously reconsider their (re-)entry into camera research and development. Before that, Nikon toyed with the 1 System and Canon dabbled timidly with the EOS M system. The Sony A7 series posed a clear and present danger to existing full-frame DSLRs. It was the full-frame that many said could not be built, could not match the DSLRs in features, AF speed and image quality — well, Sony proved everyone wrong: The A7 could and did. That set off a panic from Nikon and Canon which, with their Nikon Z7, Nikon Z6 and Canon EOS R, are now trying to gain a foothold into the race.
The Sony A7 III is the third generation A7 full-frame and has earned a high and well-deserved reputation among both enthusiast and pro photographers as one of the most capable full-frame camera at a competitively affordable price: fast and precise AF, improved AF Tracking for sports photography, highly effective Eye AF for portrait photography; effective in-body 5-axis image stabilization for consistently sharp hand-held shooting; high image quality with low noise at high ISOs. It is also a very compact camera and Sony has indicated it will not create a bigger sized model, opting to seek the perfect balance between compactness and ergonomics.
The Sony A7 III full-frame camera is better than ever, causing many serious amateurs, enthusiasts and pro DSLR users to decide to finally switch to. If you are new to and do not have any brand preference, take a look at the excellent Sony A7 III. It has worked out the kinks and is a great choice whether you’re into portrait, landscape, macro, sports or wildlife photography.
Full specifications: Manufacturer’s site
Buy from B&H (Thank you for your support!):
– Sony A7 III (various kit lens options are offered, all prices in US $)
INTRODUCTION
I. ENTRY-LEVEL
II. SERIOUS (ADVANCED)
III. ENTHUSIAST (EXPERT)
IV. PRO
