If I was in the market for a new camera I would get…

I’m more than happy with my Fujifilm X-T3 camera and my lens choices, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about which camera I would get if I was going to buy a camera now, and had the funds to just get everything all at once. And that is the key factor, having the funds…

A disclaimer on what you’re about to read. It’s in no way meant to be detrimental to Fujifilm cameras, as I adore them more than any cameras I’ve ever owned, and I’ve owned a lot of different cameras over the decades.

What do I want in a potential new camera?

I would like the camera to give me everything my X-T3 gives me, and much more. The camera sensor size has nothing to do with the choice of camera ecosystem I have been thinking of, else I would go straight for a Fujifilm GFX100 or similar and skip all the sensor size below that.

The first thing that’s important to me is how tactile the camera is and just how it is to look at. Yes, that sounds odd, but I bought a Fujifilm as it wasn’t just amazing, but looked nice too. After all, it may be just a tool, but you have to like it.

Focusing is always important. I’ve got used to great face and eye detection with the Fujifilm, and to be fair, with the phone! I also use the X-T3s tracking feature, which is great! Looking around, there are two manufacturers’ miles ahead in this game, Canon and Sony.

While dynamic range is important, in this day and age, the differences from the worse to the best camera are negligible at best, and I always get great dynamic range in images from the Fujifilm, which doesn’t have as much as the Nikons and Sony’s in this world. That said, everyone makes fun of Canons dynamic range, but you don’t see professional photographers complaining, or not using Canon cameras because of this perceived weakness.

Low light performance is always welcome. I’m more than happy with the X-T3 in this department, especially with a F/1.4 lens. Digital noise doesn’t really bother me, and I think it adds to an image. As a photographer who completes images and prints them, noise really doesn’t come into my choice of what I am thinking of.

Image quality is obviously very important, and I’ve been impressed by most newly released cameras lately. Once again, the Canon and Sony cameras in particular have really taken my eye. Of course, you can’t really go wrong with any modern camera, so to narrow it down I really like the colour science of these cameras, one of them though, much more than the other

Other considerations

There’s the menu system which is important, and the viewfinder and back screen. That backscreen has to be something special, but if the camera is good enough, I can potentially manage with a fully articulated screen (I generally hate them, and it’s a reason I wouldn’t by an X-T4).

Battery performance is not an issue, as it’s easy enough to carry spare batteries, and of course it’s easy to add a battery grip if ever needed.

Lenses are important, but coming from an ecosystem with Fujifilm there’ll be no issue moving to another ecosystem with regards to selection of lenses.

The camera I would get is…

After all is said and done, I can tell you it won’t be a Nikon, as much as I have owned and loved them in the past. It won’t be any micro four third cameras, not that there is anything wrong with them, just there are none that catch my eye. It won’t be a Canon, as good as their cameras are now but it will be…

A Sony Alpha R7 IV.

There just so much to like about that camera, from Sony’s insane eye and face detect, to the image quality, frames per second shooting and low light performance. I never thought I could fall for a Sony, but at the moment they are so far ahead of the game, I think they’re a must for any serious photographer.

Ok, the screen isn’t ideal, but I can forgive that on this stunning camera, which wouldn’t really be used for those type of shots that need a lovely tilt screen (like on the X-T20/3 etc). I’ll still have a Fujifilm for that feature,

I bet that surprised you all!

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I am a semi-professional photographer who runs a weekly meeting photography group as well as numerous Facebook groups (Great Photography Walks South Wales and Fujifilm Lovers Worldwide Group). I also have a brand-new blog website dedicated to various other things which I like to call The Ramblings Of A Welshman. I hope you can join me there; you might find it interesting!