Camera Suggestion for beginner

[Shaw]

I am soon going on a trip to Vietnam, and seeing all the youtube videos and pictures of all the scenic locations, I am itching to buy a camera for my trip, and hopefully get into travel photography and videography as a hobby.

I do know a lot can be done on the phone these days, but I still want to buy a camera, and I think this is a good enough reason to do it.
I will try to capture some cinematic shots, and maybe click portraits and also some street photography. A little bit of everything, if you may.

What camera should I go for?
I dont really have a very hard budget, but want to spend as less as possible as I dont know how real my interest is, yet.

Initially, I was interested in buying the Fujifilm x100vi, because it looks so nice but then I thought maybe putting so much money into that is not worth it, atleast not until I actually figure out whether I'll be doing this a lot or not.

So now I am looking into options such as A6100 or A6600.

I gotta say, I do like the look of Fuji images.

Can anyone who has been on a similar boat as me, make suggestions?

[Bharat Varma]

How soon is soon?

The Sony A6000 is more than good enough for all your needs, but the kit lens isn't outstanding.

An Olympus EM5 II ought to serve well. Get the 12-50 kit lens and you'll have an excellent 24-100 equivalent lens with great close up capability (has an excellent macro mode).

What you'll need most of all is just one thing -

"Practice".

[JessePinkmanYo]

Can anyone who has been on a similar boat as me, make suggestions?

Vietnam is the kind of place where reach is often more important than anything else.
I had opted for the Nikon Z 24-200mm and wasnt disappointed. Here's a few examples shot at the longer end :-

https://forum.jjmehta.com/index.php/topic,70958.0.html

It is the best do-it-all zoom out there in terms of balance of IQ and reach. You can also consider the Tamron 28-200mm for Sony E mount and the Tamron PZD 28-300mm for Canon EF/Nikon F mounts. Both of these are excellent choices too but personally 28mm just doesnt cut it for me at the wider end.

[Shaw]

The Sony A6000 is more than good enough for all your needs, but the kit lens isn't outstanding.

Thanks for the suggestion, I hear its video is not that good, I'd also want it to have good video.

Olympus EM5 II sounds like it is extinct now, can you suggest other alternatives?

[Shaw]

Vietnam is the kind of place where reach is often more important than anything else.
I had opted for the Nikon Z 24-200mm and wasnt disappointed. Here's a few examples shot at the longer end :-

Thanks for the reply.
I'd like to hear your suggestions on what would be a good beginner camera, I dont want to splurge a lot.

[JessePinkmanYo]

You can get any of Z5/Z6/Z6II/Z7 if buying used (depending on your budget).
If you are buying new, get the Zf or Z6III depending on your taste in form factor.

[Shaw]

I have been looking at the Fujifilm XM5 with the kit lens on Amazon, it costs 88k.
Can the community advise whether this is a good camera and deal?

Can anyone suggest some other alternative which might be a cheaper option, but give similar value?

[manindra_m]

Haven't been to Vitenam but for all general photography purpose which inlcudes portait , travel , street , landscape any entry level DSLR / mirroless with kit lens should serve you well. Some of the combo that I can think of :

A6000/6400 + 16-50. In case you need a tele-zoom as well , pair it with 55-210 or 18-135m
For a slight more copmact option you may check Sony RX100 series

[ashutosh1979]

Hi I just returned from a trip to Vietnam (plan to share pics soon, just got so busy), did not find much use of super telephoto, more suited for wide angel and medium telephoto 18-135 on crop sensor should do the trick, also a fast Lense f/1.8 etc. is always good to have for night photography.
Didn't find much use for super Telephoto in 200-mm or 300-mm range

If your going with Family DO NOT take too much gear. Keep it as simple as possible.

Pick any System which is convenient availability and budget wise, aim for getting used gear, use the forum. Most of the difference is perosnal prefrence rather than whcih is good or bad camera.

[Hankosaurus]

Hi I just returned from a trip to Vietnam (plan to share pics soon, just got so busy), did not find much use of super telephoto, more suited for wide angel and medium telephoto 18-135 on crop sensor should do the trick, also a fast Lense f/1.8 etc. is always good to have for night photography.
Didn't find much use for super Telephoto in 200-mm or 300-mm range

If your going with Family DO NOT take too much gear. Keep it as simple as possible.

Pick any System which is convenient availability and budget wise, aim for getting used gear, use the forum. Most of the difference is personal preference rather than which is good or bad camera.

That looks like wise counsel to me.  It's common for a beginner to think that they need a long lens that can reach out and touch distant things.  With experience we learn that this is not often the case, unless we are into some specialty like sports or wildlife photography.

Most of the images made in common photography use focal lengths which can be described as being in the range of half normal to twice normal.  Put into 35mm jargon, this means about 25mm to about 100mm, with 50mm being more or less "normal."  The further we get away from "normal," the less likely we are to need a particular focal length, unless we are into some special application which requires it.  Like half normal for architecture and street photography, and twice normal for portraiture, for examples.

Anyway, a good camera with a real viewfinder, and a short zoom that covers about 25mm to 100mm or so (35mm format equivalent) should prove very useful.  You don't want to pack a bunch of gear, or be switching about between different lenses when on the move.  Keep it simple.  Try to get used to the camera before you have to rely upon it.  Each one seems to have a culture unto itself.