Time for a new camera ?

[RaZZ3R]

... so, unfortunately, my Panasonic G2 given up on me (the shutter curtain is stuck closed), but it did served me admirably and heroically in the past 3 years, and I don't know if I will be able to take it for repair. At the moment I have two options : get a low-end camera to satisfy my needs and keep as a back-up latter or get a used camera instead or wait the excruciating long time to upgrade directly to the camera I want. This passed two weeks where hard enough being camera-less because I couldn't/wouldn't get outside of fear that I will get really mad if I know what I missed so many shots (I'm not a freak that takes pictures of everything just that I hate when I see an opportunity passing by). Now enough of my gibberish:

I'm into macro photography and I do a lot of landscapes and I want to get into astrophotography (very slowly because I know it will eat my money like a hungry piranha) so I'm looking for very good high ISO performance (usable to 6400), good DR (at least 12-13 stops) and excellent sharpens for big prints like A3+ and beyond only if it's asked specifically (preferably without AA filter). I would prefer EVF and/or semi or fully articulated LCD for macro and astrophotography.

The only complain that I really had with my Panasonic G2 was the ISO performance, it had the perfect amount of controls/buttons/dials/switches and they were all single function, the awesome balance of weight and size and an EVF + tilt and swivel LCD. But ISO is just horrible because even at base 100 I get grain even with a +20 sharpness in LR 4.3 and at 1600 it just loses most of the DR, colors and details and that's shooting RAW.

I would keep going with Micro Four Thirds but the ISO performance is still very disappointing (even Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3) even though I love the small and light weight advantage and that it meters with all lenses imaginable. And the lack of more native macro lenses like wider (50mm standard) or longer (150-200mm telephoto) without going complete manual mode with adapted lenses.

My second best option is Pentax K because of the impressive IQ (second best in APS-C class) and the build quality (smallest semi-professional DSLR and weather sealing) but still no articulated LCD and the QC and prices of Pentax lenses are troubling to say the least but that astro tracking with GPS is something to rave about. And my first DSLR was an Pentax K200D so it's not strange water for me (it did die from lot's of dead pixels on the CCD sensor, at one point a quarter of my images had white pixels).

My best option is Fujifilm's X-Pro1/X-E1 for the shear best ISO performance (it has lower noise then Nikon D800 and Canon 5D Mark III for duck sakes) and the lack of AA filter give very impressive sharpness with just average DR though. Just to bad for the lack of IBIS (somewhat nagated by the usable ISO even at 12800), no articulated LCD. But I love the idea of shutter and aperture "mechanical" dials like the old DSLR's.

I do consider two other options:

Samsung NX because of the acclaimed sharpness from the 20 MP sensor (but very disappointing ISO performance) and the price for all there lenses is still cheaper then a Nikon D800 with a kit lens. (Thinking of Samsung NX1000 as a travel/back-up compact camera)

I would go for Full Frame (Nikon D600 or Canon 6D) because of the increased DR and ISO performance and the fact that a 50mm f 2.8 would give me as much gathering light and bokeh as a 35mm f 1.4 on APS-C but then I remember that X-Pro1/X-E1 gives me better ISO performance for half the price (if it's X-E1), 2 times less weight and 3 time smaller size. But the again more macro lenses options and those brilliant Canon MP-E 65mm f 2.8 1-5x Macro and Nikon PC-E 45-85mm f 2.8D Macro.

Money would not a be a big issue unless it's over 2500$ with lens because it would be a big wait for me to gather all that money. What would you recommend ?

[Polar01]

Fabian: through the new D7100 into the mix, very sharp, compact, stupid good high ISO, because it has a c-crop sensor it has a better depth of field at the same f-stop than on a full frame camera set at the same f-stop.
For my style of shooting, if I know than I I know now it I could almost get by with one lens, the Nikkor PC-E 45mm 2.8 love that lens. I rent one when I go somewhere I know that it will give me what I want. Slowly working towards saving up to get one. If I wanted something with more reach than the PC-E 85mm one of the other members at CIC a John Morton shoots almost everything with the Nikkor PC-E lens.
Hope this is of some help.

Cheers:

Allan

[RaZZ3R]

Just finished reading about Nikon D7100 and I'm impressed by the IQ almost identical in DR and ISO performance with Pentax K-5/II/IIs but with more MP which means larger prints and/or more crop to work with. But it does miss a point that I would very much like to continue to have: articulated screen, even a tiltable one at least but they (Canikon) keep bragging about that it ruins the durability of the camera, which never seemed to happen to Olympus E-3/5/10/30 or E-M5.

I would go Full Frame just for the tilt-shift lenses covering my landscape (24mm) and macro (45mm or 85mm or *GOD DON'T STRIKE ME NOW* both) but just thinking of the cost of Nikon D600 and one of this lenses would take about 2 years of my life is a bit daunting.

[Rhoads238]

My first suggestion would be the d7100. Specs look great. but its still pretty expensive. My friend has a d7000 and its a great camera. Dx lenses are also reasonably priced in contrast to their FF counterparts. It sounds like a tilt shift lens may be out of the question for the time being, since price is a factor. They are very expensive for such a specialty purpose. I had a d600, it was a fantastic camera and everything i wanted. Then i noticed the dust issue. After being told by nikon to go get it cleaned, i was disgusted by them turning their back on me. Its happening to thousands of people. I wouldn't buy that camera. I recommend a d7000, used or refurbished. and invest in some cool, quality glass. One day when you have the money you could always buy a tilt shift, it would work on a dx body just fine, the effective focal length will just be changed.

[AB26]

I had a d600, it was a fantastic camera and everything i wanted. Then i noticed the dust issue. After being told by nikon to go get it cleaned, i was disgusted by them turning their back on me. Its happening to thousands of people. I wouldn't buy that camera.

Hi Fabian,

This ought to be good news. If more D600 owners feel this way you should be able to pick up a D600 at a bargain price, from one of those who want to flog their camera because of a little oil issue. Cleaning my D200 sensor is a walk in the park, cleaning a full frame sensor should be much easier.
In SA you only need to go to a Nikon service centre and they clean the sensor – free of charge.

That little oil issue should resolve itself after a few hundred shots anyway. I will be looking out for a used D600 one of these days.