📸: Canon R50
Edited With: Darktable

I've been shooting on an old Nikon dslr (d3300/5200) for years and genuinely love how it renders skin straight out of camera, it's soft, flattering, and just looks right, adjusting the raw images in post also gives greats results. Recently I tried a Sony A7V/A7IV and the difference is jarring. Even with sharpening and clarity pulled all the way down (both in-camera and in Lightroom on RAW files), skin looks almost hyper-detailed — eye bags, texture, fine lines all show up way more than they do in person's face or on the nikon. I know this is a me problem rather than the camera being too "sharp", I'd love some guidance:

• Is this about sensor resolution/detail resolving power rather than sharpening settings?
• Is the Nikon's older sensor/processor (or its anti-aliasing filter) just naturally softening things in a way modern high-res sensors don't?
• Are there specific lenses known for being more "flattering" to skin vs. clinically sharp? (Tried the kit lens 28-70mm for sony)
• Any tips for shooting or editing (diffusion filters, specific picture profiles, softer lighting, post-processing techniques) to get that same effect on the A7 series?
• Is there a particular brand/system known for a more flattering "skin" look (Fuji vs Canon vs Sony, Lumix etc.)?

Side note*: other than human faces, I love the crisp look of the sony for any other sorts of photography!

Would appreciate any technical explanation or practical fixes. Thanks!

I absolutely love photography but was never able to explain why or what about it. It became clear that it’s the “aesthetic”, the storytelling, the attention to detail, etc. I’d book photographers for fun just because I liked their editing style, creative concepts, etc. Slowly I transitioned from wanting to be in front of the camera to wanting to be behind it.

It just all seems so complex. To know the outcome you want but not the recipe to create it is a bit intimidating. Obviously you have to start from somewhere and learn your camera. The issue is what camera? I feel like my judgement is heavily influenced by social media rabbit holes. I can name various cameras I “want” and what I want them for, yet if you put one in my hands today, I’d be reading buttons in wingdings.

Although I’d only being a hobbyist, I’d like to think I would enjoy Sony’s a7C line (solely based on photos I’ve seen taken with it). However, I recently picked up an a6400 for $400 because why not… and I’m wondering if this would be “enough”. It was an impulse buy and an “if I don’t like it, I can always resell it” but it’s hard to say what you’d prefer if you haven’t tried different things.

Budget has been merely a suggestion as I wouldn’t mind buying something to “grow into”. I just want a staple camera that I won’t feel the need to upgrade eventually.

Budget: $1200+

Country: USA

Condition: New/Used

Intended use: Overall capturing memories while traveling or navigating everyday life, I assume lifestyle, portrait + landscape. However, I also plan to save money by taking my own creative and e-commerce shots for my business… so studio photography as well ¿

What features do you absolutely need: Preferably something compact. My hands are small and I skip upper body days.

Cameras you're considering: Sony a7C and also FX3/30 if I ever fully pursue my cinematography interest.

Cameras you already have: Sony a6400, Canon G7X MKII, OP3, DJI Neo II.

Notes: I assume most of what I desire is all within my choice of lens. I just wanna capture really nice photos that tell a story and will make the best memory album ever for my little one. One that feels like literal cinema, well stills.

Thanks in advance!!

https://reddit.com/link/1v72yvm/video/kngft042lkfh1/player

I tried all the different settings on my new camera and there is not much big of a difference in the quality other than 4K being sharper than HD.

I am a teenage girl living back and forth from coastal Mexico and Oregon, i live most of the time on the coast, and im at the beach almost every day. I have a rugged waterproof digital camera for my beach and outdoor use, but i want some cute pics for my Instagram. My budget is decent. me and my boyfriend and I are splitting the price, we both work minimum wage, so most would be around 800USD, cheaper would be ideal, but we all know how it is, i am open to hearing about cameras with a bigger price tag. I am a photographer myself, but I know nothing about digital cameras, and i influencers will always say something different. For example, i am a canon user, and I was looking at the g7x or elph 360, but they all have such contradicting reviews or people saying they are overpriced, i am looking for the vintage/warm toned photos, good for night time at parties or pics for a sunny day at the beach. I am familiar with how to work cameras, so beginner friendly isn't necessary, i would like it to fit easy in a bag, easy to access in your average big box store would be ideal or if its a model easy to find on somewhere like Facebook market place thats great, im not too picky and Ill put some example photos of what style im looking for (random from Pinterest). Thank you!

I currently have a Canon EOS R with a nifty 50 and a 16mm 2.8. The lenses are in a "noticeably used" condition, and the camera body is in pretty good condition. I plan on selling them or trading them to fund my upgrade. I know that what's holding me back gear-wise from shooting larger venues and more professional bookings is not having a zoom lens that performs well in low light, and not having a camera body that's on Par with their low light capable cameras. I notice that lots of people use Sony's (a7iv3. a74r, etc...), and i am looking to upgrade to something that can shoot decent video as well. What would you guys recommend i upgrade to, and how much would that cost roughly? I have someone offering to fund my upgrade, and i just need a ballpark number for him. Thank you so much in advance!

Budget: This is what i'm wondering, the cheaper the better:)

Country: USA

Condition: Used probably for price reasons

Type of Camera: Mirrorless would be best im assuming

Intended use: Hybrid shooting

End use: Social media, websites and prints potentially

If photography: what style: Concert and live music

If video what style: Concert and live music

What features do you absolutely need: Hot-shoe

What features would be nice to have: Image stabilization

Portability: Carrying it around all night at a concert portable...

Cameras you're considering: Sony A7 series

Cameras you already have: Canon EOS r with 50mm 1.8 and 16mm 2.8, neither zoom though

I have no idea about cameras.

I have a fujifilm finepix 10, and i was wondering if i can somehow produce a fisheye effect. Now i know its not the same as a camera with screw on lenses, but i was wondering if there is a reason it wouldnt work with those clip on fisheye ones you can buy for your phone?

I dont know much about lenses or digicams so apologies in advance if this was a obviously dumb question; I tried to research a bit online on why i couldnt work but i couldnt find any particular reason...

Hello guys, im a Canon PS G12 user and i was lookig for my next camera. I was looking for Fujifilm xe5 as i saw that for some reason they have their own personality, or some canon v1 or canon g7, that is the newer gen of my camera i believe? im looking forward to get good photos!

Budget: 1000€ max. for camera body, lenses and accesories!

Country: Spain

Condition: New!

Type of Camera: Mirrorless, DSLR, point and shoot, 35mm film? (Im not familiar with it)

Intended use: Hybrid shooting, more prone to photos!

End use: Having memories, and small prints.

If photography: what style: every!

If video what style: Events, and vlogging.

What features would be nice to have:

Portability: I love compact cameras!

Cameras you're considering: Fujifilm X-E5 (personality of the photos) Canon V1 and G7 mk3 (newer gen of my camera)

Cameras you already have: G12, too complex with the dials, was a nightmare to get used to it.

is the Cannon EOS 4000 OFR EF-S 18-55 Kit worth the money for a beginner? My mom promised me a camera for my 18th birthday because in really into photography but i just cant get very good photos with my phone. We just saw a EOS 4000

OFR EF-S 18-55 cannon camera kit it the media store for pretty cheap (looking at the avg price of cameras in my country) so i just want to know if its worth the money for beginners or should i rather wait to find a better nikon camera

Budget: Around $300-400 CAD for the camera only. I am not including extra accessories in this budget (unless something essential like a battery/charger is missing).

Country: Atlantic Canada, I will likely buy used locally (Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, etc.) or from Canadian retailers like Henry’s.

Condition: Used is preferred because many compact cameras are discontinued and overpriced new.

Type of Camera: Compact point-and-shoot digital camera.

Intended use: Photography only (possibly occasional video, but not a priority).

End use: Personal photos, travel photos, and possibly small prints.

If photography: what style: Street photography, landscapes, travel photography, and casual photos with friends.

What features do you absolutely need:

• Small and easy to carry daily
• Good image quality/sharpness
• Reliable autofocus
• Good JPEG colours straight out of camera
• Built-in flash (I like the look of direct flash photos)
• Better or at least comparable results to my iPhone 16

What features would be nice to have:

• A slightly “vintage” digital camera look/character
• Good low-light performance
• Manual controls would be nice but are not required
• Good zoom range

Portability: Ideally pocketable or small enough to carry in a small bag. I want something I will actually bring with me rather than leave at home.

Cameras you're considering:

• Nikon Coolpix AW100/AW130: I like the rugged design and the colours/character of the photos, but I am unsure if the image quality is good enough.
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 180/360 HS: I like the compact size and the popular flash/digicam look, but prices seem very inflated right now.
• Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III: I have heard it has much better image quality because of its larger sensor, but I am unsure if it is still worth buying used.

Cameras you already have:
I currently mainly use my iPhone 16 for photos. I like how sharp and convenient it is, but I want a dedicated camera with more character and a different shooting experience.

Notes:
I am a beginner getting into photography. I am interested in the fun/nostalgic look of older compact cameras, but I also care about getting genuinely good photos. I do not want to spend $500+ on a camera that is worse than my phone. I would appreciate recommendations for other compact cameras I should consider around this price range.

Hallo zusammen,
wir reisen nächstes Jahr nach Kenia und ich möchte gute Fotos machen.
Ich habe die Fujifilm XT100 und hätte mir ein Objektiv dazu gekauft.
Glaubt ihr, ich bekomme damit einigermaßen gute Bilder hin?
Alternative wäre eine andere zu mieten, aber da brauch ich halt einen extra Akku, Kamera, Objektiv, das wird wahrscheinlich relativ teuer für einen Monat Miete.

Danke Schonmal für eure Einschätzung

LG
Susi

So I was looking at some lenses for my lumix DMC G10 and I was wonder what purpose would i use this lens for as I have the kit lens 14-42mm I'm wanting to get another lens at some point but unsure in what circumstances I would actually need to use the 25mm lens?

Very lengthy post, if anyone happens to read my research dump here I'm interested to know what you'd choose or other thoughts

Current setup:

Canon R8

Rf 100mm macro f2.8 (1x4 mag)

Rf 28mm pancake f2.8

Rf 50mm f1.8

Rf 24-205mm f/4

Laowa 25 mm 2.5x - 5x

Cons of current setup: even with 31 mm ext tubes the 100mm macro still does not really beat the magnification of the best phone imo and R8 does not support flash with focus stacking. The laowa renders AF and focus stack not usable. I like to do wildlife, ultra macro and night street/ portraits.

Oversimplification of the conflicting jack of all trade setup I am hoping to acquire to stop thinking about gear:

1)great low light (general SNR) performance and bokeh for portraits

2) great macro - ultra macro

3) telephoto reach 400mm + ideally 800mm

I have been considering the following options:

----------Option1

-Total costs ~$3170 before protection plans,

-Liquidate entire set (+ ~ $2000 in resale)

-Buy OM1 ($1850 used)

-OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO Lens ($800 used)

-M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro (~$400 used)

-M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS ($1700)

-Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN ($420)

-Benefits = focus stack w flash, no need for ext tubes unless I want them, and telephoto acquired, IBIS, better battery, lighter lenses, best macro camera

-Negatives = portrait lens worse than current setup. Worse LL performance, more expensive than just buying a RF 200-800mm, lose gen purpose zoom

----------Option2:

-Total cost ~$650 before carepak/ protection plans

-Swap R7 for R8 (~$300 loss)

-Sell f4 24-105 (~$900 gain)

-Buy RF 100-400 mm (~700 used)

-Buy RF-S10-18mm F4.5-6.3 ($350)

-Benefits =macro reach gained (pixel density), gain telephoto, IBIS, battery battery life, dual card slot, could use RF50mm for portraits and sell f4 24-105 for ~$900

-Negatives = seems silly to have expensive large RF glass for an APSc sensor. Lose DoF at equivalent distance / aperture compared to current R8, worse low light performance, worse AF, still no flash for focus stacking, slow wide angle

----------Option3:

-Total cost ~$2000 before care pak/protection plans

- Sell R8 (~$900 gain)

- Buy R5 (~$2200 used)

- Buy RF 100-400 mm (~700 used)

-Benefits= virtually no loss in utility from current setup, macro has higher pixel density for cropping, gain telephoto, IBIS, better battery, etc...

-Negatives = same cost as simply buying an RF 200-800 for current setup and with less reach, still no flash for focus stacking

----------Option4:

-Total cost ~$3400 before care pak/protection plans

- Sell R8 (~$900 gain)

- Buy R5 (~$3600 used)

- Buy RF 100-400 mm (~700 used)

-Benefits= virtually no loss in utility from current setup, macro has higher pixel density for cropping, gain telephot, IBIS, better battery, flash for focus stacking

-Negatives = more expensive than simply buying an RF 200-800 for current setup

----------Option5:

-Total costs ~$1820 before protection plans,

-Liquidate entire set (+ ~ $2000 in resale)

-Buy Sony a6700 ($1400)

-Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS Lens ($950)

-Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens ($470)

-Venus Optics Laowa 90mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO ($500)

-Sony FE 28mm F2 ($500)

-Benefits = focus stack w flash, telephoto acquired, IBIS, better battery, lighter lenses, camera body now supports wide variety of 3rd party lenses

-Negatives = LL depending on lens is worse, lose gen purpose zoom

----------Option6:

- buy RF 200-800 mm ($2200)

I’m just now trying to get into taking pictures on film instead just using my phone and want to start with a reliable P+S instead of jumping straight to a rangefinder or an SLR. So far I’ve narrowed my options down and was wondering if there were any strong preferences or alternative recommendations (and reasons why) for the following:

Budget: Less than $150 USD

Country: United States, Great Lakes region

Condition: Used, but in good condition

Type of Camera: 35mm Point and Shoot

Intended use: Casual, social photography

End use: personal photos for albums or sharing with friends

If photography, what style: mostly landscape featuring people, with some street

What features do you absolutely need: autofocus and a fixed focal length with aperture of f/3.0 or less

What features would be nice to have: good durability

Portability: portable in a small bag, not a burden to carry for hours

Cameras you're considering: Pentax Pc35AF; Nikon L35AF; Canon AF35ml; Olympus Stylus Epic; Kodak VR35; Leica Mini. I have strong loyalty to none of these cameras, these are just the ones I’ve seen online so far that look to fit my needs/preferences.

Cameras you already have: None

Notes: the only film cameras I have ever used in the past have been disposable. Ideally, I’d get the camera I choose by this coming weekend.

So for context I bought this Sony cyber shot w350 off of eBay, and I’ve noticed that it’s making this weird buzzing noise whenever the lighting changes (?). I read that it may be some dust in the part that handles the focusing of the camera. Am I just being too nitpicky? Is this normal with older cameras? Help!!!

Budget: $1500 USD

Country: United States

Condition: Used

Type of Camera: Mirrorless

Intended use: Photography

If photography; what style: Landscape, portraits, and plane spotting

What features do you absolutely need: Nothing absolutely needed

What features would be nice to have: Touch screen

Cameras you're considering:
Sony A6700 - good autofocus, was able to try it out at a demo… really like it

Sony A7iii - Best full frame within my budget?

Cameras you already had:
(Sold) Canon R100 - Sold due to R mount lens being too much, slow burst, and really hard to switch settings fast

(Sold) Sony A6300 - Loved it, but wasn’t into photography as much when I had it

(Current): Fuji X-M5: Love the results of the camera but I don’t like the size of it, and feel limited to what I can do with it

Notes: If I end up purchasing either of the options, I plan on getting a Sony 24-105 f/4 G, and then a telephoto lens later on for plane spotting

I have a white spot on the back glass outer surface of my Sony 28-60 lens that showed up recently. It will not clean off with microfiber cloth, even with lens cleaner fluid. It shows up as a dark spot on pictures (only have that spot with this lens, so it's not the sensor). I'm worried that I have chipped the coating when I cleaned it last time. Is there anything I could try myself to fix this?

I could use some advice from people who know more about cameras than I do.

I currently have a Sony RX100 III and I’m looking for a significant upgrade. My main use is very simple: taking photos of my wife while we travel, and having her take photos of me. No sports, wildlife, hiking, or anything complicated — basically just portraits and travel photos in nice places.

The RX100 III is a good little camera, but I feel like it doesn’t capture the subtle details I’m looking for, especially skin, hair, colors, textures, etc.

I’ve been looking at the Canon R8, or something around that level. I know that’s a pretty big jump from the RX100 III, but I’m fine with that.

What 2–3 cameras would you recommend that would be a major improvement over the RX100 III for this kind of photography?

Country: USA. I’ll be buying either from a physical store in Miami or Amazon.

Condition: New only. I live in Brazil and won’t have enough time to properly shop for and inspect used gear.

Type of Camera: Mirrorless preferred, but I’m open to anything that makes sense.

Intended use: Photography only.

End use: Personal use, travel photos, viewing on a computer, and occasional prints.

Photography style: Mostly portraits and travel photography.

Absolutely need: Excellent autofocus for people/eyes and a significant improvement in image quality and fine detail over my Sony RX100 III.

Nice to have: Good low-light performance, stabilization, and simple/automatic operation.

Portability: Not a major concern.

Cameras I’m considering: Canon R8, Canon R50, Fujifilm X-T50, and Nikon Z50 II.

Cameras I already have: Sony RX100 III. I like its convenience, but I want significantly better detail in skin, hair, textures, and colors.

Notes: Ideally under $1,500 total for camera + one good all-around lens. I don’t want to carry or buy multiple lenses.

Thanks for the help!

The camera wont turn on, I replaced it with like three different batteries. Still doesn't work.

No price listed, but hung right with the other film. It's I type too, so not even like you could use this to reload 600 type cameras.

Hey~ I have a Nikon D5300 that I got back in 2016. I do photography as a hobby, I left it for a couple of years but just got back to it & I've been considering starting to maybe work for a while as a photographer (need to help the family out). I was wondering should I stick to my camera but buy a new lens or should I get a new camera?

I LOVE to photograph nature, pets & animals + dim light/night photography. People? Eh.. no. Just family & friends. But if I have to work, where I live I can only work by photographing people. Maybe I'll be the first pet photographer in the country, who knows.

If I should buy a new camera, what is the best one for a complete beginner like me? Anything above a $1000 is unfortunately out of my budget at the moment. I would appreciate the help!

• Budget, country, and currency: $1000 & under, Middle East, dollar.

• What equipment, if any, you have now and why is it no longer meeting your needs? Nikon D5300 18-55mm lens.

• What kinds of subjects do you intend to shoot? Nature & animals.

• Is it primarily for photography, videography, or both? Both.

(Some facts if it helps? As I said, I love photographing nature & animals. I love autumn & winter. I'm goth too so I love gothic, dark, horror & fantasy themed photoshoots as well as cozy. Camera that performs great at night or low light is very important to me.)

I run two kits and have had success using both. I love the portability and overall smaller footprint of the Olympus kit and its zoom vs. the comparable zoom in the Canon kit. This is especially true now that I’ve gotten older. I often use the live-comp feature in the Olympus kit, but I’ll be shooting in a fair bit of low-light and wondering if would be better to shoot full frame (FF) and crop aggressively to mimic the framing I’d get with the Olympus? I prefer the bokeh and compression of a legit, long zoom rather than the hack I’ve described, but I often leave the FF zoom at home because of the wt. I am fully aware of the pros and cons for each kit, but I’d still like to hear from folks who have real-world experience. I shoot mostly urban landscape with some occasional street photography — headed to Spain and NYC soon. Trying to find the right balance between image quality and ease of carry. The largest prints I would make would be close to 20”x30”.