The decline and fall of Reflex.

[LTig]

Panasonic G9

GX9 is even smaller

I own a GX9 for about 1 year now. I bought it as a kit with the Panasonic 12-60. I'm very pleased with it and use my Nikon D800 with the Nikkor 24-120 very seldom since. The GX9 is a very small body with the disadvantage that the view finder is small as well which can be difficult when wearing glasses and shooting against the sun. You should try both GX9 and a bigger body.

The GX9 replaced a GX7 (now my backup) and was kind of a Corona-buy after the 1st lockdown - means I didn't really need it. However the quality of the JPGs (color, sharpness) is closer to the D800 than those of the GX7 (which does not matter if you shoot raw).

 

[Wes]

I have the G9 also. It is bigger than my DX body (D5300) the only Nikon DSLR I kept.

And I have the tiny GM5. Hard to use; easy to carry.

 

[JeffS7444]

And I have the tiny GM5. Hard to use; easy to carry.

I sometimes miss my GM5 and I have a healthy respect for the 12-32 mm Panasonic zoom lens which was sold with it. I don't know that I'd call it "hard to use", but unless I used it constantly, I tended to forget things in a way that I don't with other cameras. Such as how to manually focus that lens.

 

[Wes]

on both the GX85 and GM5 it is things like moving the focus point or trying to figure out what mode you're in etc. - much harder than the G9

GM5 has tiny tiny buttons too

 

[Ron Texas]

Just looking at Photo Rumors this AM where the only F mount compatible lenses being announced were Tokina reflex telephotos for their universal mount. OTOH, used F mount lenses have not become cheap.

 

[LTig]

OTOH, used F mount lenses have not become cheap.

That's because you can easily adapt them to any mirrorless camera. That's true for almost all older lenses, and adapters got cheaper as well:

• I payed about € 90 for my first adapter from MFT to Nikon F. Later found out that it could not handle lenses without aperture control, the aperture was always closed to the max.
• So I bought a 2nd adapter which could control aperture for about €40.-
• Few years ago my wife got an adapter from MFT to Minolta MC for € 13.-

 

[Ron Texas]

That's because you can easily adapt them to any mirrorless camera. That's true for almost all older lenses, and adapters got cheaper as well:

• I payed about € 90 for my first adapter from MFT to Nikon F. Later found out that it could not handle lenses without aperture control, the aperture was always closed to the max.
• So I bought a 2nd adapter which could control aperture for about €40.-
• Few years ago my wife got an adapter from MFT to Minolta MC for € 13.-

Right now you are most likely correct. Nikon has only discontinued a few F mount lenses and most of those were APS-C. Non-VR primes will probably have the longest life. Just remember, screw drive AF doesn't work with an adaptor, so those lenses will fade sooner.

If I get a Z mount body it's not likely that I would replace my glass with the exception of the 24-120 and the Z mount version would have to be demonstrably a lot better. I'm going to pass on the Z7II. Maybe its replacement will have a higher resolution viewfinder to match the competition.

 

[Roland68]

If I were to use a Nikon with an F-mount, I would give little thought to whether lenses are set by Nikon.
At least as long as Sigma and others have been offering lenses for the F-mount with such good optical performance.

 

[Chromatischism]

Right now you are most likely correct. Nikon has only discontinued a few F mount lenses and most of those were APS-C. Non-VR primes will probably have the longest life. Just remember, screw drive AF doesn't work with an adaptor, so those lenses will fade sooner.

If I get a Z mount body it's not likely that I would replace my glass with the exception of the 24-120 and the Z mount version would have to be demonstrably a lot better.

Was just out with the 24-70 f/4 S and 85 1.8 S and they are just superb. I can't recommend them enough. Sounds like you want to just carry one lens though, which is understandable. As good as the 24-70 is though, as soon as I pop on the 85 1.8 I can see the difference, even on the 24MP Z 6II.

 

[Ron Texas]

Was just out with the 24-70 f/4 S and 85 1.8 S and they are just superb. I can't recommend them enough. Sounds like you want to just carry one lens though, which is understandable. As good as the 24-70 is though, as soon as I pop on the 85 1.8 I can see the difference, even on the 24MP Z 6II.

Truth be told I have overused my 24-120. It's great from 24 to 45 and at 120, but not so hot in the rest of the range. Recently I have started using a 28 f/1.8 a lot. I also have a 50 f/1.4 G and 85 f/1.8 G.

 

[Offler]

I have Olympus OMD EM10 and EM5 Mark III.

It took me about 15 years to get convinced for digital camera.

 

[Wes]

I want a lens that looks like French Impressionism.

 

[mhardy6647]

I want a lens that looks like French Impressionism.

You mean the lens itself or the image it produces?

https://icouldbeahero.blogspot.com/2014/01/on-lenses-with-character.html

 

[Blumlein 88]

I want a lens that looks like French Impressionism.

Getting good bokeh on those is problematic sometimes.

 

[FrantzM]

I want a lens that looks like French Impressionism.

Pinhole Attachments (They're not "lenses" in the proper sense of the word),,, Link

38 Images from Pinhole cameras that demand attention

An example

 

[Wes]

Getting good bokeh on those is problematic sometimes.

That's a quote re Leicaness - and their lenses have xlnt bokeh.

here's more Leica-Speak: The lux has an omnipresent macro-gamut in the lower values but lacks the cron's spectral textures in the lower apertures.

 

[Chromatischism]

Leica-Speak

Indeed...I have never seen those words used in actual lens reviews.

 

[Blumlein 88]

That's a quote re Leicaness - and their lenses have xlnt bokeh.

here's more Leica-Speak: The lux has an omnipresent macro-gamut in the lower values but lacks the cron's spectral textures in the lower apertures.

Just need the right processing in photoshop.
https://sleeklens.com/how-to-add-an-impressionist-look-in-ps/

 

[Ron Texas]

I'm starting to think the Fui X series is very attractive because they are compact and offer a full suite of lenses.

 

[simbloke]

I like the idea of how their control dials work, and the 'A' setting on them that put that particular control into auto. I say 'idea' because I've never actually used one.

(I do feel disconnected from the basics of shutter speed, aperture, ISO etc in modern cameras because of the way the actual controls work.)

And yes, there does seem to be a nice range of lenses.