I’m in the market for a new camera and it’s been a struggle to decide which one I want. Being a techie, I’ve analyzed every spec and feature from all the cameras, weighed cost and portability, and compared it to the gear I already have. And still no answer.
But since I’ve done the research, I figured I’d share my thoughts with you and maybe it will help me make a decision. Before I decide, the best thing to do is rent each camera from LensRentals.com and test it out myself. While I’ve considered it, I don’t have any trips or shoots scheduled for the rest of the year where I can put them to the test. I’ve already shot both stills and video with the Nikon D750 (and wrote about it here), and shot video with the Panasonic GH4.
Nikon D750
I really like the Nikon D750 and it would be a nice complement to my Nikon D7000 that I travel with now. The low light capabilities are pretty good, it’s full-frame (biggie), and shoots great video in 1080p HD. Unlike the other cameras, I’ve spent some time shooting this camera when it first came out for another article.
- Full Frame
- 24.3mp
- 1080p 60fps
- WiFi Enabled for transfers
Panasonic GH4
Panasonic has a great product with the GH4. It’s a micro four-thirds sensor, very small form factor, and it’s nearly waterproof. Rich Harrington and Doug Daulton have each shot 4K video with this camera extensively and they rave about it. Levi and Pamela have been shooting stills on it and are making great images. We shot video interviews for the “What’s in Your Bag” and “Story Behind the Photo” series with the GH4.
- Micro Four-Thirds
- 16mp
- 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps
- 4096 x 2160p / 24 fps (100 Mbps)
- WiFi Enabled for transfers and shooting remotely
Sony A7s II
I’ve been very interested in the Sony A7 line of mirrorless cameras. They offer all the perks of a micro four-thirds camera in terms of size and portability, but have a full-frame sensor. From what I’ve seen, the A7s shoots pretty good stills, but really shines for video. The low megapixel count actually packs less pixels on the sensor, creating fantastic low light performance. I’ve even seen it used as the primary camera on CNN broadcast network.
- Full Frame
- 12.2mp
- 2 stops better dynamic range than A7r II
- Wifi Enabled for transfers and shooting remotely
- 5-way sensor stabilization
- 4K 30ps, 1080p 120fps
The hold-up for me is the 12.2mp image sensor. Ideally I’d like a few more megapixels, bringing me to look at the…
Sony A7r II
The A7r II seems to be the best of both worlds. The 42.4mp sensor is the highest resolution of the A7 series, or of any mirrorless camera to date. It shoots 4K video internally, but doesn’t have terrific low light performance. Why? With so many pixels crammed onto the sensor, it’s too dense to allow a lot of light to pass through.
- Full Frame
- 42.4mp (highest in any mirrorless camera)
- Wifi Enabled for transfers and shooting remotely
- 5-way sensor stabilization
- 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps (but rumored to overheat after 45 mins)
- Phase Detection Autofocus – 399 points
Wrapping up, I’m not really sure which way to go. A perfect camera doesn’t exist yet. Each camera has it’s own strengths and weaknesses. I’m totally open to using a platform other than Nikon if it’s the right tool for the job. Glen Dewis is also going through this struggle of choosing a camera that works for him.
In a perfect world I could purchase both the A7r II for great images and the A7s II for great video, but while I’m not looking to spend nearly $6000 right now, it might be something to consider long term.
Do you shoot with any of these cameras? Or are you considering buying any of these cameras? Let me know in the comments below.
Nick Minore is a video professional and avid photographer based in Florida. Be sure to follow Nick for more photo and video updates by clicking on the links below!
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Filed under: Cinematography, Gear, Gear, Opinion, Photography, Shooting, Shooting Tagged: a7r, a7r ii, a7r mark ii, camera, D750, GH4, Nikon, Panasonic, perfect, photo, search, Sony, Sony A7R, Sony A7R Mark II, Sony A7S Mark II, video 
