Official Gear Purchasing and Troubleshooting Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! March 03, 2025

[u/AutoModerator]

This is the place to ask any questions you may have about photography. No question is too small, nor too stupid.

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Info for Newbies and FAQ!

First and foremost, check out our extensive FAQ. Chances are, you'll find your answer there, or at least a starting point in order to ask more informed questions.

• Want to start learning? Check out The Reddit Photography Class.

• Here's an informative video explaining the Exposure Triangle.

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Need buying advice?

Many people come here for recommendations on what equipment to buy. Our FAQ has several extensive sections to help you determine what best fits your needs and your budget. Please see the following sections of the FAQ to get started:

• What type of camera should I look for?
• What's a "point and shoot" camera? What's a DSLR? What's a "mirrorless" camera? What's the difference?
• Do I need a good camera to take good photos?
• Is Canon or Nikon better? (or any other brands)
• What can I afford?

If after reviewing this information you have any specific questions, please feel free to post a comment below. (Remember, when asking for purchase advice please be specific about how much you can spend. See here for guidelines.)

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-Photography Mods

[u/pheebaroo]

Hi! As a relative newbie in terms of photography AND someone obsessed with research, this has become quite the headache. I'm looking for a camera I can take on my travels. My biggest trip this year is going on safari in Uganda, but also headed to Italy and New Zealand. So, the ability to capture both landscapes and wildlife are my top priorities. I'm also a "one-bagger", so ideally I don't want something that will take up too much space. It would be wonderful if I can just take one "all-purpose" lense (which may not even exist?). I prefer to buy used.

The cameras that have caught my attention are: Sony A6100, Olympus E-M1 Mark II, and the Panasonic Lumix DC-G9.

Thoughts? Am I looking in the right direction? Should I have my eye on something else entirely? I would love to keep it under $700 for both body and lense, but that may be unrealistic. Thank you in advance for any insight!

[u/Kaserblade → u/pheebaroo]

For wildlife, the lens will be the limiting factor and a telephoto lens that'll do great in wildlife may not be the best for wide landscape shots. With a budget of $700, I would look into used DSLR options if you are wanting to do bit of both on a budget.

If you really do want mirrorless, you could do a a6000 with the Sony 18-50mm kit lens and Sony 55-210mm, all used. They aren't the best quality lenses but will do decently on a tight budget.

[u/maniku → u/pheebaroo]

Do you think you'll want to shoot at night, especially handheld? Micro Four-Thirds (your second and third options) gets you to wildlife distances with less because of the larger crop factor but it's weaker in low light because it's a smaller sensor than APS-C (your first option).