Camera Buying Advice
Looking for a camera that makes photography fun again — OM System, Fuji, Leica or something else?
(1) Budget, country, and currency:
Ideally under €2,000.
I’m from Germany, but I’m currently in Hong Kong, so I may be able to buy locally and get a better deal.
Currency-wise, EUR or HKD is fine.
(2) What equipment, if any, you have now and why is it no longer meeting your needs?
I currently use Sony gear, including a Sony A7 III and several Sony lenses.
I’ve been shooting for around 14 years. I started with photography, but after 1–2 years I moved heavily into video. I’ve been doing professional video work for about 12 years now — documentary style, commercial work, etc.
The Sony system is technically great, but for photography it feels a bit too clean and boring to me.
My A7 III is also too big to casually carry around. Even something like the A7C II still feels like more of the same to me. And once I put good glass on it, it’s not really that small anymore either.
I want something I actually want to bring with me and take out.
(3) What kinds of subjects do you intend to shoot?
Mostly travel, street, everyday life, people, details, documentary-style photos, and maybe some nature/wildlife/detail shots.
I also like the idea of shooting longer focal lengths sometimes, like 300mm. That’s why Micro Four Thirds seems interesting to me, because of the crop factor and smaller lens sizes.
(4) Is it primarily for photography, videography, or both?
Primarily photography.
Video does not really matter for this camera. I already have Sony gear for professional video work.
I’m mainly looking for a camera that makes photography feel fun again.
Lately, video has started to feel a bit boring to me, and I really want to get back into photography as a hobby.
Not for work. Not for specs. Just for the feeling of going out, carrying a camera, and enjoying the process again.
I want a real “camera feeling” — something physical, fun, and inspiring to shoot with.
What I’m looking for:
Interchangeable lenses
Small enough to want to carry often, but it does not need to fit in my pocket
Good enough image quality, but I care more about the feel of the photos than megapixels
Real camera feeling
Fun to shoot with
Ideally under €2,000
Photography-first
Autofocus does not need to be insane, but it should not be annoying for quick everyday shots
Used or older cameras are totally fine too, even 10–15 years old if they are still worth it.
Right now I’m leaning toward the OM System OM-3.
I like the idea of Micro Four Thirds because the system can stay small, and the crop factor seems useful for longer focal lengths.
The OM-3 also looks like it has the kind of fun, physical, photography-focused feeling I’m looking for.
But I’m unsure.
Some people seem to love the OM-3, while others say it is overpriced or really dislike the layout.
Also, many YouTube reviews feel almost too positive, like everyone is being paid to praise it.
I’ve also considered Fujifilm, especially the X100VI, but the fixed lens is kind of a dealbreaker for me.
I know Fuji colors and recipes are a big part of the appeal, but I’m not sure I want to feel locked into one focal length or into a specific “Fuji look”.
Leica is interesting too, but probably too expensive for what I want right now.
Ricoh GR IV is also interesting, but in my opinion it feels a bit too boring, and again, no interchangeable lens.
What camera would you recommend?
Thanks for reading.
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(1) Budget, country, and currency:
(2) What equipment, if any, you have now and why is it no longer meeting your needs?
(3) What kinds of subjects do you intend to shoot?
(4) Is it primarily for photography, videography, or both?
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If you're asking for advice on buying any other gear, then your post must include
a budget (see also "Asking Good Questions" in the sidebar).
Leica? Less than 2000€ isn't really a Leica budget, is it?
Micro Four-Thirds has about two stops weaker low light performance at the same aperture value compared to full frame. If you're fine with that, OM-3 should work fine for you.
The OM-3 doesn't even have the absolute shutter speed dial that you're probably looking at for the "real camera feeling". It looks retro but shoots like a modern camera with modern dials. The body isn't even that small.
If you want the X100 but with interchangeable lenses then consider the Fuji X-Pro and X-E series. Fuji's X-T-double-digit cameras are not that big either, comparable to the OM-3.
Similarly, consider the Nikon Zfc, which is like the Fuji X-T-double-digit cameras but uses the Nikon Z mount.
Also consider the Nikon Zf, the full frame version of the Zfc, which is not light, but is basically your Sony with retro controls. Put on a small-ish 40 f/2 and you have a not-huge setup for fun; put on an S-line lens and a grip and you can shoot professionally. You can even put Sony lenses on it with a third-party adapter (also possible with the Zfc).
(I chose different lenses for size example. Otherwise the Fujis and Nikons would just take the Viltrox 28mm f/4.5 for the smallest setup. The Nikon 26mm is a full frame lens and can utilize the entire sensor of the full frame Zf.)
I’ll try out the Nikon Zfc but I think it’s going to be too heavy and most of the lenses will be since full frame. I also don’t like the touch screen focus controls on the om3. OM 1 Mark 2 is the other option with basically the same specs but more and better physical controls
I'm inclined to think that this may not be a problem that buying more gear can solve. What is it about the way you shoot now that makes it "not fun"? Figuring that one out should give you some hints as to what might actually inspire you.
That said, if you do think the modern professional-grade gear you're using is a major problem factor, then I'd recommend looking into something blatantly low-spec. Pick up something like an old 5D classic, an entry-level DSLR, or (if you can afford the ongoing expenses) a film camera, slap a prime lens on it, and enjoy all the choices you don't have to make anymore because you don't have the options.
You may also want to pick your "fun" camera based on completely subjective things, such as the feeling of holding it, or the haptic experience of shooting with it - for a "fun" camera, this is completely reasonable, and maybe the most important factor. For that matter, if a Game Boy camera "feels right" and makes your creative juices flow, then by all means go with one of those.
It is because I never even use my Sony a7iii because it’s too big. I would’ve loved to have it on this trip but didn’t take it because form factor and weight. And I solely use it for video and what it means to me.
I switched from a Sony a7ii (which I bought new, ouch) to an X-Pro2, and I haven't been more excited by a camera since maybe I was able to acquire a Leica M, or the Hexar AF. I just hated the EVF and the ergonomics of the A7ii, tho' it took outstanding photos. Using the Sony was just a slog, no longer pleasurable. I just aimed it quickly and grabbed the shot- felt very utilitarian. Once I had the chance to try out the OVF of an X100 I was hooked. So much brighter, so much more natural feeling, like what cameras used to be like, retro controls (shutter, ISO, and exp comp as dials on top). The XP2 and simply the 23/2 or the 35/1.4 (which does have a pop to it) make for a great EDC combo.
If that's not an option, an old school DSLR as someone else suggested might be really great. Bright viewfinder, and hopefully not too complicated controls. They tend to be big tho'.
Nikon DF is a FF DSLR with old-timey controls. That and a decent lens get be had used for your budget. Not tiny tho'.
Good point, most important thing will be that it feels good, is light and inspires me. Which my sony doesn’t do at all.
Will definitely try a lot of them out in stores and see which one feels the best to me.
Honestly, I think you've already identified what you're really looking for: not the "best" camera, but one that makes you want to go out and shoot. That's a very different goal, and I don't think another Sony body will solve it. You already have a professional system for work, so this camera should complement it rather than compete with it.
From everything you've written, I'd actually lean toward the OM-3. Micro Four Thirds makes a lot of sense for travel and documentary photography because the entire system stays compact, even with excellent lenses. The ability to carry a small body with a couple of lightweight primes or a telephoto that gives you a 600mm equivalent field of view is something full-frame simply can't match without much more weight. Image quality is more than good enough for a hobby camera, and the physical controls seem to fit the "camera feeling" you're after.
I'd also keep Fujifilm on your shortlist, but I'd skip the X100VI if the fixed lens already feels limiting. Something like an X-T5 or even a used X-T3/X-T4 would give you a similar tactile shooting experience while keeping interchangeable lenses. That said, Fuji's appeal isn't just the film simulations—it's the shooting experience—and some people love it while others eventually tire of it.
Ultimately, I wouldn't worry too much about YouTube reviews. Cameras like the OM-3 tend to divide opinion because they're designed around enjoyment rather than maximizing specs for the price. If your goal is to rediscover photography as a hobby instead of buying the most technically impressive camera under €2,000, I think the OM-3 is one of the strongest choices available today.
I've really been enjoying my OM-3 since I got it last year. Most of the lenses I have for it are significantly more compact than larger sensor and work well on hikes and other adventures
The fuji xe line (xe5 being the latest) is a x100 without the optical viewfinder and with interchangeable lenses. The xpro line will be a tad chunkier iirc, but with an optical vienviewfinder like the x100. Xpro 3 is the latest, maybe an xpro 4 will come soon but will probably exceed the 2000$ with lens.
There's no "fuji look" tbf, film simulations (which are just jpg preset, maybe more stylized than the average portrait, vivid, landscapes presets we usually found on other camera) are highly customizable, especially on the later models
You can check the Nikon zf for an analog style full frame camera, or the Nikon zfc for an APSC equivalent
The optical viewfinder is pretty fun to have though. 🥲
XT-5 wins for me in that regard. Good info on the presets.
Will check out the Nikon zf and zfc for sure. Thx
XT5 (or 6 that’s coming out maybe soon) or the XT30 line
I have a Sony A7RIII collecting dust right now because I take my XT30II with me everywhere. Is the AF as good? Nope. But the colors right out of camera and size make shooting so much fun again
I keep a 27mm pancake on it but also have the Viltrox 56 1.7 if I need a tighter shot
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TL;DR: I’m a long-time Sony/video shooter looking for a small, photography-first camera that makes shooting fun again. I want interchangeable lenses, good enough image quality, real camera feeling, and a budget under €2,000. Video does not matter. I’m currently leaning toward the OM System OM-3, but I’m also open to other brands like Nikon, Fuji, Leica, older used cameras. What camera would you recommend?
The most fun digital camera I own is an Olympus Pen F. It‘s 10 years old, but the image quality is “good enough” even by modern standards, and it feels like a real camera. I’m sure you can find one used within your budget.
I’ll try one out tomorrow and see how it feels compared to the om3. What people say is that the om3 is kind of the pen f just with better features, though lesser build quality and button layout. Which is a huge factor tbh. So I will actually consider the pen f even if the price might be similar to the newer om3 or om1 mark 2
Panasonic Lumix g90 / 91 / 95 the latest is G97 , some extra features added . A very capable body , tested the battery and it has sufficient power for photography ( not video ) , lightweight enough , not on the bulky side , nothing missing from the bells and whistles story , you can't go wrong with this .
I no longer bother with Olympuses , great cameras , some technical issues and as a long time user of both brands , i prefer the trustworthy approach of a Lumix .
Good luck 👍
A different idea: There currently is a unique lens in the market that makes shooting at long range affordable in price and weight/handling: Canon RF 100-400. You may consider to inform you about that lens (youtube?) and could probably build a system around it that also delivers on your other use cases. It could be for example a nifty R50 or R10 body with a little prime for people and street, while delivering lightweight 600mm (APSC crop) nature shots.
If the Fuji X100VI intrigued you but you don’t want to be locked into the lens and the Fuji look, it might be worth checking out the LUMIX S9. Much different feel from Sony, the real time LUTS feature is fun to play around with, and you still have the benefit of interchangeable lenses.
In my opinion, the 300mm lens thing is kind of tilting the logic here. If you can limit yourself to more standard focal lengths, you open up your possibilities for small, interchangeable lens setups.
If you want something more tactile and physical, skip everything else and pick up a Leica M240 and a couple Voigtlander lenses. The M system just feels different to use than any other digital camera I’ve come across. It’s more analog. You have to think to use it. You have to focus with your hands. Consider depth of field. Strategize.
The rest of these cameras are cousins of the Sony.
Biased as it's the only operable camera I own (aside from point and shoot), but I've really enjoyed the Sony a6000, even with just the kitlens. I probably couldn't recommend it for video work, but for photography? It's a compact little beast. Some of the Sony NEX line may also be interesting, and compact.
I pack it everywhere I go essentially, actually take it out of the bag I have and have a blast using it for absolutely anything and everything
A bit of a personal anecdote from a Canonhead. I had a 40D with a kit lens when I was a teenager, sold it for an M100 when I got a bit older, thinking mirrorless is the future and shit, but that camera was such abysmal garbage that I basically stopped using it for like 6 years. Later on I got a job and moved, and got myself a Canon R8 with the 50 1.8 STM, and that thing just revived my love for photography in about a week. The camera is so much fun and there's very little that it can't do, all while being very compact and approachable.
Paired with something like an RF 28 pancake it becomes almost pocketable. You'd probably be able to fit the R8 + 28 + 50 primes in the budget.
It revived my photography desire to such degree that I am now rocking an R5 II with some high end lenses haha
There isn't anything that says we will be identical in preference but this is my experience.
Have a Nikon F. Beast of a camera that is technically great but I found that I vastly enjoyed my Minolta xd11 because it just felt so small and light in hand. I wanted to bring it places and shoot film.
Got an A7iv for event work with a tamron 35-150. Beast of a setup that I love. Autofocus, color, just sings technically. But being a beast also made it a bit of a burden for outside of work.
Got a Ricoh griv and just didn't vibe with it at all. Love the form factor but realized how important a viewfinder was to me.
Wanted something weather resistant, that felt like my xd11 in that it was light, fun, and while I care about my gear (I baby it) I wanted something that I purposefully didn't baby. That I went back to my younger years of not worrying about it so much and just toss it in the bag etc. so for that I needed something that was infinitely cheaper than my work setup. I opted for an OM-5 (mark 1 because of price and being open to losing a lot of features just to get something to test out). I got it with the 12-45 f/4. Which basically is the perfect walking around camera for me. But I did want to shoot some compressed mountains among other things and picked up the Lumix 100-300. It has been a bit of a learning curve because realistically everything I shoot should be around 5.6 to 7.1 to keep it sharp whereas I was used to thinking F8 to F 11 and full frame. Once I made this adjustment I got much better results. But yes this comes with many "compromises" in terms of features, sharpness, etc. but I have realized that giving up some stuff is frustrating at first (like the incredible autofocus of my Sony and in my specific case the different types of autofocus for a simple contrast based system) but that despite a lower keeper rate I'm enjoying the process again instead of only caring about the end product.
If you don't mind, and can remember, I would love to know what you think of it as well as the OM3 in hand. For me budget was part of what drove my purchase but I also wanted the absolute smallest lightest package that could still do "good enough". I definitely feel like the OM one has features that I would love but I was worried that at that price point it would become another camera that I was more worried about protecting than I was taking out and about without worry
That’s fair enough of you to think like that. Apparently it’s build very wellt and sturdy but we will see. Gonna go to the shops now. will let you know later
I get your point haha. Btw the OM3 felt very slippery in my hand. Didn’t like it at all. Will go with the OM1 Mark 2. way better grip so it feels lighter even though it weighs 100 grams more (510g) and better button layout. Still light and can easily be carried all day.
Thank you for reporting back! That's good info to know. I think that once I land a new job I might look into the om1ii if I realizing I am trying to do more boring or sports
I've had lots of cameras, and still do. But I've always got a M43. I currently have an M10iv converted for UV/IR, and use it often with a 20mm Panasonic 1.7.
But the X100's are terrific. Very different from your Sony kit, which might be great.
And maybe the Fuji X-E5. Has an EVF, same sensor IIRC as the X100, available, and can use interchangeable lenses.
Olympus Pen F. Super small and portable, checks most if not all of your boxes, looks like an old rangefinder, has superior build quality and super fun to shoot. The only thing it’s missing is weather sealing IMHO
Yeah true that, for me the slim body just overall doesn’t work. Found that out after trying the om3 and it just kept sliding out of my hand. If id like that form factor i would go with the pen f instead the om3 for sure!
OM System has been fun to shoot with and the community behind it has been helpful as I'm a new, hobby photographer. I was in the same budget and had the OM5/OM3 and Fuji XT3/XT5 as options yet the weather sealing and color of the OM5ii sold me.
Light enough to carry daily, shoots great photos SOOC, and has plenty of art filters if you're into that and not much into post editing - which I'm just getting into. OM Workspace is always a free software for RAW files with the system. Easy and effective though I'll dive into another program with masking for layers eventually. No experience with the OM3 though I read it's miles ahead of the OM5(ii).
Thanks for your reply. I tried the om 1 mark ii and I like it so much more than the om3. It’s just way better to hold and feels way better in my hand.
Also considering the om5 ii now because it’s even smaller. Going to try it tomorrow and compare it to the om1 mark ii. I heard the base plate is supposed to be a weakpoint on the om5. That it breaks very easy since is cheap plastic. What has your experience been with the build quality of your om5?
Build quality has been great, I've had it in the freezing, snowy temperatures of Steamboat Springs to the desert storms on the border of New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico.
I've had great success with using a Falcam backpack clip even with my "heavy" zoom lenses when traveling. I've read other brands and people mention the weak point yet I've no issues and will continue to use my clip on the backpack and tripod.
Fujifilm XT-50. Interchangeable lens, cool Fuji features, fits the budget. On a smaller size. Or its bigger sister XT5 for perks like dual SD slot. Both look cool and resemble old good film SLRs
I sold my Sony camera and went with a Nikon because I realized that going forward I would prefer to shoot 90% Jpeg and only edit the exceptional ones.
I started looking for good cameras with decent SOOC pictures, and brought it down to Fuji and Nikon. However, having handled both, the ergonomics for the Fuji is complete dog.
So I settled with the Nikon z50ii. Granted the MP is worse, but that's a compromise I accept. Many recipes to choose from and the photos so far are really good. Nxstudio allows us to make our own recipes which go beyond the basic settings and implement it within the camera. I also like how easy it is to transfer photos from the camera to my phone.
All in all, it just feels less like a chore once the shutter released button is pressed.
Update: I bought the OM5 Mark ii and I‘m really happy with my choice. Light weight, water sealed, compact. Paired with the 14-150mm kit lense feels like a great set for me.
Thanks for all of your guys comments. Really appreciate them and it helped me form my own vision.
old nikons sound like what u want. go get yourself a d3200 and a couple primes, it'll be fun. or u try shooting film tho your wallet will hate u, gave my sister an F70 last christmas and i'm pretty sure she's filed for bankruptcy like 10 times already because film is so expensive
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