PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR GUIDE: CAMERAS
Sony E-Mount Mirrorless Cameras
Sony a7RII
The a7 series flagship fullframe mirrorless camera does it all. With 42.4mp resolution, 5-Axis Image Stabilization, internal 4K recording and the best AF system of all the a7-series cameras. It’s like a medium format camera in the palm of your hand – only better.
Sony a7R
This 36.4mp Fullframe mirrorless camera designed for high resolution, was my workhorse camera until a7RII came out. It’s still an excellent choice for landscapes or any time you want to capture the finest detail and don’t need the image stabilization or low noise high ISOs that a7RII provides.
Sony a7SII
This update of Sony’s 12.2mp low-light monster adds 5-Axis Image Stabilization, SLOG-3 and best-in-class dynamic range at high ISOs making it a great choice both for native 4K video and for stills in near darkness.
Sony a7S
12.2mp Fullframe mirrorless camera is designed for sensitivity – giving it the best High ISO performance in the A7 mirrorless family. Coupled with it’s ability to focus quickly and accurately down to EV -4 makes it the perfect choice for low light.
Sony a7II
Sony a7II features 5-Axis Sensor Shift Stabilization, 40% faster Phase-detection AF, an all metal body and lens mount, a beefier grip and feel and the same 24.3mp you know and love from A7. Though it lacks the most-advanced features and resolution of the a7RII, it’s the biggest bargain of the a7 line-up.
Sony a7
This 24.3mp Fullframe mirrorless camera is designed for all-around use at an affordable price. Phase-detect AF and lighting fast response time makes it a great choice for action.
Sony a6000
Entry level a6000-Series APS-C mirrorless camera offers fast Phase-detect AF with the best features of NEX-6 and NEX-7. Its 24.3mp CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor produces high-resolution still images and full HD movies with good low-light quality and sensitivity to ISO 25,600.
Sony a6300
Everything you love from a6000 plus wider-coverage 425-point phase-detection system with a 169-area contrast detection system for quick and precise focusing performance. It offers 4K video recording with 2.4x oversampling from full width of the sensor and S-Log3. Improved sensor design offers better low-light quality and sensitivity to ISO 51,200.
Sony a6500
Sony’s Top-of-the-line APS-C mirrorless camera offers all the features of a6300 plus 5-Axis Image Stabilization for up to 5 stops image stabilization. Also adds a LSI Processor and larger buffer for improved performance for longer HFR and continuous bursts.
Sony a5000
Sony’s update of the NEX-5N camera I used when I appeared on The X-Factor to shoot the show’s ten finalists. APS-C 20.1 mp CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor to produce high-resolution still images and full HD movies with marked low-light quality and sensitivity to ISO 16,000
Sony A-Mount Cameras
Sony a99 II
Sony’s newest flagship fullframe A-mount camera share the 42.4MP back-illuminated AF sensor and 5-Axis Image Stabilzation system found in a7RII. It’s the best DSLR-style camera ever made with the fastest AF in its class!
Sony a99
Sony’s second generation flagship 24mp fullframe A-mount camera offers a CMOS sensor that’s great for skin tones and outstanding image quality with full AF 1080 in 24, 30 and 60P.
Sony a900
This was my workhorse camera for three years while shooting the celebrity portraits for ‘Art & Soul‘. Great sensor for portraits at it’s native ISO of 200. It’s built like a brick and has the biggest, brightest optical viewfinder ever! These days you can pick up a used a900 for under a grand.
Sony a77 II
An excellent update of the Sony a77 featuring fast and accurate 4D AF. Full AF 1080 in 24, 30 and 60P featuring a sensor with an identical pixel count to the a99. Sony’s 16-50/2.8 is not your basic kit lens – it’s the perfect all-around focal range for APS-C cameras.
Fixed Lens Cameras
Sony RX1R II
Fullframe mirrorless compact body with a fixed Zeiss 35mm/F2 leaf-shutter lens offers high flash sync speed using the same 42MP sensor with 399 point Phase-Detection AF from in a7RII. RX1R II adds a pop-up EVF and the world’s only variable optical low-pass filter along with low-pass bracketing mode.
Sony RX1R
Fullframe mirrorless compact body with a fixed Zeiss 35mm/F2 lens and 24mp sensor. Leaf-shutter lens offers high flash sync speed and it’s whisper quiet for times you need to be discrete.
Sony RX100 V
The latest generation of the best compact camera ever gets updated for performance with a new LSI processor and large buffer that allows 24 FPS, and double length HFR clips to all the good stuff included in previous versions. It offers the World’s fastest1 (0.05 sec.) hybrid AF system with 315 Phase Detection AF points and pop-up EVF.
Sony RX100 IV
The 4th generation of the best compact camera adds 4K internal recording, slow motion at 960 fps, 480 fps, or 240 fps – and even better pop-up EVF with the same fast Zeiss Lens and Large 1″ Sensor and the ability to Shoot RAW. I’m a big believer in always keeping a camera with me, so I often slip a compact camera in my pocket for those times I don’t take a larger camera.
Sony RX100 MIII
If you don’t need 4K or the high frames rates of RX100 V or RX100 IV, save a few bucks and still get the same fast Zeiss Lens, Large 1″ Sensor and the ability to Shoot RAW.
Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX30
The perfect inexpensive slip-in-your-pocket-cam. Sure I know you got you iPhone for that, but this 18.2MP camera with 5x optical zoom lens is waterproof to 33′ (10 m), shock-proof to a drop of 5′ (1.5 m), freeze-proof to 14ºF (-10ºC) and dust-proof for worry free shots at the beach.
Lomography Diana F+ Medium Format Camera
I used to scour the flea markets for vintage with Diana cameras because I love their simplicity and the look you can get with them. Thanks to Lomography for bringing them back. They’re a great way to remind yourself that photography is about “seeing.”
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Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Smith photographs portraits of Hollywood A-List and Fortune's 500 for magazines, corporations and advertising. He's a Sony Artisan of Imagery, Profoto Legend of Light, Adobe Influencer and X-Rite Master Coloratti.
