Greetings from rainy Norfolk in the UK

[NFKDave]

Hi guys, I'm Dave, aged 54, experienced Canon DSLR user and looking to lighten the load by having a nice small travel camera with just one lens rather than lugging a bag with 2 full size bodies and 3-4 lenses. I had started out thinking of maybe the A6700 with the 18-105 G lens - APS-C but the lens covers a good range - and then I saw that I can get a A7C original for under £900 from MPB here in the UK. I'm thinking of getting that and a 40mm f/2.5 G prime, that gives me a nice small full-frame EDC with the option further down the line of adding a telephoto lens if needed. Any advice would be welcome!

Dave

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Welcome Dave!

I love my A6700, the autofocus lives up to the hype. I think it makes for a great travel camera kit with the Sony 18-135mm lens and maybe a small wide aperture prime for lower light situations. Or you could get the Tamron 17-70mm f2.8 (full frame equivalent of 25-105mm) and that would cover most travel situations. If reach is your concern, you could even get a Tamron 18-300 or Sigma 16-300 as your one-and-done lens, but know you'd be sacrificing aperture width for range. You have to appreciate the plethora of 3rd party lenses available to Sony APSC users. There's a lens for any scenario!

However, part of me will always wonder if I should have made the jump to full frame (A7C-II) last time I upgraded my camera body. On the topic of full frame, I think @alexpler uses an A7C with the 40mm G prime lens, so perhaps he can give you his point of view on that specific combo.

 

[Unframed Dave]

Welcome Dave, I'm also Dave and also in Norfolk.

I have the a7c and I'm pretty sure I also have the 40 f2.5. If not, something very similar.

I can't get upstairs to my cameras or outside at the moment due to an injured knee, but if you're not in too much of a rush, I can arrange for you to borrow them for a walk somewhere. I should be a lot more mobile in a week or so.

Whereabouts in Norfolk are you? Feel free to message me.

 

[Richard A]

Welcome to the forum. Is this new Sony gear in addition to your Canon stuff or a replacement?

 

[NFKDave]

Welcome to the forum. Is this new Sony gear in addition to your Canon stuff or a replacement?

It will probably be as a replacement, I'm realising that the kind of photos I take don't require multiple cameras and lenses anymore. I can do nearly all of my photography with one camera and a decent prime as I don't go out doing wildlife shots anymore so I don't need long reach telephoto lenses now; from now on it will be strictly holiday travel memories and taking pictures of cars at car shows.

 

[NFKDave]

It will probably be as a replacement, I'm realising that the kind of photos I take don't require multiple cameras and lenses anymore. I can do nearly all of my photography with one camera and a decent prime as I don't go out doing wildlife shots anymore so I don't need long reach telephoto lenses now; from now on it will be strictly holiday travel memories and taking pictures of cars at car shows.

Also with the typical British weather, having a weather-sealed body and lens would be a bonus

 

[Richard A]

I agree. Since my first DSLR almost 25 years ago, I have only used one body. I have always had a small compact though which currently is the RX100vii.

 

[alexpler]

The combo a7C + 40G 2.5 lens has been my travel kit for a couple of years now and I couldn't be any happier. It's light and powerful and covers all my prefered situations in street and travel photography.

If you want a versatile lens but keeping it light, consider the 28-60 lens. For a kit lens, it's sharper than you'd think. I started with that lens when I bought the camera and I'm still surprised when I check some of the photographies it captured. It's not as sharp or fast as the 40G but it covers more situations.

 

[iamdlewis]

A nice travel lens is the 24-105G F4. It is obviously larger than the 40G but you need to pay something for versatility.