Hi everyone. Sorry for a long post, but I'm looking for various input related to buying a camera, so feel free to just comment on any small bit of it if you feel like it. I don't expect answers to it all, but I'm just so exited to get back into photography after a long break.
The trigger for reviving my passion is that I'm planning a trip to Tokyo this fall 2026. I want to buy a really good camera for the trip to capture everything and finally get back into taking good photos.
I used to own a DSLR Nikon D5200 back in 2013, but over the years I completely stopped using it because it was just too big and bulky to carry so i sold it 2 years ago after not using it for 4 years before that.
Priorities
That's why i for this trip I want something that is much more compact and cameras have come a long way since 2013. My absolute top priority is size. If the camera isn't small and easy to carry, I know that I just simply won't use it enough. Ideally it should almost as easy to bring as my phone.
My next few priorities after size are as follows.
- Interchangeable lenses
- Excellent video capabilities
- Good low light performance
- 20-55 mm ish standard lens option to get started
- Everything else just needs to be reasonably well balanced
- An option for 35mm pancake lens for super compact mode. This is a nice to have addition and the price of it is on top of my budget mentioned below.
- Full frame is nice, but i also have to be realistic if i want a super compact body.
What I mean about wanting a camera that is reasonable well balanced is that most cameras are in my opinion pretty good these days so I'll listen to your recommendations to maximize a balanced performance within my budget. I was happy with the performance of my D5200 so it's a good benchmark and should be easy to beat i think.
Where to buy and budget
I consider buying a camera when i first get to Tokyo since prices seems a bit lower there but i don't know for sure yet if that is a good idea so if you have experience there I'd love to hear.
My budget is around 200,000 yen (~1100€) including a decent starter lens. Maybe a bit more if needed or for an additional lens option.
Also if anyone knows of special deals, good Japan-only bundles, or used gear markets that i should consider then I'd love to hear, but it should be pretty easy to get on the first day in Tokyo if it's not the same price here in EU anyway.
Additional info:
For the trip we currently just have our phones which are an iPhone 16 Pro and a Google Pixel 5a 5G that both take pretty decent casual photos. The camera I'm looking for doesn’t need to replace that, but needs to offer significantly better image and video quality.
I really liked the interface on my Nikon and from what I've tried so far, I’m not a big fan of Canon’s interface. No idea about olympus, panasonic etc. never tried them.
Other questions
Does anyone know if there are any language limitations in the camera firmware when buying in Japan? (e.g., Japanese-only menus) ore are there any other region-locked features or restrictions compared to EU models?
I hope to get some input to find the right camera. There are so many options and i feel like it's easy to go waaay over budget for not that much more.
I am late, but I'd avoid Fuji:
No HDR HEIF shooting. This is a huge IQ loss for sharing the photos on smartphones/TVs.
Funky autofocus
Not-so-accurate out of camera colors.
Questionable video features.
X-Mount is... okay, but native lenses are very expensive.
I actually went WAAAY down this rabbit hole, in your exact situation, and got a Canon R50V... but I'm going to sell it. I could ramble on about why, if you wish, but in short my recommendation would be:
Wait until after May-June-July 2026, when the Canon R7 Mark II drops. Pick up a used Mark 7 I for pennies on the dollar. Pair it with a Yongnuo 23mm prime lens, and an 85mm for subjects/portraits, as these are light and (TBH) the only sanly priced RF lenses out there: https://th.hkyongnuo.com/collections/lens
For a flat lens, get the Canon RF 28mm, used. Its a good one.
Alternatively, push your budget and buy the best Sony crop body you can afford. The A6700 is absolutely worth it if you can swing it in Japan:
And pair with a set of two of any of these lenses, your preference:
The Sirui Sniper 16 or 75, not other focal lengths: https://store.sirui.com/products/sirui-sniper-series-16-75mm-f1-2-aps-c-frame-autofocus-lens-set
The Yongnuo 23mm 1.4, not other focal lengths.
Any of the Vilitrox Air series: https://viltrox.com/collections/air-series-lens?filter.v.price.gte=&filter.v.price.lte=&filter.p.tag=APS-C&sort_by=created-descending
To summarize, a firesale R7 I is your cheap option. It will be a steal when the R7II releases. A Sony body is your "reach" but has better upgradability down the line due to the better, cheaper, lighter lens ecosystem.
Some points:
Prime lenses are too good not to use. They're dirt cheap, and suck up gobs of light compared to a zoom. They're so sharp you can just crop and get a great image. Don't make the mistake I made: skip the zooms.
I repeat: you arent shopping for a camera, you are shopping for a lens ecosystem. This is the most important thing.
IBIS is incredible, as it unlocks a whole world of ultralight, sharp, dirt cheap prime lenses you can stabilize perfectly. It's worth reaching for an R7 or A6700 just for that, as it will save you so much cash in lenses, and you'll curse at yourself later if you don't.
The A6700 is particularly incredible for video because it supports downsampled 4k60 and has the best phone connectivity. It also supports gyroflow directly, even with IBIS enabled. You can transcode videos right on your smartphone and get them as smooth as silk: https://gyroflow.xyz/
The R7 is a better "stills" camera, as it can auto-level with its IBIS along with some other nicities. It's still excellent at video, as it can shoot downsampled 4K30 in HDR. but it doesn't support Gyroflow video stabilization. The big caveat is the overpriced Canon lens ecosystem (which is why you pair it with Yongnuos) and its rather buggy phone app. It's chunkier, yes, but not heavy at all with a light (~320 gram) prime lens.
Again, I've been researching this for months, and there are a zillion different reasons I recommend this (and nothing else), and quirks I know about all sorts of travel cameras.