Ive been shooting on older DSLRs for years now and finally decided to make the switch to mirrorless since my current body is literally dying on me right before a trip to Iceland next month. Needless to be said Im kinda panicking trying to find a deal right now. Im looking for something with decent weather sealing and good low light autofocus for the northern lights. My max budget is around fifteen hundred bucks for a body and kit lens if possible. Im based in Chicago and need it delivered by next Tuesday at the latest so I can test it out before flying out. Anyone seen any good active sales on Sony or Fuji stuff this week?
Iceland next month sounds amazing tbh, but that shipping deadline is brutal ngl. Unfortunately, most of the good Sony and Fuji sales right now are on body-only setups, and getting a kit lens included under fifteen hundred is tough without buying used. I had issues with cheap third-party adapters when I first switched anyway. Honestly, your best bet for weather sealing and northern lights on that budget is grabbing a Sony Alpha A6400 24.2MP Mirrorless Camera body and a separate fast prime lens instead of a kit zoom. It wont have IBIS, but the low-light AF is solid and it fits the timeline.
Iceland needs solid weather sealing for sure, especially for chasing the aurora. Over the years I've shot in all kinds of freezing weather and you really dont wanna skimp on build quality.
- Fujifilm X-T5 40MP Mirrorless Camera body is usually a bit over budget, but check local camera shops in Chicago like Tamarkin or Central Camera for deals on the Fujifilm X-T30 II 26.1MP Mirrorless Camera with kit lens. Grab something weather-resistant locally if shipping wont make it by Tuesday!