im honestly stressing out about this camera purchase because I leave for a trip to Japan in three weeks and my old dslr finally kicked the bucket. ive been obsessively checking sites for mirrorless deals and im basically down to either the sony a6400 or the fujifilm xt30 ii. budget is around 900-1000 bucks including a lens which is tight but im hoping to catch a sale.
my logic was that the sony autofocus is unbeatable for the street photography I want to do in tokyo but then I see the fuji colors and I just fall in love with how it looks. so I was thinking maybe I should just bite the bullet on the sony but im terrified ill regret not getting the fuji tactile dials. is there anywhere actually running legit deals or am I just gonna be stuck paying full price? everything feels so expensive right now and I feel like if I dont pick one by Friday I wont have enough time to learn the menus before I fly out. is one of these worth stretching the budget for or should I just wait and risk it...
Oh man dont stress about your trip! Tokyo is incredible for street photography and you are gonna have the time of your life.
- Sony a6400 24.2MP APS-C Mirrorless Camera: Unbeatable autofocus, lightning fast, but menus are a bit dry.
- Fujifilm X-T30 II 26.1MP APS-C Mirrorless Camera: Gorgeous film simulations, amazing dials, pure joy to shoot with. Grab the Fuji if you want that tactile magic, but honestly both rip. Check Greentree or B&H for sneaky bundle deals right now!
^ This. Also, dont overthink the menu panic. I bought my Fujifilm X-T30 II 26.1MP APS-C Mirrorless Camera right before a big trip last year and figured it out on the plane. Fujifilm film sims save you time editing later anyway, which is huge when youre traveling. TL;DR: Grab the Fuji, trust your gut, and enjoy Tokyo.
Totally agree with the first reply, do not panic about the menu learning curve. Three weeks is plenty of time if you just sit down for an afternoon and set it up. But honestly, if you want another solid option that sits right in that exact price bracket and fixes the Sony menu headache while giving you killer dials, you might want to consider the Fujifilm X-T3 APS-C Mirrorless Camera. prices have dropped a ton recently since it is an older flagship body, and it gets you weather sealing which is super nice for walking around Tokyo all day in the humidity or rain. Here is what you need to watch out for if you are buying right now:
- Check local camera shops for used gear because places like MPB or KEH ship fast and you can save like two hundred bucks compared to buying brand new.
- Make sure to factor in a second battery if you go Sony, because the a6400 battery life is notoriously trash compared to Fuji.
- If you end up sticking with the a6400, grab the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS Lens as your starter street glass, it is tiny and super sharp. Whatever you do, buy it by Wednesday so you actually have time to test the autofocus tracking before you leave. You dont want to figure out your settings while standing in the middle of Shibuya Crossing!