Camera Chooser

Assume all your camera gear is stolen, and insurance will cover receipts up to $3,000. You know you want a new ILC (interchangeable lens camera) and will eventually have three to five lenses, which means you might be out of pocket for some of the cost but you have a nice cushion to reduce possible financial pain. (I think you can copy and paste this list into your comment.)

What would you choose in today's market?

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

—>New or used?

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

Just curious. Thanks!

Mike

Original contents copyright 2023 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below or on the title of this post.)

Featured Comments from:

Edward Fritzen: "Interesting survey at an appropriate time for me. I'm currently in the market for a new camera to replace my Nikon D90, which recently died. Here are my answers:

1. Mirrorless
2. SLR Style
3. Knobs-and-buttons controls
4. Mid-line?
5. Full frame
6. 26-MP or less
7. New
8. More than likely the same brand (Nikon)
9. Not really, but I'm considering the Nikon Z6II, or Z5
10. I would like to purchase from a local camera store. I found a good one in Charlotte, N.C.
11. I would also use my iPhone 14, but prefer the SLR. I don't really enjoy using an iPhone, even though the pictures are great. I don't like composing using the screen and I have a hard time holding the iPhone steady.
12. Resale is not important. I tend to hold on to things for a long time. I really want something smaller and lighter than what I had, that will be a good travel camera.

"I hope this helps. I'm a long time reader, but don't comment too much."

BRIAN: "Sorry I am not gonna fully immerse myself and play camera chooser as it may re-ignite my GAS. I've been in recovery for over a year now. I am very happy with what I have and will probably replace it should the worse happen. Go sit on someone else's shoulder and whisper in their ear!  ;-)  "

Mike replies:   :-)

William Schneider: "Easy question—I'd replace my existing 45-MP mirrorless Nikon Z9 with another one. A new one is preferred, but I'd consider a clean used sample. I'd get it from my 'local' dealer about 75 miles away. They know me and provide good service. I've kept most of my cameras since the '70s, so resale value is not very important. I don't (or won't) use the iPhone much in the interim. It doesn't work as well for the kind of photos I've been making lately."

Marc Gibeault: "I would go the easy way: Chris Nichols, from DPReview and now PetaPixel, has reviewed pretty extensively nearly every recent camera on the market. I like to think that his usage is close to mine; street, nature, travel and family. He recently said that his personal kit is an OM System OM-1 with a 12–45mm ƒ/4. I would go the same way and not think about it for a few years."

John Camp: "I don't have to think about it, because I just did it. I bought a Fuji X-T5 with a Sigma 18–50mm (27–75mm-e) zoom and a Sigma 56mm (84mm-e) in the X-mount for the APS-C sensor. Total cost was $2,946.24 with state tax. The camera is meant to replace my much-loved Panasonic GX8's (I have two of them) and is almost exactly the same size at the GX8. With the Sigma zoom, the total package is even smaller than the GX8 when I have my default Panny 12–60mm (24–120mm-e) lens on it."

Patrick Murphy: "Funny you should ask this now. My Sony A7R V camera, 16–35mm lens and flash, total value ~$5,000, were stolen one week ago from a convention hotel here in Orlando. I left the camera on a table at a private corporate event for over 1,000 security professionals, while I went to the restroom (I know, I was stupid). Hotel security camera footage showed that a person wearing an employee badge of the major U.S. company holding the event took the camera. It was never recovered. Sadly, the company never offered to pay even part of the $5,000 despite paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to hold the conference. Oh well, live and learn.

"Coming back to your question, I bought the same make/model of camera, a Sony A7R V. Yes, my batteries, lenses, etc. worked with the replacement A7R V. But I still would have bought that Sony nonetheless. It is perfect for the corporate event work I do. I'm trying to think what might get me to switch brands. But short of winning a prize on a photo game show, or winning the lottery, Sony has given me great value and great results since the A7 came out."

Mani: "I’d buy the same camera again: a Leica M10. It’s absolutely the optimal digital camera for me. I don’t remember and don’t care how many megapixels the sensor has, and I don’t want video, or any other ‘features.’ I would definitely buy it used, and maybe the only change I’d make would be opting for the M10-P, for the slightly quieter shutter and the more elegant front-plate, without the red dot. I actually don’t have any desire to change it—contrary to the previous 10 years, where I owned everything from a Leica M8, Epson RD1, Fuji X-100, and even a Hasselblad X1D (my biggest mistake, and the camera I sold at the biggest loss of any of my purchases)."

Comments

[Sherwood McLernon]

What would you choose in today's market?

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

Mirrorless

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

SLR style

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?
Knobs and buttons

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

Mid Line

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

Full Frame

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

High Resolution

—>New or used?
New

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?
Same Brand

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Yes - Sony A7R4 - love that camera

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

The Camera Store - Calgary

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

No

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

I use them up

[John Krumm]

I'd be tempted to start over with the Pentax Klll Monochrome and maybe the 31 Limited (or a used 28 2.8 F autofocus, kind of hard to find these days). But I might just get what I have again, a couple used Z cameras, and slowly build up the lens collection again, and convert the Z6 when I have the money.

Resale value is more like a nice surprise, if it's there. The only camera I ever sold that had perfect resale value was a Contax G system. Sold it for a tiny bit more than I bought it for.

[Dave Levingston]

If it happened today I'd replace with my current camera, a new Nikon Z7II and a 24-120 f/4 lens.

If it were available from one of the few remaining camera stores near me, I might get it there. But I also would consider getting it from Adorama or B&H so you could get a cut on the purchase.

I use my cell phone regularly for photos.

Resale is not something I worry about. I still have my Nikon F and Leica M2. They aren't yet used up.

[Christopher Perez]

Mirrorless —>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

One each since I like them both —>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

Combination of the two —>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

Mid-line —>Top of the line, or mid-line?

Full Frame for "serious" work and APS-C for telephoto motorsports —>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

24mpixels seems good enough —>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

Used, I'd let someone else eat the depreciation —>New or used?

Same brand as I've invested a lot of time and effort "getting it right" for the way I like to work —>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

Yes —>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Off a local site that has a photo-gear category —>Where would you expect to buy it?

No. Smartphone images are still too "water colory" —>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

I'd buy low and expect not much would change price-wise if I sold, even shooting 50,000 to 100,000 image a year —>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

[Paulo Bizarro]

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

Mirrorless.

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

SLR-style.

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

K & B.

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

Mid.

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

APS-C.

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

26 or less.

—>New or used?

Used if in excellent condition.

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

Same.

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Yes. Same as I have today.

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

Reputable online shop (for used), or usual store where I normally go.

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

Same as today, not regularly.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

Not important to me.

[Jeff]

I carry full replacement value insurance (including any appreciation) for each of my cameras and lenses. This currently consists of 3 RF bodies (two of which are monochrome-based) with four lenses, and one mirrorless system. I’m satisfied with all of my choices and would replace each with the same products except for the older, discontinued, Monochrom, which I’m planning to sell anyway. I’d probably use those proceeds for a nice photo-oriented trip or to fund upgrades for my aging computer and monitor. I buy what I like and use, and sell the rest. Makes for easy replacement decisions.

[Paul]

Easy for me. My 3 cameras are OLD.
One camera is enough.
OVF
Knobs and Buttons
Mid Line
26MP is more than plenty
Would have to be NEW
Switch to Pentax Mono
Don't care about resale value.
I never use my phone for photographs.
Now I just need to have my worthless gear stolen.....

[Harry B Houchins]

In answer to your questions...
-> Mirrorless
-> SLR-style
-> Mainly electronic
-> Mid-line
-> APS-c
-> 26-MP give or take
-> New or used
-> Same brand (Fuji)
-> Fuji X-S10 (or 20)
-> B&H or certain Japanese ebay sites
-> Don't own an smartphone
-> Resale is not important.

Two things about the premise. I'm retired so have no need of "pro" gear and I've never had anything stolen. Even though I've worked in NYC and other large cities in the US & Canada.
Harry

[Kodachromeguy]

How about switching to a larger than "full frame" Film camera, which will record on a chemical-based medium is not manipulated by AI or other electronic processing? Back to the basics.

[Shelley Stallings]

What would you choose in today's market?

hybrid viewfinder

rangefinder-style body shape

Knobs-and-buttons controls

mid-line

Full frame or smaller-than

26-MP or less

New or used? Depends on price and availability

Same brand as your stolen Lumix GX-85 or maybe an Olympus OM4T in pristine condition and repurchase the B&W darkroom I sold 25 years ago

Do you already know which exact model you would choose - Love my Lumix Gx-85 with long and short zooms

Where would you buy it - B&H or Amazon

will use smartphone, and Lumix 50/50

keep my cameras a long time

[John]

Interesting question. I have a lot more sunk into gear than $3,000, so this would severely limit my kit, but I think I would buy a new OM-1 and a few used MFT primes like the 12mm, a 25mm and the 75/1.8. All the quality I really need in a smallish and nice-to-hold package.

[Bryan Hansel]

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

Mirrorless

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

SLR-style

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

Knobs and buttons

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

Top of the king

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

Full frame

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

More than 40MP

—>New or used?

New

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

I'd probably switch from Nikon Z to Sony based on a lens that Sony offers that Nikon doesn't. I'd change to Sony for the 16-35 f/2.8.

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Yes

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

B&H or Adorama

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

I use my phone for pictures.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

Resale is nice when I get the latest model, but it isn't important. I use my cameras.

[Albert Smith]

I play this mental game all the time, maybe secretly hoping it would happen to facilitate downsizing and simplifying my last few years. I'm a photo gear hoarder and have 50 cameras and maybe 70 lenses sitting in a closet.

I would buy a mirrorless camera with 26mp or less down to 16mp. I would be happy with replicating my Fujifilm system, but that would mean buying used since it seems that 40mp sensors will be the norm for Fuji from now on.

Starting from zero, I'd go absolutely minimal on lenses. I have too many and suffer from having to figure out what to use, often swapping lenses multiple times before I get out the door.

So I'd buy a Fujifilm X-T3 (they really got this model right) and a 23mm f/1.4 and live with that for some time.

I better submit this fast, or I might change the lens choice.

[Roger Bradbury]

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?
Main kit: optical.
Daily carry: mirrorless

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?
Main kit: SLR. I’d get another Pentax K3iii, plus another older, used body.
Daily carry: rangefinder; I’d pick up another Sony A6000 and kit lens; compact, cheap, no longer in production; I’d get a used one.

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?
Knobs and buttons, mostly.

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?
SLR: top of the line. Mirrorless, bottom of the line.

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?
APS-C; I need no more.

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?
Less than 26MP; again, I need no more.

—>New or used?
A bit of both.

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?
Same brands (see above).

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?
Yep. See above.

—>Where would you expect to buy it?
SRS, in Watford, England for the new stuff. It’s about an hour and a quarter away.

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?
I don’t have a smartphone; horrible things they are.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up”?
Oh, they’ll get used up. You should see my oldest stuff...

[Ezio Armando]

—>Mirrorless
—>rangefinder-style ideally, but none fits the rest below
—>Knobs-and-buttons controls - definitely
—>second-from-the-top of the line
—>full frame
—>high-res
—>new
—>probably same, Canon
—>probably an R5 (but I might wait for a Mark II)
—>Amazon
—>I definitely avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?
—>resale value is somewhat important, but not critical

[Stephen S.]

-Mirrorless.
-SLR-style, simply because they happen to have better EVFs, not because I prefer them.
-Mainly electronic because my other choices would dictate that as the only thing available.
-Top of the line but used and older. I find lower-end cameras to be less reliable in the long run.
-Less than 26 megapixels is perfectly fine.
-Used for sure. I've only ever bought one new camera in my life, and hundreds of used ones.
-Same brand. I'm not stuck and don't need an excuse to switch, I just can't find anything that would work better for me to switch to.
-Yup, already know which model.
-Used from Kijiji or FB Marketplace.
-My phone is purely functional or in a pinch when I don't have a camera on me in a casual situation. It would never work in a professional environments.
-I never sell a camera I like. The one time I did, in order to upgrade, I later bought twice as many as I had sold because I missed them. Falling prices actually made it a profitable endeavour, selling high and re-buying low.

[Robert Roaldi]

I shoot Olympus now, both action/sports and other. I'd replace with Olympus gear, just newer models. I'd get the top of line OM-1 for sports/action/birding and E-M5 class for other shooting. One fast zoom for sports, one long zoom for birds and short zoom (12-40) and the 1.8 primes, 17, 25, and 45, that don't cost much. That is all the "image quality" I will ever need for reasonable dollars. In the case of action/sports, any other system is way out of my price range for no more real benefit.

If this all happened at a point where I no longer needed a sports/action system, then I'd probably go with E-M5 and PRO primes, but I'd spend some time online thinking about pricing a Fuj E4 with prime lenses.

Given my nostalgia for Pentax, I'd also spend some time online pricing out a Pentax system too, K-3 and some primes, maybe their top of line primes, for fun.

But after all that, I'd end up with the Olympus system because it's small, light, gives me everything I need. But it would fun doing some online shopping for a few days for alternatives. :)

[James]

This actually happened to me. I replaced my X Pro 2 and the lenses that were stolen with exactly the same camera/lenses. I eventually got the camera and lenses back. The pawnshop that bought the equipment actually listed the serial numbers down on some report they send to the police. Yet another good reason keep the boxes everything came in. It took me over 6 months, multiple forms, and a lot of run around to get everything back.

Right now if everything go stolen, I would buy an X Pro 3 again. I have had all three iterations of the camera and it's just the camera that works best for me along with the X100V. I would not replace the Leica Q2 M.

All that said, I would give serious consideration to the Pentax K3 III Monochrome and the DA 15, 21`, 35, 40, and 70 lenses. Hopefully Fuji is reading this and planning an X Pro whatever Monochrome.

[Tom Burke]

Don't think that's the way it works - at least, not here in the UK.

We were burgled 13 or 14 years ago and the thieves got away with a good haul - about 3 laptops and a lot of camera gear - my recollection is that it included 3 D/SLRs and some lenses. A Loss Adjuster came round and asked to see receipts (or some other evidence of ownership); I still had receipts for nearly everything and produced them. These receipts included the details of the item, of course. Then eventually we were told that we would be indemnified by being sent a long list of replacement items.

The replacements in each case were the nearest equivalent available products that the loss adjuster could identify. In the case of the laptops, for example, a couple of older Apple Powerbooks had been stolen, and we were offered a couple of the previous year's MacBooks - actually, a good result since, while they were 'unsold old stock' they were certainly better than the stolen items. In the case of the cameras I had lost a Nikon D70 and a D80, and we received two D80s - the D70 no longer being available at all. But I also had had an old EOS 650 SLR (i.e. film camera) stolen, and for this I was given an EOS 300V SLR - one of Canon's last ever consumer film cameras, and utterly horrible. But *technically* - according to the specs - it was better than the stolen EOS 650.

So no cheque and therefore no chance to change brands, update, slim down and concentrate on quality, etc. Straight forward replacement of like for like, and this meant 'new Canon for old Canon'.

[Brandon]

A key thing for me are small lightweight lenses, including wide angle and telephoto zooms. I guess that could be done with a high res full frame camera operating mostly in APS-C mode with APS-C lenses, but that would be quite wasteful given the cost involved, so I’d end up with a smaller sensor.

Key body features: mirrorless, SLR style, lots of knobs/buttons, substantial grip, IBIS

Not important to me: megapixels

Including my lens criteria above, I’m left with:
- Fuji XH1, XS10, XH2, XH2S
- Olympus EM1m2 (which is what I have now), EM1m3, OM1
- Panasonic G9, G95

I don’t have any hands-on experience with those particular Fuji models, so I’d want to check then out before re-committing to m43, but I think I’d likely end up with m43 in the end because XH plus lenses seems on the big side to me, while the XS10 seems to be missing some features I’d like to have.

Within m43, I currently have an EM1m2 that I bought used last year from KEH. I know I prefer it over the G95 (weaker features) and G9 (unnecessarily large), so I’d stick with Olympus/OMS. I see the EM1m2 and EM1m3 as more or less the same thing, so I would only pay a small premium for the m3. I’d buy either one used since that’s basically necessary for the m2, while the m3 is currently massively overpriced when new. The big question for me is the OM1, but I think that’s probably too expensive to justify to me, and I’d rather spend money on lenses.

To your other questions:
- Where to shop: I want to buy used through a reputable place like KEH.
- Mid vs top of the line: It’s more about finding the right fit at the right price to me than caring about this distinction, but I do think my interest in some high-end features is what makes me look away from XS10 and G95, which are mid level.
- Phone: I definitely use my iPhone 14 pro for photography, but only when I don’t have my camera with me.
- Resale value: A big part of why I like buying used is that new quickly loses so much value, but, realistically, I won’t sell it anytime soon.

[Khürt Williams]

What would you choose in today's market?

—>Mirrorless?

Yes. Most likely something from Fujifilm. I want to adapt the 1970s-era and 1980s-era lenses to the body.

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

I would want an SLR-style body. I have a thing for 1970s-era 35mm film bodies.

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

Separate knobs for quick access to ISO, shutter speed, and exposure compensation, etc..

—>Top of the line or mid-line? I rarely want the top-of-the-line. I’m usually ok with mid-line.

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

I don’t need full-frame sensors, especially if it leads to weight. I’m ok with APS-C size sensors.

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

I’m pleased with 26 megapixels. I don’t see an advantage to having more pixels.

—>New or used?

For me, it’s usually used. I’ll let someone else pay the depreciation costs.

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

Same brand. Fujifilm.

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

I prefer the Fuji X-T5 for everything except the megapixels. If Fujifilm made an X-T5 variant with everything else the same with a 26-megapixel sensor, I would be very excited.

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

B&H Photo or Adorama. Maybe Amazon.com

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

I regularly use my iPhone 11 Pro for photography, especially when my spouse requests that I leave "the camera" in the car/at home."

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

No. For electronics and cameras (same thing?) I tend to be an "if it ain’t broke, don’t replace it." buyer.

[Dale]

I'd get a used Mamiya 645 Pro, with all the lenses to go with it. And still have a chunk of cash left over.

Dale

[Michael Casey]

I've been shooting with SLRs, then DSLRs, and now mirrorless ILCs for decades, and while I love my Fuji gear, if it were all stolen I would probably take that opportunity to radically downsize to a Leica Q2 (or Q3, if it arrives). I want the simplicity and challenges that come with a single lens camera. And I want the heft and feel that comes with the Q2.

A Q2 on a nice leather wrist strap would be my lightweight world traveling companion, if I were given that opportunity.

[Dr Tom Bell]

Mirrorless
With Knobs on
Midline
Smaller than FF
26 would be more than enough
XT5
Park Cameras UK
Phone occ and useful when its the only thing available
I use them up.

To be honest happy with XT4 and 100V ... they will I hope "see me out" but if I had to replace the XT5 has a great Fuji Flippy screen which I would rather have and it is smaller. however would not justify changing what I have now.

The move from Pentax and their lenses was sad ... but coming up 70 I hope these will see me out.

Thanks to you after 6 years of promising myself I am off to Paris and going to learn a lot about Street Photography from Peter Turnley. Excited but nervous. Always lived in the country so its a new form. Relying on my F 100V to help me through

[Keith Cartmell]

OK, I'll play. What would you choose in today's market?

In short: I've already told the local camera store that I'll buy the last new Canon 6D mk ii off the shelf, since that's what I have now, and it would be likely to last the rest of my life, and more importantly, I know how it works.

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?
Umm.

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?
Digital would be DSLR, see above. The film camera replacements would be rangefinders.

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?
Knobs for film, buttons for digital.

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?
Obsolete.

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?
Full frame for digital, medium format for film.

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?
Less.

—>New or used?
Preferably new for digital, certainly used for film.

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?
Same.

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?
Yes, see above.

—>Where would you expect to buy it?
Digital at local camera store, film maybe at nearby specialty film camera store, or maybe online.

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?
Smartphone typically only for when I need to email something.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?
Resale value not a consideration.

You didn't mention lenses, or maybe there's a part two coming for them. I'd spring for top quality 24-70 mm, (or so) the 100mm macro, and a good 70-200.

[Andrew L]

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder? Optical viewfinder.

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape? SLR or Rangefinder. Preferably rangefinder for the compact lenses. Zone/scale focusing ability is important to me!

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic? Knobs and buttons. Don't give me on-screen buttons for commonly used controls. Focusing likewise needs to NOT be focus-by-wire, and I need accurate distance scales on lenses.

—>Top of the line, or mid-line? Mid-line.

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than? Full frame preferred, not so much for the quality difference, but mostly to avoid dealing with annoying crop factors. I like shooting on the wider, or wide-to-normal end, and crop factors cancel out a lot of popular focal lengths for me.

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less? At least 24-26, not picky otherwise.

—>New or used? Preferably new, for the warranty.

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands? I like Pentax, and have lenses for it... but I could switch brands for the abovementioned rangefinder hypothesis.

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose? It doesn't exist. If I stick with a FF DSLR, then I'll be very interested to see what Pentax's update to the K-1 mkII may be. The K-3 mkIII monochrome is rather interesting too, mainly because the interesting DA Limited lenses circumvent crop factor annoyances by being focal lengths specifically chosen for APS-C.

—>Where would you expect to buy it? I don't know? I live in a big enough city that it would probably be carried at a local store, but many people are stuck buying online.

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks? Only functional tasks, even a good phone camera is a boring camera with IQ that breaks down if you look at it close to full-size.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"? Resale value is somewhat important, so I often split the difference between long-term use and maintaining resale value (for example, I may sell a camera and purchase an updated version of it in order to keep the resale value in a comfortable place).

[T. Edwards]

The 3K would only make a dent, but I'd buy a Sony A7RV and a Sony 35 1.4 lens, then a Sony 200-600 lens - what I have now. Does just about everything I need for landscapes and birds.

Probably would not replace the Batis 25, the Loxia 50 and the Sony 135 1.8 since I seldom use those.

Undecided whether I would replace the Sony 90 macro but probably.
----
If it were 30K instead of 3K, I'd get a Sony A1 with a Sony 600 f4 for birds and a Fuji GFX100 and whatever lens you use for landscapes on one of those things.

[Nigel Voak]

Here are my answers:

What would you choose in today's market?

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

Mirrorless, that is the way things are going, so I will have a future proof camera, if I am lucky and by brand does not get discontinued.

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

Does not really matter to me.

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

Actually the knobs and dials on my D850 are the perfect control set.

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

Mid line.

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

Full Frame. The tonal and colour transitions are much better than APC and M43.

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

Hi res, just because I can.

—>New or used?

New, but a lightly used camera would be fine. I buy a mix of new and used.

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

Nikon, the beast I know. Never got to love Olympus or Panasonic.

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Nikon Z7

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

I try to support my local retailers, the price of Nikon gear is fixed here. I buy all my gear from small dealers.

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

The phone is fine for note-keeping.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

To a degree, It helps a lot to have some value to gear I trade in.

[Yonatan Katznelson]

Fuji XT5 and the new versions of the 56 and 23.
(and maybe the 33) I'll cover the difference myself.

[Joseph L. Kashi]

If limited to single replacement camera, I would likely choose replacing my existing Olympus Pen-F, preferably with a new weather-sealed model, and some small high-quality prime lenses like the Panasonic 20mm/1.7,the Olympus 45/1.8, and the super-sharp but sadly discontinued Sigma 60/2.8 DN ART.

The Pen-F is the camera that I currently use most often despite owning an E-M1 II, a full-frame Pentax K-1 II, and an APS-C Pentax Kp. The Olympus can provide large exhibition-grade prints while still being unobtrusive and portable. The only real drawback, and it is a significant one, is the lack of weather-sealing.

Tactile controls like knobs and buttons are nice, and preferred, but I can live without a plethora of them.

New would be preferred for the warranty but buying from a reputable dealer like LensRentals or KEH is fine, so long as the condition is EXC or better. I don't want to buy something that's been used to pound nails - that's partly aesthetic but mostly practical.

I would buy the item either from the nearest brick and mortar dealer or from the above online dealers.

I only use my iPhone camera for very occasional functional needs. The Olympus provides the higher level of detail that I often need for professional purposes.

Resale value is unimportant - I run both my cameras and my vehicles until the end of their practical lives and then given them away.

[Aakin]

Man, that's a tough one. I have a lot of love for Fuji, especially my XE-3, and I'm pretty heavily invested in them, but if I was starting over from scratch, with a $3000 off gift to boot? I'd probably finally give in and invest in a Leica and a 35mm Summilux.

[Dan Gorman]

Hi Mike, thanks for asking :-)

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

Dan: Definitely mirrorless - love silent shooting much more than I expected to

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

Dan: RF style, bc smaller, less conspicuous

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

Dan: 3 programmable physical dials please, for exp comp, aperture, shutter speed

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

Dan: Midline is fine for me

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

Dan: Don't care, IQ and overall camera size/weight are more important

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

Dan: I love my beautiful 32mp files more than I expected to

—>New or used?

Dan: I like the idea of buying used in principle, but in practice I'm chicken about actually buying used from someone I don't know

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

Dan: Happy with Canon, no urge to switch

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Dan: Nope, haven't looked at any reviews since I bought my last camera

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

Dan: Probably online, Amazon or B&H, mostly bc of familiarity, convenience

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

Dan: You will need to pry my smartphone camera out of my cold dead hands - LOVE it

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

Dan: Not an issue for me - I buy a new camera for personal expressive use about once every 10 years, have given a bunch of cameras away but never sold one

[Doug Anderson]

So stated another way I have to put together a complete kit of one camera and several lenses starting with a sunk cost of $3,000. For me it has to be analog and the camera has to be a rangefinder. A new RF Leica and even a set of third party lenses would be impossible and a used M-series Leica would involve more out of pocket expenditure than would be comfortable. So it would be an LTM Leica. I don't know enough about other RF marques to make a good choice.

Given the above I would buy a good looking Leica IIIc, spend a lot more than the perchase prices for a total rebuild by a reputable shop, and replace my current 35/2.5 Nikon, 50/2 Summicron and 85/1.8 Canon lenses. Including good 35mm and 85mm viewfinders might push the envelope the $3,000 envelope a bit but probably doable. (The choice of a IIIc over a IIIf is strictly for cost saving.)

[Jakob]

For my 'serious' photography, a top of the line DSLR. I've got the Nikon D850 and I would buy the same again. Always buy used and take good care of equipment to keep resale value almost unchanged.

Why not a mirrorless Nikon? I want an optical viewfinder, and the Z7 (plus lenses) felt super flimsy in comparison to the D850. Also, Z adapter support for manual-focus-era lenses is suboptimal.

For small-and-light, I'd pick up the most recent Sony RX100 iteration that has dropped to reasonable used prices. Currently I own an M3.

After going through many different cameras in recent years, this is what I ended up with, and I'm very happy with this setup.

It's not perfect, of course. The RX100 could be faster (startup times, menus, zoom) and I don't particularly enjoy the act of using it - but it's incredibly convenient and it takes great photos.

The D850.. well, not much to complain there to be honest, I love this camera. Just due to its size and weight, it's best suited for dedicated photography sessions.

I'm still on a low-priority hunt for a compact that's also fun to use. Perhaps a Ricoh GR3?

[Dan Khong]

>What would you choose in today's market?

Mirrorless. SLR. Knobs-and-buttons controls. Mid-line Full frame. 26-MP or less. New. Same brand.

>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Yes. Canon EOS RP. From local photo dealer that I know for umpteen years.

>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

For shooting keepers, 50% with smartphone 50% with EOS RP.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

Resale not important. Use until obsolete or conks out.

[Peter Conway]

I'd likely go with what was in my shopping cart at B&H last year around this time. I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on it because I was retiring a few months later (and insurance wasn't covering the first $3000).

Nikon Z5
NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S
NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S

So that ticks the following: mirrorless, full frame, mainly electronic controls, less than 26 mega-pixels

The Z5 is Nikon's entry-level full frame mirrorless, but is considered to be very similar to the Z6 from a still photography standpoint (which is my only interest). I've used Nikon DSLRs for 15 years, so would stick with the brand. I briefly used a Z just before the pandemic; I felt very comfortable with its operation and was very happy with the image quality.

I use my iPhone only for visual note-taking and occasional snapshots. While I'm sometimes surprised at how nice a photo looks on my phone, I don't feel that it scales as well as I'd like when I pull it into Lightroom.

And finally, I tend to be "buy-and-hold" oriented, so I'd buy new, with resale value an unimportant consideration (I've never personally experienced GAS).

[Grant]

A Pentax Monochrome, plus all the DA Limited lenses. If I couldn’t afford all the lenses, then the 21mm and the 70mm would be just fine.

Why? This is about as close as I could get to my MX and 28mm and 85mm lenses of yesteryear.

Smartphone? With a nice kit like this I’d only need a smartphone to let E T borrow it to call home.

[Speed]

I would replace my stolen mirrorless camera and lenses with the same body and lenses and buy them from BH. The replacement lenses would be correct for the camera -- not like what I have currently that require an adapter.

Knobs and buttons, full frame, high-res. Trade-in for new model.

I currently take more pictures with my phone than with my camera except when photographing an event. My phone is always with me and I learn through practice and experimenting and fiddling with (some would say "editing") the images. Lots of images and immediate feedback. The editing tools available on a phone are quite powerful and allow a lot of experimentation ... and sharing ... and criticism.

It's a great time to be a photographer.

And the "film" is free.

[Benjamin Marks]

Actually, the first thing I'd do would be to sue my insurer for failure to provide coverage. But while waiting for that comedia to resolve, I'd re-buy:

Pentax K-1
100/2.8
50/1.4
35/2

... and then keep buying used FF lenses until the $3K game-cap was used up.

All used off eBay or from KEH.
So: used, FF, SLR, hi-res, knob, same brand.

But in the event that thieves backed a truck up to my house and, wearing the required back braces and hernia trusses, made off with 30 years of quasi-hoarded photo gear, I wouldn't bother to reinvent. Just want to keep taking photos, which could be done with second-hand gear no problem.

[Kye Wood]

$20K of gear and they get me to settle for $3K?

Ok. Reluctantly, a Lumix G85, the Panaleica 15mm 1.7 and and the Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro Lens.

[JimR175]

I'd ask for the $3k and apply it towards the purchase of a Q2 Monochrom.

[David Francis]

Mirrorless, optical, or hybrid viewfinder?
Mirrorless -- for the artificial horizon and focus peaking among other things.

SLR or rangefinder body shape?
No preference. I have both.

Knobs and buttons or electronic controls?
Knobs and buttons, as long as they can't be inadvertently activated. I hate surprises.

Top of the line or mid-line?
Mid-line is more than adequate for most purposes.

Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?
Micro four-thirds is the sweet spot. Good image quality, convenient size.

More than 26 megapixels or less?
I like to make prints, usually 8.5 x 11 or smaller, and would probably never go larger than 11 x 14 or A3, so 26 megapixels is more than good enough. I've made decent 8.5 x 11 prints from 6 megapixel files.

New or used?
Depends on what i want and when and how much.

Same brand or different brand?
I've used Nikon, Canon, Panasonic, and Olympus. They're all good.

Do you already know which exact model you would choose?
Probably another Panasonic G9 or the next iteration thereof.

Where would you expect to buy it?
At a local camera shop, even if it is more expensive than Amazon.

Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?
My phone is old and doesn't have a very good camera, so it's for functional tasks and moments when nothing else is available

Is resale value important, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?
Keep them. They make good paperweights.

[DavidPl24914996]

—Mirrorless … work mostly off the LCD

—combined controls

—mid-line? … would love the LCD on the Z9 but not the weight

—Full frame (24x36mm) …. have smaller formats but hate translating focal lengths

—was satisfied with 12MP

—New (seems more current somehow)

—>have switched brands but am back to Nikon (4th time?)

—Nikon Z5, 40mm, 28mm (small one), want a micro but the 105 is just to heavy for me

—BestBuy (if they happen to have it), B&H or Amazon

—dropped all cameras two years ago to iPhone only … found that lacking & picked up Nikons again six years ago … will still use iPhone when camera is not available

—have been buying cameras for over 60 years now … get what I can for them but move on when the urge strikes

[Mike Ferron]

Mike you have to up the bottom line a bit ok? Any good condition, used Leica and desirable lens, film or digital that is not a point and shoot is going to run a minimum of say $5000. A few years back a used M6 was $1200. $3000-$3500 now then add in another $2500 for a used 35mm cron!

[John Krill]

Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

Exactly what I have now. My Fjifilm X-E4 with the 16mm f2.8, 23mm f2.0, 27mm f2.8, 30mm f1.4 (This is a Sigma lens.) and the 50mm f2.0.

But since the Fujifilm X-E4 is discontinued and would try for a used one or maybe just shoot myself for letting my X-E4 get stolen.

[schralp]

Nikon Z6ii, 24-120 f/4 and 40 f/2.

[Keith]

—>Mirrorless

—>SLR-style

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic? Not quite sure I understand the catagories, is "mainly electronic" mostly touchscreen control? I'll put it this way, I prefer Fuji XH2 style control over XT5 style

—>Mid-line

—>Full frame (24x36mm)

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less? Around 24-33

—>New or used? I'm good either way

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands? Love my Olympus gear, and no regrets about building a full system over the years, but the future of OMDS and m43 in general is maybe less stable than a few years ago. Probably Nikon or Sony

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose? Nikon z6 series, hopefully z6iii out soon, or Sony A7iv

—>Where would you expect to buy it? Online, no stores left in my area (rural northwest North Carolina) possibly Adorama or B&H

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks? Mostly functional tasks, but some spur of the moment family times

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"? Use it up

[Sroyon]

I don't even need to think about it. I would try to get the same brand and model, namely the Fuji X-E4 (mirrorless, rangefinder style, knobs-and-buttons, mid-range, 26MP APS-C). I wrote about it here—and quoted you, by the way!

I bought it new, but Fuji has since discontinued the X-E4, so I'd probably have to buy used. I have four lenses (Samyang 12/2, Fuji 18/2, 50/2 and 50-230/4.5-6.7). The camera (new) and four lenses (all purchased used) together cost me less than USD 1100.

Ideally I'd use the rest of the payout to replace two of my film cameras (Leica M3 with a Summicron 50/2 v1 and Minolta Autocord). This would be a harder task because I got them a few years ago before prices went up, and also after much patient waiting and watching for good deals on eBay.

The M3, Summicron and Autocord together cost less than USD 1400, but at current prices, I think I'd have to pay a lot more.

I mostly use my smartphone for functional tasks and to record memories, so I would continue to use it that way.

I don't care about resale value, as I only "update" every 8-10 years. Or in case of my film cameras, some of which are from the 1950s and 60s (30 years older than me), I don't update at all :-)

[William Lewis]

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

Rangefinder

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

Rangefinder :)

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

It's mostly electronic.

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

Mid-line for them

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

Full frame

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

24mp

—>New or used?

Used.

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

Same brand.

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Yes.

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

Eprey unless I got lucky at KEH.

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

Avoid even though my Motorola phone is pretty good.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

Not important to me.

The body would be a Leica M Type 240 or Type 246 Monochrom depending on which I find cheaper. Kobalux 28/3.5, Canon 50/1.4, Elmar 90/4 (all LTM) and a leather half case from Luigi Crescenzi in Italy.

[Alex Buisse]

I recently switched (almost) all my DSLR gear to mirrorless, which was an opportunity to do some interesting rationalization of my equipment. It falls well outside of the budget constraints you mentioned, but as a working pro with some specific needs (ruggedness, shooting fast moving, unpredictable movement), I went with the magical Nikon Z9 as a primary body, Z7 as a second body, then the 2.8 trinity and added an 85 f/1.8 for portraits and a 400 f/4.5 for some very specific landscape needs I often have. It all fits in a Peak Design backpack that I can use as a carry on and even for hiking in a pinch.

Resale value doesn’t matter as much, though I was glad to offset some of the costs with reselling my F gear. I bought everything from well known Canadian stores (the Camera Store and Vistek in Calgary), as quality of service and supporting local-ish dealers is important to me. I also found some of the lenses second hand in great condition, to save a bit.

[Stéphane Bosman]

My insurance would actually cover quite a bit more, but with $3,000, I would just replace the D850 with a new D850 at discount and use what's left on a lens. A 50mm f/1.8G or even AI/S would suit me fine. I would rebuilt a lens suite with time, but there would be no hurry.

Why a 6 years old model? Well, I have used mirrorless extensively (7 years), but went back to optical. And I fail to see any tangible advantage to a much more expensive Z7 II.

[Andreas]

—>Mirrorless!
—>SLR-style! and rangefinder
—>more Knobs-and-buttons controls
—>mid-line
—>MFT
—>26-MP or less
—>New: OM-5 or Panasonic G90 letting my hands decide + a good used Panasonic GM5 for the pocket. Lenses: ~12-~60 Zoom, (~17mm), 25mm, 43mm prime, long telezoom
—>switch brands yes and no
—>Which model? see above
—>Where would you expect to buy it? The "large" one: my local shop. The small one: ebay.
—>Smartphone only for functional tasks and in a pinch.
—>I tend to keep my gear for a long time and try to keep it in good repair.

[MarkB]

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder? Optical if sticking with my old-reliable, but mirrorless if the VF doesn't suck

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape? SLR or SLR-style

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic? Knobs-buttons, but a well-sorted touchscreen isn't a bad thing

—>Top of the line, or mid-line? mid-line, if it has what I need

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?Probably APS-C, my sweet spot, but M43 might also work

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less? Don't care

—>New or used?New if it fits in the budget, used if I know the source

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?Same brand (Pentax) if available, but I also know and like Fuji and Olympus

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?if Pentax, K-3 mk3 (but in silver this time), if Fuji then an X-T5, and if Olympus then an OM-1

—>Where would you expect to buy it?B&H or a private party if used

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?My smartphone is over 6 years old, so the camera is slow and pointless compared to an even older SLR - rarely use it.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?Use them up, and even then find it hard to part with them when they inevitably break

—>Would you check local resales sites to see if your stolen gear could be bought/recovered for a low price?Yes, because almost no one knows the value of Pentax systems, aside from Pentaxians. Might even come out ahead!

[Larry Gebhardt]

If I chose to replace the digital system I would certainly get the A7RV, which would an upgrade from the stolen A7RIV. I'd rebuy the same 35mm GM and take an updated look at the market for a longer and shorter lenses. I would certainly go over the budget. I'd also look into a new insurance company since they obviously didn't honor the details of the policy.

For film I'd get another Chamonix 4x5, 135mm Sironar S, 200mm and 300mm Nikon M lenses. I don't think I paid $2000 for all of that, but looking at current prices I don't think I could replace it for $3000.

I would have no issues buying used. I'd probably get just the 4x5 and use my cell phone for snaps in this hypothetical world.

Resale value is a good excuse to buy quality used gear. Almost all of my analog equipment is worth significantly more than I paid for it, with the more premium equipment appreciating at a higher rate.

[SteveW]

Okay, I'll go for it.

I currently have a Fuji X-T4, 33 f/1.4, 16-80 and 70-300. I'm pretty happy with this set up, and I've churned through enough gear over the years to get to this point. If this happened today, I'd replace it since the X-T4 is still available. I'm fine with 26mp.

Or maybe I'd get an iPhone 15 Pro and call it a day.

[Rob L.]

If I had to buy new, that's rough. 3k for lenses and a body doesn't stretch too far, but if I could go for used, it would be much like my current setup - Z6, 26 2.8, 200-500 with FTZ, 24-120S. Would give me enough to build on. New, I might just get angry and get a Pentax Monochrome and 31mm and call it a day, or embrace the chance to get an XT5 and whatever lenses I could con myself into.

[Pedro Aphalo]

—>Mirrorless

—>SLR or SLR-style

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls

—>Top of the line

—>Smaller-than full frame

—>26-MP or less

—>New

—>Same brand as my stolen (i.e., current) gear

—>I already know which exact model I would choose

—>Would buy locally, most likely order through webstore of a rather small brick and mortar shop, and fetch the camera in person.

—>I avoid photographing with my iPhone 12 except for functional tasks

—>Resale value is important to me for lenses (e.g. it helped with the FT -> MFT transition), not for camera bodies as I tend to keep my cameras a long time and "use them up" or pass them to family members.

Notes:
I am in an unusual situation, I think: I would buy exactly the same camera I now have (OM-1 mirrorless).

If I had answered these same questions before the announcement of the OM-1, I would have answered that I would have considered switching to Fuji.

[Roman Boiko]

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

- Moving this to the top to cut to the chase: Nikon Z5. Can get new or refurbished for ~$1k USD for all of the following: IBIS, 24-MP, dual UHS-II slots, full frame, HUGE evf, metal top plate, tilting touch screen, eye and face AF (if not the fastest). I paid ~$1.4k last year and I would do it again, even at that price.

With a $50 adapter, I can shoot any AI-S glass I can think of, or with $150 for a used FT-ZII, I can shoot with an affordable G un-holy trinity like the 16-35, 24-85 VR, 70-300 VR for about ~$250-$300 per lens.

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

- Mirrorless: lower cost for similar sensor spec, plus greater range of lens options. It's easier to focus AI-S glass on an evf than on a DSLR ground-glass. Testing this camera in the store with my lenses sealed the deal for me.

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

- Rangefinder-style preferred, but not mandatory. I might consider trading my Z5 if Nikon put out a Z4 with a corner EVF a-la Sony A7C.

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

- Mid-line provides anything one could need at this point.

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

- Full frame preferred: The difference of cost between sensor size is now negligible and it's convenient to use old lenses without crop-factor conversion. I love MFT, but if it came down to one camera only, it would still be full frame.

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

- ~20-MP is more than enough for anything except the most demanding work (which you won't be hired for further after showing up with $3000 worth of gear).

—>New or used?

- Lightly used, but new options are also affordable (If I were dead set on a DSLR, it would be a used Canon 5dMkIII).

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

- I avoid using the phone, but if I have to, I will.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

- Resale value is good for a rainy day, but the above Z5 with AI-S glass will stay in my bag for a long time.

[Ms. Jen]

I will be honest, I love my Nikon D850 for astrophotography and landscape but it is tiring to take it out daily or for street photography.
But I have a problem, I have a vestibular disorder and I can't look through an video simulated viewfinder without feeling vertigo or slightly nauseous.
I really really wanted to like mirrorless cameras but I want a non-moving viewfinder. I don't like composing without a viewfinder. Yes, next week I turn AARP old enough.
I tested out several various mirrorless cameras over the years from an Olympus, to a Fuji, to a Nikon Z6 and was quite unhappy with the viewing, composing, and shooting experience with my vertigo.
So, instead when I don't have a particular event to take out the big DSLR, I stick to my old film SLR.
Sad but true. I want to like mirrorless but my eye and brain don't agree on the refresh rate of the viewfinders.

[Mark]

I'd get another Nikon F2 and a couple of lenses (maybe 20mm and 50mm). But wait: maybe a $3k windfall means I can get a Leica! An M5 or M2 or M3! Probably out-of-pocket for two Leica lenses, plus the inevitable CLA. Nah, better to just go with the F2, Nikkor lenses, and stock-up on film, paper, and chemistry.

[Rfeg]

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?
Mirrorless
—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?
Like more SLE
—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?
Two models to choose, but I need some nobs
—>Top of the line, or mid-line?
Mid line
—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?
Smaller, I “need” more DOF and not less
—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?
26MP or less
—>New or used?
Used, but new model
—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?
Different
—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?
Kind of, either OM-1 or X-E4 (or similar, but with HEIF to save me some time in post processing for that time on post processing)
—>Where would you expect to buy it?
MPB (verified second hand)
—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?
Phone is with me, so I use it

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?
Keep

[nextSibling]

* Mirrorless
* SLR-style
* Standard (these days) two-control-wheel interface
* Bottom of the upper-range
* 'Full frame', at least
* 20/24/26 MPx is plenty, but more is no problem.
* Used if I can find trustworthy source
* Same as I have now - Nikon
* Z5 - does all I need.
* From any of the usual online suspects
* Ricoh GRIII when I want/need to travel light, or just feel like a change. Phone rarely.
* Resale value is irrelevant. Camera stuff is tools, not investments.

Unremarkable answers. I'd rather try to make remarkable pictures than own remarkable gear.

[Zave Shapiro]

I really like to have two bodies with a prime on each. Minolta X-700, Canon A2, Fuji X-T1 and now the X-H1. I'd get a pair of X-T5's. It looks like a camera should and has the exposure comp dial. I'd have a few primes (up to the 80 macro) and any pancake lens I could find as they make the camera look smaller and funner. Zooms? One cheap general purpose like the 15-45. Oh, and the Godox Senior Retro Flash because it makes people smile. I'm not shooting for history but all the Fuji stuff feels solid.

[Kodachromeguy]

Very illustrative: several of your readers above would buy the monochrome Pentax if they needed replacementequipment. So much for the nay-sayers who spent a lot of effort and words trying to argue that there is no need for a mono digital camera.

[Jeff in Colorado]

The easy choice for me would require me to come up with a bit more money to cover the purchase of a new (from local dealer) or factory-refurbished (Secondipity) Sony A7R5 + SEL40F25G, replacing an A7R4 + SEL35F28Z. I feel that there’s no real penalty for having this level of performance for my day-to-day usage, as this is still a pretty compact outfit. Nothing wrong with my “old” system, but I thought I might enjoy newer features, including focus-bracketing.

The combination of highly resolving sensor and no optical low-pass filter has worked very well for me with A7R4, and I guess I’m spoiled!

But if for some reason, the replacement couldn’t be a Sony or OM System product, then how about a Nikon ZFc + kit zoom + 28 mm lenses: It’s pretty compact and lightweight, and looks a bit like my first serious camera, the Nikon FE. No 8k video and no pixel-shift (alas), but pretty much a foregone conclusion that I could get satisfying results out of it.

[almostinfamous]

considering i just went through this exercise a few months ago - here's what i would do if i had to start with a clean slate instead of having to think of legacy glass. I currently have a nikon z5 with a 24-120 f/4S. although i am quite happy with the setup, some parts of the camera i am still learning about. however, in case of a total loss -

I would go to one of my local camera stores and walk out with the sony A7 mark 4 with the samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens. I would happily use my phone as backup for the wider angles till i built up enough of a budget to pick up a suitable wide angle.

a pipe dream i have is to instead purchase a large format folding camera kit with a couple of lenses from ebay and a box of film and set off on merry adventures against the quickly receding landscapes of my area.

I still haven't sold a single camera i have bought, so resale value is not something i really consider when evaluating the cameras.

[Graham]

I’d almost welcome this, to get rid of the burden without going through the emotional angst. What I would NOT do is replace any of my Leica gear which, while maybe lovely, is too precious to actually own. I’d just get another GRiii and another GRiiix and tell myself to stop already!

[Steve Renwick]

Oy.

- One 4x5 field camera, with a 150mm lens. And a tripod.
- One Nikon FM3A and 50mm lens.

There might be enough cabbage left over for a secondhand Nikon DSLR, but a couple different lenses would make more sense.

Of course, "if you'd be happy with that, why not sell all the extraneous gear you have now?" To which the response is, "A pox on thee."

[Chris]

I'll play since I haven't done this exercise in a while...

—>Mirrorless? Or optical or hybrid viewfinder?

Optical viewfinder

—>SLR or SLR-style, or rangefinder or rangefinder-style body shape?

DSLR

—>Knobs-and-buttons controls, or mainly electronic?

Knobs and buttons, as much as possible

—>Top of the line, or mid-line?

Depends on the brand, of course. Since I would choose a Pentax K-1 II it would be top of the line, but still cheaper than mid-line from other makers.

—>Full frame (24x36mm), larger-than, or smaller-than?

I'd go FF (I'm on APS-C now)

—>High-res (more than 26 megapixels), or 26-MP or less?

36MP because that is what the K-1 is. I'm currently on 20MP and think it's enough.

—>New or used?

Probably go ahead and buy new because Pentax K-1s are expensive in the used market.

—>Same brand as your stolen (i.e., current) gear, or will you switch brands?

Same brand, but different camera.

—>Do you already know which exact model you would choose?

Yes

—>Where would you expect to buy it?

Probably B&H

—>Will you also be regularly taking pictures with your smartphone, or do you avoid photographing with your phone except for functional tasks?

I usually avoid my cell phone camera.

—>Is resale value important to you, or do you tend to keep your cameras a long time and "use them up"?

Not that important, I keep photo equipment for a very long time.