Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent Camera for a Reasonable Price
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2016
I can honestly say I love this camera. I've owned it for a year now, and used it for a variety of things, from filming to photo shoots to travel pictures. For someone who didn't know much about cameras for the first half year of use, this camera was spectacular, and allowed me to capture some truly unique shots.
Starting with my favorite features: The movable screen is incredibly useful. As well as allowing for cute selfies and vlogging, the screen really helps get angled shots. Especially when I'm outdoors, the idea of lying on the ground to line up a shot isn't appealing, and after a long day of shooting I'm too tired to maneuver like that. This camera allows me to get low angle shots by flipping the screen up and holding the camera my my knees. I only have to bend over, and the touch screen can be incredibly useful to focus in the same instance. The camera is light and portable, I had no problems dragging it along with me on trips. The battery lasts forever, I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten to charge it and still been totally fine for a full day of shooting. The battery charges quickly as well, so if you wake up and it's dead, it won't take more than an hour (rough estimate) to charge fully.
My main motivation for buying this camera was film. I'm in the process of shooting a short film, and I enjoy messing around with video when my friends and I go on short trips. I did extensive research on what would work best, and I wouldn't have chosen any camera but this one. After a year of use, I can happily say this still holds true. The mobility of the screen and touchscreen ability makes it really easy to make high quality videos. The camera is compact and light as well, so vlogging is easy. The built in mic is pretty high quality, and for on the go filming, I could get good sound without buying a mic.
There are a few downsides. I had a little trouble working my way around the controls at first, but that may be due to my lack of familiarity with cameras in general. There are times where I wish this camera came with a viewfinder. You can buy the attachment, and for people who are looking to do serious photography, I might suggest it. This is partially personal preference, I think using a viewfinder can feel more natural. I haven't bought this attachment yet, so I can't speak to the quality of the one included in some of these bundles. However, when I shoot film or use a friend's DSLR, the viewfinder can make some shots more comfortable. Others are better using the screen. Occasionally the focus can get a little wonky when it's left on auto, but a switch to manual is the easy fix-- just takes a little longer. The only other real issue I have is finding lenses that are compatible with this body. There's an adapter, which I haven't bought. I've only used the body with the 18-55 lens, and it's worked great, there have been very few instances where I wanted a greater range.
Overall, I think the pros far outweigh the cons. If you're looking for a dependable camera for a reasonable price, I couldn't recommend this one more.
