need advice on my next purchase

[949]

hey guys. 

 

I have a question on which one of these should be my next purchase.  please help recommend which one of these and why you would recommend it.

 

my current camera is the sony A7s.  my first camera in years so its an awesome camera and I really enjoy it. plus I am able to buy new tools to make it even more fun and interesting.

 

my current lens equipment I own now are:

1. sel35f14z

2. sel55f18z

3. sel90m28g

4. sel1635z

 

I do enjoy portraits and macro photography during my spare time or with friends and family. this is a fun hobby for me.

 

so in my current budget, which I get once in awhile to splurge, I wanted to buy one of these new items. or this  fourth item which is out of the realm of my sony A7s but still something I could use.

 

1. profoto B1X

2. sel100f28gm

3. sel85f14gm

or

4. sony RX100V pocket camera

 

I'm not sure which one of these would be fun to learn and use next. 

please pick from one of the items and  tell me why you choose that item from my list.

 

thanks.

[Username]

You have the 90m so I'd skip the 85 and 100mm as redundant. I have

no idea what a B1X is so no-comment. A pocket camera is always fun

so thaz a good idea. If you will ONLY consider items on your list, then 

the pocket camera is my recommendation and stop reading me NOW.  

   

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The cost of the redundant 85 or 100mm lenses will approximately buy 

an a7-II body, which offers you IBIS and twice the MP of your 7s body. 

This could open up new realms more than any new lens ....   

    

================================================  

   

Also on the add-a-new-body train of thought ... you do macro work  

with a 12MP camera. If you hafta crop when you can't go any tighter 

optically, cropping to the APS-C frame size leaves you only 6MP. If 

you pick up an APS-C body for such macro work, your same optical 

limit remains but you can now "crop" to APS-C at not 6, not 12, but  

at 24MP. I use both formats of e-mount bodies, and for tighter macro 

shots I do exactly what I described. Why would I crop my a7-II shot 

in post, when I can switch bodies and maintain the full pixel count ? 

In your case it doesn't just maintain the FF pixel count, it doubles it,

and compared to in-camera cropping in the a7S, it quadruples it :-) 

  

Macro on a tripod doesn't need high ISO, and the 7S is designed to 

compromise low ISO IQ and enhance IQ at high ISO ... so a bargain 

priced a6000 offers 24MP and high IQ vs 12MP at reduced IQ from 

the a7S. And you'll really enjoy toting the a6000. It's not as tiny as

the RX100V you're considering, but it's enjoyably smaller than any 

model in the a7XX series. You can also use the a6000 to bump your 

longest lens, your 90, up to 135 [equivalent].  

   

I suggested the a6000 cuz they are currently giving them away. But 

for the price of that sel85f14gm that you're considering, you can get 

the a6500 ... truly worth the difference for any buyer whose budget 

is OK with it. Your budget already includes a possible 85f14gm, so 

your budget is quite OK with it. 

[Guest Jaf-Photo]

You don't have a tele lens, so I would add that to your list. It opens up new possibilities in photography. The same goes for a really wide angle lens. That's where I would go.

 

Regarding the Profoto B1X... total overkill. You don't need a professional studio flash to take good portraits. You will do just fine with a couple of speedlights combined with umbrellas or softboxes. That will be a fraction of the price (and weight) of the studio system and you can still take good singles or group portraits with them.