The cheapest price to date for this full frame mirrorless camera and the kit lens
CamelCamelCamel.
That explains while there's no promotion with them while Sony, OM, Fujifilm, Canon currently offer either cash backs or freebies. It's a shame that Amazon also removed 2.1% SB and CR cash back for Cameras this week.
Which one is the best ?
Best for what application?
If you want a full frame camera for photo and video, it's hard to go past the S5ii …
If that is a little expensive, but you want awesome video, then the GH6 and GH5ii are options …
If they are both still a bit expensive, but you want decent 4k@60p and photo then the G9 rocks (they are so cheap, I have dropped and smashed a heap of them from helicopters, boats and buildings)!
If accurate autofocus is a MUST, then get a Sony or Canon (the Panasonic are OK, just not 100% reliable, but can be worked around with settings) …
If low light video is your thing, get a Canon R6ii or Sony A7Siii …
If cheap and decent third party lenses are your thing, get a Sony …
If smaller and portable is your thing, get an Olympus …
If fun and out of camera JPGs are your thing, get a Fujifilm …
Each camera has pros and cons, it really depends on what you are looking for ;)
Which one is the best ?
S5 ii
S24 Ultra Plus
/s
What do you have now? what do you photograph, landscape, portrait, street
, wildlife, astrophotography , macro etc etc? In each area i have seen pros use variety of cameras and take amazing photos.
What glass lenees do you already have ? Can it be adapted. Do you like to use old manual lenses?
There is no best imho. What I would do is start with a used body in the system you like or maybe an older generation and invest in lenses for it. They body you can upgrade later but the glass is more difficult to switch in and out of.
i know it may sound condescending, but if you're asking "which one is best", i would say enthusiast cameras are not for you.
You sort of need to have a clear picture or idea in mind. Cameras and lenses are just tools for you to realise that idea.
is this huge upgrade on G9?
Well its full frame and has hybrid autofocus, 24 vs 20.1 MP. These three alone are pretty heavy hitters, and both camera bodies are the exact same size despite being mft vs ff (and the lenses arent that much different). For the af alone it basically dunks the g9. But i will stay on my s5 until the next revision as I'm hoping they'll upgrade the sensor resolution.
To my knowledge pana ff and pana mft lenses are quite different in size and weight. The major benefit of MFT being lightweight system. Even tho the camera is almost similar sized, the 70 200 equivalent will be much lighter on mft compared to ff system.
Other than that, the full frame system wins in most cases.
For primes of similar quality the pana lenses are only a bit larger, especially when you consider equivalent apetures are basically impossible on mft. I do agree the compactness of mft is cool, but the lens equivalents always have trade offs for being smaller
$2,795 now! $14 saving ;-)
All Panasonic cameras are on sale at the moment as well (have checked S5ii, GH5ii, GH6, G9)!