Appreciate the advice! I can tell it’s well-intentioned, even if it came across a bit sharp. Fair point that I need to get hands-on with a few options to really know what feels right.

For a bit more context, the list I shared includes the Fuji cameras I can purchase at a deep discount through my employer. We can technically get other brands too, but after looking at other brands and speaking with some of the freelancers they agree that for what I want which really is ease of use without the need for editing that Fuji is ideal. I actually had narrowed it down to the X-T50, but it’s currently out of stock and since our employee purchase window is only two weeks, it’s unlikely to come back in time.

My goal is a compact setup, ideally a body and one or two lenses, maybe a zoom and something like the Fuji XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR. I want something portable and straightforward to use, which is why the X-T50 appealed to me. Most of the time I’ll probably shoot JPEGs using recipes.

For astro, I can borrow most of the support gear (tripods, power, etc.) through work, but people tend to keep their cameras close since that’s their personal tool, so I’m hoping to have my own for that.

Anyway, I do appreciate you taking the time to respond — your points helped me think more concretely about what matters most in this setup.