Now that DSLRs are dead what do hobbyist photographers use?
August 29, 2022 1:01 PM Subscribe
If you had a DSLR camera and are just a hobbyist (ie not taking photos for money) what did you move to?
My current Nikon camera is getting a bit old but it looks like Nikon has given up on DSLRs and has moved to a mirrorless system. If I want to move to that I need to either buy all new lenses or use an adapter for my existing lenses. Either way that means I'm equally able to jump ship to some other system because I'd have to do the same for those too. If you've made a similar jump what did you jump to? A mirrorless camera? A cell phone? (I still have a film body lying around that I could use with my lenses but I'm not going back to film)
My current Nikon camera is getting a bit old but it looks like Nikon has given up on DSLRs and has moved to a mirrorless system. If I want to move to that I need to either buy all new lenses or use an adapter for my existing lenses. Either way that means I'm equally able to jump ship to some other system because I'd have to do the same for those too. If you've made a similar jump what did you jump to? A mirrorless camera? A cell phone? (I still have a film body lying around that I could use with my lenses but I'm not going back to film)
If the adapter works, you dont need all new lenses just keep using what you have. Usually a photographers long term investment is in the lenses, not the body.
Im on a canon dslr, but will switch to a canon mirrorless eventually because theres a $99 adapter that i only need one of.
posted by TheAdamist at 1:35 PM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Im on a canon dslr, but will switch to a canon mirrorless eventually because theres a $99 adapter that i only need one of.
posted by TheAdamist at 1:35 PM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
DSLR lenses are still going to be around for a long time. Do you actually want to jump? It seems like starting from absolute scratch these days you'd probably want to go mirrorless, but if you already have a fair amount of glass...
posted by praemunire at 1:35 PM on August 29, 2022
posted by praemunire at 1:35 PM on August 29, 2022
Honestly? My phone. I used to be someone who carried an SLR everywhere, then someone who carried a DSLR some places, then fully embraced the philosophy of "the best camera is the one you have with you."
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:52 PM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:52 PM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
I am a professional photographer and recently switched from canon dslr to sony mirrorless, but I still use all of my canon lenses with my new sony bodies. I don't know anything about nikon, but using these older canon lenses with the sigma mc-11 adapter is indistinguishable from using them on canon bodies. Well, almost indistinguishable, but I'm now happier with the canon lenses. They seem to focus just as fast, but they're now much more likely to result in an in-focus image than on my canon bodies, especially the 50 1.2 wide open.
I'm generally clueless when it comes to equipment; I think there are other adapters available and not sure what they might offer over the sigma, but when the sony rep sent me a bunch of equipment to test out, they included the sigma adapter to use with my canon lenses. Thinking that if it's good enough for sony to use it to promote their equipment (and having heard from other pro photographers who use the same adapter) I figured it was good enough for me. I've been very pleased with the adapters. I think the lens to adapter connection isn't as weather resistant as connecting sony lens to sony body or canon lens to canon body, though.
posted by msbrauer at 1:57 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm generally clueless when it comes to equipment; I think there are other adapters available and not sure what they might offer over the sigma, but when the sony rep sent me a bunch of equipment to test out, they included the sigma adapter to use with my canon lenses. Thinking that if it's good enough for sony to use it to promote their equipment (and having heard from other pro photographers who use the same adapter) I figured it was good enough for me. I've been very pleased with the adapters. I think the lens to adapter connection isn't as weather resistant as connecting sony lens to sony body or canon lens to canon body, though.
posted by msbrauer at 1:57 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
DSLR lenses are still going to be around for a long time.
I'm taking the "stick with the Nikon F-Mount and buy all sorts of weird old lenses at antique stores and garage sales for dirt cheap" approach.
posted by mhoye at 3:15 PM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
I'm taking the "stick with the Nikon F-Mount and buy all sorts of weird old lenses at antique stores and garage sales for dirt cheap" approach.
posted by mhoye at 3:15 PM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
I switched to Micro Four Thirds … gosh, eight years ago now? It was the best choice for me at the time and I still like the shooting experience. Before that I had a Canon DSLR.
If you're in the financial position to replace your lenses when you get a mirrorless body then switching to a new system could result in some advantages in overall size and weight, if not also in focus speed or light gathering. But you can also adapt lenses onto mirrorless bodies, perhaps even with autofocus and aperture control preserved, although I'll admit I'm not familiar enough with Nikon to know what functions work on any given lens with an adapter. I have an adapter for an old Pentax lens I can use for portraits (although I seldom do), but that's a fully manual experience. When I wanted a telephoto I ended up buying an old manual focus Nikon lens and a cheap adapter I just leave mounted to the lens. But most of the time I stick with a couple Olympus prime lenses. Sometimes I don't even carry a bag, just a single body on a wrist strap, with a wide angle lens attached.
But I'm going to say what I always say: cameras are all good now. If you're shopping for a new camera, ignore the specs and just go put your hands on them in an actual camera shop. Get the one you actually like using the most. For you it could be a Nikon Z, but it could also be a Sony or a Fujifilm or a Panasonic or an Olympus or even (gasp) a Canon. I have a general idea what I'd probably consider if I were buying a new camera this year, but it would come down to what's going to be the best shooting experience for the times and places I'm likely to carry a camera.
posted by fedward at 3:16 PM on August 29, 2022
If you're in the financial position to replace your lenses when you get a mirrorless body then switching to a new system could result in some advantages in overall size and weight, if not also in focus speed or light gathering. But you can also adapt lenses onto mirrorless bodies, perhaps even with autofocus and aperture control preserved, although I'll admit I'm not familiar enough with Nikon to know what functions work on any given lens with an adapter. I have an adapter for an old Pentax lens I can use for portraits (although I seldom do), but that's a fully manual experience. When I wanted a telephoto I ended up buying an old manual focus Nikon lens and a cheap adapter I just leave mounted to the lens. But most of the time I stick with a couple Olympus prime lenses. Sometimes I don't even carry a bag, just a single body on a wrist strap, with a wide angle lens attached.
But I'm going to say what I always say: cameras are all good now. If you're shopping for a new camera, ignore the specs and just go put your hands on them in an actual camera shop. Get the one you actually like using the most. For you it could be a Nikon Z, but it could also be a Sony or a Fujifilm or a Panasonic or an Olympus or even (gasp) a Canon. I have a general idea what I'd probably consider if I were buying a new camera this year, but it would come down to what's going to be the best shooting experience for the times and places I'm likely to carry a camera.
posted by fedward at 3:16 PM on August 29, 2022
I'm not *that* serious a photographer, but I'm quite happy with Canon's APS-C mirrorless, the M-mount M6 Mk2. (Versus just using my phone.) Already had a bit of Canon glass that I could use with an adapter but I ditched it pretty quickly and now just keep a 18-150mm zoom on there; much lighter, bonkers ratio, at the expense of a little quality. I'll get a native fast prime or two soon, probably when winter sets in and it's dark 18 hours a day.
I'm tempted by RFs, but I mostly use it for hiking and I'm not keen to pick up more weight. I did put a Smallrig cage on the M6 so it fills up my hands a little better the way my old Canon DSLRs did.
posted by supercres at 4:11 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm tempted by RFs, but I mostly use it for hiking and I'm not keen to pick up more weight. I did put a Smallrig cage on the M6 so it fills up my hands a little better the way my old Canon DSLRs did.
posted by supercres at 4:11 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oh I also had a little Panasonic Lumix (LX10 I think) between the M6 and previous DSLRs but it just wasn't quite cutting it for usability or quality, even though it did treat me very well on a couple overseas vacations.
posted by supercres at 4:14 PM on August 29, 2022
posted by supercres at 4:14 PM on August 29, 2022
As a hobbyist/amateur with limited funds to blow, I don't feel compelled to spend a lot of money on a new mirrorless camera+lenses just because they're being sold hard in the media at the moment. I have no reason to not stick with my current DSLR as long as it's adequate to my needs...and the only way it might not be is if I went pro or got way more into spending major time/money on the hobby. The one thing that might make me do it is if I decided to go from APS-C to full-frame, and there's lots of great DSLRs available that are cheaper than a new mirrorless camera.
Also keep in mind that just because Nikon isn't going to come out with any new DSLR models doesn't mean there won't be plenty of current ones for sale for a while yet (and the prices might start fallling)...and that's not even getting into the used equipment market.
If mirrorless systems hadn't come along, how would you have felt about your current hardware? Were you already thinking about upgrading/expanding? What do you do or want to do with photography? Are you simply having a Gear Acquisition Syndrome flare-up?
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:23 PM on August 29, 2022
Also keep in mind that just because Nikon isn't going to come out with any new DSLR models doesn't mean there won't be plenty of current ones for sale for a while yet (and the prices might start fallling)...and that's not even getting into the used equipment market.
If mirrorless systems hadn't come along, how would you have felt about your current hardware? Were you already thinking about upgrading/expanding? What do you do or want to do with photography? Are you simply having a Gear Acquisition Syndrome flare-up?
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:23 PM on August 29, 2022
I switched to mirrorless from a Canon DSLR back 12 years ago to mainly Micro Four Thirds, and haven't used a DSLR since. I'm a bit of a camera geek, and my current stable includes full frame Sony, a late generation Olympus. I'm also a bit of film geek - rangefinder based medium format and 35mm I both dearly love. I've got a wide range of adapted and native lenses, from current to about 90 years old. (I love, love the old Nikon AI-S glass, and they sing on modern systems.)
So you might expect me to tell you to jump over to the mirrorless world ASAP... But depending on what glass you have, whether APS-C or full frame and how much you like the DSLR viewfinder, I would seriously check out the prices on used great condition DSLRs from Nikon, if you don't really want to rock the boat. There is a glut of DSLRs these days, and this is where the deals can be found as stock is being cleared out.
But if you are looking more towards the future, than I'd seriously consider a Nikon mirrorless, Sony or Panasonic full-frame or Fuji APS-C system. (Canon is too busy attacking 3rd party lens manufacturers who are trying to make RF compatible auto-focus lenses.) If you want to go down the mirrorless path, I highly recommend visiting a real camera store if possible, and play with the different options. I adore my OM-D, but a lot of Fuji cameras click with my mental space too.
I rarely buy new these days, and almost always go for a 8+ used model from B&H or similar. Sadly the days of blowout cameras seem to be gone, so it can be harder to score a fantastic mirrorless deal...
posted by rambling wanderlust at 4:26 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
So you might expect me to tell you to jump over to the mirrorless world ASAP... But depending on what glass you have, whether APS-C or full frame and how much you like the DSLR viewfinder, I would seriously check out the prices on used great condition DSLRs from Nikon, if you don't really want to rock the boat. There is a glut of DSLRs these days, and this is where the deals can be found as stock is being cleared out.
But if you are looking more towards the future, than I'd seriously consider a Nikon mirrorless, Sony or Panasonic full-frame or Fuji APS-C system. (Canon is too busy attacking 3rd party lens manufacturers who are trying to make RF compatible auto-focus lenses.) If you want to go down the mirrorless path, I highly recommend visiting a real camera store if possible, and play with the different options. I adore my OM-D, but a lot of Fuji cameras click with my mental space too.
I rarely buy new these days, and almost always go for a 8+ used model from B&H or similar. Sadly the days of blowout cameras seem to be gone, so it can be harder to score a fantastic mirrorless deal...
posted by rambling wanderlust at 4:26 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
My wife went from a Canon D-70 SLR to a Canon R7 mirrorless. She got the adapter to use with her Tamron 100mm macro, but somewhere along the line the autofocus motor in that lens died, so she returned the adapter.
I still have a D-60, but I bought an iPhone 13 Pro because finally there was a telephoto, and I've been happy with the results. I just don't take enough photos anymore to need the DSLR very often, much less sink a bunch of money into a whole new system.
posted by lhauser at 4:52 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I still have a D-60, but I bought an iPhone 13 Pro because finally there was a telephoto, and I've been happy with the results. I just don't take enough photos anymore to need the DSLR very often, much less sink a bunch of money into a whole new system.
posted by lhauser at 4:52 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Last spring I got the Fuji X100v and it made me fall in love with photography all over again.
Having said that, its features fit my subject matter like a glove (travel and street photography, macro), so it really depends on what you like to shoot. The combination of the 26.1MP sensor and the lens is the major differentiator between this camera and the latest smartphone cameras. In my opinion, if you're only viewing images on a screen and never printing them (or more specifically, never printing them larger than say 8x10), the advantages of almost any modern camera system shrink dramatically compared to the iPhone 13 for example.
However, for printing and/or cropping, higher res cameras still provide advantages compared to the best smartphones.
I could wax poetical about this camera for ages, so I'll just try to keep it to three highlights for me:
posted by jeremias at 6:40 AM on August 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
Having said that, its features fit my subject matter like a glove (travel and street photography, macro), so it really depends on what you like to shoot. The combination of the 26.1MP sensor and the lens is the major differentiator between this camera and the latest smartphone cameras. In my opinion, if you're only viewing images on a screen and never printing them (or more specifically, never printing them larger than say 8x10), the advantages of almost any modern camera system shrink dramatically compared to the iPhone 13 for example.
However, for printing and/or cropping, higher res cameras still provide advantages compared to the best smartphones.
I could wax poetical about this camera for ages, so I'll just try to keep it to three highlights for me:
- This camera has a fixed 23mm lens (Equivalent to a 35mm lens in a "traditional" 35mm slr) so there's no zoom...at all. But that becomes an advantage rather than a disadvantage in my book. The physical design of the camera makes it fun to shoot photos. It fits well in the hand, has a hybrid digital/optical viewfinder, manual controls, a movable LCD monitor (great for macro shots).
- Perhaps the biggest change in mindset is Fuji's "film simulation mode". You can think of these as filters that allow you to shoot black and white or in a "Kodachrome" saturated color style, but they are more sophisticated than that. What they do is export JPG images straight out of the camera which are typically so good that you never feel the need to bring the RAW images into Photoshop/Lightroom. This addressed a major workflow issue that sucked all of the fun out of digital photography for me previously. With high res RAW files, you have the amazing ability to go in and bring out details, alter levels, colors, clone out wires, and on and on. But for me, this power was absorbing all my time instead of, you know, shooting photos. Being able to bypass the RAW workflow has been the number one most liberating aspect of modern photography for me.
- Finally, the balance of the hardware and software is amazing. What I mean by that is if you want to use it as a simple point and shoot with no thinking involved, great, it will do that. But it also has the bells and whistles should you need them, or if you start getting more into advanced techniques: so things like bracketing, multiple exposure, astrophotography, video, etc. These features are all there for the exploring, but they also stay in the background and don't confuse you if you just want to keep it simple.
posted by jeremias at 6:40 AM on August 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you have a lot of glass, want a new system and don't need ultrafast focus (e.g for birds in flight/sports), why not buy an adapter.....like one of these.?
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1669887-REG/nikon_niftz2_ftz_ii_mount_adapter.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1488632-REG/nikon_4185b_ftz_mount_adapter.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/995120-REG/fotodiox_nk_eos_p_pro_canon_eos_camera.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1413048-REG/fotodiox_nikf_snye_lens_mount_adapter_for.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1690658-REG/metabones_mb_nf_e_bt3_nikon_f_to_e_mount.html
posted by lalochezia at 4:46 PM on August 30, 2022
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1669887-REG/nikon_niftz2_ftz_ii_mount_adapter.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1488632-REG/nikon_4185b_ftz_mount_adapter.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/995120-REG/fotodiox_nk_eos_p_pro_canon_eos_camera.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1413048-REG/fotodiox_nikf_snye_lens_mount_adapter_for.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1690658-REG/metabones_mb_nf_e_bt3_nikon_f_to_e_mount.html
posted by lalochezia at 4:46 PM on August 30, 2022
Response by poster: I think for me it's probably a battle between sticking around with a full frame Nikon setup or going small and switching over to Micro 4/3. It seems like APS-C doesn't give me any significant size advantage, especially if I'll be using an adapter. A smaller system would be the biggest incentive for me to switch to something else because I do a fair bit of hiking and want to get into bikepacking and for either of those carrying around a full frame camera is a PITA.
But I'm curious about the experiences of people who have abandoned separate cameras altogether and are now only using their cell phones. Are you taking more pictures than you were before? Are they the same kinds of photos as you were taking before? Do you feel any constraints? Are there any constraints?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:07 PM on August 30, 2022
But I'm curious about the experiences of people who have abandoned separate cameras altogether and are now only using their cell phones. Are you taking more pictures than you were before? Are they the same kinds of photos as you were taking before? Do you feel any constraints? Are there any constraints?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:07 PM on August 30, 2022
I have a Google Pixel phone, which is known for generally having good camera/software, but I don't find it adequate for anything other than casual snapshots. Bringing RAW files into Photoshop makes the limits of the comparatively tiny lens and sensor obvious. I go out into the hinterlands with the express purpose in mind of trying to take spectacular photos (within the limits of my amateur skills) that I could be proud of if one was printed out in 11×14" - 12x18" format to be displayed on my wall, even if I did a bit of cropping. So (a) a phone just doesn't do it for me, and (b) I specifically plan to take a proper camera and a couple lenses with me (typically wide and tele zooms and maybe a macro) so I don't consider carrying it around a PITA. But either way I don't feel like I'm taking more pictures overall.
If you want that sort of print size but better portability, a mirrorless camera and a couple lenses might be what you want. If you're only going to display your pictures on-screen, a phone might be good enough for you. However, another thing to consider is that a camera might be able to withstand more outdoors knocking-about and rain than a camera would (depending on the model). I'd fret less about my Nikon than I would my Pixel in rugged conditions, for instance.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:52 PM on August 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you want that sort of print size but better portability, a mirrorless camera and a couple lenses might be what you want. If you're only going to display your pictures on-screen, a phone might be good enough for you. However, another thing to consider is that a camera might be able to withstand more outdoors knocking-about and rain than a camera would (depending on the model). I'd fret less about my Nikon than I would my Pixel in rugged conditions, for instance.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:52 PM on August 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
Are you taking more pictures than you were before? Are they the same kinds of photos as you were taking before?
Whelp I'm the person who asked how to deal with 34,000 photos on my computer, so that would be a blessing. I definitely take fewer "this is an atmospheric scene / beautiful view / interesting urban decay" photos, which is just as well. My photos are now 99% snapshots, I guess.
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:22 PM on August 30, 2022
Whelp I'm the person who asked how to deal with 34,000 photos on my computer, so that would be a blessing. I definitely take fewer "this is an atmospheric scene / beautiful view / interesting urban decay" photos, which is just as well. My photos are now 99% snapshots, I guess.
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:22 PM on August 30, 2022
I work on large commercial photo productions and at this point basically everyone has switched to mirrorless systems and they're all a major improvement over traditional DSLRs. Pick whichever system you prefer and use a lens adapter for your existing glass.
Personally I like the Fuji X cameras quite a bit - excellent color, great lenses, and a wide variety of camera bodies that have simple, physical controls. So if you're going to start from scratch, consider looking at those. I like the Sony's the least (terrible controls/menus) but they are very widely used and make great images. If you're used to Canon or Nikon, their mirrorless systems are all exactly what you'd expect.
posted by bradbane at 10:16 PM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Personally I like the Fuji X cameras quite a bit - excellent color, great lenses, and a wide variety of camera bodies that have simple, physical controls. So if you're going to start from scratch, consider looking at those. I like the Sony's the least (terrible controls/menus) but they are very widely used and make great images. If you're used to Canon or Nikon, their mirrorless systems are all exactly what you'd expect.
posted by bradbane at 10:16 PM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
To address your follow up questions: I'm still using one or both of my m43 cameras whenever I plan to take photos, or at least when I imagine that I might be in a scenario where I'd regret not having the better camera. What having a better smartphone camera has done for me is make me more critical of the impulse to carry a camera in the first place. In terms of raw numbers I probably take more photos now, because I always have a "good enough" camera with me for snapshot and documentary uses, not to mention all the random things I send to my wife or a group text thread over the course of a week or month. But I also don't take the camera with me if the weather is marginal, the light seems like it won't be favorable, or if I imagine that in the best case I might only end up taking a couple photos over the course of a whole day.
Some of that is because of a smartphone, but a lot of it is experience. For years I was taking a lot of photos based on looking at a scene and thinking, "maybe there's something, if I edit a bit." Now do a lot more self-editing before I even lift the camera, because it turned out a lot of those "maybe there's something" photos were on the wrong side of that line. I still think about carrying a dedicated camera, but I have a lot less optimism about it than I used to.
posted by fedward at 8:27 AM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Some of that is because of a smartphone, but a lot of it is experience. For years I was taking a lot of photos based on looking at a scene and thinking, "maybe there's something, if I edit a bit." Now do a lot more self-editing before I even lift the camera, because it turned out a lot of those "maybe there's something" photos were on the wrong side of that line. I still think about carrying a dedicated camera, but I have a lot less optimism about it than I used to.
posted by fedward at 8:27 AM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: If I had to do it again, though, I might have just gone with an APS-C-sized sensor. The FF was great in aspiration, but in reality, nothing I do actually merits having so many pixels, and I usually would be better off with a lighter, more portable rig.
I go out into the hinterlands with the express purpose in mind of trying to take spectacular photos (within the limits of my amateur skills) that I could be proud of if one was printed out in 11×14" - 12x18" format to be displayed on my wall
I work on large commercial photo productions and at this point basically everyone has switched to mirrorless systems and they're all a major improvement over traditional DSLRs
I feel like these comments illustrate an issue I'm having with all of this. I'm not a pro and I've never printed anything bigger than an 8x10 so why do I want to keep using the same camera system that the pros use?
It sounds like just using a phone means less time on photography. Why do I want to spend less time on a hobby that I enjoy? Also perhaps that the photos themselves become more straightforward (snapshots) and would only be suitable for viewing on the screen or as small prints. I'm OK with the last one because that's how I've been viewing my photos anyway. But it doesn't seem like phone only would work for me.
I visited Japan last month, it was my first time back in 7 years, and I took my camera with me everywhere. It was fine travelling around doing tourist stuff or hanging out with family and friends but I spent 3 days hiking as well and I took my camera with me because this was something I had wanted to do for almost 20 years. Let me tell you hiking up and down mountains in hot and humid weather (35 degrees but felt like over 40 with the humidity) with my big camera around my neck really made me envious of my brother-in-law who was carrying a small Olympus.
I'll take my camera if I think I should even if I know it'll be a pain but there's been a lot of times, particularly during covid, where I've just left it at home and I wonder if I would have taken it with me more often if it were easier to carry. Is there a trade-off of having a full-frame camera, that it has the capacity to take better photos but I won't use it as much, or does having a smaller camera not matter and I'd be just as likely to leave it home?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 3:55 PM on September 1, 2022
I go out into the hinterlands with the express purpose in mind of trying to take spectacular photos (within the limits of my amateur skills) that I could be proud of if one was printed out in 11×14" - 12x18" format to be displayed on my wall
I work on large commercial photo productions and at this point basically everyone has switched to mirrorless systems and they're all a major improvement over traditional DSLRs
I feel like these comments illustrate an issue I'm having with all of this. I'm not a pro and I've never printed anything bigger than an 8x10 so why do I want to keep using the same camera system that the pros use?
It sounds like just using a phone means less time on photography. Why do I want to spend less time on a hobby that I enjoy? Also perhaps that the photos themselves become more straightforward (snapshots) and would only be suitable for viewing on the screen or as small prints. I'm OK with the last one because that's how I've been viewing my photos anyway. But it doesn't seem like phone only would work for me.
I visited Japan last month, it was my first time back in 7 years, and I took my camera with me everywhere. It was fine travelling around doing tourist stuff or hanging out with family and friends but I spent 3 days hiking as well and I took my camera with me because this was something I had wanted to do for almost 20 years. Let me tell you hiking up and down mountains in hot and humid weather (35 degrees but felt like over 40 with the humidity) with my big camera around my neck really made me envious of my brother-in-law who was carrying a small Olympus.
I'll take my camera if I think I should even if I know it'll be a pain but there's been a lot of times, particularly during covid, where I've just left it at home and I wonder if I would have taken it with me more often if it were easier to carry. Is there a trade-off of having a full-frame camera, that it has the capacity to take better photos but I won't use it as much, or does having a smaller camera not matter and I'd be just as likely to leave it home?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 3:55 PM on September 1, 2022
While I often use my iPhone for photography a lot these days, and it is amazing what can be squeezed out of a mobile phone sensor, it still doesn't look as good as a larger format camera image. When I travel or want to switch to the state of mind that photography puts me into (seeing the world more carefully and passionately) I still reach for one of my cameras. I don't think a mobile phone will ever equal that.
If you're looking for a small, but capable system with enough resolution for printing and bokeh when needed, then I'd really recommend the current Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mark III and a mix of prime/zoom lenses. I've been going through my photo archives during my Covid downtime, and it amazes me how beautiful my first generation EM-5's photos are (I picked it up used in Japan for around $300 at Map Camera). It is the longest used digital camera that I've owned, and the sublime combination of small size, excellent controls, weather proofing, anti-dust sensor tech, excellent color and rendering with absolutely magical IBIS is a truly potent combination.
I originally jumped ship from Canon's DSLRs to Micro-Four Thirds partially because I was tired of traveling and climbing mountains with what felt like 30 pounds of camera gear, as well as the horrible dust collecting properties of their sensors. Currently I have a Olympus OM-D EM-1 Mk III, which is a really nicely sized camera (and the new OM-1 is almost perfect) but significantly heavier and bulkier the EM-5 series, which sounds like a better fit for you. If possible, go see how they feel in your hand, and how the controls work.
Affordable but beautiful prime lenses that I love include the Olympus 45mm 1.8, the waterproof Olympus 60mm 2.8 macro, and Panasonic 25mm 1.7. All of them are small but offer excellent bang for the buck.
The waterproof Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 Pro is often my everyday carry around lens, and when I want to travel really light I use the too good for the size Panasonic 12-32mm collapsing pancake and the Panasonic 35-100mm. (These two lenses and the old Panasonic GM5 are one of the perfect travel camera systems, if only it did 4k video...) The system has an amazing range of optics to consider...
If Micro-Four Thirds isn't your thing, I'd then consider Fuji. Great color science, wonderful controls, and they aren't treating APS-C like an afterthought, unlike Nikon and Canon.
posted by rambling wanderlust at 12:36 PM on September 2, 2022
If you're looking for a small, but capable system with enough resolution for printing and bokeh when needed, then I'd really recommend the current Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mark III and a mix of prime/zoom lenses. I've been going through my photo archives during my Covid downtime, and it amazes me how beautiful my first generation EM-5's photos are (I picked it up used in Japan for around $300 at Map Camera). It is the longest used digital camera that I've owned, and the sublime combination of small size, excellent controls, weather proofing, anti-dust sensor tech, excellent color and rendering with absolutely magical IBIS is a truly potent combination.
I originally jumped ship from Canon's DSLRs to Micro-Four Thirds partially because I was tired of traveling and climbing mountains with what felt like 30 pounds of camera gear, as well as the horrible dust collecting properties of their sensors. Currently I have a Olympus OM-D EM-1 Mk III, which is a really nicely sized camera (and the new OM-1 is almost perfect) but significantly heavier and bulkier the EM-5 series, which sounds like a better fit for you. If possible, go see how they feel in your hand, and how the controls work.
Affordable but beautiful prime lenses that I love include the Olympus 45mm 1.8, the waterproof Olympus 60mm 2.8 macro, and Panasonic 25mm 1.7. All of them are small but offer excellent bang for the buck.
The waterproof Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 Pro is often my everyday carry around lens, and when I want to travel really light I use the too good for the size Panasonic 12-32mm collapsing pancake and the Panasonic 35-100mm. (These two lenses and the old Panasonic GM5 are one of the perfect travel camera systems, if only it did 4k video...) The system has an amazing range of optics to consider...
If Micro-Four Thirds isn't your thing, I'd then consider Fuji. Great color science, wonderful controls, and they aren't treating APS-C like an afterthought, unlike Nikon and Canon.
posted by rambling wanderlust at 12:36 PM on September 2, 2022
One thing to think about if you're trying to downsize your kit: the OM-1 body is basically the same size as a Nikon Z7 II body, which gets at how much of the design of a camera body is constrained by physical controls, battery capacity, and thermal management, even more than the size of the sensor itself. The Olympus ('scuse me, OM System) body does manage to be about a hundred grams lighter than the Nikon, though (599 grams vs 705 grams). Night sky photography is pretty much the only time I wish I had a camera with a larger sensor, but every time I think "oh, it'd sure be nice to have a bigger sensor," I also think about how much heavier the kit would be. I pretty much stop there every time I think about it.
For me it's useful at least to think in the approximate direction of some math. The size of the sensor determines the size of the imaging circle, the size of the imaging circle determines the size of the lens, and the weight of the lens (broadly) scales with the area of the imaging circle and the maximum aperture. If you know what kind of lenses you like to use (wide, "normal," telephoto, prime vs zoom) you can get an idea of how much a given body + lens combo is really going to weigh when you're headed on a hike. Some practical examples (and I apologize for the math):
I think my most common lens when I go hiking is the Olympus 17mm f/1.8. It weighs 120 grams. The Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S (same aperture, same angle of view) weighs 370 grams. In this case the lens by itself is 200% heavier, and the Nikon body + lens combo would be 50% heavier than the comparable OM System kit.
The weight advantage goes away by varying amounts with zoom lenses, though. In the middle of the size/weight pack, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm f/4.0 PRO (maybe what I'd personally pick as a travel zoom, if I were picking a travel zoom) weighs 254 grams; the Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S weighs 500 grams. In this setup the Nikon body + lens combo is 41% heavier than the comparable OM System kit.
Wiping the weight advantage almost completely away, consider the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro, which lots of reviewers like as a one-lens-shoots-all travel zoom. It weighs 561 grams. The roughly comparable Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR weighs 570 grams. The Nikon kit would be just under 10% heavier in the hand (or on the neckstrap) but the Olympus lens at least has a constant f/4 aperture and possibly some more serious weather sealing. I guess if I were most concerned about weight I'd maybe avoid that lens, even though the reviewers all seem to like it?
But all of that depends on you liking the shooting experience of an OM-1 (or the upcoming OM-5, or whatever). If you hate the software, or if the buttons are too small, or it rubs you the wrong way for any other reason, then you're not going to want to carry it even if it is lighter than a comparable Nikon setup. If the Nikon just feels like home, maybe you'll want to have it with you even though it isn't the lightest possible kit. Definitely try to get multiple cameras in your hands so you can see if the controls and the software will work for you.
posted by fedward at 2:12 PM on September 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
For me it's useful at least to think in the approximate direction of some math. The size of the sensor determines the size of the imaging circle, the size of the imaging circle determines the size of the lens, and the weight of the lens (broadly) scales with the area of the imaging circle and the maximum aperture. If you know what kind of lenses you like to use (wide, "normal," telephoto, prime vs zoom) you can get an idea of how much a given body + lens combo is really going to weigh when you're headed on a hike. Some practical examples (and I apologize for the math):
I think my most common lens when I go hiking is the Olympus 17mm f/1.8. It weighs 120 grams. The Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S (same aperture, same angle of view) weighs 370 grams. In this case the lens by itself is 200% heavier, and the Nikon body + lens combo would be 50% heavier than the comparable OM System kit.
The weight advantage goes away by varying amounts with zoom lenses, though. In the middle of the size/weight pack, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm f/4.0 PRO (maybe what I'd personally pick as a travel zoom, if I were picking a travel zoom) weighs 254 grams; the Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S weighs 500 grams. In this setup the Nikon body + lens combo is 41% heavier than the comparable OM System kit.
Wiping the weight advantage almost completely away, consider the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro, which lots of reviewers like as a one-lens-shoots-all travel zoom. It weighs 561 grams. The roughly comparable Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR weighs 570 grams. The Nikon kit would be just under 10% heavier in the hand (or on the neckstrap) but the Olympus lens at least has a constant f/4 aperture and possibly some more serious weather sealing. I guess if I were most concerned about weight I'd maybe avoid that lens, even though the reviewers all seem to like it?
But all of that depends on you liking the shooting experience of an OM-1 (or the upcoming OM-5, or whatever). If you hate the software, or if the buttons are too small, or it rubs you the wrong way for any other reason, then you're not going to want to carry it even if it is lighter than a comparable Nikon setup. If the Nikon just feels like home, maybe you'll want to have it with you even though it isn't the lightest possible kit. Definitely try to get multiple cameras in your hands so you can see if the controls and the software will work for you.
posted by fedward at 2:12 PM on September 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
If I had to do it again, though, I might have just gone with an APS-C-sized sensor. The FF was great in aspiration, but in reality, nothing I do actually merits having so many pixels, and I usually would be better off with a lighter, more portable rig. I sometimes consider getting a smaller, fixed-lens, fixed-focal-length camera like a Ricoh GR III or a Fuji X100V, but never can really justify it.
In context of all the above, the vast-by-far majority of pictures I take these days are with my iPhone - "the best camera is the one you have with you" and all.
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 1:11 PM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]