Is it time to ditch my DSLR and go mirrorless?

[nerwin]

The only problem I see is that I could end up really really enjoying the mirrorless setup and not even use my DSLR anymore.

 

[Usul]

my lightweight setup is:
d7000 & Kit lens - I take off the grip, and keep the big lenses off of it.
also, the d600 (no grip) & 24-85/2.8-4 or 18-35/3.5-4.6 which are both relatively light but good lenses.

when you go to another smaller system they don't have the grip, so why keep the grip on your dslr as a comparison?

It's just what I used at the time, didn't know any better. I don't use a battery grip anymore, didn't find I needed one on the D610.

I don't mind the smaller grips on the mirrorless cameras because they are a lot more lighter than DSLRs. At least most of them anyways.

View attachment 103669

I mean come on..which one would be better for travel? lol

P&S are even lighter.

The best it that meets all your needs. No doubts m4/3 is lighter. But for example I do shooting mostly while traveling. I like to shoot stars and nightscapes or streets at night (with/without a tripod) and birds/animals in parks. M4/3 isn't suitable for every situation I would like to take photo in. So I see 3 options here:
- forgtet about hight ISO at nights and ergonomic and leave DSLR at home
- take both and choose every time what to get and risk to miss opportunities to take pictures because of wrong choice
- leave olympus at home and carry heavy and bulky DSLR all the time.
Now I'm choosing the 3st option at the moment. Everyone decides for himself.

I'm talking about m4/3 and APS-C DSLR because I have both. I have no sony or fuji but they have cons and pros as well.

 

[nerwin]

I often will choose one lens and that's all I have..might be the 35mm or the 50mm and I don't call that a risk to miss opportunities, I call it an opportunity to make photos. You shoot with what you have and you make it work..its called being a photographer. Its a challenge, makes you think about your composition. I don't get that feeling if using a all in one zoom or a zoom lens in general. But that's who I am and everyone is different and that's perfectly fine.

 

[Usul]

I often will choose one lens and that's all I have..might be the 35mm or the 50mm and I don't call that a risk to miss opportunities, I call it an opportunity to make photos. You shoot with what you have and you make it work..its called being a photographer. Its a challenge, makes you think about your composition. I don't get that feeling if using a all in one zoom or a zoom lens in general. But that's who I am and everyone is different and that's perfectly fine.

I see 2 zoom lenses in your list of equipment.

 

[nerwin]

I often will choose one lens and that's all I have..might be the 35mm or the 50mm and I don't call that a risk to miss opportunities, I call it an opportunity to make photos. You shoot with what you have and you make it work..its called being a photographer. Its a challenge, makes you think about your composition. I don't get that feeling if using a all in one zoom or a zoom lens in general. But that's who I am and everyone is different and that's perfectly fine.

I see 2 zoom lenses in your list of equipment.

Yup and they are my least used lenses lol

 

[Braineack]

If your mounting DSLR lenses on them, then certainly the size gain is fairly minimal as you need an adapter that makes up the extra rear flange distance, but using native equivalent lenses it can be quite substantial. I regularly use an APSC DSLR & a couple of micro 4/3 cameras, to get a 400mm EFL the micro4/3 kit weighs about half the DSLR.

I'm just saying, once you put these larger lenses on them, they are still somewhat bulky and awkward. certainly not in the DSLR league, but I've seen some 4/3s with larger lenses that aren't far off.

I've always liked the credit card sizes PNS with telescoping zoom lenses cause you could slip them in your pocket and take decent enough pictures. I'm looking at the X30 because it offers a lens like this, but a step above PNS.

But I'm very under researched on them, but I still don't think they are quite to the point where I'd dump the DSLR for, but I assume they'll eventually take over.

 

[goodguy]

I already have a DSLR, why would I want another one? lol

Why can't I be happy and have both systems?

I dont think anyone needs to excuse what is good for them.
Use what is right for you, after all photography should be an enjoyable experience and not a negative one.
On trips I now have in my camera bag

D750
D5100
24-70mm 2.8
70-200mm 2.8
50mm 1.8G
55-200mm

When planing my day I will take one of the kits or both depends of what is planed but as a rule of thumb most of the times its the D750+24-70mm+70-200mm
For me it works great
Last weekend I was out half a day and I had the entire kit on me (2 cameras and entire lens collection) and I was just fine.
But that's me and me alone

 

[nerwin]

I'm just saying, once you put these larger lenses on them, they are still somewhat bulky and awkward. certianlly not in the DSLR league, but I've seen some 4/3s with larger lenses that aren't far off.

I've always liked the credit card sizes PNS with telescoping zoom lenses cause you could slip them in your pocket and take decent enough pictures. I'm looking at the X30 because it offers a lens like this, but a step above PNS.

But I'm very under researched on them, but I still don't think they are quite to the point where I'd dump the DSLR for, but I assume they'll eventually take over.

I guess it depends what mirrorless lens you get, some of them are pretty dang big. I wouldn't get one of those. If I was to go with the EM-10, I'd get the Panasonic Lumix 20 1.7 that everyone seems to enjoy..affordable too.

The X30 is interesting indeed, I really liked the X20..but the files in my opinion were just terrible. Even with shooting raw, it rendered textures terribly. Looked like too much noise reduction in Lightroom. It bothered me so much to the point I had to sell it. Maybe they fixed this on the X30. I think the X10 was a bit better at rendering textures..but it used a different type of sensor and that might have been why.

 

[goodguy]

The only problem I see is that I could end up really really enjoying the mirrorless setup and not even use my DSLR anymore.

Depends what, where and when you shoot.
If you do a full day trip for example and the sun goes down all MFT will be in a big disadvantage compared to the D610 but if most of the trip is in good light then small mirrorless will be just fine.
If you shoot in low light then you will always appreciate the flexibility and power of the FF sensor on your DSLR.

 

[MrWrong]

I'm just saying, once you put these larger lenses on them, they are still somewhat bulky and awkward. certianlly not in the DSLR league, but I've seen some 4/3s with larger lenses that aren't far off.

I've always liked the credit card sizes PNS with telescoping zoom lenses cause you could slip them in your pocket and take decent enough pictures. I'm looking at the X30 because it offers a lens like this, but a step above PNS.

But I'm very under researched on them, but I still don't think they are quite to the point where I'd dump the DSLR for, but I assume they'll eventually take over.

I guess it depends what mirrorless lens you get, some of them are pretty dang big. I wouldn't get one of those. If I was to go with the EM-10, I'd get the Panasonic Lumix 20 1.7 that everyone seems to enjoy..affordable too.

The X30 is interesting indeed, I really liked the X20..but the files in my opinion were just terrible. Even with shooting raw, it rendered textures terribly. Looked like too much noise reduction in Lightroom. It bothered me so much to the point I had to sell it. Maybe they fixed this on the X30. I think the X10 was a bit better at rendering textures..but it used a different type of sensor and that might have been why.

If you do end up going with an EM-10 here is a link to some good info about what lenses to get. They seem to keep it updated too with new lenses that come out.

The First Micro Four Third Lenses You Should Buy The Wirecutter

 

[nerwin]

If you do end up going with an EM-10 here is a link to some good info about what lenses to get. They seem to keep it updated too with new lenses that come out.

The First Micro Four Third Lenses You Should Buy The Wirecutter

Great information, thank you. I'm in no rush at the moment though. Going to continue to save up and see how it goes, maybe a new camera that suits my needs will be released between now and then. I don't have any big travel plans this year..but I'd like something for next year though.

 

[petrochemist]

The only problem I see is that I could end up really really enjoying the mirrorless setup and not even use my DSLR anymore.

Depends what, where and when you shoot.
If you do a full day trip for example and the sun goes down all MFT will be in a big disadvantage compared to the D610 but if most of the trip is in good light then small mirrorless will be just fine.
If you shoot in low light then you will always appreciate the flexibility and power of the FF sensor on your DSLR.

The mirrorless/DSLR choice is quite separate from the FF/APSC/MFT sensor size debate, as there are mirrorless options in each of the sensor sizes.

The low light images I've seen from the A7 have been very impressive. For action subjects I think the DSLR is still well ahead and the A7 doesn't win in the lightweight stakes the way that MFT does...

Each system has it's own advantages, leaving it to the photographer to choose the best compromise for them. Among my own cameras the DSLR is older than the mirrorless, & I get similar ISO performance between the two systems. My DSLR definitely gets used less, but it's still had a couple of major outings in the last month.

 

[chuasam]

I don't know how you guys do it with the D800/d4 + 70-200. I have much respect for photographers that carry that much weight for 8 hours. Its just extremely uncomfortable for me and because of that, I makes me not want to photograph anymore.

I only shoot with my D810 and 70-200 when I have a car nearby or I'm at the studio. When I'm roaming around for hours, I carry something like my iPhone and a Lumix GM1.

 

[nerwin]

I don't know how you guys do it with the D800/d4 + 70-200. I have much respect for photographers that carry that much weight for 8 hours. Its just extremely uncomfortable for me and because of that, I makes me not want to photograph anymore.

I only shoot with my D810 and 70-200 when I have a car nearby or I'm at the studio. When I'm roaming around for hours, I carry something like my iPhone and a Lumix GM1.

Wow that GM1 is TINY!! I'm just not sure that I can deal without a viewfinder. I'm so use to bringing the camera up to my eye. I thought about getting a used Panasonic GX7, they are pretty cheap on eBay and still very good cameras.

 

[chuasam]

Wow that GM1 is TINY!! I'm just not sure that I can deal without a viewfinder. I'm so use to bringing the camera up to my eye. I thought about getting a used Panasonic GX7, they are pretty cheap on eBay and still very good cameras.

I am thinking of eventually getting the LX100 or DLUX1 Typ109 (depending on budget).
fast lens, viewfinder, and very small. The ergonomics are just brilliant.
I don't like carrying big cameras. Only reason I have a D810 is because I need it to get the work done.