'Small' DSLR or mirrorless for low light and glare?

[Soocom1]

Hola Soocom1 and thankyou for taking the time to share your knowledge. Certainly lots of food for thought in your message. Both you and JoeW have mentioned sensor size....the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 DSLR aka EOS 250D I am considering has a sensor size of 22.3 x 14.9mm and a diameter of 26.8mm. I guess I will therefore have to accept a practical 'narrowing' of any lens I use...

There is a serious urban legend around APS sensors and a lot of YouTube videos that delve into this.

IMO, sensor size is sensor size.
Your not really "loosing" or "gaining" anything. Its simply the coverage that a lens of a FF intent gives to an APS sized sensor that is smaller area.
The "zoom" factor is a long hashed and obnoxious argument I wont go into.
I mention Med. Format because it grabs an image that will reflect a higher level of detail overall.

But that's an argument for a diff. thread.

I have all the format sizes up to large format and have shot extensively with APS C and APS H, FF 35mm, and Med. format.

The delivery of image quality isn't the camera, its the photographer.

going back to cameras, Google is your best friend in that, and YouTube will have a ton of videos on any given platform you look into.

But Ill say this.
Using my very old analogy, When I went to look at the Nikon Z5, I finally had an outlet with one on display. I picked it up, put it down and said no.
It didn't fit my hand or feel right. For me, the Nikon and Sony both were too small for my hand. I wound up with the RP because my hands are larger, and the RP has more bulk.

Go handle the cameras for YOURSELF, and see what fits YOU! Not what others think might do the trick.

 

[jeffashman]

A lot of good advice here. As far as EF lenses go, there are two that I like that fit what you want to do. The Tamron 18-400 f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD is a good all around lens that is lightweight and easy to maneuver, water/dust resistant, and easy to carry on hikes, and that is my go to lens for most situations. Then there is the Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 EX HSM which is more suited to lower light situations. While it's not an f/1.4, it does a good job and costs a lot less. My lenses are paired with a Canon 90D that I purchased refurbished from Amazon. I like to do wildlife/birding photography, and for that I use the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG Contemporary, but that is a heavy lens and not much use indoors, but great for reaching out and getting those bird shots. Best of luck with whatever you decided to go with.

 

[Jim888]

There is a serious urban legend around APS sensors and a lot of YouTube videos that delve into this.

IMO, sensor size is sensor size.
Your not really "loosing" or "gaining" anything. Its simply the coverage that a lens of a FF intent gives to an APS sized sensor that is smaller area.
The "zoom" factor is a long hashed and obnoxious argument I wont go into.
I mention Med. Format because it grabs an image that will reflect a higher level of detail overall.

But that's an argument for a diff. thread.

I have all the format sizes up to large format and have shot extensively with APS C and APS H, FF 35mm, and Med. format.

The delivery of image quality isn't the camera, its the photographer.

going back to cameras, Google is your best friend in that, and YouTube will have a ton of videos on any given platform you look into.

But Ill say this.
Using my very old analogy, When I went to look at the Nikon Z5, I finally had an outlet with one on display. I picked it up, put it down and said no.
It didn't fit my hand or feel right. For me, the Nikon and Sony both were too small for my hand. I wound up with the RP because my hands are larger, and the RP has more bulk.

Go handle the cameras for YOURSELF, and see what fits YOU! Not what others think might do the trick.

Thankyou again for taking the time to answer. I shall definitely get into a decent camera store when there is one somewhere nearby and pick up a few of the different options and see how they feel. You can measure out the specs and try and imagine it, or find something that approximates the size, but it's not easy. It will definitely make my decision a bit easier to hold them in my hands. Thanks again!

 

[Jim888]

G

A lot of good advice here. As far as EF lenses go, there are two that I like that fit what you want to do. The Tamron 18-400 f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD is a good all around lens that is lightweight and easy to maneuver, water/dust resistant, and easy to carry on hikes, and that is my go to lens for most situations. Then there is the Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 EX HSM which is more suited to lower light situations. While it's not an f/1.4, it does a good job and costs a lot less. My lenses are paired with a Canon 90D that I purchased refurbished from Amazon. I like to do wildlife/birding photography, and for that I use the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG Contemporary, but that is a heavy lens and not much use indoors, but great for reaching out and getting those bird shots. Best of luck with whatever you decided to go with.

G'day Jeff and thankyou for your thoughts. I had narrowed my research to Canon lenses so it is good to have an idea of what else is around that is compatible!

 

[jeffashman]

G

G'day Jeff and thankyou for your thoughts. I had narrowed my research to Canon lenses so it is good to have an idea of what else is around that is compatible!

You are welcome! The reasoning behind my switching away from the Canon kit lenses was due to the chromatic aberration produced by those lenses, but they are good to start with.

 

[Jim888]

Hello JoeW, ac12, Soocom1 and jeffashman, I've been doing a little research into wider angle lenses for low light. At this stage I think I will go with the Canon EOS Rebel aka EOS 250D SLR as my camera option, so looking for a compatible wide angle low light lens for museum aircraft/cars.

I was looking at the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM. I was wondering if the lack of focal range, and the 'fixed' aperture value, may be an issue. Or perhaps the camera settings can compensate for this a little? This lens weighs 308 grams so that is a big plus for me.

If anyone has a moment to give me their thoughts I would be very appreciative.

Thankyou!

 

[JoeW]

Hello JoeW, ac12, Soocom1 and jeffashman, I've been doing a little research into wider angle lenses for low light. At this stage I think I will go with the Canon EOS Rebel aka EOS 250D SLR as my camera option, so looking for a compatible wide angle low light lens for museum aircraft/cars.

I was looking at the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM. I was wondering if the lack of focal range, and the 'fixed' aperture value, may be an issue. Or perhaps the camera settings can compensate for this a little? This lens weighs 308 grams so that is a big plus for me.

If anyone has a moment to give me their thoughts I would be very appreciative.

Thankyou!

Again, I'm not a Canon user. For museums, I don't think the prime lens at 28mm will be a problem. You'll want to get close enough to avoid shooting people and the only way to do that and still get all of the car or plane is with a wide-angle lens.

Is it a fixed aperture? If it is, that's a negative. That's because you'll have a very narrow depth of field. So if you're shooting down the fuselage, the nose and prop would be in-focus but the canopy would not and the tail would just be a blur. So check to see if it truly is a fixed aperture.

 

[jeffashman]

The Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM stops down to f/22. It's a 28mm prime lens. It seems to get decent reviews, but the only one I read in full is the one from Ken Rockwell, and his report was pretty much glowing.

 

[Jim888]

Good morning JoeW and Jeff, thankyou for taking time to respond. This seems like a good example of my lack of knowledge! As the lens in question was only described as f/1.8, I thought this was fixed. From what you write Jeff, am I right in saying it actually has a range of f/1.8 - f/22? So a fixed focal length but not fixed aperture? Also, I found a mention somewhere that to factor in an APS-C camera (like the one I have in mind), you have to adjust by x 1.6 to get the lens focal length, ie the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM I mentioned above would perform like an approx 45mm when paired to an APS-C. Bearing this in mind, perhaps I need to go wider still?

 

[jeffashman]

Yes, fixed focal length, but it is very rare to find a lens that has a fixed aperture, as that would severely limit its usefulness. Yes, on an APS-C the actual 35mm equivalent will differ. For example, I am getting a Tamron lens that is 10-24mm but the 35mm equivalent is actually 16-38mm on an APS-C. The best option is to see if you can find a place where you can rent the lens and try it out, because that will give you the best idea of whether it is what you are looking for or not.

 

[Jim888]

Yes, fixed focal length, but it is very rare to find a lens that has a fixed aperture, as that would severely limit its usefulness. Yes, on an APS-C the actual 35mm equivalent will differ. For example, I am getting a Tamron lens that is 10-24mm but the 35mm equivalent is actually 16-38mm on an APS-C. The best option is to see if you can find a place where you can rent the lens and try it out, because that will give you the best idea of whether it is what you are looking for or not.

Thankyou Jeff!

 

[RAZKY]

Hello everyone and thankyou for the opportunity to join.

I am a newbie so please be patient with me!

I enjoy taking photos of historic cars and aircraft that are mostly housed in museums. Often these places are not particularly well lit, but have spotlights making a challenging environment for a hack with a point and shoot. As well as the low light/spot-lit challenge, the cars/planes often have reflected glare 'spots' on the shiny bits. I am looking to buy a 'small' DSLR or mirrorless as I am traveling, and was wondering if one is better than the other for indoor museum subjects. I have read up a bit on the differences between DSLR and mirrorless but was hoping for some guidance regarding this particular environment.

Any help gratefully received!

You have thus far omitted what I consider a most important factor - the end use of your images. Unless you're printing huge or cropping heavily, a point and shoot/bridge camera (or even a phone) may be more practical in a museum than a DSLR or mirrorless.

 

[Jim888]

You have thus far omitted what I consider a most important factor - the end use of your images. Unless you're printing huge or cropping heavily, a point and shoot/bridge camera (or even a phone) may be more practical in a museum than a DSLR or mirrorless.

Hello Razky, personal use plus a blog website. The reason I am going to switch to DSLR is that my point and shoot and phone pics from museums were grainy or I couldn't get the point and shoot to focus...

 

[RAZKY]

Hello Razky, personal use plus a blog website. The reason I am going to switch to DSLR is that my point and shoot and phone pics from museums were grainy or I couldn't get the point and shoot to focus...

Nearly any kind of IQ ought to suffice. I'm thinking that a smaller camera would be handier. With good handholding techniques, and IS/VR, you can keep the ISO down and minimize grain/noise. Some cameras feature excellent long-exposure noise control, and some de-noise software is said to be effective. With any halfway decent viewfinder, focus on static subjects should be a snap.

 

[Jim888]

Nearly any kind of IQ ought to suffice. I'm thinking that a smaller camera would be handier. With good handholding techniques, and IS/VR, you can keep the ISO down and minimize grain/noise. Some cameras feature excellent long-exposure noise control, and some de-noise software is said to be effective. With any halfway decent viewfinder, focus on static subjects should be a snap.

Thanks RAZKY I appreciate you helping me out!