Thought about switching systems...but

[nerwin]

The last few days I've been thinking about changing systems. Why? Because of the weight or so I thought originally. After giving it some thought...getting a new camera system isn't going to solve my problem.

The only thing that will solve my problem is to keep shooting and learning. The weight has never held me back, I'm just trying to make an excuse to get a new camera that may or may not be better than the one I have. Seriously though...the weight difference between my D610 + 24-85 Vr and a Sony A7II + 28-70 isn't all that much.

I bought my 105 2.8G macro lens a while ago and while its amazing, I don't use it all that much but you can't use every lens you own all the time either. The thought about leaving a expensive lens in the bag longer than a month makes me feel almost as if I just wasted money. But really I didn't, I made an investment...because someday that lens will payoff or any one of the lenses I own will perhaps someday payoff. I thought too much about the awesome gear, that I forgot what photography felt like.

Switching camera systems isn't going to make me a better photographer...getting off my butt and start shooting, will.

I don't know..just wanted to share my thoughts tonight.

 

[Village Idiot]

I switched. But I still have a heavy ass camera bag. It's not just filled with a better camera.

 

[beagle100]

The last few days I've been thinking about changing systems. Why? Because of the weight or so I thought originally. After giving it some thought...getting a new camera system isn't going to solve my problem.c w

The only thing that will solve my problem is to keep shooting and learning. The weight has never held me back, I'm just trying to make an excuse to get a new camera that may or may not be better than the one I have. Seriously though...the weight difference between my D610 + 24-85 Vr and a Sony A7II + 28-70 isn't all that much.

I bought my 105 2.8G macro lens a while ago and while its amazing, I don't use it all that much but you can't use every lens you own all the time either. The thought about leaving a expensive lens in the bag longer than a month makes me feel almost as if I just wasted money. But really I didn't, I made an investment...because someday that lens will payoff or any one of the lenses I own will perhaps someday payoff. I thought too much about the awesome gear, that I forgot what photography felt like.

Switching camera systems isn't going to make me a better photographer...getting off my butt and start shooting, will.

I don't know..just wanted to share my thoughts tonight.

OK, or just get a pocket size mirrorless camera with pancake primes and never worry about weight again
(that's camera weight, not your weight)

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless/

 

[goodguy]

If you want the optimum image quality and best low light performance you will need a full size sensor camera.
As you know so well the weight is mostly in the lenses and FF lenses are big and heavy.
So as long as you want to enjoy the benefits of FF sensor don't worry yourself about size and weight because it will be big and heavy.
If you want smaller and lighter then maybe MFT or APS-C cameras are what you need.

As for improving your skills I with you on that one, in the last 6 months I have been going crazy in getting better and better, I am going to portrait sessions, learning Lightroom and Photoshop, volunteering as second shooter in wedding and I keep pushing myself more and more, this is (in my eyes) the true route to get better results.
The D610 is an outstandingly good camera, there inst a single camera currently in the market that will be considerably better then the D610, yes there are cameras with more resolution, slightly better low light performance, slightly better AF.....etc but overall one on one the D610 is still one of the best cameras you can get especially considering its value, I know many people that would LOVE to own the D610.

Enjoy what you have and just keep shooting

 

[astroNikon]

I've briefly thought in the past to switch cameras but for different reasons.

I initially thought of getting a Sony A7 FF body just to use with my telescope. But that's expensive for one use and not very often.

I do a lot of sports so mirrorless just won't work, and a lot of long range shooting once again the mirrorless doesn't have the 600mm cheaper lenses.

So I continue to enjoy my d600 with the multiple lenses that I have which I use for specific purposes.

But recently I looked at it again as I needed another camera for another duty. something with a greater DOF for up close work. APS-C didn't work (I had a d7000 too). My old Coolpix L20 is just too low in the quality rating, so I started using my iPhone. But now I picked up a P7800 which can use my d600 lighting system, so that will work perfectly as it's a smaller sensor and greater DOF, very pocketable for school stuff and has full controls that dslr people like.

Years ago I was "okay" with my L18/L20 cameras
Since getting more picky ... the d7000 was great, and the d600 was even a better fit. more lenses for more SPECIFIC purposes.

In the end, you're just getting a bit more picky about things. Imagine going back a few years to what you had before the d610 and your lenses. would a Nikon FX 24-300 lens suit your needs - one lens / one camera ? Or are you too picky for that now ?

You're evolving and trying to find your place with your equipment and concepts.
I think everyone here goes through that.

 

[gsgary]

If you want the optimum image quality and best low light performance you will need a full size sensor camera.
As you know so well the weight is mostly in the lenses and FF lenses are big and heavy.
So as long as you want to enjoy the benefits of FF sensor don't worry yourself about size and weight because it will be big and heavy.
If you want smaller and lighter then maybe MFT or APS-C cameras are what you need.

As for improving your skills I with you on that one, in the last 6 months I have been going crazy in getting better and better, I am going to portrait sessions, learning Lightroom and Photoshop, volunteering as second shooter in wedding and I keep pushing myself more and more, this is (in my eyes) the true route to get better results.
The D610 is an outstandingly good camera, there inst a single camera currently in the market that will be considerably better then the D610, yes there are cameras with more resolution, slightly better low light performance, slightly better AF.....etc but overall one on one the D610 is still one of the best cameras you can get especially considering its value, I know many people that would LOVE to own the D610.

Enjoy what you have and just keep shooting

My full frame lenses for my A7 are not big and heavy my 35mm probably only stands out 30mm from the camera

 

[nerwin]

I think the logical thing to do is have best of both worlds. I might just buy a decent compact camera like the Panasonic LX7 or something similar and use it when I can't bring my DSLR with me.

 

[Derrel]

The last few days I've been thinking about changing systems. Why? Because of the weight or so I thought originally. After giving it some thought...getting a new camera system isn't going to solve my problem.

The only thing that will solve my problem is to keep shooting and learning. The weight has never held me back, I'm just trying to make an excuse to get a new camera that may or may not be better than the one I have. Seriously though...the weight difference between my D610 + 24-85 Vr and a Sony A7II + 28-70 isn't all that much.

I bought my 105 2.8G macro lens a while ago and while its amazing, I don't use it all that much but you can't use every lens you own all the time either. The thought about leaving a expensive lens in the bag longer than a month makes me feel almost as if I just wasted money. But really I didn't, I made an investment...because someday that lens will payoff or any one of the lenses I own will perhaps someday payoff. I thought too much about the awesome gear, that I forgot what photography felt like.

Switching camera systems isn't going to make me a better photographer...getting off my butt and start shooting, will.

I don't know..just wanted to share my thoughts tonight.

Thom Hogan published a piece this week that deals with the issues you've brought up...the people who have been chasing the Sony A7 dream, the idea that new equipment will magically improve one's photography; the idea that improving the photographer's skill set is really the best pathway, and so on.

Pursuit of the Latest Gear | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan

I dunno...there ARE times when moving up from rather basic, or outdated equipment, CAN and WILL easily and instantly improve one's results. I've been at this long enough to realize that, at times, better and more capable equipment really can make a big improvement. This comes most often when acquiring specialty tools, like highly-advanced lenses, or when moving from an entry-level lens like say a 55-200 f/4~5.6 zoom lens to something like a 70-200 f/2.8 with in-lens stabilization, or getting a FAST lens like a 135mm f/2, when you'd previously been limited to something along the lines of say, the aforementioned 55-200 lens at around f/5.3 or so at the 135mm setting. Shooting with something like a 300/2.8 brings a whole new realm of possibility to many things, if the other option is some f/5.6 lens with consumer grade optics. Buying studio flash equipment and grip gear is another example area where buying "stuff" can bring with it very fast improvement in what one can do, on command, by creating one's own light easily and repeatably. One can purchase "capability"...but there does need to be at least some skill in using it too, so this is not a panacea.

But when you have something like a Nikon D610 and a six-lens kit...you're already equipped reasonably well. The body is good, its image quality level is very high, it has a good focusing system, you have a 24-85 and 70-300 lens, both with VR, both fairly new, both current models, plus a top-grade 105mm macro lens, a fast 35m a fast 50mm lens...you're really not in need of a new and different camera brand or system...you already HAVE a system. Improving the nerwin is a better bet than augmenting the system.

 

[Jim Walczak]

Ok...I could be wrong here, but to me this sounds more like you're suffering from G.A.S. ("Gear Acquisition Syndrome"), more than anything else. As a musician, it's a condition I know all too well...there's a reason I own 25 guitars, LOL! It's really easy for me to sit here with a catalog or walk into a music store and go "ooooohhhhh...shiny!". That said however, as both a musician and photographer I do try to be pragmatic as well (if nothing else so my wife doesn't toss my sorry ass right out the door). I do very much try to base purchases like photo gear for example, on need rather than want. If I can truly justify the purchase, then there's no need to try and rationalize after the fact. For example, those Nikon 200-500mm lenses have recently made their way on to my wish list...I do a lot of critter photography and while I do "ok" with my 70-300mm, I -know- I would put a 200-500mm to very good use. Conversely, while I'd probably enjoy having a camera with a full frame sensor, I just don't need one for what I do...my current bodies have served me quite well, so it's not a purchase I can rationalize at this point. Yea, I'd love to have a vintage Porsche too, but what's the point if my beat up minivan does what I need it to do at a tiny fraction of the cost?

Now, I will admit that I do often find it hard to resist temptation when it comes to bargains! LOL! Recently picked up an old Sears (yes, Sears & Roebuck) manual zoom for wow...a staggering $5! Fun lens to screw around with and it's built like a freakin' tank. How do you go wrong with that? That said, for most major purchases, again I do very much try to base them on need. This is just my own opinion, but I never saw much point to spending a lot of money on something that I'm not going to use....and before anyone asks, yes, I do pretty much use all 25 of those guitars .

Just my own thoughts...

 

[astroNikon]

I think the logical thing to do is have best of both worlds. I might just buy a decent compact camera like the Panasonic LX7 or something similar and use it when I can't bring my DSLR with me.

I bought a Nikon P7800 so I can use my Nikon OCF flash stuff just in case.
perfect for pocketability (and I needed a large DOF for some stuff, and the video) with full dslr type controls. It has a small sensor, smaller then MFT and much smaller than DX type cameras.

 

[nerwin]

I think the logical thing to do is have best of both worlds. I might just buy a decent compact camera like the Panasonic LX7 or something similar and use it when I can't bring my DSLR with me.

I bought a Nikon P7800 so I can use my Nikon OCF flash stuff just in case.
perfect for pocketability (and I needed a large DOF for some stuff, and the video) with full dslr type controls. It has a small sensor, smaller then MFT and much smaller than DX type cameras.

How is it with fine details? I had the Fuji X20 before and boy everything looked like mush even when shooting RAW. Bugged the heck out of me. The LX7 has a smaller sensor and still performed better! Haha. Fuji X20 is basically a nice looking, well made camera but lacks in performance for the price you pay. I'll check out the P7800..but I'm sure its way out of my price range.

 

[beagle100]

I think the logical thing to do is have best of both worlds. I might just buy a decent compact camera like the Panasonic LX7 or something similar and use it when I can't bring my DSLR with me.

true, shooting sports or action is a whole lot better with a DSLR than a mirrorless, why not have the best of both worlds

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless/

 

[astroNikon]

I think the logical thing to do is have best of both worlds. I might just buy a decent compact camera like the Panasonic LX7 or something similar and use it when I can't bring my DSLR with me.

I bought a Nikon P7800 so I can use my Nikon OCF flash stuff just in case.
perfect for pocketability (and I needed a large DOF for some stuff, and the video) with full dslr type controls. It has a small sensor, smaller then MFT and much smaller than DX type cameras.

How is it with fine details? I had the Fuji X20 before and boy everything looked like mush even when shooting RAW. Bugged the heck out of me. The LX7 has a smaller sensor and still performed better! Haha. Fuji X20 is basically a nice looking, well made camera but lacks in performance for the price you pay. I'll check out the P7800..but I'm sure its way out of my price range.

I'll be playing with it this weekend as it's new (used) to me.
But from reviews it's sharp compared to it's competition but how compared to a dslr I guess I'll find out.