+- MacResource (https://forums.macresource.com)
+-- Forum: My Category (https://forums.macresource.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Tips and Deals (https://forums.macresource.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Thread: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" (/showthread.php?tid=252455)
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - Acer - 02-02-2021
TBH, a mirrorless with an adapter looks like it would feel and handle not much different than a straight DSLR body. The back plus the adapter pretty much adds up to the DSLR proportions.
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - pRICE cUBE - 02-02-2021
pdq wrote:
Huh. So I currently have an old Sony digital SLR (an alpha-something) which got dropped and so the mirror is slightly off kilter. I don’t think it would be worth trying to get it fixed, even if I could find someone to fix it - it still takes pictures, although the focus is a skotch off and the image that gets taken is not quite the same as what you see in the viewfinder.
But I do have a couple of nice-ish lenses for it. Are you suggesting it might be a good time to find a newer (used) Sony body that would take these lenses?
Is your Alpha a full frame or aps-c? As far as I am aware, Sony doesn't even make traditional flip up mirror SLR anymore. The A99II uses a fixed mirror that is translucent.
This si the A99 review but it is the same concept https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-alpha-slt-a99
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - Gareth - 02-02-2021
Does it result in better photos?
Yes and no. Newer tech is going into mirrorless cameras, but that doesn’t mean DSLRs are outdated. The last round of DSLRs are fantastic, like the D850 pRICE cUBE just got.
Lighter equipment?
Yes and no. Bodies are lighter, but lenses can be just as heavy, if not heavier on mirrorless.
Throw a Canon 5D DSLR and a bunch of L lenses in a bag vs a Sony A7 and the equivalent GM lenses and the Canon package might end up lighter. Some mirrorless lenses are just converted or based on DSLR lenses, so they have added length and weight to make up for the missing flange distance.
But take that A7 and mirrorless designed lenses, i.e. the Tamron RXD/VXD line and now you’ve got yourself a lightweight package. The RXD/VXD use easier to design for focal lengths so they are more compact and lighter compared to Sony’s GM versions. I.e. 17-28 vs 16-35, 28-75 vs 24-70, 70-180 vs 70-200.
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - pRICE cUBE - 02-02-2021
mattkime wrote:
[quote=pRICE cUBE]An old adapted Nikon, Pentax, Canon manual focus lens is now stabilized on a Sony M-ILC body.
Oh, that is pretty sweet.
Canon and Nikon resisted this because the in lens stabilizer approach for SLR. IMO, they change their minds once they saw sales being lost to M-ILC and Sony in body stabilization. When people are stabilizing old manual focus lenses, they aren't buying stabilized lenses from Nikon and Canon. Since Sony was hungry for market share, they happily sold the bodies with in body stabilization and eventually those people bought new Sony lenses. Canon and Nikon really dropped the ball on that. They could have prevented a good number of people jumping to Sony if they were looking forward.
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - DP - 02-02-2021
May I throw this out: I have moved on to mirrorless and the camera I bought-a Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85-is now my main camera. It is also a FourThirds camera and I find the lenses very impressive. My Canon 6D Mk.II has been relegated to my backup camera!
Even though the Lumix is not a full frame sensor, it is easily up the task of studio photography. One reason I use it, which is no fault of the Canon, is that the Canon is "only" 1080p video while the Lumix is 4K.
After I bought the Panny and realized how good the quality is, I thought maybe I'd sell the 6D and get a Canon mirrorless but when I read the ho-hum specs on some of the Canons, mainly the quality of the 4K shooting mirrorless Canons, and their prices, plus the fact that I'd have to get an adapter to use my lenses, I decided to keep the Mk. II and get another lens for the Lumix. The reason there being that I needed a wider angle lens if I were going to be using the Lumix for video.
Then there's the price. I got the GX85 for just under $500 which included a 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 (aspherical) and a 45-150 f/4-5.6, also an aspherical lens, both G Varios. Those are equivalent to 24-64mm and 90-300mm for 35mm cameras.
Then, since I found that the 24mm equivalent wasn't wide enough for what I was shooting and it looks like I'll be shooting more with it, I found that Panasonic offered two wide angles, both Leicas, an 8-18mm f/4-5.6 and an 8-18mm f/2.8-4.
Yes, they aren't cheap, and the f/2.8 lists for $997 (the f/4 is half the price). But! I went to KEH and found one in Like New condition for $800, and they also had a 10% off deal going that day, plus a $90 credit I had with them for a lens they had bought from me. Total after tax was $684 so I bought it.
And I'm very impressed with that lens too. So now I'm good to go with a great camera and three lenses for a little more than a grand.
If you aren't familiar with the FourThirds system it's worth a look. I like the idea of how the lens "bends" the light which greatly reduces flare, e.g., and what I see so far makes it worth it to me...
A caveat: The GX85 is a "prosumer" camera that has a lot of gimmicks. I found myself changing settings with my nose as I was getting used it. But I use mostly manual settings and those issues aren't a problem then.
One thing that worked out for me was that I had a grip-and-grin to shoot and I was using my 6D Mk. II.-I told this story to pRICE as I was discussing cameras with him. It was in a large open garage area and I was asked what I could do to stop the noise of the mirror while I was shooting during the speeches! I couldn't lock it up when I was shooting a live event, so...
I got out the Panasonic, then, and that saved the day!
P.S. I didn't mean for this to end up so long!
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - vision63 - 02-02-2021
Acer wrote:
TBH, a mirrorless with an adapter looks like it would feel and handle not much different than a straight DSLR body. The back plus the adapter pretty much adds up to the DSLR proportions.
The Z body is still feels much smaller even with the FTZ adapter. If I use a big honking lens, then it's similar. But with a 50mm or 85mm it still feels smaller.
That 24-70 f4 lens shown there, is one of the best lenses I've ever used. Anyone buying this camera without getting that in a bundle is making a mistake.
For me, the biggest difference between DSLR and Mirrorless is response time.
If I'm shooting on the street and need to almost instantly capture a crucial moment, the mirrorless camera is going to disappoint. It's gone to sleep and you gotta half press the button to wake it up and "then" shoot.
On the other hand, the DSLR (a D750) wakes instantly for a quick snap. I keep a 70-200 on that one.
Other than that, the mirrorless (Z6) is superior. The lowlight, handheld capability is astounding. I'm sure that's based on the ibis and the sensor. You can set the focus ring to control exposure compensation and you can basically preview what you're about to shoot. The S lenses are incredible. They're too expensive though. I'm looking forward to Tamron/Sigma making Z lenses. But the FTZ adapter works flawlessly.
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - macphanatic - 02-02-2021
pdq wrote:
Huh. So I currently have an old Sony digital SLR (an alpha-something) which got dropped and so the mirror is slightly off kilter. I don’t think it would be worth trying to get it fixed, even if I could find someone to fix it - it still takes pictures, although the focus is a skotch off and the image that gets taken is not quite the same as what you see in the viewfinder.
But I do have a couple of nice-ish lenses for it. Are you suggesting it might be a good time to find a newer (used) Sony body that would take these lenses?
Sony makes an adapter to use many of their old lenses and some Minolta lenses with the new bodies (full and APS-C sensor bodies). I have some old Minolta lenses that supposedly work, but I don't think they are high enough quality to be worth trying.
For a non-Pro jumping to Sony, I would suggest looking at the Tamron zoom lenses. They have f/2.8 with 17-28, 28-70, and 70-180 that have gotten really good reviews. They typically aren't as good as Sony's G Master f/2.8 lenses, but most can't tell the difference. The Tamron's are much cheaper, smaller and lighter than the Sony lenses. Tamron also has a few other zooms that aren't f/2.8 that have gotten really good reviews. Don't bother with their f/2.8 wide primes. The 17-28 is at least as good and often better than the primes.
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - macphanatic - 02-02-2021
Another thought on using non-native lenses on mirrorless bodies. There are a ton of 3d printer files out there to print your own adapter. It only needs to be light tight to work properly as the target lenses are full manual lenses. One benefit is that you can print an adapter to try out some lenses. If you're happy with the result, you could then spring for the more professional adapter.
edit: spelling
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - Wags - 02-02-2021
I've got a fair amount of $$ into Canon lens, including my birding lens - EF100-400mm. I'm probably gonna upgrade my 50D to a 90D and call it good. Seems like they're going up in price instead of the other way.
Re: Buying opportunity: Seeing this on camera/lens listings lately "Switching to mirrorless cameras" - macphanatic - 02-02-2021
Wags wrote:
I've got a fair amount of $$ into Canon lens, including my birding lens - EF100-400mm. I'm probably gonna upgrade my 50D to a 90D and call it good. Seems like they're going up in price instead of the other way.
Your 100-400 will work really well with the Sigma adapter. Just saying.