[m3thods]

Hey all,

I was going to leave this in off-topic, but figured that responses would get buried.

Basically, I'm running a Canon full-frame setup and a handful of lenses, most of which are L's (not the super expensive ones). Aside from camera and lenses, I have a number of extra batteries, filters, remotes, and a wireless lighting setup as well (2 flashguns, 4 transceivers). As for photo subjects, it's a mixed bag: 30% sports, 40% landscapes, 25% people, and 5% macro. I plan on continuing this as much I can going forward.

For a while now, I've been contemplating moving to Fuji or Olympus OMD series, but can't bring myself to actually committing to the full change. I know what I'd be getting in terms of IQ and weight savings, as well as what I'd be leaving behind.

What I'd love about switching:

A greatly reduced system. UWA prime, 35 equiv, 85 equiv.
Cut weight by more than half.
Actual space taken up by the camera when transporting and storage is greatly reduced.


Things I'd miss:

full-frame
wide angle lenses actually being wide (I shoot predominiately less than 50mm).
So many lighting options with respect to triggers, receivers, and flashes.
The awesome DOF you get with FF.
Lack of long lenses for sports/nature
Battery life with mirrorless is atrocious.
Used market for FF lenses is expansive


I'd be interested to hear stories from people that have made the switch, and most importantly the things that they missed after they made the switch.

[J____]

i've not made the move myself but would like to hear other's input. For me, it's like going from a V8 to an electric car...

[Marshall Placid]

Battery life is... atrocious on a mirrorless.

That is definitely true.

I have 3 spares and each battery lasts about 3 hours.

But, it is simple to use and it is much smaller for trips, etc.

You won't get all the bells and whistles of a DSLR, but for myself personally, I get more time enjoying the moment/event/trip/attraction/etc. rather than focusing on adjusting a DSLR to take the perfect picture.

If are you into the perfect picture, there is nothing else comparable to a DSLR.

For convenience and the small form factor, mirrorless is much better than a regular point-and-shoot camera (photo quality wise).

[twitchyzero]

how about the best of both worlds, mirrorless FF?
fuji is rumoured to have one next year, by then Sony FE will have a better lens selection too

[Razor Ramon HG]

Went from a D7000 to a Fuji X-E1.

Love the size, hate the focusing on live subjects.

[meme405]

I have a Nex-5 and it is a fantastic run around camera. In fact automotive stuff is probably the only thing I pull out my DSLR for nowadays.

I had a chance to play with the new A7, and I was really impressed, but when I heard the barrier to entry price, I almost burst out laughing. The A7 with 16-50 F2.8 (a mediocre lens AT BEST) is 1700 bucks (here in canada its actually like 1850).

Unless they can get that price down below 1500 and team it with a way better lens, I can't imagine moving mirrorless yet.

[ae101]

friends got a sony alpha, battery is no good at all but its nice & handy

dads gonna be lieca M9 digital in the future & his reason for that is cuz he wants to match his non digital M9 , yes u heard me right my dad has a lieca M9

[m3thods]

Went from a D7000 to a Fuji X-E1.

Love the size, hate the focusing on live subjects.

The XE-2 seems to fix most of the focusing issues, at least it's what I've seen using my friend's XE-2.

FF mirrorless is way too expensive. At that point I'd rather keep the SLR, since the lens selection is better anyways (without the use of adapters). I also don't want to fuss around with FF lenses on the body, which defeats the purpose IMO.

I've toyed with getting rid of my 6D and short lenses, and replacing that with a XE-2, UWA prime (like the Rok 14), 35 equiv, and 85 equiv. Then I would pick up a 60D or 50D for sports. My only issue with this is that indoor sports would basically be non-existant, since the 50D I used to have was SO bad, even with a 70-200 2.8 IS II.

The battery life and lack of long lenses really are the only barriers. Battery life less so because I can buy a ton of batteries. But losing out on sports and nature shooting would be a deal-breaker.

[Szeto]

friends got a sony alpha, battery is no good at all but its nice & handy

dads gonna be lieca M9 digital in the future & his reason for that is cuz he wants to match his non digital M9 , yes u heard me right my dad has a lieca M9

LEICA. and cool story....

[Lomac]

friends got a sony alpha, battery is no good at all but its nice & handy

dads gonna be lieca M9 digital in the future & his reason for that is cuz he wants to match his non digital M9 , yes u heard me right my dad has a lieca M9

M9... :heckno:

If it's for the brag factor, go for it. Otherwise, there are far better cameras on the market for the price. Don't get me wrong; I love Leica cameras, but the M9 is absolutely not worth the price difference from the M-E.



AAAANYways, I've got a mirrorless camera and I don't mind it at all. I think the battery life depends on the brand (my Sony tends to last a fairly decent amount of time... much longer than Marshall's, though I may simply shoot fewer shots in the same amount of time as he does). I haven't had an issue using adapters for lenses designed for slr cameras, though the lack of a decently priced full frame is a bit of a downer. I'm sure that'll change over the next couple years though, as mirrorless cameras become more mainstream.

[woozzle]

friends got a sony alpha, battery is no good at all but its nice & handy

dads gonna be lieca M9 digital in the future & his reason for that is cuz he wants to match his non digital M9 , yes u heard me right my dad has a lieca M9

what in the world is a NON-digital M9??

[gars]

Fuji has a 10-24mm now, so a 16mm equivalent on FF, as well as their 14mm, and a Zeiss 12mm. I don't know about the OMD options though.

Battery life is definitely not as good, but I understand because the sensor always has to be "on", as opposed to an SLR, but batteries are pretty cheap and I just carry extra.

[m3thods]

Fuji lenses are excellent, but as with anything with excellent IQ they're very expensive (and there are no real 3rd party options yet). Used selection is also very scarce (and deservedly so).

Like you I always carry extra batteries. There are times when I'm shooting a ton, and I get to the end of extra battery juice. I would have to carry double the amount of batteries to have the same experience with mirrorless.

One thing I forgot to mention though- EVFs on the top-end mirrorless cameras are SO GOOD. Yeah they're not OVFs, but not having to guess exposure and the end result is a plus in my books.

[twitchyzero]

i rarely see the OMD line on sale...the odd clearance here or there
pricewise if you're only buying 3 lenses i think going either fuji or oly is going to work out similarly in the end

[gars]

Fuji lenses are excellent, but as with anything with excellent IQ they're very expensive (and there are no real 3rd party options yet). Used selection is also very scarce (and deservedly so).


yeah, it's also because the vast majority of their lenses have only come out in the past year or so. unlike Canon/Nikon where most of the lenses have been out for 5+ years.

there was a deal on both Zeiss Lenses (32 f1.8, and 12mm f2.8) together for $1000 in the states (separate they're $1800) a while back. I would've loved to have added those to my collection, but I didn't have $1000 kicking around at the time.

[Ronin]

Why not just have both?

I have a 5D3 setup for "work" and I'm going to buy a Fuji system for everything else. I'll never travel with Canon gear again.

[Moo Man]

I have a 5D2 and recently just picked up a used EOS-M at a great deal off an RS member. I picked up a canon lens adapter off ebay so I can use all of my lenses on the EOS-M as well.

The mirrorless is definitely much more handy to carry around. I can fit it inside my suitcase with my 16-35mm attached to it and have it with me wherever I go, which is quite handy. The photo quality is quite decent as well.

For more serious shooting though, I would still go back to the full frame. I also need to get used to not having a view finder on the mirror-less camera. :suspicious:

[m3thods]

Why not just have both?

I have a 5D3 setup for "work" and I'm going to buy a Fuji system for everything else. I'll never travel with Canon gear again.

Quick answer is cost. All photography for me is for pleasure. I can't justify having both systems because, well, it'd be a lot of gear tied up for just a hobby. If anything, I'd be selling my Canon system (the majority of it) to fund a mirrorless system.

Part of me thinks I can get by with a Fuji system for wide/med tele, then pick up an old crop 50D or 70D if the price is right for sports and wildlife. The Fuji would be for travel, and the Canon for local stuff. The tough part with that is I try to go to zoos/wildlife refuges wherever I travel to, so that would leave me in the dark in that respect if I were to leave the Canon at home. There isn't a suitable selection for long lenses to fix that, so I'm left with compromising just as much as staying with my current set up.

I really want to ditch the weight/size of the DSLR, but it's tough to give up the other stuff as well. After my recent trip to SF, I've begun to seriously think about what I want to do. The 6D was fine walking around with, but worrying about weight restrictions on pickier airlines nowadays and having to debate on "what lens should I bring today" irked me a bit.

[m3thods]

I thought I'd update everyone with what I finally decided. After a few weeks of debating, I decided to put all of my Canon gear for sale (check the RS FS section!). I realized that, after many years of owning a SLR, I've come to avoid taking it out because of its size and intrusiveness. Having a lot invested in the system, I finally felt that it wasn't ideal to tie up that much cash in a system that didn't make it fun to go out and take pictures. Of the original list of things I'd miss going to mirrorless:

Things I'd miss:
full-frame
wide angle lenses actually being wide (I shoot predominiately less than 50mm).
So many lighting options with respect to triggers, receivers, and flashes.
The awesome DOF you get with FF.
Lack of long lenses for sports/nature
Battery life with mirrorless is atrocious.
Used market for FF lenses is expansive

The lack of long lenses was really the only thing that made me think twice. I thought the DOF difference was going to be night and day, but after seeing reviews of the Fuji 56 1.2 I find it hard to believe that a regular person could tell the difference between that lens and a premium FF offering. The lack of long lenses will hurt, but I travel infrequently, and if I need a long lens locally I'll borrow my dad's Nikon. Also, I find it hard to believe that Fuji will ignore long lenses for too long, so in the mean time I would be able to enjoy their excellent offerings <60mm.

Once I get everything sold and start to piece together my Fuji kit, I'll be happy to answer any questions for people who were in the same boat as me.

[Kamui712]

Interesting move!

What made you choose Fuji over the other companies? (e.g. Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Nikon etc.)

[Ronin]

I chose Fuji because I think the X-trans sensor really does have a unique look to it, they produce some of the best lenses currently available for mirrorless and there are Speedbooster/Fotodiox lens adapter products easily available.

Oh, did I mention they make the best looking cameras as well? Except maybe Olympus?

I cannot wait for Fuji to come out with a full frame mirrorless camera.

[m3thods]

I went with Fuji because I feel they have the best mix of aesthetics, ergonomics, IQ, and lens selection for my use. I'm going with an X-T1, 23 and 56 on day 1. I'll add a kit, and likely a zoom and Rokinon 12mm before my next trip. I'm just waiting for a sale on the body, then the dominos will start to fall.

I looked into the EM-1, but I felt that with m43rds I'm giving up too much DOF control. It's a great camera with great lens selection otherwise. I gave the a6000 a serious look with that awesome AF, but their native selection is BRUTAL.

And seriously- once you take a look into that beautiful X-T1 EVF, you'll be hooked.

[TurboTalon]

I am also contemplating switching to mirrorless, was the panasonic GX7 ever on your list?

[m3thods]

No the only m43 camera on my list was the EM1. As this was going to (try and) replace my dslr, I wanted to look for a body that allowed me to access most of the things I use the most (ISO, shooting modes, metering) away from menus and onto buttons. I felt, for m43, that anything but the OMD series from Olympus was away from what I was after. The Fuji, by comparison, is perfect as it has everything and then some accessible on the body.

As you can tell by my choice of Fuji, I don't value AF and video performance as highly as other things. If I did, the EM1 or even the a6000 would probably be my camera of choice. However, the Fuji in my opinion hit almost every checkbox I was looking for in a replacement for my 6D. When their 2.8 zoom comes, every checkbox will be marked.

[m3thods]

A bit of an update:

After handling the X-T1 a bit more and taking a friend's X-E2 and kit lens out to the PNE, I went with the latter. The kit lens is phenomenal. Compared to every kit lens from every manufacturer (including 3rd-party), this lens is bar none the best in terms fit, finish, and IQ. Having shot primes with my Canon, this lens made me a believer in what Fuji can do with their zoom lenses. It's really something else. And with the X-T1, as much as I like the extra dials and that gorgeous EVF, I decided to invest the money on glass instead.

I also picked up a great deal on a used 23, and used that savings to buy the tele zoom lens which is on sale for over $200 off at the moment. Once I sell my remaining lenses, I'll pick up the 56 1.2 and I'll be set until my next trip where I'll likely borrow/buy a Rokinon/Samyang/Bower 12mm f/2.

[320icar]

I'm no photographer, but last week I some close time with my brothers dslr. Biggest two gripes with mirror less is that the battery life sucked, but the biggest was the response time of the eye piece screen . It didn't run the eye piece and main screen at the same time, so it would take a fraction of a second to turn on the eye piece once raised up to my eye. I'm not used to that and I realized I missed a lot of quick shots waiting for the damn eye piece to turn on.

[twitchyzero]

i'm assuming that's an older mirrorless...mine doesn't have that problem by the time my eyes are into the EVF it's already on...but the downside is that the sensor is a bit too sensitive

[m3thods]

Ditto the X-E2. The EVF fired immediately when I put my eye to it.

With smaller batteries come worse battery life (until they give consumers the technology that is increasing capacity of LiOn batteries). It's something you have to accept when moving smaller.

As for missing shots- I got used to tracking with the rear lcd. It's easier than using the EVF imo, and you don't get dizzy watching the screen lag/tear lol

[!MiKrofT]

Hmmm XE-2. Maybe I should've gotten that instead of my current mirrorless travel light setup. Nex6 with 18-105mm F4 G.

[m3thods]

I really fought hard between going with the Sony A6000 and the Fuji (X-E2/X-T1). As much as I loved the AF performance on the Sony, the E-Mount lens selection wasn't great. I didn't feel like buying 3rd party and adapters (which defeat the purpose of travelling light since they're 35mm lenses). And Fuji's lenses are some of the best I've seen/used in terms of IQ, image stabilization, size, and build quality (both mirrorless and 35mm lenses). To be fair to Sony, I contemplated getting the body just for the AF, but I couldn't justify it.

The Fujis are expensive, but IMO come as close to replacing my DSLR lineup in terms of mirrorless cameras.

[Euro7r]

Kinda was stuck in this similar dilemma. I want something lighter and convenient for traveling without the bulk and weight of my DSLR. The thing is that, photography is a hobby for me and didn't make sense for me to have both a mirrorless setup and DSLR setup as I know I'll end up leaving one of the setup untouched.

Decided to keep the DSLR even though it's heavy and bulky. I've invested too much time and money into it, hard to let it go :(. Using my camera phone for the days I don't carry the DSLR lol :pokerface:.

[Matsuda]

I'm trying to get rid of my gear, considering Sony A7 or Fuji X-E2. Leaning towards A7 atm because full frame.

[m3thods]

Kinda was stuck in this similar dilemma. I want something lighter and convenient for traveling without the bulk and weight of my DSLR. The thing is that, photography is a hobby for me and didn't make sense for me to have both a mirrorless setup and DSLR setup as I know I'll end up leaving one of the setup untouched.

Decided to keep the DSLR even though it's heavy and bulky. I've invested too much time and money into it, hard to let it go :(. Using my camera phone for the days I don't carry the DSLR lol :pokerface:.

I totally understand. It took me months to grow the courage to sell off all my of gear (body + 6 lenses). One of the benefits was that I actually made money by making the switch, which is welcome given I'm getting married in a year or so. But letting go of the system that I had for so long (1 year for the 6D, but 5 prior with the 50D) definitely wasn't easy, and was more hassle than I thought. But looking back, I definitely don't regret the switch. Mirrorless has come a long way, and in Fuji's (and specifically my) case they're almost there in terms of replacing a DSLR for us hobbyists (assuming you don't exclusively shoot sports).

I'm trying to get rid of my gear, considering Sony A7 or Fuji X-E2. Leaning towards A7 atm because full frame.

I thought about the A7 shortly, but realized that I'd be keeping the full frame glass around since the native E-mount selection was severely lacking. Looking at the reviews for the Fuji lenses I was interested in, they all scored as well if not better than their Canon equivalents (and they're so much smaller too!) so it made it a lot easier to switch since I didn't really need FF.

That said, if you need FF the A7/r is the way to go. You get the best sensor, and with a couple of adapters you can match it with the best that Canikon/Leica/etc have to offer. The only real downside to it is the battery life since it is mirrorless and needs to keep the smaller profile.

[Matsuda]

I thought about the A7 shortly, but realized that I'd be keeping the full frame glass around since the native E-mount selection was severely lacking. Looking at the reviews for the Fuji lenses I was interested in, they all scored as well if not better than their Canon equivalents (and they're so much smaller too!) so it made it a lot easier to switch since I didn't really need FF.

That said, if you need FF the A7/r is the way to go. You get the best sensor, and with a couple of adapters you can match it with the best that Canikon/Leica/etc have to offer. The only real downside to it is the battery life since it is mirrorless and needs to keep the smaller profile.

I decided today that I'm going to go for the Fuji X-T1, I've watched a bunch of video reviews and I'm actually more excited about it then the Sony. Also its cheaper and more lenses available for it through work =D. Now to sell off my gear

[m3thods]

I decided today that I'm going to go for the Fuji X-T1, I've watched a bunch of video reviews and I'm actually more excited about it then the Sony. Also its cheaper and more lenses available for it through work =D. Now to sell off my gear

JELLY!

You won't be disappointed at all. Handling the A7, OM-D EM-1 and XT-1, the Fuji handled the best. And oh lawwwwwwwwwwd that EVF. Did you actually try it in store? I guarantee that once you try it, you won't want to leave the store without one!

I just got my X-E2 kit with 55-200 today. Just sold my 135L so I'll be picking up a 56 1.2 with that cash. And I already picked up a 23 1.4 the other day (but it's with a friend who's borrowing it). I'm waiting for my extra batteries to come in from Amazon (well, to Blaine), so I can go on a pseudo-extended shoot. I'm pretty much all set except for a UWA (looking at the Roki 12 f/2), and with cash to spare from my DSLR sales.

You won't be disappointed Matsuda (unless you really need the tracking and AF performance of a SLR). Keep us posted!

[Kamui712]

A couple of questions for those thinking of moving/moved to mirrorless

1. For people who bought an XT-1 or A7, do you find that your set-up is only marginally smaller than a DSLR? I feel like the EVF hump takes away from the "compact" feel of mirrorless.

2. Does anyone use a lens adapter? All the reviews I see online show slow/inaccurate AF even with a metabones adapter. Wondering if I should sell all my lenses.

[pizzaMR2]

I really fought hard between going with the Sony A6000 and the Fuji (X-E2/X-T1). As much as I loved the AF performance on the Sony, the E-Mount lens selection wasn't great. I didn't feel like buying 3rd party and adapters (which defeat the purpose of travelling light since they're 35mm lenses).

I tried out the adapter and however the autofocus works, it doesn't work well.

I ended up getting the Zeiss Touit 1.8/32 to match my a6000.

pretty impressed so far.

[m3thods]

A couple of questions for those thinking of moving/moved to mirrorless

1. For people who bought an XT-1 or A7, do you find that your set-up is only marginally smaller than a DSLR? I feel like the EVF hump takes away from the "compact" feel of mirrorless.

2. Does anyone use a lens adapter? All the reviews I see online show slow/inaccurate AF even with a metabones adapter. Wondering if I should sell all my lenses.

1. If you're keeping your 35mm lenses, then yes the weight and space savings is minimal. It's not so much the EVF hump, but rather the depth you gain by losing the huge SLR grip. You're only saving weight and space with the body. IMO, you don't move to the A7 to save weight, but rather to have an easier time pairing a great sensor with excellent glass from other manufacturers. E-mount adapters are so much more prevalent than other mounts.

2. Given the camera you're using is mirrorless (AF is already slower than DSLR), slapping a smart adapter won't make it any better (and in fact, will likely make AF worse). A7 isn't meant to be a speed shooter, and is really suited for portraits and landscapes with MF glass on adapters. So again, if speed is of the essence, stick with a DSLR.


I tried out the adapter and however the autofocus works, it doesn't work well.

I ended up getting the Zeiss Touit 1.8/32 to match my a6000.

pretty impressed so far.

Yeah if I had gone with the a6000, the 32 1.8 was going to be a must buy along with their 23. The Touits are fantastic lenses.

[Mashimaro]

A couple of questions for those thinking of moving/moved to mirrorless

1. For people who bought an XT-1 or A7, do you find that your set-up is only marginally smaller than a DSLR? I feel like the EVF hump takes away from the "compact" feel of mirrorless.

2. Does anyone use a lens adapter? All the reviews I see online show slow/inaccurate AF even with a metabones adapter. Wondering if I should sell all my lenses.

Hi Kamui,

I haven't given up on my DSLR but I do find I use my Leica M and the Sony A7R the most when going out.

My 5D3 is still too 'useful' to give up as it does everything extremely well. Maybe I'm getting old, but I get sick of lugging it around when walking about with the gf. Can't deny that it's a great tool for just about any type of shooting.

As for size, the A7R with the Zeiss 35mm lens is fairly compact. I have an adapter for my Leica lenses and also an adapter for my Canon lenses. it's a bit awkward to use when I use Canon lenses on it, but the IQ is still top notch.

My Leica lenses are amazing on the A7R. These combos keep the camera smaller compared to slapping on Canon lenses.

One downside for the Sony system is the lack of native lenses if you don't want to deal with adapter with your current gear. The battery life seems to have improved slightly in terms of standby time with the most recent firmware update. Still need more than 1-2 spare batteries with the A7R though.

The Metabones Canon adapter I have reports aperture and also can AF, but the AF is slow. I'm faster using MF and peaking with the A7R.

The AF is accurate when it hits though, but it can hunt unless you have some decent contrast in the AF box you're aiming at.

I debated selling off my Canon kit, but it's just too useful and versatile when I need to shoot just about anything.

Hope that helps! :)

[m3thods]

If you can justify keeping both, why not keep both. Unfortunately I couldn't justify having a "spare" dslr for the 10% of sports and wildlife shooting that I do, but if that ratio was higher I'd definitely be keeping some sort of slr (likely downgrade to a 50D/60D/D7000) and a tele zoom around.

[Matsuda]

woo good timing

http://www.bccamera.com/images.opt/0-0/skin/common_files/images/events/Free%2018mm%20Lens%20Promo_EN_LR.PDF

[m3thods]

If you like the idea of a wide fast prime, it's a good deal.

Otherwise, the Fuji Kit is only $200 more and, imo, is a way better lens to have. The 14 prime or upcoming 16 would probably be better options than the 18 if you're looking for a wide fast prime.

[Matsuda]

X-T1 ordered..so excite!

[Ronin]

If I didn't need the video capability, I would've sold my 5D3 and bought a X-T1 already.

Still waiting for a good XE2 deal.

[m3thods]

If I didn't need the video capability, I would've sold my 5D3 and bought a X-T1 already.

Still waiting for a good XE2 deal.

Probably won't happen until the X-E3 is announced. The $1200 price tag for the kit is pretty good if you want the kit lens, given the lens being pegged at $600 on it's own.

[twitchyzero]

i wish i gave fuji a closer look when i was shopping...i dismissed it due to its costs upfront and did not like that they were content with the older sensor

i really like that they're built with only enthusiasts/hobbyists in mind and the OOC samples look great which means less pp and time saved. The bodies do look overly busy though and prefer the minimalist approach of other brands, esp when you're dealing with a smaller form factor, simplicity makes more sense.

that said i dont regret going a6000...the performance it packs is just too good to pass up. I'd say the X-mount and E/FE mount selection is comparable both being few years old...Fuji's do have the better build quality and for sony if you want quality it means $$$

[Kamui712]

1. If you're keeping your 35mm lenses, then yes the weight and space savings is minimal. It's not so much the EVF hump, but rather the depth you gain by losing the huge SLR grip. You're only saving weight and space with the body. IMO, you don't move to the A7 to save weight, but rather to have an easier time pairing a great sensor with excellent glass from other manufacturers. E-mount adapters are so much more prevalent than other mounts.

2. Given the camera you're using is mirrorless (AF is already slower than DSLR), slapping a smart adapter won't make it any better (and in fact, will likely make AF worse). A7 isn't meant to be a speed shooter, and is really suited for portraits and landscapes with MF glass on adapters. So again, if speed is of the essence, stick with a DSLR.




Yeah if I had gone with the a6000, the 32 1.8 was going to be a must buy along with their 23. The Touits are fantastic lenses.


Hi Kamui,

I haven't given up on my DSLR but I do find I use my Leica M and the Sony A7R the most when going out.

My 5D3 is still too 'useful' to give up as it does everything extremely well. Maybe I'm getting old, but I get sick of lugging it around when walking about with the gf. Can't deny that it's a great tool for just about any type of shooting.

As for size, the A7R with the Zeiss 35mm lens is fairly compact. I have an adapter for my Leica lenses and also an adapter for my Canon lenses. it's a bit awkward to use when I use Canon lenses on it, but the IQ is still top notch.

My Leica lenses are amazing on the A7R. These combos keep the camera smaller compared to slapping on Canon lenses.

One downside for the Sony system is the lack of native lenses if you don't want to deal with adapter with your current gear. The battery life seems to have improved slightly in terms of standby time with the most recent firmware update. Still need more than 1-2 spare batteries with the A7R though.

The Metabones Canon adapter I have reports aperture and also can AF, but the AF is slow. I'm faster using MF and peaking with the A7R.

The AF is accurate when it hits though, but it can hunt unless you have some decent contrast in the AF box you're aiming at.

I debated selling off my Canon kit, but it's just too useful and versatile when I need to shoot just about anything.

Hope that helps! :)

Thanks for the responses guys! Still struggling between the A7 or A6000. Absolutely everything about the A6000, but there's no denying the IQ of A7 in low light... :banghead:

Maybe I'll hold off until sony announces the A7 successor ...

BTW did anyone go Olympus? I tried out the EM 10 , nice piece of machinery.

[m3thods]

Just wait for Photokina to finish up (just started today) just in case there are any late surprises from Sony.

If your budget allows for an A7, why not splurge for an EM-1/GH4? The EM-10 felt too much like a toy for me. Even the EM-5 did (it was too small in the hands, and I have small girly hands).

[twitchyzero]

GH4's 4K cinematics..mmm

[Kamui712]

ya, waiting for sony to surprise us with something juicy. They need to announce a 24-70mm f/2.8 or something epic.

and yes, GH4 4k... hawt.

[m3thods]

What I'd love about switching:

A greatly reduced system. UWA prime, 35 equiv, 85 equiv.
Cut weight by more than half.
Actual space taken up by the camera when transporting and storage is greatly reduced.


Things I'd miss:

full-frame
wide angle lenses actually being wide (I shoot predominiately less than 50mm).
So many lighting options with respect to triggers, receivers, and flashes.
The awesome DOF you get with FF.
Lack of long lenses for sports/nature
Battery life with mirrorless is atrocious.
Used market for FF lenses is expansive



So after shooting with my Fuji X-E2 for about 3 weeks now, I figured I can update the thread on my findings with respect to my initial concerns (in the quote). Overall, I'm very happy I moved to mirrorless as it has made shooting much more about having fun as opposed to having the mindset of "well you have a DSLR, so you better damn well have the perfect shot".

Things I love about mirrorless (*- will denote Fuji-specific items)

IQ compared to my outgoing full-frame 6D is comparable, if not identical. I don't pixel peep, so ymmv. But ISO performance is almost on par (given Fuji's X-Trans is supposedly "ISOLess", I'm really only seeing about a stop of ISO performance loss compared to the 6D, which was a revalation moving from Canon crop (50D))
Everything is so small! I love being able to bring everything in my arsenal and still come in at less than the weight of a 6D and 1-2 lenses. This has improved my enjoyment of taking photos by a huge amount.
I've been able to rejig my bag to have 2 camera bags as storage, then 1 bag for solely flash items. Before, I used to have these lying in random places. Mirrorless just takes up so much less storage space.
WYSIWYG shooting. Honestly, I thought I would hate an EVF. After using the Fuji one for a while (I suspect newer EVFs are similar), the only lag is in low-light, or just after camera start-up. They work REALLY well, and the fact that you can preview exposure BEFORE taking the shot has led me to really think about what I want in the photo before taking it. This has led to much less PP time, which leads to more shooting time. It's win-win all around.
Manual focus has gone from "holy crap I have to use MF???? that sucks!" to "omg MF is so fun because it's so damn easy!". MF aids like peaking and split image focusing really give mirrorless a leg up with manual focusing compared to DSLRs. There's just no disputing that, IMO. This will breathe new life into any old lens you might want to adapt to your appropriate system.
*Flashes really aren't an issue. Whatever worked with Canon works with Fuji as well. My YN triggers and flashes all work flawlessly (manual power, of course).
*With the Fuji system, I'm really not missing full frame at all. The lenses are smaller, and IMO on par if not better than their Canon counterparts. Yes I lose a bit of cropping power with only 16mp, but back with a crop factor has somewhat mitigated that loss.
*JPEGs out of the Fuji are really something else. I'm probably drinking the kool-aid, but there's something about the way they're processed which makes me very impressed. More than ever, I've started to use SOOC JPEGs for really quick and informal shots. Again, this saves on PP time which is always welcome.
*Firmware updates. Some people may see this as "Fuji outputting a beta product and fixing it with f/w". I could see that being the case if they weren't trickling down their newest features from higher-tiered products down into older models (to an extent). Yes they're fixing bugs (as all other manufacturers do), but no other manufacturer seems to be as adept to adding features to their older cameras. To me, that builds customer relationships better than any product can.
*Lastly, the look, feel, and build quality of Fuji really is great. Having shopped around for other cameras when moving away from FF, the only camera that comes close to the same fit and finish is the OM-D series, specifically the EM-1. From body to lenses, you can tell that Fuji engineers really care about how everything looks, feels, and plays.



No things aren't so rosy with Fuji. I've had to make quite a number of compromises moving away from DSLR, some of which still irk me and will continue to do so until Fuji outputs a better product than what's currently available:


*AF performance for action (focus acquisition, continuous focus performance, tracking) is horrible on the Fuji. This was mostly the reason why I fought so hard with getting the a6000 instead. The AF performance leaves a lot to be desired if your subject is moving. Static one-time AF is more than fine (still slightly slower than DSLR), but oh man don't think you'll be shooting much sports or action with this camera.
*Low light focus performance is pretty bad. Lots of hunting at apertures <2.8.
Battery life is HORRIBLE! I knew this going in, and even opted to buy 2 Wasabi batteries (which last longer than OEM btw) right from the get go. After 3 weeks of learning around the camera, I've come to the conclusion that another 2 will be ordered shortly. You're good to about 200 shots then you need to switch. This will be a huge shock for anyone moving from a DSLR. Probably the biggest shock.
Lens selection- I think this is pretty obvious. Only m4/3rds has the lens selection to rival Canikon (even to the point of having specialty lenses). If you need a specific lens, you're looking at adapters, or praying that you'll have an equivalent. (For me this isn't an issue as I was downsizing my kit anyways).
An EVF still can't match an OVF (duh) when you need to move the camera around in view.
*In post, the Fuji files seem to have very little "leeway" when working with the sliders in LR. For example, moving the white balance slider x amount will have a bigger effect with the Fuji raw files compared to my Canon files. This means that you can't be as precise with your slider amounts with the Fuji. I imagine this is only a Fuji issue, given it's using a more unique sensor compared to everyone else.
*This may be a deal-breaker for some, but for some reason the X-E2 (along with X-T1 and x100s) seem to apply excessive noise reduction at ISO >3200 even to the RAW files, resulting in "waxy" skin texture. The RAWs aren't as bad, but it's noticeable. It's definitely noticeable in the SOOC JPEGs, so if you don't shoot RAW it's worth keeping this in mind. The older sensor (X-E1, x100, xpro1) do not have this issue. I really hope Fuji fixes this with a firmware update.


That's pretty much it. Most of my concerns weren't really a big deal after all (some were bigger than I thought, conversely). Things like long-lenses are being fixed with Fuji releasing a 150-600 equivalent rival. I doubt they'll go into super-teles, at least not while their AF performance is so bad.

If anyone has any other questions that I didn't cover, feel free to ask. I also look forward to other people's experiences making the move from DSLR to mirrorless.


TL;DR: If you need focus performance for action/sports, stick with a DSLR. Otherwise mirrorless is the bees-knees for most other shooting scenerios. And it's more fun too!

[Kamui712]

The original plan I had was to buy a used EOS-M with a 22mm f/2 pancake just to hold me over until a "better" FF came out. I have to say after 3 weeks after having this thing - I love it! I stopped looking for another camera all together. I've been using this as my everyday camera and have taken some great shots with it.

IQ is amazing (prime lens), its small, portable, and very discrete (looks like a point and shoot). Because of the size of this thing, I've probably taken twice as many pics as I ever did with my DSLR.

Auto focus is a tad slow, but i'm sure in a couple of years mirrorless will be on par with DSLRs. For now, I'll concentrate on my photog skills.

Very happy with the EOS-M - paid a low price for this and I can still use my EF/EF-S lenses.

[m3thods]

Glad to hear it worked out for you!

[m3thods]

A bit of an old bump, but I figured I'd update this thread with some big Fuji news.

For my particular camera (XE2), a huge fw update has been released to fix most of the initial issues that I had with the camera coming from a 6D (bolded in spoiler).

The only things that remain on my initial complaints list was battery life still being horrible (can't be helped), and excessive noise reduction at high-iso. The latter I doubt will get fixed in the XE2, but seems to be a non-issue with the new XPRO2.

Looking ahead, it looks like Fuji has both improved where they were lacking (as expressed with the XPRO2), and kept existing customers ecstatic with new fw updates. My XE2 is *almost* my perfect camera now. Now the long wait for a potential XE3 :)

So after shooting with my Fuji X-E2 for about 3 weeks now, I figured I can update the thread on my findings with respect to my initial concerns (in the quote). Overall, I'm very happy I moved to mirrorless as it has made shooting much more about having fun as opposed to having the mindset of "well you have a DSLR, so you better damn well have the perfect shot".

Things I love about mirrorless (*- will denote Fuji-specific items)

IQ compared to my outgoing full-frame 6D is comparable, if not identical. I don't pixel peep, so ymmv. But ISO performance is almost on par (given Fuji's X-Trans is supposedly "ISOLess", I'm really only seeing about a stop of ISO performance loss compared to the 6D, which was a revalation moving from Canon crop (50D))
Everything is so small! I love being able to bring everything in my arsenal and still come in at less than the weight of a 6D and 1-2 lenses. This has improved my enjoyment of taking photos by a huge amount.
I've been able to rejig my bag to have 2 camera bags as storage, then 1 bag for solely flash items. Before, I used to have these lying in random places. Mirrorless just takes up so much less storage space.
WYSIWYG shooting. Honestly, I thought I would hate an EVF. After using the Fuji one for a while (I suspect newer EVFs are similar), the only lag is in low-light, or just after camera start-up. They work REALLY well, and the fact that you can preview exposure BEFORE taking the shot has led me to really think about what I want in the photo before taking it. This has led to much less PP time, which leads to more shooting time. It's win-win all around.
Manual focus has gone from "holy crap I have to use MF???? that sucks!" to "omg MF is so fun because it's so damn easy!". MF aids like peaking and split image focusing really give mirrorless a leg up with manual focusing compared to DSLRs. There's just no disputing that, IMO. This will breathe new life into any old lens you might want to adapt to your appropriate system.
*Flashes really aren't an issue. Whatever worked with Canon works with Fuji as well. My YN triggers and flashes all work flawlessly (manual power, of course).
*With the Fuji system, I'm really not missing full frame at all. The lenses are smaller, and IMO on par if not better than their Canon counterparts. Yes I lose a bit of cropping power with only 16mp, but back with a crop factor has somewhat mitigated that loss.
*JPEGs out of the Fuji are really something else. I'm probably drinking the kool-aid, but there's something about the way they're processed which makes me very impressed. More than ever, I've started to use SOOC JPEGs for really quick and informal shots. Again, this saves on PP time which is always welcome.
*Firmware updates. Some people may see this as "Fuji outputting a beta product and fixing it with f/w". I could see that being the case if they weren't trickling down their newest features from higher-tiered products down into older models (to an extent). Yes they're fixing bugs (as all other manufacturers do), but no other manufacturer seems to be as adept to adding features to their older cameras. To me, that builds customer relationships better than any product can.
*Lastly, the look, feel, and build quality of Fuji really is great. Having shopped around for other cameras when moving away from FF, the only camera that comes close to the same fit and finish is the OM-D series, specifically the EM-1. From body to lenses, you can tell that Fuji engineers really care about how everything looks, feels, and plays.



No things aren't so rosy with Fuji. I've had to make quite a number of compromises moving away from DSLR, some of which still irk me and will continue to do so until Fuji outputs a better product than what's currently available:


*AF performance for action (focus acquisition, continuous focus performance, tracking) is horrible on the Fuji. This was mostly the reason why I fought so hard with getting the a6000 instead. The AF performance leaves a lot to be desired if your subject is moving. Static one-time AF is more than fine (still slightly slower than DSLR), but oh man don't think you'll be shooting much sports or action with this camera.
*Low light focus performance is pretty bad. Lots of hunting at apertures <2.8.
Battery life is HORRIBLE! I knew this going in, and even opted to buy 2 Wasabi batteries (which last longer than OEM btw) right from the get go. After 3 weeks of learning around the camera, I've come to the conclusion that another 2 will be ordered shortly. You're good to about 200 shots then you need to switch. This will be a huge shock for anyone moving from a DSLR. Probably the biggest shock.
Lens selection- I think this is pretty obvious. Only m4/3rds has the lens selection to rival Canikon (even to the point of having specialty lenses). If you need a specific lens, you're looking at adapters, or praying that you'll have an equivalent. (For me this isn't an issue as I was downsizing my kit anyways).
An EVF still can't match an OVF (duh) when you need to move the camera around in view.
*In post, the Fuji files seem to have very little "leeway" when working with the sliders in LR. For example, moving the white balance slider x amount will have a bigger effect with the Fuji raw files compared to my Canon files. This means that you can't be as precise with your slider amounts with the Fuji. I imagine this is only a Fuji issue, given it's using a more unique sensor compared to everyone else.
*This may be a deal-breaker for some, but for some reason the X-E2 (along with X-T1 and x100s) seem to apply excessive noise reduction at ISO >3200 even to the RAW files, resulting in "waxy" skin texture. The RAWs aren't as bad, but it's noticeable. It's definitely noticeable in the SOOC JPEGs, so if you don't shoot RAW it's worth keeping this in mind. The older sensor (X-E1, x100, xpro1) do not have this issue. I really hope Fuji fixes this with a firmware update.


That's pretty much it. Most of my concerns weren't really a big deal after all (some were bigger than I thought, conversely). Things like long-lenses are being fixed with Fuji releasing a 150-600 equivalent rival. I doubt they'll go into super-teles, at least not while their AF performance is so bad.

If anyone has any other questions that I didn't cover, feel free to ask. I also look forward to other people's experiences making the move from DSLR to mirrorless.


TL;DR: If you need focus performance for action/sports, stick with a DSLR. Otherwise mirrorless is the bees-knees for most other shooting scenerios. And it's more fun too!

[twitchyzero]

sweet
always nice when companies are still pushing out updates years after release.

did the video capability improve? What's the max bitrate? I know xpro2 is a respectable 36Mbps...I would say a conflict of interest using sony a7sii to shoot this video though :(

https://vimeo.com/147847780

[Matsuda]

Picked up a Panagor 135mm f/2.8 m42 mount lens yesterday for $20, mint condition, made in Japan =D

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/t31.0-8/q85/p720x720/12819253_10154010314336212_7501536840176489974_o.j pg

[Araaadi]

Currently have a Sony nex5r. Looking to sell and possibly upgrade to the A6000. I just take occasional photos nothing crazy, any recommendations for other cameras? What do you think I could ask for my nex 5r with just the 18-55mm, In about 8/10 condition.

[twitchyzero]

what do you hope to gain from new camera?

for the occasional photo 5r to a6k it's not a big jump to be worth it. If video, AF, low-light is not a priority then hold onto your current one. I'm just extrapolating this from NEX-6 though since it's pretty much a 5R with EVF.