Returning to DSLR Ownership

topcatproduction

topcatproduction

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Good morning all, I used to be rather in to my (amateur) photography a few years ago, owning a 400D, then upgrading to a 40D with a good selection of lenses (Canon 10-22mm was a favorite at the time) and experimenting with reverse lenses for extreme macro before selling most of my kit due to several reasons and living my my trusty G12 ever since.

I'm now looking to acquire a new camera for work and home reasons, and having an 11 month old has made me want something that can produce decent results without a flash all the time inside as well. I'm not looking to spend a fortune and something a little lighter than a full professional body would be nice to make it a bit more user friendly too (for wife etc who don't use SLR's).

Currently I'm thinking about something like a 60D (although this is a heavy option if the same as my old 40D) and nifty 50, I never owned one but always remembered the great reviews, perhaps something like a 600D with the 50mm 1.8 would be a better combo- I'm just after some opinions please!

I still have a couple of old lenses and bits and I do know the ins and outs of living with an SLR so I'm not looking to be persuaded to buy a compact instead before that starts!

Many thanks,
TC
 
While you've been away there's been a boom in 'compact system cameras' with the advantages of being smaller and lighter whilst maintaining high quality results.

The Fuji system is wonderful to use, whilst the lenses aren't cheap.

The Olympus micro 4/3 system looks a brilliant tool to use, I had a play with a mates at the weekend, and the little 45mm portrait lens is brilliant.
 
Phil V said:
While you've been away there's been a boom in 'compact system cameras' with the advantages of being smaller and lighter whilst maintaining high quality results.

The Fuji system is wonderful to use, whilst the lenses aren't cheap.

The Olympus micro 4/3 system looks a brilliant tool to use, I had a play with a mates at the weekend, and the little 45mm portrait lens is brilliant.
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I'd echo what Phil has said. I ditched my Nikon D7100 as despite being a great camera, it was just too bulky and I found myself leaving it in the bag or at home more often than not.

I went for a Fuji X-T10 and 18-55mm which is a brilliant wee thing, but as Phil says the lenses are pretty pricy. The OLY M43's seem to be smaller again and have cheaper glass. If you're not looking to print large, it may well suit your needs (and pocket) better than the Fuji. Try both and see what you think?
 
Phil V said:
The Olympus micro 4/3 system looks a brilliant tool to use, I had a play with a mates at the weekend, and the little 45mm portrait lens is brilliant.
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The Olympus 45mm f1.8 is indeed a gem but I'd say that all the primes are with just one or two needing a little qualification.

At the moment I prefer the Panasonic RF style designs with a built in EVF and with a compact prime or one of the very compact "kit" lenses they make a very compact package. For those who prefer an SLR style design there are several to choose from but I'd also recommend that anyone looking at a compact system camera should take a long hard look at the Sony A7 which with a compact prime offers FF shooting in a similar sized package to a Micro Four Thirds or APS-C Fuji SLR style camera and lens.
 
Thanks for the replies, I enjoy having my G12 and have considered upgrading but I miss the ease of accessing the manual controls and the shallow DOF, along with macro capabilities. Is there a compact that will do all this as well as a 50D or 60D could, given that the money will be similar?
 
Olympus are allowing people to borrow, free of charge, their kit . Check out their website. I don't work for Olympus!
 
topcatproduction said:
Thanks for the replies, I enjoy having my G12 and have considered upgrading but I miss the ease of accessing the manual controls and the shallow DOF, along with macro capabilities. Is there a compact that will do all this as well as a 50D or 60D could, given that the money will be similar?
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i think you have miss understood (unless its me who has not understood your post:D, the cameras being talked about are not compact-as in all in ones. they still have interchangeable lenses, just they are way smaller than a dslr because they are mirror less
 
topcatproduction said:
Thanks for the replies, I enjoy having my G12 and have considered upgrading but I miss the ease of accessing the manual controls and the shallow DOF, along with macro capabilities. Is there a compact that will do all this as well as a 50D or 60D could, given that the money will be similar?
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A Fuji will give more ergonomic controls than a 50d with the same DoF (1.5 crop sensor) and some absolutely stunning lenses. Unless you go for one of the latest though the AF isn't quite as snappy.

Like I said, you've missed out on the emergence of a whole new breed of camera.
 
Ulfric M Douglas said:
I think the OP should go with his first instinct, a 50mm and the lightest new Canon DSLR body ...
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Or an EOS M5?

The IQ of the best ever Canon crop, in a lightwight body with wifi and touch control.
Pocketable with the 22mm f2 ;)
 
Thanks again- can anyone point me in the direction of a good read up or comparison between some of these new compacts? I'll need persuading to change from what I know but sounds interesting- I'm assuming that the biggest potential put off will be lens prices- vs the ocean of good used EOS ones?

edit- Just looked briefly at the M5- looks very nice- in short what is it (or rivals) missing when pitched against traditional DSLR's?
 
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topcatproduction said:
edit- Just looked briefly at the M5- looks very nice- in short what is it (or rivals) missing when pitched against traditional DSLR's?
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Typically CAF which has traditionally been terrible on mirrorless cameras although the most recent ones are getting much better. If you only use SAF then mirrorless tends to be more accurate.
 
I went from full frame DSLR to a Fuji XT2 system and regretted it.

I couldn't get the processing right and I didn't like the "painterly" foliage apparent in some instances. Also some skin shots look like a waxwork dummy.

So I'm back to FX DSLR and very happy, but my back's not.

Hey ho, you can't have it all.
 
GreenNinja67 said:
I went from full frame DSLR to a Fuji XT2 system and regretted it.

I couldn't get the processing right and I didn't like the "painterly" foliage apparent in some instances. Also some skin shots look like a waxwork dummy.

So I'm back to FX DSLR and very happy, but my back's not.

Hey ho, you can't have it all.
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That's not to do with being mirrorless per-se, it's that it was a Fuji.
 
topcatproduction said:
edit- Just looked briefly at the M5- looks very nice- in short what is it (or rivals) missing when pitched against traditional DSLR's?
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Generally, continuous AF but the M5 has Canons dual pixel AF, and face tracking, and the ability to 'drag' the focus point by hand on the touchscreen.
 
Sounds like a winner if it wasn't for the price which I've just seen, I think realistically it will be between a 50D or a 500D for now, I'm nowhere near professional and I doubt I'll be able to justify an extra £500~ for a smaller body and more pixels. Looks promising and surely the way things are going, but I think next to a camera phone and G12 one of the 5xx SLR's will give amazing results. I've always been happy with Canon and still have some bits so reluctant to change brand, although I've not tried the G1X mkii, G7X etc so can't compare them to (although suspect I know the outcome) the xxD cameras.
 
topcatproduction said:
Sounds like a winner if it wasn't for the price which I've just seen, I think realistically it will be between a 50D or a 500D for now, I'm nowhere near professional and I doubt I'll be able to justify an extra £500~ for a smaller body and more pixels. Looks promising and surely the way things are going, but I think next to a camera phone and G12 one of the 5xx SLR's will give amazing results. I've always been happy with Canon and still have some bits so reluctant to change brand, although I've not tried the G1X mkii, G7X etc so can't compare them to (although suspect I know the outcome) the xxD cameras.
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Hi TopCat. I still have a 40D and Canon lenses, and young children! I've just purchased 4 weeks or so ago a Micro four thirds camera, an OM -D EM 5 II. There is a thread on here you might find interesting on it. In essence with young children you tend to lug lots of stuff around and a heavy camera on top of that, for me, meant I started leaving it at home. It sounds like your gut is telling you stay Canon, and that's fair enough and it will still have some advantages, mainly auto focus from my limited experience so far ( could be my user error but I believe generally AF is better on DSLRs). Anyway, if I was you I would still got for the smaller model, my friend got a 750D and it felt very light compared to me 40D. In terms of lenses I prefer the 80mm f1.8 but it is quite a long focal range, and the 50mm is cheap as chips and still good. Good luck!
 
Thanks for that- if it wasn't for lugging it around I'd probably just buy a 50D or 60D, but I remember a fair bit of weight saving in the xxxD bodies hence the interest. The G range is more compact still but I think I'll find it too limiting without lens interchangeability.
 
topcatproduction said:
Thanks for that- if it wasn't for lugging it around I'd probably just buy a 50D or 60D, but I remember a fair bit of weight saving in the xxxD bodies hence the interest. The G range is more compact still but I think I'll find it too limiting without lens interchangeability.
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topcatproduction said:
I still have a couple of old lenses and bits and I do know the ins and outs of living with an SLR so I'm not looking to be persuaded to buy a compact instead before that starts!
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A shame as with a CSC you save weight but keep the lens interchangeability, DoF control and image quality.

Have a look at the APS-C Sony A6000. The chips is a fraction larger than Canon's APS-C chip so there's no loss of DoF control and the image quality should be a move forward from your Canon DSLR's.

Other than that the Panasonic GX80 is IMO a real bargain. It's MFT but in reality the difference in DoF between MFT and APS-C is minimal and the image quality will almost certainly be a match for or be even better than the 50D. Add a compact 14-42mm kit lens (which is the size of a prime lens and sharp wide open) and a fast prime (28, 35 or 50mm equivalent as best suits you) and that's all many people would ever need at a fraction of bulk and weight of a Canon DSLR.
 
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