After dicking about with my sister’s Cannon SLR something or other the other month and with along trip to Italy coming up ithought I’d finally buy myself adecent camera.

I’m unlikely to appreciate the newest, flashiest thing so 2nd should be fine.

Normal, long and wide angle lens wild be good, too.

Will be used for scenic, general touristy stuff and occasionally riding.

What do you recommend? Any advantages of mirrorless over SLR?

Cheers.

Depends on budget.

Low budget favours dslr. Higher budget favours mirrorless. Unlimited budget could go either way.

Any advantages of mirrorless over SLR?

Mirroless is usually smaller and lighter, both the camera and the lenses.
Mirrorless gives you an electronic viewfinder, so you can see what the photo will actually look like before you take it.
Mirrorless makes it easier to use old/cheap lenses, with adapters.

As for what camera, depends on the budget. And how bothered are you about size. There are some rather small mirrorless cameras (eg Lumix GF5), or something more like a mini-SLR style (eg Lumix G6).

“Mirrorless makes it easier to use old/cheap lenses, with adapters.”

❓

Nikon, Canon and Pentax cameras can often use older lenses (plus those made in the specific bayonet mount, by 3rd party manufacturers) without any adapters necessary, often with full features. Nikon and Pentax cameras can often use lenses that are 40+ years old. Canon cameras can use lenses dating back 25+ years. So there’s a far, far greater range and amount of lenses that can be used on such DSLRs without needing any adapters.

“Low budget favours dslr. Higher budget favours mirrorless.”

First bit I’d agree with, second bit I wouldn’t. Some mirrorless cameras now available offer comparable image quality to DSLRs. The latter more likely to have a greater range of available lenses and accessories. However, comparable mirrorless cameras are relatively very expensive. ML cameras are a bit smaller bodied than DSLRs, but the lenses tend to be of similar size. Battery life probably much better on a DSLR. Larger physical size of DSLR body means many controls may have actual buttons and dials, rather than being tucked away in menus.

“I’m unlikely to appreciate the newest, flashiest thing so 2nd should be fine.”

A decent s/h DSLR body from one of the main brands will be a good bet. High-end ML cameras are still relatively new, and therefore command relatively significantly higher prices.

Larger physical size of DSLR body means many controls may have actual buttons and dials, rather than being tucked away in menus.

It’s worth stressing this really. I suppose there’s an element od “what you’re used to” but using a mirrorless after having a dSLR for a while drove me spare.

Nikon, Canon and Pentax cameras can often use older lenses (plus those made in the specific bayonet mount, by 3rd party manufacturers) without any adapters necessary, often with full features. Nikon and Pentax cameras can often use lenses that are 40+ years old. Canon cameras can use lenses dating back 25+ years. So there’s a far, far greater range and amount of lenses that can be used on such DSLRs without needing any adapters.

But you can’t use Canon lenses on a Nikon SLR, or Nikon lenses on a Canon, or Olympus lenses on a Canon etc. The flange focal distance is too big. But you could use them all on a mirrorless camera.
Adapters are cheap, so you can easily buy what you need.

And mirrorless cameras have focus assistance, focus peaking etc, which makes it easier to use manual lenses.

Well, if you are looking at second hand, it just so happens that I’m selling my Nikon D90 plus a Nikon 35mm f1.8 lens… 8)

I’ll second the D90, best camera I’ve ever used,for the money!

Basic breakdown on the dslr front is that Canon focus on build quality and Nikon on features. Other than that they are much of a muchness.
I prefer Canon and wouldn’t be put off by secondhand. I spent on quality lenses and slowly upgraded bodies. My last three bodies were secondhand and all fine.
Can’t comment on mirrorless.

I should be selling my Canon 50d and some lenses in the next couple of days if you’re interested. I just need to photograph them and get them up on the For Sale forum.

Ha ha – I was gonna say Nikon D90 is worth a look.

I’ve got the kit 18-135 lens on my D80 & while it’s not the best out there, I’ve got some good shots from it & it’s quite a versatile focal range.

captainsasquatch – Member

Basic breakdown on the dslr front is that Canon focus on build quality and Nikon on features.

Dunno where this comes from & whether it applies across all price point…. but when buying my D80, the equivalent Canon bodies felt like toys with wobbly buttons & really lightweight plastics.

OP, try a few cameras out in a store if you can. You’ll soon get an idea of what you like & don’t like.
There are times when the SLR feels really cumbersome, but then other times all the buttons & functions being right at your fingertips is a god send.
Perhaps the size of a mirrorless compact would appeal & if you know you are likely to only want a few lens options the choice thing isnt’ such an issue.

Dunno where this comes from & whether it applies across all price point…. but when buying my D80, the equivalent Canon bodies felt like toys with wobbly buttons & really lightweight plastics.

It was going back a few years, I had EOS10d EOS20d and EOS1d and they were bob proof.
What was the comparable camera to the d80? Soe of the smaller Canons did look a bit flimsy, so it could be a price point thing.

I’d suggest setting your budget and looking at various options in that.

I think clodhopper significantly under sells mirrorless options and their various benefits.

You can’t on the one hand state they are a ‘bit smaller’ then suggest that mirrorless miss the manual controls. Bodies that are only a bit smaller have all the same manual functionality and even some a fair bit smaller. Those with less manual controls can be significantly smaller.

When you take lenses in to account the whole package can become pocketable which you just can’t achieve with DSLR options.

Sony mirrorless tend to be more like DSLRs than m4/3 buy have their own advantages.

Go handle a few in the shop. If you are on a tight budget but happy to carry a smaller DSLR around then that is your best bet.
If you value portability over price then I wouldn’t look past m4/3.
If you want all out performance (especially for sports) go higher end DSLR.
Plus all the options inbetween.

Will be used for scenic, general touristy stuff and occasionally riding.

That would make me think the smaller the better – cameras aren’t much use if you don’t take them with you.

Work out what you liked about the SLR you tried and focus on that. Pretty much every SLR now is amazing, but mirrorless still depends on which one you get.

Work out what you liked about the SLR you tried and focus on that. Pretty much every SLR now is amazing…

Except apsc bodies. They all have mediocre view finders.

“But you can’t use Canon lenses on a Nikon SLR, or Nikon lenses on a Canon, or Olympus lenses on a Canon etc.”

Well, you can use some lenses on other brands bodies, but I’d have to ask why anyone would really want to, given the sheer number of perfectly useable lenses which are designed to fit each brand? 😕 Plus there’s plenty of 3rd party lenses which fit and work perfectly with all features.

“Basic breakdown on the dslr front is that Canon focus on build quality and Nikon on features.”

❓ Both brands are pretty much equal to each other these days. As suggested; go and have a play with some in a camera shop, choose what ‘feel’s the best.

I should be selling my Canon 50d and some lenses in the next couple of days if you’re interested. I just need to photograph them and get them up on the For Sale forum.

I’d be all over that like a tramp on chips, if I hadn’t already got a 50d earlier this year!

What lenses you got for sale?

Except apsc bodies. They all have mediocre view finders.

pentax disagree

Whats your approx budget?

For £100ish you can get a nice Olympus Pen/ Lumix G micro 4/3rd camera. Just bought a Lumix GF2 with wide angle lens to replace a compact and DSLR.

Basic breakdown on the dslr front is that Canon focus on build quality and Nikon on features.

Total nonsense, there’s nothing in it between the two at the same price points.

Took the opportunity to take my 50d out earlier with a fixed 50mm f1.8 lens, and attempt to get a few shots for my new website.

Pretty happy with this one (totally untouched)…

Now I’m really just having a go at this photography malarkey, but I am consistently stunned just how good the results are from this camera! Next purchase will probably be a decent zoom lens to replace the cheap Sigma one I have now, or possibly another Prime shorter than the 50 I have now for product shots.

pentax disagree

I bet they don’t. Unless they forgot to try their own full frame’s viewfinder. 😉

Edit: I only mention this as a mirrorless camera can have a good view finder despite not having a large sensor. Not the case with an old flappy mirror camera.

Mboy; try doing some portraits with the 50mm. Try shooting at maximum aperture, or stopped down just a bit (maybe to 2.8 but no smaller). Get quite close. Focus on the nearest eye.

Then see how good that lens is! 😀

You can’t go wrong with a 50mm lens. The simplicity of design and manufacture means they are often one of the best lenses in a brands range, in terms of ultimate quality and sharpness. Prime lenses (non-zooms) are very often better in terms of image quality, than zooms, as there’s less design compromise going on, and less glass for light to get diffracted and distorted by. I’m currently trying a range of telephoto zooms, to see what I like best, but I keep going back to my primes for comparison. It’s more hassle carrying around a bunch of lenses, sure, but it can also be more rewarding.

For APS-C and/or a wider angle than the 50, then try a 35mm prime.

Try to avoid ‘superzooms’; the kind of 18-200 type ‘do-it-all’ lenses, unless you really only want one lens, as they are heavily compromised in terms of IQ. Jack of all trades, master of none.

Mboy; try doing some portraits with the 50mm. Try shooting at maximum aperture, or stopped down just a bit (maybe to 2.8 but no smaller). Get quite close. Focus on the nearest eye.

Then see how good that lens is!
You’ll be putting the op off! Doesn’t the poor lad want a camera for some holiday and biking snaps, not the opportunity of an apprentiship with david bailey…
There’s a reason I stay away from photo threads. 😉

I disagree with lots of things said about mirrorless – and not just because I use one. Image quality is very good – I would say pretty much equal to an APSC DSLR in every day use. The body is smaller (certainly in the system I use), and most functions you use all the time are on dials/buttons – which are all fully customisable. It isn’t too small and cramped in use either, and believe me… my hands are almost certainly bigger than yours 😉

I use an Olympus OM-D EM5 most days with a nice selection of prime lenses (also much smaller than DSLR). Alamy and Getty are more than happy with the quality of the output and pictures from this system have been double page spreads in Outdoor Photography.

My other system is a full frame Nikon D800E so I do know what the other end of the spectrum looks and feels like!!!!

I would say go with whichever system suits you best. The best camera is, afterall, the one that you have with you – and personally I don’t think there is a bad camera or system out there these days.

Taking the typical “recommend what you own” stw response to a new level I’ll recommend what I’m thinking of buying – a bridge camera with a 1 inch sensor such as the Panasonic FZ1000.

It’ll cover the range you’re after for a lot less cash and whilst the image quality might not match a well taken shot with a dslr it’ll be more than a match for a poorly taken one!

I’d be all over that like a tramp on chips, if I hadn’t already got a 50d earlier this year!

What lenses you got for sale?[quote][/quote]

slight aside… great cameras 🙂

Also +1 what lenses…

So much info…!

APSC DSLR?
Bridge camera?

And don’t even start on the lens numbers …

Worse than bikes.

Thanks for the offers, but I’m in Germany.

The one marked Cx is more commonly called 1″ (despite not being 1″) and is the starting point for cameras with sensors bigger than a phone’s.

Bigger is better, but bigger… and more expensive.

Doesn’t the poor lad want a camera for some holiday and biking snaps, not the opportunity of an apprentiship with david bailey…
There’s a reason I stay away from photo threads

Shades of….
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxQqWSnsHoA[/video]

Shades of….

Certainly is grandad.

How about something like a Sony RX 100 for holiday? I bought mine so I didn’t have to take the DSLR

This was taken at Padley Gorge – not edited from RAW, just sent straight to phone, edited slightly on phone and uploaded

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Jg5Eup]2016-07-16 21.20.15[/url] by davetheblade, on Flickr

“You’ll be putting the op off! Doesn’t the poor lad want a camera for some holiday and biking snaps, not the opportunity of an apprentiship with david bailey…”

I was responding to Mboy, rather than the OP. Although the information contained within is hopefully of use to others.

“APSC DSLR?
Bridge camera?”

A bridge camera may well be perfect for your needs. But if you develop a greater interest in photography and it’s techniques, may become quite limiting quite quickly. A DSLR would offer more scope to progress technically.