Brian style
Regular
I have shot Canon for years. I started with a bridge superzoom SX20 as a way to dip my toe into manual shooting and longer focal lengths without investing in a DSLR system. After about 5 months I decided I wanted to dive in.
After some research and playing with cameras (T1i and D5000) I decided on the Canon. The menus and ergonomics just worked much better for me with the Canon. But the T2i came out as I was putting my money together, so I picked up a brand new T2i. I had it for about a year and then got a refurbished 60d. Of course I went through the usual FF lust and pixel peeping phase we all seem to go through after we start getting to another level learning and skill wise, and was very close to getting a 5d2 when the 6d was released. I decided to rent the 6d for a weekend, and shot it side by side with my 60d. What I found was that from ISO 800 and down, the difference in IQ wasn't $1000, but that is what the price difference was. Over 800 is where the 6d gains, exponentially. But I don't shoot over 800 90% of the time, and after I got over my pixel peeping phase (comes when the FF lust phase starts ). I became more realistic about what I need and shoot. Now I shoot ISO 3200 without worrying much about noise if I'm properly or slightly over exposed. 6400 needs some noise reduction but I stopped sweating it so much when I accepted that I wasn't printing 20x30 prints of everything I shot! If the image will only see the internet, who cares if it has some noise. By the time you reduce the image, the noise won't show up as much. It might look noisy on a 27" 1440 monitor, but on Facebook?
Why didn't I get a 6d? It is basically the same size and weight as a 60d right? I rented one with a Tamron 70-200VC. IQ was excellent! High ISO was excellent! The size and weight...not so much!! I can say without a doubt that it was THAT day of carrying around the 6d+Tamron that soured me on size and weight. The 6d and Tamron are the lightest, most compact options for FF DSLR and stabilized 70-200 2.8, and still carrying them around for 6 1/2 hours was an NOT fun! I then decided that APSC was my preferred format simply because I preferred lighter and smaller.
I started looking into mirrorless as I assessed my portfolio and saw that the overwhelming bulk of my shooting is still life, portrait stuff. I didn't need the AF tracking speed of a DSLR. So I could go even lighter and smaller than an APSC DSLR without sacrificing DOF ability or IQ. But there aren't really any places to go now to handle most mirrorless in person now-a-days. So I decided to rent since the only thing I have to go on are Youtube videos and reviewer impressions. I rented an EM5 thinking it would be too small and didn't expect much. I found the EM5 to be an absolute joy to shoot with and use. Built like a tank and incredibly responsive. I then rented the XE1 after really feeling pumped up from all of the reviews and felt the complete opposite after a weekend. IQ was great, lenses are great, but the build quality and slow responsiveness disappointed me entirely. It felt sluggish in nearly every way compared to the EM5. Considering both cameras where the same price at the time, it made the XE1 look even less impressive. I really want an EM5 with an APSC sensor, that's what I want Of course Fuji sounds like they may be doing just that with the X-T1....
So I considered the EOS M, but Canon turns its nose up at mirrorless. Only 3 lenses and they don't even sell the 11-22 in the US. The laughable AF at release (as if you DIDN'T know how bad it was before putting it on shelves!) and high price tag was "WTF?!"
EM5, m4/3 is mature but the images looked more P&S like than I liked. The size difference in 4/3 vs APSC is small, but the look of the APSC images had that little bit extra umf I preferred. Maybe it occurs around 1.7x
Sony cares more about bodies than lenses...and the menu systems frustrated me so much it wasn't funny. It wasn't until the NEX 6 that Sony started using standard hotshoes. I just want to facepalm when I think about Sony sometimes. The A7 IMMEDIATELY looked like the answer to my dreams, but a $1000 prime that is only 1.8?? A 2.8 prime with a weird 2 piece hood? If it is going to be a slower prime at least put IS on it! Sony is already showing that they just don't get it, as usual. Maybe, hopefully, having Olympus helps them out. The point of an interchangeable lens system, is the lenses! They'll flesh out their FE lens lineup over time, but I'm not going to wait. A year from now Sony will have 5 or 6 more bodies and only 4 or 5 more lenses (expensive, slow, or both).
Fuji is back in the running with the XE2. Faster in every way, and now 56 1.2, 16-55 and 50-140 2.8 OS lenses?! Woohoo! And you know they'll be sharp. If only Fuji would put touchscreens on their cameras
Then I found Samsung, by accident. Accident because I never looked into it or knew anything about them. I saw the Bolt commercials but didn't pay attention. Once I started researching their lineup, I noticed that Samsung seemed to 'get it' in ways the big names seemed to miss. They had touchscreens, simple menus, APSC sensors, and actually had pancakes, THREE of them. A wide angle, a superzoom, telephoto, macro, 85 1.4, basically all of the basics are covered. And they went with a standard hotshoe. I read concerns people had about Samsung's commitment (I didn't get that feeling when researching them) and Samsung is pushing out more lenses and bodies, including a flash now. They are showing FAR more commitment to mirrorless than Canon, that's for sure! Announcement of the 16-50 2-2.8 speaks volumes. I haven't put Samsung's sensors to any severe tests in low light, but I wouldn't hesitate to use a Samsung to shoot anything from decent to great/controlled lighting. And can I say, face detection AF makes getting shots SO much faster. I don't have to focus/recompose, I just frame the shot and shoot.
So now after my research, renting, and ranting, I find myself looking at 2 systems, Samsung and Fuji. If Samsung is indeed looking at going FF, I would take a hard look and would not hesitate with them the way I hesitate with Sony. I believe Samsung would put out lenses faster than Sony does.
No, Samsung isn't perfect, but they are impressive with what they have done, and are doing. Well, not the Galaxy NX. Whoever came up with that should be fired! Perhaps the fact that they are NOT a camera company first helps them not think like the rest. They do understand integration well, being in the smart phone business helps them there, and that is something people (especially the younger generations) want more and more.
After some research and playing with cameras (T1i and D5000) I decided on the Canon. The menus and ergonomics just worked much better for me with the Canon. But the T2i came out as I was putting my money together, so I picked up a brand new T2i. I had it for about a year and then got a refurbished 60d. Of course I went through the usual FF lust and pixel peeping phase we all seem to go through after we start getting to another level learning and skill wise, and was very close to getting a 5d2 when the 6d was released. I decided to rent the 6d for a weekend, and shot it side by side with my 60d. What I found was that from ISO 800 and down, the difference in IQ wasn't $1000, but that is what the price difference was. Over 800 is where the 6d gains, exponentially. But I don't shoot over 800 90% of the time, and after I got over my pixel peeping phase (comes when the FF lust phase starts ). I became more realistic about what I need and shoot. Now I shoot ISO 3200 without worrying much about noise if I'm properly or slightly over exposed. 6400 needs some noise reduction but I stopped sweating it so much when I accepted that I wasn't printing 20x30 prints of everything I shot! If the image will only see the internet, who cares if it has some noise. By the time you reduce the image, the noise won't show up as much. It might look noisy on a 27" 1440 monitor, but on Facebook?
Why didn't I get a 6d? It is basically the same size and weight as a 60d right? I rented one with a Tamron 70-200VC. IQ was excellent! High ISO was excellent! The size and weight...not so much!! I can say without a doubt that it was THAT day of carrying around the 6d+Tamron that soured me on size and weight. The 6d and Tamron are the lightest, most compact options for FF DSLR and stabilized 70-200 2.8, and still carrying them around for 6 1/2 hours was an NOT fun! I then decided that APSC was my preferred format simply because I preferred lighter and smaller.
I started looking into mirrorless as I assessed my portfolio and saw that the overwhelming bulk of my shooting is still life, portrait stuff. I didn't need the AF tracking speed of a DSLR. So I could go even lighter and smaller than an APSC DSLR without sacrificing DOF ability or IQ. But there aren't really any places to go now to handle most mirrorless in person now-a-days. So I decided to rent since the only thing I have to go on are Youtube videos and reviewer impressions. I rented an EM5 thinking it would be too small and didn't expect much. I found the EM5 to be an absolute joy to shoot with and use. Built like a tank and incredibly responsive. I then rented the XE1 after really feeling pumped up from all of the reviews and felt the complete opposite after a weekend. IQ was great, lenses are great, but the build quality and slow responsiveness disappointed me entirely. It felt sluggish in nearly every way compared to the EM5. Considering both cameras where the same price at the time, it made the XE1 look even less impressive. I really want an EM5 with an APSC sensor, that's what I want Of course Fuji sounds like they may be doing just that with the X-T1....
So I considered the EOS M, but Canon turns its nose up at mirrorless. Only 3 lenses and they don't even sell the 11-22 in the US. The laughable AF at release (as if you DIDN'T know how bad it was before putting it on shelves!) and high price tag was "WTF?!"
EM5, m4/3 is mature but the images looked more P&S like than I liked. The size difference in 4/3 vs APSC is small, but the look of the APSC images had that little bit extra umf I preferred. Maybe it occurs around 1.7x
Sony cares more about bodies than lenses...and the menu systems frustrated me so much it wasn't funny. It wasn't until the NEX 6 that Sony started using standard hotshoes. I just want to facepalm when I think about Sony sometimes. The A7 IMMEDIATELY looked like the answer to my dreams, but a $1000 prime that is only 1.8?? A 2.8 prime with a weird 2 piece hood? If it is going to be a slower prime at least put IS on it! Sony is already showing that they just don't get it, as usual. Maybe, hopefully, having Olympus helps them out. The point of an interchangeable lens system, is the lenses! They'll flesh out their FE lens lineup over time, but I'm not going to wait. A year from now Sony will have 5 or 6 more bodies and only 4 or 5 more lenses (expensive, slow, or both).
Fuji is back in the running with the XE2. Faster in every way, and now 56 1.2, 16-55 and 50-140 2.8 OS lenses?! Woohoo! And you know they'll be sharp. If only Fuji would put touchscreens on their cameras
Then I found Samsung, by accident. Accident because I never looked into it or knew anything about them. I saw the Bolt commercials but didn't pay attention. Once I started researching their lineup, I noticed that Samsung seemed to 'get it' in ways the big names seemed to miss. They had touchscreens, simple menus, APSC sensors, and actually had pancakes, THREE of them. A wide angle, a superzoom, telephoto, macro, 85 1.4, basically all of the basics are covered. And they went with a standard hotshoe. I read concerns people had about Samsung's commitment (I didn't get that feeling when researching them) and Samsung is pushing out more lenses and bodies, including a flash now. They are showing FAR more commitment to mirrorless than Canon, that's for sure! Announcement of the 16-50 2-2.8 speaks volumes. I haven't put Samsung's sensors to any severe tests in low light, but I wouldn't hesitate to use a Samsung to shoot anything from decent to great/controlled lighting. And can I say, face detection AF makes getting shots SO much faster. I don't have to focus/recompose, I just frame the shot and shoot.
So now after my research, renting, and ranting, I find myself looking at 2 systems, Samsung and Fuji. If Samsung is indeed looking at going FF, I would take a hard look and would not hesitate with them the way I hesitate with Sony. I believe Samsung would put out lenses faster than Sony does.
No, Samsung isn't perfect, but they are impressive with what they have done, and are doing. Well, not the Galaxy NX. Whoever came up with that should be fired! Perhaps the fact that they are NOT a camera company first helps them not think like the rest. They do understand integration well, being in the smart phone business helps them there, and that is something people (especially the younger generations) want more and more.