Worth Switching to mirrorless?

[streetshoot]

Hey all photogs,

For the last 4 years I've been using my Canon Rebel T2i with a Canon 50 f1.8 and Sigma 17-50 f2.8. I've had loads of fun using this setup but haven't been really using it that much and shooting more film because of the size of the camera and usually having to bring more gear with me. The Canon just feels so serious to bring around for me now and Im really trying to minimize the amount of gear and weight (increase my elusiveness) and also trying to upgrade my camera performance since I've had this for so long!

I've done a decent amount of research on mirrorless systems and I'm between the Fujifilm X-T10 and the Sony A7; but taking other suggestions. I'll likely be buying whatever I end up choosing off eBay. My budget is between the 400-700 on the body. I do mostly on the go shooting (street photography, architecture, portraits, traveling with friends etc) so I'm really trying to minimize the size and weight of the gear I'm using but also getting the most out of my gear. I'm willing to pay more if the options are worth paying extra for that compact perfection option, but nothing insane because I'm still a broke college student! Unfortunately lol. So I'm basically looking for something that's not as much of a hassle to bring around or be on the go with but also an all around solid performance when it comes to actually shooting.

Any feedback would be much appreciated or experiences you guys have had with this situation and what you decided to go with!

 

[jsrockit]

I'm not so sure you'll be saving much in the weight / size department when comparing a Rebel to a mirrorless camera... you will save in size on certain body / lens combos only.

On your budget, the X-T10 does seem like a good option (maybe with the 18-55mm zoom, 35mm f/2 and/or 27mm pancake).

The A7's lenses might be too costly for you and it's not that much smaller that a Rebel especially with its lenses. FF though and a higher quality camera for sure though. I would say the Fuji and the Sony are even more serious cameras than the Rebel.

 

[Larry H-L]

I agree, the A7 with a lens is pretty much the same size and weight as a Rebel.

A Sony A6000 or A6300, Fuji, Olympus or Panasonic 4/3... most of these would feel smaller.

 

[css9450]

I agree, the A7 with a lens is pretty much the same size and weight as a Rebel.

Maybe even more. Every time I pick up a Rebel, I am amazed by its weight (or lack thereof).

 

[nongfuspring]

What jsrockit said.

Sometimes the X-T1 goes for around your budget new, not far off the X-T10. There's also the X-E2 which is even cheaper and smaller. There's a trade off on the EVF and a couple of other areas but worth looking at.

Sony does some decent APSC bodies, A6000 etc that are good value. Not too sure about the lens line up though.

 

[j.scooter]

If you can deal with a fixed lens and are ok with 28mm equivalent then the Ricoh GR is not considered serious, even though it is capable of serious results, it is the king of elusiveness and it fits in your pants pocket.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I could hike with Canon Rebel 500D (t1i) and AF 24 2.8 pancake for hours. It is light and compact kit. Lens is cheap. Even more cheap is old OM.Zuiko 28 3.5 lens. Very small, cheap, sharp lens. I used it on 500D for street photography before I switched to film. Focusing screen isn't very dark even at f8. It is extremely fast lens to focus, no focus by wire. Set it at f5.6, TV at 1/500, 1/1000 and ISO on auto.

Canon 24 2.8 EF-S pancake:

 

[YYV_146]

Agree with the above. If you're just looking for something portable and cheap, a used X-E2 or A6000 will give you some extra budget for lenses. You can also get a mechanical aperture adapter for your Canon 50mm F1.8 while you search for native options
.

 

[Keith]

Mirrorless is the future surely ... but Canon and Nikon still keep pumping out the big buck pro DSLRs along with all the prosumer stuff.

 

[uhoh7]

Streetshoot, the best mirrorless is a thing called the M9 and they are getting pretty affordable 🙂

 

[lynnb]

Have you looked at the Canon Rebel SL1? It's tiny! And only $399 at bhphotovideo at the moment. Most people will think it's a toy camera!

Edit: you might find the camera size comparison website useful - link

 

[lynnb]

There's a GR Digital in the Classifieds at the moment for $415

 

[wjlapier]

I've been amazed by the quality of photos from a LUMIX GX7 and Leica 15/1.7. Setup the custom menu and you have many options without going into the menu--once it's all setup. I like the LUMIX black and white and shoot square often, as well as wide ( and 4/3 and 2x3 ). Very nicely built. Sharp lens even wide open.

 

[kuuan]

if you want to use native AF lenses m4/3rds ( Panasonic / Olympus ) and Fuji will be smaller packages than Sony which in turn might be the better choice if using MF lenses.

 

[olakiril]

M4/3 for me is the optimal balance between quality and size.

Look at gx8/gx85/em10/em5ii/pen-f with any of the plenty of compact lenses.

 

[Addy101]

Nobody mentioned any of the Canon mirrorless cameras. Pair it with the 22mm and you've got a great small straatcamera. Add the Canon adapter and you can use your 17-50 for those cases you'll need a (good) zoom. The Canon EOS M cameras got some flak due to their so-so AF, but later versions (and later firmware) made it a much more responsive camera and as long as you don't do sports, it will be fine. Unless you need a viewfinder....

I own and enjoy my Sony A6000. An A7 is nice, but much more expensive and bigger. The A6000 is quite capable, as others already pointed out. If you're on a budget (and you are it seems), the Sigma 19/2.8, 30/2.8 and 60/2.8 lenses are bargains. I love the Sony 50/1.8 OSS (the older APS-C one) and used to travel often with the Sigma 19/2.8 and the Sony 50/1.8 OSS. If you like your Canon 50/1.8 and go the A6000 route, I would take the Sony 50/1.8. There is no comparable lens with the A7.

I don't have any experience with the Fuji's, the only thing I find strange (but others great) is the use of dedicated speed dials and aperture rings - to me that is so 1980....

 

[streetshoot]

Appreciate the input guys, any opinions on the olympus om-d e-m5 mark ii? Been looking at it as a plausible option

 

[jsrockit]

streetshoot, all of the cameras that people have been mentioning are going to be an upgrade vs. your rebel. It's up to you to decide what works for you in an ergonomics / haptics point of view and what lenses you truly want at what size.

 

[willie_901]

The mirrorless camera will make less noise. In some candid work this is useful. In noisy environments it doesn't matter.

A small mirrorless camera with a small lens draws less attention than a DSLR (even a small DSLR with a fixed lens).

The XE-2 (or even a X-Pro 1) with the 28/2.8 pancake lens is easy to carry and rarely noticed.

Similar mirrorless brands have similar advantages.

 

[segedi]

The 15 most recent shots, a mix of street and landscape, were taken with the Fuji XT-1:
https://www.instagram.com/kevinsegedi/

Great mini-SLResque body and great lenses too.