# WHY?



## Dave Maciak (Jul 18, 2020)

Okay, I'm old and set in my ways> AS grand daughter said "your cantankerous"  What does that mean?
Anyway, I have no use for a mirrorless camera.  I think quite a few hobbyists simply have a case of "photo gear-itis" . A modern DSLR has more capabilities then most can put into it.  Kind of like golfers who swear a new club makes their game better.  I say practice, learning, and imagination are your best bet.  BTW, I have yet to find the "imagination" switch/button on any camera. 

By all means, if you are hell bent for leather to buy a mirrorless than by all means do it.  Ask yourself if it makes you a better shutterbug.

I'm saving up for a new 9 iron!
Get the image


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## Space Face (Jul 18, 2020)

I think for a lot of people, size and weight or the lack thereof with mirrrorless might be a factor.


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## Ysarex (Jul 18, 2020)

Dave Maciak said:


> Okay, I'm old and set in my ways> AS grand daughter said "your cantankerous"  What does that mean?
> Anyway, I have no use for a mirrorless camera.  I think quite a few hobbyists simply have a case of "photo gear-itis" . A modern DSLR has more capabilities then most can put into it.  Kind of like golfers who swear a new club makes their game better.  I say practice, learning, and imagination are your best bet.  BTW, I have yet to find the "imagination" switch/button on any camera.
> 
> By all means, if you are hell bent for leather to buy a mirrorless than by all means do it.  Ask yourself if it makes you a better shutterbug.
> ...



Mirrorless cameras have a size weight advantage but I don't find that too big a deal. BUT mirrorless cameras have a substantially reduced sensor to flange distance since the mirror cage has been taken out. As a result I use lenses on my mirrorless cameras that physically can't be mounted on your DSLR and that is one very good reason why. You can't physically do this:






with your DSLR and as a result you can never benefit from being able to use a lens like the one you see here.

Joe


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## Dave Maciak (Jul 18, 2020)

Good comments---but the expense (and learning curve) of a new system?  Size?  At least one manufacturer, my beloved Nikon, uses an adapter for some of it's lenses which of course increases size.  Weight and size have never been an issue with me.  The only "big" camera I ever used was a Koni Omega Rapid for weddings; way back in the early 70's.  BTW Joe, nice lens.


Space Face said:


> I think for a lot of people, size and weight or the lack thereof with mirrrorless might be a factor.


Very true.
Not quite old enough to be in the Speed Graphic era!!!
Get the image


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## Ysarex (Jul 18, 2020)

Dave Maciak said:


> Good comments---but the expense (and learning curve) of a new system?  Size?  At least one manufacturer, my beloved Nikon, uses an adapter for some of it's lenses which of course increases size.


No adapter of any kind is going to let you put my nice lens on your DSLR. It's physically impossible. Mirrorless makes it possible.

Joe


Dave Maciak said:


> Weight and size have never been an issue with me.  The only "big" camera I ever used was a Koni Omega Rapid for weddings; way back in the early 70's.  BTW Joe, nice lens.
> 
> 
> Space Face said:
> ...


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## zulu42 (Jul 18, 2020)

New gear can inspire. Inspiration can make you a better photographer.


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## Mike Drone (Jul 18, 2020)

It doesn't matter what they come out with.  I can't afford any of it.


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## Dave Maciak (Jul 18, 2020)

Well, after reading Ken Rockwell comparison mirrorless vs. dslr he soundly supported the mirrorless.  Like Mike Drone I can't afford to switch.  I still love my D780 and is my choice for 99% of what I shoot these days.  Your comments are well received but the dslr is my choice.  After 55 years of shooting just about everything I"m happy with the results I get.
Get the image


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## Tropicalmemories (Jul 18, 2020)

Some of us never went down the DSLR route, so it's not a case of switching.

When digital cameras first came out, I could no longer see the point of a mirror flapping about in the body - so I went straight from my 35mm SLR to a top end Nikon compact, then Canon G, then the early Lumix mirrorless bodies plus Olympus lenses and now Fuji.

With the new mirrorless bodies from Sony, Fuji, Canon and Nikon I believe my faith in mirrorless and my belief that the mirror was an unnecessary throwback to the film era has been reinforced.

I think the real question is why stick with a flappy mirror, and I suspect the wholly understandable reason is the heavy investment in lenses.


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## waday (Jul 18, 2020)

Dave Maciak said:


> Anyway, I have no use for a mirrorless camera.


Cool.

I’m asking honestly... What is your end goal with this thread? It seems better suited in a DSLR or Nikon forum (e.g., your love of Nikon and DSLRs), otherwise, it seems like you’re being cantankerous.


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## Derrel (Jul 18, 2020)

Lens adaptability is the #1 draw in my opinion. But also, some mirrorless designs allow high-speed electronic  shutter. Ectremely rapid fire. Etc.


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## Soocom1 (Jul 18, 2020)

I was in Kenmore WA in Dec. 2019 when I found a Fuji X-M1 for $75.

For an additional$20, I bought an adapter to hook up all my old Minolta glass from my manual focus days and voila... was able to shoot them to my hearts content and bought glass I was never able to previosly afford for SUPER cheap!

It in that scenario forces you back to real old school techniques like manual focus et-al...


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## SquarePeg (Jul 19, 2020)

Pros of a mirrorless (based on my Fuji)
Smaller
Lighter
What you see is what you get viewfinder
external controls for aperture, shutter speed, ISO, af mode, +-EC
It's a Fuji so the colors are better

BTW learning curve was not long or very difficult if that is what scares you.


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## Ysarex (Jul 19, 2020)

SquarePeg said:


> external controls for aperture, shutter speed, ISO, af mode, +-EC
> It's a Fuji so the colors are better



These are Fuji specific and not general to mirrorless. If you want external controls like the Fuji X cameras you can have that without adopting a mirrorless camera - Nikon DF.

As for Fuji colors being better that's pretty subjective and again not related to mirrorless in general.

Joe


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## SquarePeg (Jul 19, 2020)

Ysarex said:


> SquarePeg said:
> 
> 
> > external controls for aperture, shutter speed, ISO, af mode, +-EC
> ...



which is why I said based on my Fuji


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## Ysarex (Jul 19, 2020)

SquarePeg said:


> Ysarex said:
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> > SquarePeg said:
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OK, but those aren't pros of mirrorless they're just pros of Fuji.

Joe


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## SquarePeg (Jul 19, 2020)

Oy!


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## Tropicalmemories (Jul 19, 2020)

Ysarex said:


> SquarePeg said:
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> > Ysarex said:
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....... which is a mirrorless camera


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## Space Face (Jul 19, 2020)

SquarePeg said:


> Oy!




That's the name of my dog, except spelled Oi.​


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## waday (Jul 20, 2020)

Ysarex said:


> These are Fuji specific and not general to mirrorless.


WYSIWYG in the viewfinder (i.e., EVF) is general to mirrorless. And I love that ability.


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## Ysarex (Jul 20, 2020)

waday said:


> Ysarex said:
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> 
> > These are Fuji specific and not general to mirrorless.
> ...



It is which is why I made a point not to note that one. I noted the ones that are not general to mirrorless.

Joe


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## Dave Maciak (Jul 20, 2020)

waday said:


> Dave Maciak said:
> 
> 
> > Anyway, I have no use for a mirrorless camera.
> ...


I'm old and cranky---cantankerous!


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## Dave Maciak (Jul 20, 2020)

Ysarex said:


> SquarePeg said:
> 
> 
> > external controls for aperture, shutter speed, ISO, af mode, +-EC
> ...


I already have a Df.  And an XPRO3.  No doubt the XPRO3 renders some great colors.


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## pocketcamera (Jul 21, 2020)

the biggest selling point is that i have READ is that the mirrorless camera is supposed to DOUBLE the focal length of a lens you put on it.  

IE if you have an old nikon 70-300mm lens from the 35mm slr days, you slap it onto the mirrorless body, it becomes a 140-600mm focal length. 

The issue i had with that concept is......  why are the new lenses for the mirrorless cameras only being listed at 15-50mm for example, and not just 30-100... or are they simply selling off existing stock of 15-50mm focal length FX lenses rebadges as 30-100mm focal length mirrorless lenses


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## Ysarex (Jul 22, 2020)

pocketcamera said:


> the biggest selling point is that i have READ is that the mirrorless camera is supposed to DOUBLE the focal length of a lens you put on it.
> 
> IE if you have an old nikon 70-300mm lens from the 35mm slr days, you slap it onto the mirrorless body, it becomes a 140-600mm focal length.


Nope. That doesn't happen and I don't think anyone is claiming it does.


pocketcamera said:


> The issue i had with that concept is......  why are the new lenses for the mirrorless cameras only being listed at 15-50mm for example, and not just 30-100... or are they simply selling off existing stock of 15-50mm focal length FX lenses rebadges as 30-100mm focal length mirrorless lenses


Well the new lens for my mirrorless FX camera was listed as a 24-70mm and it is in fact a 24-70mm.

You're sounding pretty confused here.

Joe


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## pocketcamera (Jul 22, 2020)

Ysarex said:


> pocketcamera said:
> 
> 
> > the biggest selling point is that i have READ is that the mirrorless camera is supposed to DOUBLE the focal length of a lens you put on it.
> ...




no when i started looking into a digital a few of the online places tried pointing to me to get mirrorless because they made those claims.

you could end up with huge focal length gains like ou do with full frame 35mm lenses on aps-c cameras because the removal of the mirror housing altered the lens to sensor distance so much.


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## Derrel (Jul 22, 2020)

m4/3 cameras  give the 2x FOV factor, not necessarily "mirrorless" cameras (olympus and Panasonic have made huge inroads in m4/3  cameras and lenses.There are  full-frame 24x36mm mirrorless cameras  as well as APS-C mirrorless cameras with 1.5x or 1.6x FOV factor from Canon, Nikon, and Fuji and probably others.


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## Ysarex (Jul 22, 2020)

pocketcamera said:


> Ysarex said:
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> > pocketcamera said:
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I have two mirrorless cameras that are both full frame. Mirrorless is not specific to any format size. Lens focal length doesn't "gain" when you put the lens on a different format camera. The lens focal length stays the same -- the angle of view changes.

Joe


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## Derrel (Jul 22, 2020)

According to terri,  "pocketcamera" has been banned. I BELIEVE THIS was his third incarnation here on TPF.


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## Derrel (Jul 22, 2020)

Why? The same question was asked  in 1928 when Rolleiflex suddenly appeared in the Speed Graphic era. And in 1959 when the Nikon F appeared on the scene at the height of the Leica M3 era. Why would anybody want a POS new-fangled camera when a Speed Graphic is so awesome? Why would anybody want a noisy  Japanese SLR
Camera when they could have a nearly silent ,German Leica?


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## photoflyer (Jul 24, 2020)

I was not going to pull the trigger but the autofocus and image stabilization in the R5/R6 will enable me to get much much more out of my investment in glass.  The AF can focus  as   low as   F 16.  The IS adds a few more stops to the already superb IS on three of my lenses.  Another of my lenses has first gen IS so this is a big improvement and yet another has no IS at all... now it will, indirectly.   Also, the low light performance appears incrementally better in these cameras.

Put it all together and either of these will enable shots that I am unable to get today with the glass I already have.  

It is not, by the way, that they are mirrorless but the items I mentioned above.


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## Derrel (Jul 24, 2020)

Looking forward to seeing what a skilled shooter like you can wring out of the R5.i have become much more open to the idea of a mirrorless now that FF options have dropped significantly in price. I still greatly prefer the 24x36 capture size.


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## fmw (Aug 6, 2020)

Dave Maciak said:


> Okay, I'm old and set in my ways> AS grand daughter said "your cantankerous"  What does that mean?
> Anyway, I have no use for a mirrorless camera.  I think quite a few hobbyists simply have a case of "photo gear-itis" . A modern DSLR has more capabilities then most can put into it.  Kind of like golfers who swear a new club makes their game better.  I say practice, learning, and imagination are your best bet.  BTW, I have yet to find the "imagination" switch/button on any camera.
> 
> By all means, if you are hell bent for leather to buy a mirrorless than by all means do it.  Ask yourself if it makes you a better shutterbug.
> ...


The reason mirrorless makes me a better photographer is that I can lug the system around with no hassle.  The DSLR is tough for a cantankerous old man like me.


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## mjcmt (Aug 6, 2020)

Dave Maciak said:


> I already have a Df.  And an XPRO3.  No doubt the XPRO3 renders some great colors.


You have a DSLR and mirrorless camera. I'm not sure I understand the point you're making by your initial post?
BTW, those are 2 camera's I'd like to own, but can't loosen the funds free. My little Fuji x100T is making me a better photog.


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