Guide to the Best DSLR/Mirrorless Camera to buy RIGHT NOW
Guide to the Best DSLR/Mirrorless Camera to buy RIGHT NOW
As a platform it’s safe to say that Steemit has me absolutely captivated. What’s most exciting is the pace at which the community seems to be growing and evolving, with dedicated subcommunities thriving. When I tell people about Steemit most assume it’s going to be full of Cryptocurrency chatter and are surprised to see the main trending tags are ‘Life’ and ‘Photography. Just like any social platform photography is a big part of Steemit and it’s not just beginners. I regularly enter @Photocontests and @czechglobalhosts contests for the extra exposure a win can give and each day the quality of entries seems to rise.
Suffice to say Photography is going to be a big part of the Steemit community for the foreseeable future. With Steemit providing the perfect platform for getting into the Cryptocurrency world what better time than to upgrade the iPhone and invest in your first photography setup.
But where to start? The photography industry is a big one and the options can seem overwhelming, especially when you’re first getting into interchangeable lens cameras. I wanted to list a few of my picks for the ‘Best Starter Setup’, these should cover anyone looking to purchase their first interchangeable lens camera and take that next step in your photographic journey.
What do you want out of photography?
I think this is the most sensible place for everyone to start. Where do you see your photography going? Do you love your current job? If you have no interest in pursuing a career in photography then I would certainly recommend very different cameras. So sit down and have a think about what it is you love about photography and just how much you love it. There seems to be a misconception that to take photography seriously you have to be a ‘professional’ and that if you’re not, then you should be trying to get there.
But why? To be completely honest becoming a professional has the power to do two things. First, it might give you a lifelong drive to take better images and be the best photographer you could be. Awesome! OR….it could kill your passion for something you once loved. I think on the whole, the latter is the most common among professionals, purely because it’s such a competitive industry. It’s an industry that constantly tests just HOW much you love photography.
Despite all of that, I would encourage anyone with a passion for photography and a willingness to craft a new career for themselves to go for it! It’s an amazing career as well and one where consistent effort really does pay off.
The wannabe ‘Pro’s’
I’m going to start with those among you who want to make your photography pay some bills. I’m going to start off by saying that if you are looking to make a career out of photography then I would – at this moment in time – recommend going for a DSLR setup as opposed to a mirrorless setup. I know that this is a contentious issue at the moment in the professional community and that’s actually one of the main reasons I’d advocate against going down the mirrorless route.
A few years back we saw a number of high profile pro’s from across the industry make the move to mirrorless and a large number of professionals follow their lead. The problem is that a lot of those high profile professionals are ambassadors for the brands they shoot. The issue here is that it’s hard to gauge passion when you know the person is gaining financially from using a certain brand. Furthermore what we’ve seen in this past year is a vast number of professionals switching back to the big brand DSLR’s. Why? The main issue for me is that autofocus on mirrorless camera’s just can’t compete with a DSLR. It’s not built that way. Phase Detection AF points are rare on mirrorless camera’s anyway, but the sheer design of the devices limits their ability to focus in the same way that a DSLR does. Don’t get me wrong, they are getting MUCH better and bridging that gap, but while they work to catch up with their DSLR counterparts, the big brands work on making their DSLRs focus even faster.
Ergonomics
I’ll start this by saying I LOVED my Fuji X-Pro 1 and I can’t wait to get my Olympus OMD E-M10 II in the next few days. That said I couldn’t imagine using it professionally, even if we imagined a world where Autofocus wasn’t any kind of an issue. The simple reason is ergonomics. On an average wedding day I’ll take between 3000 and 9000 shots. Most Mirrorless cameras are designed to be much smaller and so years of making SLRs ergonomically friendly has gone out of the window in favour of the vintage, square style that is apparent across the Fuji, Olympus and Sony range.
Some may say that this comes at the expense of weight, but often the mirrorless alternatives (I’m thinking of Sony in particular here) are a lot heavier than they look. The sony A7Rii for instance weighs in at 640 grams, while the Canon 6d tips the scales at 770grams, just 130 grams heavier. Let’s not forget that when we include a comparable lens, the length of a Sony setup is very similar to a Canon or Nikon setup.
So what to choose? – Entry Level DSLR
When I say entry level I mean the lowest entry point for a brand new camera. There’s some fantastic deals to be had on used gear, but sellers vary from location to location and I’m not sure what’s going to be available to you. There’s a certain amount of confidence you gain buying a product with a warranty, so I’d recommend that if you ARE buying used, to spend a little more and get that warranty just in case. You never know how a used camera has been treated. Some of my favourites for used gear here in the UK are Wex Photographic, CEX and Mifsuds.
My pick for the best entry level DSLR on the market would be the Nikon d5500 with the 18-55mm kit lens, although really there is going to be very little real world difference between that and the Canon 750D. Both camera’s offer a APS-C sensor which, despite its drawbacks, has the advantage of offering a range of cheaper lenses. Many will suggest going straight into the full frame market but there really is no need early on, if you’re looking to make photography pay an APS-C sensor is more than enough. The full frame upgrade can pay for its-self.
These camera’s will allow you to enter into the world of Canon or Nikon camera’s at an affordable price. They offer great performance, arguably the best bang for the buck out of all Nikon and Canon cameras. With a good lens, these will produce images indistinguishable from those of a pro level camera at all but the largest of prints. I shot over 100 paid weddings on a Canon APS-C camera so I can assure you, if the price reflects your experience, you won’t have a problem!
What to choose – Mid Range DSLR
For me, there’s no competition here, but you need to be quick! My recommendation for a mid range camera would be the Canon 6D (Mark one!). That’s right, a last generation camera. Let me explain myself for a moment, the Canon 6D offered image quality on a par with the 5D MK3, but in a smaller body, with faster low light autofocus AND ever so slightly better high ISO performance. Quite simply it is a stunning camera that kind of cannibalised the market for it’s older sibling the 5D Mk3. Unfortunately the 6D2 just didn’t live up to the expectations set by it’s predecessor. The camera is noticeably behind the 5D MK4 and the high iso performance hasn’t improved over the 6D Mk1.
Because the 6D MK2 has now been released the original 6d can be picked up at bargain prices, especially impressive for a brand new full frame DSLR and all the more enticing given the increased price of the Mk2. This is a camera that is standard issue for pro’s all over the world, in a body that is vastly lighter and smaller than a 5D but with the ergonomics of a traditional DSLR.
What to buy – High end - DSLR
If money isn’t an issue I would recommend the Nikon D850. Why that over the D4s if moneys no object? Well, unless you’re about to go and shoot sports professionally there’s really no need for the larger body size of the D4s. The biggest selling point here is the insane dynamic range that the d850 offers, giving you the ability to pull back even the darkest of shadows and create images that the D4s (and most other cameras) just can’t match!
The high ISO capability is slightly less than the D4s, but it’s still more than sufficient for professionals in almost any field and I’d really be surprised if ISO was ever an issue with this camera.
What to buy – Lenses
If you’re going for the entry level market, then I’d say get the kit lens. The simple reason is that it’s the cheapest and most versatile lens out there and a great piece of starter glass. If you have a little extra to spend there’s only one lens to even consider – a 50mm 1.8 lens. Cheaply available for both Canon and Nikon the 50mm 1.8 is a classic among photographers. Fast (It can shoot in low light), light, cheap and sharp. The perfect combination. I’m not going to do a whole post on why this lens is so incredible, just go buy one and thank me later.
If you have a little more to spend the chances are you’re looking at the full frame market, especially given the price of the aforementioned 6D. In that case you have some great options out there, but I’d be most tempted to look at getting a 24-70 2.8. Canon would be ideal, the Mk1 24-70 available at some really good prices, however the Mk2 – a simply breath-taking lens – is still rather pricey. Options by both Tamron and Sigma are great here and unless you’ve actually shot with a Canon 24-70 you’re probably not going to know what you’re missing anyway! Another alternative would be the 24-105 f/4, it’s wider range offering that little extra flexibility and at a much more affordable price than the 24-70. The best bit is that it’s Canon. I’ve heard some great things about the Sigma and Tamron lenses, but I always prefer to stick with Canon or Nikon myself!
What to buy – Mirrorless – Entry Level
This is probably the easiest one for me to answer, having recently purchased an Olympus OMD E-M10 Mk 2 to replace my old Fuji. For me the decision of Olympus over Fuji came down to autofocus speed. As I mentioned before, I don’t expect the AF to be on a par with my DSLR, but the Fuji consistently let me down when it came to autofocus and having tried out the X-Pro2, I felt that the improvement just wasn’t enough. The Olympus on the other hand focusses fantastically well, challenged only by the Sony cameras.
So why not Sony? With any new camera brand, come the inevitable lens purchases, and the Micro Four Thirds system has a plethora of second hand lenses. What’s more, even the new lenses in the range are often very reasonably priced. Unless you’re using adapters, the Sony system just lacks the lower priced options offered by Panasonic and Olympus. For me, this was all about having a convenient camera that I could take everywhere with me, but also produce great images with. Images that I could add to my stock photography portfolio if needed. I have a large Canon setup already, so I really didn’t want to get into buying a whole range of expensive lenses.
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What to buy – Mirrorless – High End
I considered not writing this section, not because I’m peering at my word count and worrying that I’ve rambled for a little too long already, but because personally I don’t buy into the high end Mirrorless world. I’ve already pointed out that size and weight aren’t a factor if you’re looking at top end Mirrorless cameras, but I’ll write this section anyway for those of you who just feel that mirrorless is for you!
In that case I’d go for the Sony A7Riii. Honestly, there’s not much other choice here, the Sony just wipes the floor with it’s mirrorless counterparts. With astounding high ISO performance and really very impressive AF performance this is a genuine alternative to a DSLR. Ok, it’s not for me, but there are plenty of photographers worldwide who would disagree with me I’m sure!
What’s more, Sony lenses really are things of beauty, if money isn’t an issue then why WOULDN’T you want a piece of Zeiss glass?
As always – Get out there and shoot!
One day I’ll finish a post off with something different I promise. But it’s still the best advice I could give to anyone. Whatever camera you choose, be it on this list or not, just get out there and use it! Have fun with it, practise with it, learn to use it in manual mode, learn the bloody thing inside out! The more time you spend with a camera in your hands, the faster, easier and more intuitive it all becomes!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post and that if you’re considering your first camera purchase I hope this has helped! If there’s anything you’d like to know, or if you have thoughts on the subject, please let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!
Nice guide! I like your advice to just go out and shoot.The camera is only a tool so you have to learn to master it. The brand doesn't matter so much...
Absolutely! Any new interchangeable lens camera is probably going to be pretty good! That said it's always good to be as educated as possible before purchasing!
Great write up! And very timely for me. I was about to head out and take a look at cameras. I had sort of settled on Nikon for DSLR, but I was thinking Sony for mirrorless. I will now also check out Olympus. So thank you for the suggestion!
No worries dude! I actually thought of you while writing this one because I know you're in the market for a camera. Sony do make bloody lovely cameras, it's really just the price of the lenses that puts me off, and with the bigger models I really do find the ergonomics terrible. That said if you're thinking of shooting any video with it then I would definitely go for Sony. The reason I went for the E-M10 is that it really is tiny, in all the photos it looks normal, but when you actually get up close and shoot with it the whole thing - lens and body - is just minuscule. The E-M5 seems rather bigger in hand.
It looks like you travel a lot so the size of the lenses as well as the body, is well worth considering!
Awesome guide! Thanks!
Thanks, you must have read it at superspeed....
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a very informative narration for friends who are just starting out in photography. I congratulate you on your work in this area.
Thank you :) I really like doing these articles so it's great to know they are going to good use :)
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what are you doing there, I want to know
Dude! This is so extremely helpful for me. I've been out of the market for a couple of years, so had no idea the 6D existed, and then obviously that there was a Mark II coming out soon. I'm on the hunt for a Mark I now...
Ah man, the 6d is my favourite ever camera. Seriously, insane camera! Only downside to a 5d is one card slot, but I use two on a wedding day anyway and I've shot a LOT of weddings without issue! I buy my new gear from Panamoz, crazy prices for the UK and their warranty is better than Canon's in my opinion!
With Portland being tax free I'm guessing you'll probably do better locally anyway!
I'm stalking eBay, Amazon and Craigslist so hard right now. Unfortunately, I don't think I have the budget just at the moment for a new one (unless the price drops after the 6D ii comes out... but the more I research it the more excited I get.
I used to have a 5D and then a 1DX... so just looking at the cameras are bringing back fond memories. I can't tell you how life-changing this article might be for me...
Ah man that's awesome, honestly you'll love the 6D! There are some awesome deals on the used market and in fairness if you check the shutter count you'll probably be fine (That said I just sold a 5D2 that had a shutter count of over 500k and still going strong!)
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STOPSuch a nice guide! I recently sold all my Nikon stuff and traded in for Fuji XT-2 with a few prime lenses. Sold on shooting mirrorless!