I must be one of the rare ones still using a 30D

[Mick]

Just thinking the other day, I must be one of the only people left who haven't constantly upgraded my cameras and lenses, I'm still using a Canon 30D atm. lol..

Partly put this down to the fact I kind of lost interest in the hobby, and partly down to the fact I have cataracts in my right eye and await the operation to get that sorted.  Then of course there's the cost, I just took a look around and the prices are pretty steep nowadays.

I would however like to get back into photography at some point and wondering whether to make the jump to Mirrorless.  In your opinion is that the way to go now?

[anglefire]

Having not wanting to jump to mirrorless for years, I made that jump this (Oops, last) year and now have 2. Several reasons for not wanting to go, the main one being the viewfinder being laggy and pixelated - but that has all changed now and lag is imperceptible and the resolution is brilliant.

As you know, I have kept with Canon too, and you can use the older EF lenses with a converter on the latest R system - which makes the cost more bearable than having to completely switch. I only have one RF lens still - though I am considering another, though I want to try it first.

I did borrow the Rp - something like a 26Mp sensor and it is really good - body is plastic which put me off as I do tend to use my gear in fairly harsh conditions - at the time I also wanted higher resolution (The R5 is 45Mp). The AF is very similar to the R5 too and its brilliant - you would find it a revelation from the 30D!

It would be worth trying one via try the kit - https://testdrive.trythekit.com/products/HAC00-06398-canon-eos-rp-with-rf-24-105mm-f4l-is-usm-and-ef-eos-r-adapter-kit/ this link is for the Rp and 24-105 and an EF adapter - but others are available. 1 or 2 day hire is free - and you get a discount voucher if you then go onto buy it.

[Mick]

Thanks Mark.  Happy new year to you. 

That info is helpful, was a bit worried about the viewfinders not being up to scratch until you said that. I'm guessing you can use either the viewfinder or the rear screen to compose your shots?  So do you use yours for video as well as photos?

 

[anglefire]

Yes viewfinder or rear screen (Which is rotatable on both my R5 and R3) can be used for composing/taking. Also the viewfinder can have a level displayed as well as histogram and can show the shot once taken.

I do take some video too. There is some I shot in Morocco here: https://www.mark.colston-online.co.uk/Holidays/Morocco%202023/Videos/index.html - I think these are mostly HD and not 4 or 8k that the camera can take as I didn't change the settings correctly at the time! All taken on the R5 as that was the only camera I took (Living life on the edge!)

The Image stabilisation is very good too - has IBIS as well as using the lenses own IS (Some say the EF IS doesn't work on the R bodies, but I'm not so sure - it definitely spins up on my EF300 2.8L IS!) - I took some video at the Warwick Castle light trail - and was steady as a rock, despite being night!

[StephenBatey]

Rather late to this party, and I prefer film as well, but I do use my wife's a7r2 which was superceded by her a7r3. My take, as a former Olympus OM 35mm user, is that mirrorless gets you back to small and light - plus I can use my OM lenses. The viewfinder lets me see the effect of the exposure, so I can adjust knowing whether I need to. The magnification feature helps with manual focusing.

[anglefire]

Small and light? Not sure the R5 or R3 fall into that category particularly! The R3 is lighter than the 1DxMk3 to be sure - but light? Nah. The R5 is lighter obviously, until you add the grip - when its up there with the R3!

As for film - each to their own - but it's no longer for me. Much prefer digital.

[StephenBatey]

Well, the Sony a7r series are both smaller and considerably lighter than the Olympus E3 (also a camera cast off by Sue) despite have a sensor twice the size.

As for film - I prefer B&W to colour, like to have camera movements which means LF, and can't produce a print from digital to my tastes - it's a matter of the "look". Even though I scan and print digitally. I use digital for convenience and colour, but never take it seriously. And as a personal weakness, I find I compose better when using either a waist level finder or a ground glass on a view camera.

[anglefire]

With what I photograph, I couldn't afford film! I took over 7000 shots when I went to Morocco last year - and over 8000 when we went to Canada this year. Now, I could have taken less - but when you have a dozen Bald Eagles flying around, or are on a boat photographing Killer whales, one picture wouldn't have been enough - a lot of the scenery shots could have been more considered - but they tell the story (to me anyway)

But I would never say what someone else does is wrong - it is a personal choice and that has to be respected.

[StephenBatey]

So all that remains is to discover what, if anything, Mick decided...

[Mick]

So all that remains is to discover what, if anything, Mick decided...

Hi guys, nice to see a little discussion on here, it's been a while. 

I've still not made a decision, and been putting it off until I get my second cataract operation out of the way. Had left eye done but my right eye is really blurry. If all goes well I'll start researching cameras again.     

[StephenBatey]

Best wishes for the operation. How are you finding the results of the first one?

[Mick]

Best wishes for the operation. How are you finding the results of the first one?

Thanks Stephen.

My left eye was bad before the operation, I couldn't see anything but light and colour.  It was a great success and so relieved to get clear vision back.  Now my right eye is as bad as the left one was. So with that in mind I'm really glad the first one went ok.

For anyone dreading having it done I would rather have that operation than visit the dentist, it was completely painless and over in about twelve minutes. The worst part is hanging around in the clinic prior to the op while the eyedrops kicked in. 

[anglefire]

Eyesight is the one thing that I dread loosing - I think I could cope with pretty much anything else - but eyesight is pretty essential for so much that you do and take for granted!

Glad all went well on the first one, and hope the second one goes ok too!

[Ken.]

Mick, my wife Kay and I hope all goes well for you. She went through this whole process earlier this year. It can be a bit of a trek, but the results are well worth the effort.

EDIT: Whoops! Looks like I'm a little late to the party as well.