When will mirrorless take over DSLR ... and time to sell mirror DSLR equipment??

[Darmok N Jalad]

I've been using full-frame cameras for quite a while, as for the type of shooting I most like to do they provide more detail and such..... In the past I also used to have a FF camera and also an APS-C camera and would use the latter for doing wildlife shooting, etc., because of the perceived greater reach. Right now I'm back to just FF and perfectly happy with that.

Yes, this focus stacking thing definitely seems to be the latest fad, but it's not something which particularly interests me, even though I do shoot a lot of macro and tabletop or closeup photography. I rather like the artistic, creative blur which when skillfully handled can be utilized when shooting with a wide-open lens or with one which offers good bokeh; I don't necessarily need to see all of my flower or other macro images tack-sharp all the way through the entire photo. Sometimes too much blur or too much bokeh in an image can be a negative thing, and ditto for too much sharpness throughout the entire image. Achieving a happy medium, a nice balance, using a body, lens and technique which works out best in these situations, just as it does in daily life. That said, if Sony ever gets around to implementing some sort of in-camera focus stacking process, I would be willing to try it out a time or two just to see what happens.....

Yeah, I agree that I wouldn’t want to get into the stacking. On my bug and bird macro, I just want to nail the focus on the head/eye and I call that success. I will admit though, some folks do great things with the stacking. I just don’t have that kind of patience.

 

[Clix Pix]

I think some of the m4/3 camera bodies have built-in focus stacking, though, don't they? That sounds as though ti would be easier than struggling with a focusing rail and special third-party software and all that?

I agree, nailing the focus on the subject you have selected, and his/her eye and other vital parts seems to be more important than worrying about in addition getting sharp focus on his or her legs or the leaf on which the subject is standing, too.....

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I've never messed with it on Olympus, but I believe it only works with select lenses (the Pro line). On Panasonic, it takes a 6K video at various focal lengths and you then select the planes of focus you want stacked. If you're moderately steady, you don't even need a tripod. I tried it a couple times, but I guess it wasn't for me.

 

[Clix Pix]

I've never messed with it at all and have never used an m4/3 camera body and lens(es)...... Hadn't realized that with the Olympus line that the focus stacking feature only works with certain lenses; interesting! More intriguing is why, when using a Panasonic m4/3 would anyone want to even bother with this kind of thing when shooting a video, anyway?! Seems as though it would be a pain then sorting through the various frames.....

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

It’s not exactly a video, it’s a mode on the camera that uses video to capture the frames. When you edit in camera, you tell it what areas of the picture you want in focus, and it sorts through the video to grab the appropriate frames. If you pull the card and import, you’ll see there’s a 6K MP4 on there.

This is suspected to be one reason 8K support is thought to be coming in future cameras, so you can focus stack or shoot burst videos instead of burst shots, but still have a high-MP final image.

 

[Fishrrman]

I think that focus stacking would be kinda difficult with live subjects or close-ups with things like flowers (outdoors) that can move slightly from frame-to-frame. Trying to "merge" the stacked images will become nearly impossible.

On the other hand, it works GREAT with stationery objects. Once you try it you'll see why it's so good.

Here's a very simple one created with about 8 images using an EOS R. The R doesn't have built-in focus stacking. I touched the back panel to focus and take the images, moving from the front to the back of what I wanted to become the "in focus area". Then I used Helicon Focus to merge them into the finished image. I'm sure someone with better technique could have created an even more "focused" final product, but this worked well enough for me.

For some reason, attaching the image using the "image" tool in the message composing box seems to restrict the overall size of the upload. The attached file below contains the full-sized image (you'll have to download it and unzip it):

 

[ericgtr12]

It’s not exactly a video, it’s a mode on the camera that uses video to capture the frames. When you edit in camera, you tell it what areas of the picture you want in focus, and it sorts through the video to grab the appropriate frames. If you pull the card and import, you’ll see there’s a 6K MP4 on there.

This is suspected to be one reason 8K support is thought to be coming in future cameras, so you can focus stack or shoot burst videos instead of burst shots, but still have a high-MP final image.

Are we talking about in-camera focus stacking, just curious if this is a new thing for mirrorless cameras? I always think of it something for post if/when I want to use it.

 

[mollyc]

Are we talking about in-camera focus stacking, just curious if this is a new thing for mirrorless cameras? I always think of it something for post if/when I want to use it.

My mirrorless Nikon Z6 has in camera focus stacking. I think I maybe tried it half heartedly once. But I am pretty sure the technology was borrowed from the D850, which is a dSLR.

 

[Clix Pix]

Well, if Sony ever gets around to including automatic focus stacking as a function/feature in the camera, I'll give it a try, but otherwise I am not all that interested.

 

[ericgtr12]

I've really been keeping my eye on this and understand that it's the direction everything is going, just not seeing a compelling enough reason to make the jump. If I were starting over it's definitely the route I would take though.

 

[Invisible Elf]

Nice. I recently got the X-T20 and love the way it fits in my hand. I've been shooting Fuji for a number of years now though so have several lenses.

Yeah the X-Txx-series do have a really neat size. At first I felt it was a little awkward to hold compared to my old DSLR, but now I sort of like how the camera can rest in my hand instead of being a cannon I have to wield!

 

[Clix Pix]

I've really been keeping my eye on this and understand that it's the direction everything is going, just not seeing a compelling enough reason to make the jump. If I were starting over it's definitely the route I would take though.

Yes, a year-and-a-half ago, nearly two years ago now, when I began getting that "time for new camera gear" itch, commonly known as a GAS attack, I pretty much right from the beginning I knew that I wasn't going to be buying another DSLR body, that I'd be making the jump to mirrorless, and that, yes, this was a major decision, one reason it took me so long to make up my mind. It just made so much sense then and it definitely makes a lot of sense now for anyone who is making a change from what they already have or who is starting out with their very first camera and lenses.

 

[Ish]

Yeah the X-Txx-series do have a really neat size. At first I felt it was a little awkward to hold compared to my old DSLR, but now I sort of like how the camera can rest in my hand instead of being a cannon I have to wield!

I got the X-T20 as a back up for my X-Pro2 but seem to be using it the most The size is reminiscent of my first Fuji, the X-E1 and that was the camera that put all the fun back into photography for me after using a Canon 5DII! The Txx ones had slipped under my radar until recently but they're excellent cameras and excellent value

 

[robgendreau]

Are we talking about in-camera focus stacking, just curious if this is a new thing for mirrorless cameras? I always think of it something for post if/when I want to use it.

Not mirrorless per se. But my Olys have both in-camera focus stacking and focus bracketing. The latter moves the focus point a specified distance and takes x shots. The former can actually process the stack in-camera. But stacking produces a JPEG, and only does a set number of images. A nice feature is you can set the charge time for flash as well.

One of those features you'd think EVERY camera ought to have. Good even for some low light landscape shots.

 

[ericgtr12]

Not mirrorless per se. But my Olys have both in-camera focus stacking and focus bracketing. The latter moves the focus point a specified distance and takes x shots. The former can actually process the stack in-camera. But stacking produces a JPEG, and only does a set number of images. A nice feature is you can set the charge time for flash as well.

One of those features you'd think EVERY camera ought to have. Good even for some low light landscape shots.

Okay, I see. For these shots on my Canon 6D MKII I always setup on a tripod and use the touch display (auto shoot can be on or off) for different focus points, then just do my stacking in post. Sounds like the same idea, it just doesn't handle any merging directly in the camera, that I'm aware of at least.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

It seems that mirrorless is the way to go at the moment, but the DSLR will continue being used by a lot of photographers around the world. Anyway, my plan was to wait for Canon to produce a 5D Mark IV, but since that's not going to happen, I am considering either the Canon R5 or R6 for still photography, the Auroras, and wildlife. I am not interested on video, but do like taking photos of birds, and small fast-moving animals (lots of those I Alaska where I live).

 

[mollyc]

It seems that mirrorless is the way to go at the moment, but the DSLR will continue being used by a lot of photographers around the world. Anyway, my plan was to wait for Canon to produce a 5D Mark IV, but since that's not going to happen, I am considering either the Canon R5 or R6 for still photography, the Auroras, and wildlife. I am not interested on video, but do like taking photos of birds, and small fast-moving animals (lots of those I Alaska where I live).

Do you mean you were waiting for a Canon 5D V? Because there is a IV version that has been out for a few years.

 

[Fishrrman]

I sense that the EOS R5 -is- Canon's "replacement" for the 5DmkIV.

I'll reckon that Canon isn't going to release another "mirrored" camera, with the possible exception of the entry-level "Rebel" line (and only one or two more of those)...

 

[MacNut]

I sense that the EOS R5 -is- Canon's "replacement" for the 5DmkIV.

I'll reckon that Canon isn't going to release another "mirrored" camera, with the possible exception of the entry-level "Rebel" line (and only one or two more of those)...

I'd expect Canon to release another high end DSLR to keep the segment happy. But everything else will be mirrorless going forward.

 

[gkarris]

I sense that the EOS R5 -is- Canon's "replacement" for the 5DmkIV.

I'll reckon that Canon isn't going to release another "mirrored" camera, with the possible exception of the entry-level "Rebel" line (and only one or two more of those)...

Nothing is listed at CanonRumors but only a couple of rumored M-mount cameras which will probably be the last.

I heard Nikon is discontinuing their entry-level dSLR's as the margins on those are really low, plus I would imagine with all the new smartphones coming out, people are spending money on those instead of budget digital cameras...

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I’d be surprised if we see many entry-level DSLRs anymore. I’d assume they’d want to push users to mirrorless, like with the Z50. I would think mirrorless cameras are cheaper to make by now, too. Probably also easier to pickup and use if you’re a beginner thanks to live view.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Do you mean you were waiting for a Canon 5D V? Because there is a IV version that has been out for a few years.

I was hoping for a brand new 5D 5. A newer 5D would have had a different sensor than the one on the 5D 4, but Canon decided to end the 5D series with the 5D IV. Canon's R6 costs the same as what the 5D IV cost when released by Canon a few years ago, and it has the latest sensor in 2 versions (45MB R5, and 20MB R6). There is a waiting line for the R5 and R6, but the R5 is already the #1 seller at some of US stores. The R5 costs around $1,500 more than the R6.

 

[eyeseeyou]

I've acknowledged that I won't print over 90% of the pictures I take and that at this point the latest phones take more than good enough quality pictures, definitely better than the old family photos I look at when I was a kid.

I've sold my dslr but still keep my canon rx7 m2 for when I want even higher quality.

I'm not getting paid to lug around all of my DSLR equipment lol

 

[AlaskaMoose]

I've acknowledged that I won't print over 90% of the pictures I take and that at this point the latest phones take more than good enough quality pictures, definitely better than the old family photos I look at when I was a kid.

I've sold my dslr but still keep my canon rx7 m2 for when I want even higher quality.

I'm not getting paid to lug around all of my DSLR equipment lol

Yes, lugging a bag full of heavy gear gets old quite fast. Something else is that a person who can take good photos, regardless of camera used (old or new), and is proficient at editing the photos can create beautiful photos. For example, take a look at the following 72 images of a fellow who goes by the name, "drigo" captured with a Canon 7D (72 photos, 2 pages):

Photo Gallery: photos © drigo

Photo Gallery lists all the photos from our member galleries.

photography-on-the.net

 

[gkarris]

plug for this site:

www.camerasize.com

I was able to figure out how big/small mirrorless cameras with lenses are compared to what I own.

The owner of the site is really nice and responsive and added lenses that I own that weren't in there yet...

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