It’s already been six months since I switched from DSLR to mirrorless. Here’s my review and thought on my experience so far.
Today marks my six months dating anniversary with Mr. A (aka Sony a9). A LOT of things have been going on and thousands of pictures have been taken since my last article of the “Switching from DSLR to Mirrorless” series. I thought you’d enjoy a real-life update on my relationship with my new partner after living with him for a while.
Seeing double
As you probably noticed from the cover image … it seems like talking about Mr. A is half right … Yeah well, to be honest, I’ve been a polygamous type of photographer from the very first day. I like to see it as a “time-sharing” type of relationship — where of course, everybody consents.
When I partly did the switch, getting a single mirrorless camera body, it was hard. I tried to keep on working with Mr. DSLR simultaneously for a couple of months but he could hardly keep up with my dashing new partner. I waited until the moment was right and finally broke up with Mr. DSLR to get a second Mr. A. Now, the three of us hang out and have a blast at sporting events.
Three features I’ve learned to love more and more
1. His intense focus
I don’t get tired of his remarkable efficiency. I only have to lift a finger and he’s immediately getting to work. Autofocus always on point, fast and accurate. I fell in love with Mr. A on the very first day because of this feature and it still remains six months later what I like the most about him.
2. His fit body
He also has a very fit and powerful body. A client once looked at me in a suspicious way as I was coming in, asking if I was carrying a camera in my small bag. I told her I had two of them. I sometimes get overlooked because of the smaller size of my gear. Between you and me, I kinda like it. People tend to give us less attention. And the less attention we have means more freedom to go wherever we want without getting noticed.
3. His calm and poise
I like to go under the radar. That’s why I absolutely love that Mr. A is a very quiet partner. We can be standing right behind someone and that person will never see or hear us. I can get the exact moment I want and the subjects will never know it until I show them the picture. An athlete once told me “Michèle, we don’t see you when you’re covering competitions.” I found that was one of the best compliments I ever got. Because that’s exactly what I want: To be forgotten. I want raw and true moments and those can only be captured by being as quiet and subtle as possible.
The family is growing!
Big news, we recently welcomed baby Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens to our expanding family. This lil’ guy has already brought us so many moments of joy and happiness. I can’t wait to share with you the amazing pictures he’s given us. More on that later!
What about Mr. A2?
Even though Sony announced the new a9 II upcoming release, my love for Mr. A is still fresh and I won’t be ready to change him just yet. We’re still learning to get along and working on becoming the best duo possible. Sure, the newcomer has lots of great things to offer and — of course — I am curious to see his upgraded performances. (If I ever get a date night with him I’ll let you know.)
My point of view
Six months after investing in a totally new camera system, I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve been able to catch moments I thought were impossible to get. I have extremely high image quality and I love what I can achieve in post-production with my RAW files. I am also thrilled to see where technology is heading and how I’ll be able to keep adding and upgrading my gear collection throughout the years (new lenses and eventually new camera bodies — please don’t tell Mr. A just yet). It’s been a scary and significant investment at first but I can say in all honesty it’s worth every penny to me.
To each his/her own
This story is a very personal one. Another photographer could write his/her experience about switching from DSLR to mirrorless and share a totally different one.
The cover image and this one right above are portraits taken by my good friend Daniel Mallard, an amazing photographer. He is and has been in a very passionate relationship for many years with a certain Mrs. F (aka Fujifilm). He certainly could tell his story with a whole different point of view and tell you why he loves her so much and why she is a perfect match.
One’s needs are not everyone’s needs. Can you imagine if that was the case, we’d fight over the same prospect all our lives? What a nightmare! We each have a unique background and style. Great photography is achieved with any kind of camera … And what makes the difference is who’s holding it.
If you have yet to read my entire “DSLR to Mirrorless” story, here’s the link to the articles.
Good write up (although the referring the camera to His and comparing it to polygamous relationship was a bit too much to read). DSLR to Mirrorless is not as dramatic as Film – Digital (DSLR). Both has it’s place and as a technology, mirrorless will continue to be the future while DSLR will find it’s niche (beginners will be able to afford second hand pro DSLR body for fraction of cost). With regards to photography, both can produce stunning images since it takes more than technology/techniques to produce a good image. Most of the current innovations done on mirrorless can… Read more »
Oh, look, an ad for Sony!
Clearly you haven’t been following Michele’s journey to mirrorless. Sony is not an advertiser with Photofocus.
So says the website linking the products to a website to buy them…..that’s hilarious.
There’s even code right in the links for the system and lens mentioned that is specifically affiliate code to make money on them from B&H.
Switched from full frame Nikons to XT3s and fell in love it was like picking up an FM2, Metal and Glass and no going in to the menu for the main controls. And the EVF is superb,
So glad you benefit from your switch as well Iain! My good friend Daniel also loves his XT3 – and he’s been in the photography world for more than 30 years! :)
What about your new partners’ lack of stamina? Oh, I see! Since there are two, one can take over from where the other got out of gas.😁
I switched from Pentax K1 DSLR to Sony A7RIV. My budget was limited, so I chose all Tamron lenses for my camera. Image quality improved for obvious megapixel boost. The Tamron lenses are fantastic as well. The feel of the camera, Sony A7RIV vs. Pentax K1 took a step back. K1 was a dream camera to work with. The articulating screen made my life so much easier. Overall I am happy with the switch and probably will not go back. They have the new A7RV but I am not about to spend another $2K to get two features that I… Read more »