Jessica Kobeissi has a much-needed rant in response to comments from viewers who assume that everyone not using mirrorless has been left behind in the dark ages.
"Why are you still using your dinosaur camera, Jessica?" "Why haven't you upgraded yet?" These are just some of the questions left in comments on photographer and YouTuber Jessica Kobeissi’s feed on a regular basis in response to her popular videos.
So, just why is it that Jessica has held off switching to mirrorless? As she explains in the video, there are many reasons, some of which resonate with me too, as I sit here writing this after having just packed my trusty Nikon D850 for a shoot in the morning.
While Jessica says that she does eventually plan to switch, she feels like she needs to take her time in making that decision, which is something that would certainly resonate with many photographers. Switching to a new system would entail not only the cost of a new camera body but also replacing an entire collection of lenses, spare batteries, and everything else that comes along with a system upgrade. This is a substantial financial commitment and not something that most enter into lightly.
Jessica is standing strong and not switching just because others are telling her that she needs to be using certain gear. Upgrade because you want to, not just because everyone else is. Surely, it’s the picture that matters, not what camera shot it.
This is such a stupid, idiotic,adolescent attitude about which camera a person uses that determines whether a person is a professional or not. Well the IRS says if one makes more than $400 a month on their job, then they are a pro. For the people who are using mirrorless, what is it gonna cost to you whether a person stays with DSLR? NOTHING.True, EXPERT photographers ,know how use what's AVAILABLE on the camera to get the image they desire: Shutter speed, ISO, f-stops. If a camera offers where a photographer can manipulate each parameter, then they can EXPERTLY produce the image of high quality. The only people who are pushing NEW technology are the camera manufacturers. DSLRs have been around now for 20 years, so that means the market is flooded with both prosumer and comsumer DSLR cameras. Which means anyone who is starting out in photography can buy a decent camera. This places a dent in the camera manufacturers bottom line. Businesses KNOW the younger people are ALWAYS seduced by the NEWEST or LATEST technology even if they are not proficient and not pragmatic. I shoot with Canon 1DX and my sports photos are better than a lot of photos than I see and know that are taken with the latest mirrorless cameras. Again if you wanna use a mirrorless or DSLR or SLR, you not taking any money out of my check.
lol I still shoot video with a refurbished t2i running magic lantern. Between my Zeiss glass and shooting flat I still get great results that the average person is blown away by.
Obviously there are so many things that I feel constrained by, cropped sensor, the bad rolling shutter, etc but I know I'm a big enough nerd that no matter what I buy to upgrade I'll always find a reason to feel like my shots aren't captured perfectly due to technical limitations.
Just get out there and shoot!!!
Anyone who asks stupid question like this doesn't deserve a response, period. Life is too short to waste it debating with idiots.
Honestly who cares what anyone else’s uses, as long as they’re happy and get the results.
In saying that, you will get better results easier with a mirrorless camera thanks to the significantly better AF. Plus if you always sell your existing body when the new one comes out you can buy the new one at a very minimal price so it’s cheaper to upgrade.
This is why I been following you for years ,Stay you I still shoot with my 90D😉
I bought A Canon R62 but I still shoot with my Canon 90D their Both OUTSTANDING what a SHOCKER .
First, this is the problem with "influencers", they're beholden so much to their followers that they have to answer to that idiotic question in the first place (likely a bunch of immature amateuers as pro's wouldn't be asking that) . Focus on the end result of your work, not what people are saying about your gear for god sakes.
Second, you use what makes the most sense for you that gets the job done. I went through the whole 5D series of bodies and my MK IV is still a great body. I only started using an R5 because my work bought a complete setup so have used that the last several times shooting. There are certain features of the R5 that help tremendously when shooting but the cost is too great to make the transition personally and know several pro's in that same boat. I once remember shooting a festival with all my 5D gear but occasionally I'd grab some phone photos and if I got anything great, I'd roll them into my submitted photos. I got this great sunset shot with my phone and wouldn't you know it, the next year, that photo was the cover of the festival program... :)
The only thing that might force the transition eventually is aging out of the old gear. At least with Canon, the older lenses and bodies are being EOL'ed and they no longer repair or provide parts for them, which makes it so much harder as there are few repair places outside of Canon service these days....
I am shooting the Canon 1D X MKiii, and for me, the best camera I have shot in a thirty year career. What madness at Canon for abandoning the 1D X series and forcing people to shoot mirrorless.
I use my 80d I'm not interested in going Mary listen either it's too expensive they don't take long exclusive pictures I can take $960 on a single battery they only getting like 360 yes they do got a great autofocus they do shoot fast but to replace all the lenses that I actually have for my DSLR it's impossible I mean from extensional lenses to the 24 and the 50 the stms I mean to actually go mirrorless it's like you got to get a whole new set of lenses all new set of and it's doing too much for me it's just doing too much it's taking photography and they're doing photography where the AIS is doing most of the word even if you in manual I take great pictures without an animal eye tracking and
Dinos may be millions of years old but they're still cool as fuck lol.
And the award for best comment goes to..... Chris Rogers!
The time has come to upgrade to mirrorless, if you're on Canon there's zero excuse to be on a DSLR still, the EF lens adapt perfectly and you can buy a r6m2 for $2200 refurbished. Nikon I hear lenses adapt all right, but I understand there are some more classic lenses have issues.
The point is not to sell all of your old lenses to buy the new ones in the new mount, you adapt your old lenses and when a new lens is compelling as an example the 28 to 70 f2 then you buy that lens and you sell the old one.
The newer cameras are well worth buying an adapter for, DSLR lenses at least high quality ones are extraordinarily sharp, the autofocus features of the new bodies should be enough to warrant an upgrade. Now if you happen to do like landscape, real estate or astrophotography as your main gig I can understand sticking with your old tried and true dslr. But that's not the majority of photographers, I look at it this way if having slightly better autofocus or an eye autofocus will result in you getting more keepers it's well worth it.
If something's your business you should not skimp on gear, and the fact that the majority of dslrs came out several years ago it would be time to upgrade anyways. And this isn't because of influencers talking, you're going to miss shots that you otherwise would have had had you upgraded, and yes the newer technology does not discount what your DSLR could do in the past. But we're not driving model t's anymore, we're not shooting on film for events anymore ( typically at least ) I'm not saying you need to be at the forefront of the technology movement, but we're into the third generation of Canon mirrorless cameras at this point in time, it's time to upgrade and it's just that simple...
Of course I can skip. That's money in my business account that I can cash or use on other expenses as I decide what is the proper decision to make. I buy what and when I want to. This is not 2002 or even 2013 when you had to keep up with what you refer as "gear".
Gear in photography is not just camera and lenses, otherwise I and most who make a living from photography wouldn't stay in business.
Yes you can skip, I'm not denying you the right. What I am saying though is you're doing a disservice to your customers.
$2,500 or even $3,500 is not alot to spend on a business. And the majority of gear will transition over to the mirrorless space without issues. So the fact that we're on our third generation of Canon, or the second generation of Nikon really leaves no excuse to have not upgraded by now unless you're waiting for a particular model that's coming out in the next 6 months. (E.g. R5M2)
And the big point is it's not that your older dslrs can't keep performing the job they've been doing, the point is that objectively your photos will be worse than someone else of equal skill using the newer equipment. You can shoot some beautiful shots, and shoot most events with a 5D Mark II, yes it doesn't have very many focusing points, and yes you will have to focus and recompose. But it does get the job done, and it did it for years extraordinarily well for thousands of professional photographers. But people don't use that camera in professional environments very often anymore. Even though it still works just as well as it did back then.
We use the newer technology to be able to get shots we might not have been able to get before or at least get them more consistently. So yes I think anyone who hasn't an upgraded to one of the newer mirrorless systems who does this professionally is not only behind, but is also doing a disservice to their customers, and frankly is lying to themselves about the differences in between mirrorless cameras and dslrs.
At the end of the day if it comes down to cost, just sell your current backup camera when you buy the new one. Because a couple thousand dollars isn't a lot to spend further progress your business.
Kim Simpson
If it's in hobby, or a very small side gig that reasoning makes sense. But if this is your full-time job, then you should invest in newer technology. And as I said above this isn't the first generation, we're multiple generations in for the majority of cameras manufacturers. So yes everyone should upgrade as it becomes a need to have the newer features to really progress your photography and get the best results for your client that is possible. Because under the logic that a lot of people are posting in these comments we would still be driving black model t's, and be taking trains everywhere. And shooting with old style film.
While you don't have to be on the cutting edge ( in fact it's generally not recommended because of software bugs ), you should keep up with technology in some form, and upgrading once every 4-5 years isn't a lot to ask when clients are paying you several thousand dollars.
Edit: I also forgot to mention that DSLR lenses are actually not being produced anymore in any real fashion, they've discontinued so many EF lenses in the last couple years. And eventually you won't even be able to get them serviced
Sure every one will have to make the switch at some point, but the fact that Canon still sells 5Dm4, 1Dx2 and 1DX3 shows that many people don't have to rush it if they don't need to. Would have been useful if they made the R6 40 or 50mp, at least 30mp. I know I would have 2 right now. On the R5, well as much I you may think I am losing clients, I don't need 8K RAW, and I guaranty you that I don't and never will. Do I want Error 20? Must be a plus I guess but I don't see how that will help my clients. I'm not in a rush either to change batteries all the time while shooting tethered and I have no need to shoot 100 frames to capture something. I don't do much portrait at all so the eye control is not a rush either.
And no, clients don't care about how you spend the money you cost them. They have a need and that's where their focus is.
I guess I don't see the real need of higher MP (not that it wouldn't be nice )but I generally don't crop much. And your right you don't need 8K raw very few people need that.
The point is if your doing any kind of event photography then it makes sense to upgrade since you will get consistently better results. Yes at the end of the day your clients won't know the difference as you will deliver only the good shots, but you will get shots more consistently then on DSLR. It's about doing what's best for your clients, and staying on outdated tech for no other reason then refusing to pay a few thousand dollars is a bad business practice. (Studio work is different since you could shoot that on a 5dm2 just fine, it does depend on what your shooting, but most people do some form of events)
This is not true. Mirrorless is not objectively better yet. It is getting there but there is nothing wrong with the highest tier DSLRs such as a D850.
I moved to Mirrorless this year, naively thinking it would be all an upgrade, but in retrospect, I've learned that the Mirrorless systems still have a lot of compromises.
- Mirrorless burn-through batteries WAY faster meaning you will be swapping batteries far more frequently which means an increased chance at missing a shot because you are busy swapping batteries.
- Mirrorless make a lot more heat during active shooting which can lead to overheating in situations where a DSLR wouldn't have been even warm to the touch.
- I can't speak to all camera makers but Nikon Z autofocus is not reliable and it feels sluggish still if I compare it to my old DSLRs.
- Mirrorless cameras have to boot and also go to sleep if not used for a few seconds. This is critical to help keep the batteries alive and for cooling but it means there is a slight lag every time you want to start shooting as the camera wakes itself from sleep. This can lead to missed shots.
- The ongoing cost to maintain mirrorless is higher, especially with Canon or Nikon. To move into Nikon Mirrorless, it isn't $2500 if you want a pro-quality camera. Nikon only has two; the Z8 and the Z9 and both are north of $4000. (Z6ii and Z7ii are not reliable enough to be used in a high-pressure situation that demands results) Also generally speaking the lenses for their new platform are 50% more expensive than the lenses on the previous platform. This is also true for Canon.
- When firing in burst the EVF can lag while (obviously) an OVF never has issues.
- I run into way more OS bugs and strange quirks on Mirrorless. The software for the old DSLRs is dialled in and extremely reliable. They just work.
Do I regret going to Mirrorless? No. But do I feel it is a clear-cut upgrade as you suggest? Do I feel I get consistently better results with mirrorless than with a DSLR? Not even a little bit.
The D850 is still an incredible camera with a sensor that is best in class and a pro is more than capable of making their best work with it. (It is strange that a 5-year-old camera is still at the peak of sensor tech and hopefully, we will see a new gen of sensor tech raise the bar again soon)
The future is mirrorless, there is no doubt about that and nearly everyone will eventually move to it but as it stands, mirrorless isn't perfect, nor is it objectively superior yet.
Some of us are separating wants and needs in 2023
A concept I've explained to my children many times.
The specific benefits to Kim and what she does being what?
I don't know what kind of photography she does, if it's just studio work then honestly there wasn't really a point to upgrade anytime in the last ten years.
But any sort of event work will produce higher quality results consistently with the newer mirrorless cameras then on older dslrs. And yes a great photographer on a DSLR will out preform a crappy photographer on a fancy R3. But that's not the point, equal skill photographer will be flat out better on a newer camera. It's about doing what's best for your clients, yes they don't care how much you spend. But investing in your business isn't something that's hard to ask. Legit if the money is the issue then start charging slightly more. And if you think spending ~3k every 3 years should even be a debate then your not treating your photography business as a business.
This is an interesting debate. I use a Nikon D850 at present, which is still in production. Hardly considered "old" although I've owned it for the last years or so, I'm not tempted to part with it yet. I feel I should write another article to explain further :)
Nikon F mount AF-G lenses adapt perfectly. The focus is actually better on cameras like the Z6/7 ii and the Zf/Z8/Z9. Where the issues start is with lens from the AF-D era and older. None of them will auto focus. They will mount just fine and take photos just fine but with the AF-D lenses you will have to adjust the focus your self where as the AI and AI-s lenses will require you to adjust the aperture and focus your self. Additionally the non chipped AI/AI-S Lenses will not transmit exposure and lens data tot he camera so it's 100% manual. All Nikone F mount lenses will work but with caveats on some generations. The most modern F mount lenses with out the screw drive will have the same or improved function.
Jessica, there is always one answer for me to this question. I prefer to look at the photographed world through glass and a mirror rather than through a digital display. Even though these are becoming increasingly advanced, I still feel the difference when looking through the prism in a DSLR.
It's not exactly true that switching from a Nikon D850 to a ML Z body that you would need to replace your entire collection of lenses, spare batteries, and everything else that comes along with the upgrade. To get started all you need is a Z body and an FTZ adaptor. Every report I've read has indicated that the DSLR F mount lenses work absolutely fine with no loss of IQ with the FTZ adaptor. Her D850 batteries will work in all the Z bodies except the flagship Z9. I would say, if someone has no plans on purchasing any new lenses in the foreseeable future, and they have a great camera like the D850, there's no rush to go ML. But if you're planning on buying new lenses in the next few years, you might as well make the switch and buy ML lenses. Otherwise, you'll only be replacing them later on down the road.
I own an FTZ and yes it does work but its not the same as native. IQ is the same but focus speed and accuracy is not.
Jessica is hilarious.
Funny without being: rude, insulting , political etc...a breath of fresh humor.
And i bet shes a darned good photographer.
I like her delivery style, but I am Scottish and that is pretty standard around here. A touch of sarcasm and a whole lot of wit.
She certainly gets the job done!
yeah she is actually a really good photographer!
Let's take a reality check from one of own great masters. Many years ago, I along with a few of my classmates, were invited to Ansel Adams home/darkroom. During a Q&A, then the inevitable question of what camera is best for landscapes. His answer was simple...he could take the same photo's with an Instamatic (versus 16x20 view camera), but would be limited to enlargement constraints. It's not the camera, it's the photographers "eye" and post skills that determine the outcome of great photo's. The photo "Moonrise over Hernandez" is an example of a great photo and that significant time and post processing brought it "alive" - the photographers "eye".
What a fantastic story
Last week I ran into a guy I know - an anything tech snob - who tells me that he's taken a new "deep dive" into photography. Whatever... I notice his shiny silver camera and ask what it is, and it's an Olympus M4/3 something or other. Anyway, he asks what I'm using, and I say "A Z50 for fun, and a D500 for work". He looks incredulous and goes "You're STILL using a DSLR??? WHY???" I answer, "Because it's a D500, it's nearly bulletproof. The thing works EVERY time I push the button. I could hammer nails with it and it'll come up shining". A good tool is a good tool, period, tech snobbery notwithstanding.
"I could hammer nails with it and it'll come up shining"
that's been my experience with all of the nikon DLSR's i've used. D80, D100, D200, D300, D610, D700, D800e. They are all work horse cameras that have and still do serve me well. Even when they did "break" they still worked lol. When they broke it was totally my fault but they kept on ploddin away!
Same experience over many years.
I have never noticed any image viewer ask the stupid question "what equipment was used to create this image?"
It is only the photographers. Perhaps he/she would love to see others also sustain an unnecessary financial damage like himself/herself. Obviously, that photographer is regretful and attempting to find solace watching others endure the same injury.
Make no mistake, any pro grade DSLR made since 2008 onwards are fully capable to meet all the needs of any photographer.
However, I understand, the manufacturers also need to buy bread. Therefore, telling lies and alluring common people into traps is a time-tested practice that they can rely on.
My name is DSLR Forever. Not downgrading to the mirrorless system was the best decision I ever made in my hobbyist photography life of sixteen years. I shoot landscape, street and lifestyle photos and wildlife. Never observed any shortcomings of the pro Canon bodies and native lenses I use. If latest is the best; go for smartphone cameras. Those are also mirrorless.
So, Good luck.
I am a professional and it's okay to use DSLR. Everybody is not ready to transfer to mirrorless just because you transfer to Mirrorless. Even upgrading to the 90D is amazing. The resolution of this camera is so awesome. You can talk bout my use of a dslr I really don't care. It shoots 4k without getting hot. I have both 80D and 90D and I love them both. Just got the 90D 4 weeks ago. My skills don't change it just looks better. Beside you guy might need the extra help of the mirrorless camera for me I don't. It a big handicap i say. MY THE FORCE BE WITH MY DLSR. 80D 90D. I really came from a rebel brand camera. T7i was great. But not professional. Now I know what professional cameras are and The 90D and 80D blow my mind.
The 90D is friggin underrated. it's one power house of a camera. I've been a Nikon shooter my whole life and I REALLY want a Canon 90D.