Mirrorless cameras may well be the future, but I'm not buying the hype that they're revolutionary. Not yet anyway.
I got an email the other day from a good friend who has made the switch to a mirrorless camera system where he linked me to a recent Bloomberg article and said, “See, we’ve gone mainstream media now. It’s only a matter of time before the revolution takes over the world.” Now, even though he wrote this with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, as I read the article I felt it was quite reflective and symptomatic of the hype surrounding mirrorless systems at the moment. And with Nikon set to release its much talked about full-frame mirrorless system next week, that hype is only going to get louder.
The key word to me in my friend’s email was “revolution.” A revolution can be described as a very important change in the way people do things. It’s used in the Bloomberg article and seems to be ubiquitously associated with mirrorless systems, almost akin to when we made the revolutionary change from film to digital many years ago. I don’t believe for a second that mirrorless systems are revolutionary simply because I don't believe they’ll change the way photographers do things. Nor will they represent some kind of seismic shift in the way that going from film to digital did. Going from film to digital was massive because it fundamentally changed the entire photographic process, from shooting out in the field to post-production.
Going From Film to Digital Was Revolutionary
Changing to a digital system meant you could store thousands of shots on a storage device such as an SD card and see immediate shots you’d captured on the back of your camera. That was revolutionary because it allowed you to become an instant editor and simply delete photos you didn’t like and take them again, perhaps from five different angles with five different exposure settings. That wasn’t possible in the film era, firstly because you had a limited number of exposures on film and also because you couldn’t see your immediate results or judge their quality in camera. You had to wait until you got them back from the developer.
Which brings us to the post-production phase. By going digital and storing everything on an SD card or similar, it removed the need to take your shots to a developer and meant you had total control over the editing process on the computer and the look you could achieve. On the other hand, with film, you were almost entirely reliant on the capabilities of a developer in the darkroom and typically had no control over any of the editing, colors, highlights, shadows and so forth. In the current digital age with software such as Photoshop, you can create pretty much any look you want based completely on your own preferences and editing skills. So going from film to digital was genuinely huge and revolutionary because it fundamentally changed the whole photographic process and permanently repositioned the way we approach photography.
But going from a DSLR with a mirror inside it to a camera without a mirror? That is not revolutionary in the sense it will shift the paradigm like the film to digital shift did. It is a mechanical modification that offers some benefits but doesn’t change the process at all. Mirrorless systems are still digital cameras. With both DSLRs and mirrorless systems you put a storage device like an SD card in your camera, you go out into the field or into your studio and you shoot. After each shot, you check the back of your camera and decide if it’s a keeper or not. If not, you trash it and take it again. Nothing different there.
Then when you get home, you still need to remove your storage device from your camera, slot it into your computer, open up your software of choice, select the photos you want to work on and then start editing. The whole process is exactly the same, whether you’re using a DSLR or mirrorless system. The only difference is that one camera has a mirror inside it and the other one doesn’t. Everything else is still the same, which means it’s nothing like the fundamental shift in the photographic process we had when we went from film to digital.
From Manual to Automatic Cars
To be honest, it kind of makes me think about the mechanical modifications in cars when they went from manual to automatic transmission. You can imagine the marketers at the time screaming “it has no clutch, you don’t need to change gears, you can just rest that left leg easily and relax. This will change your driving experience forever.” Sure, an automatic transmission made driving easier, and it was a big change, but it still didn’t revolutionize the fundamentals of driving. You still needed to open the door, sit in the driver’s seat, put the key in the ignition, turn the engine on, use the accelerator and brake, and understand road rules.
The fact that most models of cars today are available in both automatic and manual show that it didn’t change things that much. Indeed, I drive an automatic here in Japan and a manual when I’m back in Australia. And I think nothing of switching between the two. Some people like auto, while others prefer manual. You can get outstanding cars in each but fundamentally, automatic transmissions didn’t change the driving process that much. And for the time being at least, I think it’s pretty much the same with competing DSLRs like my Canon 5D Mark IV and the mirrorless Sony a7R III – both are outstanding cameras that are slightly different mechanically.
Key Takeaway
When words such as revolutionary are used, it’s hard not to get swept up in the hype and hyperbole surrounding it all, but I think we all need to take a step back for a moment and be a little more circumspect and analytical in our judgments. Mirrorless systems bring with them some definite advantages, while they also have their challenges. So if you’re just getting into photography and you’re wondering which you should start with between a DSLR and mirrorless system, I think you’re pretty good with either.
But if you’re a current owner of a DSLR and you’re pretty happy with your lot, then I don’t see any real need to make the switch to a mirrorless system just yet. And despite what marketers and fancy talkers may tell you, they certainly aren’t revolutionary. Not yet anyway.
Have an EVF—at least not without an accessory to use in mirror-lock up mode.
But seriously? How about use the same exact lens system for both bulky professional cameras and pocketable compact cameras? What about implementing real-time AI or AR technology the likes of which our smartphones are developing? Allow for greater options in lens design due to the shorter registration distance?
Revolutionary because of true silent shooting? I don't think so. Most cameras today have a quiet mode that while not silent are good enough. Plus how many people really need silent shooting? Where are all the articles and comments about how loud cameras are and how it is impacting everyone's ability to capture photos? There aren't. Yes I'm sure wedding photographers will like it but that is a subset of the photography community. How many people would spend 1000's of dollars today if their camera company said they could buy an update to make their camera silent? Not many and they would scream that the company is charging them 1,000's of dollars to do it
The view finder feature is nice. It is one thing that has me interested but again at a cost of 1000's of dollars I don't see running out to spend this kind of money to get this feature. When I go to update my gear as I do from time to time then I'll consider it. But to dump my gear and spend all that money for that feature, I don't think so. Again think about if you could get that in an update to your current gear for 1.000's of dollars, would you do it?
If anyone has some D500's, D5's, D850's, 300mm f/2.8, a 600mm or other Nikon gear you want to sell so you have some money for the new mirrorless, let me help you by taking that gear off your hands.
LOL "Quiet Mode"... Good enough for what? I never even bother with quiet mode on my D850 because it's still loud enough to hear during a church service that's not exactly quiet.
As for how many people really need silent shooting? It would be nice if everyone at every press conference ever could shoot completely silently. It's nice to not hear CLACK CLACK CLACK during a church service or wedding ceremony. If you're shooting BTS shots on a movie set or in a recording studio, it's nice to not hear a flapping mirror or shutter. The same goes for people shooting classical music, theater, etc. I'm sure photojournalists in sensitive locations would enjoy not giving their position away every time they took a photo, too. How about event photographers shooting during a speech? Street photographers trying to capture candid moments? Just situations I could think of in my head where I would prefer the ability to shoot completely silently vs. having the sound of a shutter and mirror box. And if you have the choice between shooting silently or not, why on early would you choose the latter assuming all other things were equal?
As far as the cost, you're probably going to be spending thousands of dollars either way, whether it's on a DSLR or a mirrorless camera so what's the difference? Currently I'm planning to wait until my D850 dies, but I guess I'll see what the Z7 looks like. If it's pretty much a mirrorless D850, I'm probably on board right away because why the hell not? Especially if they release a good adapter that provides native performance for my existing lenses... I don't imagine that this will actually be the case, though, since first gen products always seem to have some sort of issue, but who knows? We'll see.
You realize shooting weddings, movie sets, and on the street didn't just start with mirrorless cameras, right? You realize we've been making those pictures with DSLRs for more than half a century, right?
Yes I do. I also realize that a manufacturer of premium sound blimps that allowed for such shooting just went out of business basically stating that they weren't needed anymore because of mirrorless cameras.
I also realize that just because something was done a certain way out of NECESSITY for "more than half a century" doesn't mean that there's no room for improvement. I can't picture a whole lot of circumstances where having a shutter sound is superior to not having one while I can imagine a lot of circumstances where silence would be preferred over a shutter sound.
We were also shooting just fine on wet plates for decades before the introduction of roll film and we were shooting roll film just fine for decades before the introduction of digital photography. By your logic, why don't we all just go back to making calotypes?
Absolute speculation on my part here but I genuinely wait with interest at how this “silent shooting” issue will play out.
I was living in Korea 20 years ago when they introduced legislation that all camera phones had to make a clicking/shutter sound when they took a photo. The US followed suit. It’s still strictly enforced here in Japan.
Will the same happen if “less than stellar” characters start using silent mirrorless systems to shoot photos of unsuspecting subjects in public places.....?
My cellphone camera doesn't make a clicking sound when I take a photo... Seems like the legislation didn't pass at least here in the USA and "less than stellar" characters have been shooting photos of unsuspecting subjects in public places since cellphones had cameras.
Very true. At least in Korea and Japan, the idea was to give victims some kind of warning or awareness as to what was going on......I wonder if there will be different legislation across borders......
Japan is pathologically obsessed and incredibly strict on privacy laws. On creating them, enforcing them and penalising those who flout them. Can only wait and see I guess. No big deal, I’m just curious that’s all, having lived here for 15 years and knowing the mindset....
Very well written Michael - highly informative, balanced and educational. That being said, I respectfully hold my position that the advantages you’ve listed, whilst no doubt beneficial and helpful to photographers, are not revolutionary in the true sense of the word.
EyeAF - helpful but nothing I haven’t been able to achieve for years with my DSLR
Live Histogram through viewfinder - again convenient but I can see the Histogram now with one button push....
I won’t go through every point but you get the drift. I agree with all of the points you make but to me they are mechanical advancements that improve the iser experience. They are not revolutionary in that they turn the entire photographic process on its head and completely redefine the way we do things.
Thanks for your thoughtful input.
None of those mirrorless differences offer a different photographic vision. As the author suggested, it's like an automobile going from manual to automatic--same road, same destination, 90 percent the same driving experience.
From rangefinder to SLR: The vision was different, the pictures were different. From TLR to SLR: The vision was different, the pictures were different.
There were whole genres of photography easily possible with SLRs that were simply impossible with rangefinders and TLRs. That's what "revolution" means.
You don't think that your vision is different seeing the exact exposure and depth of field vs. seeing the scene optically? I suppose it's a matter of precision and, in the end, a matter of semantics.
I see DSLR photographers go mirrorless and I see them taking the same kinds of images they were taking before. I started shooting with TLRs and rangefinders.
The TLR had a fixed "normal" lens.
The rangefinder had three lenses that coupled to its focusing system--in 35mm I was limited in focal lengths from 35mm to 90mm.
When I bought my first SLR, the first thing I did was buy a 400mm telephoto (it wasn't really "telephoto" constructions--it was a long-focus lens that was actually 400mm long).
Then I bought a 28mm lens.
Those two lenses--not available for my rangefinder--brought entirely different visions to my eye. I could actually get a close-up of a football reception (although learning to follow-focus manually was a whole new skill in itself).
That was a revolution. It wasn't making the same kinds of images easier, it was making totally different images that weren't possible before.
The Mamiya C330 is a TLR and did not have a "fixed normal lens". It was an interchangeable lens system so there was at least one TLR where your statement doesn't hold true.
Rangefinders also have 28mm lenses and external viewfinders to frame the image. I know several people that use 28mm lenses on their Leicas just fine so I'm not sure how you can attribute that vision exclusively to the SLR.
As far as telephoto, I would agree with you since that's one of the benefits of seeing your exact framing through a mirror. So your revolution in all of this was essentially the introduction to telephoto lenses.
in regard to making totally different images that weren't possible before, I would argue that the ability to be shoot completely silently certainly makes available images that might not have been possible before as does the damn near nightv ision of the A7S series, allowing you to see things and compose images in levels of darkness that you couldn't before.
Yes, most photographers that purchase mirrorless cameras are doing the same things with them that they were doing with their DSLR's, but there are photographers also using the benefits to gain access to places and situations where before they would have been denied due to the sound of their shutter or the lights emitted by their lamps. You say that the SLR revolutionized your vision, but I still see plenty of people shooting the same exact type of street photography with an SLR that others were shooting with a rangefinder so how does that revolution apply to them? Is it the fault of the technology that people just do the same shit over and over when other possibilities exist?
You want a real revolution? How about a person with absolutely no photographic training being able to switch their camera to manual and, with 15 minutes of instruction, learn how to turn the dials to take the photos that they want to take and repeatedly nail the exact results that they want repeatedly with a day of practice? Is that something that was possible before? It is with an EVF.
The revolution of mirrorless technology is not just these things, but also the increasing democratization of photography and the further removal of technical barriers between you and the image that you envision creating. DSLR's took that revolution one step of the way by accelerating the feedback loop, removing skills such as developing film or working in a wet darkroom, and making photography more affordable as a whole. MILC's will take it to another level entirely by accelerating the feedback loop to real-time as well as removing the need to learn a lot of technical knowledge that we current photographers take for granted (you don't need to know anything technical about aperture or DoF when you see the image on the EVF changing before your eyes as you turn a dial), but might have taken us years to learn.
I think a lot of old heads are just threatened by the idea of a new wave of photographers creating work on the level that it took them years to learn without much effort. It's the same old heads in the film days that bitched about how DSLR's made photography too easy as if there was some virtue to being forced to "pay your dues" by wasting tons of film and years in the darkroom learning to be a competent photographer. I know because I lived through it and had to hear plenty of that nonsense working in a photo lab before nearly all of them went out of business. Did the DSLR "revolutionize" our vision or what was possible in photography? I would argue that it's only relatively recently that DSLR's with ultra high ISO capabilities started taking images that weren't possible on film (which you could also scan and work with digitally). What I see with this whole DSLR/Mirrorless argument is just a re-hash of the same exact thing. It's ridiculous.
Get over yourselves. The world is changing and technology is is eventually going to make all of our skills obsolete whether it's photographers or doctors. There's no point being bitter about it. Wave the DSLR flag and shoot with a DSLR until the day you die for all I care. Nobody's going to force you to pick up a mirrorless camera or anything else. Just don't pretend that progress isn't progress because it's getting really sad at this point. Anyway, I'm done with this argument because it's not even an argument. We're debating whether something is a "revolution" when clearly there's no consensus for what would constitute a "revolution" in photography.
I had a Mamiya TLR, used it for weddings and portraits in the late 70s. It was huge and heavy. Yes, it could interchange a few lenses...a few lenses, very clunkily (like "sit down and spend a minute"), and with the larger lenses, parallax was a huge problem, with clunky workarounds like a moving indicator on the screen and a "Paramender" on tripod. Yuk.
Rangefinders could have wider lenses, but as you say they needed external viewers that did not show what the image would actually look like. There is a world of difference between looking through a viewfinder that merely shows you framing and a viewfinder that shows you accurate wide-angle perspective, particularly at angles wide enough that the slightest difference in angle makes a huge difference in the image.
Those workarounds were just not acceptable when the SLR became a viable tool, and those of us who were there then knew what made that happen: The instant-return mirror.
It really wasn't just "SLR"--that was developed back in the 1930s. It was the instant-return mirror that made the SLR a tool for more than macro photographers.
So you are moving the goalpost to "democratization?" Well, of course that's been going on since George Eastman's original "Brownie" did away with photographers having to mix their own emulsions and do their own processing. Now that was a revolution.
I'm not moving goal posts at all. MILC has multiple benefits and if you're going to evaluate its effect on the world of photography, I think that you have to take in every facet of it. Yes, the SLR was a revolution. Yes, the Brownie was a revolution. That doesn't mean that MILC's don't represent their own revolution. You seem to be suggesting that because this revolution is not as revolutionary as some others, it shouldn't be considered a revolution at all. I disagree.
As for those that are arguing that it's "evolutionary" as opposed to "revolutionary", we're just arguing semantics at that point. After the initial breakthrough and discovery, every other advance can be considered "evolutionary".
It's not just semantics. Or rather, it IS semantics--go look up "semantics." The semantics of the issue are important.
The 35mm SLR with instant-return mirror was revolutionary--it fundamentally changed the way photographers performed our art.
Improvements to the SLR were evolutionary: Metering, then TTL metering, auto-exposure, even auto-focusing. We could argue that all those were "democratizing" steps in that they did make the technical aspects of photography easier for more casual users, but none of them changed how photographers viewed or performed their art.
The important revolution was seeing through the taking lens. That was a whole new way to see the image.
The semantics of the issue really aren't important nor is the click-bait issue of whether or not this is a "revolution" or not. You're assigning your own arbitrary definition of what criteria must be met to consider this a "revolution" as am I. Just drop it already...
So is this Revolution Number 9? "I've got blisters on my fingers!"
Apparently nothing is a revolution. It's all just evolution. You know what would be a real revolution? People seeing new technology and being like "COOL! Someone else might really enjoy that even if it's completely useless to me!" rather than being crabby assholes about it...
Yeah. Along with, "COOL! I can really use this and if someone else can't, I won't insist they try it or tell them they'll be forced to use it eventually and I won't tell them it's a lot better than what they like." Yeah. In a perfect world....
I have one more period than you. I know an ellipsis only has three but mine is cooler than yours and someday you'll be forced to use four periods, too! ;-)
Hmm.....
Oh! You're good! :-)
I'm way too sober for this. LOL!
The revolution you praise and hope is not coming from MILC but from smartphone cameras !
Even if MILC camera will get all the bell and whistles promised by computaional photography, 99% of the masses will never get that clunky big camera as their smartphone is already in their pocket and gives far enough result for their uses.
Wait until smartphone will gain access to 'longer focal lens' systems and that MILC will get zero interest anymore...
but from a shareholder and manufacturer PoV, making simplier and cheaper to manufacture cameras sold at the same price as dSLR is a nice way to get higher cash flow. Just need to make customers believe it is the must have and tadaa.
I would even not be surprised if MILC camera manufacturer will change their lens mount after a few years explaining they can give you better lenses and you can still use an adapter to get old ones working on the new device.
In the meantime, VR and AR video flows will render dSLR, MILC, rangefinder and other flat 2d files as useless as the masses will be amazed by 3d/volumetric 'pictures/holograms'.
Smartphone cameras and video camera are mirrorless camera so the technology is no different from MILC's.
You exactly say it : MILC, moviecam and smartphone are from the same breed.
but MILC are just the missing link between moviecam and smartphones. And it will have to disappear.
Well stated:)
Most of your "points" for Mirrorless are mostly attractions for noobs.
For example, live Exposure preview.... go back to photography 101 class.
I'm pretty sure that people back in the day were similarly saying that built-in light meters were mostly attraction for noobs. Go learn the Sunny 16 rule.
/eyeroll
Oh you've hurt my feelings.
But for your own sake, I'm going to use the sunny 16 rule ( simply to decrease my camera's perceived sharpness and image quality ) so you can live on and brag about the benefits ( sooooo huge :D ) of the mirrorless cameras.
I'm sorry kid, you're too passionate and GAS on mirrorless, I'm not going to bother anymore.
You convinced us.
Mirrorless is clearly the very best.
And you are the master photographer.
We all bow to you.
Dude, I don't even know what you're talking about. How exactly does the Sunny 16 Rule decrease your camera's "perceived sharpness and image quality" again? Please go ahead and explain it to a "kid" like me because what you just said makes absolutely zero sense. If you're experiencing a decrease in perceived sharpness or image quality by using Sunny 16, you're doing it wrong.
For the record, I never told you or anyone else to go out and buy a mirrorless camera. I've been pretty adamant about the fact that while mirrorless does offer definite benefits, if you're capable of producing the work you need on the gear you have, then there's no real reason to switch immediately. Eventually, you'll probably want to just because camera companies are going to be investing less into DSLR and more into Mirrorless, but then again, you could always be like the Sony A-Mount diehards that will refuse to admit that their system of choice is realistically dead.
It's people like you that are being complete luddites and fighting the progress of technology just because you happen to be satisfied with what you have. What exactly does your criticism of mirrorless technology and claiming that the benefits are "mostly attraction for noobs" add to the discussion—especially when it's a patent falsehood as many professional photographers have switched over for the benefits to themselves as well.
There are situations where it will help and situation where it won't. If you're working with strobe lights in a studio exclusively, it probably won't make a difference one way or another whether you use a mirrorless camera or a DSLR.
Anyway, yes, I am looking forward to Nikon's mirrorless offerings because I'd love to effectively focus with my AI-S lenses since the D850 doesn't offer a split prism focusing screen. I think most photographers have some sort of GAS. I've also got a Rolleiflex 2.8F and a Mamiya RZ67 on my wishlist, too.
I don't know why you're so butt hurt, but go put some vaseline on it or something, kid.
You must be a bloody arrogant and uneducated noob then.
Do you really know what the sunny 16 rule is ?
Set your aperture to F/16...
Do you know the word DIFFRACTION ?
I guess not.
So before you go on pretending to be the know it all and the evangelist of mirrorless, learn that as you close your aperture more than f/8 ( actually it usually starts even earlier ) you lose sharpness ( and sometimes not just sharpness ) because of diffraction.
Now keep on making a fool of yourself.
So if I told you that the correct exposure for a particular scene was 1/250 second at f/16 at ISO 200, are you telling me that you don't know how to adjust the settings from that point to change your aperture to f/2.8 or f/4 or f/8 and maintain proper exposure there, buddy?
Who's the "noob" here, again? Yeah... Keep making yourself look stupid, kid. It's actually pretty amusing. Maybe you need to go learn the exposure triangle before touching Sunny 16.
Seriously, though... You're a joke, man. Just stop. It's almost sad at this point.
As far as my perceived arrogance, it's how I cope with my low self-esteem. Don't take it personally. After all, I'm just a random person on the internet you'll never meet anyway. :)
Whatever floats your boat my man.
People say, put your money where your mouth is.
Photographers say, show me your portfolio and I'll tell you who and where you are.
I love your gallery ( laughs ).
Keep on busting our balls regarding how superior mirrorless cameras are, while we go out there and shoot awesome photos with our crappy DSLRs.
If only you put 5% of your "efforts" here into photography, you could've acquired some useful skills...
You realize you're talking to a person that shoots DSLR, film SLR, TLR, rangefinders, toy cameras, and box cameras , right? Ok, then. /eyeroll
BTW I noticed that you didn't respond to the Sunny 16 thing. Did you have that "Oh crap." moment where it dawned on you? LOL
Don't worry, it happens to all of us. As far as useful skills, it seems that you haven't even developed the skill to think critically about the exposure triangle so I'll take my limited skills over yours.
I'm sorry I don't respond to photography 101 issues like yours...
The exposure triangle to me is like breathing... it occurs naturally...
That's why you went on about DIFFRACTION when talking about the Sunny 16 Rule as if it meant that you couldn't switch your camera off f/16. Right. Maybe you should breathe a bit less and think a bit more sometimes—especially when you're posting.
Anyway, as I said. Have a nice life.
Seriously, though. You claim, "Show me your portfolio and I'll tell you who and where you are." so why don't you tell me what your portfolio says about who you are?
Undoubtedly you take some beautiful photos, but I don't get an ounce of personality or purpose from them despite the fact that I'm sure they'll impress people hanging on a wall or posted onto websites.
I generally don't show people my photography because I do it for my own personal therapeutic reasons. Sure, I make income from it, but I wouldn't consider myself a professional photographer by any means. I do it because it relaxes me and simply put, I have absolutely zero interest in taking images like yours or many others that I see on photographic sites. So what could someone like you tell me about who I am or where I am from looking at my portfolio when you know nothing about me or my personal motives?
What you actually mean is "Show me your photography so we can settle this in some manner other than words since I can't stand on the principles of my own arguments. Because the person with prettier photos must clearly be right in any debate pertaining to photography." It's your way of deflecting attention from the fact that you know that your claim that mirrorless is mostly an attraction for noobs is hyberbolic bullshit and since making that claim, you've repeatedly made yourself look like an ass.
Anyway, good luck to you and have a happy life. You take much prettier pictures than me. I won't deny that. That having been said, looking at your photos, I can't say that I know you any better than I knew you through your words. You're still a random nobody, just like me.
I've been noticing very carefully that press photographers (those covering the President and congress) and sports photographers covering NFL, MLB are not using mirrorless.... care to hazard to guess why????
A number of reasons I would imagine. Until fairly recently, MILC manufacturers didn't have glass that was very good for sports photography. Until fairly recently, MILC autofocus really wasn't that good. Until fairly recently, MILC's had garbage for battery life. Until fairly recently there was no full frame MILC with decent weathersealing and now that there are (the Canon and Nikon), those cameras don't have decent native glass to cover sports or do photojournalism. Until fairly recently, the only full-frame MILC game in town was Sony who didn't have the established brand loyalty among photographers of Canon and Nikon. Sony also, in addition to poor weathersealing, don't built very durable cameras, which is a must for photojournalists and sports photographers. Canon and Nikon's introductions have changed the arguments about ergonomics, weathersealing, and durability so once they get comfortable in the MILC market, I would expect more of a shift.
Also, people doing press and sports photography are professionals and professionals are generally not the type to experiment or try new things. They find something that works and they can depend on and they will use that until they absolutely HAVE to change because their livelihoods (at least for photojournalists and sports photographers) doesn't depend on quality so much as reliability. They're not going to swap out every generation for an extra stop of dynamic range or a few extra FPS of burst speed.
So combine the fact that MILC's have largely sucked for professional photojournalism work until fairly recently (like.. literally the latest generation of MILC's) and the ones that don't suck in some ways still suck in others (Sony is great at the tech and now lens line-up, but sucks with ergonomics and weathersealing while Canon and Nikon have great ergonomics and weathersealing, but fall behind on tech and native lenses), combine that fact with the fact that photojournalists in particular are an extremely conservative bunch that is slow to change (there are PJ's still using the 5DmkII) and it's really not all that surprising that you're not going to suddenly see an explosion of MILC's covering events. It's not as if all of these people are suddenly going to divest themselves of thousands of dollars worth of gear and all of their muscle memory when they're currently just fine as they are.
Professional photographers are generally a very bad indicator when it comes to market direction because they're usually the very last group to change. Want evidence of this? Look at the film to digital transition. It was only WAY after DSLR's came to the market that it got widespread adoption from professionals. Frankly, I would even argue that it was more of a generational change brought on by younger photographers that weren't as heavily invested in film gear than it was the established professionals that loved their film that caused the actual shift.
Wow! I find all of your reasoning impeccable. In fact, you actually settled my internal turmoil. I have a Canon 5DSR and a 5dmkii plus a host of lenses. Based on your comments, I am going to delay indefinitely a purchase of MILC. I only stopped shooting film in 2012. I am happy with my DSLRs. There really is no compelling reason to change now. Thanks
If what you're doing is working for you, then there's really no reason to change unless you have a particular desire to.
The only crappy thing about waiting is that your gear will depreciate in terms of sale or trade-in value, but if you're a professional, it's probably much more valuable for you to be able to work reliably, efficiently, and confidently today than to worry about what your gear might sell for 5-10 years down the line.
For me, I was caught in an awkward moment where I was getting ready to make some big purchases and all of this DSLR vs. MILC insanity went down. If I already owned all the lenses that I needed or wanted, I'd still have a D850 in my hands, no question about it. To go out and spend $2000+ on a 70-200mm for a DSLR lens TODAY, however.... Given what's going on in the industry, it's a tough ask. :/
What makes me "hold my head" is that in the last two years, I purchased some really good (expensive) glass. To your point, it is already depreciating. I just have a hard time justifying a complete new system. I am considering buying a Sony A7R III and 24-80mm lens as a "walking around system" for travel and handheld shooting et. al. When I really do serious work, I am on a tripod with my 5DSR. So of the new things one can do really doesn't apply. The basic Sony setup is still over $5,000. One thing I've learned in more than 30 years is that it is the 6 inches behind the camera that makes the pictures. I think that will influence my decision.
Yeah... it was a real hit that I took buying my 105mm f/1.4E brand new and seeing the trade-in value. Honestly, I'm still not entirely sure I made the right decision with the trade-in, as frankly speaking, I just had much more fun shooting with my D850. It was just something inexplicable about it that made it a true joy to use and I do miss it. The Sony A7RIII just doesn't feel the same nor does it give me the same inspiration to go out and make images that the Nikon did. Maybe it's the EVF or the discomfort of the ergonomics... I don't know. It seems completely illogical in many ways because from a technical standpoint, it's opened up a lot more abilities than the D850 had, but I guess it's just evidence that specs written on a sheet don't encompass the entirety of the experience. Obviously this is my own personal experience and there are plenty of others who have been rejuvenated by the switch.
Shoot with the gear that inspires you and don't get too mired in all of the drama.
A well thought out article.
"evolutionary" may be a better term.
Agreed, but micro or macro? ;-)
Indeed. Ansel Adams would take a better picture than *any* of us with an 8X10 view camera that takes 15 minutes just to set up.
Would he? His genius was arguably in the dark room
OK. I invite anyone to post a better picture of what Adams did. I'll wait.