During the previous years, many of my photographer friends and colleagues switched over to Sony, often for good reasons. I also considered a switchover, but I never did. Now, I am grateful I never did.
When I bought my first DSLR back in 2005, I decided to choose a Canon camera because of its ergonomics. At first, I wanted a Nikon, but the Canon felt so much better. I liked the design and how the camera operated. It just felt good in my hands. This was a personal decision, of course, and it doesn’t say anything about the quality a camera produces.
Through the years, I discovered how pleasure in photography is also determined by the way a camera is designed. If it's enjoyable to use the camera, there will be more fun using it. Otherwise, photography may become a frustrating thing to do. This is something I see a lot with my workshop participants. If they are struggling with settings, buttons, or even withholding a camera, it takes all the fun out of photography.
I didn't choose Canon. The camera chose me. It felt as if the camera was designed for my hands.
The Switch to Sony
When Sony introduced their mirrorless cameras, many photographers decided to switch over. Often, they were talking about better quality pictures, better autofocus performance, and the ability to customize the camera. The Sony cameras were also smaller and lighter weight. And indeed, the mirrorless system offered options that could never be achieved with regular DSLR cameras. But, I wondered if those options made those cameras better or just different.
Switch over to Sony mirrorless? Or stay with the Canon DSLR? I wondered often which path to choose.
I often wondered if switching over to Sony could benefit my own photography. I could keep using my Canon lenses through an adapter, so I wouldn’t need to invest in new lenses. According to many Sony users, it was the best decision they made. They were praising their cameras as if these were the answer to all problems. This made me very suspicious since the perfect camera still has to be invented, if something like that is even possible. So, I kept being skeptical about these cameras everyone was talking about and kept on shooting with my Canon.
Using a Sony a9 and Sony a7R III
When I got a chance to review the Sony a9, I didn’t hesitate. During a couple of months, I used this small camera exclusively, ignoring my Canon 5D Mark IV. I took the Sony a9 with me on vacation and used it for a series of action shots next to my Canon 1D X. I used it for some portraits and for my landscape photography, of course.
Photographing with the Sony a9 left me with a lot of great images. It was okay to use the camera, but it was not as much fun compared to my Canon 1D X.
The results from the Sony a9 were great, but not that different from what I could shoot with my Canon cameras or any other camera I had used in the previous years, for that matter. Its autofocus with eye detection worked great, but I never felt I could completely rely on it. I guess this was something I would need to learn and get used to.
I enjoyed the 20 frames per second with the Sony a9. But there were a lot of downsides that became frustrating after a while. One of those downsides was the camera buffer. It took a lot of careful planning and prevented continuous shooting for an extensive amount of time.
There were a couple of things I didn't like about the Sony a9. First of all, I found the menu to be terrible. It lacks a logical structure, which made it difficult for me to change settings in a quick and easy way. It was possible to assign buttons to meet your type of shooting, but that is not a solution for the difficult menu. It is a workaround. Many participants of my workshops, who used Sony cameras for many years, still had difficulties in using the menu.
Another issue I found is about the design of the camera body. It handles terribly, and many buttons don’t have that quality feel I would like from a camera of that caliber. Sony had already improved the buttons and rotation wheels on the Sony a9, but it was still not up to par. The small-sized bodies don't have much clearance between the grip and lens, which makes the use of the camera uncomfortable. It becomes worse when wearing gloves.
The Sony is not built for my hands. It is too small, even for my hands that aren't that big. Perhaps other photographers find it okay. This is very personal, of course.
I found the Sony a7R III to have the same issues. Although the camera produces great images and the customization is very versatile, I find it far from user friendly. When I got my hands on the Sony a7R IV, I discovered it was more comfortable than its predecessor, and the buttons were improved even more. But it still felt as if it was cheap and fiddly. I believe the newest Sony a7S III camera finally has an improved menu structure, something a lot of Sony users have been asking for for years.
Sony knew its menu wasn't that good, but it took them years before they listened to the complaints. Now, in 2020, they released the first camera with an improved menu.
Enough Reasons To Not Switch Over... Yet
All the things I have seen and experienced with Sony cameras made me decide not to switch over. It is not about the quality of pictures or the possibilities Sony cameras offer. They produce stunning images. But it's about the way these Sony cameras operate and how the cameras feel in my hands. Although I shot really great images with the Sony a9 and Sony a7R III, I cursed the handling and menu structure many times. For me, it took the fun out of photography.
I never felt very comfortable when using a Sony camera. That was one of the reasons I never switched.
When Canon finally introduced their first full frame mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R, I was excited. Although I love my DSLR, I do know the benefits a mirrorless camera offers. The eye autofocus abilities can be of great help with my wedding and portrait photography. Unfortunately, the excitement about the Canon EOS R turned into disappointment when I was confronted with the infamous touch-bar. It made the camera terrible to operate.
Canon's first full frame mirrorless camera was a big step towards a great camera. But why did they incorporate that terrible touch bar and strange locations of the buttons? They were enough reason to leave the camera behind.
On the other hand, the Canon EOS R also had a lot of things that Sony cameras lacked. It had an amazing electronic viewfinder, the well-thought-through menu structure, a very useable touchscreen, and a great ergonomic design despite the touch bar. I experienced similar superior features with the Nikon Z7 and also the Panasonic S1. Altogether, I found operating all these cameras much more intuitive compared to Sony.
The Canon EOS R6 in use for some landscape photography.
Now I’m Happy I Didn't Switch Over to Sony
Now, Canon has introduced a couple of amazing cameras that at least address all the flaws of the Canon EOS R. When reviewing the Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R6, I realized it was a good decision to stay with Canon and wait for the right moment to switch over to a mirrorless system.
These two cameras have the amazing eye autofocus for which Sony cameras are famous, together with a good ergonomic design and a user-friendly menu structure. They also have a good touchscreen, which Sony lacks altogether.
The autofocus of the Sony is not perfect, but it works very well indeed. For a long time, I wished Canon had the same quality of autofocus. Unfortunately, it didn't. That is why I wondered for a long time if a switch to Sony was wise.
It made me realize something. If I would have decided to switch over to Sony, I would have had a camera that would make great quality photos, but which wasn’t perfect for me. Perhaps I would have had very useable eye autofocus in the previous years, but that would have been the only benefit. Sony was the first to make a mirrorless up to par with the DSLR and even beyond it in some ways. But I believe Sony kept its cameras in puberty for too long.
Sony paved the path for a mature mirrorless camera. Unfortunately, Sony kept its cameras in puberty, I think.
Something to Think About
When I imaginemyself now, using a Sony camera, I am sure it would have given me a lot of great images with high quality, just like any other modern camera can produce. And I know I would have gotten used to the menu. After all, you learn to find settings by using it over and over again.
I am glad I have waited for so long. Now, I feel the mirrorless world has matured enough to make a switch. The newest mirrorless cameras now have the best of both worlds: a well-designed camera body, a good menu structure, and all the benefits like amazing eye AF tracking.
I would love to read your opinion about this subject. Please leave a comment down below with your thoughts about a camera switch and the newest series of mirrorless cameras that hit the market in 2020.
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It's for my a7iii. I'm not sure if they make one for the a6000 series, but it's been great for the a7/9 series camera!
Remember all the "Why I DUMPED NIKON for SONY" videos from that photographer with the hat? That was the golden age of Youtube when all those influencer videos started hitting. It was Sony reaching out to those guys that made a very effective disruption in the existing cam biz. It was the age of Youtube when you needed to have tattoos and a boosted board and a Sony. A ton of the influencers never took any photos of note. They just shot video of their friend staring off into the distance while they moved around them at 60fps (back then). Or they slapped one of their for sale Teal presets on a forrest photo. But the effect was that a TON of young potential Nikon and Canon buyers wanted to be like their heroes. Now we have some years to look back on all of that. Sony was innovating. Today, Sony makes truly great stuff. And......so does Canon and so does Nikon. I prefer Nikon. But ANY of those 3 brands on my hands can easily get the job done. It's ALL...ALL very little difference now despite what the current blowhard influencers bang on the table about. A microsecond difference between AF across the brands. The new stuff from all 3 brands (and others!) are terrific. It's personal choice now and you almost can't lose. Unless you just buy to be cool and NOT actually use it.
True... any camera will get the job done with great results. Liking the camera or not, is personal. Nothing more. Thanks for the comment
The best reason I have for sticking with Nikon is that I have accumulated some really good lenses and more than just a few. Even though I do not hesitate to spend money on the latest and greatest, I still can't afford to change systems and buy all new lenses.
I've found the technology in the Sony cameras, specifically, the autofocus, to be absolutely astonishing. However, your comment about Sony leaving their cameras in "puberty" hits the nail on the head. I've said many times that if Sony had taken their camera design more seriously there would be no way that Canon or Nikon could catch up. I also find it amazing that the ergonomics of the Sony cameras are so horrible. Especially when they had world-class companies-think Nikon and Canon– designing spectacular camera ergonimics for decades and should have been obvious targets to simply copy. But for whatever reason Sony could not see this. So now Canon is about to eat Sony's ten year+ lunch. The one other ace up Sony's sleeve is their lens lineup. That will hold off Canon for a bit but it won't last long.
Thanks for the comment. Daniel
I honestly don't have anything against Canon. Canon fanboys do irritate me a lot though. I think we should stop giving them "air time" as they just keep saying the same thing - "Ooh, my Canon DSLR/mirrorless camera is better than your Sony mirrorless camera. Period."
These are just some of the points fanboys have been raising that I just find so objectively flawed.
1. Fanboys using Canon for years (maybe even decades), decides to give Sony a try for a few weeks then complains that the menu system is confusing or that it's not ernomically good.
Obviously, if you've been using something for so long then switch suddenly to something different, it will put you off. You need to take some time to adjust. And no, using it for a few days or weeks will most likely not be enough. So stop using this argument.
2. Complains about Sony's grip being too small compared to a DSLR (back when Canon still didn't have a decent mirrorless) but then praises the Canon mirrorless lineup.
This is something that really confuses me. For one, even if Canon's mirrorless bodies are larger, the dimensions of these mirrorless cameras only differ by a few MILLIMETERS. Are you guys saying that those few millimeters are the only ones you're complaining about?
Second, Fuji's camera bodies have way smaller grips, iPhones are worse as it doesn't even have a grip at all. Yet Canon fanboys don't even dare point those out. Scared much?
3. Sony has been releasing great mirrorless camearas for years now, and fanboys keep attacking them. Canon released 1 pair of good cameras and fanboys think they're on top of the world. One good example of this is in the article itself - There have been several great mirrorless options the past several years now and yet the author thinks it's not a good time to switch. Canon released the R5 and R6 and all of a sudden "the mirrorless world has matured enough to make a switch." Oh, god.
4. Here's another one - author points out all the technical prowess of the Sony mirrorless cameras, then concludes that Canon is better because it's more "fun" to use, which is something that is so subjective. How can someone conclude which one is better if they can't even use the same aspects for comparison?
(I could point our more but it's taking too much of my time now.)
Actually that's a more coherent response than mine as it really nails the point. It really does come off as a hit piece. The author really just could have said "hey, here's my experience with the Canon R5". Or cover Nikon or Panny as well.
And thanks for the points you raised.
I guess it's the jealous rival syndrome.
Unfortunate Necessary Disclaimer: I actively use both Sony and Canon and even had a Kodak 2 decades ago. All are "fun". Why? Because I like photography.
Nando's article is, and it's rare on Fstoppers, well written, argumented, and not really biased. You could at least respect him and not use the word "fanboy". Because all you're doing really, is acting like a Sony fanboy yourself who's crying because someone said they're happy to have stuck around with Canon.
I have seen hundreds of other fanboys, from other brands who have suddenly gone to Sony, selling all the nikon, pentax and fuji kit, and yet they have not stopped pissing off with this story that they are the victims they suffer. If you have sold everything to sony, stop there and keep working. Here I don't see any work by these professors. The second-hand market thanks you wholeheartedly.
Learn to read before taking pictures.
I love to see and read your comment.
You are exactly the Sony user I mentioned in my article, the one who seems to feels himself personally attacked when there is criticism about your favorite camera brand.
:)
lol, all about perception I guess. The amount of Sony trolls is just as bad as the Canon fanboys. Remember all the RIP to Nikon and Canon post/comments and most likely from people that don't really make a living from shooting. I've also been caught up in the battles and I regret allowing negative opinions force a darker side of my own through vicious, pointless attacks. Even your comments make me want to respond but what's the point. We need to stop. This isn't Apple vs. Android(another pointless battle). Use the gear that works for you.
Reminds me of the owner of Jaguar XJS in Hawaii in1973 when I enquired about his new sporty British automobile. His only complaint the door-handles were too small for his hands. Well he should be so lucky. No mention of the poor gas consumption. As for Sony camera menu; no worse than Fujifilm.
When it comes to cars and cameras people will usually defend their decision till blue in the face; even if later they have some regrets. The deciding factor or fashion will change in time.
I went from Canon to Sony, and I love my Sony cameras and I'm never going back. As a set photographer running around shooting all day every day, I can honestly say that Sony's ergonomics aren't great. I can't fit my whole hand on the grip, one entire finger hangs off, and it took me a while to find a comfortable hold while shooting. They obviously know this is the case, because they manufacture and sell a grip extender!
Not a deal breaker, but when you're holding a camera to your eye for 5-10 minutes at a time, it starts to get annoying.
Went through your comment section and it’s a lot of Sony fanboy comments, an obsessive amount. And yet you don’t have a profile or images or video to share with the community. Do you even own a Sony?
Couldn't have put it better myself Elliot. And he needs to be careful saying his Canon is more fun to use. The Fujihadis will not be happy as that's clearly their crowning achievement. I know because I've been hearing it for years.
This is a bit late, but just to address some points.
1. I agree, fanboy may be a bit too much, so I take that back. The tone of the comment also may be a bit too harsh, but that's just the facts. No disrespect to the author.
2. Sorry to disappoint, but I don't even shoot Sony anymore. Everything I pointed out here are based on observation. To be clear, I'm not defending Sony. I'm just countering what Canon users usually use to "attack" Sony. Maybe it's just me, but I've been seeing a lot of these kinds of articles online on why Canon is better than Sony. To the point where even back when Canon still didn't have a decent mirrorless entry, Canon was still better than Sony. Usually, I don't pay attention to those. I actually find it entertaining sometimes. This article just happens to be the one where I eventually decided to give my detailed 2 cents.
3. I'm really curious to know at what point did Nando think that I was commenting because I felt like I was personally being attacked. I tried giving objective points, as much as possible. Just because I don't agree with you, doesn't mean that I feel personally attacked.
4. @Doriano, not that I'm supporting those that are playing the victim part, as you mentioned, I could care less. But maybe, just maybe, they're similar to my case where they keep seeing posts about how good supposedly Canon is without giving credit to other companies.
Bottom line is that it shouldn't be about the gear. I can't understand why a good number of people would go to great lengths just to defend their brand and attack others. It's nice to have articles like these comparing different brands from time to time, but when it's becoming too often and the theme is always the same, that's when the my issue starts. As long as the camera is helping you meet your target and vision, that should be good enough regardless of the brand.
Okay boomer
I fully agree with your article. I held on to my eos 5D mk4 as long as I could wait. I preferred to have fun with the eos RP rather than switch to sony and with the files that the little one produced, I did not envy any sony work.
Well-made jpeg, better than all the 5D owned. The only thing I was missing was the silent burst and after many emails to canon and various ambassadors, I was satisfied. You can also have a super flagship but in certain ceremonies if you make a noise worse than a tractor, you have failed all the work.
Try to see the faces of people annoyed by the shutter sound. I am now happy owner of eos R5 and R6. Never money well spent, and let's not talk about the stratospheric quality of RF optics.
Although with the rf adapter I squeezed my tamron and canon optics well (tamron I still love you), the switch as burst performance and quality for the RF system was a must.
<redacted as Elliot Sander's response was far better than I can write at 3 am>
Good for you
At the end of the day, and I’ve shot them all, Sony is the most trustworthy of all. If you can’t make a Sony sing, something is wrong.
What do you mean with trustworthy? Can you explain?
Trustworthy as in confidence to be more accurate. Sony A7 series developed with step by step advances with each new model; not just bringing out new models to catch the next wave of buyers.
Fujifilm X range all over the place with price discounts on newer models like X-T3 to grab market share. To offset high priced X-T4 to replace X-H1 out of production. Also making XF 50mm f1.0 at 1.600 euros as vanity project?
Canon and Nikon mirrorless up up and away but with much higher prices to match. Switching cameras seems a bit daft; that much we all know. Guilty....for going back to Sony from Fujifilm.
Nice for you, but why do people always have to write articles about "why I switched (not) from A to B" ? It is as interesting as why I dont go to cinema yesterday.
Because people love to read this kind of articles. But I agree with you, I don't find it interesting why you don't went to the cinema yesterday. But it can be interesting if you go tomorrow, and what kind of movie you are going to watch ;)
I switched to Sony because Sony bought out Minolta. Sony lenses fit my Minolta a7D.
hahaha - you forgot Konica, it bought Minolta before Sony came along
All my native gear, film and digital, is/was badged Minolta. And I thought Konica-Minolta was a merger. A buy in, not a buy out. Then, they sold off the camera division to Sony because Sony wanted, among other things, their IBIS patents.
I cannot remember exactly how it all went. I used Minolta from 1985 until 2000 and switched... oh wait... I did switch to Sony. It was a Cybershot DSC-F505v. Great camera back then.
Ah well. they still make great cameras.
I am 23 and had to decide what camera I was going to invest in for years to come. I shot canon for my years in school. Now my degree is in digital filmmaking so I am a hybrid shooter and for me I switched to a sony a7iii and I am happy with my switch. Is it perfect? No. But I am confident in the years to come it will be an even better powerhouse and on par with canons menus (which are much better now apparently) and colors. Btw the grip doesn't bother me at all but that's just me.
Indeed. Sony has been good for video, better than Canon or Nikon. Perhaps Panasonic could compete. You made a good well thought through decission, I think.
Sony already improved on the menu. It is a pity it took so long, but it is better to look forward than to complain about the past.
"t it is better to look forward than to complain about the past." - kinda of what you were doing by comparing old sony cameras to canons latest. maybe compare the new a9iii or whatever it will be called to r5. this will be grounds for another fstoppre author to write "glad i didn't switch from sony to konica"..
I can relate, I wanted to switch to a system that would make our lives easier(Sony mirrorless 3 years ago) but I knew it would be a poor business practice. I've been shooting for 23 years. I've never spent 7k on a camera update(Canon 5D Mark IV, 4 years ago) and then the following year said fuck it and take that big of a loss on switching. I also held back on the EOS R because of a number of reason but ultimately, I'm glad Canon didn't start off with a banger. That move ultimately allowed me to save for one more year and in doing so, I could jump all in with two R5 bodies and 5 RF lenses. I also have my accountant to thank for making me start a gear savings account and truly understanding the benefits of ROI. Good thing now because of the 40% +/- hit the business sucks but no cc debt makes it easier.
There were many who spend a lot and threw it away after a year or so... I could never understand how another camera could justiify the loss. Regardless which brand.
Coming from Fuji (both X and GFX) I decided to move to FF for the handheld studio and location work (fashion and make-up). I tried the A7RIV, the SL2 and the Z7 for quite a while next to each other. They all provide amazing IQ. Despite the fact that next to an SL2 all other cameras feel 'cheap', I found nothing wrong with the quality impression of the A7RIV. Same goes for the Z7. In terms of interface, I certainly think that Sony has some fixes to do on their menu approach. The A7SIII is a big step forward. The SL2 is almost the opposite approach and is great as a street camera, but lacks the flexibility I need in a 'workhorse'. Overall, the Z7 for me came closest to what I need in a camera and I decided to wait for the Z7II and one or two lenses I need (pref. in native mount). But in general: either which one you choose, these are great cameras.
I loved the Leica SL a lot. It is an amazing camera. I remember reading about the SL2, and how it feels similar to the SL. But I agree, it is not a workhorse, although it can be used as such.
Thanks for the comment
True, in terms of build quality the SL2 is a true workhorse. However, not TTL/HS with Profoto and no tethered support with Capture One (until a few days ago that is) was a deal breaker for now. The SL2 files did require the least efforts in post though...
I used a Profoto A1 in X-sync to communicate with my Profoto flashes. That worked. But TTL is something I require for my photography. It was one of the reasons to skip the SL2 as a possible new camera
One point I would like to make for the Sony A7III in particular. The camera was probably the first full frame camera for many people. At the time of its release, there was no other camera like it in terms of price-performance ratio. It was a tremendous value. Add in the third party lenses, it was and arguably still is hard to beat for its affordability. I, and I'm sure many other hobbyist photographers, probably would not be able to afford investing in Canon or Nikon fullframe bodies and lenses. But with the A7III we are getting features that are enough for most shooting scenarios, photo and video, even though I agree with you that the experience shooting with it like with its lcd, evf, menus, ergonomics are not great. If budget is not a constraint, then of course at the moment the canon system, with its incredible RF lenses, is the one to get.
Yes, good point. It was a good price-performance indeed. Although most went directly for the A7r of A7s, if I remember correctly.
In this way it was really "my first sony" ;)
Especially when it came out, the a7iii reminded me a of a good hot hatch: low rent interior and exterior, while all the extra money is spent on the drivetrain to make it go fast. Sony cheaped out on the screens and such so they could throw in then crazy eye AF, 10 fps mech or silent, and 4k video all under $2000. Hot hatch formula to a T.
Especially when it came out, the a7iii reminded me a of a good hot hatch: low rent interior and exterior, while all the extra money is spent on the drivetrain to make it go fast. Sony cheaped out on the screens and such so they could throw in then crazy eye AF, 10 fps mech or silent, and 4k video all under $2000. Hot hatch formula to a T.
Sony A7R4 described as "cheap and fiddly" somewhat biased and bizarre. As owner of Sony A7R3 the camera is just right in my big hands and produces excellent images even with 35mm f2,8 Zeiss which gets mixed reviews.
My other camera Fujifilm X-T3 not so expensive; not comparable to full-frame camera. The deciding factor for me being quality prime lenses available and prices. Sony offers more lenses than Fujifilm; but at higher price.
Down the road who knows which camera company will take centre-stage? The camera market in a state of flux with rumours of tight supplies from Chinese and Asian assembly plants owned by Japanese companies.
DSLR remains the preserve of CANON and NIKON and will remain so. But rather late to the mirrorless party?
With "cheap and fiddly" I was refering to the buttons and wheels on the camera. It is something I see a lot, not only with Sony. My biggest surprise was the "cheap and fiddly" buttons and wheels on the Fujifilm GFX100. Great camera, great resolution, overall great camera body, but the buttons and wheels are terrible.
"cheap and fiddly" is godox buttons and wheels. i have no issue with the build quality on sony a9 or a7riv.
Yeah, I had that Godox feeling with the Sony's I used. And with the new Fujifilm also...
Perhaps I is also because I have experience with so many other cameras. If you don't have a reference it is difficult to know
The only and sole reason Canon decided to do their utmost was because Sony beat them. Canon have proven to be a complacent and lazy company that profited from people like you. And since more people were actually critical, they were forced to do something. So, you should thank all the people that actually cared about price-value.
Is it because you find Canon complacement, and lazy you dislike their cameras? Just curious about that.