Am I the only one still using DSLRs?

[Abinoone]

While the photography world has shifted to mirrorless technology, I've not yet made the transition myself (call me an old fogey ), and I'm wondering if I'm the only holdout among serious and committed amateur photographers? Yes, I do understand the many advanced features of leading edge mirrorless cameras, and that using them would likely improve my keeper rate. However, as an amateur wildlife photographer, would acquiring a Z9 or Z8 really increase my imagery and personal satisfaction enough to warrant the investment required? Here's my rationale for sticking with my tried and true D850s and FX lenses, at least so far:

1. I'm an amateur, not a professional, and my wildlife photography is for my personal satisfaction only, not for any commercial purpose.
2. My images are reproduced mainly on social media, my website, for family and friends, and for occasional printing and charitable donations.
3. The last time I checked, my D850s and FX lenses are still considered top quality equipment, and arguably are capable of producing images as good as any mirrorless camera and lens.
4. Changing to a mirrorless platform would require a significant investment of money, and of time to relearn the new system. While I have both sufficient money and available time to make the change, would it really be worth it given my primary photographic purposes?

Judging from the many posts on Backcountry Gallery over the past couple of years, I'm beginning to feel very much in the minority, and so my overriding question is am I missing something obvious that everyone else has already gotten? Am I alone in the photographic universe?

 

[ButlerKid]

I'm sure you have read a lot of posts enumerating the benefits of mirrorless:

"What you see is what you get" = you see in the viewfinder the exposure before you take a photo

Subject identification, etc, etc.

It's really up to you whether or not you want to upgrade................ you don't have to.

 

[bleirer]

I stuck with film for the longest, didn't feel at all less than. You have the advantage of not looking at a video screen when you look through the viewfinder. Though these days the viewfinder are getting really good. That said, all the advances from now on will be mirrorless, so at some point it will be time to embrace the revolution.

 

[Russ4750]

I was very happy with the pair of D850s I used for years, but I have switched to mirrorless over the past few years, now using Nikon (Z8) and Canon (R5 and R5II) cameras. I've actually enjoyed learning the new equipment, which was easier than I expected, and I've found that the advantages of the new tools have enabled me to more consistently obtain the results I'm seeking, thereby increasing my enjoyment of time spent on photography. And, as I cruise through retirement, I began to wonder what I was waiting for, so went ahead and made the change while my old equipment still had a decent trade-in value. No regrets here!

 

[MikeJ]

Along with Karen @ButlerKid, mentioned, one thing I've really love is the silent shutter. I watched this little guy come down the hill from behind that big oak on the right, wander down to check his scrape maybe 15 feet from me, and then casually walk off, never knowing I was there! Don't get me wrong, I still love my D500, probably will never get rid of it, but I wouldn't have gotten very many photos if he'd heard the mirror slap.

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[StefanSC]

"What you see is what you get" = you see in the viewfinder the exposure before you take a photo

This is actually one of the things I really find annoying about the benefits of mirrorless... they aren't actually WYSIWYG... most don't take into consideration exposure time (unless you want a bit of nausea to go with your experience) and don't get me started on display/evf brightness, color accuracy, resolution or how the live histograms are determined...

However, as an amateur wildlife photographer, would acquiring a Z9 or Z8 really increase my imagery and personal satisfaction enough to warrant the investment required?

I can point out to plenty of images I've shot over the years with mirrorless that I couldn't have gotten or would have been very lucky to get with a DSLR.
Then again, I can point out to images that were harder to get with a mirrorless than a DSLR.

Changing to a mirrorless platform would require a significant investment of money, and of time to relearn the new system. While I have both sufficient money and available time to make the change, would it really be worth it given my primary photographic purposes?

I have a Z7 II siting on my desk right now with a Sigma 150mm f2.8 adapted to it. It behaves exactly as it does on the D810 it was previously mounted.
It took me an all of 30mins to get to grips with the body and the menu system.

Nikon does deserve kudos for how they handled the F to Z transition.

If you want to really go cheap, you can grab a Z50II and stick a toe in the water, see how you like it .

 

[fcotterill]

Don't worry about the crowd, if your DSLR system is working for you. For what it's worth, I continue to use my D6 with choice lenses, and my well worn D850 is close by for backup and landscapes. The sensor is still high end quality, and the AF system works very well in the majority of situations.

However, it's well worth looking at a mixed system. A minimum will be a Z camera with FTZ to experience the positive features of Mirrorless with adapted glass.
A Z50 II camera is relatively affordable if a Used or Reconditioned Z6 III is too much. These have the primary advantages of Mirrorless technology, and in fact it's relatively advanced.

 

[Cameron T]

Yes. Dlsrs were banned across the world by treaty. They're now illegal to use.

 

[BradleyD]

I’m still in transition with a z8 and a d850, and wow did I notice the difference using the 850 as my backup in Africa. So loud! Z8 number 2 is planned for 2025.

The D850 will remain my underwater camera for the foreseeable future as I am not doing enough UW photography at this time to justify a new housing and I’m perfectly content with the rig I have. If the z8 battery consumption situation significantly improves so I can throw the camera in the housing and forget about it, and if low contrast focus improves, I may bite. Maybe in a z8 ii… all depends on Nikon.

 

[Doug Herr]

Your D850 will work just as well in the foreseeable future as it always has. If you're completely satisfied with its performance, no problem. OTOH there is much a comparable mirrorless system can do that no DSLR will ever be able to do regardless of the operator. Personally, having used a mirrorless system for several years, I'd be frustrated by a DSLR system.

 

[Topper1946]

I took my d500 and z6iii to Botswana a couple of weeks ago and found I enjoyed using the mirrorless way more even though I didn’t have the same reach When using my 500pf. The eye focus is the biggie for me. BTW - just a hobbiest but enjoy having things in focus and many times would miss focus when using the high speed shutter. Seeing how the setting affect the image is a huge help as well.

 

[DRwyoming]

Nope you're not the only one still shooting DSLRs.

I suspect quite a few of the more than 8,000 members of these forums still shoot DSLRs though the most vocal and enthusiastic members on boards like these tend to also stay closer to the front of the technology curve. I know many photographers including working professionals that still shoot DSLRs and older gear for a variety of reasons ranging from purely financial reasons to sticking with gear they know inside and out and not wanting to jump on another learning curve.

No doubt, the latest technology is amazing but older cameras continue to capture fantastic images every day.

 

[bleirer]

I'm

This is actually one of the things I really find annoying about the benefits of mirrorless... they aren't actually WYSIWYG... most don't take into consideration exposure time (unless you want a bit of nausea to go with your experience) and don't get me started on display/evf brightness, color accuracy, resolution or how the live histograms are determined...



I can point out to plenty of images I've shot over the years with mirrorless that I couldn't have gotten or would have been very lucky to get with a DSLR.
Then again, I can point out to images that were harder to get with a mirrorless than a DSLR.



I have a Z7 II siting on my desk right now with a Sigma 150mm f2.8 adapted to it. It behaves exactly as it does on the D810 it was previously mounted.
It took me an all of 30mins to get to grips with the body and the menu system.

Nikon does deserve kudos for how they handled the F to Z transition.

If you want to really go cheap, you can grab a Z50II and stick a toe in the water, see how you like it .

I'm not sure what you mean about exposure time? You reduce the shutter speed the image in the viewfinder goes darker, and vice versa, no?

 

[Todd B]

I have no plans to replace my D850. I can't currently justify the cost associated with upgrading, since this is a hobby for me. If I was a pro that made my living off my photos, I probably would have already upgraded. Would I get a few more keepers with the newer tech? Probably. Would it increase the enjoyment factor? Maybe. Does it bother me that I haven't upgraded? Not a bit.

 

[Edward Cusick]

Don't worry about the crowd, if your DSLR system is working for you. For what it's worth, I continue to use my D6 with choice lenses, and my well worn D850 is close by for backup and landscapes. The sensor is still high end quality, and the AF system works very well in the majority of situations.

However, it's well worth looking at a mixed system. A minimum will be a Z camera with FTZ to experience the positive features of Mirrorless with adapted glass.
A Z50 II camera is relatively affordable if a Used or Reconditioned Z6 III is too much. These have the primary advantages of Mirrorless technology, and in fact it's relatively advanced.

I'm in the same boat (minus the recent sale of my D850). Thrilled to be a new owner of a Z9 but am still using my D6 for when it is appropriate and honestly, because it takes damn fine pictures. And with the FTZ adapter I've been able to take this step without a huge financial commitment (though that will come in time).

 

[Ralph]

I have been using the D500 for 5 years and love it. But, since a never owned a full frame digital camera I knew that that would be my next purchase. The dilemma for me was to purchase the D850 at a discount or to wait. I came extremely close to purchasing the D850 but did not. This was two years ago. I figured that I should wait and see wait Nikon was up to. Then the Z8 was announced. Even then I was willing to wait. I came to the decision to purchase last week. The $500 rebate was certainly part of incentive to buy now. I have been spending the last several days setting it up using Steve’s book. What a life saver. There are sooooo many settings. I took it out twice and change several settings from what I had originally programmed to match my shooting style.

To answer your question, if your D850 does everything you want a camera to do, then stick with it. There are some things in the Z8 that you need to get use to but the learning process is part of the enjoyment of something new. If I had already owned a full frame DSLR I probably would have waited to see what Nikon is up to next. If you shoot a lot of action I think this camera is the way to go. My 500 pf works great on this camera. And I‘m sure that all of you Lenses will to if you decide to buy.

I will use my D500 as my second body.

 

[PhilcTx]

The reasons for me to move to mirrorless is for it's reduced form-factor/size & weight, and features that mirrorless provides for shooting that DSLR's don't. Histogram, WSIWYG, focus-peaking, generally superior auto-focus & eye-tracking, better video capabilities, etc.

Those may or may not be important to some. Mirrorless doesn't provide superior image quality - but as an avocation there's more to photography than that.

If DSLR's still satisfy you keep on with them - don't switch just because the photo-sphere world is telling you it's passing you by. Some photog's are shooting B&W film with 8x10 view cameras!

 

[Larry S.]

Ignore the mirrorless “noise” in the forums here. The only person you have to please is yourself. When something you want to achieve becomes too difficult or impossible with your DSLR the “green” light to begin the transition happens. It did for me and I still use both depending on the situation. Expense is a consideration beyond performance of course. You’re likely to have a nice collection of DSLR glass and ……”can I use these?” If you shoot Nikon the answer is yes.

The mirrorless features that swayed me to switch were….in priority order:
1. No mirror flap! Critters (birds, ducks, deer, bears, etc.) went nuts when the shutter released if I was close.
2. IBIS… In Body Image Stabilization… quantum leap over lens switch…works with older lenses too w/adapter
3. Autofocus options
4. ”i” menu… This feature in the Z platform is simply amazing. You set it up for your shooting priorities. It’s a matrix chart that you can “touch” and change settings instantly. On the D850, for example, the “i” menu takes you to a list you have to search. Not very efficient.
5. Lastly, the ”wheels” (shutter speed & f/stop) on the Z’s streak you through the menus rather than using the multi-selector button and arrows…

As I became acclimated to my Z camera I discovered more advantages. You will too..

 

[RikWriter]

This is actually one of the things I really find annoying about the benefits of mirrorless... they aren't actually WYSIWYG... most don't take into consideration exposure time (unless you want a bit of nausea to go with your experience) and don't get me started on display/evf brightness, color accuracy, resolution or how the live histograms are determined...

That sounds like nitpicking. What you see is a hell of a lot closer to what you get than we've ever had before.

 

[Cameron T]

That sounds like nitpicking. What you see is a hell of a lot closer to what you get than we've ever had before.

Agreed. Dslrs were worse about all of those things.

 

[Warren D]

My dslrs get equal use to my Z's. My choice is made by subject and final destination use. Earlier this year I started using the Z9 for an area on photography that I had been using dslrs for but I honestly could use either with very similar results.

 

[Doug A.]

The only reason I moved on from my D850 was because the Z7II is so much smaller and lighter. I do very little sports/action/wildlife, mostly landscapes and portraits, so the AF issues don't affect me. I so wanted the Z8, but I just don't want to go back to a camera that size and weight.

 

[nmerc_photos]

I think the answer is absolutely, the benefits of mirrorless are worth it.

I can't think of any reason someone would stick with DSLR other than nostalgia. You can generally find lower spec mirrorless equipment that will outperform higher spec DSLR equipment, so cost is a nonfactor.

To me, the satisfaction of the latest tech in terms of AF, frame rate, lightweight bodies and lenses, etc. all greatly impact my view and enjoyment of photography.

To go from lugging around a 30lb setup of a Canon 600mm f4 MK I + tripod + body + gimbal to handholding an 8lb Z9 + 800PF makes all the difference in the world. Not to mention the vastly superior keeper rate.

Only you can decide if it's worth the monetary and time investment. I've yet to meet a single person who swapped to mirrorless and regretted it though.

 

[Woody Meristem]

Even though I've been shooting mirrorless for years because I use Olympus cameras, there's no reason for you to switch if your DSLRs produce the images you want. I prefer mirrorless for it's smaller size, silent shutter, IBIS, ProCapture (pre-capture to most of you) and subject recognition and its ability to focus on the subject's eye. If you don't need or want any of those, there's no reason to make the switch and spend the money.

 

[Jbear]

Well, you gotta do you. Me, I am still shooting DSLR, and I never return from a shooting "expedition" with fewer keeper images than I had hoped for, and my post-processing backlog is stoopid large. I am not earning my living with my camera, so that is an important caveat. I'm just not ready to spend a bucket of money on a transition in order to net a percentage increase in keepers (and backlog). If someone gifted a new ML system I'd certainly embrace the learning curve and go with it. Short of that...until a Z9 level camera is "affordable," I'm good. My own personal axiom for just about everything from clothing, to guitars, to photo gear is...I don't do anything just because other people are doing it. Change when you're ready...not until.