Downgrade from full frame to crop?

[gambit57]

We're hitting that busy part of the life cycle.   Kid about to hit middle school, which makes it harder to take vacations during the school year.  About to move with a much larger mortgage, meaning another big reason trips are less likely.  I originally moved to the Sony mirrorless A7iii because we got tired of lugging a full frame (Nikon) dslr w/ pro grade lenses around.  It helped, but it's still a brick.

 

I really only take the A7iii out on trips, but on our most recent one, I think it only came out a couple of times.  Just no time to edit RAW anymore either.

 

However, looking back on our past (edited) photos of our trips plus the photo books we made gives us a ton of joy.

 

So, for... ahem... "reasons" some of you may have heard about... I got a RX100 vi and 18-105mm f/4 lens today with an a6500 body expected tomorrow or the day after. 

 

I was thinking of just going with the p&s or the crop mirrorless with just that one lens.  Selling the other one.  Especially considering the photobook part, do you guys think either of those options will be fine?  Was thinking of dumping the a7iii and 24-70 f/2.8 G Master.  I also have a 70-200 f/4, but was debating keeping it in case I want a long zoom on the a6500.  On the FF, we just use the 24-70 about 95% of the time though.

 

If Sony comes out with an awesome a6500 replacement, I'd consider upgrading the body.

[pierces]

Hint. If you don't shoot RAW, you don't have to edit as much. 🙂

 

I am still a two format.shooter. When I went with the A7 III, i kept the A6300 as my second.body and still use it extensively with the.70-300 and 12mm Rokinon. I even kept the 18-105 for things.like work trips where I travel very light. (Though I have taken to traveling for work with only a tiny  25mm f/ 1.7 manual lens.)

 

in another thread, I unearthed my old adage: the best camera for all situations is usually two (or three!) cameras.

 

Unless you're desperate for money, keep the A7 III. You will still use it when appropriate as you will with the other cameras. On excursions (including family trips to the zoo and other non-cruise trips and family events) I often carry the A7 III with the 24-105 on the.strap and the A6300 in a waist pack with the 70-300 mounted. For zoos and kid sports, I reverse that with the A6300 on the strap.

 

Of course, this is just my opinion. I could be wrong.

 

 

Dave

 

 

[GUT2407]

Another multi format shooter, Full Frame DSLR, Crop mirrorless, 1” compact. Trialing a mates medium format, blown away but never justify the size or cost.

[gambit57]

No, it's not the money.  It's the not wanting to keep gear that depreciates if I'm never gonna use it.  Takes up space.  It's been so long, I've forgotten if crop ever made me feel hindered.  But, if it did, it might just have been old sensor tech.  When I first posted, I was thinking sell FF to be ready for crop gear when the a6500 successor comes out.

 

But, it's good to hear people are finding that they still like having both formats on hand.  I'll try that for a while then.

[pierces]

8 hours ago, gambit57 said:

No, it's not the money.  It's the not wanting to keep gear that depreciates if I'm never gonna use it.  Takes up space.  It's been so long, I've forgotten if crop ever made me feel hindered.  But, if it did, it might just have been old sensor tech.  When I first posted, I was thinking sell FF to be ready for crop gear when the a6500 successor comes out.

 

But, it's good to hear people are finding that they still like having both formats on hand.  I'll try that for a while then.

 

Another perspective: APS-C E-mount = 1.5x teleconverter with no light loss and an awesome built-in camera!

 

😁

 

One-mount strategy works very well for me.

 

Happy shooting!

 

Dave

[TheChiefNL]

Dont downgrade! I bought a few years ago a Nikon D5200 with a crop, would have preferred a full frame... Not the budget now for a new one..

[chipmaster]

1) Camera gear depreciates fast, first lesson buy USED and let someone else suck the depreciation, but once you own keep it and use it.

2) Good to have a mix of gear, camera is a tool, use the tool when you need it, also realize what makes you happy.   Some get happiness from shooting, some get greatest joy from the picture, not the camera it was taken with , IQ, bokeh, raw/jpg blah blah blah.   Your Raw comment is interesting, I've gotten so many condescending looks when we talk and they find out I only shoot JPG, don't let the herd sway you, do what makes you happy.

 

If your kid is going to middle school, you likely will find situations to use that big gear. Don't let vacations become a slave to your gear.   I have a D5 that sits idle more and more, it will get out maybe two or three times a quarter, almost breakeven to rent, but money already spent so I enjoy my tool when I need it, mostly just use my iPhone as it is good enough, but bring out the big guns when it makes a difference.

[GUT2407]

10 hours ago, chipmaster said:

1) Camera gear depreciates fast, first lesson buy USED and let someone else suck the depreciation, but once you own keep it and use it.

2) Good to have a mix of gear, camera is a tool, use the tool when you need it, also realize what makes you happy.   Some get happiness from shooting, some get greatest joy from the picture, not the camera it was taken with , IQ, bokeh, raw/jpg blah blah blah.   Your Raw comment is interesting, I've gotten so many condescending looks when we talk and they find out I only shoot JPG, don't let the herd sway you, do what makes you happy.

 

If your kid is going to middle school, you likely will find situations to use that big gear. Don't let vacations become a slave to your gear.   I have a D5 that sits idle more and more, it will get out maybe two or three times a quarter, almost breakeven to rent, but money already spent so I enjoy my tool when I need it, mostly just use my iPhone as it is good enough, but bring out the big guns when it makes a difference.

In a past career I sold cameras, including second hand, whilst I agree about depreciation, with modern digital gear I would be very cautious about second hand unless you really know what you are looking at.

[Mr. Click]

It is a dilema  that I battled with too but for different reasons.  I worked my entire "adult" life as a photographer, I started with Nikon Fs, moved to Canon EOS, then to Canon 1D models until I hung it all up.  I kept a 5D Mk3 and some lenses for family and vacation stuff but now I am the new owner of a Sony a6400 with the kit lens and the 18-200 from Sony. So far---3 days I am loving it as i learn more and more about it.  I did a trial run with the RX10 MKIV  thanks to Sony but I never got comfortable with in and I while I love the "600" tele the "24" wide was not wide enough.  I still have the 5D3 and the 16-35 for those super wide moments but I have a feeling they will be gone after our upcoming trip to Europe in a few weeks.  

 

Honestly, cameras today are so good that it is more about how it feels in my hands vs the name on the camera.  The name of the guy holding the camera matters too.

[GUT2407]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Click said:

It is a dilema  that I battled with too but for different reasons.  I worked my entire "adult" life as a photographer, I started with Nikon Fs, moved to Canon EOS, then to Canon 1D models until I hung it all up.  I kept a 5D Mk3 and some lenses for family and vacation stuff but now I am the new owner of a Sony a6400 with the kit lens and the 18-200 from Sony. So far---3 days I am loving it as i learn more and more about it.  I did a trial run with the RX10 MKIV  thanks to Sony but I never got comfortable with in and I while I love the "600" tele the "24" wide was not wide enough.  I still have the 5D3 and the 16-35 for those super wide moments but I have a feeling they will be gone after our upcoming trip to Europe in a few weeks.  

 

Honestly, cameras today are so good that it is more about how it feels in my hands vs the name on the camera.  The name of the guy holding the camera matters too.

I spent part of my life selling photographic gear and would honestly tell people that while I was a Canon man, Nikon was just as good, and Pentax, Olympus And Minolta just a hairs width behind, and for most hobbiests there was really nothing between them, they should try them all and find what they were comfortable with.

 

the brands I was talking about will give some idea how long ago that was, no Sony, Panasonic cameras in mass market 35mm then.

[chipmaster]

On 8/8/2019 at 7:35 PM, GUT2407 said:

In a past career I sold cameras, including second hand, whilst I agree about depreciation, with modern digital gear I would be very cautious about second hand unless you really know what you are looking at.

 

Agreed, buying used isn't for the novice, there will be a few bad apples, bought too many lens and bodies from CL, FM, FleaBay, and sold them too, these days holding on to two bodies.  Lens you can usually figure out in 10' or less, bodies in 15' or less, but did meet a person who bought my recent D810 who wanted to budget an hour, LOL.    Come and gone; D40, D300, D700, D3s, D5000, D7000, D3200, D600, D4, D800e, D810, a few like the D4 , D600, and D810, cycled thru like three or four copies, some with 0 on the shutter some with 200K+, in the end they all served me well.

Edited August 10, 2019 by chipmaster

[GUT2407]

Many of my lenses have been second hand. And my first 35mm was also 2nd hand a Canon EX ee. My first Hasselblad was also second hand.

[bigrednole]

I use to look at getting the best great. Then I realized 95%+ if my life is without a camera to begin with. I have a GoPro Hero 7 for my daughter. I have an Olympus TG-4 for around and in the water. My final was my downgrade to mirrorless due to weight. That is an Olympus OEM MK5ii. The size is great, pictures are as good as I want/need, and my two lenses are more than enough. I don't need to be in the keep buying phase. I will love with what I have until it dies. Then, I will get something else. 

[AquariusOne]

Interesting discussion. I started out with Nikkormat FTN, with 50mm lens (1970). Went all the way to Nikon F3 with waist level finder and many prime lenses. Most of that I still have. With that, I added Bronica Medium format with few lenses. That too I still have. Then I put all that in boxes and didn’t shoot any pictures for Next 15 years. Then 4 years ago, I bought my first DSLR full frame Nikon D610, plus couple of lenses. NOW I have another body (D750) and Nikon Lenses from wide angle to 200-500. Plus Sony p&s RX 100iii. Took all that equipment to shoot in South Africa, Namibia, Canadian Rockies etc. 
 

Now you may ask, where I am going with this? Recently took a tour Of west coast, mostly around San Diego costal area. I exclusively shot with my iPhone SXMax. I was really impressed with the image quality, ease of editing and uploading to any social media platforms. 
 

As some posters have pointed out above, about downsizing, I am really thinking to get rid of all that camera equipment, that I have been hoarding for 50 years or so and pair it down to just a few useful item. 
 

Hard part is to decide what to keep and what to let go. 

[FlyingFlip]

I never upgraded to full frame ... or anywhere above a 1" sensor.  If I ever get into certain types of photography, I might feel that the capabilities outweigh the negatives.  Generally, I'd much rather use my compact cameras instead of anything larger.

 

About six months ago we were in Yellowstone.  Three weeks ago we were on a Caribbean cruise.  After both trips, I've been perfectly happy with what my cameras could do.  I may have looked at a few of my photos and wished I was a better photographer, but I haven't looked at any and thought they would be substantially improved by a better camera.  (I'm not a professional, so the photos don't need to be pixel-peeping perfect.)

 

I own three compact cameras.  If I'm specifically going out to do photography, I'll often carry more than one.  My TG-5 is for macro, underwater, and all-weather photography.  My ZS60 is for telephoto.  My RX100 II is for everything else, particularly low light.

 

One photographer (maybe Tony Northrup) claimed that the best landscape photographs come from going further than other photographers did.  To me, that's incentive to take something smaller and lighter ... that I'll be willing to carry that much further.

 

Heavier cameras definitely might have dampened my enthusiasm for some of our more rigorous hikes in Yellowstone.  One hike had a very steep, 600' ascent to the top of a plateau.  While hiking along the plateau, I realized that I could see Old Faithful erupting ... 3 miles away.  It certainly wasn't the typical view of Old Faithful.  So I pulled out my ZS60, zoomed in, and snapped off a series of shots.  If I was using a DSLR or mirrorless camera, I'm not sure that I would have hauled a long lens up to the top of the plateau.

 

While horseback riding in Jamaica, I took a few photos, one-handed, as we were riding along the trail.  That would have been rather challenging with a larger camera.

 

Furthermore, I never feel like the camera is holding me back from doing other things.  I'll frequently carry a camera with me while wandering around the ship.  If I want to do something else, like hit the dance floor with my wife, I can slide it back into its case (on my belt) without it being in my way.

 

It would be hard to give up those kind of benefits just for a larger format.

[masterdrago]

The only reason I keep one of my FX Nikon format is that I have it set up with a bellows and 55 micro nikkor to duplicate the hundreds of 35mm slides from yesteryear. I've got a great collection of Nikkor lenses from way back and new that all work great for all the DX bodies. Have been tempted by the mirrorless Nikons but it appears they just don't measure up. Cannot justify the $$$