Mirrorless Camera...anyone?

It's never about the camera. It's always about the one using it.
Any mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses will take
great doll photos. Olympus, Sony's a7 series, Nikon 1 family
Sony a6000 series doesn't have an eye level viewfinder which
comes close to being a deal breaker for me. I can hold a camera
much more steady against my face than I can at arm's length
and an LCD panel is nearly useless on a sunny day. Today's
sensors are much better than they were even a couple of
years ago and the mirrorless cameras use the same lenses and
sensors as the DSLRs do.

If I were to change from my NIkon dSLRs to a new system today
I would probably opt for Sony's a7 series or possibly Olympus.

 

From my experience: DSLR gives you much better quality, you can change lenses and get great depth of photo. I use non DSLR and i see the difference. Maybe because i love bokeh and 50-55mm lenses. Anyway it's all up to you. Super epic camera won't make you super artist, and on the other hand i saw many photos made with simple cameras, or even cell phones , which were amazing. It's all up to you i think. you need to ask yourself what is better for you, what you likes better and so on. Hope you can choose your perfect camera!

 

It really depends on what effect you're going for.

If you want really sharp, look that picks up almost every single detail then I say go for the DSLR. If you want more of a slightly vintage look and want to go more for an outcome that follows the wabi-sabi philosophy then go for the mirrorless. I've acquired an Olympus mirrorless camera a few years back and I love it for the imperfect, dreamy pictures that it takes. You can probably do that with DSLRs too but mirrorless cameras achieve that with more authenticity IMHO.

 

Personally I would get the DSLR but I'm a photo major so it's an investment I'll use a ton. You can take awesome photos with just about any camera, or even an iPhone but you'll get more depth from a good DSLR. I'd recommend narrowing it down to a few specific types and coming up with a pros and cons list so you can weigh your options and see what's best for your specific needs. Good luck with your search

 

I'm on the DSLR camp, I have a Canon 6D and 70D along with a variety of lenses and accessories.

There's not a huge difference in size or weight, and the main bulk is the lens anyway.

DSLRs tend to be cheaper and have a greater variety of better quality lenses, and generally take better quality pictures. They are also more popular and as a side-effect have a bigger second hand market. They also have better (i.e. working...) autofocus for moving subjects, but that's a bit moot for dolls. They also have a proven track record for quality control and longevity.

Mirrorless cameras are a bit more adaptable in that they can use more lenses from different camera manufacturers, but require an expensive adapter. They may also have better low light performance, or better video recording (4k...).

I'd recommend having a look at a few "how to use" youtube videos. Tony & Chelsea Northrup have a bunch of good videos showing how to use a specific model of camera. It will show you what the buttons do and their placement, and also how the menus work. Sony are well-known for having silly menus for example.

Lastly I'd recommend going to a shop and actually holding one in your hands. Canon have a variety of bodies at different price points, but they are also different physical sizes. If you're ever going to shoot manual, don't get the bottom model as they only have one adjustment knob rather than two.

The image quality really only matters if you're a pixel-peeper, and with good lighting you're not really going to see a difference anyway. How good the photo ends up being depends on the photographer more than the equipment.

 

2nd that statement. I take crappy doll pictures mostly with my cell phone... mainly because I can. XD For the occasional client facing gigs I take on, I use the bulky DSLR and too many lens because that's what clients expect to see. For my own projects, lately I've been using an older Lumix 4/3 that I bought for super cheap that currently has a Leica Summilux 25mm f/1.4 lens attached. Love the bokeh of the lens and that the cam fits into my little bag. That I don't have to worry as much about replacement costs should something happen to it (as the entire set up is cheaper than a dslr lens) is a huge plus!

 

I'm willing to bet you've seen a fair share of doll photography with mirrorless cameras, and you just don't realize it. I'm also gonna assume you mean Mirrorless ILCs, and not just any mirrorless camera including point-and-shoots.

To me, unless you're going to be limited by the lenses available or are super serious about getting a really high end camera, I would chose a mirrorless. I went from a Nikon D700 to a Samsung NX3000, mostly because I no longer needed all the lenses nor was I going to pursue photography as anything more than a hobby. (Previously, a good percentage of my photography was highspeed sports photography, which is why the numerous telephoto lenses were necessary. But I eventually stopped having interest in that which meant I had no use for most of my lenses.) And I have to tell you, especially given that my dolls are basically my only subjects (besides my cats), I love my mirrorless to bits.

I don't mean to contradict the other posters, but for one thing, you really feel the weight difference between the two. For one thing, I can actually wear the thing around my neck and not be sore after. For whatever reason, I tend to shoot in precarious positions or need to do so one-handedly to get some shots- I could never imagine doing that with a DSLR.

And as it sounds like you read elsewhere, when you talk about photo quality, Mirrorless ILCs are already generally on par with DSLRs. The pitfalls of Mirrorless ILCs are usually only really obvious for other, more fast paced/demanding types of photography like Wildlife or Sports, but if doll photography is what you're mainly in it for, I say Mirrorless is the way to go.

 

That I'll agree with. I use a Black Rapid shoulder strap when I'm walking around with my DLSR. Apart from the weight distribution being better; if you bend over you can hold the camera behind your back with your elbow as second nature, if it's around your neck it tends to swing into whatever is in front of you. Or maybe that is just me

Saying that, the very well articulated screen on my 70D is fantastic for weird-angle shots. It is about the most flexible screen that I've seen.

 

@Leiothrix Hahaha I wore my D700 like a sling bag across my chest. That thing was heavy. =)) Combined with a 300mm lens sometimes, yikes, forget about it. lmao I really welcomed having a mirrorless on a short strap around my neck for much easier access.

But fair point on the flexibility of the screen. I had a D5000 before my D700 and I did miss how many angles the D5000 could do. But maybe it's because the camera I had before my mirrorless was the D700 that even if the screen articulation was less than the D5000's, it was still a step up. xD I'm not sure how much a 70D weighs, but a D700 is a freaking bowling ball =)) Forget about taking a steady shot with just one hand at a distance.

Having naturally shaky hands, the weight of a DSLR is just too much for me to do a one-handed long exposure shot, which is more of what I meant about the precarious positions. xD

 

I use mirrorless camera Fuji xt 10, I love the effect and colour of it. I used to use dslr, but to be honest I love xt10 better. Easy to carry

 

I've been using a canon 6d for years and back in the fall I bought a Fuji x-t2 and I am in love with it. I like how it looks like a film camera and a lot of people think that. I have been using both cameras side by side for a few months now and there are some things the fuji handles better. It's sharp! The dials are all on the top, so it makes for finding the right exposure super quick, rather than going into a menu of a dslr. Lighter! and all the lenses are lighter. I work as a wedding photographer and I probably have been carrying around 30-40lbs in my backpack all day long, I see the chiropractor often, its insanity.

With the fuji there are different film simulations that give different color effects, you might not even have to edit an image when you are done. It shows you what the exposure looks like before you take the photo, so you can adjust perfectly instead of trail and error. I love this especially. You don't go from inside to outside and totally blow out all your images by accident. I can hook it up to my phone and download all the images. It's just so wonderful. I love mirrorless.

 

I've had a Pentax Q for years and it was a great camera--I got it for 180 bucks in 2013 and it is great for quick trips. It fits in my pocket, purse, and backpack very easily. I mostly do macro stuff--flowers, etc--and find that using vintage glass on it with an adapter makes me very happy. It is highly frustrating with certain things though--no viewfinder, which means it's tough to see what I'm taking pictures of. When I shoot on that thing, I am 100 percent manual and it makes me a better photographer for it.

However, I recently got a Canon T2i used and it has been amazing. I take far better photos through it and I enjoy photography a ton more on it because I don't have to work my butt off fighting everything. It's a bit of an ordeal taking it out, though, packing my photo backpack with all the lenses, lugging them around... It makes photography more of an occasion but I enjoy it so much more!

 

I use a Sony A7rii currently (looking to upgrade to the iii) for photography that isn't doll related.

A mirrorless camera can take pretty much the same photos as a DSLR when comparing like for like. What I mean by this is the type of sensor used. I have had a full frame ( Note: you do not need a full frame) Nikon D800 (DSLR) and a Sony A7rii. The quality is comparable.

The differences come in the bells and whistles. The mirrorless copes a lot better in low light, it has better face recognition, it has better autofocus. Etc. The downside, at least for the A7rii, is the battery life. It very much worse than my old Nikon camera, and now I have to carry four or five batteries of I'm doing an all day shoot. This is really only this model though as far as Im aware, and it's not an issue with the Pentax cameras for example. Lenses (glass) are more expensive because the market needs to play a little catchup, but really for any type of portrait photography I would recommend a 35mm f/1. 4 or f/1.2 lens.

I would definitely recommend a mirrorless camera, and I say this as someone who is a photographer.They are light, compact, and give you amazing results. And the market is definitely moving that way, glass will become less expensive and adapters will too so you can use cheaper lenses.

Also just some tips, shoot in RAW and edit in lightroom. Presets are often free if you look and it does all the work for you. Also check out ebay and secondhand camera shops. I got mine secondhand off ebay and it turned out fine. Just remember to use PayPal for buyer protection.

 

Dropping in here to say I love my mirrorless Sony. I've taken some great photos with mine. x

 

I have Ilce-7m2 + Sel85f18. I'm happy with that. Ok, maybe I need Sel55f18z becose 85mm is sometimes too much.

 

Hello!

I went from a Nikon D5100 DSLR o a Sony A6400. Like the cat meme, I regret nothing, NOTHING!

The cameras are really light weight, and the eye-autofocus in the A6400works perfectly fine with my dolls. The only complain is that the 16-55mm pancake kit lens is trash. Don't even bother in getting it. Instead, get the Tamrom 35mm f2.8 which is a beast, especially for doll photography. You can get really close for macro shots and also far away for full body pics, remaining at a decent distance.

I totally recommend moving away from DSLR, period. They are old tech, and Sony is leading in Mirrorless -Nikon doesn't have that much glass to offer, and Canon has too many mounts in their mirrorless.

I can give you some of my RAW files if you want to check them out. I also use Minolta vintage lenses on my Sony a6400, because they are really cheap and incredible lenses. But you have to manual focus!

 

Thank you for sharing! I have a Sony alpha 5100 with the standard lens.I looked around after reading your comment and am excited to try this lens out!!!

 

A lil update: I got the Sony 50mm 1.8 lens for my cropped camera and I’m in love! I can blur backgrounds so well with the lower aperture that I can take pics of my dolls outside of their diorama and mess with the scale a bit.

I was concerned about the minimum distance required to shoot objects but it’s totally fine! I thought I would have to stand so much further away but it’s not the case (i estimate I have to be about a foot away to focus on my subject.)

All in all very excited to take lots of pics not only of my dolls but also of food hehe.

 

I just upgraded from my Canon T3i that I got YEARS ago and never learned how to get off Auto/away from kit lenses to a Fuji X-T3. I debated going full frame over the crop sensor but the Fuji colors and retro feel sealed it for me. And I love it. So I am a huge fan of mirrorless.

 

Since I

yes! Mirrorless FTW

since I realized the pandemic is gonna go on a little longer, I bought myself an external flash to experiment with. I quickly learned about hot shoes and how my Sony Alpha 5100 doesn’t have one. Oops! Thankfully I got the setup to work using the flash’s optical slave mode. More experiments to come...

 

I just got a Sony A6100, but have played with the A6000 and A6600. Definitely recommend mirrorless cameras, and I used to swear by DSLR

 

I bought a fuji x-t2 after years of shooting canon full frames professionally. I can tell you the file sizes from the x-t2 were bigger than my canon 6d (i have since upgraded to canon 5d markiv and i dont a notible difference) I like the images out of the fuji so much better sometimes, sometimes its simply composed better, better colors and sharper. Full frame doesn't mean too much these days, so dont be hooked on that. Full frames and their lenses are heavy, especially when handling dolls. You can't beat that electric view finder, it will save you time on editing. If you did want to invest to improve, upgrading lenses before bodies is always the way to go. Seriously, nothing feels as nice as the fuji with all the dials not in menus.

 

I've been doing some camera shopping lately because I feel the need to upgrade my more than ten year old Canon 550D to a mirrorless and am torn between the Sony A6600 and A7iii

I will say that I'm quite an amateur when it comes to photography. A lot of what I do is self taught and I fully admit that I'm not the best when it comes to being able to discern the differences simply by reading and watching camera reviews and comparison articles.

Can someone give me the TLDR of the clear differences between these two models as I try to figure out which one is best for me?

 

I got, on VERY high recommendation, a very expensive Sony RX100, and have found the images extremely clear, and extremely frustrating. In wide screen mode, there's a very subtle distortion that really affects the look of the doll that increases with the amount of zoom. It's my first Sony and it makes me distrust the whole line. I'm about to send it back, if I can.
@Musume Thanks for this info! I've still got my minolta lenses from my first DSLR. If they'll work, that's wonderful!

 

When it comes to camera, I know absolutely nothing besides very basic terms, but I was hoping someone could help me out with a mirrorless camera that would cost under $500. Is that even realistic or is it too cheap for a mirrorless camera?
Please please help