Should I get another DSLR camera?

Albermarle

As a complete non expert ,I prefer a small/medium sized  camera to a phone for the simple reason that it just seems easier to get the right picture holding the camera with both hands up against your face, and looking through the viewfinder. As opposed to holding the phone up in the air, although of course they are useful for the fact that you nearly always have one with you.

gzoom

I had a 450D, 550D load of lens, and than moved onto an Olympus EM-5 + lens….



But I haven’t powered up the EM-5 for a few years now, but taking more photos than ever……These days I honest find it hard to think of a situation where the EM-5 would produce better results for holiday pictures than the phone camera. 

DullGreyGuy

gzoom said:

But I haven’t powered up the EM-5 for a few years now, but taking more photos than ever……These days I honest find it hard to think of a situation where the EM-5 would produce better results for holiday pictures than the phone camera. 

Given the basic physics gives a whole host of scenarios where a larger sensor is better that really is a very damning view of the quality of the EM-5. I know its a micro 4/3 sensor so only half the size of a full frame sensor but it should still be a good step forward from a phone camera

Just take bokeh, the depth of field is based on the actual lens length not its 35mm equivalent length, the longer the actual lens the shallower the depth of field so the more isolated you can make the subject. So on my Canon on a 100mm I get the bokeh of a 100mm lens, on my wife's micro 4/3 she gets the "zoom" of a 100mm lens but the bokeh of a 50mm lens and on an iPhone 15max again the zoom of a 100mm lens but the depth of field of a 15.5mm

Clearly with such a short length the iPhone can achieve almost no subject isolation hence it uses software to mimic it. In fairness for most uses the software does ok but if you want to crop heavily or are really trying to produce first class images then zooming in around the subject really shows the limitations of the software. Take a furry animal like a squirrel, it has a fuzzy outline with hairs of different lengths sticking out. Because a SLR depth of field is real all the hairs will be in focus and the background out of focus. Same photo on an iPhone gets you some hairs out of focus and some background between longer hairs in focus as its not perfectly identified the outline of the animal. 

Wife hates my camera as its far too heavy for her but if she wants to create a knockout photo it's the one she reaches for. 

FreeBear

DullGreyGuy said: but when you really want a proper photo and not just a snap there is still a very big gap in what proper cameras can achieve due to the larger sensor size, similarly as SLR never managed to capture the images in the same way as a medium format camera but has plenty of other benefits.

I enjoy taking a Wista 5x4 out - You get a new sensor with every shot, and phenomenal resolution. No battery to go flat. You can do things that would be almost impossible with a DSLR or phone - Macro to infinity focusing range, perspective control (no more tombstoning of buildings), and more. One body, a couple of lenses, and a handful of darkslides weighs no more than some DSLR kits, and can be just as compact. If you want to go digital, just clip a Phase One back on, and go shooting.

Wyndham

I still have my Canon DSLR and a couple of lenses, but these days I tend to take my Canon SX730-HS out instead (https://www.canon.co.uk/cameras/powershot-sx730-hs/)

I don't like using a phone to take pictures, and just don't feel I get the shots I want to get. This could be to do with me, rather than the phone, but somehow I've never quite on on with the technology in the same way as I do with a camera.

The SX730 has an amazing zoom, and this is one of the things I was looking for (and it's certainly better than the phone). It's small, so not nearly as heavy as the old kit. It has enough settings to allow me to experiment, as well as good results on 'auto', and then it also has a few more settings that I never use! Only criticism is that it doesn't have a viewfinder, and I do miss that.

I originally bought it so I had a smaller camera, and wasn't sure how much I would use it. I now use it most of the time.

I've had a look at mirrorless, and they are certainly interesting... but maybe not for me at this stage of life. But, if I were looking to replace my DSLR, I may well go that way.

But, OP, it depends what your priorities are. Hope my experience is helpful to you.

EssexExile

I'm another one that uses the phone most of the time now. I have a Panasonic compact camera with a good zoom that I use when needed. I don't need the great quality of a cumbersome camera and lens set up any more. To be honest I probably never did but there weren't practical alternatives to SLRs years ago.

gzoom

DullGreyGuy said:

I know its a micro 4/3 sensor so only half the size of a full frame sensor but it should still be a good step forward from a phone camera

The slight drop in picture quality on the phone is more than made up for with convince. I don't make a living from photography, so I'm more than happy with the pictures my phone camera can produce.

ElwoodBlues

Camera phones are always going to be handicapped by their small sensor size - they can get good results in good light conditions, but tend to fall down in lower light. My phone camera (top of the range Samsung) doesn't get close to the image quality of my e-m1 or e-m10 with a mid range lens attached.

Also find the controls really fiddly compared to a proper camera with physical dials and buttons. And whenever over tried to use my phone camera in manual mode it's never done what I was trying to tell it to. For anything other than a quick snap in auto mode it's pretty frustrating.

If you've got investment in lenses then it makes sense to buy another compatible body. But at the end of the day the best camera is the one you have with you, and you'll nearly always have your phone on you, but only take a DSLR when you're planning to use it.

DullGreyGuy

gzoom said:

DullGreyGuy said:

I know its a micro 4/3 sensor so only half the size of a full frame sensor but it should still be a good step forward from a phone camera

The slight drop in picture quality on the phone is more than made up for with convince. I don't make a living from photography, so I'm more than happy with the pictures my phone camera can produce.

And thats fine, I totally agree that not everyone needs a £50,000 Phase 1 camera. I'm no pro photographer though do take photos that the Mrs uses for marketing etc so have a decent camera (not a Phase 1) but similarly take most photos on my phone when its just for fun. 

It's however different to say you accept its limitations for convenience and money saving than to deny there is any material difference in the images it captures. 

TryingToWork

WSB said:

My trusty Canon 550D after 14 years great service has sadly died recently, leaving me with the decision on what to replace it with.

We travel a fair bit and I love taken photos and videos. 

My natural choice would be to go for another Canon DSLR, so would be interested to know people's opinions. Don't want to spend a fortune though. 

Conversely, what are my options including dare I say it, getting a phone with a decent camera?

Thanks in advance 

Why not compromise and get a decent camera that is not a big heavy DSLR?

The Panasonic Lumix range are brilliant for this. They have Leica lenses, and the zoom is still way better than any stand-alone phone camera lens. And as well as the LCD screen they have a proper optical viewfinder too, which most compact cameras don't have. 

I have an old Lumix; a DMC LX7, that you can get for £150 on Ebay. 

But here's a much newer Lumix:
https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-digital-cameras/superzoom-cameras/dc-tz90.html

They go for £200 - 300 on Ebay. There are often ones that have never been used. 

If you're not bothered about additional lenses, this compact camera range is the next best thing to pro cameras IMO. I studied photography but since health issues I cannot carry heavy kits around, so my DMC LX7 is perfect for me. And is the camera I have had the longest out of many over the years.