Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I worry about lenses today as they are just as much electronic, with motors and such operating things with computer chips in them.

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

Valid point. One thing I really dislike on mirrorless lenses is "Focus-by-wire." But my eyes have gotten so bad it's a moot point, as I must rely on autofocus anyway.

Other than that i really like the new tech, and epecially the improved autofocus, for the same reason.

Grahame Loc: Fiji

Whilst optical quality is going to affect sharpness e.t.c., differences here may possibly be compensated for in post for the majority of users.

What may be more significant for some of us is 'speed of response and accuracy' of the electro/mechanical focusing mechanism with respect to capturing action.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Lots of DSLR lenses focus by wire as well.

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

I'm not surprised.

Bill_de Loc: US

I don't know how it goes price wise going from F mount to Z on most lenses. Almost tempting to me was that KEH will give me enough to trade in my Nikon 800 AF-s and replace it with the new Z mount (slightly slower), with a few cents left over.

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Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

It all depends on the lens.
Most F mount lenses are not compatible with the Z mount.
They will fit with an adapter but lose most functions including AF unless they are relatively recent lenses. You will need to check on each lens to see if it is Z compatible with an adapter or as you say go ahead and get the Z lens.
I would guess that some old F lenses that are recent and very premium will hold value.
Example, the Canon 1,200mm EF lens sold recently for 580K and is quite old. Original new price was "only" 90K.

User ID

Where do you get your history ? SLRs were in use in the late 19th century.

These were very competent cameras, remaining in production, needing only minor design tweaks, to the mid 20th century, even adding auto iris lenses.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

I'm aware of cameras like the 19th century Graflex with a reflex mirror but they were large format cameras and not very significant in the pro market and did not influence the developing consumer market of the early 20th century. It wasn't until WWII that small format SLR cameras entered the consumer market and not until after the war that they began to have an impact.

anotherview Loc: California

Ditto as to switching to new lenses. From what I understand, the attraction of mirrorless cameras has to do with the advances in operational technology. I do not read of a significant improvement of image quality. For now, I will stick with my DSLR cameras and their lenses.

gwilliams6

I totally agree. The improvements in optical design and image quality , along with vast improvements in focus motors are a quantum leap from just a few years ago.

If you dont need these image quality improvements, stick with your DSLR-designed and even first generation mirrorless-designed lenses.

But I for one have embraced the new generations of mirrorless lenses. Taking just one brand for example; the second and latest generation Sony G-Master lenses simply blow away the first generation G-Master lenses in sharpness, optical glass quality, bokeh, rendering, micro contrast, flare resistance, coma elimination, chromatic aberration reduction or total elimination, lack of fringing, and have focus motors that work two to four times as fast. AND yet weigh less and are more compact than previous versions.

The new generation of prime G-Master lenses are setting new benchmarks for sharpness and performance, and the new Sony 70-200mm f2.8 G-Master II lens has taken full advantage of this sea-change in lens tech, and has become the first mirrorless zoom lens (from any mirrorless brand) to test as sharp as the best primes (MTF-Standard test results) , getting rid of the age-old argument forever that zooms cant match the best primes.

None of this is to say you cant still make good shots with older generation lens tech, but the new reality is that the latest and greatest mirrorless lenses are a huge cut above the rest, and the best EVER, IMHO as a longtime professional who has owned and shot with the best lenses from Nikon, Canon, Leica, Sony, Sigma, Tamron, Zeiss over the past four+ decades. .

Cheers

Bill_de Loc: US

What about the vast improvements in software? Maybe we can shoot with old lens at slow shutter speeds.

https://www.topazlabs.com/sharpen-ai?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=performance_max&attribution=true&gclid=Cj0KCQjwntCVBhDdARIsAMEwACkPPQSoFTsybLjk_-26YLmK53NHatRF4Js-M6vGCYusVlW8tQsBdy4aArzCEALw_wcB

I admit, I have never used this software.

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DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I have tried the sharpen AI software from Topaz and it works pretty well on out of focus things if they aren't too far out. Can't handle way out of focus. Similarly, motion blur can be mitigated but not eliminated. AI is not perfect yet. Maybe in the future, but I won't hold my breath.

So far, the extreme examples of AI that I have seen make things up. It helps if they have other information to use (e.g. images of the same subject with more resolution) but the made up things sometimes don't really fit.

Bill_de Loc: US

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Although this is not the topic of this thread, I do have the Topaz products that I signed up for a bit ago. I am under impressed and will be returning to Lightroom only when my subscription to Topaz expires. Best of luck.