RonDavis Loc: Chicago, IL

Ed.....somehow I think we're in the same corner on this one:

You say: "I have, on the other hand, retained stuff that I can still use."

And I said: "Often, or more like once in a while, I’ll take one of my “older” smaller mirrorless cameras (+/- 12MP, 2/3”-1/1.7” sensor) out for a shoot."

However, I'm still looking for a lot to build the "MIRROR LESS HOUSE".
Keep shooting (with new or old gear)

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Film is not digital. It's not valid to swap these apples for oranges. You've missed the point of some of the discussion.

Sticking just to digital, what makes little sense is owning multiple 24MP cameras of the same brand and sensor format. What makes little sense is holding onto your 10MP cropped camera when you now own a 45MP full-frame model, one you could shoot in crop mode and still have more pixels than that starter camera of 12+ years ago.

What makes little sense is to invest in all the lenses and computer storage, possibly new software, to drop your still being sold cropped model for a full-frame model.

A true masterpiece doesn't tell you anything about the camera used. But, if you bought a replacement camera, why are you keeping your old girlfriend around? Different cameras in different formats may support different needs. But, the one to one replacement means you don't need the old camera anymore.

gwilliams6

RonDavis Loc: Chicago, IL

Hi RodeoMan, I agree this has been an interesting discussion about.....as the title suggest...the experience of "Using Older Gear". You know....rotating old (or seldom used) gear into a shooting routine....hopefully, it's still a pleasurable and fun experience. The thread was never intended to be a comparative analysis of old technology vs new technology. That would indeed be a fools errand. I'm pretty sure we benefit from "old" technology as well as we appreciate the advanced capabilities new technology brings. Let's keep shooting and enjoying the equipment we're fortunate to have.....older or newer All comments have been truly appreciated

User ID

Relics have relic value ... prints or gear.
Collectable valuation is not a judgement of quality. Iconic examples would be by Fellig and Cartier Bresson.

gwilliams6

Interesting discussion.

Two examples based on real-world use:
1) I have owned all generations DSLR from the beginning with single digit megapixels up to 12mp and 20mp APS-C and fullframe Canon and Nikon DSLRs; and then mirrorless cameras sensor sizes from 24mp APS-C, to 24mp fullframe, to 42mp fullframe, to 61mp fullframe and 50mp fullframe .

But I also own the video-centric recent release Sony A7SIII which is "only" 12mp, the perfect sensor size for one-to-one pixel readout for superb 4k video without processor overheating. I found that this 12mp was also the perfect size megapixels for when I am called upon (forced, lol) to do video and still shots at family gatherings, making easy to share videos and still images that are a good enough size for good quality with my good lenses, yet sized right for fast processing and takes up less space for everyone to share and store.

With firmware updates, now my fullframe mirrorless 50mp A1 can also shoot small and medium raw file sizes in both APS-C and fullframe modes (it could always shoot reduced size jpegs) so I can also shoot some of the "older camera" megapixel sizes in both raw files and jpegs if I want with my A1, giving me a "throwback" image quality experience from the beginnings of DSLR and early mirrorless cameras.

Of course the other performance advances of the latest gear cant be recreated with older gear. But any photographer that enjoyed making shots "back in the day" can still make enjoyable shots with their older gear if they want to.

2) A well-known Australian Photographer and youtuber , David Oastler always wanted a mirrorless Sony camera that could do 4k/60 or 4k/120 to deliver nice 4k slo-mo for his wedding and fashion shoots that he had to do in HD slo-mo or 4k/30p back when the 24mp fullframe A9 first came out. David was using his 24mp Sony A9 to shoot his wedding stills and video and he and his clients were very happy with his results. For David, 24mp fullframe was a "sweet spot" for his work.

David was one of the first to get the video-centric A7SIII and loved it. He found that he didn't switch back and forth to his 24mp A9, but would start to use the 12mp A7SIII for his wedding stills as well as his 4k slo-mo wedding videos. He found with his raw shooting and processing techniques he could still get his signature wedding and portrait look from the A7SIII 12mp sensor. Now his older 24mp A9 are his backup cameras for wedding shoots. David did add a fullframe 50mp A1 when they first came out. LOL

My current mirrorless cameras, 61mp A7RIV; 50mp A1; 12mp A7SIII.

Cheers and best to you all.

(Download)

RonDavis Loc: Chicago, IL

G....it sounds like you're having a great time with your "old" and newer gear. Keep up with those updates.....and keep shooting great videos (before a GAS attack reclassifies your current gear as "old" )Thanks for the observation comments.

gwilliams6

Cheers and best to you.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

You may be keeping “the old girlfriend” around because it is a completely different experience from the new one, and at times you may feel a desire/need to go back to the old one. Not every change is truly a 100% improvement. Auto focus is usually an improvement over manual focus. Digital is usually an improvement over film. CMOS is usually associated with improvement over CCD. But there are always exceptions, and for a given person there may at times be artistic or technical reasons for revisiting an old technology.

Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore

Does anyone miss kodachrome 25/64 slide film? Some fine images were made with them. O know Paul Simon does

RonDavis Loc: Chicago, IL

RonDavis Loc: Chicago, IL

Hummm.....A little clarification needed here...... The original post was directed at "digital" cameras....not film:

"Often, or more like once in a while, I’ll take one of my “older” smaller mirrorless cameras (+/- 12MP, 2/3”-1/1.7” sensor) out for a shoot".

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I didn’t see any reason for that restriction. I do still have a film SLR, and do sometimes load it with a roll of film and take it “out for a shoot”. In fact, I did so a few days ago. It’s ‘auto focus’ is really slow - in fact, it has manual focus - but everything said in the OP is very true about using that camera once-in-a-while.

RonDavis Loc: Chicago, IL

OK, great.....but how would you classify your camera/equipment....as "old" or new .....since the subject of this post/thread is "Using the Older Gear". More important.....was your experience rewarding?

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Obviously my equipment is “older”, and it is “rewarding” in exactly the ways described in the OP {except I do find use of film to be very enjoyable - even though I do have to wait to see the results}.