burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Barb, there are mirrorless cameras that DO NOT overheat, and DO NOT have recording limits. I use a Lumix GH4, which has never overheated in five years, despite recording in 95°F summer heat for over 90 minutes. At low video bit rates, it can record about 2:20 on a new, fully charged battery. Heck, the battery dies, or the memory card fills up, before it even gets warm.

The GH4 successor, the Lumix GH5, and its sibling, the GH5s, don't overheat, either. They can keep going indefinitely, if you use a battery eliminator AC adapter and keep swapping out the SDXC cards in the dual card slots. The full frame Lumix S1H includes a fan to cool the sensor, so it does not overheat, either.

Of course, some full frame cameras *do* overheat after four minutes of 4K video recording. Others overheat after 12 to 20 minutes, and most have a European tariff-limited record time of 29:29:29 (Minutes:Seconds:Frames), anyway. The GH4, GH5, GH5s, and S1H have no time limit restrictions.

That's the difference between marketing gimmicks and purpose-built cameras. The folks at Panasonic put some of their best video knowledge into these cameras, for those of us who NEED both stills and video in the same package on a frequent basis. They are not perfect (Contrast-Detect AF is weak for stills and awful for video), but that may or may not be an issue, depending upon what you record. Cinematography is most often done in full manual mode, anyway, so multiple cameras can be matched for color and exposure, and there is no chance of focus "hunting."

petrochemist Loc: UK

Over the last few years at our camera workshop I would say DSLRs tend to be preferred by the older men, all the mirrorless cameras have been owned by members under 65 (several of who have DSLRs too). The more decrepit members have all shot DSLRs except for one with a bridge camera.

Personally I use both, my DSLRs are slightly better for fast moving subjects like airshows & motorsports.
While the mirrorless are streets ahead for adapting lenses, infra red, and low light. (This also helps out in macro where a DSLR viewfinder becomes very dark as the magnification goes up).
For the majority of other types of shooting both are very similar in use.

I don't shoot video but I guess that tends to fall on the mirrorless side too.

If your usage fits in the areas where mirrorless excel then I'd strongly recommend you give one a try (borrow a friends, rent or try in a shop). this might be a good thing to do anyway just to see how you get on with them.

Chuckwal Loc: Boynton Beach Florida

Use both have 2 RF lens super my other
camera is 6D 11
chuck

bcharrison

Your reasoning is very powerful and logical I may add. Maybe I should consider investing in myself and in a new camera. Most likely the Canon R5. I would keep my 6D and maybe even look into repairing it. Although I have had it repaired a number of times. Are you enjoying using the Sony or do use your EOS 5DIII more? Would you trade your 5 DIII for a mirrorless Canon? Thanks again. It is a pleasure exchanging thoughts with you. If there is anything else, you run across, please get in touch. barb

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Barb, the image quality of the 5DIII is hard to beat, especially at high ISOs. This camera was very popular and used prices are now well under $1000, reflecting the huge amount of bodies in the market, especially with people turning to superior mirrorless bodies. Mirrorless bodies have features that make the shooting process better. The IBIS turns every lens into an IS-enabled lens, something I like about using my old manual focus film lenses on the Sony. The 10x zoom in the viewfinder, with the camera held to my eye, gives me the ability to focus on anything as I can 'see' the details. You can also do an image review in the viewfinder, for all those situations you can't 'see' the backside LCD due to being outside in bright light.

bcharrison

Thanks so much for your insight. I did try the Canon R5 at a camera store. I have to weigh the input I have received from this group, which has been great.

bcharrison

Again thanks for your knowledge. I am saving all the information as I reflect on how to decide.

bcharrison

Any preference?

barb

bcharrison

Thanks for your input.

barb

bcharrison

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. Do you shoot the R6 in manual? Why didn't you purchase the R5? Was it the difference in price? Did you purchase the lenses for the Rs?

ltcarizona

I keep hearing the old question/debate again and again here by members. Many appear to beginners or advanced amateurs. To buy or not to buy a Mirrorless. I have been in photography for over 40 years owning Nikon, Canon, and Minolta top of the line cameras and basic consumer models. And not the same thing occurs with the top levels and down of mirrorless cameras. There are some very good people that respond asking those inquiring this question: What is it you are going to be photographing. One of the many claims for people to go to Mirrorless is the shooting speeds they can obtain that many standard DSLR cameras cannot. And the other normally asked questions are: Portability/Camera Size, 4K, the size of your present system, what you are going to do with the non-mirrorless system, and of course the cost of obtaining a complete mirrorless system.

What I would like to point out is why everyone wants to get rid of their tried and true system just to jump to mirrorless. Some of the most famous pros in the world still use top line Canon, Nikon, Pentax DSLR in all parts of the world and have won it one time or another every major award out there. And these camera are still selling. They are the workhorse of cameras.

But what everyone forgets is one MAJOR ASPECT OF PHOTOGRAPHY. Something I was taught by an professional photographer when I was first starting out. I thought it was how good of a camera you bought (this applies very well to the debate we have here). He took my first cheap camera and out shot me every time while I was using his top of line Canon.

And this it: It is not the camera, but the expertise and capabilities of the Photographer. It is the effective use of lighting and composition, and little for maybe lens quality. The eye as some call for the great photographs, not just any photograph. Ones to be proud of and show off. And Guess What neither camera wins here!

I still have two Nikon DSLRs, 70 years old, and will carry these big boys as long as I can. Unless I can no longer hold them effectively without using a tripod for every shot. Then and only then will I move on to a mirrorless. Photography demands dedication to some degree or another and giving up a established system for the sake of getting what many perceive as the mirrorless being better is dead wrong.

Unless you have the money to invest in a mirrorless with all the necessary lenses and accessories to match the old DSLR then you have not accomplished what you should. Don’t compromise do it right. Moving from a top line DSLR to a top line Mirrorless for example is a huge chunk of money that most cannot afford to have one of impress their friends. You prints should be the things to do that.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Just because it’s not a choice you would make doesn’t mean it’s “dead wrong”. What’s dead wrong is you thinking that you need to replace all the accessories if you go to mirrorless.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

You have missed an important point, and one that most do not mention - the joy of using and shooting rather than the photo that has been shot - i.e. the convenience, the brighter and bigger VF and LV, histogram, magnified view when in manual focus, quick view of shot etc. I believe that often such conveniences do contribute to better photography.

petrochemist Loc: UK

IBIS is not exclusively a mirrorless function. Three of my four DSLRs have IBIS, while only one of my five mirrorless cameras have it and on average my mirrorless cameras are newer! It's certainly a useful feature to have available and in the latest incarnations is much more powerful than in my older DSLRs. It's true IBIS is more useful on mirrorless - where the viewfinder is also stabilised which makes a big difference if you're shooting at 500mm or more.
The magnified zoom in the viewfinder is another nice feature available in all my mirrorless cameras & missing from the DSLRs unless I add an extra bit of kit. It does come at the cost of a slower digitised view, but its rare for these disadvantages to show in use - the viewfinder lag is generally a small fraction of my reaction time (only getting slower when a DSLR would show nothing) & modern EVFs are high enough resolution they are effectively unpixelated. I suspect many die hard DSLR users (who swear they'd not consider a EVF) have experience of one of the very early EVFs an allow that to prejudice them - modern EVFs are nothing like the early ones.

bcharrison

Curious to know why you didn't go for the R5?