lwerthe1mer Loc: Birmingham, Alabama

Thanks for the generous offer, but I believe I'll keep what I have.

Haydon

You're downgrading to a Canon? The Nikon guys are going to love this! Maybe you should consider upgrading your patience instead :)

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

I agree. I just ordered a Fuji. Selling my Nikons is next. They aren't that heavy--but they are to me. I used to have very strong hands. Not anymore.

lwerthe1mer Loc: Birmingham, Alabama

If I was going back to a smaller sensor, I actually would have asked advice on the age-old question of Canon vs. Nikon. Learning a Nikon system may have been fun.

However ..., my seemingly fun comment about shifting away from my a7ii may create more turmoil than I anticipated. Maybe I need to keep my mouth shut.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

You probably are just in a slump. All cameras have only three controls. In the film days, it was aperture, shutter speed, and film ASA. In the digital age, it is aperture, shutter speed, and selectable ISO. All the sophisticated interlinking of those three is the modern-day camera. One can still do everything manually. Or let the camera do some or all of the work. Downgrading may not solve anything. It sure will not change how the camera functions for you.

Maybe looking at some of the great photographs, trying to figure them out as to how they were done, and then trying to emulate them will spark you out of your slump. It is always a challenge to emulate the great photos and how they were done.

joegim Loc: Long Island, NY

How about joining a photo club? Being with people with the same interest might just bring back that previous enthusiasm. Sometimes there is nothing like friendly competition to stir up your competitiveness. Plus these other photographers will be a great resource regarding techniques & equipment. I do cycling and it is easier to maintain a regular routine when you're a member of a cycling club rather than being a solo cyclist.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Put your camera on full auto. Go out and take pictures. Next time out put your camera on program. Then next time go for aperture priorioty. Time after that go for shutter priority. On these trips make sure that you have a fully charged battery (and spare - if you have one) Set the camera up before you go. Use only your kit lens for the whole excercise. Each time you return home transfer your pics to computer as soon as you can - examine them and play with them in edit.
Keep each set of photos in a seperate folder named after the mode you used. Look at them again. Decide how you might have improved them.
That is my suggestion to get you out of the doldrums, it will give you pics to play with and you will get to know your camera better. Good Luck - and DO IT.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Nothing wrong with that. I change cameras like some people change their underwear - every few months. : )

If what you have isn't doing it for you, revert to the Canon that you liked. I had several of the RX100 series cameras, and I sold them all, preferring my Nikon DSLRs. I have a small Sony A6000 for when I need something small.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

You don't say why you are discouraged? Are you not getting images you like? Can't get the young lady next door to pose for you?

stevetassi

You're putting too much emphasis on your equipment and not enough on your photographic skills. Determine exactly what you're struggling with and go from there. Maybe your expectations are unrealistic. Don't expect to know everything. Who does?

SteveTog Loc: Philly

Here's a thought. Buy a compact camera and give it a try out before getting rid of anything. I shoot a big, fat Nikon D800 with big ass f/2.8 lenses when I am feeling serious. But there are a lot of times when I love shooting my tiny, but competent Sony RX100iii. I also had a very small Fuji X100s that I traded for the Sony, that I LOVED. The little cameras got me shooting in every day places where I didn't want to carry the big iron, and they got my creative juices pumping. I started thinking about shooting everywhere. You don't have to spend a ton of money to get a good, small compact camera if you buy used.

If the small cameras don't re-invigorate your desire to shoot the bigger Sony more, then I would say it's time to move on.

lwerthe1mer Loc: Birmingham, Alabama

You guys really give me encouragement. and are wonderful amateur psychologists. Thank you.

I believe that I am in the photographic doldrums for a few reasons:

1.) I'm getting older and can't hold my camera as steady as I used to;

2.) I don't have a good "walking around" lens for my a7ii. The choices are somewhat limited and too heavy, which makes me long for my old Canon 70D and the excellent 18-85 lens (?) I used to used so much. I don't like carrying a heavy camera bag and changing lenses.

I also shoot with a Sony RX10ii. I love this camera in spite of the size of the sensor, because of the range of its zoom lens, 18-200. The a7ii should take better photos with its full frame sensor, but I need a good lens akin to the 18-200 on the RX10ii. I haven't found it yet. Perhaps I consider other lens options, like an adapter and the Tamron lens discussed in a recent UHH discussion.

3.) My hobby is very solitary, so I don't shoot as much as I would like. The camera club in my city is very cliquish and not very welcoming, and none of my personal friends are camera bugs.

A few good shoots, and some excellent photos to edit, is probably all I need to spark my enthusiasm. If I get out and shoot more regularly, I will become more comfortable with my a7ii and more confident with my abilities. Perhaps I should rewatch one of the rather long Gary Fong tutorials as well.

Enough rambling around. It's not time to abandon my a7ii. I just need to work with it more.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

I have a Nikon D500 and enjoy this camera very much. I wanted a second camera so I was going to buy a Nikon D5300. I wanted a smaller camera to keep with me at work also to let my wife use it when we travel. She did not want a small version of the D500. I ended up buying one of the Sony a6000. We are very happy with that camera.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Hang in there. We all go through slumps. Maybe take a break for a week or two, then go back and shoot. Have some fun it's only photography and we take pictures, that's it.
Good luck and be well.

Inglese

It depends what you want to do with your photos. If it is simply to enjoy what you take, use whatever you want. Think of it as not 'downgrading' but changing systems. For most purposes I doubt you or anyone else will be able to tell (or care) about any minor differences.