Wasabi had gotten good reviews on this site. So I tried a couple of them. But they gave out while the older, original manufacturer batteries are still going strong. And I do a regular rotation, not favoring one or the other. My conclusion is I will just go with original manufacturer batteries even if they cost more.
I agree with Tom (CHG Canon). In my case, i am a long time Canon user, and have a full frame Canon plus a minimum set of lenses, mostly zoom (telephoto, wide angle, mid range) and a couple of prime lenses. When traveling by car, it all fits in a large backpack in the trunk, and I use the backpack as my go to point to change lenses, get Cokin filters, etc. I really like the system and how the camera controls are set up.
I realized that for an overseas trip this just does not work, so I bought an Olympus PEN-F used. After my first overseas trip I got an OMD E M5ii used with battery grip. Those two cameras, plus a long zoom lens, a wide to mid-range zoom lens, and a flat pancake lens, all fit into one over the shoulder bag smaller than a laptop case.
The PEN-F with the pancake lens looks more like a point and shoot for when I’m in a city or town. It will fit in my pocket. For a longer duration shoot, I use the M5ii with one of the zoom lenses. (And the M5ii and one of my lenses are spashproof, making shooting in light rain no issue.)
It is just amazing how small the entire outfit is when it’s in a small cross body bag. In fact, I can put that into my roll aboard and still bring a second carry on. And yes, the weight is much much better.
Pluses and minuses? I see no degradation at all in image quality for my purposes. Olympus has a fine in-body image stabilization system. Both my Olympus bodies have built in HDR, and also built in perspective correction. The only minus I can’t seem to overcome is that with the electronic viewfinder, when I snap a shot, it “freezes” just long enough that I need to re-acquire the subject if it’s moving. Unlike the Canon optical viewfinder which is still alive except for the moment the mirror flips. So this could affect your bird photography. So as Tom suggests, perhaps borrow or rent one to try it out. While it is near-perfect for my needs, it might not be so for yours. Good luck! JimR
I agree with MFFOX. PEN-F if you can find a good used one. With the “pancake” Olympus lens, it will fit in your pocket for the times you don’t want or need the “full size” Olympus body. Or, you can carry the PEN-F in your cross body bag as your backup. Enjoy your trip! JimR
I concur with TriX and also with the addition of Yates Mill. And I’d reinforce the comment about Southeastern Camera - they are a fine, ethical store with a full line of new and used cameras, lenses and equipment. Also, UNC in nearby Chapel Hill has a botanical garden, and Chapel Hill, the town, is quaint. I’d reinforce the interest in the Governor’s Mansion, and the State Capitol (the older one with the dome). A long one day drive to Wilmington would feature the battleship USS North Carolina, and an equal length drive to Southport NC would be a quaint coastal town with great views. Enjoy your stay down here!
I just looked on ebay and they have several older versions of Elements - but I did not see 14. I did see 15 and 12. You might consider one of these, but be sure it was not a one time use product that will not install for you. JimR
If she is close by and you have a camera store near you, I’d suggest you both go. I agree with the other comment that what you like may not be what she will like. I brought my granddaughter, now 18, and she chose a used Olympus body and two lenses, and I got them all for just under $500. And it is a system that can be built on for years to come. Good luck with your decision. JimR
Suggest you look at the Olympus 14-150 as others have suggested. I got rid of my 40-150 because I wanted to minimize changing lenses. With mirrorless Olympus, the sensor is exposed every time you remove the lens, so the fewer times the better. The 14-150 gives you a great range, and is good for most needs, except low light conditions. I bought mine used at the local camera store and saved quite a bit from the new price. Good luck with your decision! JimR
I considered switching to a Canon mirrorless system. My original intent was to bury the mirrorless body, and an adapter to use some outstanding EF Canon lenses, several “L” series. I visited my camera store and checked out the mirrorless Canon models, and then found out that the best “adapter” is in the range of $200. Since you would have to use the adapter each time you change the lens, that’s an extra step. I am not happy about buying several $200 adapters (one for each most-used lens), nor about giving up on my existing lenses. So then I compared the Canon 5D Mkiv specs and performance and find that the conversion to mirrorless would be far more expensive. So that’s my reason. I would not change “just to change” as I’m not one to always buy the latest and greatest. I should also mention that I have an Olympus system, which is in fact a mirrorless system. I really don’t find anything about it, other than its smaller size and weight, to prompt me to incur the cost of converting my Canon system to mirrorless. Thanks for asking opinions on this. Now I just ignore all the Canon sales pitch emails I get.
Perhaps check the settings on your tablet. On my iPad there is a setting tab “display & brightness.” Depending on where you set the slider, you could be getting a different amount of brightness when you view your photos on the tablet. Might want to check.
Ditto. Dean, I’m local and also would like the name of the shop. Thanks,
Hi Gatorcoach. I’m in the midst of doing the same thing. Also using the Nikon ES-2 with a macro lens. I suggest use autofocus, which is the only way I’ve done it. I have the camera on a tripod at a north facing window that gets good diffused light, use a remote release to avoid camera shake. I have had excellent results - I actually went back and re-did the prior scanned ones which were not in focus. The camera autofocus will find the right focus point. Recall the film may curve in the mount, so I have my autofocus in the center. If the film has degraded, of course you will get less adequate results. But with autofocus, auto exposure (which I adjust with plus or minus from time to time) you should get great results. Let me know if you want to discuss further. I’ve done over a thousand so far. JimR
You must be a proud Papa, Mark. Very nice photos.
Tom, I have bought from you before and you are extremely fair in condition and pricing. This is a great price for someone who has one of these Canon model of camera. I’d buy it if I did have one of those models. Good luck! JimR
I made the same type decision back in November. After visiting my local camera store and checking out both the Canon 5D iv, and a Canon mirrorless, I eventually decided to go with the 5D iv. It has great features that are a big step up from my prior 5D ii, but for me a big aspect was my small, but higher quality Canon lenses. The need to have an adapter, and having to add the step of mounting each lens onto the adapter, was a major consideration. So far, I am very happy with my decision, and the quality of the photos is a noticeable step up from the 5D ii, probably because of better dynamic range, better exposure system, etc. But each person needs to consider and decide what’s best for themself. Good luck to you! JimR.
PS: I saved about $1000 over a new one by going to UsedPhotoPro, and got one that really looks and acts like brand new. At the time, they had a great selection, and their staff is very available to talk you through the options you find on their web site.