back to canon :)

so after years of mirrorless (both m4/3 and APSC), i needed a camera with an optical viewfinder.  i have some arm and wrist injuries, so i needed the camera to be light, and while it's not perfect, after lots of reading, trying cameras and considering my actual needs, i ordered an SL1 (100D) with STM kit lens and 55-250 STM.  i've rented one before, and liked it a lot.  while i'd have liked a bigger OVF, a second control dial and a different grip, i find that it's the best compromise while i'm doing PT for my wrist and shoulder.  if things improve, i can move up to a T6s or just maybe an 80D.

i've owned, used and enjoyed an a620 (which is the camera that got me into digital photography from film), a 30D, sx230, sx280 and an sx50, so i do love canon.  i'm happy to come back to the canon family, and look forward to shooting my new camera, and am planning to add a 35mm f/2 IS and a long, cheap but light 75-300.

Welcome back, hope you enjoy

Colin

CPNock wrote:

Welcome back, hope you enjoy

Colin

thank you - i'm sure i will, since i've previously rented the SL1 and the 55-250 STM and liked most of what i shot with it.

RedFox88 wrote:

patticake wrote:

so after years of mirrorless (both m4/3 and APSC), i needed a camera with an optical viewfinder.

Why is an OVF needed?

i have some arm and wrist injuries, so i needed the camera to be light, and while it's not perfect, after lots of reading, trying cameras and considering my actual needs, i ordered an SL1 (100D) with STM kit lens and 55-250 STM. i've rented one before, and liked it a lot. while i'd have liked a bigger OVF, a second control dial and a different grip, i find that it's the best compromise while i'm doing PT for my wrist and shoulder. if things improve, i can move up to a T6s or just maybe an 80D.

Why not M5?

i've owned, used and enjoyed an a620 (which is the camera that got me into digital photography from film), a 30D, sx230, sx280 and an sx50, so i do love canon. i'm happy to come back to the canon family, and look forward to shooting my new camera, and am planning to add a 35mm f/2 IS and a long, cheap but light 75-300.

i am having eye issues where spending much time looking into an EVF or at a monitor or at my phone screen causes pain, swelling and blurry vision.

that is, of course, why i'm not getting an M5.

i have a sony a6000, which is a very light APS mirrorless with a great EVF, and i have several lenses for it plus some more stuff.  it's lighter than most APSC cameras, and my results are everything i'd want, but have pretty much stopped using it due to the eye problem.  the SL1 is heavier with that weird grip and only one dial, but it was a fun camera for the most part, and right now lighter weight is everything.  i can upgrade if i have improvement in my wrist.

patticake wrote:

so after years of mirrorless (both m4/3 and APSC), i needed a camera with an optical viewfinder. i have some arm and wrist injuries, so i needed the camera to be light, and while it's not perfect, after lots of reading, trying cameras and considering my actual needs, i ordered an SL1 (100D) with STM kit lens and 55-250 STM. i've rented one before, and liked it a lot. while i'd have liked a bigger OVF, a second control dial and a different grip, i find that it's the best compromise while i'm doing PT for my wrist and shoulder. if things improve, i can move up to a T6s or just maybe an 80D.

i've owned, used and enjoyed an a620 (which is the camera that got me into digital photography from film), a 30D, sx230, sx280 and an sx50, so i do love canon. i'm happy to come back to the canon family, and look forward to shooting my new camera, and am planning to add a 35mm f/2 IS and a long, cheap but light 75-300.

Congrats on the SL1. I really like its small size.

Funny that you talk about coming back to Canon. I stopped using my 5D, 20D, and T1i  in 2010 for µ4/3 but I kept all of my Canon gear.  I also use Sony FF mirrorless since 2013.

I also just starting using the Canon T1i again, being the smallest, and upgraded to the T6s. I actually prefer an EVF to an OVF, but I missed using my 70-200/4 IS for faster subjects.

KwhyChang wrote:

patticake wrote:

so after years of mirrorless (both m4/3 and APSC), i needed a camera with an optical viewfinder. i have some arm and wrist injuries, so i needed the camera to be light, and while it's not perfect, after lots of reading, trying cameras and considering my actual needs, i ordered an SL1 (100D) with STM kit lens and 55-250 STM. i've rented one before, and liked it a lot. while i'd have liked a bigger OVF, a second control dial and a different grip, i find that it's the best compromise while i'm doing PT for my wrist and shoulder. if things improve, i can move up to a T6s or just maybe an 80D.

i've owned, used and enjoyed an a620 (which is the camera that got me into digital photography from film), a 30D, sx230, sx280 and an sx50, so i do love canon. i'm happy to come back to the canon family, and look forward to shooting my new camera, and am planning to add a 35mm f/2 IS and a long, cheap but light 75-300.

Congrats on the SL1. I really like its small size.

Funny that you talk about coming back to Canon. I stopped using my 5D, 20D, and T1i in 2010 for µ4/3 but I kept all of my Canon gear. I also use Sony FF mirrorless since 2013.

I also just starting using the Canon T1i again, being the smallest, and upgraded to the T6s. I actually prefer an EVF to an OVF, but I missed using my 70-200/4 IS for faster subjects.

me, too!

i'm hoping to at least upgrade to the T6s, which i quite like - if only the OVF were bigger, it would be at 90% of everything i like, which is pretty impressive.  it would be nice to imagine the features on the 7D, but i doubt that's going to happen.

i, too, prefer some EVFs to all OVFs - in fact, i love the one in my sony a6000.  after that, OVFs seem like dark tunnels, even the bigger, brighter ones - but if there's one thing owning and renting a lot of cameras has showed me, it's that you really can't have everything you want but you can have enough to make taking pictures very satisfying, and that's what counts the most - but i'd still like 2 dials, a grip i like and a larger OVF in a lighter camera  *LOL*

patticake wrote:

KwhyChang wrote:

patticake wrote:

so after years of mirrorless (both m4/3 and APSC), i needed a camera with an optical viewfinder. i have some arm and wrist injuries, so i needed the camera to be light, and while it's not perfect, after lots of reading, trying cameras and considering my actual needs, i ordered an SL1 (100D) with STM kit lens and 55-250 STM. i've rented one before, and liked it a lot. while i'd have liked a bigger OVF, a second control dial and a different grip, i find that it's the best compromise while i'm doing PT for my wrist and shoulder. if things improve, i can move up to a T6s or just maybe an 80D.

i've owned, used and enjoyed an a620 (which is the camera that got me into digital photography from film), a 30D, sx230, sx280 and an sx50, so i do love canon. i'm happy to come back to the canon family, and look forward to shooting my new camera, and am planning to add a 35mm f/2 IS and a long, cheap but light 75-300.

Congrats on the SL1. I really like its small size.

Funny that you talk about coming back to Canon. I stopped using my 5D, 20D, and T1i in 2010 for µ4/3 but I kept all of my Canon gear. I also use Sony FF mirrorless since 2013.

I also just starting using the Canon T1i again, being the smallest, and upgraded to the T6s. I actually prefer an EVF to an OVF, but I missed using my 70-200/4 IS for faster subjects.

me, too!

i'm hoping to at least upgrade to the T6s, which i quite like - if only the OVF were bigger, it would be at 90% of everything i like, which is pretty impressive. it would be nice to imagine the features on the 7D, but i doubt that's going to happen.

i, too, prefer some EVFs to all OVFs - in fact, i love the one in my sony a6000. after that, OVFs seem like dark tunnels, even the bigger, brighter ones - but if there's one thing owning and renting a lot of cameras has showed me, it's that you really can't have everything you want but you can have enough to make taking pictures very satisfying, and that's what counts the most - but i'd still like 2 dials, a grip i like and a larger OVF in a lighter camera *LOL*

Very true. The best EVF I have ever used and still use is the one in my Sony A7. It is fantastic. When you use manual lenses you can see focus peaking, even assign the color you want, have magnification so that you can see focus upclose like never possible on any OVF I've used.

But really the best thing is your are seeing the actual image as it will be recorded so if you point to the sky you can see the too dark land and when you point at the land you can see the blown highlights. It's much easier to set exposure lock.

KwhyChang wrote:

patticake wrote:

KwhyChang wrote:

patticake wrote:

so after years of mirrorless (both m4/3 and APSC), i needed a camera with an optical viewfinder. i have some arm and wrist injuries, so i needed the camera to be light, and while it's not perfect, after lots of reading, trying cameras and considering my actual needs, i ordered an SL1 (100D) with STM kit lens and 55-250 STM. i've rented one before, and liked it a lot. while i'd have liked a bigger OVF, a second control dial and a different grip, i find that it's the best compromise while i'm doing PT for my wrist and shoulder. if things improve, i can move up to a T6s or just maybe an 80D.

i've owned, used and enjoyed an a620 (which is the camera that got me into digital photography from film), a 30D, sx230, sx280 and an sx50, so i do love canon. i'm happy to come back to the canon family, and look forward to shooting my new camera, and am planning to add a 35mm f/2 IS and a long, cheap but light 75-300.

Congrats on the SL1. I really like its small size.

Funny that you talk about coming back to Canon. I stopped using my 5D, 20D, and T1i in 2010 for µ4/3 but I kept all of my Canon gear. I also use Sony FF mirrorless since 2013.

I also just starting using the Canon T1i again, being the smallest, and upgraded to the T6s. I actually prefer an EVF to an OVF, but I missed using my 70-200/4 IS for faster subjects.

me, too!

i'm hoping to at least upgrade to the T6s, which i quite like - if only the OVF were bigger, it would be at 90% of everything i like, which is pretty impressive. it would be nice to imagine the features on the 7D, but i doubt that's going to happen.

i, too, prefer some EVFs to all OVFs - in fact, i love the one in my sony a6000. after that, OVFs seem like dark tunnels, even the bigger, brighter ones - but if there's one thing owning and renting a lot of cameras has showed me, it's that you really can't have everything you want but you can have enough to make taking pictures very satisfying, and that's what counts the most - but i'd still like 2 dials, a grip i like and a larger OVF in a lighter camera *LOL*

Very true. The best EVF I have ever used and still use is the one in my Sony A7. It is fantastic. When you use manual lenses you can see focus peaking, even assign the color you want, have magnification so that you can see focus upclose like never possible on any OVF I've used.

But really the best thing is your are seeing the actual image as it will be recorded so if you point to the sky you can see the too dark land and when you point at the land you can see the blown highlights. It's much easier to set exposure lock.

i totally agree that the best thing about an EVF (not all of them, but the good ones) is you can see exactly how the pic will look to adjust it to just what you want.

of course, some DSLRS have a DOF preview button that helps you see what you get as far as aperture, but it's not as good since you can't see things related to your own exposure, ISO, etc.  some people have told me to just shoot with the histogram, but i prefer what i see to what the camera meters - not only can i get a feel of the overal pic, but i like to shoot low light pics that look dark with small lit elements.

VanA wrote:

patticake wrote:

so after years of mirrorless (both m4/3 and APSC), i needed a camera with an optical viewfinder. i have some arm and wrist injuries, so i needed the camera to be light, and while it's not perfect, after lots of reading, trying cameras and considering my actual needs, i ordered an SL1 (100D) with STM kit lens and 55-250 STM. i've rented one before, and liked it a lot. while i'd have liked a bigger OVF, a second control dial and a different grip, i find that it's the best compromise while i'm doing PT for my wrist and shoulder. if things improve, i can move up to a T6s or just maybe an 80D.

i've owned, used and enjoyed an a620 (which is the camera that got me into digital photography from film), a 30D, sx230, sx280 and an sx50, so i do love canon. i'm happy to come back to the canon family, and look forward to shooting my new camera, and am planning to add a 35mm f/2 IS and a long, cheap but light 75-300.

Congrats!

This is such a neat little camera and a lot of fun to use. I even put together a lightweight kit for travel or when on the run. These are:

18-55 STM

55-250 STM

10-18 STM

24mm STM

Also if needed, a small but older 220EX or 420EX flash.

thanks - the one i rented was fun, but i only used it with the 55-250 STM.  your kit sounds pretty darn nice, although i do tend to shoot more on the long side.

next month i'll pick up the 50mm STM. then i start saving for either the tamron 45mm f1.8 VC or the canon 35mm f2 IS, spending time before deciding playing with both focal ranges to see what i like the best.

I have the SL1, and also 70D which I've been using the most recently, today I broke the focusing screen on my 70D. So, while waiting for spare parts to arrive(10 days, they come with 5 screens in each box), I took out the SL1 again and can just comfirm how very nice it feels. Much smaller and lighter than the 70D but it has all the "must" functions, nothing unnecessary and AF is surprisingly fast. Smaller viewfinder, yes, but it's big enough to be useful. I wont feel seriously crippled using it for the next ten days.

It feels sort of clean, like a back to basics camera, I'm happy to have it as a backup/travel DSLR.

VanA wrote:

patticake wrote:

VanA wrote:

patticake wrote:

so after years of mirrorless (both m4/3 and APSC), i needed a camera with an optical viewfinder. i have some arm and wrist injuries, so i needed the camera to be light, and while it's not perfect, after lots of reading, trying cameras and considering my actual needs, i ordered an SL1 (100D) with STM kit lens and 55-250 STM. i've rented one before, and liked it a lot. while i'd have liked a bigger OVF, a second control dial and a different grip, i find that it's the best compromise while i'm doing PT for my wrist and shoulder. if things improve, i can move up to a T6s or just maybe an 80D.

i've owned, used and enjoyed an a620 (which is the camera that got me into digital photography from film), a 30D, sx230, sx280 and an sx50, so i do love canon. i'm happy to come back to the canon family, and look forward to shooting my new camera, and am planning to add a 35mm f/2 IS and a long, cheap but light 75-300.

Congrats!

This is such a neat little camera and a lot of fun to use. I even put together a lightweight kit for travel or when on the run. These are:

18-55 STM

55-250 STM

10-18 STM

24mm STM

Also if needed, a small but older 220EX or 420EX flash.

thanks - the one i rented was fun, but i only used it with the 55-250 STM. your kit sounds pretty darn nice, although i do tend to shoot more on the long side.

next month i'll pick up the 50mm STM. then i start saving for either the tamron 45mm f1.8 VC or the canon 35mm f2 IS, spending time before deciding playing with both focal ranges to see what i like the best.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the 50 1.8 STM! I have that one also and for $125, it is a steal. I haven't used it that much yet but as the weather warms up, I'll be giving that lens a workout. The Tamron 45mm and the Canon 35 IS are superb lenses. Also, check out the Canon 40mm 2.8 STM pancake lens. A nice lens for under $200.

do you find the STM 50 1.8 to be sharper than the old version?  not to say there was anything wrong with the old version...

i'll check 'em all out.  seems i have many lenses to rent - it's time to buy lensrentals HD (which is like amazon prime but for lenses)!

patticake wrote:

do you find the STM 50 1.8 to be sharper than the old version? not to say there was anything wrong with the old version...

I owned 2 copies of the EF 50mm f/1.8 (Mk II).  One was pretty darn good, and the other was terrible.  I waited and waited for an updated 50/1.4, but that was not to happen.

So when the 50 STM was announced, I pounced.  It's not necessarily sharper (I had a very sharp old version), and the colors and contrast are a tad better in the STM (due to new coatings), but the AF is simply superb(basically leading to a higher percentage of sharp pictures).  It's also a lot less buzzy  .

I trust it completely whenever it's on my camera(s).  About the highest commendation I can give any piece of equipment.  Buy it at your earliest convenience!

Have fun with your shiny new toy!

R2

I was going to recommend the 50 f1.8 but a few already did, I like very much this little lens

It is very very light so if you have problems with weight, that is even better.