I love my DSLR. It’s old, worn and seen better days, but it has been with me on some of my most exciting adventures. We’ve been putting this off for awhile, but we both know it’s time for us to start researching what our next camera move will be.
I asked a lot of fellow travel bloggers and camera enthusiasts what they shot with. I got mainly DSLR options, which I would expect. Josh had read a recent wirecutter article comparing DSLRs, point and shoots and mirrorless cameras and thought we should start to move away from the DSLR and try the new mirrorless camera out.
What the heck is a mirrorless camera?
This was my first question when Josh brought them up. All I knew was DSLRs and to me it sounded like we were downgrading our camera which was far from the truth.
Basically, a mirrorless camera is what you get when you combine a compact camera with a DSLR. It’s very similar to a DSLR, without the mirrors, which helps you save on the weight of the overall camera. It has a larger sensor than a point and shoot so it performs better in low light and delivers higher quality photos.
Truths About My DSLR
1. It’s HEAVY
2. I don’t bring it out as much as I want, because it’s clunky
3. It doesn’t fit in my purse
4. It’s old
5. I end up taking 70% of our photos with my phone because it’s easier to get out.
Why we ditched our DSLR for a mirrorless camera
After a lot of research and back and forth, we opted for the Sony NEX-6 compact camera. I’m already happy with the size and weight of it and despite not taking a lot of photos with it yet, I love the options it has and the photos I’ve seen so far.
I expect my photos to improve by simply having a camera I will take with me and get out more often. If I was honest I take at least 70% of my photos now with our cellphones. I’m not complaining, cell phones have awesome cameras, and they are only getting better, but I still like having the controls, options and lenses of an interchangeable lens camera. When I take my DSLR out I always return with great photos, but my point and shoot can be hit or miss. With the Sony NEX-6 I am already bringing my camera with me more often and with the big sensor and better lenses I am seeing a drastic improvement in my day-to-day photos.
As I mentioned we currently use an entry-level DSLR right now. We aren’t pros, but we appreciate dabbling in good photography! If we’re going to upgrade our camera we needed to look at what bothered us about our current camera and how could we replace that (See above truths about my DSLR).
There was no sense in replacing our entry-level DSLR with another entry-level DSLR, we would be replacing the same issues not really upgrading at all other than it would be a newer camera.
What I am looking forward to with my Sony NEX-6
1. I can still have my choice of prime lens, zoom lens or macro, etc.
I love being able to have the options and controls to play with my pictures.
2. It is so much lighter.
Drastically lighter. I am talking 2 lbs lighter!
3. The sensor size is still large.
The Sony NEX-6 has the same sized sensor (APS-C) as our DSLR. It’s larger than the typical micro four thirds mirrorless camera so it does better in low light and delivers higher quality images.
4. It fits in my purse
Or daybag wherever I want to put it, it’s small enough and light enough that I want to bring it with me and use it.
So we did it. We ditched our DSLR and went with a compact interchangeable lens camera and couldn’t be happier with our choice! Will we get a new DSLR one day? Probably. But for now I am going to enjoy the ease of carrying it around wherever I please. Can’t wait to share more photos from the new camera!
What about you? Leave in the comments what camera(s) you travel with!
Hi Caroline, saw your post on http://stephabroad.com/date-girl-travels/ …alot of positive/negative comments there! Thought I’d check out your website…inspiring title! About the camera, I travel with a Canon T3i, Sigma 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM lens. I have captured some amazing photos over the years and can’t see myself going anywhere without it! Guess it’s a personal choice, just like anything else. It’s a fish market out there when it comes to technology…anyways, look forward to reading more of your posts 🙂 Cheers!
I agree, I’m always interested in what camera travelers carry because it is such a personal choice! We are currently loving our new camera and appreciate not having the heavy DSLR to carry with us, but ofcourse there are aspects we miss from our old camera too! Technology is always changing – who knows what will be the next ‘big’ camera on the market!
I did the same! My canon 550D was way too heavy. I sold that and I bought a SONY NEX-3. Great quality and durability even though it’s an entry level NEX.
Love your blog… I always wonder how it would be different to travel with your significant other! hope I can experience that soon in the near future.
We’ve been really happy with our new Sony – don’t miss the heavey DSLR and we defintiely bring our camera out more often because it’s easier to carry around! Takes great photos!
Hey, those reasons you listed are exactly the reasons why I also ditched my Nikon D40x (really old….) and bought a compact camera. It just became too heavy for me to lug around at one point, and it ended up not being used as much as I wanted to. Another reason for me is, there are many times that I could’nt bring my DSLR, or cellphone camera, for example to a adventure trips, snorkelling trips, boat trips. DSLR is too clunky and heavy, cellphone is too fragile and would easily slip from my hands. So I decided to get a rugged one, one I can bring anywhere, and I mean anywhere (in the water, on mountains..). I’ve just got Olympus Tough TG-2 yesterday. We’ll see how it goes but I’m betting that I will get it out more often than my old D40x.
Hi Caroline, I’m about to embark on a RTW trip and have decided to go with mirrorless rather than DSLR. Which lenses do you carry with you when you travel?
Right now, we have the kit lens that came with our NEX-6 and a 50mm prime lens. We traveled for a year with a point and shoot and a DSLR with an 18-200mm zoom lens.