Railfan Technology > Thoughts on Mirrorless Cameras

Looking for thoughts and opinions on using mirrorless cameras for railroad photography. I currently
anm using a Canon 5d Mk.iii, and, honestly, it's getting old lugging it around, or, maybe I'm just getting
old. So, to start the new year, I'm giving serious thought to transitioning to a Fujifilm X-T1. The camera
is very well reviewed, So, any thoughts out there on this specific camera, and using a mirrorless system
in general? Thanks to all, and hope everyone had a great holiday, and has a great 2015.

JWR

I like the standard DSLR probably because I've use SLRs or DSLR's for over 40 years. I've had a few mirrorless cameras when the digital cameras came on the market at an affordable price. Usually they have the LCD viewfinder on the back and I just don't like that. It feels more comfortable and steady for me to use an SLR style with an optical viewfinder. I have a point-n-shoot with the LCD. I use it if I expect to take one or two pictures and I don't want to lug the heavy DSLR around all day. The P-N-S will fit in my shirt pocket and does a decent job. My DSLR has an LCD viewfinder as an option and I have used it a few times but general I use the optical viewfinder. Some of the mirrorless cameras have an electronic viewfinder and that is a good option if you prefer the "in your face" hold on the camera. Mirrorless can shoot more shots in rapid succession.

I found a decent and simple review at http://www.tomsguide.com/us/dslr-vs-mirrorless-cameras,news-17736.html It talks mostly about Nikon cameras but it compares several features.

John

From what I've read mirrorless cameras do not have as good autofocus systems as DSLRs when taking still photos. However, when shooting video the advantage is reversed. DSLRs have trouble focusing when shooting video.

I shoot with DSLRs and do not plan to switch to mirrorless cameras. While mirrorless cameras are lighter and quieter they cost almost as much as DSLRs. Battery life with mirrorless cameras does not match that of DSLRs. There's no free lunch. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

KG

I've got a Samsung NX300 that does a great job... It is quick and there is a good selection of lenses for it... It is light, small, and robust; about half the size of my Nikon D80 and our 3200...

The problem that i see with the mirrorless camera is the problem of no view finder... Snapshots are almost impossible to take... I find myself using the manual mode and pre-focusing to set up the shot and shooting as the train passes by the prefocus spot... It works like a charm... The problem with this setup, as ya can readily see, is that ya get one or two real good pictures and nothing else... Ya can set the camera up for a tracking focus; but i don't trust it...

The readers digest summary on my little camera is this:... It's a step back from the DSLR... Far more like a view camera than a SLR... The pictures are great, the camera is great, it just needs a viewfinder....

leroy

I have used the Sony a7 and while it is small with a good over all control set up and fantastic sensor image quality, I found it TOO small and the EVF Electronic Viewfinder sometimes was too slow. Every once and awhile, while trying to follow action, the EVF froze for a 1/2 sec. Drove me crazy. The new a7II has addressed the too small issue with a bigger RH grip so that is in the right direction.
However, I just bought a Canon 6D (it's not big and surprisingly light) because for me, mirrorless is not here yet.

Dennis Livesey
New York, NY

I'm using both, standard DSLRs and mirror-less cameras, and found that during the last year, I tended to use mostly the mirror-less ones due to their smaller size and lighter weight. They are easier to carry around.

My two major mirror-less systems are the SONY NEX-7 and the Fuji XT-1. Both have an electronic viewfinder with a very good resolution and in most cases, they feel like using a standard DSLR. The small delay between the actual event and the display in the EVF both cameras show can be easily compensated by practicing a little, so I never found that a disadvantage (I'm not talking about the Fuji X-Pro1 here, where the delay is unacceptable long). What I especially like is the possibility to magnify the view in the EVF to verify the sharpness. Both cameras also exhibit a pretty fast auto-focus, comparable to the one in my Sony Alpha-580 DSLR.

What I really like about the Fuji XT-1 are the smooth colors and the ability to shoot with relatively high ISO settings while still having a good dynamic range and not much noise. I attached two pictures of mine, taken with the XT-1. The first one, taken at Munich Main Station and showing the Munich-based 103 245 heritage unit, is using the standard ISO 200 setting while the second one, taken at Amsterdam Centraal at a dark and rainy day showing the brand-new E 186 of HSA, is using an ISO 1600 setting to enable a hand-hold shot. Both shots have been taken in RAW and developed using the Silkypix software. Judge yourself!

E111

---

---

The Sony A6000 is worth looking into. EVF and fast AF, tilt out screen for waist level shooting if you wish. Camera with kit lens weighs less than the battery in my Canon 1Ds2. A big bonus is with the right adapters almost any lens can be used. I have adapters for EOS, Olympus, Leica, FD. Any questions PM mee.
John

One of the major considerations in switching camera brands is the investment in lenses. The Sony A7r is an amazing body by itself, and made even more amazing by the fact that they make an adapter to enable the use of all your Canon EF or L-series glass. I've played with the body and it is very well designed. I've been shooting professionally for years and used every body Canon has made, currently a 5D Mk3 and a 1Dx, so for me to say this Sony body is amazing is quite an admission. I've actually thought of buying one in part because the ISO goes all the way to 400,000! And the body is nearly silent without the mirror flopping up and down. Here is a link to the interchangeability with Canon lenses: http://www.fredmiranda.com/A7R-review/

The Sony A6000 is fast enough to keep up with my 18-month-old grandson, even when the program pushes it to ISO 3200, 1/30, and f/2.8. Adapters let it work with Leica and Nikon lenses in aperture priority, and the 16-50 zoom is fine. The nice thing is that the body with lens is about 1/3 the size and weight of a Nikon D300, and the RAW file has even more data.