Your first mirrorless digicam - an open thread

justpix

justpix

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Hi, mine was the OLYMPUS E-P1 (shown with the Panasonic Lumix 1,7/20 and a lens-hood) :


DSC04371-nex5-s35-c.jpg



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I still use it on dog-walks now and then (because I can operate it with one hand). I like its shutter-sound and handling its metal body. The IQ is still acceptable, I think.

So, this mine. What is/was yours ? :)
 
* Edited because I posted pictures of compact cameras. Oops!

My first was the GF1 but the Panasonic G1 convinced me that mirrorless was the future.

1-IMG_9068.jpg

An early picture with a manual lens. Back street pub.

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Wonderfully detailed and sharp into the corners and with seemingly zero optical issues when used with a Panasonic lens. Something rarely seen with my Canon 5D.
 
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Oh, the thread title is somewhat misleading, historically speaking, because all digicams were mirrorless in the beginning.

So, I should have called it your first mirrorless ILC digicam to cover my PEN.

Otherwise, I must show my MINOLTA (from 2003, which does not work anymore):


minolta-tpDSC09179-a7z18c.jpg



minolta-tpDSC09178-a7z18c.jpg



minolta-tpDSC09180-a7z18c.jpg
 
My first mirrorless was the Panasonic GF1.

IMG_3957.jpg

Early GF1 picture.

cNFqhw3.jpg
 
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I can't find a picture now. It was made of blue plastic, had a VGA CMOS sensor and a clear plastic button for a lens. It was a pathetic piece of junk that was unredeemably useless at taking pictures, though it might have been useful for throwing at people you didn't like.
 
justpix said:
Hi, mine was the OLYMPUS E-P1 (shown with the Panasonic Lumix 1,7/20 and a lens-hood) :
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I had one of those, with the optional optical viewfinder. It worked quite well...

Olympus E-P1 020647.JPG
 
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olympus mju circa 2003. Family snaps from this camera when the children were small are among our most treasured pictures, even if they are badly composed, poor exposure and a bit soft :)
 
justpix said:
Oh, the thread title is somewhat misleading, historically speaking, because all digicams were mirrorless in the beginning.

So, I should have called it your first mirrorless ILC digicam to cover my PEN.
Click to expand...
No not at all misleading. 'Mirrorless' is the term the industry has settled on to describe interchangable lens digital cameras that are not SLRs.
I can't understand why keen photographers who know this insist on trying to twist it to refer to any non reflex camera.

My first mirrorless model was the G1, though I got mine second hand when it wasa five year old design. Even so it convinced me that mirrorless models had something to offer & I've continued to use them alongside my DSLRs. I now have mirrorless models in 5 different sensor sizes, while my DSLRs have remained APSC models :)

FWIW my first point & shoot digital cameras were from the 1990s but I don't think I have any shots kept from the first three or any details about the models - by ~2000 I did get a model (DC1310) usable as for snaps even if it was still only 1.3 MP.

I've used mirror lenses / accessories on most of my 'mirrorless' bodies from ultra telephotos to the ultimate wide angle shots (360 degree FOV) like this (taken with the G1) :
Distorted family by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

Using them with a mirror doesn't stop them being mirrorless.
 
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I was loaned an X-Pro1 soon after they appeared on the market and bought one for myself soon after. Still have (and use) it alongside its more SLR styled cousins. The X-Pro has the 10-24 on it, mainly for landscapes where the slightly less good VF experience doesn't really matter. Not tried the younger siblings to see if the VF is that much better - the IQ from the 1 is plenty good enough for my wants/needs and playing with a newer model might reignite my GAS!
 
Mine was the Fuji XM-1 with the plastic fantastic 16-50mm lens.
Loved that camera and its ultimately what kept me hooked on Fujis for a good few years.
 
Ignoring the discussion on definitions, my first ever digital camera was a Canon s50. followed by a Nikon D70 with the 18-200 zoom. some years later.
 
myotis said:
Ignoring the discussion on definitions, my first ever digital camera was a Canon s50.
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I went the Nikon way, with a Coolpix 990, which I still have...

Nikon Coolpix 990 on carpet DSC01303.JPG
 
First was a Kodak something which took AA batteries which had a life of about 10 shots. Sent it back
 
First mirrorless camera was a Nikon V1, I'd been to the photography show in Birmingham just before a trip to Mallorca, I'd looked at the Nikon Z6, but I've never been an early adopter, but looking at reviews on YouTube, a few videos popped up on the earlier V1, found one for a very good price, cracking little camera, only one problem, the wide angle lens were like hens teeth to find and when they did, the prices were around £500, ended up selling the V1 and lenses for a Z5, by this time I'd sold all my DSLR'S
 
Another question - what will be your next mirrorless camera.

Either 100mp Fuji digital MF - or one of these Z mount high res Nikon things (gotta be more than 45mp to prize me out of a D850). There is rumour of 61mp sensors going into one and that probably would satisfy my commercial needs being honest.
 
SFTPhotography said:
Another question - what will be your next mirrorless camera.

Either 100mp Fuji digital MF - or one of these Z mount high res Nikon things (gotta be more than 45mp to prize me out of a D850). There is rumour of 61mp sensors going into one and that probably would satisfy my commercial needs being honest.
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Hi, I am quite happy with my mirrorless toys at present (Leica M9, SONY A7R2, and my NIKON D500, D850).

The FUJI GFX 100S I find attractive, but quite bulky. Knowing me, I am not sure how much I would use it, and like using it.

A 60MP+ NIKON Z might come, the SONY A7R4 having a 61 MP sensor.

(Actually, I bought my OLYMPUS Pen after the Nikon D70 and the D200, wanting to adapt LEICA M mount lenses to the OLY body. But then SONY offered the APS-C NEX series with
tilt screen and I bought NEX-3, NEX-5N, NEX-6, A7 and A7R2 to complement my Leica M9. And then I bought the NIKON D800, because I was not happy with SONY AF performance,
to be replaced later by a D500 and a D850.

And I started using the Pen again for my daily dog-walks ...)
 
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justpix said:
Hi, I am quite happy with my mirrorless toys at present (Leica M9, SONY A7R2, and my NIKON D500, D850).

The FUJI GFX 100S I find attractive, but quite bulky. Knowing me, I am not sure how much I would use it, and like using it.

A 60MP+ NIKON Z might come, the SONY A7R4 having a 61 MP sensor.

(Actually, I bought my OLYMPUS Pen after the Nikon D70 and the D200, wanting to adapt LEICA M mount lenses to the OLY body. But then SONY offered the APS-C NEX series with
tilt screen and I bought NEX-3, NEX-5N, NEX-6, A7 and A7R2 to complement my Leica M9. And then I bought the NIKON D800, because I was not happy with SONY AF performance,
to be replaced later by a D500 and a D850.

And I started using the Pen again for my daily dog-walks ...)
Click to expand...

A GFX100s is around the same size/mass of a D850. Given my other system is a 645z it's a feathweight.

Concerns over the Fuji system relate to lens range and performance, seen some fair old sample variation comparing raws, and heard of even more through the grape vine from pro shooters I trust explicitly. Then there are issues document with the shutter, tripod mount. It doesn't fill you with confidence. Another user outwith here got in touch to say he was loaned a Fuji GFX100s and it froze a lot of the time, so they resorted to using their trusty R5 (the one that overheats and dies). Again less than confidence inspiring when you just need the thing to work. The Pentax line is dead, which is a shame. The mirrorless one isn't but I am not sold 100% yet/

But once you've had medium format, you'll always hanker for it...

Concerns over the Nikon system - it's not medium format and that's it. Never had, or heard of a Nikon camera or lens being majorly defective. These are camera's and lenses (if you buy the expensive primes and zooms) you can trust to get the job done.
 
Thank you for sharing your FUJI information, Steve. :) (y)

My MF experiences, apart from early 6x9 pics taken with my sister's BALDA in the 1950s, are rather mixed. I liked my ROLLEI 2,8 GX and my FUJI GS645,
but I did not use them much, also due to the inconvenience of roll film then.

Over the years I developed a taste for compact cameras owning ROLLEI 35s when motorcycling.

Later, I had SLRs (MINOLTA and Practica), too, I used when I needed a zoom.

And when I started earning serious money I bought a LEICA M6 I saw as the optimal realization of compactness and performance.

With my NIKONs I like the IQ and their being hassle-free. Today I took motorcycle pics (D500) and tomorrow I shall take pics at a vintage car rally. (D850)
And there is always a NIKON on my dining room table to take bird pics.

The camera I like handling most is my LEICA M9. Of course, rangefinders have their strengths and limitations, which is why I actively use several
complementary camera systems.
 
SFTPhotography said:
Another user outwith here got in touch to say he was loaned a Fuji GFX100s and it froze a lot of the time,
Click to expand...
Was it again from Fuji test scheme? Looks like they could all be duffers they couldn't sell
 
it was so bad that i dont recall but my first proper mirrorless worthy of being called a camera was a fuji x100 MK 1
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Was it again from Fuji test scheme? Looks like they could all be duffers they couldn't sell
Click to expand...

It was. He said half the time the camera froze and became in operable - turning off and on didn't always fix, but pulling the battery out often did.

He also cited concerns with our friend the 32-64 but was very pleased with the 100-200.

As I say - it doesn't inspire confidence. Then there is the the tripod mount issue and shutter issues with earlier cameras. (GFX100). That said - no-one on the Pentax MF forum who's gone over to Fuji has reported issues and our own MF thread is church mouse quiet with issues.
 
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SFTPhotography said:
It was. He said half the time the camera froze and became in operable - turning off and on didn't always fix, but pulling the battery out often did.

He also cited concerns with our friend the 32-64 but was very pleased with the 100-200.

As I say - it doesn't inspire confidence. Then there is the the tripod mount issue and shutter issues with earlier cameras. (GFX100). That said - no-one on the Pentax MF forum who's gone over to Fuji has reported issues and our own MF thread is church mouse quiet with issues.
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Hopefully most of the outliers are in the rental outlet.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Hopefully most of the outliers are in the rental outlet.
Click to expand...

But you don't know that - they'll just buy them off Fuji but in bulk. They call come off the same factory line in the same place.

I expect quality control is the real issue here. That lens you hired was appalling, and the odd blown pixels very unusual. The other issues the other dude mentioned speak to poor quality control and firmware - maybe with these new all electronic lenses and bodies we will see more of this.

All I know, you turn on the 645z, push the shutter, it works. It doesn't break off the tripod mount, neither does the D850.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Hopefully most of the outliers are in the rental outlet.
Click to expand...

But you don't know that - they'll just buy them off Fuji but in bulk. They call come off the same factory line in the same place.

I expect quality control is the real issue here. That lens you hired was appalling, and the odd blown pixels very unusual. The other issues the other dude mentioned speak to poor quality control and firmware - maybe with these new all electronic lenses and bodies we will see more of this.

All I know, you turn on the 645z, push the shutter, it works. It doesn't break off the tripod mount, neither does the D850.
 
SFTPhotography said:
But you don't know that - they'll just buy them off Fuji but in bulk. They call come off the same factory line in the same place.

I expect quality control is the real issue here. That lens you hired was appalling, and the odd blown pixels very unusual. The other issues the other dude mentioned speak to poor quality control and firmware - maybe with these new all electronic lenses and bodies we will see more of this.

All I know, you turn on the 645z, push the shutter, it works. It doesn't break off the tripod mount, neither does the D850.
Click to expand...
Lens is a smaller issue if buying with good warranty. Test and return if necessary. Then try not to smash it once happy with it. Unless this is the same story like failing lens collars in Canon EF L lenses. I had plenty of that for no apparent reason. That is the problem when lenses get made of thinner and thinner plastic to save some weight for some winging uber rich 20-someything hipster s***tuber.

This is built in obsolescence and it is starting to absolutely get out of control. If they have it their way you'll have to swap all your gear once every 1.5 years just like some ordinary Android phone
 
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My first, and so far only, mirrorless camera was the Fuji X-T2.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Lens is a smaller issue if buying with good warranty. Test and return if necessary. Then try not to smash it once happy with it. Unless this is the same story like failing lens collars in Canon EF L lenses. I had plenty of that for no apparent reason. That is the problem when lenses get made of thinner and thinner plastic to save some weight for some winging uber rich 20-someything hipster s***tuber.

This is built in obsolescence and it is starting to absolutely get out of control. If they have it their way you'll have to swap all your gear once every 1.5 years just like some ordinary Android phone
Click to expand...

Lens is a huge issue. I've only had one duff Nikon zoom and I bought used. Every other has gone on the camera and been fine. Same with the Pentax - multiple Fuji users/testers have cited issues with decentred lens etc.

I agree re the build. The plastic isn't up to the job and might be fine for amateur plastic fantastic out for two weeks a year and the occasional weekend warrior use - but at the higher end of the market metal/alloy or even carbon fibre construction should be the norm - not the exception.

And that brings me to some concerns about the latest greatest Z mount stuff - plastic fantastic amateur build at Pro prices
 
SFTPhotography said:
And that brings me to some concerns about the latest greatest Z mount stuff - plastic fantastic amateur build at Pro prices
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Canon RF is by far much worse. Which leaves us with Sigma ART E and L mount lenses and all the video mega buck primes

How is hasselblad medium system looking?
 
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