# Am I crazy to sell my Canon gear?



## Synomis192 (May 20, 2013)

So after a long time being absent from photography I have decided that I want to stop my pursuit in becoming a semi-professional photographer.

That being said, I don't want to give up photography. I just want to be able to take good pictures for my personal portfolio! So I'm considering selling all of my Canon gear (Canon 5Dc, 17-40mm, 50mm, and 70-200mm) and buying a smaller set up that is unobtrusive. 

I would probably get around 1,750 for everything in total. With that money, I planned on getting this set up:


Sony NEX C3 w/ 16mm f/2.8
Sigma 30mm f/2.8
Sony 50mm f/1.8

Anyways, am I crazy for going this route?


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## mrsfotografie (May 20, 2013)

Have you used a Sony NEX yet? The lack of an optical viewfinder makes the photography experience a little more detached in my opinion (Even if you have an EVF - the EVF on my NEX-6 is good, but nothing beats optical). 

On the up-side, the NEX photo's are definitely DSLR quality. The Sigma 30 mm is a brilliant little lens. I can recommend to also get the Sony E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS. (OSS = IS) It is a great zoom lens. No chroma's, plenty sharp and the distortion and vignetting are corrected in camera or in post.

I would suggest you sell your Canon zooms and get the Nex with a 30 mm prime and possibly the zoom I mentioned (it's surely available as a 'kit' which makes it a good value).

Keep the 5Dc and the 50 mm for now and only get rid of that if you're perfectly satisfied with the Nex, then get more primes as you suggested.


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## J.R. (May 20, 2013)

Yes ... You are crazy to sell your Canon gear ... Especially because two months back you were seeking advice as to how to improve your gear -



Synomis192 said:


> So I made the jump to FF with my 5D
> 
> I love it so much and I feel like it was a step up from my T1i. Thanks to everyone who helped me on this forum haha.
> 
> ...



Like many hobbyists, I think you may just be having an emotional pang. There have been numerous times when I've thought "so much gear and so little time for photos" but it goes away with time. 

Shifting to a smaller setup won't solve anything because you'll miss the most obvious IQ benefits of the FF DSLRs. At the risk of sounding like an idiot giving the opposite advice of what you wish to do, I'd suggest buying something like a Sony RX 100 as a P&S in addition to your existing gear and use the P&S where you need to be unobtrusive. Give it 6 months and if you don't find yourself craving for the DSLR IQ, Sell your gear.


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## mrsfotografie (May 20, 2013)

J.R. said:


> Yes ... You are crazy to sell your Canon gear ... Especially because two months back you were seeking advice as to how to improve your gear -
> 
> 
> 
> ...



+1. Give it some time and live with your gear.


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## Eli (May 20, 2013)

Go Fuji..


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## sanj (May 20, 2013)

You did not mention the kind of photography you do.
Decision depends on that.


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## bycostello (May 20, 2013)

yes


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## bholliman (May 20, 2013)

mrsfotografie said:


> J.R. said:
> 
> 
> > Yes ... You are crazy to sell your Canon gear ... Especially because two months back you were seeking advice as to how to improve your gear -
> ...



+1 Give you current gear at least 6-9 months before moving in a different direction. If you have only had your 5Dc for 2 months, that's not enough time for a real evaluation.


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## Click (May 20, 2013)

mrsfotografie said:


> J.R. said:
> 
> 
> > Yes ... You are crazy to sell your Canon gear ... Especially because two months back you were seeking advice as to how to improve your gear -
> ...



+1


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## neuroanatomist (May 20, 2013)

sanj said:


> You did not mention the kind of photography you do.
> Decision depends on that.



+1. If you like the creativity of thin DoF, stick with FF.


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## Sporgon (May 20, 2013)

Not _per se_, but announcing it on CR means you probably are........


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## Dylan777 (May 20, 2013)

@ OP - smaller gear or mirrorless will be a good choice IF; you only do still shooting. Otherwise, DSLR is still the king in term of speed and IQ. 

RX1 is my 1st choice for light travel, but I will not sell my 5D III + lenses until I only do still photography.


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## Quasimodo (May 20, 2013)

Synomis192 said:


> So after a long time being absent from photography I have decided that I want to stop my pursuit in becoming a semi-professional photographer.
> 
> That being said, I don't want to give up photography. I just want to be able to take good pictures for my personal portfolio! So I'm considering selling all of my Canon gear (Canon 5Dc, 17-40mm, 50mm, and 70-200mm) and buying a smaller set up that is unobtrusive.
> 
> ...



You are not crazy! 

To me this is a either or, and I can feel your ambivalence. I think that if you do sell your gear, - stick with a compact. Why go to an inferior system, or a system at all? Buy a compact with a zoom or a fixed focal lenght. Other than that; you will wind up missing your gear. 

G.


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## Hillsilly (May 20, 2013)

Synomis192 said:


> ...and buying a smaller set up that is unobtrusive...
> 
> Anyways, am I crazy for going this route?



If that's a primary objective, I can't knock your thinking. Plus, I think you'd gain a few extra capabilities and IQ benefits over the 5Dc. But there are a lot of downsides with going mirrorless and I'd suggest taking baby steps. Did you know there are some really good EF to NEX adapters that might allow you to retain aperture control and (admittedly very slow) AF when using your lenses on the Sony? Why not just pick up the NEX C3 and one lens and keep your Canon gear for the time being? Best of both worlds.


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## sawsedge (May 20, 2013)

I like the idea of going with smaller gear for certain situations, and the IQ is certainly very good now... but have you held on in your hands?

I held a friend's NEX a couple months ago and it cramped my hands inside a minute. Ergonomics are worth something I'd say. 

When I decided to go digital, I had an older Minolta manual focus system, so I had no upgrade path to follow, and I looked at every brand and option. I went with Canon for both lens selection and how they felt in my hand. 

So, if you try something new, try it in your hands before you sell the old gear, at the least.


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## Synomis192 (May 20, 2013)

sawsedge said:


> So, if you try something new, try it in your hands before you sell the old gear, at the least.



Yeah, actually I've been to my local Fry's and Best Buy to handle a lot of the NEX cameras. I knew that the C3 has been discontinued so the next best thing was the F3 and I actually liked the small format of the camera. It's smaller that I wished it was, but I liked the portability.



bholliman said:


> mrsfotografie said:
> 
> 
> > J.R. said:
> ...



I have been using my 5Dc for a few months now. I love it and I don't think I will not let go of it, but I'm kind of tired of lugging a huge DSLR around everywhere. I'm not getting compensated in anyway for my photos,. But I understand that gear is just tools for photographers, and i think smaller gears will be better for now.



neuroanatomist said:


> sanj said:
> 
> 
> > You did not mention the kind of photography you do.
> ...



Sorry, I didn't realize I didn't include that: Landscapes, Still Life, Group Shots and Portraits (Candid Portraits)


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## AudioGlenn (May 20, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> sanj said:
> 
> 
> > You did not mention the kind of photography you do.
> ...



+1


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## Bruce Photography (May 20, 2013)

What is a 5Dc? - I'm assuming that it is a 5D based upon the prices you could get for it. For $1800 you could get from Costco a complete Nikon D7100 with their $850 18-200 lens. This combination is small, light, 24MP, and that one lens covers the equivalent from 27mm to 300 without ever changing lenses. I am very surprised on how good that lens is. I have a 5D (and a 5D2, 5D3) and I can see why you are not having fun with it. This would be a totally new approach. I did add Nikon gear to my tools and it really opened my eyes and made photography fun again. I also suggest you start by having some large prints made (at least 17x25) and have them framed or prepared in your favorite way. Sometimes Photography is a shared joy.


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## Hillsilly (May 21, 2013)

I've assumeed a 5Dc is the original 5D, which is occassionally referred to as the 5D "classic" (hence 5Dc). 

Re DOF, you can still get really nice DOF effects with a crop sensor with appropriate lenses. Ok, backgrounds might not be as blurred as medium format or even FF, but still quite nice. In addition, most recent crop sensor lenses are reasonably sharp wide open, whereas many FF lenses require stopping down a bit to reach a high level of sharpness. Reducing your aperture by one stop offsets much of the DOF benefits. 

I've reassessed my whole FF vs crop sensor view in recent months. At lower ISOs, some of the better crop sensors are comparable with FF sensors. And with some high quality lenses being released by Sony, Zeiss, Fuji and others, the IQ differences between a FF camera and a crop sensored camera are rapidly diminishing. Unless very high ISOs are your thing, the only real benefit of a FF sensor is that it generally comes packaged in a much more capable, durable, faster camera body. You're essentially paying for the features, not necessarily significantly improved image quality over other brand's crop sensored cameras.


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## RLPhoto (May 21, 2013)

I'm selling some equipment, but to upgrade to some canon equipment... :


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## neuroanatomist (May 21, 2013)

Hillsilly said:


> Re DOF, you can still get really nice DOF effects with a crop sensor with appropriate lenses....
> 
> I've reassessed my whole FF vs crop sensor view in recent months. ...the only real benefit of a FF sensor is that it generally comes packaged in a much more capable, durable, faster camera body.



Tell me...what lens do I use on my APS-C body to get the DoF of an f/1.2 lens on FF? I don't have ready access to the late Stanley Kubrick's Zeiss f/0.7 lenses...


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## beckstoy (May 21, 2013)

um... yes. You're nuts.


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## Hillsilly (May 21, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> Tell me...what lens do I use on my APS-C body to get the DoF of an f/1.2 lens on FF? I don't have ready access to the late Stanley Kubrick's Zeiss f/0.7 lenses...



Out of the 100+ lenses in the Canon arsenal, aren't there only 2 with an f/1.2 aperture? This suggests that its a pretty rare specification and, unfortunately, those who need it don't have a lot of options for systems to use. The same could be said for people that need class leading autofocus capabilities. Or thse that need the best 500mm lenses. Or people that need confidence that their camera will still keep working in the dust or rain. The more specialised your requirements, the less choice you have.

But what if you don't need f/1.2, but just want a narrow DOF with nice bokeh? You have many options. (And don't forget you could always use your f/1.2 lens on a crop body.) Sony, Zeiss, Fuji, Sigma etc produce a number of very nice f/1.4 lenses. 

Re your question - The SLR Magic Hyperprime LM CINE 50mm T/0.95 must come close.


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## aj1575 (May 21, 2013)

It depends...

First you should know your needs, then how much you are willing to spend, then you can decide which camera ist the best for you. Each one has its pros and cons. For the NEX series I think the biggest pro is the size (as long as you do not need long lenses). The biggest con is that a lot of functions are packed in a small body, which means that handling it is a little bit difficult, especially of you need to be fast.

There is no best camera, there are only different cameras for different people with different needs.


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## pwp (May 21, 2013)

Synomis192 said:


> I don't want to give up photography. I just want to be able to take good pictures for my personal portfolio! So I'm considering selling all of my Canon gear (Canon 5Dc, 17-40mm, 50mm, and 70-200mm) and buying a smaller set up that is unobtrusive.
> I planned on getting this set up:
> 
> Sony NEX C3 w/ 16mm f/2.8
> ...


I'd much prefer to have your current setup than the kit you have suggested. 
Seeing as you asked, to answer your "am I crazy?" question....I say yes.

-PW


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## GMCPhotographics (May 21, 2013)

pwp said:


> Synomis192 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't want to give up photography. I just want to be able to take good pictures for my personal portfolio! So I'm considering selling all of my Canon gear (Canon 5Dc, 17-40mm, 50mm, and 70-200mm) and buying a smaller set up that is unobtrusive.
> ...



If I was going to go small and light, I would still stick with a full frame camera. 
Not many people really need an ultra wide regularly, infact most people could make do with 24mm as theor widest. A simple two lens line up for me would be a 24-105L and a 70-300L. Fairly small and light, stellar IQ and very versatile. I would make a lot of use with the 24-105, it's long enough for most walk about shots. I see so many people buying 70/200 2.8 lenses and then geting tired of lugging such a big lump about. I personally prefer either the 70-300L, the 70-200 f4 IS (a sweet heart of a lens) or even a 135L. Or even the older 70-300 IS USM, a very underrated and capable lens. Both of these can easily be carried in a small shoulder bag (thinktank Urban disguse 30) very unobtrusively.

It's your money and your wants / needs, so if you really want to go for it...please do. but I suspect that you'll find the quality and depth of field control somewhat lacking after a 5Dc.

I have an old S90 pocket camera and it's amazing how useful that little camera can be. Very usefull for days when DSLR kit is too much of a burden and it's smaler than a packet of ciggs.


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## StepBack (May 21, 2013)

Have u gone bonkers? No just kidding. People ask themselves from time 2 time if they're going in the right direction. Fortunately 4 u it's not a career. With a little perspective and insight u'll discover or re-discover why u went into photography 2 begin w/. Is it the semi-pro fatigue that u weren't discovered so 2 speak by Nat. Geo. or Glamour or SI or some modeling agency or creative director at JWT? Or just got bored. Didn't find the stimulation and intrigue captivating anymore? Or did time just catch up and you feel different or some other psychological event of nature took place? Obviously I can't pin it down 4 u and I suspect u don't want to "share 2 much" on a forum in the blog-o-sphere. 
Is it simply u fell in love w/ the wrong equipment or the new idea has taken root and now that's what u really wanted all along. I think u have shared a thought that's all 2 common for hobbyists. Personally I like to point the finger at the marketing departments. For as little as - fill in the blank- u can become the next brilliant whatever. Make your friends admire u even more. I'm just kidding. 
It maybe that u don't like taking pictures which r supposed to be ready 4 prime time, and u simply prefer a fun camera. U don't want to enter the PopPhoto contest anymore. U don't need a $12K lens so u can get a close up of a kestrel. Whatever it is you're not alone. If it weren't for u and thousands like u and I share your consternatin from time 2 time, Canon would be forgotton. Why do u think they continue to add fairly useless features every year and spend zillions on announcing the new item will blow u away? Of course u know why. But I wouldn't sell the equipment just yet. The 5Dc ought to last u into the next decade despite all the promises of each succeeding iteration. Think of all the truly serious amateurs and pros alike who dive deep into ebay to locate a legacy lens. There's still value in your purchase to swap out and try something else just 4 the sake of it. Sorry I can't be much help but it's really up to u to decide.


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## verysimplejason (May 21, 2013)

Nope if you'll sell them to me cheap. ;D

On the other hand, just keep it. It'll produce good/better pictures just fine. If you can't then the problem isn't with the camera but with the user. I'm sorry but I'm just stating the obvious. 5D's is already a capable tool, even capable of producing professional results. But, in the end, it's your decision to make. I just don't want you to lose money and have remorse later.  Good luck shooting.


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## tomscott (May 21, 2013)

I use a 5DMKIIII for all my work but have a little NEX 5N similar to the one your looking at. 

The sensor is fantastic, amazing detail, very sharp, lots of DR and a great camera to use. I dont think your mad they are smaller, much much more portable, the image quality will be similar to what your used to with the 5DC although low light may not be quite as good.

But the camera is a compromise, but IMO a good one. Although you cannot replace your DSLR with a mirrorless for everything as of yet unless its a fuji I like the X100s and Xpro1 but they are quite expensive, even those dont track particularly well. Bang for buck nothing beats the sonys really. I have taken some great pics with mine, for little trips daily camera to have around the DSLR is a bit overkill and the Nex does a great job. It doesn't cut it for my work tho and the 5DMKIII blows it away but again its 5-6x the size without a lens. 

Only problem with the sony kit is that there is a lack of lenses but hopefully in time.


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## Sella174 (May 22, 2013)

My opinion ... (maybe) sell the 17-40mm for a good price; and _make_ the 5D with 50mm lens portable. I carry my 30D with 24mm lens everywhere: it gets knocked about and stuffed in bags - to the extent that the paint is polished clean off at certain areas.


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