This is a bit long, and it won't mean much to many of you ... most likely only photo geeks will understand and truly appreciate it.
I started getting serious about photography over 20 years ago.
I'd soon collected two good bodies, three excellent lenses. I thought I was set for life.
That was the mid/late-2000's.
 |
| first frame off the mirrorless rank |
I was happy bumbling along my chosen photographic route until C19, shortly followed by various points of pain and/or decline in performance which started appearing ... in my body. Eyes, shoulders, elbows, back, knees.
In a fit of self-preservation, and to rescue what had become a necessary creative outlet, I eventually started casting around the Canon gear world, after hearing so much about this new mirrorless technology.
Merely handling new gear that photogs close to me had purchased made me feel disloyal. After all, the gear I had was working perfectly well*. Notwithstanding the fact that I sometimes could barely lift it to my eye without the assistance of a monopod or dead-rest.
* this even after a gut-wrenching outing detailed here.
Mirrorless equipment is significantly lighter than my old gear. It is also significantly costly for what was now considered a hobby instead of a serious side hustle.
After a sacrifice to the trade-in gods separated me from two camera bodies and three lenses (ie: ALL my gear except a delicious macro lens that was a birthday gift), followed by a blood-curdling assault on the credit card, resulted in a new commitment to the Canon R5II paired with a 100-500 rf lens.
Forsaking the well-loved and familiar for the strange after such a long relationship was a huge step. It took me a day to be brave enough to unbox it - although I did take the batteries out to get them charged on the same day I got them home.
Thankfully, I had received some helpful tips on getting the camera set up the way that made sense to me. But that's not to say that it wasn't a frustrating and painful process that left me questioning my decision.
It took me 2-3 weeks to start to feel somewhat confident with the new equipment, to make final tweaks, to the point that I was able to appreciate the incredible advances that technology has made since my original gear was birthed.
It often feels like it can read my mind!
While I'm delighted with the mirrorless body, I'm still struggling with the lens. Being limited to one lens, albeit a zoom, is a real challenge - one that's forcing my creativity to activate!
I know it'll take more practice to "see" the shots ... but if you aren't learning, you aren't living! Onwards!
