I wanted a mirrorless, compact-system camera (CSC) because it offered DSLR features in a compact, point-and-shoot camera body. Ultimate functionality blended with ultimate portability – the best of both worlds.
However, as the CSC market is only just beginning, and although most of the product development is focused on mirrorless cameras as opposed to ageing DSLR’s, CSC’s are pricey. You’re looking at around the £500 mark for a decent budget CSC, whereas my initial, albeit naive budget was around the £300 mark.
After a heck of a lot of in-depth research into DSLR’s and CSC’s, and the occasional look at Bridge cameras, I decided to go for a DSLR – most of the affordable CSC’s I looked at, lacked the viewfinder that a DSLR offers (thus why they’re called ‘mirrorless’ cameras).
Screen time was therefore going to be increased, meaning a shorter battery life and less composing of shots before turning on the camera to take the shot. The biggest con that I found, was that it would cost around an extra £200 to buy an ‘add-on’ digital viewfinder for CSC’s. Alternatively, buy a more expensive CSC with a built-in digital viewfinder. Either way, battery life would still take a massive hit – especially as I would be spending time composing each shot, rather than switching on the camera and snapping straight away. Also, I knew spare batteries weren’t cheap, so that was also another added cost.
I was definitely looking at DSLR’s – the problem was, which one would I get? I didn’t want the absolute budget, entry level model, which for me was a toss up of the Canon EOS 100D or the Canon EOS 1300D.
My next step was to choose DSLR’s which proved to be the top of the budget tier – I shortlisted the newly-released Canon EOS 200D (the follow up to the 100D), the Nikon D5300, Nikon D5600, and Canon EOS 750D.
Wanting all-round capabilities, including half-decent video capture, straight away both the Nikon’s were ruled out. Reviews suggested that video capture on Nikon cameras was a subpar experience, which is why so many vloggers and YouTubers preferred Canon DSLR’s.
(However, I should add that after some limited experience with my dad’s budget Nikon D3100, I’m impressed with the image quality and the Nikon way of doing things – so I’m not ruling out a Nikon camera purchase in the future!)
Coming to a DSLR, I wanted an experience rather than just an upgrade. On mobile, Nikon’s only offering was an app that enabled the download of PDF manuals to your phone. If you’ve just got a Nikon camera and wanted to learn how to use it, you had to fork out more money to attend a Nikon beginners event course. Tut-tut!
Canon, however, have been clever, and have provided us, the public, with the Canon Companion app. Even before I’d purchased a camera, I was learning how to use a DSLR’s basic functions, and how each camera differed from one another.
In the app, I explored both the 750D as well as the 200D – ultimately, it was this, coupled with handling both cameras in the Wex Photographic shop in Norwich, that enabled me to reach a decision.
Then, from outta nowhere, Canon released the 800D…
Chris JK photo blog 