Some photographers will switch brands of camera system even after amassing a large collection of bodies, lenses, and accessories. The reasons vary. Switching is a gradual process. Buy the new brand, try it out for a while. You may shoot both brands and models under different situations. Some photographers have multiple brands and use them in different situations.
I switched 4 times in the last 11 years, first for Full HD video and IQ in 2010 Nikon to Canon, then for size and compactness in 2016 Canon EF to Canon EF-M, then because of a full frame mirrorless, added in Canon RF, then added in Canon EF, in 2021 L mount for video.
Here’s what I did and recommend regarding switching.
- Research.
- Buy one body and one lens then go from there.
- Don’t sell all your gear and buy the new brands corresponding lens right away
- Obviously this assumes you can afford to do this. Selling your old gear you will take a loss, most likely selling it for 30-60% less than what you paid for it. This is painful.
After 20 years of shooting a Nikon F mount, I switched to Canon EF-S mount camera back in 2010 since the t2i had full HD video and the image quality was better than my D300s. I would go on trips taking both cameras and never took the D300s out of my bag. It took time to get used to Canon but I liked the image quality so much that I stuck with my t2i, then bought a t3i, 60D, 70D, 6D, 7D, 5Diii. I was still waiting for a Nikon D400 that never came after years of waiting. I sold my D300s and all my lenses etc but it took more than two years! I found that Nikon has a much smaller market and lower resale value than Canon in the SF Bay Area at least. Sure, you take a loss, but that’s expected.
In 2015 I switched from Canon DSLRs to a Canon M3 for compactness. I got tired of carrying a whole suitcase of DSLR gear. Still, I bought the M3 as a backup to my 6D and 70D but after blowing up the images I realized the IQ was as good as I needed. The main thing I miss is the fast AF and shot to shot times of the 70D. I can live without the speed though since most of my work is landscape photography. I’ve sold all my Canon DSLR bodies and EF lenses. The process has taken about two years. I kept the 70-200 f/4 and 70-300 F/4-5.6 though and use an adaptor. I also bought the EF 50 f/1.8 STM to use as my fast portrait lens.
In 2016 I bought a Sony A7r and A6000. I bought one lens each, got them used via great deals on eBay or cl. I then used them for a few months, shot them side by side with my M3 and really hated them. I then sold them on cl for what I paid. See the reviews on them for a further discussion but suffice it to say, so called superior specs AF, FPS, megapixels, etc don’t equate to better images or a more enjoyable photography experience.
In 2018 I bought a 5Dsr, 5D Mark IV, 7D Mark II, and EOS R. I ended up selling all of them and settling on the 6D Mark II.
In 2019 I bought a M50 and feel it’s the best M camera available. I wouldn’t bother with any other model. I also bought a 6D Mark II to use my EF L lenses with. This so far is my favorite DSLR though it’s a toss up between the 6D Mark II and the 5D Mark IV. In late 2019 I ended up selling the M50, 6DII, and bought a M6 Mark II and a Canon RP.
In 2021 I sold the RP and the last of my EF lenses and just shoot with the EF-M system.
Summation: Do your research before buying. Buy one body and lens and see if you like it. Take both on a shoot and see which body you use the most. Make a decision gradually. There’s no rush. Then start selling off your old gear on cl and eBay. There are haters and fanboys for every system. Best way to figure out what works for you is to use the new gear side by side with your old gear on various shooting situations and then decide.
Note: Don’t buy the model specific tripod head plates from RRS etc. Just get a generic one and use it on the different bodies while you’re deciding. Once you’ve zeroed in, then buy a model specific plate *if* the generic isn’t up to your standards.
Selling your gear: I recommend your local craigslist as a first place to start. You can always auction or set up a fixed price on Ebay, but I’ve had most luck and highest selling price with Amazon. I recommend selling for a fixed price on Amazon over eBay or craigslist. Nikon gear is much tougher to sell than Canon gear. Plan on sitting on your Nikon gear for months or even a year or more before you sell it.
Canon M Cameras 