Camera Indecision

I’ve mentioned a couple times that I’m considering a camera upgrade but have been having trouble deciding whether to simply get a new Canon dSLR body to replace my well-worn 20D or whether to go for something different. I love the idea of the mirrorless cameras — higher image quality than a standard point-and-shoot but smaller, lighter and generally easier to carry around than an SLR — but they are not cheap. I could replace my old 20D body for the same, or sometimes LESS, than I would spend on a mirrorless model.

I was paralyzed by indecision, and a little scared to take the plunge without really knowing what the mirrorless cameras could do. So I rented one! Last Friday, a Sony NEX-6 with 18-55 lens showed up at my door and I carried it around all weekend taking random (ok, mostly of Emma) photos. I didn’t try to control anything about the setting — just snapping photos wherever we happened to be, with whatever light happened to be available. Here are 15 of my favorites:

Hey! Top teeth!

I had a lot of fun trying the NEX-6 out…but unfortunately I still can’t decide what I want to buy! The NEX-6 is definitely what I’m looking for in terms of size and shape. And it does take a pretty decent photo. However, in looking through the 100+ photos I took there did seem to be a higher-than-I’d-like number where the focus was off. It’s possible that this could be related to the fact that it was my first time using the camera, and I didn’t fully understand all the bells and whistles. Or it could be because the focusing isn’t great.

The only thing that still makes me squeamish is the price. If this were a $300 or even $500 camera, I’d have bought one already. But the NEX-6 with kit lens is $900, and somehow that triggers the “excessive” classification in my brain. Maybe it’s because I already have several very nice dSLR lenses that I feel like I should use instead of spending $900 on another camera?? I’ve considered selling some of dSLR gear to pay for the NEX, but I’m not ready to get rid of expensive lenses quite yet. The NEX-5 is also an option since it compares pretty well with the NEX-6 but is “only” $600.

At the end of the day though, perhaps the only thing that really matters is that intermittent focus issues or not, the mirrorless cameras are exactly what I’m looking for. The image quality is significantly better than my iPhone and point-and-shoot — in a much, much more portable package.

Thoughts?

Edited to add: I ordered a NEX-5 about 8 hours after I wrote this. Seems like the best compromise between price and still getting a camera I know I will use more often than my SLR. Can’t wait till it arrives next week!