How Many Times Have You Switched?

Canonet rangefinder film -> Minolta MF SLR film -> Lubitel (TLR medium format film) -> Canon AF EOS film (EOS 650, 100, ELan II) -> Minolta AF SLR film (Maxxum 7, 9, 9xi) -> Minolta Maxxum 7D DSLR -> Nikon D300 DSLR -> Olympus micro 4/3 -> Sony mirrorless (Nex 5n, 5t, A6000, A7r II). It seems I am now pretty much settled on Sony for a long time to come (compact size, image quality, etc.).

Canon to Fuji.

Only switched once. Switching brands can add up quickly

I have had a few cameras, started 44 years ago with a Polaroid Swinger (square peel apart) Still have it and works too. Then via a borrowed 35mm RF the first serious SLR a Cosina CSM that was stolen and replaced with a set of Canon FD bodies and lenses as I added too it but stolen after 9 years in a burglary. Replaced with a Pentax MZ5 and MZ10 and a Leica M3, still have the Leica. To this I added a Mamiya 645 and a Dierdorf 10x8. I sold the Pentax cameras to get a Minolta Damage 7i, that was replaced with a Minolta 5d and a Canon 300d (bargain price). A brief period using a Nikon D200 and a Fuji S3 that were sold to get a Canon 5d, I then went to M43 until I picked up a Sony Nex6 and looked and bought an A7. I do have a pre order in for a Hasselblad Xe1, I did have a try with it and do like it but am not majorly sure if I won't cancel, I would keep the A7 with it though. I also have a Nikon V1 set up as a carry every place camera it was dirt cheep and have a load of film stuff still having re acquired the Canon AE1p and F1 and CSM of a sort of emotional attachment to them. With digital I have got about 3 years out of most systems, got used lenses so have lost little in changing.

Osa713 wrote in post #18311567
Canon to Fuji.

Only switched once. Switching brands can add up quickly

Me too. Sold off my Canon stuff here last fall. Upgraded Fuji bodies a couple of times and haven't looked back.

Not counting film... I have never switched.

First and only serious digital system was and is Sony. Bought an A700 with the 16-105 kit lens in 2007. Moved to BC in 2008 and started accumulating lenses - first a couple of cheapies... then good glass. Bought an A99 when they came out, then added an A77ii for birds, now the A99ii. If I were to start all over AND I had an unlimited budget, I MIGHT go with Nikon. (D500 and D5) But I don't, and I won't start again. I am happy with my system which is a good thing because I could never afford to replace it in another brand at this point. lol

Canon 700D--->> Nikon 5300D. I know both are entry level camera. My next target is Canon 5D. But it will take time to have that one, because I need to learn a lot.

Nikon all the way!

Gregsiem wrote in post #18323802
Thanks. I was wondering about that ID.

GregDunn wrote in post #17705877
I only consider having switched once, but here's the story: In 1975 I bought a Minolta system, which ultimately added up to 2 bodies and 4 lenses. I used it till about 2003. In the meantime (around 2001), I picked up a high-end Oly P&S because I knew I was going to move to digital eventually, and wanted to get used to the workflow. When it came time to buy a dSLR, I went with Canon because their sensor and lens system were far and away the best - and Minolta was rapidly becoming a non-player.

In retrospect, I wish I'd bought a 20D instead of a 300D, but nonetheless it got the job done and I knew what to look for in my next purchase. And I have seen no reason to switch brands in the last decade; the Canon system has an advantage over every other for the work I do.

Interesting. I have a somewhat similar experience. I started with Minolta in the early 80s and was die hard for the next 20+ years. Once the Konica Minolta thing happened, I saw the writing on the wall and wondered what was next. I contemplated the switch to Nikon, but stopped short for not wanting to invest a lot of dough for all new equipment. (that F4 was so damned sexy, though) I was also an analog snob until that time. One small reason for that was that I was teaching a bit of analog college photography (early 2000s), but also wasn't yet impressed with the digital side of things. Did a lot of shoulder surfing with a friend who had bought a 300D when they first came out. Decided to buy an Optio S5i just to work with digital copy and get a feel for things. Around 07 my friend sold me the old 300 and that was all it took to get me into Canon. Bought a few good lenses and picked up a few 1 series bodies. Been with Canon ever since. Still have a fair amount of Minolta gear that I use for fun, but don't see myself changing to another system any time soon.

If you don't count my original Kodak Instamatic, I forget the model, it used the 126 cassette, and my Olympus XA2 compact, I have changed camera mount twice in something like 45 years. I started out with M42, and my Dad's hand me down Practica Nova. Then when I was 16 I got a brand new Pentax ME Super, and so moved to K mount. I stayed with the K mount, adding both Ricoh and Chinon bodies until 2005.

In 2005 I switched to digital, and Canon EOS, with a 300D kit from Jessops. At the time the Pentax digital offerings were pretty poor, and nothing competed on price/quality with the 300D. Also not in Pentax's favour was the ramifications of their slow development of the K mount. All of my MF, and mechanical aperture K mount lenses were essentially completely unuseable with the modern film/digital AF bodies. Unlike Canon when you fit an adapted MF lens, the Pentax doesn't even like you using the metering system in Manual, let alone doing autoexposure in Av. So since none of my old MF film kit was going to be useable switching to Canon was actually more cost effective.

Alan

Started off with Canon.

After amassing a considerable collection I decided everything was too heavy and moved over to Olympus micro four-thirds.

Was extremely happy with that system, but then I started trying out film lenses and realizing that the small sensor size will never allow me to get the wide angles that I want. Then switched over to Sony where I used the A7 and A7 II exclusively with film lenses, while playing around with Canon / Nikon film cameras and some medium format film cameras.

I bought back one of my old Canon lenses from a friend on a whim and realized how much I missed the Canon system. Sold off my Sony stuff and now looking for a newer Canon camera to use. However I'm not a fan of the prices the newer 5Ds currently command and so I'm also considering moving to Nikon instead.

My relationship with camera brands is a mess.

Digital went from Canon to Olympus recently. Film went from Canon to Pentax and now Nikon FM2 and Olympus point and shoots. Looking to get a Canonet soon too so I guess it'll be back to Canon, with Nikon and Olympus all at once.

Having picked up 2 Samsung NX cameras (NX1000 NX1100) and 16,20 and 20-50 silly cheep for £65 the lot I have added an extra system. I did think of selling them on but the IQ is really quite good and with the pancakes they make great overcoat pocket/bag cameras, so Ill keep them. I am now using Sony E, Canon M, Nikon 1, µ43 and Samsung NX, it all serves a purpose and apart from the Sony stuff cost me a pittance. The EP1 was a gift on passing my BA so its mostly an emotional thing though.

I started with a Canon AE-1P film camera as a high school graduation gift. Started building up a nice FD system with an A-1, T90 and probably a dozen different FD primes and zoom lenses. When the autofocus cameras came around, I was pissed at Canon for not being able to adapt my old FD lenses to the new Canon Eos cameras.

I got into digital SLR photography around four years ago--I know I'm a very late bloomer in the digital SLR game. When I decided to go into the digital SLR photography, I had a chance to shoot my brother's Nikon D80 camera with an 18-135mm lens. I also got to look closely at a friend's Canon 40D camera with the 17-85mm lens. I liked both cameras, and both systems. I could follow both camera menus, toyed shooting with both, and liked the image quality both cameras gave. I decided to purchase my first "new" digital SLR on the used eBay market. I placed a bid in for a Nikon D80 and 18-135mm lens that I liked first, but lost the bid. The second bid I put in was for the Canon 40D and 17-85mm lens. I won the bid. However, when the camera and lens were shipped, the lens stopped working after two days due to the ribbon defect of the lens. I got a partial refund on the lens from the seller, then went an purchased an 18-55mm lens to start my new digital SLR hobby.

Lots of switching for me...

Film:
Canon AE1 + Minolta Maxxum 7000

Digital:
Canon G3 (fun w/manual macro focus, you could literally force it to focus on the dust on the end of the lens)
Nikon D70 (first dSLR)
Canon 20D
Canon 7D (with first L lens, 24-70 2.8)
Nikon D7000
Nikon D610 (first full frame dSLR)
Sony A7 II
Canon 6D (current camera)

Link to Uber macro mode on G3, originally from this forum... dpreview link

Canon FD to Contax to Canon EF