Anyone go from SL1 or small Rebel to mirrorless or vice a versa?

I've owned an SL1 for about a year and a half now, as a smaller travel camera. I've enjoyed pairing it with the 24mm STM and 50mm 1.8 to almost replicate a 35/85mm (in 35mm equiv) pairing, which I like and is pretty versatile. And those are two very small and light lenses, so the overall package is very small and light.

I have recently considered going to a mirrorless kit for travel purposes, and am wondering if anyone has made such a switch (or switched from a mirrorless to SL1) and if you could share your thoughts on the switch.

I'm a bit hesitant because I'm not sure if the size difference would be that much when lenses are taken into account.

I actually have an EOS-M as well as the SL1 and continue to use both of them. A lot of people make reference to the size and weight advantage. Yet, you really have to look at the systems. For example, the Fuji x-pro1 with a 18-135 weighs 940 grams whereas the SL1 with a 18-135 weighs in at 862 grams (both of which would make great travel kits). I personally like being able to use my EF lenses on the SL1 and think that having both the SL1 and my 5DIII give me flexibility. Now, as for the EOS-M, the EOS M with the 22 makes a great P&S replacement and fits perfectly in my wife's purse when we go out for dinner.

Just my $0.02

I had an SL1 for a few months and never really warmed up to it, mainly because it didn't have an articulated LCD. I've also owned nearly every Rebel from the T1i to the T5i which my daughter now owns. I liked all of them and still do. I've also owned 40/50 and 60D's, which I liked as well, more then the Rebels, in fact, but were all on the big side.

I've switched back and forth to Olympus Mu4/3's bodies more then once, first with the OM-D EM-5 and recently to an EM-10 strictly for the sake of size and portability.

An EM-10 with a 20mm pancake weights about 570 grams, with a much smaller footprint. the difference in body size isn't huge, but the main difference is the size of the lenses.

Most Mu4/3 primes are tiny, fast and have great IQ, so I can have a great kit of fast primes that takes up about as much space as a 24-105. For travel it just can't be beat. I really hated hauling around ten pounds of Canon gear everywhere I went. The Oly body and four tiny lenses solved that problem for me.

The big issue I have with the Oly bodies is that they don't track moving objects well, especially if they're moving quickly towards you. It's possible to make it work, but it's not easy. If you can live with that drawback, and it's a big one, then I wouldn't hesitate to make the switch.

It's nice to have both systems, of course, because I definitely prefer optical viewfinders and Canon's AF, but since I picked up an OM-10 I haven't used any of my kid's Canon gear, and don't miss it.

The biggest plus is that I always have my Oly with me, because it's so easy to lug around. I could never say the same for my big Canon DSLR's. That is the biggest selling point for me.

I have an SL1 that I took on a trip to Yosemite last year with a 17-50nonVC and the 11-16. Although the SL1 itself is very small and crazy light weight, once you put a lens on it, it isn't a huge difference in size from a typical Rebel (and you lose a swivel screen).

I went with a Samsung NX300 as a mirrorless option after that trip and haven't looked back. The lenses are smaller, the body is smaller. The 45 1.8 is smaller and better built than the 50 1.8. Samsung's pancake lenses (10, 16, 20, 30) are so small you don't really get just HOW small they are until you have one in your hand.

I can pack my NX300, 30f2, 45 1.8, and 12-24 in a bag that would hold only the SL1 and 11-16, and MAYBE a 40mm pancake. I'll upgrade to the NX500 later in the year for the even better AF and that awesome sensor from my NX1.

Heya,

The big difference will be the autofocus. Use your SL1 in Live View exclusively, and see if you are ok with how fast it focuses in Live View and how it is to use in Live View exclusively. If you're fine with it, then migrating to the EOS-M will be an easy one and you'll get a smaller package. That's different of course if you went with a different mirrorless option (Fuji for example).

Very best,