I got my first DSLR in Autumn 2019, the Canon EOS4000D. The most entry level, brand new, readily available camera I could get. With the standard 18-55mm kit lens, a cheap camera bag from amazon and a 32gb SD card, who knew that would be the start of the journey!
The aim of this chapter is to take you on the journey through every single camera body I have had since the Canon EOS4000D, I warn you there has been a lot for 4 years. Before I go into this, I dont want you to think this chapter is just for all my fellow camera nerds (but they will love it), but what this shows how impulsive I am, impatient with myself and also how addictive (chapter 3 drop) photography is regarding equipment.
From the Canon EOS 4000D I acquired a Canon EOS 650D, very similar camera but OMG it has a revolving screen!!! HOW BLOODY EXCITING IS THAT!! At this point I had only really learnt about aperture and different lenses, but that is a whole other chapter!
Following on from the EOS 650D, I annoyed the hell out of my wife by constantly looking at upgrading, upgrading and upgrading. This is the important bit about this journey though, I never actually upgraded my camera until I got the body I have now...
The EOS 650D lead to the EOS 750D, again not much of an upgrade but I convinced myself it was, I convinced myself that It was worth the upgrade and it was a million times better, spoiler....it was not.
At this point I had started doing the odd photoshoot here and there and I felt like I needed to move to the world of mirrorless cameras, still having the EOS 650D as a backup too. I jacked in the EOS 750D on marketplace and moved onto the Canon M6....ooooo mirrorless cameras! Again, convincing myself that this camera is waaaaaayy better than the EOS 750D, but it was missing one important part for me, a viewfinder, D'OH!
After using the Canon M6 for a few months, along side the EOS 650D, I thought I need to go back to a DSLR, this just isnt working. It just isnt what I wanted and I need to go back to a DSLR, which meant I was shipping that bad boy back to MPB for another DSLR, this time the Canon EOS 7D, why the EOS 7D I hear none of you asking? Because I had started shooting for Tamworth Football Club and I thought I needed something that was weather sealed.
The Canon EOS 7D did not last long in my camera bag, it put me off DSLR cameras altogether to be honest, although the trusty EOS 650D stayed strong and didnt leave my side for a long long LONG time. The EOS 7D was quickly traded back for the Canon M5, the M6's big brother with a viewfinder. Had I finally find the perfect camera? Small, handy, viewfinder, mount for my canon lenses...not at all! I loved it all the same, but there was another love in my life which had teased me into buying it, I had used one very similar and I unfortunately changed forces...
I MOVED TO SONY.... dun dun duuuuuuuuun, Sony, I know, what was I thinking? What I was thinking was I had seen my mates shoot on Sony and thought they have to be good, give them a go, but my budget only allowed me to get the OG Sony A7. Was it all I thought it was going to be? Not at all! It came on holiday with me, it came to all different shoots, but I was limited with glass as I wasnt ready to sell my kidneys for a 70-200. Which meant the Sony had to go!
Back on familiar territory I went back to Canon, the EOS 800D, it was something I knew a little bit about and I knew what I was doing. But was it any better than my Canon EOS 650D? Or was it just another cropped sensor DSLR which I had convinced myself was better? I honestly do not know and to this day I couldn't tell you, but what I could tell you is now I am ready to upgrade.
That brings me to where I am today, after selling my Canon EOS 800D to a good friend and budding photographer to get started, I "upgraded" to the Canon RP, and what a beauty she is! For the first time EVER (the past 4 years), I am not tempted at all to trade her in. Is the best on the market...probably not, but for what I do, this small, FULL FRAME, MIRRORLESS! camera is now my pride and joy.
So the moral of this story, you can keep dancing around and hopping between the same levels trying to find something better, but if you really want to upgrade then you have to do it properly. I spent nearly 3 years with beginner and entry level DSLR cameras and everything I learnt I could have learnt back with the Canon EOS 4000D, which I still look back at some of the photos I took with that and still my favourite, but it all lead me to where I am today and helped me be the photographer I am today.
The next time you believe you need to upgrade something, just really think about it, how will it improve what I have now....or be like me and do it because you REALLY REALLY WANT TO!!!
P.S. All of these photos were taken on 4 different cameras... bonus points if you can guess which photos is taken on which camera!
