Well, the world didn’t end, so here we are, in 2013.

To kick things off, I thought I’d discuss some of my plans for 2013 with respect to my photography

1. The DSLR is dead to me

It’s no secret that “mirrorless” digital cameras are all the rage right now.  And for good reason.  They provide all of the image quality of a DSLR (since they generally use the same sensors as DSLRs), without any of the added bulk.  Now don’t get me wrong, the DSLR still has its place in the photographic world, but it seems to me that the DSLR is becoming more and more marginalized.  If you shoot macro photography or need lenses longer than 135mm (35mm full frame equivalent), then a DSLR is your best choice.  Similarly, if you need very high frame rates, the DSLR is where it’s at.

But for those of us that live in the 21-90mm range, the benefits of the DSLR are minimal.  After lugging my 5D Mark II, 35L, and 85L to France this past March, and after seeing what the X100 and X-Pro1 could do in terms of image quality, I resolved to move the bulk of my photography over to these fantastic mirrorless cameras.

And after a few months with this set up, I’m now prepared to say that the DSLR is dead to me.  Yep, I said it.  I no longer have any need for a DSLR.  My X-Pro1 outperforms the 5D Mark II at all ISOs, the Fuji XF 35 f/1.4 is sharper than my Sigma 50 f/1.4, and – most of all – the X-Pro1 kit is much smaller and lighter than the 5D2 kit.  I don’t shoot longer than a 90mm on the X-Pro1 (the glorious Leica Tele-Elmarit-M, FWIW), so I don’t need the 5D2′s ability to shoot >135mm.  I don’t shoot 1:1 macro, so the XF 60 f/2.4 (1:2) Macro is sufficient for me.

Anyway, the 5D2 kit is for sale.  I’ve committed to the X-Pro1 and X100, and I’m happy with that decision.