It’s 2024 and you’re still shooting with a full-frame DSLR? Me too. Here’s why I don’t feel any pressure to switch from a DSLR camera body to a mirrorless system anytime soon.

Digital photography has come a long way since the Fujix DS line came to the fore in the late 1980s as one of the first all-digital cameras capable of low resolution 0.40 MP. Fast forward to 2024, photographers and enthusiasts are spoiled for choice with the amount of digital camera systems available on the market today. From DSLR and medium format, on to mirrorless; your budget and practice area will largely determine which system you adopt over the years.

At one end of the spectrum are photographers who crave the rapid development of technology and upgrade their equipment whenever they can, which can be compared to those who regularly upgrade their phones with each new release. Driven by improved features and the promise of cutting-edge innovation, these photographers find excitement in staying ahead and maintaining their current edge in the industry. On the other hand, where I probably sit, another group of photographers take a more pragmatic stance, viewing their cameras as indispensable tools integral to their profession – taking a measured approach and only upgrading when their current equipment no longer serves a purpose.

Everyone is different and I don’t expect everyone reading this article to agree with me on this. When it comes to my gear, I feel invested, and it’s more than just a financial investment. I chose the Nikon D850, which was a deliberate and calculated upgrade from my previous Nikon D800, as there were features of the D850 that appealed to me, such as the 45.7 megapixels of effective resolution, the far superior low-light performance, and the product’s shift focus feature and macro photography. The tilting touchscreen was also a bonus. All of these reasons for choosing the D850 still apply today – they haven’t gone anywhere just because new cameras have been released, so why would I upgrade before the camera no longer meets my needs? I’m not a gear-driven photographer; for me it’s all about image.

For full disclosure, I almost switched to mirrorless during the pandemic, but I backed off and I’m so glad I did. This was the first time I was tempted with a mirrorless camera as the main body. In early 2020, Nikon announced the Z9, which, I must admit, really piqued my interest. Delay after delay, the initial excitement about getting out faded as I continued to use my trusty D850. Comparing the specs of the Nikon D850 and Z9 side by side, there just wasn’t enough to justify the switch. I realized that the main advantage of the Z9 for most switching photographers was the 8K video resolution. At that time, I rarely made videos.

By the time the Z9 finally went on sale in the middle of the pandemic, I couldn’t get anywhere to even feel it in my hands. Online retailers quickly sold out of the limited stock they had, so I took the money I would have invested in the body and lenses and upgraded to a new kitchen instead! Even today, I am satisfied with that decision.

The pictures I make are very intentional and important to me. Upgrading my gear isn’t something I do more often than necessary because I’m kind of tied to the items in my kit. My favorite lens is, for example, the Nikkor 70-200 2.8E FL ED VR, but that’s not because I use it most often, but because of a specific series of portraits that I shot with the lens back in 2014. If I upgrade to mirrorless, I’ll have to deal with that lens. Yes, adapters are available, but if I’m changing, then I’m completely changing, and that lens is too expensive to just keep as a decoration. Just last year I sold the camera I’ve had since 2008, a Fuji S5 Pro, because that’s what I used when I started studying photography in college. I haven’t used it in years and it’s better to be in the hands of someone who will use it than to be packed away in storage.

The camera becomes part of your routine, and navigating it becomes automatic, meaning you can only concentrate on what the camera is pointing at. Knowing your camera intimately can only benefit the photographer and whatever the lens is pointed at. I like to think of this as being similar to learning to drive; at first you have to think about every movement from the gear shift to the indication and which way to turn the wheel when reversing. Once you become an experienced driver, many parts of your process become second nature, allowing you to concentrate on the road ahead.

Advances in mirrorless cameras have come thick and fast in recent years, and there are rumors of more to come in the coming months if you check out some of the recently filed patents and leaked discussions in various Reddit threads. The Nikon Z9H has been rumored since late 2023, and I’d bet that some new high-speed shutter systems will be released to coincide with the Olympics, which will be held in Paris this summer. Should I shoot more frames per second than I currently can? I don’t, so I can’t imagine there will be a camera released in 2024 that will make me change.

I still value the optical viewfinder too much to switch to a mirrorless camera, which provides a direct optical view of the scene, unlike electronic viewfinders on mirrorless cameras. DSLRs have a longer battery life compared to mirrorless cameras, which can be an advantage during longer shoots, which I often find myself doing. In a market dominated by high-spec mirrorless cameras, ultimately the decision to upgrade or stick with DSLRs will be decided by the camera manufacturers and what they decide to bring to market. The Nikon D850, although first introduced in 2017, is still in production today, which lets me know that I’m far from the dinosaur label. I will change when the time suits me.

Have you changed or stuck with your DSLR system? What is your reason for this?