Mixing camera brands is a rookie mistake that could cost you thousands and even make photography harder

I can’t remember the last time one of the major camera manufacturers released a truly bad camera. If you pick up any current mirrorless camera from Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Panasonic, OM System, Hasselblad or Leica, it might not suit your specific needs, but it will almost certainly be a good camera. The problem, then, is that this makes it very hard to pick a lane.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with owning cameras from multiple manufacturers. If you’re a camera enthusiast and you can afford it, go wild! But if you’re new to photography and/or are working within a budget, it might be best to stave off the desire to pick up another system just yet and stick with what you’ve got. The reasons why are quite simple: familiarity and lenses.

You see, as you spend time with your chosen camera system, you’re going to develop a relationship with it. It’s going to start to feel familiar, an extension of the arms. Buying into another system is just going to confuse things.

No two camera manufacturers are the same when it comes to menu systems and controls, and as somebody who works with multiple systems daily, you’d be surprised how much that can throw your photography out of kilter.

If you’re a beginner photographer, don’t make life harder for yourself by tipping your photography on its head just as you’re beginning to feel comfortable with your setup.

As for lenses, I’ve said it many times before, but as a developing photographer with a severe case of GAS, you’re better off investing in more glass than cameras. If you must buy a second camera, then sticking with the same manufacturer means you can at least stick with the lenses you’ve already got, instead of having to invest in more.

Not only does this make good financial sense, but you’ll end up with more lenses to play with in the long run.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have a standard zoom lens and a macro lens to play with than two standard zooms for different systems. There is one way you can have your cake and eat it, though, and that’s investing in differing systems that are part of the L-Mount Alliance – but I digress.

Having more lenses to play with means more fields of view and more creative opportunities. Regular Digital Camera World readers will know that I recently published an article all about beginners sticking with a single prime lens. And while I still stand by that, it shouldn’t take dedicated beginners long before they want to start branching out.

Ultimately, you buy whatever the heck you want. But if you do find yourself pursuing the many tantalizing cameras on the market, do consider whether or not you’ll be buying into yet another optical money pit.

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Want more of my opinionated ramblings? No, you DON'T have to look through the viewfinder to take a good image! I’m invisible with my iPhone, but I get rumbled when I use my other camera for street photography. I use my Nikon camera’s video record button… for photos! Here’s why