here's the deal. i'm getting rid of my canon 5D original. it's old big and heavy, i feel limited by the resolution in how much i can crop in post, and full frame hasn't done any favors for me. shallower DOF is the opposite of what i want with macro, which is a deeper DOF, wider FOV is counter to my goal of wanting to get closer without having to use shit like extension tubes, so the increased magnification from crop factor from a crop sensor is desirable, and getting a more recently built full frame is more expensive than getting a crop sensor. also better low light capabilities of a full frame are irrelevant if i'm using a flash, and i've heard that super old full frames have inferior low light capabilities compared to newer crop sensors made with more recent sensor technology.

the lens i plan on buying and using is the laowa 100mm ultra macro and i'm finally going to get a ring flash, coming from a 75-300mm zoom lens with extension tubes, and a regular flash with a softbox i made with white cloth, tin foil, duct tape, and cardboard. i am getting rid of everything i have from my 5D and starting over from scratch so i have nothing tying me down to any lens mount or brand. i'd like to finally get a mirrorless to get the lightest and most compact setup i can but it's not a requirement, it's just something i like the idea of.

options i've looked at are the rebel T7, EOS M50, sony alpha a6000, and nikon D3300. i'll probably buy something either used or refurbished to keep the cost down. it has to have a hot shoe for compatibility so that i can use a ring flash or possibly other flash options without having to resort to optical slave flash