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So, what is the best: DSLR or Mirrorless For you?
So, you’re ready to step up your photography game and wondering which digital camera is the right fit for you. This is such an important statement, I need to restate this, which is “the right fit for you!” There are a lot of factors that come into play when considering making the choice on the digital camera to take your photography skills to the next level.
We’re going to break down the pros and cons of both Digital Single-Lens Reflex – DSLR and Mirrorless cameras. Not so much in a micro-technical way. So instead of overloading you with a lot of specs, we’ll stress ease of use, responsiveness, familiarity, image quality, and point out things you want and need to know. After all, this is “your” decision!
This article is not just for beginners, but all photographers. I know plenty of seasoned professionals that use some amazing DSLR cameras that are asking this very question. I know I did!
By the time you finish reading this, you should be equipped with a really good idea about which type of camera is the better fit for your photography style and niche.
We want to help you make an informed choice, one that will put a check mark in all the boxes for you, and help you get pointed in the right direction.
DSLR Cameras - The Classics!
Pros:
Digital Single-Lens Reflex cameras (DSLR for short)are technological marvels in the realm of photography. They really are. Their inner workings although similar to the 35mm film cameras that many of us used in the past, they are lightyears ahead in camera technology. The DSLR cameras today excel at capturing stunning images due to their combination of interchangeable lenses and advanced image sensors. These features result in impressive picture quality and control. DSLRs are actively being used by a wide range of professional photographers and amateurs alike.
esides being very rugged and durable, DSLR cameras photo quality is, and always has been amazing! Ask any professional that uses Canon or Nikon dslr cameras.
The DSLR uses true optical viewfinders, showing the photographer exactly what the lens sees, in real time and before the digital conversion. This enables very accurate views of the aperture settings, depth of field, clarity and exactly what the lighting is effecting your composition. Very key factors in seeing the photo before it is captured and recorded. This one factor has kept many photographers away from the mirrorless cameras. You can witness proof of this by watching the photographers at major sporting events. Nearly all of them will be using DSLR cameras and lenses.
Popular among photography enthusiasts, amateurs, and professionals, DSLRs strike a balance between versatility and image excellence.
- Camera Battery Life : DSLRs tend to rock the house when it comes to battery life. Keep an extra battery in your pocket or in your camera bag and you are set for a day of shooting! No worry about running out of juice. Perfect for the long photo shoot.
- Camera Lenses Galore: DSLRs have been around for a while, which means there’s a treasure trove of lenses available for you to choose from. From wide-angle to telephoto and everything in-between, you’ve got options! Besides the OEM lens banks, there are lots of dedicated lens makers that have a huge variety of lenses available for dslr cameras that integrate flawlessly with the cameras electronics and motors.
- Expense: DSLR cameras are a better cost bargain now that the mirrorless alternatives. Some of the camera companies are entertaining the thought of no longer making dslr camera bodies. If this proves to be true in the near future, it should not scare or deter you away from considering a dslr camera. There are plenty of new camera bodies available, and the market for slightly used is great! A photographer can get a great deal on an incredible camera today making this a very viable consideration!
- Weight for Video: There aren’t many times that times that a heavy camera is an advantage, but when shooting video on a tripod, it can be an asset. Unless you are a professional videographer, your equipment is primarily designed for still life photographs, like portraits and wedding photography. So usually, you have a tripod head designed for stills. This is where the camera weight can have an advantage by having enough substance to give you smoother panning with less resistance from the tripod head
Cons:
- Bulk and Weight: a DSLR is larger and heavier than an equivalent mirrorless camera. If you have never owned a dslr camera, when you first pick one up it is going to feel bulky. It is gonna take up a little extra room in your bag, and be uncomfortable hanging on your neck, so I would suggest investing in a nice, wide strap to help with the comfort side. To draw a comparison, a Nikon d850 weighs 2.24lbs (body only) and the equivalent camera, the Nikon Z7 comes in an 1.49lbs (body only). That is nearly a 1lb difference.
- Noisy by comparison: Sometimes, the mirror inside a DSLR can make a bit of a clackety-clack sound when you take a photo. Although this was rarely ever an issue for fashion photographers, or photographers working with models…the distinctive sound of the mirror and shutter serves as a cue for changing poses. But if you are a street photographer who likes the stealth mode for ninja photographs. The dslr isn’t gonna keep you invisible!
- Sluggish Autofocus in Live View: This is maybe the biggest drawback for the dslr. When using live view mode on a dslr camera, the autofocus can be a bit slow compared to mirrorless cameras. It might test your patience when capturing fast-moving subjects. But as the professionals know, there are always ways around this problem with a simple adjustment by changing to continuous focus mode instead of one of the many single point focus settings.
Mirrorless Cameras - The new kids on the block
Pros:
Exploring the world of mirrorless camera technology, we leave the proven tech of single lens reflex & digital single lens reflex cameras, and get knee deep into a fairly new genre of professional cameras…mirrorless cameras.
Traditional dslr cameras rely on a mirror mechanism and prism combination to preview and capture shots, but mirrorless cameras break the mold. Besides losing the need for a mirror to reflect the image through a prism to the view finder, they’re compact and streamlined, shedding the weight and bulk of the unnecessary mechanics of a dslr camera.
These cameras employ digital displays in electronic viewfinder- EVF, instead of viewing directly through the lens. Beyond this, they excel in autofocus speed, ensuring sharpness in every frame.
Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or an enthusiast, mirrorless cameras are what the future of photography looks like. More and more camera introductions are mirrorless instead of dslr technology. By combining advanced mechanics with convenience and offering a new dimension of creative freedom, this is definitely looking into and considering what your photographic future looks like.
- Compact and Lightweight: Mirrorless cameras are kind of like a dslr camera that has shed some pounds. Since they don’t require that added mechanisms of reflexive mirror and such, they’ve become substantially more compact and lighter. The first thing I noticed with my mirrorless cameras is that I can easily fit two into my back pack with out having to forfeit any room for lenses. This is a huge benefit when shooting events, wildlife and other situations where multiple lenses are needed. This is just a subtle thing but was huge to me.
- Broader range of capabilities: Because mirrorless cameras use an electronic shutter, and no longer requires the mirror mechanisms, this has left more room for tech in the camera body. Most Mirrorless cameras offer a very impressive ISO range with less noise introduced with the shortened distance to sensor. This ability has led to photographers being able to shoot with incredible clarity when low light situations exist. This gives beginners and amateurs some great options in the more affordable cameras with APSC sensors. getting higher image quality from a cropped sensor is huge to photographers who are on limited budgets. t
- Speedy Autofocus: Mirrorless cameras often feature lightning-fast autofocus, especially in live view mode. The reason for this is fairly technical, and probably not of much interest to a lot of beginners, but we are going to give it some space here because it is an important feature. DSLR cameras have a second sensor that is needed in auto focus. This sensor is there to help the camera understand what to do when images are coming into the camera body from different directions. These images may need a tweak of focal adjustment to satisfy the auto-focus mode. causing the focus motors to make a quick change to get a precise focus. Granted, this all happens so fast it is not really noticeable to the photographer. Since a mirrorless camera utilizes direct focusing to the CMOS sensor, no additional sensors are needed to make focal adjustments. The split pixels (left and right) on the mirrorless CMOS sensor can secure precise and immediate auto focus so when you’re into capturing action shots, you’ll appreciate speedy focus, especially when using live focus.
Cons:
There is no such thing as the “perfect camera”. If there was, the world would only have one camera maker, and it would cost a fortune because of the lack of competition. Thankfully we photographers are finicky buyers, and loyal to our brands. So all you dslr fans out there, rest easy, mirrorless cameras aren’t always the end-all answer to photography as we know it.
- Camera Battery Anxiety: To borrow a quote from the Spiderman movie, “With great power comes great responsibility…well, with all the great techological power in these electronic marvels, the Lio camera batteries fall short on their responsibility to keep the photographer shooting for long periods of time. I’ve found that having 3-4 batteries is a requirement for a long day of shooting. By comparison, I could get by with just a couple of fully charged batteries for my dslr cameras. Mirrorless cameras definitely need more power to power all the complex electronics they require. The need for a good stock of camera batteries and chargers will be part of the family moving forward.
- Electronic Viewfinder Learning Curve: Most mirrorless cameras utilize an electronic viewfinder (EVF) instead of an optical one. Without the mirror system a dslr, there is no ability to view images like we’re accustomed to, realtime through the lens directly. EVFs have come a long way, but in having some conversations with other professional photographers, there was a learning curve using the EVR. A great way of thinking about this is imagine you are viewing the world from a video game. Everything is there, but it just has a feel of watching tv instead of real life. So if you’re used to optical viewfinders this will be a new experience for you. So expect some getting used to!
- Limited Lens Selection (for now): While the lens lineup is growing, mirrorless cameras don’t yet have as many lens options as DSLRs, especially for specialized or niche photography styles. There definitely is a shortage in specialized lenses for the mirrorless camera market. They will eventually get there, but it is going to take some time. This is maybe the biggest point of contention in the DSLR or mirrorless debate, mainly due to the fact many photographers that have been using dslr technology have devoted a lot of money and time into their equipment. making a change can be a very costly endeavor…evenif done slowly and methodically. Now, it needs mentioning that Canon and Nikon among others have adaptors available to utilize their current stables of conventional mounted lenses, but I still don’t completely trust the possibility of lens aborration, and distortion when putting another piece between the lens and the sensor. But that is my opinion, others may disagree with me.
What is the Final Verdict - DSLR vs Mirrorless - It's Your Call!
This isn’t an “epic battle, DSLR vs. Mirrorless there’s no clear winner. Your choice depends on your preferences and needs. This article has given you the main highlights and information to allow you to make a well informed decision on what equipment you should invest in to promote your career or hobby.
- If you’re all about traditional features and lens variety, a DSLR might be your horse to ride.
- You may want to blaze your path into photography with the latest and greatest tech available, so mirrorless cameras may be your strong suit.
Be confident in the fact that both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras have their own magic. Don’t let your decision be based on bragging rights, but instead base it on what best fits your style and helps you move forward as an artist! So, whether you’re team DSLR or team Mirrorless, keep your eye out for the next great photo op! Remember, it’s all in your mind’s eye
