Up until recently, digital SLR cameras were generally considered to be the best option for experienced and professional photographers. As well as the ability to switch lenses, DSLRs typically offered more advanced sensors and focussing system, and gave the photographer more control than other types of cameras. The emergence of mirrorless cameras has shaken up the camera market, and many professionals are letting go of their DSLRs in favour of these new models.
Mirrorless cameras offer the versatility and quality of DSLRs, but have many unique advantages. The ability to switch lenses means a photographer can produce professional standard images of everything from landscapes to sports images just as with a DSLR. Leading camera manufacturers, including Nikon and Canon, have focussed their resources on the development of mirrorless models in the past year meaning this is where the greatest innovations can be seen.
The following are some of the reasons it’s worth considering the switch to mirrorless:
1) Smaller and lighter
DSLR cameras have reduced in size over the past decade, but the built-in mirror and prism mean there are limits as to how small manufacturers can make them. The simpler design and construction of mirrorless cameras means they can be much more compact. For busy professionals who can be working for hours at a time, a smaller, lighter camera is much more convenient. Smaller cameras and lenses also mean you can pack more into your equipment bag.
2) Faster bursts
Sports and action photographers rely on a camera’s ability to shoot bursts of images in a fraction of a second. Modern DSLRs can take as many as nine shots a second, but the mechanism of the mirror always limits the speed. Professional nature and sports photographers are now taking advantage of the higher burst speeds mirrorless cameras are capable of.
3) Better prime lenses
There’s some debate about the lens quality offered by different types of modern digital cameras within the photographic community, but there are factual reasons why mirrorless cameras have an advantage here. The shorter flange distance allows the lens to sit closer to the camera’s sensor, and this means manufacturers can design and produce more efficient optics. Fewer elements means less image and color distortion.
4) Low-light advantages
Early mirrorless cameras didn’t have full-frame sensors like high-end DSLRs, meaning they couldn’t produce similar results in low-light. The arrival of the Sony A7 full-frame mirrorless cameras was a major leap forward in camera technology, and other models have followed. The design of the lenses on these cameras means they can operate at lower shutter speeds without the need for image stabilization. Mirrorless cameras are ideal for shooting indoors and in challenging lighting.
5) Better for video
If you’re interested in shooting video as well as photographs, mirrorless cameras have the edge. A DSLR’s phase detection focussing system doesn’t work when the mirror is up for video recording, so it switches to contrast detection. This means focussing is slower and less accurate, and the camera sometimes struggles to find a subject. Mirrorless cameras are the preference for most filmmakers, and newer models can record in Ultra HD with four times the resolution of 4K.
Conclusion
Mirrorless cameras are unlikely to mean the end of DSLRs, but they are shaking up the camera market and offering exciting alternatives. Many professional travel and wedding photographers have already made the switch, and others will follow as the technology develops.
