Are you searching for the perfect camera? Did you come across some terms you have never heard before or types of cameras that boggle your mind? What is the Mirrorless? What does DSLR mean? Which is better mirrorless or DSLR? Well, in this article we will help you learn the differences in a mirrorless camera vs DSLR systems and we give you some suggestions. We are going to keep things very simple so that if your a beginner at photography you can understand it easily. Lets dive in.
What is a DSLR camera?
Back in the film days SLR cameras were popular amongst the professionals. What is SLR? Singe-Lens Reflex. It gave the photographer the ability to see directly through the lens from the view finder using a mirror and to see exactly what will be in the frame. Other cameras that are rangefinders or even the twin lens reflex cameras would have a slightly different frame when looking through the viewfinder and the printed photo. SLR cameras you would see exactly what you will be photographing.
SLR cameras have mirrors inside the body and would flip up when you push the shutter button, the film would be exposed to the light and therefore the scene would be recorded onto the film. If you want to learn more about the history of the SLR you can check out Wikipedia.
So going into the digital age, yes you guess it. Camera manufacturers start making digital cameras that worked with the same lenses for their film SLRs. Hence the D in SLR. What is DSLR? Digital Single-Lens Reflex. The technology was about the same, the photographer would see exactly what he saw through the lens, and what was recorded. DSLR cameras started being manufactured around the 2000s and quickly became the standards for modern photography at the time.
DSLR cameras tend to be more bulky and heavier than the mirrorless systems.
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What is a Mirrorless Camera?
Yeeeeep! You guessed it. Mirrorless cameras do not have mirrors or an optical viewfinder. The light that is going through the lens goes directly onto the sensor and typically displays the frame digitally whether the LCD on the back of the camera or the EVF (electronic viewfinder). Both mirrorless and DSLR cameras have the ability to have interchangeable lenses. Most mirrorless have a mechanical and electronic shutter for complete silence.
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Mirrorless Cameras are also much smaller with less moving parts, which makes it much lighter than the DSLR cameras. There are also many advantages of using a mirrorless system. With DSLRs you can’t see exactly what your exposure would look like. Mirrorless you can see exactly how your exposure would look like with the electronic viewfinder.
Mirrorless systems are the way to go now. With technology growing and more innovation, mirrorless cameras are superior to their DSLR predecessors. Better Autofocusing system, automatic eye focusing, animal eye focusing and more. These cameras are also much faster at capturing quick movements such as sports, wildlife and even fast moving cars. With over 20 fps (frames per second) to capture that perfect moment your best friend slipping at your local swimming pool. Hehe. There is so many things the mirrorless systems can do, and it will only get better.
So…….in my opinion, Mirrorless is the way to go. Unless your budget calls for a cheaper more affordable DSLR, I would do my best to get into mirrorless. If you are deciding what type of camera to get, please check out our other article Best 5 Cameras for Beginners under $1000.
Recommendation: Mirrorless camera vs DSLR?
As we see it, camera manufacturers are phasing out DSLR cameras. One of the biggest camera manufacturers The Canon Company have stopped support their EF Lenses for the DSLR cameras because they are focusing on their RF Lenses for the mirrorless line. They also have stopped manufacturing these lenses. Sony Company does not even make DSLR cameras. Also the Nikon Company have moved on to Mirrorless systems. So its quite evident that mirrorless cameras are taking the stage today.
What Type of Mirrorless Should I get?
That is an awesome question! Its really hard to recommend a specific camera to you. Because we need to know a few factors before we can really suggest something. Its best that you do research on the type of photography you would like to do. For Example, If you just wanted to capture the memories of your trip with your family, you wouldn’t get a high speed action camera that cost roughly about $5000 just for the camera body and…..spend another $4000 on lenses. Go figure right? Heck, that probably cost more than the trip and accommodations.
My recommendation would be to first figure out what you want to photograph. Its also quite obvious that you might already know which direction you want to pursue if you came across this article. In that case, Lets consider a few things.
Each genre of photography would require different lenses, different cameras and different accessories. For Example, If you are into Landscape photography, you really wouldn’t need a high speed sports camera. Since you will be taking your time waiting for that perfect light to hit your scene. Landscape photographers generally use camera’s with the highest megapixels. Full frame Sensors or even Medium format mirrorless cameras.
Sports Photography, High speed camera with lower megapixels for the high speed FPS. Fast and accurate auto focusing system. Yeah you get the point.
Also consider the future. Camera companies now are focusing on their mirrorless systems and native lenses that work well with the mirrorless cameras. So consider a camera system that has a variety of different lenses along with third party lenses so that you aren’t limited on what you can get.
Personally I wouldn’t get into the Canon M50 Mark 2 series because Canon has stopped making the M lenses for that line. I wouldn’t get a DSLR because its phasing out, mirrorless is the future. If would you get a Canon Mirrorless like the EOS R or even the R5, then yes new lenses that Canon comes out with will work. Sony also has a great line up for beautiful lenses that work with all of their top tier cameras.
All in all, take your time when you are purchasing a camera. Just remember to be creative. Talk to your photographer friends and ask what they would recommend for your niche. You can also ask me. Contact us in any of our socials. We will do our best to get help you.