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When buying a new camera or upgrading what you are currently using, you now have way more choices than ever before. This plethora of cameras has completely paralyzed many of my students from getting a new (or used) camera because they are overwhelmed with options, and have fears of buying the wrong camera. First, if you are buying a new system these days, there is no such thing as getting the 'wrong' camera. Just know that from the start.
In this post, I'm going to talk about mirrorless cameras vs DSLRs to answer many of the questions I've been getting about this over the last few months.
This post contains my affiliate links from my favorite camera store B&H Photo Video in New York City. I've been buying cameras and equipment from them for more than 35 years. They have an enormous selection at great prices, AND they have used gear too. If you do purchase anything from my links, I will get a small commission at no cost to you.
Why Are There So Many Cameras To Choose From?First, let's talk about why we have 's of cameras to choose from in the first place. You must understand the business of camera manufacturing. It's pretty much their job to constantly make 'the next best thing'. It's a huge competition. Part of that is to make us feel as if the cameras we have in our hands right now are outdated, and that we must get that next best thing or our images will suffer for it.
Raise your hand if you feel like the camera in your hand right now is old and outdated, and that you need to get a new one, THEN your photos will be that much better? You feel this way for a few reasons, but the excellent marketing created by camera brands is one of them. They must continue to make new gear, and to get us to buy that new gear or they won't survive. It is their business, after all, to sell us cameras and lenses.
Trust me, I KNOW this feeling very well. You always wonder if your photography can be better with a newer camera. Then you hear that your camera is no longer being made, you think, 'uh oh, I better get a new one now'. Camera manufacturers know we think and feel this way, and use that in their marketing.
Canon has announced they are no longer creating new DSLR models. This is a big deal.
This means there will not be a Canon EOS 5 D Mark V. The Mark IV was the last camera in that lineup, as an example. They are still manufacturing the 5D Mark IV through however. They will also continue to service that camera for many years after that. So they are still making DSLRs, just not a newer generation of DSLRs.
I hope this makes sense because there's a ton of bad info out there saying that Canon has discontinued their 5D line. That is incorrect. They will not be developing the 5D line further. Many camera brands are doing this now with several of their popular DSLR systems. They are focusing instead on their mirrorless lineups.
I'd be willing to bet that mirrorless systems will most likely completely take over the DSLR systems eventually, but this will be several years to come.
So many new photographers who are struggling with their photography are insisting they need a brand new camera because their current camera is a few years old. They also feel that if they get that new camera, their images will be much better as a result and the reason why their photos aren't excellent is because of the camera. The reality is many of them have never mastered HOW to use their camera and THIS is why their photography is not as good as it could be ' it's not the camera's fault. It's the user.
The marketing and PR stories that the camera manufacturers are putting out there are telling us that we need the newest gear. That our images will be absolutely amazing if we do so. The thing is though, many of the cameras that we currently have are already amazing cameras! Of course, if you have a camera that is 15 years old, there are many new features on the newer cameras that could be a benefit to have, including image quality with the new sensors. If your camera is only a few years old, it's still an amazing camera.
When Should You Upgrade Your Camera?Just to clarify, I'm not against buying new gear at all. you're talking to a gal who has over 20+ cameras, 20+ lenses, 5 tripods, blah, blah blah. I love my gear. I love new cameras. I love these new toys. The time to upgrade is when you have mastered your current camera AND understand its shortcomings. This way when you buy a new camera, you understand what to look for to help improve your workflow, and/or your image quality.
If you don't know how to use your current camera, don't run out and buy a new one just yet. Learn to use the camera you have. Chances are a new camera might be even more confusing for you. Master the one you have right now.
If you do know how to use your camera and are getting frustrated with your workflow, or are having other issues with it that you know a newer camera can help you with, then it's time for an upgrade. For example, for me, how many focusing points a camera has is a huge issue, having a flip screen for overhead shots is a big deal, and I want the largest file size I can get. So moving forward I start with those features when I'm looking for a camera, and that narrows down the list quite a bit.
So I would suggest if you are feeling that pressure to buy a new camera, write down what it is that you are not happy about with your current camera. Really be honest with yourself here. Are the things you are listing actually a shortcoming of the camera, lack of certain features, or is it that you haven't figured out how to get the camera to do certain things yet? This will tell you if you are ready for an upgrade or not.
What Is The Difference Between Mirrorless And DSLR Cameras?There has always been an obsession in the camera world to create a great camera that is as small as possible and the mirrorless systems can be much smaller than the DSLR systems, so let's talk about the mechanics of the two systems.
Here you can see the mirror at a 45 degree angle. The sensor is behind that.DSLR camera stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. How this camera works is, the image that you are composing is seen through the lens on the camera, then it hits a mirror, which then puts that image up into a viewfinder. This viewfinder is called an optical viewfinder, and this is what we look through when taking the picture. This mirror is placed at an angle (45 degrees) for it to bounce that image up into our viewfinder.
Then when we press the button to take the picture, this mirror must fly up, out of the way so that image can be placed onto the camera's sensor. This sensor then captures that image when the shutter opens and then the mirror comes back down into place, ready for us to take the next picture. This happens EVERY SINGLE TIME we take a picture, and this movement also creates the famous sound that we all attribute to taking a picture.
A huge issue that a lot of Canon DSLR cameras have is the movement of the mirror going up can actually cause motion blur in the image during a long exposure. It's a huge pain for natural light food photography and the only way around that is to lock the mirror up when we take a picture.
This is a mirrorless camera. As soon as you take the lens off, your sensor is exposed.The mirrorless camera systems do not have that mirror inside them. Instead, that entire piece is gone, and the moment we take a picture and press the shutter release button, the image we are composing travels straight down the barrel of our lens, and directly hits our camera's sensor when the shutter opens (or when the sensor is turned on). So, we have eliminated a substantial moving part in the camera.
The advantage of this is that by not having that large part inside the camera flying up and down, the camera bodies can be much smaller, much lighter, and the number of images we can take per second can increase. You can imagine if you shoot sports, portraits, fashion, or anything that is moving, this can really be an advantage because you can take a burst of images through a movement, and your chances of getting a great shot substantially increase.
Some mirrorless cameras can capture as many as 20 frames per second when using the digital shutter. The digital shutter is where there actually isn't a physical shutter opening and closing but instead, the sensor is simply being turned on and off again. You can see how that action can enable us to take a lot of pictures at once.
As food photographers, for example, the ability to take more images per second can be very beneficial when doing a pour shot ' as long as your lighting can handle shooting at that speed (either a lot of natural light, or your flash duration must be very fast), that's a different conversation though, you get the idea.
What Should You buy For Your First Camera? One of the very popular Canon 5D camera models.If you are not upgrading from an older camera, and you are buying your first camera, here are some suggestions. I do have a blog post about buying a camera on a budget here and I have a post about the best way to buy used equipment here. Always make sure to check out B & H's used equipment here. They are always adding used equipment to their website.
I always suggest starting with your budget first. This could be your most limiting requirement, so you need to start here.
Please know that it is really hard to go wrong with any new camera. I just have to say that right now. I'm a little different in that I think Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, and Olympus all make amazing cameras. Some photography instructors only stick with one brand, probably because it's what they know.
When you start looking at cameras, you can start sorting them by price. Keep in mind, you'll need ideally two lenses for food photography so you need to include this in your budget. You're going to need a macro lens for close-up food photos and I'm a huge fan of using a zoom lens for overhead shots, and wider images of a tabletop set. Here are my picks for great lenses for food photography on BH Photo.
Another great used camera, the Nikon D.If you have a tight budget, buying a used DSLR camera will be less money than a new mirrorless camera, and in many cases a lot less money. The newer the gear, the more expensive it is. DSLRs will not be supported by their manufacturers at some point down the road, but that might be a long time from now. So if you are just starting out and not sure about this whole photography thing, you can save a lot of money with a used DSLR system.
A DSLR favorite for food photographers is the Canon Rebel T7 cropped camera system for a budget-friendly starter DSLR, and then Canon 5D Mark IV for a full-frame option with a bigger budget.
For Nikon DSLRs, the cropped sensor, budget-friendly D would be great, and for a bigger budget, their full-frame DSLR D850 is also very popular with food photographers.
If you do have a bigger budget and plan on doing this photography thing for a long time, then it does make sense to get a mirrorless system because it will be supported for many years to come. A great option for Canon would be the Canon R5 with a 100mm macro R mount lens, and the 24-70mm zoom lens. I will be talking about this camera in my next post.
For Nikon, a great setup would be their Z7 camera with the 105mm macro Z lens, and the 24-70mm zoom Z lens.
A great way to compare any two cameras is to use this website: CameraDecision.com. I use this all the time to see two cameras listed side by side to see the difference. Make sure to do that when deciding what to get.
I know this was a long post but we did cover a lot here. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below and make sure to check out my gear page at B & H Photo Video, where I have hand-selected great gear for you to use for your food photography. Just click the image below.
Click the image above to see my hand picked gear for food photography on B & H Photo Video.Last fall I finally took the plunge and invested in a Fuji X-T1 mirrorless camera system. I did a lot of research online, asked anyone I knew that had one already, and I was still on the fence for over a year. A while back in the July Digital Photo Mentor newsletter I asked a few questions to see where you are on this matter:
I got an enormous response and over 80 replies. In this article I'm going to summarize some of the stats that I pulled from your emails, and answer some of the questions you may have if you're still unsure about mirrorless camera systems.
Before we do that I want to explain what mirrorless cameras are, how they're different from an SLR and some of the advantages of each.
Image credit: WikimediaThe above diagram shows the inner workings of an SLR or Single Lens Reflex camera. The important parts being:
When you press the shutter a whole bunch of stuff happens in an instant:
All of this allows light to pass through directly to the sensor ' making your photo.
Now compare to the diagram below showing both an SLR and mirrorless system. The top shows an SLR and the distance from the front of the camera to the sensor.
Notice in the bottom one the distance is significantly reduced due to the lack of the mirror in between the lens and the shutter.
A mirrorless camera is a type of digital camera that differs from a traditional DSLR camera in several ways.
The lack of a mirror makes the camera body smaller and sleeker, which is a significant difference. Since there is no mechanical mirror to slap up and down with each exposure, the absence of a mirror also allows for more quieter operation of the camera. Some mirrorless cameras can even be completely silent.
Other differences between mirrorless and DSLR cameras include the type of viewfinder (electronic vs. optical), size and weight, autofocus and continuous shooting speeds, image quality, video capabilities, compatibility with lenses, and price.
I will explain what an electronic viewfinder is in just a moment.
DSLR vs Mirrorless Cameras ' Image credit: WikimediaThis is what it looks like when you take the lens off a mirrorless camera ' you can see right through to the back, directly to the sensor. Notice the compact size, but also note that you must take great care not to damage the sensor, or get dirt inside, when changing lenses. Image courtesy of Wikimedia.Mirrorless cameras have several advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional DSLR cameras.
I explain in more detail, the advantages and disadvantages of mirrorless cameras through the rest of this article.
Since I've already mentioned an Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) and will refer to the term throughout the remainder of this article, it would be good to understand what it is.
An electronic viewfinder (EVF) is a display system used in digital cameras to preview the composition and settings of a photograph before it is taken.
It shows the photographer a live preview of the scene through the camera's lens, captured by the image sensor and displayed on a small screen. An EVF is typically smaller and more compact than an optical viewfinder, but it also requires electricity to operate, hence the disadvantage of this listed above.
It allows the photographer to see the final image as it will be captured, including the effects of your exposure setting, white balance, and other camera settings, and then preview it in real-time as you make adjustments.
I'll cover this in more detail below but the short answer here is the biggest reason to go mirrorless is because the cameras are smaller and lighter, with little or no loss of image quality.
They're also less conspicuous, quieter so you can be anonymous, and depending on the model and brand can be lower in price (although that doesn't hold true for all models as some are even more than SLR ' it costs more to make things smaller, think smartphone technology).
There are other reasons and neat features mirrorless cameras have ' keep reading to learn more.
Fuji X-T1 I was able to both hold the baby sea turtle in one hand and take the shot with the other. Try that with a big SLR and big lens.Here are a few interesting statistics that I pulled from your emails. Overall I got 61 responses with either comments or questions. You guys had a LOT to say about this topic and it took me quite a while to read and sort through it all. This is what I came up with.
One interesting anecdote. I am currently taking an intermediate level photography class. Of eight people enrolled, two of us have mirrorless cameras. Of the six who have DSLRs, I have heard at least three or four of them complain about how heavy their cameras get after spending a day out shooting. ' Larry (Digital Photo Mentor reader)
The clear winner, by a lot, was Sony mirrorless ' second goes to Olympus, third to Fuji.
Well the first thing I noticed was the high number of you already have a mirrorless camera ' over 55%!
That was a bit surprising to me and I do feel a shift has happened over the last 12 months or so. I've also noticed the trend occurring in my classroom as well with more and more students showing up with them all the time. Just recently in my street photography class two of nine students had mirrorless cameras, plus myself.
Second thing I noticed is that the overwhelming reason for the switch for most people ' again including myself ' is to downsize and carry something that isn't so big and heavy. Almost 65% of responders chose to go from using a DSLR to a mirrorless camera, some opting to use both.
I still have my full frame Canon 5D Mark III, which I'll still keep, but I honestly haven't picked it up since I got the Fuji 10 months ago. Some people have even sold all of their SLR gear after it sat unused and the decision was obvious.
Fuji X-T1: one of our Nicaragua tour participants Jana here using her Olympus OM-D E-M5 mirrorless camera.My dad shoots on a Nikon full frame and we bagged up all our kit for comparison a few months ago. My entire camera kit ' body, 4 lenses, filters, remote trigger, charger and cables was the same size as his body with a big zoom (75-200 2.8?) attached. When I travel on long trips I have all my kit, 13' MacBook, over ear headphones and a change of clothes in a bag half the size of my dad's camera bag alone. ' Owen F. (Digital Photo Mentor reader)
It's pretty clear that mirrorless cameras are here to stay and they're making an impact in the photography industry in a big way.
Taking a look at the last chart and stats you'll notice that the BIG TWO ' Canon and Nikon ' are curiously missing from the list of popular brands.
That's a big deal!
They have owned the market for years as the top ranked manufacturers, especially among professional photographers. Are they on the verge of being ousted? Hard to say ' but clearly the innovators are Sony mirrorless cameras, Fuji, Olympus and Panasonic, the new BIG FOUR.
Beyond this list a quick google or YouTube search, or look at some recent articles on dPS (below), will show you that even many pros are jumping ship and ditching their Canons and Nikons for Sony mirrorless cameras, and Fuji in particular.
Olympus OM-D E-M5: shot done for Hotel Con Corazon, they used it in their annual report.While some pros still hang on their SLR gear, others have ditched it 100% for mirrorless:
'While I do have a bias in that I am sponsored by Sony, the truth of the matter is that they, unlike the rest of the mirrorless market, are starting to offer 'no compromise' cameras in the sense that they can do everything a DSLR can and in many cases, much better. For example the new a7R II has great AF, top of the industry DR and shoots 4k internal video. Essentially most of the new Sony mirrorless cameras don't require photographers to hold onto their older DSLRs because of a missing 'feature' or presumed functionality.
Professional photographer Colby Brown on his Canon 5D Mark III DSLR vs Mirrorless Sony A7Rii and A7s.
'Fuji captivated me. I did not expect to have such an outstanding experience with the product. I was literally blown away when I first got the camera by the performance and image quality. It took me some time to adapt but in the end I don't regret the decision to keep investing into my mirrorless camera system. I am not looking back ' mirrorless, and especially for me the Fuji X system, is here to stay.
Professional photographer Daniel Korzeniewski,
I was part of a survey of photography experts who were asked the following: If you had to recommend three mirrorless cameras, which would they be? And why?
Read the whole list and comments here.
Look at the best rated mirrorless camera brands chosen by the experts and compare to the list above. Same four: Sony, Olympus, Fuji and Panasonic. Hmmm, starting to see the trend now? I am!
Olympus OM-D E-M5: shot done for Hotel Con Corazon.Okay that's all interesting but let's dig into the meat a little and talk about why you might want to make the switch and what the benefits are of a mirrorless system. Here is a list of things people liked about their mirrorless cameras, in descending order of most popular first (the number in brackets represents the number of people who listed that benefit):
One thing I take from that is clearly the smaller, lighter, more portable quality of mirrorless cameras is a key factor in deciding to switch.
But look at the second point listed ' image quality. If that is one of your concerns, notice how many people said they chose mirrorless cameras because of quality and some even felt it is equal or better than their SLR in some cases (based on what they said in their ).
Another thing that struck me was that for a few people, using a mirrorless camera made photography fun again. If it's become a chore to drag out your DSLR kit to shoot, so that you don't bother ' this could be a huge one for you too. Photography should be fun, and if the gear is the focus then it becomes less so.
Perhaps worth looking into, maybe borrow or rent a mirrorless system for a day or weekend and give it a go to judge for yourself.
Olympus OM-D E-M5: Bright colors and action shots no problem.One of the questions I got in the replies was about telling it like it is, no sugar coating, what they don't tell you in the glossy camera brochures. So here are some things that were mentioned as being common issues or complains with mirrorless (listed in no particular order and the number in brackets is how many times I saw that same answer):
Takeaways from that ' notice by far the biggest comment was that they found nothing wrong or a problem with their mirrorless camera.
Want more information on Mirrorless Camera Definition? Feel free to contact us.
That's half of the people who own one, based on these stats.
I'd have to say that's pretty good, considering there are even things about my Canon 5D Mark3 that I wish were different, or that bug me ' and many of the issue are small and easily handled.
Olympus OM-D E-M5: straight out of camera not touched at all just to show the range it holds in its native raw filesThe biggest complaints are focusing issues, the learning curve and battery drain. I can't answer for everyone that replied, but I can tell you my thoughts about using the Fuji X-T1.
I do certainly find that the camera is a battery hog for sure. But that is to be expected as it's using an electronic viewfinder that has to be on all the time while you're shooting.
To combat that issue I carry four fully charged batteries with me at all times ' bit of a pain, but manageable.
I have noticed that I've missed a few shots with moving targets but I'm going to chalk that up to my inexperience with the camera and choosing the wrong settings.
For sure it doesn't focus as fast, or track as well as my Canon, but I don't expect it to ' if you shoot sports, birds or something really fast moving then perhaps mirrorless isn't right for you.
I've also since learned more about the camera and am pretty confident it was me screwing it up, not the camera. Which leads to . . .
Yes there certainly is one when switching camera systems, but that is true of anything new. When I bought a Wacom tablet it gave me fits for about 3 days, now I'm in love with it and won't trade it for anything.
If you're used to one camera system, buying a new one that is completely different is going to take some getting used to.
But if you use it every day, even just to play around, you will get to know it faster.
Fuji X-T1 shot in low light at ISO , f/5 at 1/60th with a 32mm lens. B/W conversion in Lightroom CC.Also select one that is intuitive for you. Go to a camera store and try a few out. See how the camera feels in your hands and if you can locate all the major adjustments quickly without having to ask for help.
I was quickly able to do that with the Fuji, and I loved how it looks like an old-time film camera so I knew it was the right choice for me.
This one is really subjective.
Is the image quality from the Fuji up to par with my Canon? No probably not ' but it is really close!
I don't expect it to match or exceed my 5D Mark3, that would be unrealistic ' to expect an APS-C camera to beat a full frame one. But considering the sensor size difference the quality is lot closer than I actually thought it would be.
Looking at the Olympus OM-D E-M5 I was super impressed with its image quality as well when compared to that of the Fuji, and even to the Canon.
Fuji X-T1 unprocessed right from camera raw fileFuji X-T1 processed in Lightroom CCSo partly I think settings your expectations to a realistic level is a good starting point. You cannot ever get higher quality, in a smaller sensor, in a smaller package and get it at all a lower price too. It just doesn't work that way. Laws of commerce dictate you can have two of these three things, but never all at the same time:
So if you want great quality and small ' it will come with a premium price.
If you want small and lower priced ' you'll have to sacrifice a bit of quality.
If you want quality and low price ' it's not going to be small (if you can even find top quality and low price together).
I hope that makes sense.
Fuji X-T1 Great for people photos, reproduces amazing skin tones.To achieve the best image quality from your mirrorless camera, it is important to:
Read more about getting the best quality images from whatever camera you use here: Six Tips for Getting the Best Quality Images Every Time
So if you're waiting for the miracle full frame, mirrorless camera, that fits in your pocket, shoots amazing noiseless photos at 12,800 ISO and is under $ ' you'll be waiting a while I'm afraid. So you are the one that has to decide if mirrorless is for you or not. I think this quote from one replies sums it up best:
While mirrorless cameras may fall marginally short of full frame DSLR cameras, I have to believe that the skill of the photographer can overcome some of those differences. Being an amateur photographer, using photography to tell stories of my family and produce artwork of places I have been and love, and now hang on my walls, this camera works for me. ' Deborah L.
Do not want to change solely for change and do not have confidence that the mirrorless is better suited to me
David K.
I couldn't agree more with David!
If you want to get mirrorless just because it's the latest, greatest thing and all your friends have it ' that may not be the best reason.
Also consider that even if you make the jump you may question your decision ' I had a few people mention that in their , and I myself have wondered if I'd have been happier with an Olympus (after using one for two months). But'
Questioning one's equipment seems to be a universal pastime of photographers, whether using a DSLR or mirrorless. Further, just as many Canon DSLR owners may consider moving to Nikon and vice versa, given the fast growth in the mirrorless camera market, it is probably just natural to be watching other manufacturer's offerings and question whether a move to another (mirrorless) system is warranted. In that regard, some things never change'
Larry
The following is a list of reasons people gave for not switching to mirrorless so far (the number in brackets indicates the number of times I saw that answer). See if you relate to any of these:
Fuji X-T1 night shot, retains lot of detail in low lightThe biggest reason is lack of information.
Hopefully this article will help you in this regard if you fall into that category. Of course cost is a factor ' if it wasn't we'd all have closets full of gear right?!
But take notice of the third point ' if you see no reason to switch, then don't.
It's that simple.
Don't let anyone try and convince you of anything. If you love the camera you have now, and don't feel it's limiting you in any way, then by all means keep using it.
As for the confusion over so many choices available, the easiest way to solve that is two-fold.
First ask your circle of photography friends what they use and why ' taking note of who shoots most like you do, and what they say.
Then visit a camera store ' not Best Buy or Costco or a big box store ' an actual camera store that has 'camera' in the name! The staff there will be much more knowledgeable (or should be anyway) on the different brands and models. Be prepared to tell them the following when you go in and they will be much better able to help you make a wise decision for you:
Last but not least, I'll see if I can answer some of the burning questions about mirrorless to help you get off the fence and either make the leap, or stick with what you've got now.
This was a really common question, more than four times this was asked. See the diagrams at the top of the article for the physical differences in the body structure of the two kinds of cameras. The biggest difference obviously is size and weight.
I think we've covered this already above.
I'll just add that from the mirrorless cameras I've personally used (Fuji X-T1 and Olympus OM-D E-M5) I did not see any issues with image quality. You need to take into account with you will be doing with your images too as to whether this is a factor or not.
Do you make large wall sized prints of your images?
I'm not talking about 8×10, I mean like 36 inches or bigger across. I would issue a challenge that any camera (including point and shoot ones) released within the last 12 months can easily make up to 24' print with no visible loss of quality. We have so many megapixels now it's gotten ridiculous ' most people never use them to their full potential.
Olympus OM-D E-M5: Performed surprisingly well in low light and high ISO. This was shot at: ISO , f/3.5, 1/60th with a 12mm lens.Are you selling images commercially? Making billboards or stock photography? Or do you mostly share your images online on sites like Facebook, Flickr, 500px and so on?
Think about what you're doing, what your real needs are and do you really need THE best?
Cost of mirrorless can be lower or higher than an SLR ' it all depends on the model you choose. Go for a Sony full frame A7Rii or a Leica M9, and you'll be paying more. But get a Sony A or the Samsung NX and you can get a whole system for under about $ USD (camera body and a couple lenses).
Again this varies by brand and model.
Lenses for the Sony A line still seem a bit limited but more are being added all the time.
When I got my Fuji 9 months ago there was little selection beyond the basic choices, it too is expanding. Soon the third party brands will be making lenses for these cameras too and you'll see Tamrons, Sigmas and others on the market. I have a fun little 8mm fisheye lens for my Fuji, it's made by Rokinon and was under $300.
Do your research and see what's available now for the camera you're considering. Keep in mind that you don't need every lens and every focal length covered from 8mm to 800mm. A good all-purpose zoom and a couple of fast prime lenses will do you nicely. I travel with the Fuji 18-135mm, the 35mm f/1.8 and the Rokinon 8mm in my bag and that's it.
Fuji X-T1 Great for people photography it's not intimidating to the subjects.Uh yes! Just go to a camera store and hold a few for yourself.
Take your own camera kit along and see if they'll let you fill a bag with the stuff you'd like to buy and compare the heft of the two bags. See how significant the difference is with the entire kit, not just the camera only.
Now imagine carrying both around all day.
You tell me, is it a lot lighter? I say yes.
My husband used to 'get' to carry the camera bag full of my Canon lenses. I'd carry the camera while shooting.
Now I might put one lens in a small bag or even my purse and just go. He's certainly happy!
It's nice, small, compact and as a bonus my tripod gets to be smaller and lighter now too as it's holding less weight.
Consider ALL factors not just the body.
I can't answer that for all cameras but the two I've used certainly don't have any issues with this. If anything they shoot faster because there is no mirror to flip up. Check the specs on the one you're looking at, DP Review usually has info on the latest brands and let's you do side-by-side camera comparisons so you can look at a few together and scrutinize the features.
Fuji X-T1 shot at the garbage dump community called El Limonel in Chinandega, Nicaragua.From the stats above you can see that there are four clear front runners for the best mirrorless camera. You really can't go wrong if you choose any of them (Fuji, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus). The others have some good choices, but a few are lagging sadly behind (come on Canon and Nikon).
The best mirrorless camera for your needs is the one that:
Four Thirds, or FT, refers to a specific sensor size and lens mount standard used in some mirrorless cameras. The Four Thirds system was developed by Olympus and Panasonic, and it is characterized by its compact size and advanced features, such as fast autofocus and high-resolution sensors.
Micro Four Thirds, or MFT, is a variation of the Four Thirds system that uses a slightly different lens mount.
Both Four Thirds and MFT cameras have a common sensor size and offer a wide selection of compatible lenses. Many brands (most now), including Panasonic, Olympus, and others, use the Four Thirds or MFT mount in their mirrorless cameras.
So find out what mount and type of lenses and sensor the camera you're looking at has, and what options you have for lenses in that line.
Olympus OM-D E-M5: Skin tones also really good with this camera.I've already mentioned a few but you want a camera that feels good to you, and is intuitive, above all else. If it doesn't feel good to you ' you'll either fumble with it and miss shots, or worse yet ' leave it at home.
Look at the stats above on the important factors others looked at before making their decision and start there. Some common features to review are:
Yes and no is the short answer here.
Some models do have an electronic viewfinder or eye piece.
What you're seeing is coming through the lens but it's not hitting your eye directly as in an SLR, you're seeing exactly what the sensor sees.
I find that really cool actually.
At first I thought it would take some getting used to the electronic screen in the eye piece ' but the fact that when I adjust the exposure, White Balance or anything that affects the image ' I SEE it immediately in the viewfinder.
With an SLR you have to take the photo first to be able to see what your adjustments are doing. Some models (my Fuji does this) also have a level so you can tell if your photo is crooked, and a histogram so you can check exposure before you shoot.
Bonus ' some models also have focus peaking, or focus assist. What that means is assisted manual focus. Back in the old days of film we had a split focusing screen where the object would appear separated until it was in sharp focus. Now with digital that isn't available on SLRs but it IS on mirrorless. On my Fuji X-T1 I can do split-screen focus or focus peaking (where the thing that is sharp glows in a color you pick like red). It makes it easy to use manual focus, especially great for night photography and even surprisingly for moving targets.
This will depend on the model again but mostly, yes. Some EVF (electronic viewfinders) do crop out some of the image so what you capture isn't exactly the same. Check the specs for that camera, it should say on there if there is a crop factor on the viewfinder or LCD screen.
BUT as I mentioned above many mirrorless cameras show you the adjustments on screen before you shoot. That can be a huge learning tool as well. Put the camera in manual and change the aperture and see what it does immediately. How cool is that?
'If so, just what exactly is improved, still faster shutter speeds? Shutter speeds on current DSLRs are extremely fast (i.e. 1/ for some canons and Nikons), so I don't see how much faster we actually need to go. Though of course, if it can be made faster, someone will do it. Removing the mirror would remove the possibility of camera movement for very slow shutter speeds. That's a good thing, I suppose, but aren't you going to tripod the camera anyway for that type of shot? Doesn't that eliminate any benefit you gain from removing the mirror to avoid camera shake while the mirror is popping up?' ' Digital Photo Mentor reader
Yes that is true, and I hope with all the answers and information above I've already covered this one. There are other benefits and advantages to using a mirrorless camera. The bottom line is ' if you do not see any benefit for you, then don't go mirrorless.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 for a smaller sensor camera I was impressed with how it held detail in contrasty lighting situations ike this one.To find out which lenses are compatible with your mirrorless camera, you will need to consider the camera's mount. Each camera manufacturer uses a specific lens mount that is designed to work with their cameras. For example, Sony uses the E-mount, while Fujifilm uses the X-mount.
To determine which lenses are compatible with your mirrorless camera, you will need to check the camera's manual or specification sheet to find out which mount it uses. Once you know the mount, you can then look for lenses that are designed to work with that mount.
It is also possible to use lenses from other camera systems on a mirrorless camera with the use of an adapter.
However, keep in mind that using an adapter may affect the performance of the lens and the camera (which is exactly what happened to me), and not all lenses are compatible with all adapters. It is always a good idea to do your research and make sure that the lens and adapter you are using are compatible with your camera before making a purchase.
I did get an adapter to put my Canon lenses onto my Fuji but the brand I got doesn't connect the lens to the camera other than physically, meaning they don't talk. There was no autofocus, no exposure information, etc. Pretty hard to change the aperture on a Canon lens with no aperture ring on the outside. So I returned it and got a Fuji 35mm f/1.4 lens instead.
I've found I don't want to put my big heavy Canon lenses on the Fuji, it kind of defeats the purpose of going smaller and lighter.
Where it does get fun is you can get adapters to put some funky old retro lenses onto your camera. Try a Holga or Lomography lens, how about a Lensbaby, or walk into a camera store and browse the use film lens section to see what goodies you can find.
Fuji X-T1 Works great for close ups, this scarab beetle was nice enough to sit still too. Exposure ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/90th with an 85mm lens.Fuji X-T1 With beer bottle to show the size of the beetle.All the images in this article (with the exception of the photo of the Sony camera) were taken with either the Fuji X-T1 or the Olympus OM-D E-M5 mirrorless cameras. They were taken on our last two tours to Nicaragua and some of the people you see in the photos were tour participants. You can see more of Jana's images and her thoughts on how the tour helped her take better photos here: Picking up Your Camera Every Day ' a Perfect Formula for Success
Whew that was a lot! I don't know about you, but I'm tired. This took me over a week to compile all the emails, put into a spreadsheet, sort it out to make sense of it and write this post. I hope you have found it valuable as a resource.
If you have a mirrorless camera and have anything to add please do so in the comments. Share with us why you switched, did you upsize or downsize, and what camera you ended up with and why?
Haven't made the leap yet, or still on the fence? If you have any other questions that haven't been covered already put them below and ask those of us that have mirrorless to help you figure out what's the best choice for you. Perhaps it's mirrorless, or maybe it's sticking with what you've got. Either way we can help you educate yourself to make an informed decision.
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