DSLR cameras have traditionally been the fastest, the most powerful, and the most versatile photographic system available. Unsurprisingly, this makes DSLRs the tool of choice not only for the majority of professional photographers but also for many prosumers and even entry-level photography enthusiasts. And with DSLRs retailing at anything from just a few hundred dollars to prices approaching the cost of a new car, there is a model for every budget.
But what exactly is a DSLR? How does it work? And what are its advantages and disadvantages when compared with other types of cameras, such as the Mirrorless system? Our beginner’s guide to DSLR cameras explains all you need to know.
The History of the DSLR Camera
Aside from the term DSLR, you may also have seen reference to a dSLR. Whether the D is capitalized or not is mostly a question of personal preference and style. But whichever way it’s written, the D, of course, stands for “digital.” Until consumer-level digital photographic technology became readily available some years ago, you would have often also seen it written simply as SLR – sans D.
That’s all very well. But digital or otherwise, what exactly is an SLR?
SLR vs. TLR
SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. To make sense of what a Single Lens Reflex camera is, it’s probably easier to begin by saying what it is not. And, historically at least, an SLR can most obviously be contrasted with a TLR camera.
TLR stands for Twin Lens Reflex. As the name suggests, a TLR camera possesses two lenses: one to capture the light that will expose the film, creating an image; and a second lens to capture light and project it into the viewfinder so that the photographer can set focus and framing before pressing the shutter.
Although the two lenses of a TLR are identical and positioned very close together, typically one above the other, inevitably there is a slight difference in the viewpoint provided by each lens. Effectively then, what the photographer sees through the viewfinder of a TLR is not exactly what will be captured on film. This phenomenon is known as parallax error.
When photographing a relatively distant subject – for example, a landscape or even a full-length portrait – the difference in viewpoint caused by parallax error is so slight as to be virtually unnoticeable. But move in closer to the subject, and the minor divergence in height between the two lenses radically alters the photo’s composition. This can potentially lead to frustration and disappointment if the photo that was taken turns out to be completely different from how the photographer saw it with their eyes.
This is especially the case when there are objects located in the foreground between the camera and subject. For example, out-of-focus leaves and branches that had appeared to attractively frame a subject’s face when seen through the viewfinder might turn out to have been entirely covering the subject’s face from the view of the lower lens. And with no preview of the photo available on a handy LCD as with today’s cameras, often such a revelation would come too late to be easily rectified by reshooting.
The Advantages of the SLR System
In contrast, the scene that a Single Lens Reflex camera shows in the viewfinder is exactly what will be captured as a photograph. By placing a mirror behind the lens and in front of the film shutter, the view from the lens is reflected up into the SLR’s viewfinder.
Once the photographer selects framing and presses the shutter release button, the lens flips up out of the way (creating the characteristic “click” we associate with taking a photo), and the shutter opens, allowing light to pass onto the film or sensor. At this point, the scene through the viewfinder momentarily disappears from view, until the shutter closes again and the mirror flips back into place.
Compared to the Twin Lens cameras, the SLR’s mirror system is an elegant solution that reduces the risk of unpleasant surprises. Not only that, but a camera with only one lens is always going to be smaller and lighter than a camera with two. Couple this with the greater convenience and optical accuracy of the SLR’s mirror viewfinder system, and it should be pretty clear why in the second half of the last century SLRs rapidly came to replace TLRs as the camera of choice for the majority of photographers.
The Evolution of the SLR
The result of this is that, once digital photographic technology had sufficiently evolved to be made available to consumers on a large scale, it mostly came in the form of an SLR. And as these new digital SLRs were initially available side by side with the last generation of modern analog film SLRs, they were differentiated from the older SLR technology by the addition of the distinguishing D prefix.
While there still exists today a niche group of photographers shooting analog film – often using classic SLRs such as Nikon’s rugged mechanical models from the 1970s – clearly these people make up only a tiny percentage of modern SLR users. Arguably then, as nearly everybody who works with a Single Lens Reflex today will be using a digital version, the D in DSLR could now be dropped from use, reverting to the simpler term SLR.
In fact, as it can be taken for granted that a modern SLR will be a digital SLR, anyone using anything other than a digital camera today will, in any case, want to specify this more clearly if the difference is to be unambiguously understood by all listeners (for example, by using a phrase such as “analog film SLR”).
Although a few people have indeed begun to refer to modern digital DSLRs simply as SLRs, for now, the tradition of using the D largely continues. So while you can be certain that the terms DSLR or dSLR will always refer to a digital camera, the use of SLR today is more ambiguous, and could potentially mean either a digital camera or, just as easily, an analog one.
Main Characteristics of DSLR Cameras
Whatever the name and whatever method of capturing an image, the way in which a SLR works remains the same: light enters the lens, at which point it is bounced up into the viewfinder until the shutter is released; at which point the mirror flips out of the way and the shutter opens to capture the image.
Beyond this defining characteristic, DSLR cameras typically also feature several key functions that may differ from other camera formats and systems. Let’s take a look at the most important of these now in turn.
Interchangeable lenses
Users of compact cameras or smartphones may be able to choose from a limited range of lens focal lengths (at best an all-in-one zoom lens, at worst a single fixed focal length). In contrast, photographers working with SLRs can invariably choose from a wide selection of interchangeable lenses appropriate for use with their cameras.
True, this feature is by no means unique to the SLR system. For example, many models of Mirrorless camera also permit the user to change lens – although until recently the choice of lenses on offer for Mirrorless users was rather limited. Yet beyond the use of a reflex mirror, interchangeable lenses are nonetheless one of the most prominent characteristics of a DSLR camera.
DSLR lenses attach to the front of the camera through a proprietary mount. Some models of DSLR camera can be used with a much wider range of lenses than others: depending upon the number of lenses offered by the manufacturer for the model in question. Furthermore, with some makes and models of DSLR, certain third-party lenses may also be used by means of an adapter mount.
It’s also worth noting that, in addition to the potentially greater choice of focal lengths available to DSLR owners, the primary advantage of interchangeable lenses is that their optical quality tends to be superior to those of the non-changeable variety.
Focusing
DSLR lenses can usually be focused both manually – by turning a physical ring on the lens itself – or automatically, by half-depressing the shutter release (or a user-assignable function button located elsewhere on the camera body). Additionally, those DSLRs that feature a touch-screen will usually permit the user to set focus by touching the desired part of the image on the screen, just as with a smartphone.
Old analog film SLRs lenses can all be focused manually. However, lenses manufactured before the ‘90s mostly do not allow for automatic focusing. While many older SLR lenses are still prized today for their excellent optics, in many cases purchase of an additional adapter will be necessary to use them on a modern digital SLR. However, even in this case, the operation will remain manual only.
Exposure and Shooting Modes
Unlike smartphones or compact point-and-shoot cameras – which often provide only fully automated exposure settings – SLRs invariably come with a variety of options that allow the user to set exposure as they wish, depending on the desired result. Typically these options include not only full manual control, but also an array of more or less automatic exposure modes suitable for different shooting situations.
While many Mirrorless cameras also provide a wide range of exposure options, some do not. Meanwhile, even the most basic of DLSR will likely give the users a choice of several different exposure modes. Let’s take a brief look at the most commonly seen SLR exposure modes now.
Full Auto
When used in fully automatic exposure mode, the camera selects what it considers to be an optimal combination of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed for the subject. While very convenient, depending on the precise scene and the photographic effect desired, this may or may not provide satisfying results.
P – Program Auto Exposure
Program mode provides the same automatic ease of use as Full Auto mode, yet allows the photographer some degree of control by permitting manual setting of white balance, file type (such as RAW or JPEG), and allowing the operator to decide whether or not they want to use flash.
A or Av – Aperture Priority
Selecting Aperture Priority operation puts the camera in a hybrid automatic exposure mode which permits the user to set the desired aperture while leaving the camera to choose an appropriate shutter speed for correct exposure of the scene.
The advantage of Av mode is that the photographer retains full control over aperture, a major determinant of depth-of-field, but without having to manually adjust shutter speed each time the lighting conditions change. Naturally, the disadvantage here is that the photographer loses all control over the shutter speed selected, potentially leading to the use of an inappropriately slow shutter speed for the subject (for example, if the subject were fast moving in relatively low light the photo might risk coming out blurred).
S or Tv – Shutter Priority
Shutter Priority mode works in the same way as Av, only here the user sets their desired shutter speed, and the camera chooses an appropriate lens aperture to expose the scene correctly. This can be a good mode to use when the photographer wants to work at a particular shutter speed but is unconcerned about which aperture is used. Clearly, it is not an appropriate method of setting exposure if full control over depth of field is also required.
M – Manual
In manual mode, the photographer is responsible for setting all camera controls, from aperture and shutter speed to ISO, white balance, file type, flash, etc. The majority of more experienced photographers will solely work in manual mode, as it is the only way to ensure full control over photographic results. However, for many beginners, this level of responsibility can be intimidating, and so many prefer to start out using semi-automatic exposure modes until they gain sufficient technical confidence to move onto full manual operation.
B – Bulb
The Bulb setting is a somewhat specialized mode in which the camera’s shutter remains open for as long as the shutter release button remains depressed. This is useful for making exceptionally long exposures (say of the night sky) when exposure times exceed the maximum duration offered by the camera’s predetermined shutter speed settings. When using the Bulb setting, the photographer manually selects the lens aperture, ISO, and all other settings.
Scene Shooting Modes
In addition to the above manual, automatic, and semi-automatic settings, models of DSLR that are explicitly aimed at the amateur or hobbyist market often provide a range of fully automatic scene shooting modes.
These predefined exposure settings are appropriate for a variety of photographic scenarios; such as Night, Portrait, Landscape, Action, etc. They represent a convenient solution for those users who are unsure how to get the best results from their camera. If available, scene shooting modes can usually be selected from the mode dial, which is typically located on top of the camera.
More advanced users will mostly understand the technical principles behind scene shooting modes, and likely prefer to retain full control over their photographic results by setting shutter speed, ISO and aperture themselves. For this reason, scene shooting modes are generally not found on cameras aimed principally at the professional or prosumer markets.
Image Sensors
Sensor Format
Back in the days of film photography, a major contributor to the quality and resolution of a photograph was the amount of grain visible in the image once printed. Grain here is referring to small particles of light-sensitive silver present in the emulsion of photographic film that would form an image once exposed to light and processed in chemicals.
Smaller format cameras often offer a clear advantage regarding ease of use and portability. The smaller an analog camera, the smaller the size of negative it could produce. And once a small negative was printed up as a large print, there would be a high risk that the grain of the film would become quite noticeable to viewers.
Conversely, a bigger negative would require less enlargement to make the same size of a print. Therefore, all other things being equal, a print from a bigger negative would exhibit much less grain.
Less grain means greater sharpness and detail. So those photographers who were looking for the maximum of detail and clarity in their images (landscape photographers, for example) would often work with big, heavy Large Format cameras which produced enormous negatives (typically 4 x 5” or 8 x 10”).
Meanwhile, as Large Format cameras were generally very slow and complicated to operate, those photographers requiring a good balance between image quality and portability (e.g., many art, fashion, and advertising photographers) might have instead used a Medium Format camera using 120 or 220 film. And anyone for whom the main priority was a camera that was compact and easy to operate would likely go for one that took 35mm film, or smaller – and just accept the corresponding compromise in image quality.
As mentioned above, relatively few people still use film cameras today: rather than light-sensitive film, today’s cameras employ a light-sensitive digital sensor to capture light. However, just as with film technology, the size of the digital image sensor inside a camera will contribute to the quality of the image that a given camera is capable of producing.
Of course, the problem now is no longer one of excessive grain, but instead, it’s one of digital pixels. The terminology of yesteryear nonetheless lives on in modern DSLRs, which are still referred to in relation to the old film formats. So, for example, when talking about digital cameras, you will still commonly see reference to the terms Medium Format and 35mm Format.
In fact, the dimensions of a 35mm format negative (actually 36 x 24 mm) remain the standard by which the digital sensors in all modern cameras are measured: with a sensor of equivalent dimensions to a 35mm negative being considered “full frame,” and anything larger than this considered to be Medium Format. While most professional DSLRs will come with a full frame image sensor, the majority of consumer-level cameras possess what are known is “cropped format” image sensors: i.e., sensors smaller than 36 x 24 mm.
Precisely how cropped a camera’s image sensor will be depends on the exact camera make and model in question. A variety of smaller sensor formats such as APS-C and Micro Four Thirds are currently in use by manufacturers, with some sensors over ten times smaller than a full frame 35mm sensor, while others, such as Canon’s APS-H format, are only marginally smaller than full frame.
Although the size of a camera’s image sensor is not the only factor contributing to image quality, it is nonetheless the main one. Consequently, photographers for whom image quality is of the utmost importance (for example, those who wish to print enlargements of their photos, or who may need to crop their images substantially) will want to choose a DSLR with a full frame sensor (or larger). However, anyone considering purchasing a full frame camera must be prepared to pay a high premium for this advantage.
Conversely, photographers on a budget, or for whom image resolution is less important (for example, because their images will only ever be viewed small, say on social media), can save a considerable amount of money by instead opting for one of the smaller cropped frame formats.
Also, bear in mind that sensor size also influences the look of a photograph in other ways beyond image quality and resolution. Most notably, it can be difficult to achieve a shallow depth of field when using a camera with a cropped sensor. Consequently, if you are keen to achieve the popular “selective focus” look employed by many portrait photographers, you will likely want to purchase a full frame camera.
Megapixels
Beyond the size of a camera’s image sensor, the resolution of the sensor must also be considered. Resolution is expressed in terms of megapixels (MP) and refers to the number of pixels packed into a given amount of space on the sensor.
You will frequently see camera manufacturers boasting about the number of megapixels a certain camera’s sensor offers. And while it is true that a sensor with a greater number of megapixels will likely produce more detailed images, in practice this may or may not result in superior quality images.
This is because, if the sensor is small but the number of megapixels high, then clearly the size of the individual pixels will necessarily need to be much smaller in order to fit them all onto the sensor. But the smaller a pixel is, the worse it is at gathering light. And so cameras with high pixel counts, but small sensors, tend to perform poorly in low lighting situations; introducing a considerable amount of digital noise into the images.
Even knowing this doesn’t permit consumers to predict how a given camera will perform purely by looking at its technical specifications. For example, we might compare two cameras with the same size sensor – both APS-C for example – but one with an 18 MP sensor and the other offering 24 MP. As we’ve already noted, the 24 MP sensor will likely result in a more detailed image; but the 18 MP sensor, with its larger pixels, will probably perform better in low light.
But we can only say “probably” here because it’s equally possible that if the 24 MP camera costs considerably more than the 18 MP model, the manufacturer of the more expensive camera may have included superior noise-reduction software – thus canceling out any disparity in low light performance between the two cameras.
In the days of film, it was very easy to understand the technical conditions that would consistently result in a sharp and highly detailed photo: a big negative, made using fine-grain film, and carefully developed with the correct chemicals at an appropriate temperature would always produce the best results. With digital cameras, however, there are many more variables involved in the process. A higher pixel count will potentially result in a more detailed image, and a bigger sensor will also potentially result in a more detailed image. In practice there are so many other things going on inside a digital camera (software engines, processors, filters, compression algorithms, even the lens used) that it’s very difficult to state a hard and fast rule for choosing the best DSLR in terms of image quality.
A larger sensor is almost always a good thing; and a higher pixel count may also be a good thing, at least up to a certain degree. But taking into account all other variables of the camera, there will come the point where the balance between high resolution and good low light performance tips. Without knowing all the inner workings of the camera though, neither pixel count nor sensor size should be taken as an absolute indicator of image quality.
With photography, the proof is always in the pudding though. You should certainly consider the manufacturer’s stated specs for a camera, but what really matters are the practical results. So when considering purchasing a DSLR, the most important thing is to compare the quality of files it produces with the output of other similarly priced/specced cameras.
Detailed video reviews can be viewed online for most popular camera models. If you can find a trustworthy and knowledgable reviewer, their “pixel peeping” image tests will likely be much more indicative of a camera’s true performance than any amount of hype from the manufacturer.
Viewfinder
For many photographers raised on smartphones, using the camera’s LCD screen in live-view mode may feel like the most natural way of taking photographs. Yet there are still a great many photographers out there for whom looking through a viewfinder is the most convenient way of framing and shooting. However, not all viewfinders are created equal. Indeed, not all work in the same way at all. Let’s take a look at the two types of viewfinder most commonly found on modern cameras.
Electronic Viewfinders
Many digital cameras – but particularly Mirrorless cameras – feature electronic viewfinders (EVFs): small windows in which can be seen a video feed as it is captured by the camera’s image sensor through the lens. Because the video is produced by the same sensor that the camera uses to capture photographs, there is no difference in point of view between viewfinder and final image.
However, as the video feed is relayed to the viewfinder through electronics, with some camera models, the EVF can suffer from noticeable time-lag. For this reason, EVF displays are less suited to shooting situations in which precise timing of the shutter is of the utmost priority (for example, documentary, sports, or action photography).
The resolution of the video seen through an EVF will also vary considerably depending on the model of camera. In any case, no EVF will appear as sharp as when viewing the scene with the naked eye. For some photographers, neither of these drawbacks will be of major concern, but for others, they render electronic viewfinders highly undesirable.
Also bear in mind that, similar to an LCD on the back of the camera, using an EVF will run down the batteries much faster than an optical viewfinder – which, being entirely mechanical, requires no electricity at all.
EVFs are generally not found on DSLRs.
Optical Viewfinders
As with an EVF, the image seen through a SLR’s optical viewfinder is the exact same view that will be captured by the camera. But because in this case the image is reflected up into the viewfinder by a mirror, rather than transmitted electronically, there is no time-lag as is sometimes experienced when using an EVF or LCD.
By definition, an SLR – of either the analog or digital variety – will feature an optical viewfinder.
Optical viewfinders are also offered by some Mirrorless and other types of camera. However, in this case, the view seen through the viewfinder does not come from the camera’s main lens – but instead from a second lens – and therefore does not provide a 100% accurate guide as to the image that will be captured by the camera.
Advantages and Disadvantages of DSLR Cameras:
DSLR vs Mirrorless
Aside from a few dedicated analog enthusiasts who appreciate the distinctive look of photos made using TLR cameras like the Rolleiflex, Twin Lens camera technology is largely a thing of the past. Instead, today the DSLR’s main competition comes from the Mirrorless camera system.
Unsurprisingly, given the name, Mirrorless cameras lack the mirror of an SLR – effectively replacing it with a video feed relayed from the camera’s image sensor to the viewfinder. However, the downside here is that what you see through a digital viewfinder is not unmediated reality, but already one step removed.
It’s like a video of reality, at a considerably lower resolution than reality. What’s more, cheaper Mirrorless models may exhibit a degree of lag between the lens and viewfinder. Consequently, many photographers prefer the immediacy and greater responsiveness of the true optical viewfinder offered by an SLR.
High-end Mirrorless cameras sometimes provide a partial solution to this problem, compromising by incorporating both an electronic and an optical viewfinder in the design. The reason this is only a partial solution is because the only way for a Mirrorless camera to provide a genuinely optical viewfinder, beyond adding a mirror and turning the camera into an SLR, is for this view to be relayed via a second lens, like a TLR or a rangefinder camera. And just as with a TLR or rangefinder, this means that there will be a degree of parallax error between what you see through the optical viewfinder and the image captured by the sensor.
With that said, the absence of a mirror means that the view of the scene through the viewfinder of a Mirrorless camera typically remains uninterrupted at the moment of taking a photo. And for those photographers wanting to capture “decisive moments,” this offers a clear advantage over a DSLR (at least in this respect), as the lack of blackout while shooting makes it easier to follow the action.
Not only this, but the use of an EVF permits the addition of a range of important technical information within the viewfinder itself. Such features can be very beneficial for beginners who are not yet confident of their technical abilities.
Without the need to accommodate an unwieldy mirror, Mirrorless cameras also tend to be considerably smaller and lighter than DSLRs (and certainly a lot smaller and lighter than a vintage 1950s TLR!). This makes Mirrorless cameras an appealing option for travel and documentary photographers looking for a small, discrete, and lightweight solution for taking on the road.
There was once a time, indeed one not so long ago, when Mirrorless cameras offered an obvious advantage to those who value silent operation. Indeed, without a great big mirror clunking around inside at every press of the shutter, Mirrorless cameras made photography much quieter than ever before (at least if we put aside Leica rangefinders). Consequently, many documentary and performing-arts photographers have made the switch to Mirrorless systems in the last few years, attracted by the advantage of silent operation.
But while Mirrorless cameras remain fantastically quiet, recent technological advancements have provided many top end DSLRs with a silent operation mode that now almost rivals their Mirrorless counterparts. It’s also worth bearing in mind that while Mirrorless camera bodies tend to be smaller than DSLRs, their lenses are in some cases just as big and heavy as those used by the SLR system. So be sure to take lens bulk and weight into account when comparing the two systems.
Also, as Mirrorless users increasingly demand both full-frame sensors and improved ergonomic body designs with bigger hand grips, even the traditional size difference between Mirrorless and DSLR cameras has become less significant than before.
Autofocus performance has traditionally been way more impressive on DSLRs than with Mirrorless cameras, with super fast Phase Detection focusing used in all but the very cheapest models. While as a general rule, DSLR AF performance still remains superior to that of the Mirrorless system, certain top-end Mirrorless cameras employing hybrid contrast/phase-detection autofocus are beginning to come close to the speed and accuracy of DSLRs now.
Where Mirrorless cameras are already way ahead of DSLRs is in terms of shooting speed: with no clunky mirrors to deal with, Mirrorless cameras can achieve incredibly rapid burst shooting rates of as much as 20 fps. Or even higher if you don’t mind focus being fixed from the first shot onwards. Although, it’s worth mentioning that battery performance tends to much less impressive with Mirrorless cameras than DSLRs (with Mirrorless cameras on average offering about a third less shots per charge), so if you haven’t got a spare battery or two with you, you’ll want to hold off on too much rapid-fire shooting with a Mirrorless camera.
More and more professional videographers are shifting over to Mirrorless systems now too, as the features offered by mirrorless cameras have clearly begun to outdo those offered by most DSLRs. This is particularly the case with the lower end of the market, where very few DSLRs provide 4K video capabilities and yet many Mirrorless cameras do.
At the lower end of the market, you simply get a more powerful camera for less money when purchasing a DSLR rather than a Mirrorless camera. But moving up in price, there are less and less differences in terms of technical features and image quality. Meaning that, at a professional and prosumer level, DSLR and Mirrorless systems have become largely comparable
Tech specs are by no means the only thing to be taken into consideration when choosing the right camera for your photography. Depending on the kind of photography you are interested in doing with your new camera, you may find that the size, weight, handling, and even just the act of pressing the shutter may feel more satisfying with one system or the other. Indeed, a lightweight and compact camera will not be every photographer’s first choice of tool.
DSLR vs. Medium Format
In reality, there are many kinds of Medium Format camera, so to contrast a DSLR with a Medium Format camera is to make a misleading comparison. Indeed, many Medium Format cameras are themselves DSLRs (i.e., they employ the mirror reflex system), meanwhile a few are Mirrorless.
In common parlance, a lot of people use the term DSLR when in reality they specifically mean a 35mm DSLR. And if we compare a Medium Format camera (whether it’s a Medium Format DSLR, Mirrorless, or any other type of MF camera) with a full-frame DSLR, the difference is very straightforward: by definition, a Medium Format camera possesses an image sensor that is larger than the 35mm-equivalent offered by a full-frame camera.
As already noted above, image sensor size is the primary (but far from only) determinant as to the quality of files that a particular camera will be capable of producing. Unsurprisingly then, Medium Format cameras tend to produce better quality image files than even top-end DSLRs. In practice though, one or two models of Medium Format camera possess image sensors that are only marginally bigger than a 35mm full-frame sensor (meanwhile, others, of course, come with enormous sensors that are several times this size).
Not only this but as other factors such as noise reduction and megapixel-count also contribute to the quality of files a camera is capable of producing, the fact that a certain camera should technically be classed as Medium Format does not guarantee that it will outdo all professional-level full-frame DSLRs with regards to overall image quality. Nonetheless, in most cases, a Medium Format sensor will indeed produce considerably better images than even a full-frame 35mm sensor.
Beyond the matter of sensor size though, a Medium Format camera may (or may not) be otherwise identical to a 35mm DSLR – in both design and operation. It all depends on which Medium Format camera we are talking about.
In short, sensor size or format (e.g., cropped sensor, full-frame, MF, etc.) should not be confused with the camera system (DSLR, Mirrorless). These are two totally different concepts that are not in opposition to each other. Indeed, in practice, they can be combined in one camera in a variety of different ways (e.g., 35mm Mirrorless, cropped frame DSLR, MF Mirrorless, MF DSLR, etc.).
What Kind of Photographer Will Want to Use a DSLR Camera?
If you are considering moving up from a compact camera or a smartphone, then realistically you are likely hesitating between Mirrorless and DSLR cameras. And with the traditional handicaps of the Mirrorless system having largely been overcome in recent years, this has become a decision that is more difficult than ever before.
Having said this, many photographers still prefer the handling of a DSLR when compared with Mirrorless cameras. And while the differences in performance between DSLR and Mirrorless cameras have largely evened out in recent years, the lack of a true optical viewfinder is one drawback of the Mirrorless system that is unlikely to be overcome any time soon.
Other than this though, for the most part, there is not an enormous amount of difference between the two systems in terms of image quality or technical specifications – at least when looking at mid to high-level models. When it comes to entry-level cameras though, a DSLR will usually prove to be the better choice: offering much better spec for less money.
In large part, then, it will come down to personal choice and shooting style. For example, travel and documentary photographers may well prefer the lighter weight and more compact bodies offered by many Mirrorless cameras – especially if coupled with similarly small lenses.
Other photographers may simply prefer the handling of a DSLR, even if this means having to carry more bulk and weight around with them. Meanwhile, for cinematographers looking to use vintage glass on their cameras, the availability of easily-adaptable old lenses will likely make a DSLR the more attractive proposition. Only you can tell which are the specific details that may make a big difference to your photography.
Beyond such considerations, the best way to tell which system is right for you is probably to try out a few attractive candidates in-store. Both Mirrorless and DSLR cameras make for serious photographic tools capable of producing fantastic images, so beyond the technical
Leave a Reply