Mirrorless vs DSLRs or Why SLR cameras are doomed

First, a little about the ins and outs of DSLRs. Such an unspoken nickname "stuck" to them due to the peculiarities of the structure - one of the main characters in the design of cameras of this kind is the mechanism of a movable mirror. It is used to ensure the visibility of the field of the future frame in the optical viewfinder window. Reflecting from the mirror, the light is reflected twice more through the edges of the pentaprism and only then it enters directly into the viewfinder. When you press the shutter button, the mirror is removed from the path of the light flux so that it can freely penetrate the camera matrix. Moreover, the very moment of shooting remains invisible in the viewfinder, since the raised mirror covers the matte focusing screen. In fact, the mirror mechanism is only an auxiliary element in the process of creating a photograph. Because of its unwieldy size, DSLRs are destined to be big and heavy. With the rise of mirrorless cameras, you can safely do without this mechanism.

A clear difference between the principles of operation of DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

Mirrorless cameras are good because they direct the light flux directly to the image sensor, bypassing all the intermediate links in the chain. Accordingly, they have a simpler design, fewer fragile elements in it and, importantly, more attractive weight and size indicators. One of the main trump cards in the sleeve of mirrorless cameras:

Compact dimensions

With similar technical data, you simply cannot find a DSLR of similar dimensions to a system camera with interchangeable lenses. What can I say, the younger ones from the mirrorless squad are practically indistinguishable in size from the average “digital cameras”, especially when combined with any of the “pancake” lenses. In addition, due to the short working distance, mirrorless cameras often use more compact optics, which eliminates the need to carry a whole suitcase of photographic equipment with you to the shooting.

One of the most compact mirrorless cameras on the market belongs to the Olympus PEN series.

A small camera in conjunction with a compact lens draws less attention to oneself, which is important in the genre of street photography, and takes up a minimum of space. True, for the sake of compactness, many of the mirrorless cameras of the initial and middle segment are deprived of a comfortable grip in the hand. Ergonomically designed DSLRs do a little better, as their bulkier body leaves plenty of room for both the handle and extra shortcut buttons along with the control wheels.

Popular compact cameras

Electronic viewfinder

Through the viewfinder window on board mirrorless cameras , you can see the frame as it turns out in the end. The image on the viewfinder screen is displayed from the matrix already taking into account the shutter speed and aperture settings, ISO, white balance and exposure compensation. In addition, it can display a lot of related shooting parameters to help the photographer, for example, a histogram. It is also proposed to be endorsed on the main screen - there are no differences in this matter.

Good to know. For the sake of affordability, many specimens from the entry-level mirrorless detachment are deprived of a viewfinder in their design, and the rear screen plays the role of a “universal soldier” in them. The display on the back of the "carcass" of the camera is used for sighting in the process of shooting, changing settings and viewing the footage.

The "peephole" of the optical viewfinder sees the image in the image and likeness of the human eye, and
in the window of the electronic viewfinder, the picture is displayed taking into account the selected shooting parameters.

For DSLRs with the mode of displaying the field of the future frame on the display, everything is much more complicated. This is due to the peculiarities of focusing - when using the automatic focusing system in Live View mode, the camera works with a raised mirror, using less efficient contrast focusing. Those. a SLR camera in this form is an analogue of a mirrorless camera, and not the most nimble and responsive.

At first, many copies of mirrorless cameras were plagued by the problem of image inertia in the viewfinder and on the screen, which made them unsuitable for shooting highly dynamic scenes (reporting from sports events, shooting objects in motion, etc.). However, now the refresh rate of the lion's share of current models has increased significantly and the delay in transferring the image to the camera display is negligible - it is not possible to see it with the naked eye.

Matrix stabilization

A weighty argument in favor of many mirrorless cameras is the matrix stabilization system. The image sensor in mirrorless cameras with a matrix stub is fixed on a movable stabilizing platform. Compensation for the camera displacement trajectory is carried out by moving the platform with the matrix in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens. Such a stabilization system is good because it works in conjunction with any optics, regardless of whether it has its own optical stub on board. In the most advanced mirrorless cameras, the matrix stub is able to compensate up to 7 stops of exposure when shooting handheld or in low light conditions. A striking example of such a camera is a pro tool Olympus OM-D E-M1X body Price from 61 058 up to 63 181 ₴.

The matrix stub in the arsenal of mirrorless cameras greatly simplifies handheld shooting at critical
shutter speeds and assists in obtaining smooth footage when recording video.

In a detachment of SLR cameras, a similar system is found only on board models from Sony and Pentax, which cannot be called "thoroughbred" SLRs. This is due to the use of a translucent mirror and an electronic viewfinder in their design.

Popular Image Stabilizer Cameras

No back and front focus issues

The focus sensors of mirrorless cameras are located directly on the plane of the matrix, due to which it was possible to solve the eternal problem of back and front focus. Both of these phenomena are unique to SLR cameras and are due to the inconsistency of the autofocus and mirror sensors.

Reference. Back focus is an oversight of the auto focus system, in which the camera focuses behind the subject. Front focus is a similar miss with the only caveat that focusing occurs in front of the subject.

At the dawn of their development, mirrorless cameras using the contrast autofocus method were significantly inferior in focusing speed to their mirror counterparts. However, with the development of hybrid autofocus systems, the problem has been reduced to nothing. For example, the top mirrorless camera Canon EOS R body Price from 62 290 up to 83 763 ₴ captures the subject in just 0.05 seconds, and it has 5655 focus points in its assets. The closest SLR relative of the camera in the face of the Canon EOS 1DX Mark II has only 61 of them, despite the fact that the camera is positioned as a real reportage "monster".

video filming

Thanks to built-in autofocus sensors and a matrix stabilization system, mirrorless cameras are much better suited for video shooting than DSLRs. The Panasonic cameras and the Sony A7s series of full-frame flagships in all three generations have been especially successful in terms of video capabilities.

Video shooting in 4K is the lot of most mirrorless cameras, while in the "mirror world" recording videos in UltraHD resolution is the prerogative of top-end devices.

autonomy

The only point in the programme where mirrorless graze the rear is battery life. The “gluttony” of mirrorless cameras is explained by the use of an LCD screen or an electronic viewfinder display for viewing and viewing captured images. SLRs allow you to shoot without their participation, clinging your eye to the optical viewfinder window.

Many of the cameras of the mirrorless squad can be powered by the life-giving force of energy
in the field using an external battery.

For most mirrorless cameras, you can take 300-400 shots on a single battery charge, while for a detachment of SLR cameras this figure is often 2-3 times higher.

Popular DSLRs

What is the result?..

The fact that mirrorless cameras are the future is beyond doubt. Such eminent photo brands as Fujifilm, Sony and Olympus along with Panasonic have long come to this, which have been completely reformatted for the production of mirrorless cameras.

A couple of debutants from Nikon in the field of mirrorless cameras with a full-frame image matrix.

The year 2018 can also be considered a turning point for mirrorless cameras, when first-tier manufacturers entered the arena of the top segment - the Japanese companies Nikon with full frames Nikon Z6 body Price from 80 000 ₴ and Nikon Z7 body Price from 60 750 up to 89 999 ₴, as well as Canon's creation Canon EOS R body Price from 62 290 up to 83 763 ₴. Prior to them, for many years in a row, the palm in the flagship category of system cameras with interchangeable lenses was tenaciously held in tight grip by a series of full-frame mirrorless cameras from Sony (the A7 line and the flagship Sony A9 body Price from 96 000 up to 152 590 ₴ ). There are a couple more notable products in the Fuji portfolio - cameras Fujifilm GFX-50S body and Fujifilm GFX-50R body represent the medium format camera league.

The share of sales of mirrorless cameras on a global scale is growing inexorably every year. Initially aimed at enthusiast photographers, they are acquiring new features and becoming more and more professional, which makes even avid "conservatives" look at the mirrorless squadron. And the vocation of the public, you see, is a significant plus in the karma of system cameras with interchangeable lenses and the path to their further success.

Good luck with your shooting!