Introduction
When it comes to professional photography, do you think of Digital SLR Cameras with long guns and short guns? However, not everyone is willing to go out to play with a heavy bag. Nowadays, mirrorless cameras (called Mirrorless by Sony) are becoming more and more popular. There is no inevitable difference in image quality between the two. Technological advancements have led many people to turn to mirrorless cameras instead of traditional digital SLR cameras. Let’s compare the two and see which one is more suitable for you?
If you ask a person who is starting a camera in earnest, “Which is better, a single-lens reflex camera or a mirrorless camera?”
It seems that there are surprisingly many people who think that a camera with interchangeable lenses is equal to a single-lens reflex camera and do not know that a mirrorless camera and a single-lens reflex camera have different structures.
Working Principle And Differences: DSLR vs Mirrorless Cameras
This time, I would like to introduce the differences between such single-lens reflex cameras and mirrorless cameras, their strengths and weaknesses, and the merits of mirrorless cameras, which are becoming mainstream.
The DSLR design was invented before the advent of digital sensors. At that time, the only way to display the field of view through the camera lens was to use a mirror in the body to reflect the image of the scene and the image into the viewfinder. When taking a picture, the mirror will flip up, so that the image can be transferred to the back of the camera where the film is exposed.
The so-called “single lens” means that the photographic exposure light path and the viewfinder light path share the same lens, unlike rangefinder cameras or double reflex cameras that have independent lenses for the viewfinder light path. “Reflective” means that a flat mirror in the DSLR Camera Lenses separates the two light paths: when the mirror falls, the light from the lens has reflected the pentaprism and then to the viewfinder; the mirror is quickly raised during shooting, and the light can shine on the film or the photosensitive element CMOS or CCD.
The working principle of a DSLR Camera:
In the working system of the Digital DSLR Camera, the unique design of the mirror and prism allows the photographer to directly observe the image through the lens from the viewfinder.
The only difference between this old DSLR (Single Lens Reflex) design and today’s DSLR is the digital sensor replacing the film.
Related – Different Types Of DSLR Lenses And When To Use Them
What is the difference between a DSLR camera and a mirrorless camera? Do you understand this?
A Digital DSLR Camera like the Nikon D500 has a mirror inside the body that reflects the image into the optical viewfinder.
Mirrorless cameras do not have this kind of mirror. The image passes directly through the sensor on the back of the camera, and then the real-time “paper feed” is transmitted to the electronic viewfinder.
Mirrorless cameras use another method. They use “live view” captured by the camera sensor itself to create an electronic viewfinder image. By doing this, they don’t need mirrors and optical viewfinders at all.
But it sounds like a win-win situation is much more complicated. Many people prefer the optical viewfinder of DSLR cameras. Mirrorless camera manufacturers have to develop new autofocus technology to compete with DSLR cameras. Mirrorless cameras still can’t even compete with DSLR cameras in terms of battery life, even in it seems to many users-simple operation and ergonomics.
The Main Difference Between The Two Types Of Cameras
Both DSLR and Mirrorless cameras can replace the camera lens; there are more advanced photography functions; whether you are an entry-level photographer or a professional photographer, you can find a model that suits you. Compared with ordinary portable digital cameras, these two Top DSLR Cameras usually have a larger sensor, which allows more light to enter and capture more details.
The main difference between the two is the mirror inside the DSLR camera reflecting the light to the optical viewfinder. The mirrorless camera, as the name implies, has no mirror. The light enters the image sensor directly, and the image preview is displayed through the electronic viewfinder or LCD screen
With electronic viewfinders you view the image with any changes to exposure, colour settings, white balance. This is something optical viewfinder cannot do. Most electronic viewfinders perform really well in low light and produce clear and noise free images.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of DSLR And Mirrorless Cameras
So which is better? Although mirrorless cameras are very close to digital DSLR cameras, both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Traditional digital DSLR cameras still have some advantages, such as autofocus or speed when tracking the subject. The DSLR camera uses the internal “phase detection” autofocus module, which can quickly autofocus and track the subject.
Mirrorless cameras rely on sensor autofocus. This function focuses on analyzing the maximum contrast between pixels on the camera sensor. When the contrast reaches the highest, the subject will be in sharp focus. This method is usually slow. In addition, because it does not involve distance measurement, but only measures contrast, it is more laborious to photograph moving objects
However, some high-end mirrorless cameras are now beginning to adopt “hybrid” autofocus systems. This technology narrows the gap between the autofocus speeds of digital DSLR cameras and mirrorless cameras.
Do you want to ask, the era of DSLR cameras is over? Not so. It is not without reason that digital DSLR cameras continue to exist and continue to be loved by amateur and professional photographers. Let’s take a look at DSLR and the advantages and disadvantages of the mirrorless. The advantages and disadvantages are all on the whole, compared with the same level.
Advantage:
The DSLR camera has an optical viewfinder, so there is no risk of delay. Usually, it can automatically focus and track the subject faster (although the distance between the two is shrinking). In addition, the current selection of lenses and accessories for DSLR cameras is wider than that of mirrorless cameras.
Disadvantages:
Usually bulkier. High-end digital DSLR cameras are also very expensive. The continuous shooting speed of DSLR cameras is usually slow.
If you prefer to shoot through the traditional viewfinder, and hope to have more various lenses and accessories to choose from, then this Best Affordable DSLR Camera is more suitable for you. By shooting through the viewfinder, you can also ensure that the autofocus is at its best.
