DSLR vs Mirrorless Cameras
When you’re choosing a new interchangeable lens camera system to purchase, chances are you will come across these two terms.
We will break down how the two systems differ here, and list the pros and cons of both systems to help you make your mind up on which system to go to.
DSLR Camera System
The DSLR system has it roots from the film SLR days – you view the scene in front of you directly through the lens via an optical viewfinder, which houses a prism and a mirror system so that you can view the scene in real time.
Whenever the shutter is pressed to take a photo, the mirror would flip out of the way before the shutter curtains in front of the sensor move to record the image.
Mirrorless Camera System
As the name implies, mirrorless camera systems do not have a mirror in their construction, and the scene can be viewed through either by the back display monitor or using an electronic viewfinder. In both cases, the scene is an electronic display of what the sensor currently sees through the lens.
It is interesting to note that some mirrorless camera bodies do have an optical viewfinder installed (or as an optional add-on), but these optical viewfinders do not view the scene directly through the lens but rather act as independent viewfinders (or rangefinders) with a bit of parallax error in place.
Pros and Cons of Each System
* Disadvantages are indicated in red
DSLR Cameras
Mirrorless Cameras
- Optical viewfinder shows the scene in real-time without any lag.
- Electronic viewfinder or back monitor display shows the scene as viewed by the sensor, which results in a short time-lag.
- Optical viewfinder does not consume battery, resulting in longer battery life.
- Electronic viewfinder or back monitor display consumes battery as sensor needs to be powered on, resulting in shorter battery life.
- Optical viewfinder does not show exactly how the final scene would be captured.
- It is possible to preview how the final image would be captured based on the input settings.
- The presence of a mirror system will result in sounds when shooting with a DSLR.
- Mirrorless cameras are generally quieter than DSLRs, and most mirrorless cameras can shoot in perfectly silent mode by disabling the shutter sound.
- Autofocus is done on a separate sensor which usually is more sensitive in lower light.
- Autofocus is done on-sensor which may result in slightly less sensitivity in lower light.
- Autofocus covers only a fixed region (usually the central region)
- Autofocus is usually available throughout the entire image.
- Separate autofocus module introduces focusing errors due to slightly different light paths to the sensor.
- On-sensor autofocus results in more accurate focus acquisition as the light path for autofocus and image recording is the same.
- Separate autofocus module usually low in resolution and does not have advanced subject detection and tracking abilities.
- Advanced subject detection and tracking abilities usually available as information from the entire sensor is being used.
- Well-established ecosystem with plenty of used lenses so it’s financially easier to build a strong kit with DSLR.
- Mirrorless cameras and lenses are generally more expensive and less used gear circulating around, resulting in a higher expense if going this course.
- Sensor is blocked by the mirror box and shutter is closed by default so less prone to getting dust on sensor.
- Sensor is exposed by default when in operation so more prone to getting sensor dust spots.
- Burst shooting rates are dependent on the mirror mechanism and shutter mechanism, which are usually the bottleneck in determine maximum FPS.
- Burst shooting rates are only dependent on shutter mechanism (and/or sensor readout speed), so higher burst FPS are possible (especially when used with electronic shutters).
- More moving parts would result in more possibilities of mechanical wear or breakage.
- Lesser moving parts so less possibilities of mechanical wear or breakage.
Just based on paper specifications and comparisons, it looks like the advantages of mirrorless camera systems are quite overwhelming.
There is no question that as more research are poured into maturing the technology, more innovations will come to mirrorless camera systems, so if your main concern is to future proof your investment as much as possible, a mirrorless system might be the way to go.
However, DSLRs are still a very viable point of entry into photography, as imaging sensor technology has not seen much of a huge leap in recent years, so a DSLR from a few years ago can still capture stunning images as new modern cameras. And this is also not forgetting the fact that an established ecosystem of lenses for DSLRs mean that there are lenses for all budgets and all situations – something that mirrorless systems are still catching up on (and slightly assisted by the use of lens adapters).
