Why switch from DSLR to Mirrorless?

 

It is unfortunate that we still have to discuss this here. But there are numerous blogs and videos trying to convince the viewer to buy one of those old fashioned reflex cameras (DSRL - digital single lens reflex). I stumble on one about once a weak. From the forums I read, I also learn that there are still many fans who would never switch to mirrorless (simply called ILC - interchangeable lens cameras). Since I am not so gear oriented as many others, I would never persuade you to throw away the camera you have been using for years for something completely different. On the other hand, there is also an artistic point involved. And that drove me to writing this posting.

First of all, the industry has completely switched to mirrorless systems, and with good reasons. There is no way back. If you want recent lenses with their new improved optical quality and fast cameras, you need to switch. Only, if you want to buy used or keep your old stuff, it makes sense to stick with the mirror. You might get an older camera for a bargain, even if was a top notch camera 15 years ago. If it sill works, it won't make bad pictures all of a sudden. You could get a Canon 5D II with a 50mm f/1.4 lens for much less than 500€ used. And that is all you need to make good photos. 

Probably I need to talk about the technical reasons for the mirrorless form factor, just to make sure we are in the same boat. The mirror was between the lens and the sensor. It flipped up at every shot to expose the sensor (with a distinctive flap noise). The image through the lens was reflected by the mirror onto a matte glass where it was looked at via an ocular on the back, middle of the camera. This is called an optical viewfinder (OVF). In contrast, a mirrorless camera has a tiny LCD screen instead of the matte glass which shows the current scene as the sensor sees it. Omitting the mirror means one complicated mechanical part less which adds weight and cost. Moreover, the lens can be closer to the sensor for more compact housings and some optical benefits.

On a mirrorless camera, the sensor has to be open while the shot is composed. Some DSRL cameras, at least the ones that also allowed taking videos, did the same with a live view, the mirror flipped up. The downside of this was that the advanced auto-focus system, mounted at the mirror was no longer working, and the old sensors could not help in focusing fast. Moreover, the viewfinder would not be available in life view unless the mirror was switched down, always with a noise.

The main difference from the perspective of the photographer besides the weight and the compactness, is the optical viewfinder versus the electronic counterpart. That has caused a long discussion among old guys and the main reason to keep them from mirrorless. The first electronic versions were indeed not very good with low resolution and a restricted dynamic range. The situation has changed. The modern ones show a large and clear scene. More importantly, they show the picture as it will be exposed. Even better, they can add a histogram, color sharp areas red, show a level, or zoom in for exact focusing, and much more. The optical viewfinders simply could do nothing of that. 

But for me, the important improvement in artistic value is the fact that you can now use the display on the back to take photos. The days where most photos in the world are taken at eye level are over. Nobody has to bend on the knees or crawl on the ground to look through the optical viewfinder anymore. Those display flip in all directions. You can even take overhead shots, selfies, or shots around a corner.

You can argue that this could be done with live view and a modern sensor too, practically mounting a mirror into a DSRL. You would lose the additional information in the electronic viewfinder, and gain an optical one. Besides the fact that such a camera does not exist (the market moved on), I do not see much point in it. We all have an optical viewfinder, our eyes. Just learn to use them and to predict the shot before even positioning your camera. That's much more beneficial than walking around with an ocular glued to your eyes.

The two pictures on this page demonstrate my point. To make them, I had to bend down below my comfort zone (aged 70 now). It is the electronic viewfinder and the modern auto-focus systems that allow me to still get these pictures.