What is a Mirrorless Digital Camera? Does it Still Worth to Buy?

Share it to your friends

What is a mirrorless digital camera, and what makes it different from DSLR cameras?

If you are new or still a beginner to the world of photography, interchangeable lens camera might sound strange to you.

But with so many brands of mirrorless digital camera with their benefit of its product, it may be confusing to try and look which the best mirrorless digital camera for you.

If you are new or still a beginner to the world of photography, interchangeable lens camera might sound strange to you.

With so many brands of mirrorless digital camera with their benefit of its product, it may be confusing to try and look which the best mirrorless digital camera for you.

A man getting ready to capture using a mirrorless camera

Mirrorless digital camera is a camera that does not require a reflex mirror to reflect the light up, and the image appears into the optical viewfinder. The reflex mirror is a critical component of DSLR cameras.

A mirrorless digital camera doesn’t have an optical viewfinder, but the imaging sensor will be exposed to light all the time.

After that, this camera will show you a small display of the image on the rear LCD screen or electronic viewfinder (EVF). The preview image on this display is used to aiming and get an accurate framing. 

The term of a mirrorless digital camera refers to a digital interchangeable lens camera and the camera either have electronic viewfinders or doesn’t have a viewfinder.

As said above, the mirrorless digital camera often called as a “mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera”, “hybrid camera”, or “compact system camera”.

The body of the camera is slimmer than a DSLR camera since the mirrorless digital camera doesn’t have a mechanical mirror. It is also called “mirrorless DSLRs” or “mirrorless SLRs” because this type of camera also supports interchangeable lenses.

Why do mirrorless digital camera now on trend?

A man checking the viewfinder of Canon mirrorless camera (trustedreviews.com)

Presented in 2008, mirrorless digital cameras became famous among beginner, and casual photographers move from DSLR cameras to the mirrorless digital camera.

Then why do the photographers migrating from DSLR cameras to a mirrorless digital camera, if only about removing the mirror? Is it just because mirrorless digital cameras are a new category of a camera?

Mirrorless digital camera will not get quickly popular without its advantages. The advantages of this type of camera are the body of the camera thinner than DSLRs, a sensor size increases, has a professional design, and more high-end features are added.

Mirrorless digital camera also can be made much smaller and lighter than DSLR cameras. The thinner body might be the main reason since the component of a reflex mirror taking up space inside the camera.

Thus, you can bring a mirrorless camera easier and fit more gear into the bag, to bring an extra battery or extra lenses.

Mirrorless Digital Camera or DSLR Cameras? Which Is Better for You?

After reading the paragraph above, you may wonder which camera better for you? First thing first, ask yourself how often you will use the camera?

If you want to get the most of your photography with minimal effort and smaller size, you will want to buy a mirrorless digital camera. But are you sure it is better for your needs?

The difference in size between DSLR with mirrorless camera (Sony’s Youtube channel)

The main reasons why both professional or amateur photographers choose mirrorless digital cameras or DSLR cameras because of its image quality and versatility of the camera.

These cameras have pro-models for professionals’ market, and there are lots of DSLR and mirrorless camera that suit with any levels of photographer.

When you’re taking a picture outside in a good light, both mirrorless digital cameras and DSLR camera will perform well.

But if you are often taking pictures in low light or when tracking moving object, DSLR tends to offer more consistent performance even though the previewing images will appear slower than usual and the battery life always fall short.

If you’ve planned to use the camera for video, a mirrorless digital camera has a lot better than DSLR cameras. In video mode, you have to set a DSLR camera to live view mode and using the LCD screen, not from the optical viewfinder.

The viewfinder becomes useless, and it will burn the batteries much faster. In a mirrorless digital camera, you can set the video mode and see the miniature display of the image from the electronic viewfinder.

DSLR cameras can’t use phase detection with the mirror up when it comes to recording a video; it becomes slower, less accurate, contrast-detection focus method. Then the result will blur in the middle of the video because the camera seeks for the right focus. 

Conclusion

While mirrorless digital cameras could be better than DSLR cameras since its weight and size are simpler and the image quality is better.

But remember that a mirrorless cameras are more likely to burn through the battery faster than DSLR cameras because of the constant use of the sensor and the live preview on the LCD screen or the electronic viewfinder.

Therefore, you need to bring an extra battery every time you tend to take a picture or shooting for hours. 

When it comes to what’s the best camera fits your needs, a mirrorless digital camera or a DLSR camera, whether you are an amateur photographer or professional, there are several things that you must be considered.

Mirrorless digital cameras have more compact camera body, and lighter than DSLR cameras so you can easily bring the camera with you, great for video, and faster even it has shorter battery life, and the fewer option of lenses and accessories. 

This camera is an excellent choice for casual photographers due to the compact size and simpler controls. The price difference between mirrorless digital cameras and DSLRs isn’t much. 

For professional users who want to use a wider range of lenses and other camera accessories, you would be better off with a DSLR camera. But you should know what you need before purchasing a camera.

Leave a Comment