odonnell.james

I have been a 35 mm amateur photographer since the 1960's using Nikon cameras and lenses. I've noticed the new Z cameras from Nikon that are mirrorless. I don't understand what the benefit is with this innovation. SLR means that you see through the viewfinder basically what the film (now the sensor) sees, which is made possible by the mirror. Is there no viewfinder view with these cameras? Or is the viewfinder given a view provided by the sensor, which is what the compact or point-and-shoot cameras do? Thanks for any feedback.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

The viewfinder is electronic instead of optical. This has both benefits and costs. The big benefit is the removal of the mechanical reflex mirror. This lightens the camera some but also permits mounting lenses closer to the sensor since room for the flapping mirror is gone. I have the Z7 camera and I can mount my 35mm f/2 Biogon which is not an option for other bodies that have the mirror. So benefit = wider range of available lenses.

The focus system can be extremely accurate as focus is measured at the sensor versus in a DSLR via a combination of mirrors and sensors that have to be calibrated to the recording sensor position.

An advantage for JPEG shooters is a WYSIWYG image in the viewfinder. Some mirrorless users make the transition to relying on the viewfinder image more than their metering system.

Costs include increased battery usage. The viewfinder requires constant power and any weight advantage you get from the smaller body sans mirror is typically out weighed by the extra batteries you end up carrying.

I traded my Canon DSLR for a Fuji mirrorless camera some years ago and at first the loss of the OVF stung a little. I now have both Fuji and Nikon mirrorless cameras and I wouldn't trade back to a DSLR. The mirrorless cameras are small and lighter and I really like the access to different lenses. However I do have a lot of batteries I seem to be always charging.

Joe

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

The viewfinder is a tiny TV. You "see" differently. For example, you see what the image is going to look like. In low light, the DSLR viewfinder will be "dark". With a mirrorless, you will see what the camera is going to do with that darkness.

Another way to look at it.... You want to take a really long exposure so you screw a nearly black ND filter on the front of the lense. With the DSLR you will see nothing but darkness. With the mirrorless you will actually see a "normal" image.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

It has an electronic eye-level viewfinder that shows what the sensor is seeing.
In some ways, better than an optical.
Lets you see what your exposure will look like.
Quieter with no mirror slap.
Battery life isn't anywhere near as good as a DSLR, but they are improving.

More information HERE from B&H.
Welcome!

captivecookie Loc: Washington state

Yes, the viewfinder you look into shows a screen that mimics the large screen on the outside of cameras. There is no mirror to lift out of the way, so what you see is what you get.

Advantage: you can dial in your exposure in real time and see what you're going tipp get when you press the shutter.

Disadvantage: you use a lot more battery power. I only get 300 or sp per battery charge, whereas my dslr got near a thousand.

There are other pros and cons, but fortunately for you there will be more thought s to share by other members.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

Yes there is a electronic viewfinder, similar to you SLR and the 3inch viewer on the back of the camera. I use Sony mirrorless now for over 5 years. Nikon is johny come lately with mirrorless. Some advantages of mirrorless over DSLR is lighter weight, Smaller body, no mirror flying around creating vibration, no blackout when shooting rapid fire, and the best part,,,, what you see is what you get, for real. You get to see visualy DOF via focus peaking. You get to see real time, what happens via exposure compensation. You get to see real time color correction in you White balance choice. All this happends in real time. There is no need to go back and forth to live view to see what is happening in your camera. You also get electronic shutter and or mechanical shutter. (electronic shutter is 100% silent) . Yes you may consider it a Pro version of a point and shoot. Jut think of it as rhe next evolutionary step in cameras.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I use both DSLR’s and mirrorless. I still love my D500 with the Nikon 200-500 for wildlife, but find I’m using the mirrorless for everything else. I have both a Panasonic G9 and a Nikon Z7 and they’re both fantastic cameras. I’m definitely spoiled by dialing up some exposure compensation and seeing it in the viewfinder.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

The major advantage is being able to see, in realtime, the impact of exposure settings before the shutter is pressed and what you actually captured (no chimping required).

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The grass is always greener when captured with a mirrorless camera.

captivecookie Loc: Washington state

This is, of course, an incontrovertible truth.😀

CO

Mirrorless cameras must have an issue with color accuracy.

captivecookie Loc: Washington state

Actually, mine shows some moire effect in extreme contrast.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The EVF - Electronic View Finder - is the difference. Otherwise, a digital sensor is a digital sensor. The EVF is available both to your eye raised to the camera's view finder as well as via the backside LCD display, that many times can be angled off the camera to let you shoot at odd angels where you don't have to the camera raised to the eye. The EVF is mostly for larger cameras of the 35mm style with interchangeable lenses. Pocket cameras are also mirrorless, but many times they don't have a viewfinder for your eye, rather you focus and frame using the LCD on the back of the camera.

I use my Sony mirrorless for legacy manual focus lenses, something you might have too. The lenses remain manual focus, but on a mirrorless body, they gain two new features: 1) in-body stabilization where the camera holds itself steady and 2) a 10x zoom focus peeking in the EVF. I'd given up on my manual focus lenses as I could not focus them as sharply as my autofocus equipment. But, when I can 'see' the details at the AF point at a 10x zoom, I can manual focus these lenses as good as any camera with autofocus.

captivecookie Loc: Washington state

A good point about the 10x manual focus. If the camera is on a tripod, I think that's the sharpest focus you can h get. At least that's the best I cam manage.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I don't even bother with a tripod for my manual focus + mirrorless combo, at least for the shorter focal lengths. I get good enough details in the EVF.