Shel B

I'd just like some opinion from those who have shot both mirror and mirrorless cameras. Pros and cons of each. Thanks.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Pro for mirrorlesss: size, weight, live exposure in EVF. No cons so far

Panasonic G7, Olympus EM-10
Last dslr was Canon T3i.

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

Pro for mirrorless: size and weight and probably price to some extent

Pro for DSLR: less noise at higher ISO settings.

Grahame Loc: Fiji

Pro for DSLR : Easier to spell

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Pro for mirrorless - Size and weight, live histogram in the viewfinder - In body image stabilisation. Also some good lenses.
Con - reduced battery life - not as good as focus tracking as my DSLR - about 1 stop noiser at higher ISO values.

Olympus OMD E-M5II and Canon 70D

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Nikon mirrorless Zs have a problem with dust on the sensor because the shutter remains open when you change lenses and the sensor is closer to the opening.

Also, Nikon dissuades touching the sensor for cleaning because the IBIS is very fragile. At least the Z50 shouldn’t have that problem. I don’t know if the Z50 has internal dust removal but that doesn’t seem to work on my Z6.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Shel - It would help us to know what specific issue you are most concerned about? Have you tried hands on shooting with either type? Have you read a strongly adverse opinion regarding either that put you off OR one that sounded like it might not be true? Have you spoken with a reliable camera dealer about both types, perhaps a dealer who might let you hold both in your hands? Considering specific models of either or both? Have you watched reviews of both on YouTube or DPReview?

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

When you say mirrorless I'm guessing you actually mean MILC, since pretty much all point and shoot and bridge cameras are mirrorless. My canon Power Shot G1X III is mirrorless but does not have interchangeable lens. My Canon M50 is a crop sensor MILC that I use with my EF lenses. The adapter I use on my M50 is the Viltrox EF-EOS M2 0.71X adapter that turns the APS-C M50 into a simulated Full Frame; pretty neat.

I see several folks have listed size as a PRO but none have listed it as a CON. To me it could go either way. Some MILC'S are pretty darn small and if one has large hands or fingers, this could be a problem. I initially had a problem with the smallness of the M50 but adapted quickly.

The image quality from my M50 is really no better than my G1X III or 80D, although pixel peepers may disagree. I'm by no stretch of the imagination, a pixel peeper.

I do like the Electronic View Finder, but then my bridge cameras also have EFV'S.
The biggest "problem" I have with my MILC is battery charge life, it's not close to my 80D or 5D mk IV. Not a major issue though, I simply carry extra batteries.

The two cameras I carry most often when out shooting are my 5D mk IV and my M50.

I have not yet purchased a new full frame MILC because I'm waiting for the technology to mature a bit more and quite frankly, I don't really need one. The EOS R may be statistically better than the 5D mk IV but I don't look at statistics, I look at photographs and I doubt that 98.5% of the folks looking at photos from both cameras could tell the difference.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

I hadn't heard that about the Nikons. Which one are you using?

User ID

`

Thaz cuz the additional time it takes to flip away
the SLR mirror and also close down the aperture
is "negative time". You live in a very interesting
universe where people are born old and progress
toward youth and finally to birth. So they don't
actually die ... they just get disbirthed.



A sensor is a sensor. It doesn't know whether
there was a mirror involved or not. SLRs are
no different than LV cameras noisewise.

It's really quite puzzling where folks come up
with all this mythology.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

A mirror might let you fly, but it won't let you sing.

jcboy3

I shoot both. Nikon DSLR, Olympus and Panasonic MILC (mirrorless interchangeable lens camera).

The major differences:

Mirrorless EVF can show a lot of additional information (blown highlights, crushed shadows, focus peaking, magnified view, more visible settings, histograms, level gauges) in easier to see form. And the EVF can boost the brightness if you are shooting with flash or strobes.

Mirrorless usually has more of a delay between shutter button press and exposure.

Mirrorless shutter is usually much quieter, or even silent if electronic shutter is used.

Mirrorless cameras can have stabilized sensors, which allow much slower hand held shutter speeds.

Mirrorless cameras usually have better video.

I shoot mostly with mirrorless. I use my DSLR's when I need faster autofocus, more pixels, or better flash handling.

User ID

Acoarst you're 100% right. NO ONE can tell
the difference, truly no one, cuz there is no
difference in the images. The choice of type
of camera has nothing to do with results. It
is all about process. Using the camera is a
rather significant part of the process. Users
gravitate to whatever tools better suit their
own methods and processes.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

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

bleirer

The weight difference is not enough to be meaningful in my Canon RP, the camera is lighter a little but the rf lens is still heavy and big. The exposure simulation in the viewfinder is a plus, as well as seeing the histogram in the viewfinder. Looking through the viewfinder while sliding the focus point around with my thumb is cool, as is pulling out and twisting the led to view a difficult scene and taking a pic by touching the screen is nice. Tracking subjects eyes is nice too.