DSLR Camera Vs Mirrorless: Five Key Differences

Serious photography needs serious solutions and therefore, DSLR cameras have remained a popular choice for years. However, the last few years have seen the advent of smaller, more compact cameras for people who are not really professionals but want quality pictures through a handy device. It’s keeping this very audience in mind that some of the popular camera vendors have come up with compact variants of professional cameras that are based on a mirrorless design. For the uninitiated, a DSLR camera works on a mirror reflex mechanism where the image first falls on a mirror and from thereon it is reflected to the optical viewfinder and once the photographer presses the click button, the same mirror moves up for the image to be finally captured by the sensor. However, this mirror mechanism is space consuming and this is precisely what mirrorless cameras seek to eliminate. In a mirrorless camera, the light passes through the lens and falls straight onto the sensor.

So, are mirrorless cameras really an alternative to DSLR photography? Apart from the fundamental difference in their construction, there are certain other key differences that you need to aware of before going for one. For one, you need to take into account the size of the complete package—the body plus the lens that you’re going to be using. If the body is sleek but the lens is bulky then it defeats the very purpose of using a mirrorless camera.

Second, you need to check the choice of lenses available, especially if you plan to use it for professional photography, and this is where mirrorless cameras currently lack.

Third, DSLRs offer complete manual control over all the features they offer, such the control over aperture size, focusing, as well as the file format. However, mirrorless cameras do not offer that level of manual control.

Fourth, the DSLRs offer optical viewfinders that help the most in low light conditions, however, mirrorless cameras have to sacrifice this functionality to save on space.

Fifth, the grip and feel offered by DSLRs is still superior to a compact mirrorless camera, which to many photographers would feel little too small to hold and to shoot.