Photography news and tips for the hobbyist or seasoned pro
Put your ear to the ground of the camera buying market these days and you’ll hear that same ten letter word being repeated over and over. M-I-R-R-O-R-L-E-S-S. Going mirrorless is all the rage these days. It’s almost a mirror (no pun intended) of what happened decades ago when 35mm film cameras replaced 120 film cameras in popularity, even among pros. These days you see pros like Zack Arias hailing the Fuji x100s as, “the greatest camera I’ve ever owned.”
Source: Fujifilm
Pro: Smaller and lighter camera body
Pro: Smaller and lighter lenses
Pro: Quieter (no mirror)
Pro: Less expensive (for the most part)
Pro: EVF (some cameras have an electronic viewfinder, can be a pro or a con depending on preference)
Pro: Best camera factor. To me, the best camera factor is related to the saying Chase Jarvis coined, “the best camera is the one that’s with you“. You’ll want to take mirrorless cameras with you more often, ergo you’ll take more pictures, ergo you’ll practice more, etc. etc.
Cons: With exception to a small few (Fuji X-T1) most of them aren’t weather sealed.
Cons: Aren’t as sturdy as pro-DSLR’s
Cons: Battery life isn’t as long (smaller batteries are being used to keep size and weight down)
Cons: Relatively new systems don’t have as many lens options yet (but it’s getting better)
Cons: The sensor size for more mirrorless cameras (with exception like the Sony A7 series) is limited to DX sized sensors
Source: B&H Photo
B&H has an in-depth article on mirrorless cameras that anyone interested in getting one should read. Most people still think DSLR’s are the only option when looking for an all around camera to use when travelling, family gatherings, etc. I will almost always recommend a mirrorless camera to anyone that asks me “what camera should I buy“.
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