Mirrorless cameras have become far more mainstream over the last few years, although there are many photographers out there who still prefer their DSLRs, and there is no right or wrong answer - it’s just about what you prefer.
However, there are a number of differences between the two systems – and a number of advantages that mirrorless technology brings into the mix, especially for beginners, which is why I always recommend them.
But first a little history, in case you still hear people talking negatively about mirrorless. Initially these cameras were marketed as a 'Compact System Camera' (CSC) due to being smaller and lighter than DSLRs. Unfortunately this created the impression that they were in the same bracket as compact 'point and shoot' cameras, and hence they were not taken seriously - but this is most definitely not the case now.
The key difference between mirrorless cameras and DSLR cameras is actually just as the name implies. DSLRs have a mirror system (otherwise known as a pentaprism) which transmits the image from the lens up into the optical viewfinder, whereas mirrorless cameras have replaced the optical viewfinder with an electronic viewfinder (EVF), meaning they do not need the mirror system.
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This enables them to be smaller and lighter than DSLRs, which is the main advantage that was originally marketed – although this is not so much of a factor now.
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In the early days, the quality of the EVF, when compared with an optical viewfinder in a DSLR, was another credibility issue - or because they did not have viewfinders at all. However, in the last ten years or so, the quality of EVF technology has dramatically improved, to the extent that mirrorless cameras are now more than capable of standing up next to DSLRs.
Electronic viewfinders provide a huge range of benefits over optical viewfinders – one key advantage being the ability to see exactly how the changes you make to your settings will affect the finished image, even before you press the shutter.
So if you intentionally under or over expose for example, you'll see that in the EVF straight away, rather than having to take the shot and then review it, make adjustments if it’s not right, and then re-shoot.
This ability makes mirrorless cameras especially useful for people who are just learning photography for the first time, which is why I always recommend them to my tuition clients.
Added to this, because you can review your images in the EVF, you can easily see if the shot has come out how you expected, whereas with a DSLR you're relying on the screen on the back - which can be very hard to see clearly in bright light.
Another key benefit of a mirrorless camera is the ability to position your focal point anywhere within the viewfinder - vs a DSLR which has a diamond shape of focal points in the ccentral area of the viewfinder, and can only use one of these to focus.
It's much easier with a mirrorless to simply position the focal square where you want it - either using the touch screen, or using the controls on the back of the camera. Some models even have a handy joystick, which makes it very easy to position your focal point exactly where you need it, without even taking the camera away from your face.
One other advantage to note is that mirrorless cameras have an electronic shutter as well as a mechanical one, which is completely silent. This is ideal not only for event photography, but also for things like street photography - or when travelling and visiting religious sites where shutter noise would be inappropriate.
Electronic shutters also enable you to choose a much higher shutter speed - up to 1/32,000 in some cases - vs most DSLRs which don't go above 1/4,000.
If you're used to reviewing the histogram on an image you've taken, to make sure the highlights and shadows are not 'clipped', then an EVF takes it one step further - giving you the option to have a live histogram actually visible in the viewfinder while taking the shot, so you can check it before you press the shutter.
This means you can sometimes confidently over-expose a shot to get more image data in your shadow areas, without actually clipping your highlights - even if the image itself looks over-exposed.
Hopefully the above explains a little about the differences between mirrorless and DSLR, and why mirrorless cameras offer so many advantages - beyond just being smaller and lighter. If you're a beginner and looking for your first camera, then please do consider mirrorless options alongside entry-level DSLRs.
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