What is a mirrorless camera and is it for you?

A mirrorless camera works on a similar principle as a DSLR, albeit with one significant difference. Unlike a DSLR – Digital Single Lens Reflex – a mirrorless camera doesn’t have a reflex mirror. In simpler words, a mirrorless camera doesn’t use a ‘mirror’ to bounce the light to the viewfinder and image sensor.

This also makes the working of a mirrorless camera more straightforward than the DSLR . Since the incoming light directly reaches the camera’s sensor, a live preview of your subject is seen in real-time on the electronic viewfinder. This allows the photographer to adjust various settings before hitting the shutter button.

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Then there’s the real-time preview of a shot on the electric viewfinder where a photographer is able to adjust aspects like exposure, contrast and more before pressing the shutter button. This goes a long way in getting the perfect shot in one click.

A simpler mechanism also allows mirrorless cameras to shoot faster than a DSLR. While both support fast shutter speeds, the lack of a physical mirror reflecting light to the sensor, makes a difference in the speed. Such speeds are particularly handy when shooting action photos or a burst of photos.

This lack of a mirror mechanism also has another advantage – better image stabilisation. With fewer moving parts inside, there is less chance of the camera shaking when shooting photos. This is also what makes mirrorless cameras quieter to operate than DSLRs.

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It’s also been observed that mirrorless cameras tend to shoot better videos. They have faster and more accurate autofocus systems, which is great for any videographer. Recent mirrorless cameras also offer better 4K resolution without any pixel binning or cropping.

Why should you buy a mirrorless camera?

For beginners taking the first step into professional photography, mirrorless cameras are a better choice due to their comfortable size and simpler controls. These cameras also use touchscreens for many functionalities, making them more like smartphones.

It’s not perfect though, and two things that go against mirrorless cameras are the cost and versatility. Entry-level variants of the mirrorless kind are priced much higher than entry-level DSLRs. The second is the choice of lenses and accessories. DSLRs, having been around for longer, have a far bigger arsenal, while mirrorless cameras are playing catch up.