You need a new camera and you don’t know where to start, you don’t know which model suits you or why there are so many different sizes or styles to choose from. To help you decide, we compare DSLR vs mirrorless SLR , SLR cameras or mirrorless cameras so you know what it is for you taking into account a number of aspects such as dimensions, weight, image quality, video quality or how long it lasts The battery, for example.
You are not always going to differentiate them with the naked eye if you have no idea of photography but we review what are the differences between SLR vs. mirrorless cameras or what the advantages of one model or another.
DSLR and Mirrorless, what are they?
Mirrorless cameras have become the best alternative to SLR cameras because there is no need to give up quality but they are lighter and more compact and even some brands are launching affordable versions for all audiences. Mirrorless cameras, as the name implies, are mirrorless cameras. The first mirrorless camera was launched by Panasonic in 2008 and was the Panasonic Lumix G1. From 2008 to today they have become a very popular option .
In the case of SLR cameras there is a mechanism that has a system through which light enters through the objective we have, is reflected in a built-in mirror and reaches the viewfinder. The mirrorless mirror does not have that mirror and it is not possible to reflect the light with this mechanism but instead they opt for a screen as a digital viewfinder. The SLR cameras have been in the market for many years and have a long tradition, so they are usually the most used by professional photographers thanks to the wide range of lenses available. They are also an excellent option for beginners if we compare SLR vs mirrorless since we have many models in the market and, among them, it is easy to find something affordable.
Viewfinder
This is the big difference you will find between an SLR camera and a mirrorless camera. All DSLR or SLR cameras have an optical viewfinder even in the most affordable or in input ranges. But the viewers of the mirrorless cameras are electronic viewfinders and dispense with the mirror, as we explained in previous paragraphs. In the SLR camera you will look at the viewfinder the reality as it is at the moment in which you are going to photograph. In the mirrorless cameras, you will not see the same in the mirrorless ones that if in your SLR camera you look at the screen: how the picture will look and not how reality is at that moment. Although it will depend on the preferences of each one.
The advantage of the mirrorless digital viewer is that we can know what the image will look like in the end and we can configure the perfect light without difficulty, we can also have much more information. But, in return, it is not reality as it is but it is a screen. And when using this screen, we will spend more battery or we will not be able to see anything in case of night photography, for example.
Dimensions and weight
There is a big difference if we compare DSLR vs mirrorless in terms of size and weight. The SLR cameras are much larger and bulky so it will be much more “uncomfortable” in case you want to keep them in a pocket or want to take them with you during a trip, for example. The mechanism of an SLR camera is more complex, the mirrorless cameras do not have a mechanism with an optical viewfinder and this allows them to be smaller in size and the weight is much smaller than the first ones.
This, a priori, is usually like that. But it is not true in all cases and with all the cameras on the market because SLR models are becoming lighter and we find some larger mirrorless ones in the market. Some mirrorless cameras today, such as the Sony Alpha A7R IV or the Canon EOS R are cameras without a mirror but larger than many SLRs.
Lenses
By taking many more years in the market, SLR cameras have a greater range of possibilities when looking for a new lens. Especially brands like Canon or Nikon will allow you to have goals for everything you need and very specific. But the mirrorless cameras, although with a catalog already quite interesting, do not yet have so much variety available in the market. If you want to have many lenses, an SLR of these two brands is the best option to choose between any lens of your brand but also others like Sigma or Tamron that will be compatible.
In the case of lenses for mirrorless cameras, they have been on the market for less time and that is why the catalog is less extensive. Sony offers huge quality lenses, although fewer available models or less specific models you may want or need. Although it will be a matter of time that many more arrive and some brands already offer adapters that allow us to reuse SLR camera lenses in mirrorless cameras.
Focus
The focus of the SLR cameras is faster if what you are looking for is to follow a subject or an object in question, if you are going to photograph birds or take sports photography. Normally, DSLR cameras had a clear advantage over their competitors but mirrorless cameras are betting on a large number of focus points, superior to the SLR. The difference here is the way in which both address this section: most SLR cameras use phase difference approach but most mirrorless cameras opt for contrast focus and this is not as useful or effective as the former, so an SLR camera (of any range) will focus more easily.
As in the rest of the sections, it is not a law that can be applied globally and without exceptions because mirrorless cameras are evolving and improving, they are getting better and they have better focusing systems . For now they fail to achieve the quality of the SLRs if we compare the high range but it will be a matter of time for this to improve.
Video
Virtually any mirrorless camera offers you the possibility to record with 4K resolution although it will be more difficult for you to find this function in a low-end or mid-range SLR camera. The SLRs have always offered HD and Full HD video recording. For example, the last episode of the House series was recorded with a high-end Canon 5D Mark II camera now ten years ago. The SLR cameras have always stood out for the great quality in this section until the arrival of the mirrorless ones, which are committed to the possibility of recording video in 4K on almost all models.
4K is a common standard in any mirrorless camera today and DSLRs are taking longer to incorporate and it will be difficult for most input range models to allow it. Yes it is reaching the highest ranges but if you want to record in 4K right now, bet on a mirrorless that will also offer you a powerful autofocus or great processing. If you have a good budget to spend (about 1,500 euros) you can find models such as the Panasonic Lumix GH5, which has become one of the best mirrorless camera to record video and you will get an absolutely professional result and all kinds of modes. Also the Sony Alpha A7S is one of the options used by youtubers with better live viewing, among other advantages.
Burst Shots
As in the section of the video, to shoot in burst there is a clear winner: the cameras without a mirror. The mirrorless have no moving parts in their mechanism and the shots can make them much faster than their competitors. The SLR cameras cannot match the speeds achieved in the mirrorless even in the most affordable models.
To get an idea, a SLR camera can shoot about 14 images per second while a mirrorless camera can shoot 20 images per second although it could also reach 60 images per second as long as the focus is fixed and used. The electronic shutter. That is, it will not serve to track or track a moving object or person (or football match, for example) but to keep it fixed at one point and let this shooting speed do its job for as long as you need or allow Your memory card
Battery
In the case of SLR cameras the average battery with respect to shots is usually 600 to 800 with a single charge or even 1,000 shots with a single charge although some high-end models can reach up to 2,000 shots in total per charge . The batteries are usually much larger. Also in the case of SLR cameras you have the possibility to turn off the screen while mirrorless cameras usually have the need to have it on. In mirrorless, the battery usually has an average of 300 or 400 shots.
Quality
You will not find large quality differences in the photography of an SLR camera and a mirrorless camera if you compare models of the same range or the same price. The quality of the image you get is going to be, in a way, influenced by the size of the sensor and this result can be exactly the same in DSLR as in mirroless, both with megapixels with up to 30, 40 or 50 in some Canon models or from Sony. The two options will ensure great quality in photography.
Price
Not because a camera is smaller or compact necessarily means that it will be more affordable. In general, input range SLR cameras are much cheaper than if you are looking for the lowest ranges of a mirrorless camera. The catalog of options is much broader and there are many more, so it is easier to find a cheap one.
In the same price range we find cameras like the Sony Alpha 6000 without a mirror with which you will get a sensor of the same quality and an electronic viewfinder but, for example, you will find lacks in battery. There are affordable SLR cameras of excellent quality and the mirrorless are growing in the low cost field and more and more brands are looking to launch cheap cameras without sacrificing image or battery quality.
Once we reach the high end of both models, we will hardly find differences in power, quality or performance and they will be quite similar in price if we compare SLR vs mirrorless. Of course, the price can vary and we can find high-end SLR cameras for about 3,000 euros (such as Canon 5D Mark IV) compared to mirrorless cameras, equivalent, about 1,500 euros and high quality and high-end.
Which one to buy?
With both you will get a great quality and you will not notice great differences in your photographs. It will depend on the use that you are going to give him to bet on one model or another. For example, if you want to record high quality video and in 4K format you can bet on a mirrorless camera that will allow it in almost any range. A mirrorless camera is also your best option if you want to take sports photography and want a very fast burst mode. On the other hand, if you want to have all kinds of lenses to change according to the situation or the moment, you can bet on a Canon or Nikon brand SLR camera.
If you are concerned about weight and size, you will find more compact and lighter models in mirrorless cameras although many already have a design similar to their great competitors. But if you want to travel and always take it with you without great effort, it is a good option and you will ensure a high quality, compatible objectives according to what you need or a great video quality.
