Why I switched from DSLR to a mirrorless camera

There are so many camera options out there now that finding the right gear can be very overwhelming. I’ve tried many different cameras over the years but my recent mirrorless Sony a7iii is the purchase that has been paying off the most. Below is a list of reasons why I switched from DSLR to mirrorless.

First thing’s first - I have been using DSLR’s in various forms (gone back and forth between Canon and Nikon many times) for years… around 13 actually. I’ve used them in a number of settings including product and fashion shoots, weddings, and travel. I’ve worked in almost every field of photography you can think of and my DSLR has been hanging right there on my side the whole time.

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I became aware and intrigued about mirrorless cameras when they started surfacing. I would hear people talk about how great they were but I always figured they wouldn’t cut it on a studio set. Full disclosure, I didn’t actually buy one until I was no longer doing studio shoots but, in all honestly, if I started that up again I would prefer my mirrorless.

Here’s why…

Practicality

The one major thing that made me consider switching was that I needed something more practical than my heavy DSLR and equipment that came with it. What that basically means is that I could no longer carry it around on family trips, etc. because I now also had a baby to carry and things were getting out of hand. I found myself leaving it in the bag because I didn’t want to deal with it which meant I ended up missing some of those important moments. Now, with or without baby, you can’t argue that a mirrorless is smaller and lighter and just easier to throw around your shoulder or in your day bag. It’s easier to pack and it’s way more discrete if you’re someone that doesn’t enjoy taking out a giant bulky camera in public.

Image quality

If practicality intrigued me, image quality was my deciding factor.

Once I tried out a few mirrorless cameras and saw what a difference it made I was set. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve taken out my DSLR for an intimate moment with my son and realized there just wasn’t enough light. I would crank the ISO which would result in the grossest, most grainy image of a baby sort of in focus. It wasn’t great. But, by what seems like magic, I can have the ISO set to 6400 on my A7iii and I swear, the photo I get is still something I would put in a frame.

The photos below were shot using ISO 6400… look at the definition in the eyelashes!

EVF

Ok, now for the nerd stuff. Mirrorless cameras have EVF’s (electronic viewfinders) which means what you see is what you get. DSLR’s use an optical approach which reflects an image up into the viewfinder. This means that, with a mirrorless, you’re seeing the image in real time and in the actual picture you’ll end up with, exposure and all. Though, the difference might be minimal, I think it still counts for something.

Silent shutter

One small aspect, that may not matter to some, is that the mirrorless camera’s shutter is silent because there isn’t a mirror to flip up or down. This may not be a deciding feature for you but if you’ve ever tried to sneak up on a sleeping baby or dog with a DSLR, they’ll most likely wake up after that first frame… even if you have the beep set to “off”. So, you better make sure your settings are correct with the first take.

User friendly

Now, this one’s entirely a matter of opinion but, for me, I like how easy my mirrorless is to navigate. I know there are photographers out there who like to go through the whole camera when they first get it to program their personal settings and set it up exactly how they like. I am not that person. I’ll explore the different features and learn the functionality but I’m generally going to stick to the basic settings and maybe change a few functions along the way if they start to bother me. So, for me, I feel like my mirrorless is easier and more straight-forward to use.

Video quality

I am not a videographer! So, I’ve spent many days in the studio trying to shoot product video clips with high-quality Canon DSLR’s upon the clients request with no time to research and rent the right video equipment. It never once turned out the way we wanted. However, if you’re someone that wants the option of shooting video without going too deep into debt, I think a mirrorless is the way to go. For me, the only thing I would really be shooting is home videos but I’m getting 4k quality and, for not using a gimbal, I’m pretty impressed with what I get from my A7iii.

Cons

Ok, I can’t just write a whole blog post about how great mirrorless cameras are without acknowledging that there are some drawbacks.

For one, battery life. Like I mentioned above, mirrorless cameras are fully electronic so, with that, comes more power. The battery won’t last quite as long as a DSLR because every time the shutter goes off, it uses more power. Honestly, the difference isn’t huge but it can be annoying to switch out batteries when you’re in the middle of shooting an important moment. There are, of course, battery packs available to alleviate that just like DSLR’s. I don’t have one, personally, so I can’t vouch for quality in the different versions but they’re a good option.

Durability! I have used DSLR’s through some seriously sketchy situations… a Burmese monsoon… laying face down, strapped in the back of a pick-up while shooting motorcycles behind me up Mount Washington, that kinda stuff. I even had a camera fall off the roof of a car on the highway once. I know the hardcore gear heads would be appalled with my actions but whatever, sometimes things happen. And ya know what, aside from the lens’ autofocus never really recovering, the camera was barely scathed. I had a lens stollen from me by a monkey in Asia that brought it up into a tree, ditched the case in the jungle and started banging it against the trunk. When it came back down, it smashed it on the ground a few times and rolled it around like a Tonka Truck before giving it back. I’m grateful it wasn’t my camera body but that lens only needed minimal work done when I had it looked at for repairs.

Anyway, all this is to say that I’m not sure I would trust my delicate mirrorless camera or lenses in any of those situations. Good news is I don’t think I’ll be encountering those things again any time soon.

If you’re interested in switching over, yourself, or just looking to start out on a really good quality camera here are some good options…

Anything from Sony’s A7 line, depending on what you need and how much you’re wiling to spend. I have the A7iii.