Mirrorless Cameras: What You Need To Know About The New Breed Of Professional Cameras

A new era is upon us now that manufacturers have stopped producing DSLRs. Top manufacturer Canon announced in 2022 that the EOS-1D X Mark III would be the company’s last flagship DSLR because they plan to focus more on mirrorless cameras.

This is a big move because Canon, along with Nikon and Panasonic, only started to make professional-grade full-frame mirrorless cameras in 2019.

The new breed of cameras gave DSLRs tough competition in the past few years because the advantages of the former started to outweigh the latter. So if you’re interested in getting a camera, here’s what you need to know about the mirrorless versions:

Manufacturers Plan To Focus On Mirrorless Cameras

Many tech experts advise against purchasing DSLRs because manufacturers are already halting their production of these cameras. In fact, an article on Yahoo reported that Hasselblad joined Canon and Nikon in phasing out DSLRs this year.

The brand’s entire H system line-up is officially discontinued, which signals that Hasselblad will stop producing DSLRs moving forward. Consequently, Pentax and Ricoh are the only top companies producing these cameras in the next few years.

The article on Yahoo also emphasised that many professional photographers have already migrated to mirrorless cameras. Though these products are relatively new, photographers are making the switch because the quality and features of these cameras rapidly improved in the past few years.

These technologies are becoming the top choice among many photography enthusiasts and professionals, which is why it’s not surprising that manufacturers are also focusing more on mirrorless cameras.

The Advantages Of Using Mirrorless Cameras Over DSLRs

Mirrorless cameras and DSLRs are similar in layout, functionality, and image quality. However, DSLRs can be quite bulky because they contain a pentaprism and a mirror that reflect the light coming through the lens. On the other hand, the newer versions don’t have a mirror and pentaprism, making them much lighter in weight.

Despite their lighter weight, though, the new technology offers multiple benefits. In fact, mirrorless cameras can shoot multiple frames per second, as compared to DSLR cameras which have mirrors and shutters that have limited capabilities. Canon’s only professional DSLR camera today, the Canon 1Dx, has a frame rate of 14 fps, which is close to its mechanical limit. Meanwhile, Sony’s Alpha 1 mirrorless electric shutter can shoot up to 30 fps.

On top of that, the best mirrorless cameras have electronic viewfinders that display a digital preview of the composition in place of the internal mirrors that DSLRs have. The electronic viewfinder in the Leica SL2 mirrorless digital camera even has 5.76 million dots of resolution for photographers’ highest quality viewing and composing experience. Meanwhile, the Nikon Z8 mirrorless digital camera has a four-axis tilting touchscreen LCD viewfinder, which can be helpful if you want to work from high and low angles.

Finally, mirrorless cameras can be easier to use due to their more straightforward controls. Though professional shots can lead to better sales, many entrepreneurs prefer to take pictures of their products on their own. These business owners can benefit from mirrorless cameras like the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV because it has accessible control dials and customizable control panels. Through these accessible control features, novice photographers can easily change their settings and improve their shots.

It’s inevitable for all photographers to switch to mirrorless cameras eventually. These cameras are lighter yet more advanced, making them a suitable choice for both beginners and pros.

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