Blog Post October 11, 2018: DSLR vs. Mirrorless

Nikon D850
Cost = $3299
Sensor = 45 MP; 8256x5504
Frame rate = 7 fps
ISO range = 64 to 25600
Shutter range = 30s to 1/8000s
Body dimensions = 5.8" x 4.9" x 3.1"
Weight = 2 lbs without battery
Lens options = all F-mount lenses


Leica CL
Cost = $3995
Sensor = 24 MP; 6016x4016
Frame rate = 10 fps
ISO range = 100 to 50000
Shutter range = 30s to 1/25000s
Body dimensions = 5" x 3" x 1.7"
Weight = .8 lbs without battery
Lens options = 4 without adapter
Additional features = high res electronic viewfinder

General observation based off of what I've noticed. Mirrorless cameras are great for packing light and using little room. They are brilliant for convenience, walking around. They have the traditional feel of a small format camera. The big downside to mirrorless cameras is that they do not have a large selection of lenses from which to choose. Some mirrorless cameras, like Leica's, are generally used for capturing artistic style images or landscapes. I have not seen too many mirrorless cameras used for sports or wildlife pictures requiring large telephoto lenses. Lacking a mirror, they are also really quiet. With the exception of Leica and other high-quality brands, mirrorless cameras are generally more affordable than SLRs.

DLSRs are more bulky and take up a lot more room. The big advantage I see to them is that they have a lot more utility. They seem to be better for sports photography. They are adaptable with many different lenses, so they have a wider range of possibilities. They generally have a larger sensor than mirrorless cameras to create larger and higher-quality images. The presence of a moving mirror lets it feel like an image is being captured.

I still prefer DSLRs.