Mirrorless or not mirrorless, that is the question

[Tywais]

Sorry Shakespeare.

A few things came up in this members camera recommendation and a bit of an offshoot on the 'is the dSLR dead' topic. One of the things I see in the photo forum is comments on the line of Pros don't do mirrorless so I did some investigation out of curiosity.

When mirrorless, as they have grown into now, it was easy enough to say they won't be serious cameras. That viewpoint has and is changing even among the Pros. One thing setting them apart was the lack of FF mirrorless cameras but that is now academic and the FF family of mirrorless is growing. The other issue was full optical viewfinder on dSLRs versus EVF. The new crop of EVF is now making that area grey with the clarity, full field views and all the information available to you at a glance, plus full optical becomes more problematic in the dark.

I will post a series of sites I found in my research that focuses on the Pro stances and advantages of mirrorless cameras.

[Tywais]

13 Amazing Professional Photographers Who Use Mirrorless Cameras on the Job

As bloggers who constantly test and review photography gear, we are the very first to admit that it is surprisingly easy to let gear obsession get in the way of “real” photography–the people behind the photos, the results.

It is for this reason that we make a habit of regularly visiting the personal websites of photographers to explore their portfolios. Visiting the work of others momentarily draws us away from the gear aspect of photography and immerses us in the true essence of the hobby. Much like a Scorcese film can easily be distinguished from a Kubrick, we find it fascinating how one photographer’s photos can differ so greatly from those of another, despite the fact they use similar (or the same) gear

Some have switched to the mirrorless system completely, while others use it to complement another system for important assignments. The one thing they all have in common is that they have a body of work that will keep you coming back for more!

Below, you will find a list of 13 ‘mirrorless photographers’ whose work continues to inspire us and our photography.

Paul Rogers

Paul is an extremely talented Hertfordshire-based photographer who has recently added the Fuji X100s to his collection. If I were to choose a photographer to shoot my wedding, he would be the one, folks! He was previously an editorial photographer for the Times newspaper, but has since moved on to documentary wedding photography, a genre which has won him numerous awards over the years. He frequently uses the X100s for weddings and editorial work in tandem with his Canon 5D III.

Riley Joseph

Canadian photographer Riley Joseph has recently become an official Fuji X Photographer. He has an excellent body of landscape, portrait and street work, with his most stunning gallery being from the grand city of New York. Riley's work is so engaging that I feel as if I am right there on the streets with him amid the sounds of the cars, the hurried feet of the people, and the smells of the city. Though originally a Canon DSLR user, he is now faithful to his X100s and X-Pro1.

Please see more here - Source

[Tywais]

Really good article on why it is difficult for some to accept mirrorless technology and much to do with people's reluctance to change.

Mirrorless photography will change the future

The topic of mirrorless photography seems to be everywhere these days, and it certainly stirs up controversy in it’s wake, with photographers seeming to pick one “side” or the other. Many of you know that I am a Fuji X-Photographer and that I love my mirrorless cameras. You may even remember a while ago when I wrote about my experiences with mirrorless photography and how it’s inspired me, my perspective and my artistic vision.

Mirrorless technology will change the future of photography, and I'm ok with it.

Click To Tweet

I recently wrote an article for Digital-Photography-School.com all about mirrorless photography, and in specific about how it’s changed me as a photographer. The article went viral, with close to 9,000 shares on social media and close to 40,000 photographers taking the corresponding “poll” about mirrorless photography. I estimate that the reach of the article was probably close to 150,000 photographers. Again, like other articles on mirrorless photography, it stirred up a lot of discussion. Let’s talk about the elephant in the room – change. In general, people don’t like change. We become comfortable with the status quo and when anything comes along to shake that up, we get our backs up against the wall and put on our “defensive” hat.

Photographers vs Change: A look at our history

Photographers in specific aren’t a stranger to change, and as such, we are familiar to resisting change.

• In the 1930’s when the Brownie became the “consumer’s camera”, photographers worried and stressed that it would commoditize photography. It didn’t.
• In the 1980’s when professional photographer’s were switching from Medium Format to SLR cameras for weddings and portraits, some pro’s dug their heels in deep saying that SLR would never “make it” for professionals. It did.
• In the late 1990’s and the early 2000’s when the switch from film to digital was happening, many photographers resisted the change, stating that you couldn’t do with digital technology what you can do with analog technology. Look at where we’re at today.
• There were surely similar resistances and arguments against autofocus, in-camera metering, and so on.

My point is this – change is inevitable. In fact, there’s a famous quote by Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus that says “the only thing that is constant is change”.

We should learn from our history that change is mostly for the betterment of our industry and that we should consider adopting. This isn’t to say that you must jump on the latest and greatest thing every time, but it means that you shouldn’t be closed to new ideas. Innovation is what pushes our world forward, and you should seek excitement and inspiration from it. Side note: if you’d like to learn more about “change” as a topic, I suggest the book “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson. It’s a short parable about the importance of adapting to the changes around us.

The only thing that is constant is change – Heraclitus

Mirrorless photography is the next “shift” in our industry

The topic of “mirrorless cameras” has photographers arguing on and off the web. Let’s re-consider our point of view by remembering that the only change in life is constant, and that we’ve been in similar positions many times in our history where change inevitably took over, whether we liked it or not. There’s never been anything positive that has come from arguing or challenging just for the sake of doing so. Our history is proof of this. Some photographers say that many of the benefits of mirrorless (EVF, size, ease-of-use, affordability) are a bad thing for our industry because it makes great photography more accessible to everyone. Let’s discuss and dissect this.

More here - Sproughtingphotographer

[Tywais]

This dates back to Sept. 2013, technology has been rolling on and the article not as accurate as it once was as it mentions no FF mirrorless yet. Quite a few things have narrowed in that short time actually.

Can A Pro Go Mirrorless?

Like the transition from Speed Graphics to 35mm film and SLRs, today’s pros might consider making a full switch to a mirrorless system. Before you scoff at the notion, take a rational look at the advantages and disadvantages.

Mirrorless cameras have become increasingly popular. They're aimed at compact camera users who want DSLR image quality and interchangeable-lens versatility in a compact package, as well as at advanced and pro shooters looking for a lighter alternative to their big pro cameras. A goodly number of pros have a mirrorless camera as a backup or for when they want to travel light. But can a mirrorless system replace a DSLR system for a pro entirely?

Obviously, current mirrorless cameras aren't ideal for some things, such as handheld long-lens and fast-action work. But their combination of image quality, excellent motion-capture ability and the availability of excellent optics makes them viable for many professional photography endeavors. Depending on what you do, mirrorless models might be able to step out from the shadows of backup status and move into the primary starter role—if you give them the chance. We've outlined some key criteria here and the top models from several manufacturers that you might consider for a move to mirrorless. For inclusion in this article, we required that a camera have an eye-level finder. We feel this is a necessity for professional work. This eliminated some cameras that would make fine backups. For primary use, an eye-level finder that you can reliably use in any conditions is essential.

More here - Digitalphotopro

[Tywais]

I'm putting some key point quotes here, read the full article for the details.

10 Reasons Why a Pro is Using a Mirrorless Camera for Personal and Paid Jobs

Mirrorless Photography Love #1: Intentional and purposeful photography

I photograph mostly with my Fuji camera set to B&W mode and my Nikon full-frame camera set to colour, so when I am photographing, I am intentionally choosing to create an image in colour or B&W as I shoot. It is almost as if I am post-processing my images as I shoot. What I love most about this process is that it makes me think about these things before I press the button and it makes me photograph with greater purpose.

Mirrorless Photography Love #2: More thoughtful photography

Admittedly, the processing and usage of most mirrorless cameras aren’t as “snappy” and quick as the high-end DSLRs, but I actually like that. My Fuji mirrorless cameras makes me more thoughtful and forces me to slow down and be more methodical about my compositions and timing. This has made me a better photographer with more intentional images and less “spray and pray” sequences.

Mirrorless Photography Love #3: Seeing light, tone and mood

The electronic viewfinder (EVF) in my mirrorless cameras opens up a whole new world of possibilities. You’re looking at a processed image as it’s happening, it’s “what-you-see-is-what-you-get”. This has several benefits:

• You can see the image as you are capturing it, which means you don’t have to review and look at the screen (chimp) afterwards.
• You can see the exposure as you’re creating it, so you can more accurately fine-tune your exposure and get it right in the camera with more accuracy.
• In my case, where I shoot in B&W mode, it allows me to see that monochrome image as I’m making it so I am free from distraction of colour. It allows me to focus more on the light, tone and mood.
• When I’m shooting in colour mode, I can see the image in its “enhanced” state – with saturation, contrast, tone and sharpening adjustments applied. Sometimes I’m seeing an image better than what it looks like in real life!

Read more here - Digital Photography School

[Tywais]

Photographer Sergei Yurin on Using Mirrorless Cameras for Weddings

Sergei Yurin is a photographer based in Russia that shoots weddings–and does an absolutely spectacular job. More than anything, he has proven that gear doesn’t totally matter as long as your creative vision is there, but he has recently been making waves in the mirrorless community due to the fact that he dumped his Canon DSLR and lenses for Olympus’s Micro Four Thirds OMD cameras.

And in his eyes, there are so many more advantages besides just the fact that he’s carrying less.

Phoblographer: What is the biggest advantage that you can think of since moving from a DSLR to mirrorless?

Sergei: I am a wedding photographer for 8 years & I’ve used Canon DSLRs with Canon L zooms and primes until last year. The biggest advantage of mirrorless systems to me is weight & size of my backpack. Wedding in Russia often begins in early morning and ends up around midnight, so I have to be up for about 10-15 hours. In that case, weight and size matters.

I always shoot in manual mode & the EVF is a very good feature to me because I can see the change of my settings instantly. There’s no need to make test shots, so work becomes faster and I can react quickly on changing conditions.

I prefer to use low angles while shooting portraits, so I had to lay down on the ground to be able to focus properly back in DSLR times. But with Olympus cameras I can just flip the screen and compose my shot easily – it saves a lot of time and keeps my clothes clean.

AF speed on Olympus cameras is fast enough for my needs, I can catch the groom with Olympus 75/1.8 while the groom is running towards me. Have to mention that AF is well accurate, it means that when I focus on brides eye, it will be in focus, with DSLR I often had problems with AF accuracy.

Almost every M43 lens I have is sharp wide open. Back in my DSLR times I had to stop my lenses down to get image that sharp. In that case DSLR advantages in DoF & noise performance are not so noticeable.

Read more at http://www.thephoblographer.com/2014/03/17/photographer-sergei-yurin-using-mirrorless-cameras-weddings/#dPG9Gm1RXUBLlK0l.99

[Tywais]

This one is quite appropriate to this forum, note what he says starting at :23 seconds.

Can a Pro Portrait Shooter Really Use Mirrorless Instead of DSLR?

[Tywais]

Topic now unlocked and ready for business. I know it is a bit wordy but some good info above and waiting for the fight debate to begin.

[fimgirl]

Item #5 summed it up nicely. However, maybe I missed it but nowhere do I see any reference to another highly distinct advantage off mirrorless.......noise. I shoot a lot of theatre and classical musical performances and the noise from the slap of a DSLR mirror would see me out on my ear.

Mirrorless is the call here.

Edited August 15, 2014 by fimgirl

[Tywais]

Item #5 summed it up nicely. However, maybe I missed it but nowhere do I see any reference to another highly distinct advantage off mirrorless.......noise. I shoot a lot of theatre and classical musical performances and the noise from the slap of a DSLR mirror would see me out on my ear.

Mirrorless is the call here.

Yes, I had intended to put that (mirror slap) in the OP but forgot it. Also an issue at weddings from reading articles of wedding photographers and mirrorless.

[fimgirl]

Lets add articulated screen and touch screen off centre focusing only available with mirrorless.

BUT, all the above aside, if I'm in a "got to get at all costs" assignment I'll pick up my 5DMk3 every time, and sod the noisy mirror and weight. It just does the job and always has.

I sit in both camps!

Edited August 15, 2014 by fimgirl

[MJP]

Mirrorless when I don't want to carry heavy gear and mirrorless when I don't want to carry heavy gear.

DSLR when I need a particularly large and heavy paperweight or door stop. Only on windy days though.

[MJP]

Mirrorless when I want 36.4 megapixel full frame with a lens that is near Zeiss Otus quality but only weighs a couple of hundred grams.

DSLR when I don't, which is never.

[MJP]

Mirrorless when I want to see in the dark.

Pentax K-3 when I want to accurately and quickly focus in the dark. I have to give it that. But this is a difference between camera models. That said, the A7s would absolutely smoke it on AF in pitch blackness and usable ISO to 51,000, some even say 102,000!!!

So no, I'd go for mirrorless on that too.

[MJP]

Mirrorless for when I need to tease Neverdie for entertainment.

[MJP]

Mirrorless for when I want to adapt all my old Pentax full frame glass to a full frame sensor.

Mirrorless full frame for my new full frame Samyang 14mm f/2.8 which is bizarrely sharp and cost £275 new, express delivery. WOW what a lens!!!

Mirrorless for when I want ND to go off on one . . . for entertainment.

[MJP]

Mirrorless for those precious once in a lifetime moments.

[MJP]

Oh here's one. Mirrorless for when I want a 36.4 megapixel full frame camera for less than £1100 new.

Yes, that was quite a big one.

[rhythmworx]

Oh here's one. Mirrorless for when I want a 36.4 megapixel full frame camera for less than £1100 new.

Yes, that was quite a big one.

To save multi quoting.

When can I expect to see your Pentax DSLR's on ebay or have they gone already?

[MJP]

Oh here's one. Mirrorless for when I want a 36.4 megapixel full frame camera for less than £1100 new.

Yes, that was quite a big one.

To save multi quoting.

When can I expect to see your Pentax DSLR's on ebay or have they gone already?

K-5IIs and a whole bunch of lenses going on the bay in the next couple of weeks. Sigma 8-16, FA 50/1.4, 15/4 Limited, loads of M42.

K-3. Undecided. May as well keep for when I need crop factor magnification and the rare moments I need tracking AF with longer lenses. I do like it, works well with screw-drive FA Limited's. I'm just having so much fun with this mirrorless affair.

[rhythmworx]

Good, having fun is what it's all about.

One thing I cant picture in my mind is what it's like looking through an EVF, I picked up a Fuji X series at a local calumet open day, camera and lenses looked well built, proper machined aluminium like the Zeiss lenses and yes very lightweight. I never actually looked through the viewfinder though for some reason.

I can see many reasons why people would want to go mirrorless, I can also see why people would want to stick to DSLR's too.

At the end of the day whatever gets the job done or the shot you want without hassle is the way forward.

[MJP]

Good, having fun is what it's all about.

One thing I cant picture in my mind is what it's like looking through an EVF, I picked up a Fuji X series at a local calumet open day, camera and lenses looked well built, proper machined aluminium like the Zeiss lenses and yes very lightweight. I never actually looked through the viewfinder though for some reason.

I can see many reasons why people would want to go mirrorless, I can also see why people would want to stick to DSLR's too.

At the end of the day whatever gets the job done or the shot you want without hassle is the way forward.

I think the K-3 is better for action stuff over the A7r. Action stuff typically uses longer focal lengths anyway and the crop magnification factor works well here. A 77mm lens becomes a 115mm lens, a 100mm becomes a 150mm etc.

So both are keepers.

I have a Blackrapid Yeti dual strap. K-3 on one side and A7r on the other. But that's getting a bit nerdy desperate. I'll try it at the next event I do.

[MJP]

Combine the WYSIWYG of the mirrorless EVF and its focus peaking and highlight zebras with a B+W 1-5 stop variable Neutral Density filter . . .

Highly recommended.

[Guest]

I think this topic should have been comparison between dslr and m4/3 cameras. That Sony AR7R full frame monster seems to clear the table too fast.

[MJP]

I think this topic should have been comparison between dslr and m4/3 cameras. That Sony AR7R full frame monster seems to clear the table too fast.

It is way good! I mean 36.4mp FF in something that weighs 400 grams and change.

[sunshine51]

I'm an old dog and there is truth in the saying: You can't teach an old dog

New Jersey.

That said...One is never too old to learn New Jersey if one wants to learn it.

I love the sound of a good solid shutter when it flaps however, like fimgirl

stated previously there are times when that sound is an utter distraction to

everyone within earshot, or when sheer discretion is highly advisable....say

in wildlife photography or in a war zone or anytime when one wants to capture

an instant when the photog knows the shutter slap will bring unforseen

consequences. That said the Sony A7 series still makes imitation shutter

noises that apparently cannot be turned off.

Quick Fix: locate speaker & put foam over it.

EVF's are only going to get better as time passes and I expect that passing

of time to be fairly short. Plus the fact of WYSIWYG through the viewfinder

and any included focusing aids is always welcome...especially if you spend

heaps of time in said viewfinder or envision yourself doing so.

Lenses will also get better in the near future however if somebody wants to

jump ship to mirrorless from DSLR immediately there are numerous adaptors

available on the market already....Metabones is a good example. And you can

keep your favourite DSLR lenses or at least keep the really expensive ones!

I was lucky to have a 2 day play with a friends A7r last week and with the

exception of that imitation shutter sound I kinda fell in love with it...vertical

grip & my 24-120 VR attached. It wasn't that unweildy.

If I was just starting out on the long & pricey road of professional photography

nowadays I most certainly would have whatever is the best FF wquivalent

mirrorless camera made...and also what I'd consider a pro grade DSLR,

especially if I was already accustomed to & proficient in using the DSLR.

As for the death of the DSLR...well...not anytime soon IMO...at least not

until after Photokina 2014.....

[FracturedRabbit]

I may be wrong, but I don't think the noise of the Sony A7 is generated and comes out of a loudspeaker; it's just the noise the shutter makes when it operates. Even without a mirror, mirrorless cameras still have shutters that make a noise. The exception is a camera that has an electronic rather than a mechanical shutter; they can be essentially silent.

[sunshine51]

FR...you are correct. However...Sony with all its factory hype and my distrust

of Sony Professional Products (B'Cast Video only) make the A7 series out

to be the best thing ever. Well...why the shutter noise, especially so much of it?

First curtain shutter but...why so much noise? Hence my speaker generated

guffaw & how to deaden it. it is a brilliant camera...save for that noise. Just

my opinion. Still...if I was much younger I'd be very interested in the A7 series.

[MJP]

A7s is very quiet with uber fast AF even in low light.

I think the next generation of the A7 series will be utterly supreme.

Get past the Sony logo and it's all good.

[rhythmworx]

I want to ask you MJP or anyone else what is it like looking into an EVF compared to a pentaprism, not what are the advantages but what's it like?

Can you see the seperate pixels etc...

It's hard for me to imagine never having looked into one.

I noticed they do one for the RX100 mk2 but its about £330.