[5-23] DSLR v. Mirrorless

Among heated questions (for photographers) is whether to start/transition to mirrorless technology.

Started ~8 years ago; a strong if not inexorable movement away from DSLR. Analog is nice, as film is nicely/newly novel, but the DSLR is now a “dinosaur”, unfairly maligned as obsolete.

Sony [S] is now the leader of the high-end camera market. Canon/Nikon [C+N] still retain users, but the younger generation rarely start with these.

S developed the technology, broke the ground, showed what was possible.

Strong contenders (Panasonic (Lumix), Fujifilm, N+C) are catching up.

They have caught up. Not completely: N+C buy sensors from Sony.

Autofocus is among the most important features. S introduced face-/eye-detection. Sony’s stock surged; Nikon has dropped.

S is used among typical wedding photographers, to artists like Mamadi Doumbouya. (Yann LeCun responded to my comment on his FB about his picture taken by Mamadi, which he noted was a Sony (!)).

Shocking given S was small, did not sell many DSLRs. (Searching “Sony DSLR” get corrected into “mirrorless.”)

My take: my decision to go back to DSLR was not sentimental; I like both; they do the same thing, with minor differences. One does not necessarily produce better results; results do not depend on technological distinctions. I get more images in focus with mirrorless (focusing occurs on the sensor plane), but I like the feel/speed of a DSLR.