Should I upgrade my DSLR to Mirrorless Camera?
DSLR Vs Mirrorless Camera. Is it worth switching from DSLR to mirrorless camera?
One of the most searched and asked question in the Photography world these days. Should I upgrade or change my current DSLR and get a new mirrorless camera? Well it is a very technical and subjective question which depends on many things related to your own photography world.
“As of 2022, the major differences between DSLR and mirrorless cameras are that DSLR provides longer battery life as well as bigger range of interchangeable lenses, including thridparty lenses. Due to the optical viewfinder of DSLR, it provides better performance in lowlight compare to mirrorless cameras. But mirrorless cameras provide better video recording (even the lower end mirrorless cameras), lighter in weight, easy to travel with as well as faster shutter speed. importantly, mirrorless cameras have advantange over DSLR when it comes to sensor. Mirrorless cameras have on-chip phase detection sensors which DSLR cameras doesn’t have.”
There are neumerous factors but not all of them are applicable on every scenario. Read the below points which can help you make your decision on whether to keep your existing DSLR or get a new mirrorless camera.
Why you “shouldn’t switch” from DSLR to Mirrorless camera?
Below are factors which can help you make your decision on whether to keep your existing DSLR or get a new mirrorless camera.
If you have a full frame professional DSLR (either Canon or Nikon) already then changing it to mirrorless camera will only give you emotional happiness, nothing else. A professional DSLR camera has everything to offer, so your photography is covered already by your existing camera. Ask yourself what exactly you are looking for.
If you are not making or earning any money out of photography, please invest time in taking more photos instead of investing more money. I would say, travel somewhere instead. The famous saying that “if you are naturally adept at something, try to make a living out of it” is applicable here.
If you are a hobbyist photographer whose camera stays in the bag for weeks, please don’t change your gear, instead change your photography routine and start using your existing DSLR gear more. A wise photographer once said, your first 50,000 photos tells you what kind of photos you should keep working on. So find that spot in your passion.
If you somehow think that mirrorless camera will bring magic into your photos, please learn Adobe Photoshop instead of buying mirrorless camera. Majority of the magical landscape and fine art photos are processed in tools like Adobe Photoshop, Camera only provides a detailed raw image to you.
In most cases, full frame DSLRs are better in low light shooting so if thats what you are after, keep your DSLR.
If you don’t like keeping loads of batteries, dont buy mirrorless because there battery life is lesser then DSLRs
If you are somehow intrigued by extensive marketing of camera brands, don’t forget they want you to buy so they can make money out of it.
If you are one of those photographers who doesn’t know much about his/her existing DSLR camera, then it would be wise to first learn it than to switch to a new one.
If you got the idea of changing DSLR to mirrorless through a friend who happens to have more money, my friend you need better friends than mirrorless camera :D
Last but not least, if your plan is to swipe credit card to buy a new pricey mirrorless camera then please have mercy on yourself and don’t waste your money. Bad financial decisons can ruin anyone’s life, even photographers’.
Why you “should switch” from DSLR to Mirrorless camera
Below are some of the reasons which are in favor of switching to a mirrorless camera:
Your existing DSLR is damaged either physically or softwarewise and fixing it is not really possible. i.e. fungus inside the camera or it got dropped on the floor or any malfunction related to software which is giving trouble in focusing from time to time. Such broken cameras are never trustworthy, especially when you have paid shoots.
If you are a professional photographer, who is running photography as a business and knows exactly what mirrorless camera will bring in, go ahead change your existing DSLR to mirrorless.
If you are a sports or wild life photographer and shutter speed is the key element, you should explore new mirrorless cameras as they provide faster shutter speed compare to many DSLR cameras.
If you don’t have a full frame DSLR then you should change it to a mirrorless camera because of the obvious tiny sensor of your existing DSLR.
If you are a videographer, mirrorless can be a good addition to your gear because of their better video quality
If you have not invested a lot in the past on your DSLR camera gear which is inclusive of lenses and other equipments then if your budget allows you to change, go for a newer technology mirrorless camera
If carrying weight is always the issue for you due to any specific reason like medical etc. then you should change too. Usually travel photographers face too many dificulties carrying heavy camera bags at the airports. Mirrorless cameras are quite sleek and lighter to DSLRs.
If your existing DSLR has sensor or one of key lenses has focussing issue, you should change too. Lenses are definetly not part of our discussion but having issue with a key lens means its time to change.
If you have a handsome discount from a store or due to some extra-ordinary facility, go ahead and switch to mirrorless
If you have recently won a photography competition and got a mirrorless camera as a prize. keep it, sell your existing DSLR and travel to Iceland :)
If you have loads of money in bank then I wonder what are you doing here reading this article, go and buy one :)
Summary
Right and proper evalution is always necessary to make such decisions. It doesn’t mean that with the introduction of mirrorless cameras, DSLRs are now obsolete. There are so many photographers like me who are still using their old full frame DSLR cameras on daily basis and results are just amazing.
Photography comes from creativity not from what camera you are using. Majority of the photographers doesnt even like sharing what camera they used to take photos because they don’t believe in camera but in their abilities to create more magical photos. Don’t forget ! your camera wouldn’t ask you to leave bed and go out at sunrise time. It is you and will always be you who will push for more limits in photography, every year passing.
Moreover, it is not bad to change gear or switch to mirrorless camera but there should be a purpose behind it. Without a purpose it will lure your imaginations and thoughts into something which is not realistic and strcily not close to art. Those imaginations and thoughts are called “fantasy world” where you will look so cool to have an advanced mirrorless camera but in reality the outcome would be close to none or same what you were doing before.
In my humble opinion, photographers should invest time, energy and resources in creativity rather then into buying new gear. Go back 20 years, photographers like Steve McCurry had very little options in terms of gear but they travelled the whole world and now we envy the masterpieces they created during that time.
Interested in reading more about this topic? Check this beautiful and detailed article by FORMAT.
Decide now what legacy you want to leave behind and how you want the world to remember you as a photographer. Someone who owned many advance cameras or someone who created unimaginable masterpieces? Choice is entirely yours.
