The most important news in the camera industry this month is that Nikon is stopping the development of new SLR cameras, marking the end of a 63-year term. From now on, it will focus exclusively on mirrorless Z-mount models such as the Z6, Z50 and the newly launched flagship Z9.
This is a change in the seismic industry, as Nikon has a historical history with reflexes that goes back to the iconic Nikon F launched in 1959. But it is not the only company that goes in this direction: Canon has already confirmed that the EOS-1DX Mark III will be its ultimate flagship DSLR and Sony went on to sell only mirrorless cameras last year.
Until recently, SLR cameras were considered a better option than mirrorless ones for action photography, and what happened? In a nutshell, mirrorless models have improved so dramatically over the last two years that they have made DSLRs controversial.
Many professional photographers maintain their DSLRs and the main reason is speed. As we explained a few years ago in our Upscaled series, SLR cameras have dedicated autofocus sensors under the mirror. They are extremely fast, so they allow high burst shooting speeds with a precise focus on each shot. Canon’s 1DX III, for example, can shoot up to 16 fps with AF and auto exposure capabilities.
Many serious shooters still prefer an optical viewfinder. They want a vision of the subject they can trust and believe that a physical vision through a prism and a mirror is superior to an artificial electronic screen. The downside, of course, is that you can’t see the image when you shoot it because the mirror rises to lock the screen.
The last big one is battery life and handling: the flagship DSLRs have heavy bodies and large grips that allow for stable shooting platforms, especially with the massive telephoto lenses used by sports and wildlife photographers. They are also covered with dials and buttons for easy handling. And the optical viewfinder obviously doesn’t drain the battery, so DSLRs can take many more photos with one charge.
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This has been true until recently, but the latest mirrorless cameras have alleviated most of these concerns. The most important change has been the introduction of stacked sensors. These have much faster reading speeds that allow for faster burst shooting and more accurate autofocus. They also produce less roll-up shutter in electronic mode, reducing tilt in photos and swinging in video.
Canon’s EOS R3 is a great example of this. It is a bit slower than the 1DX Mark III DSLR in mechanical shutter mode, but much faster with the electronic shutter and offers more resolution. Sony’s A1 is even more impressive as it allows you to shoot 50 megapixel RAW frames at 30 frames per second.
Perhaps the most vivid display of stacked sensor power is the new flagship Nikon Z9. It allows you to record 46 megapixel RAW images at 20 fps with the electronic shutter and it doesn’t even have a mechanical shutter. In comparison, Nikon’s flagship D6 DSLR can handle 14 RAW images per second, but at 21 megapixels, they’re less than half the resolution.
The viewfinder problem has also been largely solved. Not long ago, mirrorless EVFs used to be delayed, low-resolution, and cropped, while sharing a problematic problem with DSLRS: the viewfinder turned off when you take the photo. Now, the three previous models have smooth, fast OLED screen switch refresh rates of at least 120 Hz and up to 240 Hz. And they all offer off-screen recordings in most conditions. All this, without a doubt, offers professionals a superior vision to an optical viewfinder.
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Finally, cameras like Nikon’s Z9 and Canon R3 are just as important as their DSLR counterparts and combine them with control for control. And if you want a professional camera that’s not huge, Sony offers small, high-handling cameras like the A1 and A9.
However, battery life remains an issue for mirrorless cameras alongside DSLRs. The Nikon D6 can shoot 3,580 colossal photos with a charge, while the Z9 has a CIPA rating for only 770, and that’s very high for a mirrorless camera. For now, the mirrorless will always be at a disadvantage, but the situation is improving.
All in all, with these key improvements in stacked sensors, improved EVFs and better handling, mirrorless models can now stand with DSLR cameras. In almost all other categories, however, they are really superior.
Take autofocus. Although DSLRs have fast phase-detection AF sensors, mirrorless models have many more phase-detection pixels directly on the main sensor. In the case of Canon, each pixel is used for AF. This allows, in theory, a faster and more accurate autofocus.
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With their hybrid phase detection and contrast pixels directly on the sensor, modern mirrorless cameras also gain with smart intelligence. Most can do detection of subjects, face and eyes with humans, birds, animals, cars and more. This is especially useful for action photography for tracking fast-moving subjects, an area that has traditionally been dominated by SLR cameras. And with the latest processors and sensors stacked, these features are finally good enough to use in real-world professional shootings.
As mentioned, some of the best mirrorless cameras now eliminate the shutdown of the viewfinder that affects DSLRs. And stacked sensors also greatly reduce the roll-up shutter that can cause distorted and distorted photos. They are now good enough to allow fast-moving subjects to shoot, with the advantage of being quiet if you work in a golf tournament, for example.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is video. Photographers from many different areas are asked to do this in addition to photos, whether they are getting married or working for major news and sports agencies.
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DSLRs like Canon’s 5D helped drive the trend to record high-quality videos with consumer cameras, and recent models like the 1DX III can handle video well. However, in general, mirrorless models are superior. Nikon’s Z9, Canon R3 and Sony A1 can support most movie cameras, making them real dual threats. This is thanks to amazing video autofocus systems, resolutions up to 8K, RAW video capture, first-class audio capabilities and more.
Also, most mirrorless cameras (unlike DSLRs) have stabilization in the body, so you won’t have to worry about having this feature in the lens. And the talking lenses, the ones designed for mirrorless cameras are usually smaller, lighter and optically superior, because the back is closer to the sensor.
Then there is the question of price and cost. Mirrored cameras are less complex than DSLRs, so they tend to be cheaper. Nikon’s Z9, for example, costs $ 1,000 less than the D6, and the Canon EOS R3 is $ 500 cheaper than the 1DX Mark III.
Finally, with the fall in the camera market started by smartphones, it doesn’t make much sense for manufacturers to create both DSLRs and mirrored cameras. Now, they seem to be concentrating on a technology in the interest of profitability.
Wrap
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Photographers can feel sad because DSLRs seem to be coming to the end of their journey, especially if they just bought one. However, don’t be scared yet: although Nikon and Canon seem to have stopped designing new DSLRs and lenses, they will continue to manufacture and sell existing models.
The key to driving this is that Mirrorless has not only been updated, but will soon surpass reflective mirror technology. For example, Sony recently introduced new sensors that can gather twice the light of current stacked sensors, paving the way for shooting quickly, even in low light. And you can expect much faster image processors, better EVFs and smarter AF systems in the near future.
In other words, the mirrorless technology of the future could make you forget that digital cameras never had mirrors inside. Then, maybe we just see them in their original glory, with a roll of film inside.
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