All variants of DSLRs work on the same principle, light gets in through the lens onto a mirror which reflects it back through a prism to the optical viewfinder. When you click to capture an image the mirror lifts up to give way to the image sensor which captures light to turn in into work of art ie your image.
Mirror-less cameras, on the other hand, do not have a mirror, instead, they preview the image onto the LCD screen on the device or make use of electronic viewfinder. As they do not need the cumbersome mirror mechanism Mirror-less cameras are generally smaller in size and weigh less than their bulkier counterparts.
The biggest concern for a buyer while buying a camera is the quality of the image taken by the camera, here both DSLRs and Mirror-less cameras perform exceedingly well.
We have charted out the advantages of both technologies for your consumption here
| Mirror-less | DSLR |
| Light and compact | Better Auto-focus for images |
| No sound while clicking pictures | Battery Life |
| Faster Speed for shooting | Large array of Lens option |
| Great for shooting videos in 4k | Optical viewfinder helps in low light settings |
When buying a camera which cost you a fortune you should keep in mind you are not buying a camera you are buying into the camera ecosystem, once you buy a camera you will have to buy lenses and other accessories from the same manufacturer for a long time to come.
Make sure you have lenses that you prefer. As they say, read the offer document before making any decision.
Image Sensor
The most important component of your camera has to be the image sensor which captures the light to record your images, It is the size of the image sensor or rather the amount of light it can capture in a given amount of time that matters the most.
More the light a sensor uses more vivid is the image, as more light means more information for the sensor. while purchasing your device you would have to choose between one of these sensors. It could either be the APS-C sensor aka crop sensor or the full frame sensor or you would be offered a micro 4/3rd sensor.
APS-C sensors are a great improvement over the sensors used in traditional point and shoot camera, but it is no match to the Full frame sensors which capture more light and so generate crisper, more vivid images even in low light conditions.
A micro 3/4th sensor fall in the middle of the range between the other two sensors and is found only in mirrorless cameras. It can take great pictures and is smaller in size to full frame sensors. So a good compromise candidate if you want a seriously compact camera with more than average joe capability.
Resolution
Resolution is the most advertised feature in a camera and as by now, we all know it is measured in megapixels. A pixel is the fundamental unit of a photo. It is generally believed the more the merrier when it comes to megapixels.
- Camera Megapixel Myth Explained!
If you have a resolution of a higher megapixel it is assumed you have a better image. But is just another enduring myth.
Smartphones these days sports numbers in the range of thirty to forty megapixels that too on a minuscule sensor, they achieve this by reducing the size of each pixel.
So an average smartphone camera pixel would be smaller than your DSLR pixel. But small pixel do not react to light as well as larger pixels do, small pixels are not good at absorbing light as well as larger ones do and so generate more distorted images.
In an ideal world where all pixels are created equal more megapixels do mean better quality pictures. But alas, that is a pipe dream. a 15 megapixel DSLR will almost always outperform even a 50-megapixel phone camera.
The image processor is the brain of a camera and DSLR and mirrorless camera are blessed with a large one. Now that this is established it is important to note that point and shoot or smartphone cameras are no match to DSLRs but different DSLRs each a brain of their own.
That is to say that different camera manufacturers have different ideas, products and philosophy when it comes to image processing, keeping that in mind each of these processors deals with the same problems like autofocus in moving conditions, or burst mode speeds.
More processing power does not always guarantee best results, look for the one that suits your photographic needs.
It is said that photography is all about timing, to get the right picture you require the right exposure and exposure is dependent on the Aperture, ISO sensitivity and the shutter speed, And because the DSLR cameras give you total control over these aspects, they are favourites for the enthusiast. But fret not if you are a beginner these cameras come with some great automatic settings that can get you the perfect shot without all the fuzz.
Now let us understand what these terms mean
Shutter Speed
The shutter acts as the gatekeeper who controls the amount of light that can enter the camera. If the shutter is open for longer it will allow more light but also introduce the possibility of a larger photo blur.
DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras allow you to control the shutter speed so that you can control the amount of light that can enter. In conditions where the light is low, you can increase the time of exposure so that more light can come in. But if you are shooting a fast-paced tennis match what matters is to avoid any blur, here you can increase the shutter speed to freeze the frame.
Sometimes blur is considered artistic, and if you want a motion blur all you do is capture a moving object with low shutter speed and voila you are Picasso in the making.
ISO sensitivity
This refers to the sensitivity of the sensor to the light that is entering through the lens. When the conditions are bright and sunny you need your sensors to be less sensitive to the light while in dark or dimming light conditions you would like to increase the sensitivity of your sensors.
DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras are capable of shooting in low light conditions because they support high ISO sensitivity and so are capable of capturing a wide range of lighting conditions. It is always good to shoot with low ISO numbers as it will get you more grainless pictures.
But when conditions are challenging a good DSLR or Mirrorless camera can get you a far superior and grainless photo owing to the large sensors it showcases. If you are a beginner the Auto ISO feature may do just as well till the time you drop your wheels.
Aperture
Every lens comes with an aperture range, an aperture is nothing but an opening through which light travels. In any lens, the size of the aperture can be changed in a range which is measured in f-stop numbers.
If the f-stop number is large it would mean that the aperture is small and hence less light will pass off, large f-stop increases the distance from the focal point resulting in crisp images. similarly, if the f-stop number is lower the aperture is bigger and more lights zips through the lens. When the f-stop is small the distance from the focal point is reduced which makes the image diffused and can be seen as a stylised rendition.
Aperture can be used to create a scene where only a part of your picture is in focus while the rest gently blurs in the background. Also, DSLRs can use a very fast lens with small apertures to get great images in very dark conditions as well.
While you should primarily focus on the features mentioned above there are some additional features which may catch your eye. Here goes nothing.
Burst Feature
Burst mode gives you the ability to take back to back pictures in a short duration, by clicking for a longer time. This mode is measured by the ability of taking pictures per second, and as you know the more the merrier. If you want to capture something moving fast think a high flying exotic mode. Burst mode will act as a blessing. A nifty feature to have up your sleeves.
High Dynamic range
A camera equipped with the HDR feature can take multiple pictures of the same scene all at varying exposure. The camera using inbuilt algorithms can take the best parts from a disparate image and create a great shot.
Let’s take an example to understand it better, You are sitting at a beach waiting for the right moment to get the perfect sunset shot, you click the picture only to realize you were a tad wrong on the timing front. If you had HDR, worry not.
Your camera would have captured the image in different exposure so that you never miss the moment. Your camera will combine the best elements together to give you what you wanted. And did you say, you don’t believe in magic?
Connectivity
We live in the cloud, in a world connected like a web. Who carries storage around. All we ask is instant gratification. A camera not connected to the internet is no camera at all. All said.
- Must Have DSLR Accessories
Now that you now your camera speak. Go out. Grab your camera from a store near you and Shoot.
To buy DSLR do look read our review on best DSLR available in market which you should buy.
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