I have used Nikon DSLRs for two decades. About three years ago I first bought a Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera, switched that for a Canon EOS R5, and later sold the Canon gear and got a Nikon Z7 II, all within about a year. Last summer I added the Nikon Z8 to my collection of mirrorless cameras. Was the switch from DSLR to mirrorless cameras an upgrade?
Before I draw a conclusion, it is worth noting the individual strengths and weaknesses of both DSLR and mirrorless systems.
Strengths and Weaknesses of DSLR and Mirrorless Cameras
I attended several rallies recently, with lots of press photographers and videographers. Most of these photographers were still using their DSLRs, both Canon and Nikon.
Reliability
One of the big strengths of a DSLR is its reliability. And with reliability I mean much more than just withstanding extreme weather conditions or the low risk of malfunction. For a photojournalist reliability means that the camera is always ready to shoot. No worry about battery going dead, startup time, overheating, viewfinder lag, etc.
At the rally mentioned above, I had my Nikon Z8 on all the time, though this wasn’t necessary (see “Startup Time” below). Over time the battery level indicator of the Nikon Z8 showed me how quickly the battery got drained. Along with the power draw the camera body started to feel warm. None of the two posed a problem, but at the end of about two hours shooting there were only 2 out of 5 bars left on the battery level indicator. I shoot these events at 5 frames a second in RAW format and tend to take more photos with the Nikon Z8 compared to when using the Nikon D850 DSLR.
Battery Live
Looking at the “photos captured” count during a two hour event, battery life of my Nikon mirrorless cameras is almost comparable to a DSLR. But almost any DSLR will outrun mirrorless cameras in terms of time until the battery is depleted. Last time I shot my Nikon D850 DSLR during an event like that, the battery was still fully charged at the end. The reason for that is simple: A DSLR doesn’t have an electronic viewfinder that eats up the battery. Even if you use the back screen instead of the EVF in a mirrorless camera, the screen will be on over much longer periods and will eat up battery. Unless you use live view, a DSLR will use significantly less power during tracking and shooting.
There is a long thread on the Reddit “WeddingPhotography” forum titled “If you shoot mirrorless professionally: how’s the battery life?“. In practice, mirrorless cameras take up around twice as many batteries as DSLR cameras. A strong advantage for DSLR.
The best test to battery life I’ve seen so far is underwater photography: you can’t change the battery underwater!
Overheating
I can’t think of any of my DSLRs ever overheating. Including once in the Death Valley where I took photos with my Nikon D700 at 52°C (125F) ambient temperature. It was so hot that after a few minutes outside I couldn’t hold the camera because it was burning in my hands. I almost shut down (collapsed) myself, but the camera didn’t and took the photos.
In hot weather, the Canon R5 quickly overheats with video. However, I haven’t had the Canon fail when shooting stills. Neither did my Olympus E-M10. But knowing that mirrorless cameras use more battery power and, as a result, produce more heat, DSLR cameras are the better choice when shooting in extreme hot environments.
Startup Time
DSLR cameras fire up instantly (or almost so). Mirrorless cameras often have a delay of about one or two seconds. That can cause you miss the shot.
Some mirrorless cameras have improved on startup time. The Nikon Z9 and Z8 cameras are among the few mirrorless cameras that turn on nearly instantly. In comparison, the Nikon Z7 II has a little delay and the Canon R5 has a noticeable delay. I certainly missed some shots with these latter bodies.
Viewfinder Lag
The optical viewfinder of a DSLR camera has no lag. Though when taking a photo with a DSLR one must add a tiny lag for the mirror to swing upwards and out of the way of the light rays before the picture is taken. This delay does not exist with mirrorless designs.
Viewfinder lag can be problematic when shooting fast-paced action (sports or wildlife / birds in flight). When looking through the electronic viewfinder of many mirrorless cameras, the scene you see is what the camera sensor recorded a split-second before.
BUT, modern high-end mirrorless action cameras have practically overcome this issue.
Focus Speed and Accuracy
In the early days mirrorless cameras were at a big disadvantage with regard to focus speed. This is all in the past now and most modern mirrorless cameras can focus fast and accurately.
Full sensor focus acquisition, subject and eye detection, and the high accuracy put the mirrorless systems in a clear advantage versus DSLR. Mirrorless cameras nail the focus so precisely that camera manufacturers are releasing insanely fast lenses to show off the narrow depth of field and creamy bokeh. A few examples are the Canon RF 50mm and 85mm f/1.2 lenses, or the Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95, 50mm f/1.2, and 130mm f/1.8 lenses. Sony has similar lenses. All of the lenses mentioned here are auto-focus types.
High-resolution sensors with 45, 50 or even 60 MP are more demanding to the focusing system than the typical 24 MP DSLRs of yesteryear. Mirrorless cameras are inherently more accurate than DSLRs, as the latter use a separate focusing sensor that can get misaligned. One of the first things I used to do when getting a new lens was to test the focus accuracy on each DSLR I own(ed) and – if necessary – adjust the focus in-camera. I haven’t found that necessary with mirrorless systems.
Live View
I had totally missed this important feature when I first posted this comparison. In “Live view” mode – a term from the DSLR era – the camera would raise the mirror out of the way of the sensor and allow you to use the – perhaps articulate – rear display to frame and photograph the subject. Sounds like using a mirrorless system?
Absolutely not – there are night (DSLR) and day (mirrorless) differences. My otherwise great Nikon D850 turns into a dinosaur when I turn on live view. Focus is slow to the point where a DSLR just cannot compete with a modern mirrorless system.
Live view using a DSLR is perfectly usable for landscape work with tripod. But today I use my Z7 II or Z8 with the rear LCD all the time. For example in architectural shots to get a better angle and (almost) straight lines. But also when shooting people or animals from a low or high angle. Mirrorless systems offer a new dimension of creative freedom, very useful not only for street photography.
Shutter
One of the big issues with early day mirrorless cameras was the rolling shutter in conjunction with “electronic shutter” mode. Many newer cameras have improved sensor readout speeds, but better do some research or tests when you plan to shoot action, or when shooting in artificial light.
Some top end mirrorless cameras have dramatically improved the sensor readout speed and minimized the rolling shutter effect. Nikon was the first company to do away with the mechanical shutter in their flagship Z9 camera, as well as in the Z8. Sony recently released the α9 III which introduced a global shutter – the ultimate cure for the rolling shutter effect.
Nikon’s removal of a shutter in the Z9 and Z8 have made these cameras totally silent. Owning a Nikon D850 DSLR with a terribly loud shutter, I’m quite happy to use my Nikon Z8 without any artificial shutter sound. Silence is bliss. Of course an electronic shutter doesn’t have any wear.
The electronic shutter in mirrorless cameras supports higher frame rates and higher shutter rates than those found with DSLR. This is great for sports, action, and wildlife photography when trying to hit the perfect shot. Just make sure that your camera has a big enough memory buffer to allow you to continue shooting at 20 or 30 frames per second in the quality (for example RAW) you need. A fast memory card is also helpful.
One thing the data sheet doesn’t tell you is how the camera deals with a full memory buffer. With the Nikon cameras I use(d) and a fast CFexpress memory card the camera keeps shooting at a somewhat lower rate as it writes the data to the memory card. With the Canon R5 and perhaps other models, the frame rate can drop quite low. I hope Canon is fixing this in newer models.
Size and Weight
Without the need for a mirror box, mirrorless cameras can be smaller. For many years Sony released APS-C and full-frame cameras that are significantly smaller and lighter than their DSLR counterparts. Nikon’s Z8 is, on the other hand, almost as clunky and heavy as a Nikon D850 DSLR. The dual-grip Nikon Z9 can be considered a heavyweight champion with its 1.34 kg (2.9 lb) body weight. Using magnesium alloy and polycarbonate with glass fiber, Canon’s pro-body R3 and R1 have trimmed the weight to 1 kg (2.2 lb) and 1.1 kg (2.5 lb), respectively.
While I appreciate low weight, in my hands the Sony cameras feel a little too small and uncomfortable. The Nikon Z8 – like the Nikon D850 DSLR – has a great grip and feels very comfortable, but it’s almost as heavy as the D850.
Canon has found a good middle ground with the R5 – big enough to hold comfortable yet quite compact and lightweight. Unfortunately Canon has done little to nothing to reduce the weight of their zooms.
If low weight is important, mirrorless is in most cases the better choice. Particularly when choosing a micro-four-third system such as the Olympus / OM Systems cameras and lenses.
Lenses
DSLR owners have still more native lenses to chose from than mirrorless camera owners, except perhaps Sony users. But the gap is closing very quickly. Besides, both Canon and Nikon have adapters to mount their old lenses on the new mirrorless bodies.
You also don’t loose any quality when using an adapter to mount an old lens on a mirrorless camera. These adapters contain no optics, just some wiring and electronics.
Mirrorless systems allow the lens to be mounted closer to the sensor (since there is no mirror box in between). This can be used to improve optical designs. Most will agree that Nikon has managed to improve each and every new Z-mount lens over its F-mount DSLR predecessor. However, you can’t generalize and some other manufacturers have been less successful, in my opinion.
Image Quality
I’ve included this heading since it is an important criteria for choosing a camera. But since mirrorless cameras pretty much deploy the same sensor technology as DSLRs, there shouldn’t be much of a difference. The only difference comes from the lenses, but that difference can be substantial (see above under “Lenses”).
I’m a sucker for wide angle lenses. Here Nikon has done wonders with the 14-24mm f/2.8 S Z-mount lens. It’s so much better than anything I ever used, on Nikon and Canon bodies.
Features
Mirrorless cameras provide more features! Let’s start with the most obvious improvement versus DSLR.
Video
It’s a difference of day and night. The mirrorless cameras in general and some in particular come with improved video capabilities to a degree that they pose a serious threat to professional video cameras. Canon introduced 8k video in the R5, although with some caveats. Sony and Panasonic have excellent video-centric mirrorless cameras. The Nikon Z9 and Z8 have raised the benchmark further. This makes mirrorless cameras the first choice for wedding and event photographers, but also for a myriad of self-styled influencers on YouTube.
WYSIWYG
You must think I’m a dinosaur. WYSIWYG stands for “What You See Is What You Get”. It comes from a time when text editors came out that showed the text on the screen as it appears when printed.
When you look through an optical viewfinder in a DSLR, you see the picture as it looks in reality. Depending on your camera settings, that may be very different from the photo you are going to take. To ensure proper exposure and white balance, many DSLR shooters take a shot, chimp, adjust, retake the shot, until all is good.
The electronic viewfinder of a mirrorless camera shows you how the photo is taken, applying all the adjustments you made. You can directly evaluate your exposure and white balance. Most people find this helpful. I’m now so used to make exposure changes on the fly as I look through the EVF or on the rear screen.
Other Features
Image stabilization (IS) has become a standard feature in all modern mirrorless cameras. IS comes to the rescue when I shoot indoors in dark places and can’t use a tripod. Or when recording video.
Pre-capture, also found on some Olympus and Fujifilm bodies, has been introduced to the Nikon Z9 and Z8 as well as to the Sony α9 III. This can be extremely useful for capturing birds as they fly off or any other sporadic and fast action.
Pixel-shift, while available in some DSLRs too, finds its way into more and more mirrorless cameras.
As practically all development now goes into mirrorless systems, it’s only a matter of time when we will see even more features.
Price
September 2, 2024 – correction: I wrote before that DSLR wins over mirrorless when it comes to price. This is actually not true! Today there are plenty of mirrorless cameras at the price of or very close to similar DSLRs. I just saw the price of a Nikon Z7 II reduced by $1000 to around $2000, selling at a lower price than the D850. Entry-level mirrorless cameras can be had at around $700. And even a professional mirrorless camera like the Nikon Z9 sells actually for less than a Nikon D5 or D6 sold in its time.
If you are already invested in DSLR and own a dozen or two DSLR lenses, you may want to hold out before switching to mirrorless. But for some types of photography it makes sense to switch to mirrorless, for example when you shoot wildlife, sports, weddings and events. Be it that mirrorless cameras are much more quiet (or totally noiseless) or for the better video features, or the pre-capture mode that makes sure you don’t miss the critical moment.
Press photographers working in a noisy environment couldn’t care less about all the mirrorless features. Most pros will be able to carry on shooting great images without the latest and greatest mirrorless offerings. Portrait and landscape photographers don’t need to upgrade.
If you do make the jump into mirrorless, a simple adapter between your DSLR lenses and the new mirrorless lens mount lets you use (most of) your old lenses.
Summary
Today mirrorless systems offer many advantages over DSLR cameras. But the real question is: can you benefit from these advantages/advances? An improved focusing system, for example, is useless for landscape photographers. However, the mirrorless systems top traditional DSLRs when it comes to using an articulated rear LCD for creative compositions.
For wedding photographers, a quiet shutter is a real benefit. The Nikon Z9 has rightly become a popular camera for wedding and event photographers. It’s versatile, has excellent stills and video features, and a good battery life thanks to a larger battery. It also uses a dual-axis tilting rear LCD that helps keep the camera level. Canon and Sony are also well equipped to serve this clientele.
If you are invested in a DSLR system, you should have compelling reasons to switch to mirrorless. For me, the lower weight of a Nikon Z7 II together with Z mount lenses was a big deal. When you carry the gear on long walks or hikes, weight matters. If I want to go small and light, I take my Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mk IV.
As for the Nikon Z8, the three reasons I got it were better focusing capabilities, silent image capture, and the high frame rate of 20 pictures per second. The Nikon D850 was just a little too noisy for wildlife photography, though I got lots of wonderful images. As always, YMMV.
Update: I just published a Nikon Z8 review.