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Home → Cameras and Lenses

Should You Switch from DSLR to Mirrorless?

A different perspective on the typical DSLR vs mirrorless articles

By Spencer Cox 196 Comments
Last Updated On July 20, 2022

Abstract Photography
NIKON D800E + 70-200mm f/4 @ 140mm, ISO 500, 1/500, f/5.6

The viral reports from Nikkei – the ones that say Nikon has switched focus completely from DSLRs to mirrorless – are hardly news to anyone who’s followed the camera world for the last few years. Canon is in exactly the same boat. With few exceptions, camera companies have moved on from DSLRs to mirrorless. Should you?

I’d like to start by saying that this is not a DSLR vs mirrorless article. Like everyone else, we’ve already written one of those, and truth be told, mirrorless won that debate a while ago. Mirrorless cameras now have countless benefits and vanishingly few drawbacks over DSLRs, at least in specifications and feature sets. Mirrorless is the inevitable future of the camera industry, as we’ve said for years now.

However, there’s still a massive audience of photographers who shoot with DSLRs. Maybe that includes you. If you’re still shooting with a DSLR, chances are high that you’ve thought about the pros and cons of moving to mirrorless, and maybe you’re not sure about the right path. Is it a good idea to make the leap?

By now, no doubt, you understand the tradeoffs and the cost of switching. So, instead of talking about things like lens lineups or feature sets in this article, I’d like to delve into some of the more nuanced qualities of changing camera systems – the creative differences and reasons why you don’t always need to chase the hype train.

Image Quality; Quality Images

There is no inherent difference between DSLRs and mirrorless cameras in image quality. That said, almost all the R&D money from camera makers is going into mirrorless cameras, so today’s cutting-edge performance is increasingly found on the mirrorless side of things. These come in all forms, including high ISO performance, pixel count, and dynamic range. (There also is an inherent advantage in designing lenses for mirrorless cameras, thanks to the shorter flange distance and larger diameter mounts of most mirrorless systems.) Yet I’ve heard a sentiment like this from some photographers: “I don’t know why, but DSLR photos look better to me.”

Tamron-17-35mm-f2-8-4-21
NIKON D780 + Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4E @ 25mm, ISO 100, 1/400, f/9.0

On one hand, empirically, DSLR photos aren’t any better. Heck, if you shoot a DSLR in live view – or, say, rip out the mirror – you’re already effectively shooting with a mirrorless camera. I guarantee there’s not a person reading this article who can reliably tell the difference between a DSLR photo and a mirrorless photo in a side-by-side test (given the same sensor, like the Nikon D780 vs Z6 II).

But, somehow, the “DSLR photos look better” sentiment feels truer than it should, especially to some photographers and DSLR holdouts. When I squint, I can see it too: that perhaps the average quality of photos has gone down in the mirrorless age, even looking at work from the same photographers.

2016 Great Sand Dunes Black and White
NIKON D800E + 70-200mm f/4 @ 86mm, ISO 100, 1/10, f/16.0

If that’s true, it has nothing to do with sensor differences. Any difference would be the result of process. It’s the same reason why I’ve never once taken a decent photo with my phone, even though many other photographers have. Quite simply, I don’t put in the right effort, since I use my phone as a tool for quick snapshots and nothing else.

Today’s mirrorless cameras are more competent than DSLRs. They are also easier to carry along and use in a mobile workflow. They incentivize faster, more image production and sharing. 11 FPS used to be flagship-level speed in the DSLR world, and now, when an entry-level mirrorless camera boasts that number, I call the camera uninspiring.

I was struck by a reader’s comment on one of Libor’s recent articles: “You asked: How often do I take out my camera? Answer: For me it has been months. I have a backlog of 50K unprocessed NEFs to go through; plus thousands of inherited photos from a dead relative. Frankly I’m overwhelmed by the backlog.”

The glut is real. It stops us from going out and practicing photography; it shuts us down. Or, if it doesn’t shut us down, it leads us to give each photo less attention than it deserves, since we’re working with so many photos in total.

Spencer-Cox-Castle
NIKON D800E + 24mm f/1.4 @ 24mm, ISO 100, 0.6 seconds, f/16.0

DSLRs can lead to this problem, too, but I doubt I’m alone in realizing that I take more photos with mirrorless on a typical outing than I did with a DSLR. I pull my mirrorless camera out more often in the first place, since it’s less hassle – and each time I do, I take more photos than I would before.

In other words, the “cost of a photo” is even lower with mirrorless than it was with DSLRs. This isn’t a complaint, for the most part. I’m thrilled that photography is more affordable and accessible these days; experimentation is also more feasible, and difficult subjects like birds in flight are easier to capture than ever before.

Tokina 100mm Macro Lens Adapted to Nikon Z7 with FTZ Adapter
NIKON Z 7 + 100mm f/2.8 @ 100mm, ISO 125, 1/640, f/6.3

But it’s a different experience of photography. In a way, a speed bump has been removed. With mirrorless, if you don’t consciously think about slowing down and taking the best possible photo, it’s easier to take “happenstance” pictures – and a lot of them. It’s also easy to spend insufficient time post-processing your better photographs, since you have more ground to cover and always more photos to process.

That’s why, even though the image quality of mirrorless matches or exceeds that of DSLRs, the quality of an image may not. I don’t think this should scare you away from switching; in the right hands, the better technology of mirrorless cameras can allow you to broaden and maybe even improve your work. However, better photos aren’t inevitable just because your gear is newer or has better specs.

Nikon Z7 Sample Photo of Lightning
NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 18.5mm, ISO 64, 20 seconds, f/5.0

The Experience of Photography

Do you remember those viral teasers for the Nikon Df before it was officially announced? A lone landscape photographer in the middle of who knows where, Scotland maybe, at peace as he took a photo through the camera’s viewfinder. “Pure photography,” “No clutter, no distractions” – man did those teasers draw attention. Photographers speculated that the Df wouldn’t have a rear LCD, or that it would use dials for everything and eliminate the menu. I don’t think I’ve ever refreshed Nikon Rumors so often.

The Df’s eventual release didn’t meet those lofty expectations, but that’s beside the point. What Nikon had touched on, maybe without realizing it, was the importance of the experience of photography.

Leica is onto something here with their marketing, too. It’s not just image quality or features that matter in a camera. There’s also the spark that makes you want to pick up the camera in the first place and really look forward to taking pictures.

Classic Landscape Photo at Sunset
NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14mm, ISO 64, 8 seconds, f/13.0

I’m not saying that the only possible source of the “spark” is the camera itself – or that a DSLR has that spark, and mirrorless doesn’t. I know plenty of mirrorless photographers who feel more enthusiastic about photography than they ever did with a DSLR, because now they look forward to taking their lightweight gear places they would never go with a bulkier kit.

But for some photographers, “bringing out the big camera” and “taking it slow” are part of their process of photography. I know I’m like that, maybe even too much. If you’ve read Photography Life regularly, you probably know that I’ve been using large and ultra-large format cameras for most of my recent landscape photography. I’m often using these cameras instead of digital, for reasons that are only tangentially related to image quality. The main reason is that I’ve found a process I adore, that makes me excited to take pictures again.

Mount Bierdstadt Afternoon 4x5 Portra 160
Chamonix 4×5, Nikkor 90mm f/8 @ f/22, 1/60 second. Kodak Portra 160. No filters, some rear tilt.

There’s a rarely-spoken impulse behind most discussions about camera equipment: that the ultimate goal is to get the lightest possible kit that excels at what you photograph. That’s a reasonable goal to aim for, and it’s something that mirrorless does well. But it’s not the only decent direction you can take as a photographer.

Sometimes, it’s better to aim for a process that you enjoy, even at the expense of the camera’s weight, features, or speed. And there’s no denying that the process is different between shooting with a mirrorless camera compared to a DSLR. There’s the difference in the viewfinder, for one, and there’s also the difference in the time and effort it takes to use the camera (with less effort not always being a more enjoyable experience).

If you’ve found your rhythm as a DSLR photographer, I think switching to mirrorless may be wrong for you. To gain a lighter bag and a set of features you’ll rarely use, is it worth giving up that spark? Surely not. To many photographers, the “experience of photography” makes a bigger difference to the quality of their photos than the camera’s feature set, because it’s a more direct factor in how much they enjoy taking pictures, and how often they do so.

Focus in Photography
NIKON D800E + 105mm f/2.8 @ 105mm, ISO 200, 1/320, f/5.6

Conclusion and Recommendations

Mirrorless cameras aren’t just the future, but also the overwhelming present. At most, we’ll probably get two or three more DSLRs ever from Nikon and Canon – maybe none – and probably some from Pentax if Ricoh finds the market big enough to keep making them. If you’re intent on getting a new and improved camera, mirrorless is the way to go these days.

But this article is not targeted at photographers who constantly need the newest specs in the world for their work – most of whom have switched to mirrorless already. Instead, it’s targeted at photographers who use a DSLR at the moment, see all sorts of headlines about mirrorless features, and wonder if it’s time to overhaul a DSLR kit that they’re broadly happy with. My answer is no.

If you still shoot with a DSLR and enjoy it, you don’t need to buy into the hype and switch. You probably do need to accept that DSLR development won’t go much further in the future, but that’s not so bad if it’s already developed enough for your needs.

If you switch to mirrorless, your “quality of images” isn’t guaranteed to improve at all, even if the camera has better features. I say you should find a process that works for you, stick with it, and not worry so much about gear. That’s the easiest way to jump off the advertising/hype train and focus your attention on actual photography.

What is landscape photography
NIKON D800E + 70-200mm f/4 @ 70mm, ISO 100, 6 seconds

What if you’ve already switched to mirrorless, and you’re just reading this article for fun? Good on you. I suspect you switched for a reason, and for most of you, the high performance of today’s mirrorless cameras has probably exceeded your expectations.

It did for me. I adore my mirrorless + large format film kit for the flexibility, image quality, and process I’m getting these days. But at the same time, I’ve had to be mindful of slowing down and thinking through my photos so that I don’t take too many smartphone-style snapshots with my Z7.

Comet Neowise above a Lake
NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S @ 20mm, ISO 3200, 15 seconds, f/1.8

In the comments, I’d like to hear from you if you still shoot with a DSLR. Are you feeling left behind with all the mirrorless content online these days? Or, is “jumping off the hype train” giving you more time to go out and shoot, and be satisfied with the gear you already have? I’m sure the cost of switching plays a role for many photographers, but hardly all of them; the DSLR is still the tool of choice for many professionals and others. If that includes you, I hope this article gave you a better sense of when it might be time to switch, and when it’s time to stay.


I expected this article to be somewhat popular, because gear discussions and mirrorless vs DSLR in particular usually are! Even so, the number of comments has outpaced my expectations. I can’t respond to every comment I got this time, but I’m reading all of them and am grateful for the interesting and thoughtful responses so far. The dozens of replies I wrote will be easiest to see by sorting the comments by “Oldest” instead of “Newest” below. Thank you! -Spencer

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Filed Under: Cameras and Lenses Tagged With: DSLR, DSLR Camera, Essays, Mirrorless, Mirrorless Camera

About Spencer Cox

I'm Spencer Cox, a macro and landscape photographer based in Denver. My photos have been displayed in galleries worldwide, including the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and exhibitions in London, Malta, Siena, and Beijing. These days I'm active on Instagram and YouTube.

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Roger
Roger
August 12, 2022 11:04 am

This topic, like many things in life, depends on the individual. I’ve tried to switch a couple of times. Even with the advantages they offer, the viewfinders in mirrorless systems just aren’t a fit for me. Forced myself to use them for months but going back to a traditional SLR was a breath of fresh air.

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Rage
Rage
July 27, 2022 4:12 pm

Never ! I take the best advantages from each system. I have and use both.

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Frederick Blazowski
Frederick Blazowski
July 25, 2022 11:16 pm

A thought provoking article for sure. Thanks. I had a Z6 II for about ten days; it felt foreign in my hands so I returned it for a full refund and eventually got a D780 to go with a D850. I read all the hype yet remain content using my DSLRs. The “photography experience”, I had that last September when I spent a week on the Left Coast, the Oregon coast to be exact; just me with my Nikons with no schedule, shoot what I want when I want. The DSLRs delivered and I made sure I got videos as well. I feel creative with the D850 in my hands and I like the challenge of using Nikkor manual focus primes from my film days on both the D850 and D780.

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Robert Allen
Robert Allen
July 25, 2022 7:51 pm

My first comment post on PL! Yes, great article Spencer. I too just changed over from DSLRs to mirrorless bodies, the Z9 and the Z6II. All of the mirrorless ones work great BUT so did the DSLRs. One difference is that the Z9 can shoot with no noise which is a benefit to an event photographer. Check out my gear list at www.robertallen-photography.com/my-ni…-gear-list

It’s current except of the new Z bodies.

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Steve Labecki
Steve Labecki
July 25, 2022 1:57 pm

Great article Spencer! I purchased my Canon 5d mk4 when it first came out and I’m really happy with it. I do think however, if I would’ve waited one more year to purchase my gear I would’ve went with a mirrorless. Shooting wildlife or racing events I use a pretty heavy kit but grown a custom to it and I could see what you mean by the “experience of photography” changing. I can’t afford the change now anyway but still trying to stay on top of the current cameras for when the time comes.

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Rüdiger
Rüdiger
July 25, 2022 1:31 pm

I’m very satisfied with my DSLR kit, a Nikon D500 with extensive set of lenses: 10-24, 16-80, 70-300, 200-500 plus 18-35/1.8 and 50-100/1.8. Using all of them regularly. Hard to think of a mirrorless replacement now, not speaking of size and/or price increases of new mirrorless full frame equivalents, like Nikon 24-120 or 800 compared to DX 16-80 and 200-500.
There is one thing that I’d like to improve though: treatment of HDR. A mirrorless camera could show HDR images in the EVF, allow live adjustments of dynamic range (and in camera RAW processing with HDR display) and store them in a 10bit format supported out-of-camera by browsers and TVs, such as AVIF. Such a camera doesn’t exist yet.
I’d also be interested in a really new lens experience, such as Panasonic 20-60 or Tamron 35-150. But each of those lenses would require a change to a different system; in the case of Panasonic there is not even an AF adapter for existing Nikon F glass.
Better stay with my DSLR for now and wait for what will be coming.

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Tom
Tom
July 25, 2022 8:37 am

Wow, beautiful work Spencer! Very inspiring photography. As an avid bird photographer, I think I’m finally ready to switch to mirrorless based on the availability of the new Nikon 800mm f/6/3 lens. It sounds like a great lens that would be fun to use to photograph birds (but I’ve never spent that much on a lens – so it’s a tough call for me). Thanks for a terrific article!

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Photauk
Photauk
July 24, 2022 5:38 pm

A thought-provoking article, Spencer. For me, at this point mirrorless would be an addition more than a switch–might pickup a Nikon Z50 as a travel / casual hiking camera for those times when getting “a shot” is more critical than “the shot.” Currently shoot a D7500 and my favorite walk-about lens is the Sigma 17-70. To truly switch I would need to go full frame in Nikon (they have yet to show commitment to crop sensor) and to achieve the equivalent of my current rig I’d probably need a Z6 and the similar full frame Z lens, which negates the weight savings of mirrorless. And I’d then need a 400mm to meet my lightweight 300mm in crop land. For my current shooting situation, DSLR is still working. I’m not selling professionally so crop works for me! But keeping a close eye on mirrorless.

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Karen
Karen
July 23, 2022 8:48 pm

I bought an olympus OMD EM5 mirrorless eight years ago. During the Pandemic I barely used it, and something broke and now Olympus cannot fix it. I have film cameras 30 years old that still work, LOL, and am surprised (but shouldn’t be) that a camera is like a cellphone now–after a few years if they break they cannot be fixed. Now I have to shell out more $$$ as my lovely lens works fine but of course, only on that line.

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NeutronBoy
NeutronBoy
July 23, 2022 8:05 pm

I went to Sony mirrorless from a Canon 5D2 because I was finding that after a long day of shooting, my wrists would hurt because of the shear size of the camera and it’s L lenses. After 3+ years I am now contemplating the sale of my Canon equipment … The change was permanent. I just upgraded from the APS-C Alpha 6000 to the full frame A7C.

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