Written and photographed by Daniel Cheon
Many SCAD students studying photography swear by owning a digital single lens reflex camera, or DSLR, and some good lenses. But a new contender has entered the digital photography market: mirrorless cameras.
These new cameras aim to reduce the weight and bulk of traditional DSLR cameras by removing the mirror and prism viewfinder – their defining characteristic.
A traditional, bulky DLSR with the lens removed.
Traditional DSLRs are designed to take efficient, high-quality images. Many of their features are automated, and those that are not are simply one button away. This, in theory, allows the photographer to focus on their shots. However, the automation of everything makes photographers forget about their subject and instead worry about their camera settings; the art is lost in the process.
Mirrorless cameras, or compact system cameras, tend to lose some of the additive features that many of the up-market DSLRs possess. This trend is due to their nature of shaving off non-essentials to eliminate bulk and weight. This leaves them with only the most essential features for taking photographs. This phenomenon is surprisingly welcomed rather than scrutinized by some photographers.
The limitations of mirrorless cameras help to make photographers stop, think and behave similarly to the way the previous generation did with their analog film cameras. They seem to slow the photographers down, forcing them to make each shot count.
The process of the photography made me pay more attention to the beauty of my subject. It gave me more room — breathing space, if you will — to consider and explore the possibilities.
At the end of a day out shooting, a typical DSLR photographer will scroll through the photos in their computer to choose whichever photo(s) they like the most. More than likely, they will end up choosing whichever shots they hate the least.
The new, slimmer mirrorless camera technology.
Shooting with a compact system camera made the process of looking through my shots exciting, more so than in my DSLR days. I really worked for those shots, and I looked forward to seeing the picture(s) I liked most. These are the magical moments that make me enjoy photography more. They make me want to shoot more, to strive for even better results.
Another advantage that I found of having a small camera is that it made me less timid. My representation as a photographer (which does matter, by the way) can significantly differ depending on the size and seriousness of my equipment. With mirrorless camera technology, combined with proper attire, I can deliver an impression that is professional but not intimidating.
This intangible but very real human factor in photography makes a smaller camera worthy of consideration for any aspiring and serious photojournalist. Recognizing it and making changes certainly allowed me to take some photos that I would not even dare to take with a DSLR.
The truth about photography, just as with other art forms, is that it really does not matter what tools the artist use so long as they deliver. As some will put it: “if it gets you the shots, it gets you the shots.” But in this case I will still say that the change in design philosophy and size alone could make a huge difference in the way one can see, think and shoot.