65 votes

Why are SLR mechanisms still prevalent among high-end digital cameras?

Is there any significant benefit to having an SLR mechanism in a digital camera? Particularly in terms of a benefit that's large enough to make up for the liability of adding a mechanical part ...
inkista's user avatar
  • 51.4k
56 votes
Accepted

Why are SLR mechanisms still prevalent among high-end digital cameras?

And with a digital camera, you don't need a hinged mirror as you can show the user exactly what light will be captured by just routing the sensor output to an LCD display. This is the reason for the ...
Caleb's user avatar
  • 31.7k
46 votes

How can I use my dSLR or mirrorless camera as a webcam?

What you need A camera that can stream using one of the methods described below. Software to set up a virtual camera for your video conferencing platform; or if you are using HDMI, an HDMI capture ...
inkista's user avatar
  • 51.4k
37 votes

Why do mirrorless cameras have shorter battery life?

Using an electronic viewfinder or LCD screen to compose the image uses more battery life than a standard viewfinder Using an LCD screen for the majority of device settings uses more battery life than ...
dpollitt's user avatar
  • 46.5k
32 votes
Accepted

How to spot dust in images quickly while doing a shoot outdoors?

The dust isn't on the lens — it's on the sensor. Dust on the lens will not resolve so clearly. To check for it quickly, set your aperture to the smallest your lens can support. (Small apertures have ...
mattdm's user avatar
  • 143k
30 votes

Why are SLR mechanisms still prevalent among high-end digital cameras?

Don't forget a major drawback that EVF's require power to compose, and are much harder on batteries if you spend a lot of time with the screen on. Also, as previously mentioned, because of delays, it ...
Flash's user avatar
  • 459
24 votes

My mentor says to set image to Fine instead of RAW — how is this different from JPG?

you don't have to reproduce the algorithms that the camera is running to render your photo on the small display on the camera. This all depends on how much you value what is shown on the camera's LCD ...
Philip Kendall's user avatar
  • 21.8k
22 votes

Why do mirrorless cameras have shorter battery life?

The main reason is because the batteries for MILCs are almost universally smaller than DSLR batteries. Some mirrorless batteries: The LP-E17 battery for the Canon EOS M5 has a 1050 mAh (milliamp-...
scottbb's user avatar
  • 32.3k
18 votes

Why are SLR mechanisms still prevalent among high-end digital cameras?

Another disadvantage of using the sensor to generate a near real time preview in lieu of an optical viewfinder is the requirement to keep the sensor energized continuously. In addition to the ...
Michael C's user avatar
  • 175k
18 votes

Is it possible to make a photo's EXIF look like it was taken with a DSLR?

Yes, it is possible. But you should not do this. Being dishonest with your teacher is never a good move. If you have a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with a large sensor, you may be able to ...
mattdm's user avatar
  • 143k
18 votes
Accepted

DSLR or Mirrorless for Helicopters with doors off?

Mirrorless or DSLR doesn't really matter. Use whichever lens-body combination gives you the best reduction of vibrations that are relatively slow in frequency but very deep in amplitude. Smaller ...
Michael C's user avatar
  • 175k
16 votes

Why do mirrorless cameras have shorter battery life?

A mirrorless camera consumes more power mostly because the circuitry is constantly running. Both the sensor and EVF or LCD have to be powered continuously in order to maintain the Live-View which is ...
Itai's user avatar
  • 103k
15 votes

Do mirrorless cameras have more sensor noise because they are constantly exposed to light?

DSLR camera sensors are only exposed to light when the picture is taken, so the sensor presumably produces less noise than if it was always exposed to the light. I find support for this in the way ...
Michael C's user avatar
  • 175k
14 votes
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My mentor says to set image to Fine instead of RAW — how is this different from JPG?

JPEG, as you know, is a lossy compression format. One feature of the format is different quality levels, which correspond to greater or lesser amounts of information discarded to save space. See Is ...
mattdm's user avatar
  • 143k
13 votes

What should I look for when shopping for my first mirrorless camera?

A mirrorless is a system camera and you must therefore carefully consider the system. There 2 major differenciators between systems: Sensor-size: This affects image quality and particularly low-light ...
Itai's user avatar
  • 103k
12 votes

How can I use my dSLR or mirrorless camera as a webcam?

inkista has an excellent answer above. My Panasonic GX-80 doesn't support 'Lumix tether for streaming' - but it does have a Wifi function allowing you to watch a live preview from a smartphone. Over ...
mjt's user avatar
  • 221
11 votes

Why do lenses for larger sensors tend to have shallower angles?

This is simply where the market is converging to at the moment. The typical kit lens is still 18-55mm on an APS-C sensor but most people find wider angle more useful, so some manufacturers made a few ...
Itai's user avatar
  • 103k
9 votes
Accepted

Autofocus points in Mirrorless Cameras

As with many things, the marketers have tried to convince us that bigger, more, or higher priced is always "better". Most of the time in photography quality trumps quantity. Regardless of how many ...
Michael C's user avatar
  • 175k
9 votes

Is there any compact full-frame mirrorless camera?

I don't think you'll find what you're looking for, because: bigger things are bigger than small things. Full-frame cameras are bigger than APS-C cameras Medium format cameras are bigger than full-...
mattdm's user avatar
  • 143k
9 votes

Black smudges during long exposure shots? What are these called and why are they there?

Not a problem with your equipment. They are reflections of the clouds. Non-smooth water will cause vertical smears. The effect is subtle here, but it is more obvious when the sun is reflected. Why ...
Mattman944's user avatar
  • 1,192
8 votes

What should I look for when shopping for my first mirrorless camera?

Usual Basics Just as with dSLRs, you will want to consider the following "main" features of a camera system in addition to any gee-whiz features you find sexy: Sensor size and resolution (affects ...
inkista's user avatar
  • 51.4k
8 votes
Accepted

Turning camera ON/OFF to preserve battery?

A lot can depend on the settings you have on the camera. Most cameras, when not used for a certain amount of time, will go into powersave mode to save battery for you. Yes this will still use a ...
Andrew brough's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

What's the advantage of a DSLR's "previewer" viewfinder, since I have observed that mirrorless cameras appear to have the same thing?

DSLRs have a direct, optical path through the lens. (Well, a reflected direct path.) You are seeing the scene with your eyes. Mirrorless cameras with a viewfinder actually use a small LCD screen — ...
mattdm's user avatar
  • 143k
8 votes

What are the advantages and disadvantages of an electronic viewfinder vs. a DSLR's optical finder?

Electronic viewfinder Pros: Potentially smaller and lighter camera bodies and lenses (particularly wide angle lenses) Can zoom in to verify precise focus and depth of field Can see (almost) exactly ...
dgatwood's user avatar
  • 2,215
8 votes
Accepted

What enables the Canon RF 70-200 f/2.8 to be much smaller than the EF version?

They are two totally different designs. One is a non-extending lens that does all of the "zooming" internally. The other is an extending zoom lens that is considerably shorter at 70mm than at 200mm. ...
Michael C's user avatar
  • 175k
7 votes
Accepted

Can the sun damage the sensor on a mirrorless camera?

My Sony Alpha 6000 experienced extensive burn in from photographing the sun. The burn in happened either during experimentation prior to the eclipse, or during the August 21 eclipse. The burn in areas ...
Steven McQuinn's user avatar
6 votes

Why are SLR mechanisms still prevalent among high-end digital cameras?

Perhaps it's that I wear specs and can only see the end of my nose, but isn't one of the most obvious advantages of an optical view finder that you can actually see the image in daylight? I'm a D80 ...
Paul Uszak's user avatar
  • 1,012
6 votes

Why are SLR mechanisms still prevalent among high-end digital cameras?

Also there is problem, that the LCD on the back of camera does not have the resolution of main chip. So it shows you inaccurate image in much lower resolution, than would be then taken. Also the range ...
gilhad's user avatar
  • 169
6 votes

If I adapt an EF circular fisheye lens to EF-M mount, will the image be cropped?

It will work as expected. Any fisheye that projects a circular uncropped image on an EF-S camera does so also when attached to an EF-M mount with an EF/EF-M adapter. Correspondingly, the image of a ...
JohannesD's user avatar
  • 1,786
6 votes

How can I preview exposure and autofocus with flash in a low light studio?

You simply cannot preview the exposure of light that does not exist at that moment. You had modeling lights on, which is about the best you can do. You do not have to use such a dimly lit studio ...
Steven Kersting's user avatar

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