5 things photographers will learn switching from DSLR to mirrorless

Mirrorless or compact system cameras (CSC) are becoming increasingly popular and while some photographers are trading in their old SLRs in favour of the new breed, others are investing in a second system. Both will find they learn a few lessons that will help them make better images.

1. Bigger isn’t always better
While big camera bodies allow more room for larger sensors, Sony has proved with its Alpha 7 series of full-frame CSCs that a big sensor can fit inside a small camera. This means that you can get the high quality images that we associate with a full-frame camera from a relatively small device.

Perhaps more importantly, however, is that because they omit the mirror found in an SLR, CSCs and their lenses can be made smaller than compared reflex models. This extra portability makes you more inclined to take your camera with you wherever you go, hence increasing the number of shots that you take.

There are also times when you may need to hold a camera and lens combo for a long time to wait for a shot to materialise, in those instances it’s worth taking a smaller, lighter camera.

SEE MORE: DSLR vs Mirrorless – understanding the key differences

2. Silence is golden
With no mirror clacking around inside many compact system cameras are noticeably quieter in operation than the average SLR. This can be invaluable when you’re shooting wildlife that’s likely to take flight at the slightest sound. It’s also useful for candid, street and documentary photography when you want to shoot unnoticed amongst crowds of people. It can help you take more natural, relaxed people photos.

SEE MORE: Best compact system camera – 6 top CSCs go head to head

3. Which scenes work well in black and white
Because compact system cameras are effectively in permanent live view mode they show the impact of camera settings in the viewfinder and on the rear screen.

Photographers who like to shoot in black and white mode will find this a huge bonus because they can actually preview the image rather than guess how the scene will look in monochrome.

It helps you get better at assessing a scene’s suitability for monochrome shooting and in turn your images will improve – even if you only use the JPEG as a guide and create black and white images from the colour raw files post capture.

SEE MORE: What camera should I buy: pros and cons of each type (and what they’re best at)

4. The ‘correct’ exposure isn’t always right
When you look at a scene through the viewfinder of an SLR you see it as it is, not as it will be captured. With the average scene, nine times out of ten most SLR photographers adjust the exposure settings to the camera’s recommended values or shoot in a semi-automatic mode such as aperture priority so the camera actually controls the exposure.

When you look into the viewfinder of a compact system camera you see how the scene will look with the current exposure settings applied. If the exposure meter indicates that image will be over-exposed you’ll see a very bright image and if the settings will cause underexposure you’ll see a dark image.

However, rather than be driven by the exposure meter you can use the preview of the image as a guide. If the scene looks great when the exposure settings are two stops brighter than the meter thinks is correct, great – take the shot.

If you’re worried about burning out highlights you can use the histogram view to guide you, but with time you’ll learn to be more creative with exposure.

SEE MORE: 6 reasons why a compact system camera (CSC) is better than a DSLR

5. Filter effects can be creative
It’s very easy to be dismissive of in-camera filter effects, but they can produce some very nice, creative results. The ability to preview the impact of these filters will help you decide which ones are worthwhile and which scenes they work well with.

Because some compact system cameras allow you to shoot raw files as well as JPEGs when you’re using the filter modes you can have a clean file for careful post-capture processing, but the treated JPEG can be a great source of inspiration.

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