Buying a New Camera: Mirrorless vs DSLR?

[TSIVipul]

If you are novice or beginner, another option is Sony Alpha SLT A-58Y with 18-55mm + 55-200mm Lens Rs. 34093

Main difference being Sony viewfinder will not show area being composed for photo, but actual preview of how that area will look in photo, & whatever changes are done to exposure / ISO / shutter will be shown live in that preview in viewfinder. ( In DSLR camera, viewfinder is optical, & hence show area being composed, but will not show live effect of focus / ISO / exposure etc settings being applied. Some DSLR feature "Live view" & you can see such effects & preview of image in lcd screen). Also when you manual focus on distant point, you can actual magnify that distant point in viewfinder & confirm focus is proper as per desired. Another 55-200 lens will help you for wildlife or sports photography if that is area of interest for you.

I do own the very same camera and I am a beginner.
To be precise, this camera is really easy to use and anyone who has experienced the cybershot wil find a lot of things/functions similar to its smaller siblings.

But yes, the pre-processing helps make it easy to shoot as you are already aware of how the final image will look like.

@Vibhor: I wasn't recommending this one because I bought it for 42k(17k above your said budget) but for 34k with dual lens kit - this camera is really worth a look. In fact for the automotive photography, panic shots etc even the 18-55 will also do.

Here are a couple of pics I clicked using the same camera:

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[edios]

My suggestion is, get a DSLR ONLY if you're really into photography. Only if you're interested to learn more about photography, have some time to learn it. IMO for your purpose, a mirrorless camera or a better point & shoot is the best option. They can give equally good pictures. DSLR doesn't always mean better clarity (well, most of them go for a DSLR thinking a DSLR>Point & Shoot in clarity).

 

[dhoom9]

My suggestion is, get a DSLR ONLY if you're really into photography. Only if you're interested to learn more about photography, have some time to learn it. IMO for your purpose, a mirrorless camera or a better point & shoot is the best option. They can give equally good pictures. DSLR doesn't always mean better clarity (well, most of them go for a DSLR thinking a DSLR>Point & Shoot in clarity).

@edios: If person is not into photography, why just not use your smartphone as camera. It can too shoot the photos. Basically smartphones with camera are just poor version of already poor P&S camera.

Photo clarity depends on how well subject is lit. Once there is low light, photo clarity worsens parallel to low light. This is especially true for P&S camera. As I already told before, DSLR has exceptional low-light image quality as compared to P&S camera, due to large sensor and you have control on different settings to improve quality in low light, i.e. shutter speed, iris, ISO etc. You can decide which parameter to change how much, while P&S camera does it automatic as per set algorithms & hence photo may not be as per your imagination.

BTW, P&S camera never have mirror. DSLR have mirror that flips between viewfinder & sensor, so term "Mirrorless" is coined for new breed of DSLR that don't have flipping mirror. So when you say mirrorless camera, that means DSLR.

To add further, DSLR have greater control over depth-of-field (as evident from excellent photos posted by TSIVipul), which is absolutely not with P&S camera due to small size sensor. You see photos & immediately you come to know what photographer wants to emphasize or want to highlight in the photo, i.e. 220F in 1st picture, keychain in 2nd, Motorcycle in 3rd & Royal Enfield in 4th picture. This is not possible with routine P&S camera.

Now with P&S camera, just compose the frame, half press shutter to focus & full press to take photo. You don't require any skill except to know how to best compose the frame. But with DSLR camera, there are endless possibilities, so more & much more learning & skill is required. This learning & skill is little bit eased with mirrorless (DSLR) camera. But nothing is free in this world, same goes for quality photos.

 

[350Z]

Just went to Croma sometime back to compare both the camera models (Mirrorless and DSLR) to clarify my all doubts. The main reason I considered Mirrorless was its size because of which I thought it could slip into pocket like a digital camera. But after checking one in person that certainly doesn't seems to be the case. However, it's much lighter than a DSLR but almost as wide as one. So that nearly rules out the Mirrorless since I'll anyway need to carry a separate camera bag.

Out of the plethora of options, salesperson suggested me the following cameras:

> Nikon D3100: Rs.27,110 (Includes 8 + 8 GB Cards, Tripod, Camera Bag)

> Nikon 5100: Rs.30,000 (Includes 8 + 8 GB Cards, Tripod, Camera Bag)

Of course, I'm getting much better deals online. I'd welcome suggestions on most suitable DSLR within Rs.25K - 30K considering two main requirements:

> Primarily to be used for our official reviews, event coverages and occasional wildlife / aviation photography.

> Long HD video recording is a must. I've read somewhere that Mirrorless is better in this aspect. Quoting an excerpt from this link:

Both types of cameras can handle video, but mirrorless cameras are better suited for two reasons: focus and video quality. When capturing video, DSLRs flip the viewfinder mirror up and have to use the contrast-detection focusing method, which means slower focusing, creating the familiar sharp-blurry-sharp effect in the video when the subject moves and the camera has to refocus. The Canon 70D , with phase detection on its sensor, is the one notable exception. Mirrorless cameras, by comparison, are built with focus sensors on the imaging chip, often using both phase and contrast focusing, which is quicker.

Many DSLRs also have limitations on how long they can shoot video for, often restricting clips to 10 minutes. The Nikon D3300, for instance, can shoot only 10- or 20-minute clips, depending on the quality setting used. That's either because the image sensor heats up, and you then have to let it cool, or because there is a maximum file size that the camera can store on a memory card, and it needs to stop recording to start a new file.

Mirrorless cameras are built with extra cooling to stop this overheating, and most can shoot for much longer, although some still have the file size limitation. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 can shoot videos of up to 29 minutes, for instance, as long as the video files stay smaller than 2GB in size. This might not be a concern if you are just shooting short videos or clips, but it can be a problem if you want to shoot a whole school play or similar. As in other cases, the exception is at the higher-end, simply because DSLR makers have invested more money and time in top video performance in models such as the Canon 70D and 5D Mark III. But in mainstream cameras, mirrorless models offer a better experience.

BTW Here's another extremely helpful thread on our own forum: http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...e-i-bought-sony-nex-5r-mirrorless-camera.html.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[TSIVipul]

Of course, I'm getting much better deals online. I'd welcome suggestions on most suitable DSLR within Rs.25K - 30K considering two main requirements:

> Primarily to be used for our official reviews, event coverages and occasional wildlife / aviation photography.


> Long HD video recording is a must. I've read somewhere that Mirrorless is better in this aspect. Quoting an excerpt from this link:

[thinking]well, Canon EOS 600D it is.
That camera will get you everything you want, I guess it is discontinued these days but still available online - one gem of a camera it is.

If you want ease of usage then go for Sony Alpha SLT

BTW, yesterday there were some mouth watering offers on flipkart and I took its advantage quite well

Going by your requirement, I guess even the 18-55 lens will do. Rest in case you need more zoom then get the one with double lens kit, you can get some sweet deals online for 35k.
In fact these days even Sony Alpha 58 is also available with double lens kit for 35k itself.

Here is the EOS 1100 D with double lens kit and well in your budget:
Buy Canon EOS 1100D DSLR Camera Online at Best Prices In India | Flipkart.com

Here is EOS 600D, let me be very honest and clear, this one will come with a 18-55 lens(you can get the double kit for 40k) for the mentioned price. Looking at your requirements, I'd say that the 18-55 will do quite well for your requirement. But this camera deserves every single penny Canon asks for it.
Buy Canon EOS 600D DSLR Camera Online at Best Prices In India | Flipkart.com

Still, visit HOT once, maybe you will find sweet deals there. Either cash discount of freebies!!

 

[manojodungat]

> Nikon D3100: Rs.27,110 (Includes 8 + 8 GB Cards, Tripod, Camera Bag)

Get a Nikon D3300 instead.
You can always get a decent Zoom lens at a latter stage.

 

[350Z]

This is what I stumbled upon while browsing Nikon India website.

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Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[dhoom9]

> Long HD video recording is a must. I've read somewhere that Mirrorless is better in this aspect. Quoting an excerpt from this link

Basically you can record max. 2GB file at a time due to file system (FAT32) limitation. So at the best quality High 1080p60 setting a 10 Minute clip will take up around 2GB and if you reduce the quality to Normal that extends to 20 minutes.

 

[edios]

Basically you can record max. 2GB file at a time due to file system (FAT32) limitation. So at the best quality High 1080p60 setting a 10 Minute clip will take up around 2GB and if you reduce the quality to Normal that extends to 20 minutes.

AFAIK, FAT32 limit is 4GB.

 

[350Z]

I've shortlisted Nikon D3200 and D5100. I'm inclined towards the latter though. I'll place an order once I find a suitable deal. Thanks for all the help and support.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[edios]

I've shortlisted Nikon D3200 and D5100. I'm inclined towards the latter though. I'll place an order once I find a suitable deal. Thanks for all the help and support.

Drive Safe,
350Z

Try to get D5200 please, it's a real bang for buck model.

 

[350Z]

Try to get D5200 please, it's a real bang for buck model.

I'd love to but I'm unable to find a deal below 30K. The D5100 turns out to be around Rs.24K. Can Nikon users shed light on warranty issues if purchased online?

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[dhoom9]

I'd love to but I'm unable to find a deal below 30K. The D5100 turns out to be around Rs.24K. Can Nikon users shed light on warranty issues if purchased online?

With due respect to your & others decision, I would like to ask how is warranty experience in India when it come to electronic items. Warranty is for manufacturing defect only for limited period & any item malfunctioning is always handling or electricity / charging problem as far as dealer point of view. I had majority electronics purchased from US but few from India with bill & warranty. With very few problems occurred, items purchased in US were so cheap that repairing charges from ASS in India were offset in cheap price, & items purchased in India were never considered in warranty, always considered due to factors not covered in warranty, & so always repair bills were paid by me.

So for me, if price difference between online firms & local dealers is sizeable, I go for online purchase & try my luck. Just my two cents.

 

[350Z]

Placed an order on Flipkart for D5100 yesterday and received it in less than 24 hours in a well-packaged box. Time to bring out the photographer in me.

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Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[edios]

Placed an order on Flipkart for D5100 yesterday and received it in less than 24 hours in a well-packaged box. Time to bring out the photographer in me.

View attachment 149693​

Drive Safe,
350Z

Congratulations!
How much did it cost you?