<p>Mirrorless cameras, a new product category, are smaller than DSLRs, but as good, says Molly Wood.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Shopping hopping for a camera used to be a fairly simple proposition, even just a couple of years ago. Sure, there were a lot of models, but you were either buying a cheap and compact point-and-shoot digital camera or an expensive and big digital camera with interchangeable lenses, known as a digital single-lens reflex.Now smartphone cameras are so good that point-and-shoot cameras seem almost redundant. A DSLR can make you look like a tourist, and its array of controls can be overwhelming.<br /><br />This feeling of confusion about what camera to get - or whether you even need a camera other than your phone - is contributing to flagging sales. Camera shipments across all categories (other than phones) were down 40 percent in 2013, according to the Camera and Imaging Products Association, a trade group that regularly tracks camera sales.<br /><br />Camera makers are more than aware of these changes to their industry. And they realise that a camera phone isn’t the best option for many occasions. So in recent years, they have created a new category of camera, one that offers a mix of attributes - a device that produces higher-quality pictures than a point-and-shoot while being less bulky and less expensive than most DSLR options.<br /><br />These cameras - so-called mirrorless cameras - do add another type of camera to consider. But the end result might be a camera that’s much closer to what you actually need, and therefore one you might frequently use.<br /><br />While mirrorless cameras are usually about the same size as a point-and-shoot digital camera, they’re actually closer in spirit and technology to a DSLR. First, like a DSLR, they have interchangeable lenses. They also have image sensors that are nearly the same size as those found in DSLRs and many times larger than the ones in a point-and-shoot camera.<br /><br />Image sensors, much more than megapixels, are the true path to image quality. A larger sensor means a camera is capable of much higher-quality images than compact cameras, and far better quality than camera phones. The bigger the sensor, the better the results in low-light shooting situations, and the more control you will have over depth of field. That last feature is what gives you those photos only the pros seem to pull off, where the people or objects in the front of the frame are in focus while everything behind them is pleasingly soft.<br /><br />The major difference between a mirrorless camera and a DSLR is the physical design. In a digital single-lens reflex camera, the term “reflex” refers to the fact that a mirror inside the camera reflects light from the lens to the viewfinder, so that what you are looking at actually represents how the photo will look when you take it.<br /><br />Then, when you click the shutter - that is, take a picture - the mirror moves up and reflects the light onto the image sensor to produce an accurate reproduction. (It’s more complicated than that, but that’s the gist.)<br /><br />A mirrorless camera uses an electronic viewfinder or the camera’s LCD screen to create a “live preview” of the shot, rather than a true mirror image. The previews are still pretty accurate, especially when it comes to colour, but some pros still prefer the so-called optical viewfinder on a DSLR. The mirroring system is large, so mirrorless cameras can be significantly smaller than DSLRs. They’re not as easy to slip into a pocket as a point-and-shoot because of the lens size, but they’re pretty small.<br /><br />I recently tried out the Fujifilm X-T1, a 16-megapixel mirrorless camera that is meant to be as good as a DSLR and that costs more than most low-end DSLRs and even some midrange models. It retails for $1,300 (Rs 76,921) without a lens and $1,800 (Rs 1,06,506) bundled with a Fujifilm 18-55mm lens. I found it almost too much camera for me but quite pleasant to use nonetheless.<br /><br />The camera has a retro design that puts most of the manual control dials on the top There’s something very satisfying about “dialing in” the right photo. It has a tiltable 3-inch LCD viewfinder on the back with a crisp screen that is noticeably nicer than the one on my DSLR (a Canon EOS Rebel T2i).<br /><br />The photos were amazing, as they should be for a camera at this price. But the X-T1’s auto mode shooting didn’t blow me away. I’m not a photography snob, and I know that a lot of casual photographers want a nice camera that takes great photos without all the fussing. <br /><br />The autofocus is fast, though, and the camera wasn’t stumped by low light or moving objects. The camera has a weather-resistant body and Wi-Fi, with a companion app that lets you browse and upload photos from your phone, which I love.<br /><br />But then there is the size - what is supposed to be a top selling point of a mirrorless camera. The X-T1 is barely more compact than my DSLR and only an ounce or so lighter (15.4 ounces against 16.8 ounces for the Canon).<br /><br />And even with that heft, I wasn’t impressed with the battery life. With those faults, I find the price hard to stomach.<br /><br />For a more affordable comparison, I tried the Sony Alpha NEX 5T, which was released in September 2013 and can be found online for about $550 (Rs 32,543). It lacks the panache of the X-T1, but the $1,100 (Rs 65,087) price difference makes it worth a look.<br /><br />The camera’s body is almost hilariously small: At about 4.5 inches wide and under 3 inches tall, this thing is all lens. That makes it more pocketable, but also not as rugged, so you will want to be a bit more delicate. Because of its size, you won’t need a stand-alone camera bag - I would feel comfortable putting it in a backpack as long as the lens cap was on.<br /><br />I found the focus to be fast, the image quality good and the video quality excellent. The camera has built-in Wi-Fi and near-field communication for wireless transfer to Android phones that support that technology. Unfortunately, the camera body is so small that there’s no viewfinder, and its flash, like the X-T1’s, isn’t connected - it’s an attachable add-on that’s going to be all too easy to lose.<br /><br />As a category, mirrorless cameras are certainly intriguing. The idea of DSLR-calibre photos in a compact package is a good sell, because size, weight and the need for a separate bag are the reasons my DSLR doesn’t get out of the house much.<br /><br />But if you’re going to be serious about photography and are willing to spend $1,000 (Rs 59,170) or more on a camera, a DSLR still offers the best bang for the buck and the best photo quality available.<br /></p>
<p>Mirrorless cameras, a new product category, are smaller than DSLRs, but as good, says Molly Wood.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Shopping hopping for a camera used to be a fairly simple proposition, even just a couple of years ago. Sure, there were a lot of models, but you were either buying a cheap and compact point-and-shoot digital camera or an expensive and big digital camera with interchangeable lenses, known as a digital single-lens reflex.Now smartphone cameras are so good that point-and-shoot cameras seem almost redundant. A DSLR can make you look like a tourist, and its array of controls can be overwhelming.<br /><br />This feeling of confusion about what camera to get - or whether you even need a camera other than your phone - is contributing to flagging sales. Camera shipments across all categories (other than phones) were down 40 percent in 2013, according to the Camera and Imaging Products Association, a trade group that regularly tracks camera sales.<br /><br />Camera makers are more than aware of these changes to their industry. And they realise that a camera phone isn’t the best option for many occasions. So in recent years, they have created a new category of camera, one that offers a mix of attributes - a device that produces higher-quality pictures than a point-and-shoot while being less bulky and less expensive than most DSLR options.<br /><br />These cameras - so-called mirrorless cameras - do add another type of camera to consider. But the end result might be a camera that’s much closer to what you actually need, and therefore one you might frequently use.<br /><br />While mirrorless cameras are usually about the same size as a point-and-shoot digital camera, they’re actually closer in spirit and technology to a DSLR. First, like a DSLR, they have interchangeable lenses. They also have image sensors that are nearly the same size as those found in DSLRs and many times larger than the ones in a point-and-shoot camera.<br /><br />Image sensors, much more than megapixels, are the true path to image quality. A larger sensor means a camera is capable of much higher-quality images than compact cameras, and far better quality than camera phones. The bigger the sensor, the better the results in low-light shooting situations, and the more control you will have over depth of field. That last feature is what gives you those photos only the pros seem to pull off, where the people or objects in the front of the frame are in focus while everything behind them is pleasingly soft.<br /><br />The major difference between a mirrorless camera and a DSLR is the physical design. In a digital single-lens reflex camera, the term “reflex” refers to the fact that a mirror inside the camera reflects light from the lens to the viewfinder, so that what you are looking at actually represents how the photo will look when you take it.<br /><br />Then, when you click the shutter - that is, take a picture - the mirror moves up and reflects the light onto the image sensor to produce an accurate reproduction. (It’s more complicated than that, but that’s the gist.)<br /><br />A mirrorless camera uses an electronic viewfinder or the camera’s LCD screen to create a “live preview” of the shot, rather than a true mirror image. The previews are still pretty accurate, especially when it comes to colour, but some pros still prefer the so-called optical viewfinder on a DSLR. The mirroring system is large, so mirrorless cameras can be significantly smaller than DSLRs. They’re not as easy to slip into a pocket as a point-and-shoot because of the lens size, but they’re pretty small.<br /><br />I recently tried out the Fujifilm X-T1, a 16-megapixel mirrorless camera that is meant to be as good as a DSLR and that costs more than most low-end DSLRs and even some midrange models. It retails for $1,300 (Rs 76,921) without a lens and $1,800 (Rs 1,06,506) bundled with a Fujifilm 18-55mm lens. I found it almost too much camera for me but quite pleasant to use nonetheless.<br /><br />The camera has a retro design that puts most of the manual control dials on the top There’s something very satisfying about “dialing in” the right photo. It has a tiltable 3-inch LCD viewfinder on the back with a crisp screen that is noticeably nicer than the one on my DSLR (a Canon EOS Rebel T2i).<br /><br />The photos were amazing, as they should be for a camera at this price. But the X-T1’s auto mode shooting didn’t blow me away. I’m not a photography snob, and I know that a lot of casual photographers want a nice camera that takes great photos without all the fussing. <br /><br />The autofocus is fast, though, and the camera wasn’t stumped by low light or moving objects. The camera has a weather-resistant body and Wi-Fi, with a companion app that lets you browse and upload photos from your phone, which I love.<br /><br />But then there is the size - what is supposed to be a top selling point of a mirrorless camera. The X-T1 is barely more compact than my DSLR and only an ounce or so lighter (15.4 ounces against 16.8 ounces for the Canon).<br /><br />And even with that heft, I wasn’t impressed with the battery life. With those faults, I find the price hard to stomach.<br /><br />For a more affordable comparison, I tried the Sony Alpha NEX 5T, which was released in September 2013 and can be found online for about $550 (Rs 32,543). It lacks the panache of the X-T1, but the $1,100 (Rs 65,087) price difference makes it worth a look.<br /><br />The camera’s body is almost hilariously small: At about 4.5 inches wide and under 3 inches tall, this thing is all lens. That makes it more pocketable, but also not as rugged, so you will want to be a bit more delicate. Because of its size, you won’t need a stand-alone camera bag - I would feel comfortable putting it in a backpack as long as the lens cap was on.<br /><br />I found the focus to be fast, the image quality good and the video quality excellent. The camera has built-in Wi-Fi and near-field communication for wireless transfer to Android phones that support that technology. Unfortunately, the camera body is so small that there’s no viewfinder, and its flash, like the X-T1’s, isn’t connected - it’s an attachable add-on that’s going to be all too easy to lose.<br /><br />As a category, mirrorless cameras are certainly intriguing. The idea of DSLR-calibre photos in a compact package is a good sell, because size, weight and the need for a separate bag are the reasons my DSLR doesn’t get out of the house much.<br /><br />But if you’re going to be serious about photography and are willing to spend $1,000 (Rs 59,170) or more on a camera, a DSLR still offers the best bang for the buck and the best photo quality available.<br /></p>
