DSLR Cameras Light enters the lens, goes through the aperture, and hits a reflex mirror that's situated in front of the sensor. The mirror reflects that light up into a prism, which transmits it to the optical viewfinder. The mirror moves out of the way when the shutter is released, opening up a path to the imaging sensor for the light, resulting in the photograph. Mirrorless Cameras Mirrorless cameras do not have a mechanical mirror mechanism, or a prism. The light that comes in through the lens goes straight to the sensor, which also transmits the digital information it captures to the electronic viewfinder and the LCD screen. Both DSLR and mirrorless cameras produce exceptional, high-resolution images. The sensor size is the critical element of digital photography. Nevertheless, there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Advantages of a DSLR camera: DSLR cameras have a faster and more reliable autofocus Battery life in the best DSLR cameras is superior to their mirrorless counterparts. DSLRs take thousands of images on a single charge while mirrorless cameras take only hundreds DSLR cameras are often more affordable than equivalent mirrorless cameras DSLRs have a wider variety of lenses and other accessories The traditional viewfinder on a DSLR lets you see the image with the naked eye, rather than looking at a screen. Many photographers prefer this The optical viewfinder allows the light sensors to rest, unlike that of an always-on mirrorless camera The optical viewfinder on a DSLR works in bright sunlight, while some mirrorless display screens have problems in the sun and in low-light conditions In variable lighting conditions, the DSLR optical viewfinder ensures a properly framed picture Advantages of a Mirrorless camera: Mirrorless cameras tend to be smaller and lighter, because there is no prism, mirror or mirror-moving mechanism The best mirrorless cameras feature superior video quality Lens adapters allow mirrorless cameras to use DSLR lenses, but not vice versa. Mirrorless cameras provide quicker autofocus Mirrorless cameras offer a wider selection of water-resistant models Which type of camera is best for you depends on the typpe of photography you will be doing, keeping in mind the advantages and disadvantages of each outlined above. However, very few new DSLRs are now being produced, so in the long-term, mirrorless may well be your only option. Photography HTML & design by Bill Willis 2023