Why are Mirrorless Cameras so Expensive?

Written By Ryan Mills

Mirrorless Cameras Expensive featured image

Mirrorless digital cameras are part of the rising trend of compact system cameras that start in mid-2000.

Now most major camera brands like Sony, Nikon, Canon, Panasonic, Fujifilm, Leica and Olympus have launched their own lines of  Mirrorless cameras.

It’s important to note the difference between Mirrorless cameras and DSLRs to determine which will best suit your needs.

Producing mirrorless cameras is not quite expensive. As of today, most mirrorless camera manufacturers charge heavy premiums for their camera systems, because their overall costs are high and the volume is not there yet.

Mirrorless cameras are expensive because of the high amount of technical research and development that goes into their specialized components.

Advanced sensors, camera lenses, and other important parts, which make these cameras expensive. The cost of specialized lenses for mirrorless cameras is just extreme.

Why are mirrorless cameras more expensive than DSLR?

While DSLR cameras used to be far more expensive than mirrorless cameras, the table has recently started to turn on the top models.

If you are looking for the best of the best, mirrorless cameras are going to cost more, but they also have features.

What it comes down to is that when you are looking for the best combination of performance and affordability, that’s where DSLR cameras shine today.

They are not extremely cheap but they are more affordable than comparable mirrorless cameras.

If you are buying a mirrorless it is certainly worth your money and extremely satisfactory keeping its outstanding features and technologies under consideration.

You might also be interested in our in-depth comparison Mirrorless Cameras vs. DSLRs, check it out!

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Why are Mirrorless Cameras Better?

The mirrorless camera is hence called due to the absence of a mirror and optical viewfinder in the camera’s body, and instead, the image sensor is exposed to light giving you a digital preview of the image captured on the LCD or EVF (Electronic ViewFinder).

Mirrorless cameras have the advantage of usually being lighter, more compact, faster and better for video.

What are the benefits of a Mirrorless Camera?

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Mirrorless cameras offer more image stabilization.

Lack of a mirror mechanism means mirrorless cameras offer more image stabilization, and less shaky photos, and with fewer moving parts inside, you end up with a quieter, more discreet camera. Mirrorless cameras have smaller sensor size than DSLRs.

The reasons why mirrorless came about and why the industry is going that way are numerous;

They include size, weight, image quality, revenue and more than anything else – video.

High Burst Rate

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Another advantage whilst shooting a burst in this device is that unlike the DSLRs there won’t be any blackout during burst photography.

Mirrorless offers you an exceptionally higher burst rate than the DSLR giving you the shoot you need in consecutive frames.

The technologies in cameras have completely revolutionized over a decade and the mirrorless cameras are the fruition of this revolution.

The mirrorless by all means is better than the DSLR except for the battery life it provides which is better than the battery life of a mirrorless.

Another key factor of preferring a Mirrorless camera over a DSLR is the weight and size factor.

Whatever the features may be in the end we all want something that is compact, lightweight and handy.

As the camera body of Mirrorless has removed the mirror it has ended up making the body extremely lightweight and compact as compared to a DSLR.

Many pro photographers (particularly travel and landscape photographers) have completely switched to mirrorless camera systems.

Silence

It is important to note one benefit that mirrorless cameras truly enjoy over DSLRs, and that is the silence with which they can operate.

While the electronic shutter function has limitations, the ability to shoot a mirrorless camera in complete silence (not damping sound) is a monumental advantage for the photography.

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Which are the best brands of Mirrorless Camera?

1.      Fujifilm X-S10. The X-S10 has 26 million pixels, 4K video and in-body stabilization.

2.      Olympus OM-D-E-M5 Mark III. This Pint-size powerhouse has 30fps pro capture and more.

3.      Fujifilm X-T4

4.      Nikon Z5

5.      Panasonic Lumix X5

6.      Canon EOS RP

7.      Nikon Z50

8.      Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV

Mirrorless cameras also offer a few advantages for autofocusing. One issue that has held some wildlife photographers back from switching to a mirrorless camera is the fear that there aren’t many compatible telephoto lenses.

FAQs

Do Professional Photographers use Mirrorless Cameras?

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Mirrorless cameras are being widely adopted by photographers. Mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras are quickly becoming favorite  tools of many photographers due to their combination of small size, light weight, and high image quality potential.

Professional shooters have also come to love the many added features and functionalities in these small mirrorless cameras.

The best mirrorless cameras give the professionals the convenience of shooting DSLR-quality photos.

These days, mirrorless cameras are more than capable of being part of any serious professional photographer’s arsenal.

Serious users always look for specific features that will provide creative, high-quality outputs and help them excel in their particular field.

Most professional shooters rely on different lenses to help them produce the kind of image they want.

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Therefore, it is important for them to make sure that the mirrorless camera model they have in mind has access to a wide range of compatible lenses, or at least to those that they will need for their chosen field.

Is Mirrorless the future?

The future of the camera industry is quite simple; it is Mirrorless, without a doubt.

Canon and Nikon have made a clear statement when they released the new mirrorless offerings, make no mistakes, mirrorless is here to stay and will be the choice in coming years for photographers.

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Conclusion

It can be shocking to see how expensive cameras have gotten. Still, it’s to be expected with how smartphone cameras are.

Cameras now distinguish themselves with top on the line components which aren’t cheap to develop and manufacture.

Luxury components mean luxury prices get passed to the customer at higher price points. The thing that matters more than price is value, what’s it worth to you? Knowing why a company has put its price up doesn’t change that calculus.

Regardless of price, the decision comes down to: will this new camera or lens result in more enjoyment or better quality images, to a degree that the price is worth it? As always, that is something only you can assess.

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