Which is better for video, DSLR or Mirrorless? With camera brands developing more advanced mirrorless cameras that are ranking even closer with high-end DSLR cameras, aspiring videographers have been turning to the lightweight yet powerful mirrorless cameras for their recreational and professional filmmaking needs. We’ll help you compare DSLR vs mirrorless for video to find the best mirrorless camera for video.
Size and Weight
You can carry a mirrorless camera more easily and fit more gear, such as extra lenses, into a camera bag.
Autofocus Speed
Both types offer speedy autofocus, with mirrorless cameras offering hybrid sensors that use both phase and contrast detection on the sensor.
Previewing Images
With a DSLR, the through-the-lens optical viewfinder shows you exactly what the camera will capture. With a mirrorless camera, you get a preview of the image on-screen. Some mirrorless cameras, like the Fujifilm X-T2, offer an electronic viewfinder (EVF) that simulates the optical viewfinder. So, if you’re shooting mostly in good light, both types will perform well. For many situations, both types of cameras provide you with very capable viewfinders. In low-light shooting, each type has advantages and disadvantages.
Image Stabilization
Shaky hands make for blurry pictures, and the effects are magnified the longer your shutter speed, or the more you zoom in. Both DSLR and mirrorless cameras offer image-stabilization systems. Mirrorless cameras such as the Sony a7 Mark II from Buydig.com offers 5-axis image stabilization, which is a feature not found on DSLRs yet. However, image stabilization technology is largely equivalent in both camera types.
Image Quality
Several mirrorless camera makers, such as those from Sony, now use the same APS-C sensors found in the majority of DSLRs. With equivalent sensors and image processors, both camera types can take great photos.
Video Quality
Because of the on-chip focus sensors, higher-end mirrorless cameras are generally better suited to video shooting. Mirrorless cameras can capture 4K, or Ultra HD, video with four times the resolution of HD footage. With superior autofocus in most models, mirrorless cameras provide the best results for most filmmakers.
Lenses & Accessories
Choosing a DSLR gives you access to a plethora of lenses from a number of manufacturers, ranging from cheap and satisfactory to professional and wildly expensive. Mirrorless models are more restricted, offering access to a small number of lenses from the camera maker, though the selection is growing. Mirrorless cameras such as the Panasonic Lumix use the Micro Four Thirds sensor format and have the widest selection of mirrorless camera bodies and lenses because they have been around the longest. Sony offers more than three dozen E-mount lenses for its mirrorless cameras like the Sony a7R III. DSLRs still offer access to a wider range of lenses, but the gap between the two types is narrowing quickly as more mirrorless lenses become available. As a whole, mirrorless lenses are better optimized with their camera-body counterparts, since many older SLR lenses lack the latest technology.
When comparing DSLR vs mirrorless for video, mirrorless cameras have the advantage of usually being lighter, more compact, faster and better for video. For beginners, mirrorless cameras are often a better choice due to their more compact size and simpler controls. When it comes to mirrorless vs DSLR for video, mirrorless cameras are also more likely to have a touch screens than a similarly priced DSLR as well.
Mirrorless Cameras with 4K Video
The best mirrorless camera for 4k video is the Panasonic Lumix GH5 from Buydig.com. It’s versatile for those wanting to shoot both stills and video. The video specification is very impressive, allowing you to shoot Cinema 4K (4096 x 2160) at 60p with a bit rate of 150Mbps, while Full HD video can be captured up to 180fps. As the best mirrorless camera for 4k video, the GH5 offers color subsampling at 4:2:2 and a color depth of 10-bit, delivering greater color information and richer graduations. It also offers live output to external recorders such as Apple ProRes via HDMI, as well as simultaneous internal recording.
The Best Mirrorless Cameras for Video
The Fujifilm X-T2 is one of the top mirrorless cameras for video. The X-T2 has wonderful video recording features. Oversampling is enabled on the X-T2, which means you can record 4K videos in 5K resolution. As a high megapixel APS-C camera, you can expect it to produce pro-quality footage with exceptional detail, color, and clarity. Remember to also check the Film Emulsion Simulation feature and other presets if you’re after more creative results from this top mirrorless camera for video.
The best mirrorless camera for filmmaking is the Panasonic Lumix GH5! The Panasonic Lumix GH5 is one of the most popular and feature-packed mirrorless systems on the market. It has the ability to record true cinema 4K (4096×2160) videos at 24p, UHD 4K (3840×2160) videos at 60 fps, and full HD 1080p videos at up to 180 fps with its high-resolution 20.3-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor. Providing different viewing angles is the rear swivel screen. Enjoy other professional video features such as focus peaking, zebra exposures, waveform monitoring, high dynamic range, and even immediate slow motion playback with the best mirrorless camera for filmmaking.
The Best Budget Mirrorless Camera for Video
Are You looking for a smaller and lighter camera under $500 but want to keep the same look and feel of a DSLR? Then the Lumix G7 will feel like the perfect hybrid that lets you shoot sharp images as well as 4K videos. It features a 16MP micro four-thirds sensor and has a touchscreen. What is outstanding for this camera is the 4k Video mode. The 4K Video mode works like a charm and also features a 4K photo mode which lets you grab stills from the video very easily.
If you’re looking for an affordable mirrorless camera for video under $1000, the Canon M50 is an entry level mirrorless camera that ranks highly in features, value and portability. The autofocusing system has 143 focus points and includes Phase Detection which makes the most of its 4K video resolution for subject tracking as well as objects at the edges. It also has a built-in microphone for those videos, something many cameras in this price range do not offer. While there are only 20 native lenses for this camera, Canon makes an adapter that allows you to attach any Canon EF or EF-S lens to this camera with full functionality. That increases the universe of available lenses to about 300, even without the extensive third-party lenses available!
Whether you’re a beginner videographer or a serious enthusiast, we’re sure you’ll find a mirrorless system that will suit your budget and video recording requirements.
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