Print
Technically, most point-and-shoot cameras are “mirrorless,” but the moniker seems to have stuck to cameras with (mostly) larger sensors and the capability to swap lenses. Panasonic and Olympus tried to establish a standard with Micro Four Thirds (a sensor format that’s about 40 percent smaller than APS-size sensors but much larger than most point-and-shoot cameras), but Sony and Samsung rained on their parade, coming out with different formats.
Are mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses, like the Panasonic GF2, the future of high-end photography or just a gateway drug to real SLRs?
The Panasonic GF2 is a Micro Four Thirds camera; its shape is reminiscent of the rangefinder film cameras popular in the 1960s. It lacks a viewfinder, but an electronic viewfinder can be attached to the hotshoe. It shoots video at full 1080/30 (saved as 1080i) and 720/60 formats in AVCHD mode, just like a camcorder.
It handles much like a point-and-shoot, but you can swap out lenses. Panasonic and Olympus make a variety of lenses that can mount on each other’s Micro Four Thirds bodies. The Panasonic GF2 isn’t much bigger than some point-and-shoots, though it’s not something you can tuck into a shirt pocket. Panasonic also makes the more SLR-like GH3, which offers greater control and capability.
The smaller sensor size relative to an SLR does mean that low-light performance is limited. While the GF2 is capable of going to ISO 6400, anything above 1600 is a noisy mess.
Still, there’s something compelling about these smaller cameras that allow you to swap out lenses. Available lenses include primes as fast as f/1.4, zooms out to 300mm (effectively 600mm, due to the 2x crop factor), and even wide zooms (7–14mm, roughly equivalent to 14–28mm full frame). They look cool, can shoot great photos with good light, and the lenses allow excellent shooting flexibility. It’s very possible that a mirrorless design will be your future camera of choice over an SLR.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF YOUR HARDWARE
Gavin Farrington
Professional Photographer
Tip 1 - Photography is all about light, so start paying attention to it even when you aren't taking pictures. Observe the light around you and the way it interacts with subjects and environments. Quantity of light does not equal quality of light. Cameras do not have the benefit of bi-optic sight like our eyes, so shadow and highlight are your go-to tools for communicating shape and depth. Typical on-camera flash is unflattering partly because it strips the shadows and thus the shape and depth from your subjects.
Tip 2 - Don’t be afraid to push into the high ISOs instead of using your flash. Modern cameras, especially full-frame models, capture phenomenal images in low light. It's better to deal with a little sensor noise in your post-processing than to lose the shot completely to motion blur.
Tip 3 - Don't assume that upgrading the camera will improve your photography. Before buying a new body, have a list of three or four specific problems that an upgrade would solve over your current gear. If you purchased a DSLR during the last four to five years, chances are you have plenty of resolution. "More megapixels" is rarely a good reason to upgrade. If you have money to spend, first consider a new lens, or challenge yourself with off-camera lighting.
Tip 4 - Dump that kit zoom lens. In addition to having a better grasp of light, you'll also want to improve your compositions. Abandoning zooms will force you to think a lot harder about what you're doing—what you include in the frame, and what you don't. There's a time and place for zooms (on a full-frame body start with a 50mm prime, for example, or on a crop-frame body start with a 35mm prime, which on most brands will get you close to a 50mm equivalent field of view), but they won't train you to be thoughtful about your compositions the way a fixed focal–length lens or prime lens will. Even the cheapest prime lenses will offer significantly better image quality than a consumer zoom and are typically “faster” too, allowing more light into the camera.
Tip 5 - To avoid camera shake, the golden rule for people with steady hands is a shutter speed of 1/10 of a second per mm of focal length. On a 35mm-equivalent FOV, 1/35 of a second is the lowest practical handheld shutter speed. At 200mm, 1/200 is your lowest practical shutter. Again, this rule only applies to hand-shake. If your subject is moving, the rules change depending on how fast they are. I find when shooting weddings (humans moving normally about a room) at 50mm that 1/125 is the slowest I can get away with and still keep the majority of my frames sharp. Hold the camera in tight and close to your body. The closer it is to your core, the more you can use yourself as a brace. Don’t try to use live view unless you are stabilizing the camera or shooting with very high shutter speeds.
Final Thought - A camera is not a human eye. It “sees” light very differently. The human eye is truly an impressive instrument; next to it a camera is terribly limited. Wielding a camera skillfully is about understanding its limitations and learning to work around them, or even better, turning them to your advantage.
Gavin Farrington (www.gavinfarrington.com) is a professional photographer and longtime reader of Maximum PC magazine.
Comments are closed on this article
GavinFarrington...
September 21, 2011 at 5:49pm
Hey all. Thank you for the positive responses to this article! I loved being able to contribute with some tips. There's so much more I would have loved to share, but unfortunately we had a 500 word limit to work with. I invite anyone with further questions to find me on facebook and post questions to my fan page or Google+ profile, I'm more than happy to help!
http://www.facebook.com/gavinfarringtonphotography
IamPain
August 24, 2011 at 2:25pm
I love this review because i'm new to photography and looking to buy a DSLR camera soon. Would it be possible to review Compact DSLR cameras as well? Like the Sony Nex-5N, Nex-C3, Nex-5 or Olympus and Lumix. I heard micro 4/3 can deliver DSLR quality photos with point and shoot size.
sdcat
August 24, 2011 at 2:18pm
I am one of those people started using digital camera since the late 90s from school made by apple. I didn't own one until the yr of 2k. I still remember it was Fuji Finepix 1300, a point and shoot dummy camera with 3x optical zoom.
I played all the features in there, reading books and numerious articles on taking pictures learning what fuction is for what and experimenting them. Learning the limitation of it and take great pictures. It only lasts for about 3-4 years.
Guess what, I still felt there are still things I haven't learned and learned enough from that camera would you believe that?
This article is pretty good, short but pretty focued(still too brief though). Reading the camera review is the least priority, reading, learning and understand how to take good pictures is the most essential.
Any camera in your hand, you are able to shoot good pictures.
Nikiaf
August 22, 2011 at 5:15pm
DSLR's are great but I find that the cost is very prohibitive. I find it hard to justify spending $600+ on something that tends to only come out of the case at special events and such. That being said, finding the older Nikon D3000 for under $400 was a steal in my books. All it really lacks is the HD video capture, but other than that takes great pictures for me. This camera is definitely a good option for anyone on the fence about the concept of the DSLR since for this price it's hard to argue.
US_Ranger
August 22, 2011 at 3:30pm
I actually have to comment that other people are commenting about this not having to do with PC's. Give it a rest you disappointed geeks. Cameras can be hooked up to a computer, software can be used to improve/change pictures, SD cards have ratings that are PC compatible. This is like saying an article on a good car stereo has nothing to do with a car magazine. You don't need a stereo in a car just like you don't need a camera to use a PC. However, they go very well together and there are a lot of us out there who enjoy reading about both and figuring out a good way to use our PC's to further a side hobby such as photography.
tornato7
August 22, 2011 at 3:13pm
I don't care that this has little to do with PCs, as all PC users use cameras. I recently got a D5100, it has the same image sensor and stuff as the D7000, but it's cheaper and takes great video.
MrHasselblad
August 22, 2011 at 3:12pm
My perspective added to this article; as a full time career professional photographer, weather looking for a fist time camera of this type or even for use as a professional...
To add to the sensor size comments... Preferably go with full frame - if it is within ones budget. It makes for considerably better wider angle pics as captured by both the optics and also the sensor. The main advantage to a non-full frame sensor is for pics taken from a distance further away.
Also consider... How the camera stores the images; as in what types of files. It's best to go with a camera that can reocrd those files under a RAW (mostly uncompressed) file.
Also strongly consider the availability of lens and flash units
PeterJ
August 22, 2011 at 3:03pm
This is a very written article and one to which I will direct people who often ask me why I carry a DSLR. I tend to carry a small point and shoot with me at all times, and the DSLR when I intend to take more serious photographs especially ones in low light where the extra sensor size allows me to avoid the use of flash.
I oscillate between Canon and Nikon but usually end up with Canon because of my past investment in Canon lenses. It is usefult to point out that once you are hooked, the lenses become the driving force in the body choice since, in general, there is not that much to choose between Nikon and Canon bodies (handling is the one most cited, however I am sure there are lot of people out there who would defend one over the other with some vehemence). Once you have a lot of money invested in the "glass" you will tend to stick with a compatible body, so be careful where you start.
I agree with your choice of the Nikon D7000, even though I have the Canon 60D (it was my prior investment in lenses that made the choice for me), although I really did not like the handling of the Canon T3i which you seemed to like and really liked the handling of the Nikon D3100 which you did not like. This emphasizes the need to go out try these cameras before you buy and buy the right one for you. I would guess my hands etc. are different to yours!
In conclusion I think your emphasis on the picture and not the equipment is a very good lesson for all of us. People make pictures and the choice of camera is really about one you are comfortable with and does not get in the way of you taking a great picture.
fellowleo
August 22, 2011 at 2:36pm
Saw this article in the mag and thought to myself... What does this have to do with PCs?
