Top Four Reasons to Go Mirrorless with Your Yearbook Cameras

Are you considering new cameras for your yearbook program? If you answered yes, you probably have been debating between going mirrorless or getting another DSLR. Let me make it simple: GO MIRRORLESS!

When mirrorless cameras first came out, there was a lot of hesitation from photographers to make the switch since DSLR’s were still proving to be the tried and trusted option. Not only that, photographers had invested thousands of dollars into lenses and equipment specifically for the DSLR system. I remember when I bought my first mirrorless camera in 2019, I went back and forth on whether I had made the right decision. Five years later, I can’t imagine using a DSLR anymore as mirrorless cameras have overtaken DSLR cameras and have proven that they are the go-to camera of choice, not only for me but for professionals too. Just recently at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a majority if not all the cameras used by photographers were mirrorless cameras.

The question now stands, how and why did the mirrorless cameras become more popular than the DSLRs? Here are the main reasons why I recommend my staffs to make the jump to mirrorless.

Long Term Compatibility

Camera manufactures such as Nikon and Canon have started redirecting their time and resources solely into the mirrorless brand. Basic DSLR models, like the Nikon D3500 or Canon T8i, are becoming increasingly rare to find and maintenance for older models is becoming obsolete. For example, Canon has a term of service life and won’t work on devices after they reach that specific age, which means at some point, your trusty Canon Rebel DSLR will not be able to be fixed by Canon.

Size & Weight

One of my favorite things about mirrorless cameras is that they are compact and lightweight. That smaller size makes a significant difference during those long games and events. The smaller size also makes it easier to carry around, as well allows for a better grip/hold of the camera. No longer are you having to overstretch your fingers to reach the shutter and adjust settings. With the smaller size it makes it so much easier to hang onto and to carry.

Picture this: Instead of lugging around that big bulky bag with that massive 70-200mm lens that causes shoulder pain, you can easily store your mirrorless camera into a small sling or even a purse and still have space for all your essential items (cell phone, lipstick, etc).

Quiet Shutter

The quiet shutter of a mirrorless camera is a game changer in sensitive environments like theater productions and classrooms. With the absence of the mirror mechanism, you can capture all these events in silence with your mirrorless camera and get to pretend you’re a spy.

I was able to experience this firsthand at a play production at Eureka High School. I happened to be in the area for opening night, and my adviser invited me to attend and take photos. She managed to save me a seat front and center. During the entire play, I was able to take photos of the show without being a distraction to the actors or audience. It was all thanks to my trusty mirrorless! I would never have dared doing that with my DSLR.

I do want to mention though that even if you don’t have a mirrorless, this should not discourage you from attending these events. You should be capturing all events on your campus regardless of equipment. For drama productions, just be sure to reach out to the director and crew to find out when dress rehearsals are and attend those instead to photograph. You will be able to move around and maybe even get on stage to get unique and better angles, etc.

Real-Time Exposure

This was probably the second feature that truly encouraged me to make the switch to mirrorless after the size and weight. The electronic viewfinder in mirrorless camera provides a real live preview of your exposure settings. You can instantly see how your changes to shutter speeds, aperture and ISO are affecting the exposure of your photograph. I personally LOVE this feature because it allows me to modify my settings in real time and see if my photo is too bright or too dark without having to take a photo and adjust again and again.

While your electronic viewfinder may be properly exposed lighting wise, that doesn’t mean the setting you picked is correct. I always like to tell students that the technology is smart, but you are smarter. You will still need to make sure you choose the proper ISO, aperture and shutter speed for the event you’re photographing to get the best result.

For example, my image could be properly exposed, but if my shutter is set to 1/30 sec, all my photos will most likely be blurred or out of focus. Instead, my shutter should be 1/125 sec or faster if you are taking sport photos. The only time you would be using a slow shutter would be for fireworks at a game or astrophotography for a science spread. If you are doing that, you better be using a tripod and not hand holding the camera.

With all that said, if I have convinced you to go mirrorless, make sure to add those EF-RF lens mount adapters to your cart. Those will allow you to continue to use your current arsenal of lenses without having to start from scratch. This will make the transition to mirrorless cameras that much easier!

Happy shooting!