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Does Size Matter?Should you go mirrorless?

Doug Kayedougkaye.comdoug@rds.com

• Portfolio at DougKaye.com

• Portfolio at DougKaye.com

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• Portfolio at DougKaye.com

• Written reviews at rds.com

• Co-Host of All About the Gear

• Portfolio at DougKaye.com

• Written reviews at rds.com

• Co-Host of All About the Gear

• Frequent guest on This Week in Photo

• Portfolio at DougKaye.com

• Written reviews at rds.com

• Co-Host of All About the Gear

• Frequent guest on This Week in Photo

• Active on Google+ and Facebook

Topics• DSLR (Mirror) vs. Mirrorless

• Mirrorless History, (Dis)Advantages

• Sensor Size and Stabilization

• Field-of-View and Depth-of-Field

• Auto- and Manual Focus

• LCDs and Viewfinders

• Lenses, Diffraction and Adaptors

• The Best Camera

Does Size Matter?

The Acronyms

• DSLR: Digital Single-Lens Reflex

• MILC: Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera

• APS-C: ~1.5x Crop-Factor Sensor Size

• MFT: Micro Four-Thirds

• LCD: Liquid Crystal Display (rear)

• OVF: Optical Viewfinder

• EVF: Electronic Viewfinder

MILCs

• Mirrorless

• Interchangeable Lens

• Autofocus

• Electronic Viewfinder

Who’s Who

• The Old Guard

• Nikon & Canon

• The Upstarts

• Sony & Fujifilm (Full-Frame and APS-C)

• Olympus & Panasonic/Lumix (MFT)

• Leica? Samsung? iPhone?

Leica M (typ 240)

Full Frame24MP

$7,000without EVF

Manual Focus Only

Samsung NX30

APS-C20MP

$1,000

iPhone 5S

1/3” Sensor8MP

Fixed f/2.2 Lens$199

w/2-Year Plan

DSLR vs. Mirrorless

MILC History

Epson/Cosina R-D1

RangefinderAPS-C

6MP2004

Leica M8

Rangefinder1.33x Crop

10MP2006

Panasonic/Lumix G1

LCD & EVFMFT

12MP2008

Leica M9

RangefinderFull Frame

18.5MP2009

Sony NEX-5

LCDAPS-C

14.2MP2010

Fujifilm X-Pro1

16MP X-TransOVF+EVF

APS-C2012

Olympus OM-D E-M1

EVFMFT

16MP2013

Sony a7 (a7R)

EVFFull Frame

24MP (36MP)2013

MILC Advantages

• Smaller & Lighter

• Simpler & Less Expensive

• EVF vs. OVF

• Always in LiveView Mode (WYSIWYG)

• Accurate Autofocus

• Quieter & Less Vibration

• Simpler Wide-Angle Lens Designs

• Compatible w/Other Lens Mounts

MILC Disadvantages

• EVF vs. OVF?

• Autofocus Speed

• Lack of Accessories

• Diffraction (until the full-frame a7 & a7r)

• Legacy Wide-Angle Lens Issues

Sensor Size

• Full 35mm Frame (FF): 1x

• APS-C: 1.5x

• MFT: 2x

Pixel Size

• Larger Pixels Capture More Light

• Higher ISO, Lower Noise

• Broader Dynamic Range

• 16MP APS-C = 36MP Full Frame

• 16MP MFT = 64MP Full Frame

Field of View (FoV)

• Smaller sensors just crop the image.

• To get the same FoV, use a shorter lens.

• eg: 25mm on MFT = FoV of 50mm on FF

Depth of Field (DoF)

• Assuming the same aperture,Shorter Lens = Greater Depth-of-Field.

• DoF is determined strictly by the relationship of focal length and aperture.

• Regardless of sensor size!

Equivalent FoV & DoF

• 50mm on FF = 25mm on MFT (Similar FoV)

• But 25mm has greater DoF!

• Use wider aperture to get the same DoF.

• 50mm f/8 on FF = 25mm f/4 on MFT(Similar FoV and DoF)

• Two f/stop for MFT

• One f/stop for APS-C

Smaller-Sensor Implications

• Use shorter focal lengths (Preserve FoV).

• Use wider apertures (Preserve DoF).

• You can use lower ISOs.

• But you need faster lenses.

• Prime lenses become more important.

• You need faster shutters or ND filters.

Anti-Aliasing(Low-Pass) Filters

• Reduces Moiré

• Important for Video

• Cameras Without an AA Filter...

• Sony a7R

• Olympus OM-D E-M1

• Fujifilm (all)

Shutters

• Leaf

• Focal Plane (Front & Rear Curtain)

• Electronic

Autofocus Technologies

• Contrast (LiveView & Early MILCs)

• DSLRs (Dedicated A/F Sensors)

• Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)

• Cross-Point PDAF

• Hybrid Autofocus (Pixel Stealing)

• Canon’s Dual-Pixel Sensors

Contrast Autofocus

Autofocus Technologies

• Contrast (LiveView & Early MILCs)

• DSLRs (Dedicated A/F Sensors)

• Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)

• Cross-Point PDAF

• Hybrid Autofocus (Pixel Stealing)

• Canon’s Dual-Pixel Sensors

DSLR Autofocus

DSLR Autofocus

Autofocus Technologies

• Contrast (LiveView & Early MILCs)

• DSLRs (Dedicated A/F Sensors)

• Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)

• Cross-Point PDAF

• Hybrid Autofocus (Pixel Stealing)

• Canon’s Dual-Pixel Sensors

Phase Detection Autofocus

Autofocus Technologies

• Contrast (LiveView & Early MILCs)

• DSLRs (Dedicated A/F Sensors)

• Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)

• Cross-Type PDAF

• Hybrid Autofocus (Pixel Stealing)

• Canon’s Dual-Pixel Sensors

Cross-Type PDAF

Autofocus Comparisons

• DSLR w/PDAF

• Fast, but inaccuracies due to mis-alignment

• Contrast

• Slow and hunts, but very accurate

Autofocus Technologies

• Contrast (LiveView & Early MILCs)

• DSLRs (Dedicated A/F Sensors)

• Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)

• Cross-Point PDAF

• Hybrid Autofocus (Pixel Stealing)

• Canon’s Dual-Pixel Sensors

Hybrid Autofocus

• “Pixel Stealing”

• Introduced with Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5

• Now Used by Most MILCs

• Notable Exception: Sony a7R

Canon’s Dual-Pixels

Autofocus Comparisons

• DSLR w/PDAF

• Fast, but inaccuracies due to mis-alignment

• Contrast

• Slow and hunts, but very accurate

• Hybrid

• Fast and accurate, but uses sensor area

Manual Focus

• (Almost) Always Required with Adaptors

Focus Peaking

EVF DoF Scale

Image Stabilization

• In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS)

• Olympus

• In-Lens Stabilization

• Sony

• Panasonic/Lumix

• Fujifilm

Rear LCDs

• Tilting

• Fully Articulating

• Touch-Sensitive

Tilting LCD

Articulating LCD

Tilting LCDs

• Sony NEX-5, -6, -7, A5000, A6000, a7, a7R

• Olympus OM-D E-M5 and E-M1

• Fujifilm X-T1

• Panasonic/Lumix GX7 (Fully Articulated)

Touch-Screen LCDs

• Panasonic/Lumix GX7

• Olympus OM-D EM-1 and EM-5

• Sony NEX-3, NEX-5 (A5000)

Lenses

• Larger Sensors → Larger Lenses

• Smaller Sensors → Faster Lenses

• MFT (Olympus & Lumix): Largest Selection

• APS-C (Sony & Fujifilm): Decent Selection

• Full Frame (Sony): Weak Selection

• Solution: Legacy Lenses via Adaptors

Why Lens Adaptors Work

• MILCs have no mirrors!

• Shorter flange-to-sensor distance

• Sony a7 and a7R Are “Universal”.Use Canon, Nikon and Leica lenses.Problems with focal lengths <28mm.

Which Lens Adaptors

• Passive: No Autofocus or Data Exchange

• Active (eg, Sony A- to E-Mount)

• Close-Focus Adaptors

• Some Support Manual Aperture Control

• $20 or $300+?

Passive Adaptor$20-$300

Close-Focus Adaptor$310

Active AdaptorSony A- to E-Mount

$350

Lens Adaptor Problems

• Vignetting

• Planarity

• Past-Infinity Focusing

• Autofocus

• Aperture Control & Awareness

• EXIF Data & Lens Identification

• Magenta Color Smearing

Magenta Smearing

Lens-Cast Removers

• CornerFix

• Standalone DNG Processor

• Adobe Labs Flat Field Plugin

• For Lightroom

Wide-Angle Lenses

Diffraction

• Relationship of Aperture and Pixel Pitch

• NOT a Lens-Quality Issue!

• 24 MP FF: Visible at f/11

• 36MP FF: Visible at f/8

• 16MP APS-C: Visible at f/8

• 24MP APS-C: Visible at f/5.6

• 16MP MFT: Visible at f/5.6

Video

• Use Cameras with AA/Low-Pass Filter

• Sony NEX-5, -6, -7, A5000, A6000 and a7

• Olympus OM-D E-M5

• Panasonic/Lumix GX7

• Fujifilm Cameras Don’t Need One

• Avoid:

• Sony a7R, Olympus OM-D E-M1

WiFi & Mobile Apps

• Olympus OM-D E-M1 (not E-M5)

• Sony a7, a7R, NEX-5, -6 (A5000, A6000)

• Panasonic/Lumix GX7

• Fujifilm X-E2 & -T1 (not X-E1 or X100S)

• Some have NFC for easy Android setup

Installable Apps

• Sony a7, a7R, NEX-5, -6 (A5000, A6000)

• Time Lapse, Stop Motion, Multiple Exposure

• Lens Compensation

• Remote Control

• Picture Effects, Editing

• Social Media Uploads (Flickr)

The Best Camera?

The Best Camera?

is the one that comes out right after you buy something else.

...Doug Kaye

Today’s Hottest MILCs

• Full Frame

• Sony a7, a7R

• APS-C

• Fujifilm X-T1, X-E2

• Sony NEX-5, NEX-6 (A5000, A6000)

• MFT

• Olympus OM-D E-M1 and -M5

• Panasonic/Lumix GX7

Micro Four-Thirds

• Panasonic/Lumix

• GX7

• GM1

• Olympus

• OM-D E-M5

• OM-D E-M1

Panasonic Lumix GM1

MFT16MP$750

w/Lens

Panasonic Lumix GX7

MFT16MP$750

Olympus OM-D E-M5

MFT16MP

$1,000$752

Olympus OM-D E-M1

MFT16MP

$1,400

APS-C• Sony

• NEX-3

• NEX-5T → A5000

• NEX-6 → A6000

• NEX-7

• Fujifilm

• X-E2

• X-T1

• X100S (Fixed 23mm Lens)

Sony NEX-3

APS-C16MP

$319 w/Lens

Clearance!

Sony NEX-5T

APS-C16MP$450

Sony A5000

APS-C20MP$500

w/Lens

Sony NEX-6

APS-C16MP$600

Sony A6000

APS-C24MP$648

Replaces NEX-6Announced 8pm Tonight!

Sony NEX-7

APS-C24MP$870

Fujifilm X-E2

APS-C16MP

$1,000

Fujifilm X-T1

APS-C16MP

$1,300

Fujifilm X100S

APS-C16MP

$1,300w/Lens

Full Frame

• Sony

• a7 (24MP)

• a7R (36MP)

Sony a7

Full Frame24MP

$1,700

Sony a7R

Full Frame36MP

$2,300

Non-Interchangeable Mirrorless Cameras

• Full Frame

• Sony RX1R

• APS-C

• Fujifilm X100s

• Point-and-Shoot (Smaller Sensors)

• Sony RX100 II

Small-Camera Tips

• Use wider-angle lenses (FoV)

• Use larger apertures (DoF)

• Avoid small apertures (Diffraction)

• Use prime lenses

• Carry two (!) spare batteries

How to Choose?

1. Lenses? (Your most important decision!)

2. Need DSLR-speed autofocus?

3. Shallow DoF or low light?

4. Large prints?

5. Best walkaround camera?

Lenses

• Olympus or Panasonic/Lumix (MFT) for broadest native lens selection

• Fujifilm X-T1, X-E2 and Sony APS-C for great Zeiss lenses

• Sony a7 and a7R for 3rd-party primes via adaptors

Autofocus Speed

• Olympus OM-D E-M1 is currently the fastest autofocusing mirrorless camera.

• Fujifilm claims the X-T1 is faster, but I haven’t tested it yet.

• Sony A6000 should be good, too.

Shallow DoF,Low Light or Large Prints?

• Sony a7 for handheld

• Sony a7R for tripod

Walkaround Camera?

• Fujifilm X100S

The Bad News

• Panasonic, Fujifilm, Olympus camera divisions all losing money

• Sales of once promising “mirrorless” format devices are sputtering

• Consumers prioritising connectivity to social networks

...Reuters

More Bad News

• Compact camera sales to drop more than 40% in 2014 (IDC)

• Panasonic’s overall camera sales dropped 40% in April-September 2013. They have until March 2016 to become profitable, or else!

• Olympus’ 2011 scandal: hid losses for years.

• Nikon, Canon & Sony >60% market share.

The Future?

• Panasonic and Olympus (ie, MFT) are shaky.

• Sony is getting out of TVs and computers.

• Sony acquired 11.5% of Olympus ($645 million)

• Sony makes sensors for Olympus, Nikon & Fuji

doug@rds.com

DougKaye.com

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