DSLR vs mirrorless

Optical vs electronic viewfinders: which is better?

DSLRs have optical viewfinders, which some photographers prefer using because they give you a direct connection with the scene. In the past, the electronic viewfinders (EVFs) used on mirrorless cameras have suffered from shortcomings such as lag, but they are getting better and better – the latest EOS R System cameras have EVFs with high refresh rates of up to 120fps, meaning virtually no perceptible lag – and they have their advantages too.

In particular, if you’re using an EOS R System camera, Exposure Simulation makes it possible to preview the image with your exposure, Picture Style and other settings applied, both in the viewfinder and on the rear LCD screen. On a DSLR, Exposure Simulation works when you use the rear screen in Live View mode, but not in the viewfinder. With an EVF, you can also compose your shot and focus in low-light conditions too dark to see with the naked eye through an optical viewfinder. When you’re shooting video, the EVF in EOS R System cameras offers the same manual focus assist display as Canon’s professional Cinema EOS cameras.

Wildlife photographer Dani Connor, who used the EOS R7 on a trip in search of the endangered Iberian lynx, found that working with an electronic viewfinder completely transformed her photography.

“With a DSLR viewfinder, it’s often easier to take a test shot and check the image on the rear screen before deciding what settings to change,” she says. “But with a mirrorless camera, it’s so useful to see the effect that a change in settings has without having to take my eye from the viewfinder.

“If I need to react quickly when photographing wildlife, or maybe the light is constantly changing, I can quickly adjust my ISO or my shutter speed and I can see what my photo will look like.”