Where’s My Mirrorless Camera?
If you had asked me in 2006 what camera I would be using ten years on in 2016, I would have confidently informed you that it would be a full frame Canon DSLR. At the time I was shooting a Canon 400D, which I had thought was an interim measure pending the purchase of a 40D. At that point, the latter had not been announced, but I was certain it would be better than the 400D. In the event, it was, but not sufficiently so that I considered it a worthwhile investment. Quite unexpectedly, I kept the 400D for three and a half years. Even more unexpectedly, its successor in 2010 was another crop sensor Canon which I still use, but that’s a story for another day,
Ask me today in 2016 what camera(s) I will be shooting in six months’ time, I could not tell you with any certainty. If I had to guess, I would say that barring anything unforeseen, much the same as I am using now. And that, frankly, in the absence of any obvious solution to meet my needs is a bit of a hotch potch. Two camera bags. Three incompatible systems only one of which is complete. Other bits and pieces. A lot of money spent. And a reputation for having too much gear.
I would like to rationalise. I really would. Camera sales are falling and although over the years I have done my bit to alleviate the descent, I could have done more if only the manufacturers would produce what I really want to buy. And that is a compact and lightweight mirrorless system which is as complete and capable as my current DSLR setup but without the same weight and bulk. What I am seeing today is reminiscent of the situation I found myself in ten years ago. Except this time it is an entire industry which is failing to deliver, not just Canon.
Until recently, the problem was twofold. A complete range of lenses was lacking for any mirrorless system, although that is gradually being addressed and with the latest introductions is not the issue it once was. Then there is autofocus. It’s fine for anything static and that has been the case for the last four or five years. There is one notable exception, the X-Pro1 which was poor at its launch, but even that is good enough for most purposes as the result of the improvements made through Fuji’s frequent firmware revisions.
No, the difficulties begin once the subject starts to move. DSLRs and mirrorless cameras use completely different methods for autofocus, phase detect and contrast detect respectively. Phase detect is quick but not entirely accurate, contrast detect is slower but focus is precise once achieved. The trouble is that it is not yet quick enough to capture reliably fast moving action. The gap is closer than it was, but despite manufacturers’ claims to the contraryI have not yet seen anything which would convince me to switch and finally dump my DSLR.
Maybe as technology advances Photokina later this year will change that. The one company which could do it is Olympus as it already has a reasonable AF system. The E-M1 is due for replacement and it would be a surprise if the AF is not enhanced. It won’t be Fuji, which admitted earlier this year that it will not be until the next generation of its cameras before they will be able to match DSLR performance. Sony is another possibility, but it seems to be more committed to full frame which negates many of the weight and size advantages derived from using a smaller sensor. Perhaps Canon or Nikon will stir up the market by announcing both a definitive move away from DSLRs and a migration path for its existing customers. I am not placing any bets on that one though.
For the time being, my challenge to the industry remains and I am sure that I cannot be alone in asking. Where’s my mirrorless camera?