Camera
What to know before buying your first interchangeable lens digital camera
Why would I buy an interchangeable lens camera?
Now that the cameras in smartphones have become so good, the question ‘why should I buy an interchangeable lens camera (ILC)’ ends up being very similar to the question ‘why would I buy a dedicated camera at all?’ We believe there are plenty of good reasons to buy an ILC, whether it’s a DSLR or a mirrorless camera.
The most significant of these reasons is image quality. Interchangeable lens cameras are often capable of producing better image quality, in a wider range of situations than smartphones can, so if you want your photos to look as good as possible, a dedicated camera can help.
Mirrorless or DSLR? Which is right for you? |
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The other benefit is that ILCs tend to give you a lot more control over your photographs. Smartphones do a great job of making the difficult decisions for you, but a dedicated camera lets you creatively engage with the process. Dedicated controls can help you enjoy the experience of taking photographs, as well delivering great end results.
Finally, the ability to switch lenses lets you create a camera + lens combination that’s perfect for taking the types of photo you want to take. Whereas a smartphone, even one with multiple cameras, tries to do a bit of everything, an ILC with the right lens can let you explore a world of close-up, wide-angle or sports photography that a phone can’t match.
So what are the most important things to consider when buying an ILC?
Sensor
The size of a camera’s sensor is one of the biggest factors determining the image quality it is capable of. Larger sensors can gather more light, which gives cleaner images and they often have higher pixel counts, giving more detail. But cameras with larger sensors also tend to be more expensive and the lenses required to give that improved image quality are larger than those of smaller sensor cameras.
The three most common sensor formats are Four Thirds, APS-C and Full Frame. Full frame is more likely to allow you to blur the background of your images, and provide clearer images in low light conditions, but by the time you’ve bought lenses, it can get quite big and expensive. For travel and hiking or for photography requiring long lenses, the smaller formats offer distinct advantages in terms of price and portability.
Lens system
What about DSLRs?DSLRs use a mirror to direct light into an optical viewfinder, letting you preview the scene directly through the lens. Some people prefer this true-to-nature view or appreciate the lack of lag/delay when shooting fast-moving subjects. Decades of development mean the DSLR autofocus systems can be very good, and there are a lot of lenses (including second-hand options) available. However, most camera makers are now focused on mirrorless cameras, which are generally smaller, better suited to video capture, so that’s where all the innovation in autofocus is occurring and where the newest/best lenses are appearing. |
Almost all camera makers use their own unique lens mount, which isn’t compatible with lenses for other systems. The camera makers also have a degree of control over which other companies can produce lenses for their systems, which means some systems have more lenses available for them than others.
Mirrorless ILCs, which don’t have the mirrors and optical viewfinders found in DSLRs are increasingly popular, but some of these systems are relatively new. This means their lens ranges aren’t yet as extensive as those of the older DSLR systems.
In addition to choosing a camera, consider whether the lenses you’ll want in the future are available. The system with the most lenses isn’t automatically the best for you: it’s more a question of whether a system offers the types of lenses you want and whether they’re reasonably priced.
Speed
Many mirrorless models can shoot bursts of photos at over 10 frames per second: a rate that, just a few years ago, was the preserve of professional sports photographers. Speeds around this number are becoming increasingly common, even in more affordable models, but it’s still worth noting the maximum frame rate and whether there are any restrictions (such as the forced use of electronic shutter) if you plan to shoot sports or fast-moving subjects.
If shooting sports is your priority, it’s also worth researching how big the camera’s buffer is, which refers to how many images the camera can capture before it has to slow down the shooting rate. Generally, more expensive models have larger buffers, and can keep shooting fast for longer.
Autofocus
Most modern cameras (mirrorless and DSLR) have autofocus systems that can measure the distance to the subject, allowing rapid refocusing on moving subjects. These systems can focus anywhere across the image, rather than being limited to a small number of points, near the center, as is the case in DSLRs.
The latest mirrorless cameras have autofocus systems that can automatically find and focus on human eyes, and the best of these are reliable enough that you rarely have to think about focus. Subject tracking systems have also become very sophisticated and can follow a specified subject as it moves, without you needing to do very much.
Autofocus systems that have been trained to recognize specific types of subject (humans, cars, dogs, cats, birds) are becoming more common, which means you can concentrate on picking the perfect moment to take your shot, rather than worrying if the camera will be focused on the right place. There’s an appreciable gap between the best and worst performers, though, so it’s worth reading some reviews to see which cameras live up to their makers’ promises.
Direct control
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Less expensive cameras in each brand’s range are often aimed at less experienced photographers and tend to offer fewer buttons and control dials for quickly changing camera settings. This is great if you don’t want to learn the technicalities of photography, but may be limiting if you want a camera you can grow into as you become more knowledgeable and more confident.
More controls often make it easier to get the camera to adapt the exact demands of the types of photograph you want to take, they can also make you feel more like you’re playing an active role in the photographs you’re taking. But, of course, you’ll need to learn what each of them does, first.
Image stabilization
A lot of interchangeable lens cameras are able to monitor how they’re being held, and then move their imaging sensors to correct for any movement resulting from shake. This is especially useful when using photographing things a long distance away or in low light, where longer exposures increase the risk of camera shake. Image stabilization is also valuable when shooting video, helping to avoid distracting shake.
Some cameras don’t include any in-body stabilization, meaning that if you want to correct for vibration, you’d have to use lenses with their own stabilization systems (or invest in an external support, like a tripod). Cameras with in-body stabilization can usually correct for more types of motion and mean you get correction regardless of which lenses you use meaning that, for most people, it’s a feature worth paying a bit extra to gain. The most effective inbuilt stabilization systems can use in-body and in-lens corrections collaboratively. Standardized ‘CIPA’ effectiveness ratings give an impression of how well one system works compared with the others, but shouldn’t be taken as definitive assessments.
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| Nearly all new cameras include Wi-Fi to let you send images across to your smartphone. They’re generally pretty good once you’ve paired the two devices and got used to the way each brand’s app works. The best systems use Bluetooth to keep the devices paired, which reduces the number of manual steps needed for each transfer |
Viewfinder / Display
Most mirrorless cameras have an electronic viewfinder, which is useful for previewing the scene when the conditions are too bright to see the rear screen. They also encourage holding the camera up to your face, which is a good way to hold the camera steady, while you’re shooting. Higher resolution finders make it easier to see what the final image will look like, and faster refresh rates (measured in Hz or frames-per-second) make it easier to follow fast-moving action. Smaller and less expensive models often omit the viewfinder to save space and keep costs down.
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It’s also worth considering how the rear screen moves (if at all). Some camera designs assume you’ll use the viewfinder and have a fixed LCD panel, but most will offer at least some degree of movement, so that you can still use the camera from different angles. Most models have screen that tilts up and down, often to a great enough degree to let you see the screen when taking a selfie. More expensive models might include two-way tilting screens (great for tall-side up portrait orientation shooting) or ‘fully articulated’ screens that hinge and rotate at the side of the camera video shooting as well as selfie shots.
Battery life
Battery life is another critical consideration, depending on how much you plan to use your camera. DSLRs, which use almost no power when you look through the viewfinder, don’t need to be recharged often, but newer mirrorless cameras are gaining larger batteries to make up for this.
There’s an industry standard for testing and reporting battery life. Just as with image stabilization, these numbers shouldn’t be taken too literally, but they give a decent idea of whether one camera will shoot for longer than another. You’ll see these figures in spec sheets described as ‘CIPA’ numbers for battery life.
Charging over USB is becoming increasingly common, as is the ability to power the camera using a USB power source. It’s worth checking, but the ability to top the battery up in your car or with an external battery pack may alleviate any need to worry about battery life.
Video capabilities
The video capabilities of interchangeable lens cameras can be spectacular, with the best cameras able to capture footage that can compete with the professional video equipment, at a fraction of the price of pro gear.
Very high resolution 4K capture is increasingly common, with some models even promising 8K video. For most applications 4K is more than sufficient, and it’s features like HLG – a means of capturing bright and high-contrast scenes in a way that looks more realistic on the latest TVs – that will be more useful.
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Some ILCs try to make video a relatively simple point-and-shoot affair, with autofocus tracking and limited need for user input. Others provide the complex but powerful tools used in professional cameras, requiring more experience on the part of the user, but providing much more control over the results.
Other factors worth researching if you want to shoot video, are how long the camera can record for (4K capture causes a lot of heat build-up), and how severe the rolling shutter effect is (a wobbly, ‘jello’-like distortion of movement that occurs as the camera is capturing each frame).
Weather sealing
If you plan to take your camera out into the wilds, or may need to use it in inclement weather, some higher-end models are designed to be dust and moisture resistant. Very few manufacturers make any specific promises or back these claims up with any degree of warranty coverage, but we’ve found models described as ‘weather sealed’ can be used with a little more confidence, in more challenging situations.
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Flash/flash compatibility
The final factor you may wish to consider is whether the camera you’re considering has a built-in flash or a hot shoe for attaching an external one. Flashes are often thought of as being useful when there’s not enough light, but they can also be valuable in daytime, to help balance-out deep shadows. Built-in flashes tend not to be very powerful, but the ability to mount a larger flashgun or control one remotely can be a valuable addition for some types of photography.
While modern cameras generally perform very well in low light without a flash, the use of flash allows you to control your lighting, which is something you may grow into as you get more into photography.
Getting the most out of your camera
Buying an interchangeable lens camera doesn’t commit you to having to buy lots of other lenses. Most photographers settle on a couple of lenses that are well-suited for the types of subject they like to capture. But having the option to swap lenses puts you in a position where your camera can adapt to whatever types of photo you want to take, even some you haven’t anticipated yet. It’s the perfect tool to help you learn, love and grow into photography.
GlossaryCIPA – Industry body that defines testing/rating standards for battery life and image stabilization Phase-detection AF – An autofocus system that, like a pair of human eyes, assesses the scene from two different perspectives to determine subject distance. This allows focus to be driven to the correct position, without having to hunt. 4K video / 8K video – The next generations of TV resolution beyond 1080 ‘Full HD.’ 4K footage measures around four thousand pixels along the long edge: at least twice the resolution of Full HD. 8K is twice the resolution again but is currently used to provide creative flexibility for projects that will be viewed at 4K. HLG – Hybrid Log Gamma, a high dynamic range system designed to exploit the ability of the latest TVs to show a wide range of colors and tones, giving a more realistic view of the world, while also still looking good on conventional TVs and monitors. Micro Four Thirds – A mirrorless system founded by Panasonic and Olympus, based around a 17.3 x 13mm sensor (224 sqmm). The system allows some very compact camera/lens packages, particularly for very long telephoto lenses. System includes some high-end video cameras. APS-C – A sensor size which appears behind several brands’ proprietary lens mounts. Measures around 24 x 15mm (~360 sqmm), it offers a balance of image quality, size and price in between Four Thirds and ‘full-frame.’ Full-frame – A sensor format the same size as the dominant 35mm film format. Measures 36 x 24mm (864 sqmm), giving a significant image quality benefit but resulting in larger, more expensive camera/lens combinations. Despite the name, larger formats do exist. Electronic shutter – A mode controlling exposure time by adjusting the gap between the sensor turning on and the readout process starting, rather than using a physical, bladed shutter. It is silent and very fast but can distort images because the exposure is ended one row of pixels at a time and your subject may move as the camera is still capturing the image. |
| Images: Godox, Shure and Fotogear |
Happy Saturday, everyone! We’ve made it to the weekend, so it’s time to look at some new accessories that came out this week. Today’s roundup includes a battery pack for lights, a vintage-inspired smartphone case and a new mic. But first, let’s check out what’s on sale.
The sales
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| Photo: Dale Baskin |
Canon’s powerful and versatile R6 Mark II is currently on sale for $200 off. We reviewed it two years ago, and although the camera is due for a refresh, it’s still a very worthy piece of equipment, especially at this price.
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| Image: Fujifilm |
For something a bit more fun (and affordable), the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 is currently at its lowest price since the holidays. The Instax Mini 12 brought some worthwhile improvements over its predecessor, making it easier to get keepers with this fun little instant camera.
Buy now:
Easier audio
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| Photo: Shure |
Shure’s latest microphone, the MoveMic 88+, features direct-to-phone stereo microphone technology, making it faster to get to recording. Its Bluetooth connection offers a range of up to 100 feet, and there’s no extra dongle or recorder necessary. It even offers four polar patterns to help you record a variety of situations.
Turn your iPhone into a vintage camera
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| Image: Fotogear |
iPhoneographers who want something a bit more special to house their phone may appreciate the Fotogear Retro DMF Photography Kit. It’s a multi-part case that looks like a vintage camera while adding control dials and a shutter to make your phone function more like a camera, too. It’s compatible with the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max and comes in a few different configurations. The case is available for pre-order now through Fotogear’s website.
More power
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| Image: Godox |
The Godox BG02 Battery Grip is a powerful tool for photographers and videographers who use Godox lights on the go. The grip features a 95Wh capacity battery that is airline-friendly, extending the life of your lights when on location. It’s compatible with the AD200, AD200Pro, AD200Pro II, AD300Pro flashes, ML100Bi, ML100R and FH series LED lights. You can pre-order it now through B&H.
Back-button focus
Finally, this week’s educational video comes from Adorama’s YouTube series Ask David Bergman. In it, Bergman discusses back-button focus, how to set it up and whether it’s still worthwhile with the advanced subject detection autofocus modes on new mirrorless cameras.
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OM System’s Director of Product Planning, Hiroki Koyama and VP for Brand Strategy and Product Planning, Kazuhiro Togashi, at CP+ 2025
Photo: Dale Baskin |
“We are considering the new Pen concept as OM System brand,” says OM System’s Kazuhiro Togashi, VP for Brand Strategy and Product Planning.
We spoke at the CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan, and he reassured us that the arrival of the OM-3 with a Pen-F style ‘creative dial’ on the front doesn’t close the door on the rangefinder-style series.
“There’s a different concept between OM-3 and Pen-F series,” he explains: “basically the Pen-F series is about ultimate beauty and the ultimate craftsmanship. Whereas OM-3’s core concept is to take authentic and great creative photos.”
But, he says, it’s too soon to know what a future Pen might look like. “We think the camera’s design must realize the concept of the product, so we don’t start to decide the camera design before deciding the camera’s concept: the product concept must come first.”
“Therefore, we haven’t yet decided if the product design for a new Pen will look like the Pen-F or similar to the E-P7 because we haven’t decided on the product concept.”
But what’s clear is that OM System does plan to continue the Pen line.
The continued appeal of dedicated cameras
We asked Togashi what he thought makes shooting with a dedicated camera special, in a time when smartphone image quality has got so good.
“Experience is very important,” he says: “There’s a different kind of experience between smartphones and a camera. For example, I personally love to use a smartphone, but just to record; without any emotional feeling.”
“When a user decides the moment with their camera, maybe their feelings are being moved by such an attempt: they’re not just recording, there’s more to it.”
“It’s like with professional sportsmen. They have to prepare to give their best performance during the game. They are always training before the game.”
“When you get a perfect photo, you feel a win”
“In the case of photos, photo enthusiasts always think or calculate before taking a photograph. Before you take something, you consider the place, or you think about which position is better, or what sort of atmosphere or angle: you calculate before you take the photo.”
“This is like a serious game, just as it is for football or baseball player. And when you get a perfect photo, you feel a win. ‘I win, by myself’ I don’t know if many people can get that similar experience by taking photos with a smartphone.”
And he thinks this difference should remain, even as the image quality gap narrows. “Smartphone’s development speed is very high, and in the future, the difference between smartphones and camera might become very small,” he says: “however the difference in experience, is a bit bigger.”
We’re not the company to make an enthusiast compact
Despite this, and in spite of rising sales of compacts, Togashi says we shouldn’t expect an enthusiast compact.
“As for the current popularity of compact digital cameras, lower-priced models seem to be selling very well worldwide, but we feel that this is a temporary trend.” he says: “We are continuing to study the development of a successor to the TG series, but currently we don’t have any plans to introduce other compact camera concepts.”
“We don’t have any plans to introduce other compact camera concepts”
“As for high-end compact digital cameras, we recognize that there is a dedicated user base that remains a valued segment of the market, however, at OM System, we are focused on developing products that align with the evolving needs of photographers, ensuring we deliver the best possible innovation and performance across our lineup.”
“When we were Olympus, our brand was known for high-end compact cameras like the XZ series and Stylus 1. However, since becoming OM System, we no longer carry high-end compact cameras. Instead, we focus on cameras that align with broader market needs, including those of younger generation photographers. Given the significant investment required – not only in research and development but also in reestablishing a high-end compact brand image – such a product would be challenging to make profitable.”
The TG series endures…
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The TG series of rugged, waterproof cameras continues to have an audience, the company says.
Image: OM System |
But the TG series definitely has a future, says Togashi, because it has a dedicated user base.
“TG still survives and is well received by the market,” he says: “Outdoor enthusiasts want to capture their activities and adventures. Also families look for ways to preserve special memories—whether it’s their children playing in the pool or on vacations and situations like that.”
“On the other hand, professional scuba divers or climbers continue to rely on the TG series. For them, safety is very important during these extreme activities, and the TG series remains a trusted tool in these challenging environments. “
“Both types of users continue to use the TG series, setting it apart from other high-end compact cameras. Their main priorities are mobility and ease of operation, rather than smartphone connectivity. They love the operation and mobility.”
…but a high-end TG would be challenging
These specific requirements might rule out a higher-end TG, he suggests
“We’re always talking about the successor of the TG series and whether to add a new, higher TG line, maybe using a bigger sensor, or perhaps a TG-DSLR.”
“We’re always thinking about the possibilities. However, as of today we don’t have any best answer to realize this concept because the requirement for TG series is very hard. For example, making a large or removable lens drop resistant is very difficult.”
Also, he says, keeping the size down is important: “if we adopted a bigger sensor and we maintain the same optical zoom range, the body would need to be very big. That means such a TG would lose the mobility concept.”
Togashi didn’t seem enthused by our suggestion of a prime lens: “A lot of TG users’ photographic needs are different from enthusiasts’, so they like to use a zoom lens. They like to enlarge subjects in their photos, therefore they always use tele-zoom.”
Director of Product Planning, Hiroki Koyama raises another concern: ” We also give priority for close-up capability. TG can be used very close to the subject. If we choose a bigger sensor size, the close-up capability will be reduced. The current sensor size is the best balance, but we’ll try to study the concept.”
The OM System lens range
On the subject of lenses, we asked whether they believe the current Micro Four Thirds lens lineup includes all the options an OM-3 user might want.
“Still not yet,” says Togashi: “We are also trying to develop small and light and bright lenses or something like that. We have space to make new lenses in the future. I can’t disclose [the details], but yes.”
Choosing the right lenses to add isn’t always easy, he suggests: “People always ask ‘will you make a pancake lens?’,” he says: “but then the pancake lens sales are not so good in general. But still, we’ll continue to consider it.”
Interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler, answers edited for flow.
| A lunar eclipse, captured by Jamie Malcolm-Brown in November 2021. Used with permission. |
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2022. We have updated it with information about the current eclipse as a service to readers.
Starting tonight, March 13, through the early hours of tomorrow, March 14th, skywatchers in the Americas will be able to view the first total lunar eclipse of the year. The moon will turn a ‘blood red’ hue for a brief period as it passes entirely into the Earth’s shadow when lined up with the sun. Depending on where you are located, there is a specific time you can witness this phenomenon.
Time and Date, a top-ranking site for times and timezones, created a useful tool that allows you to make a plan by entering your viewing location. From there, it gives you pertinent information, including the total duration, what time each phase of the eclipse starts and the direction it’ll travel, plus altitude during these phases. A helpful animation gives you a visual of how it will appear, minute by minute, once it starts.
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| Time and Date created a free tool to help you plan your total lunar eclipse viewing, depending on your location. This is the data for Seattle, WA, where DPReview’s headquarters is located. |
If you plan on bringing your camera out for the ‘blood moon’, photographer Jamie Malcolm-Brown has some helpful tips for camera settings. Describing his process for capturing a lunar eclipse in 2021, he tells DPReview that ‘it was taken with [a] 200-600mm lens at 600mm, ISO 800, F6.3, at 1/3 sec. I bracketed the shots at 5 shots with an EV (exposure value) change of 1. Next time I would probably bracket 5 shots but with only an EV change of .3. The final image was cropped fairly significantly to fill the frame with the moon.’
While useful for capturing more detail on the moon’s surface, you don’t necessarily need a long lens that extends to 600mm to photograph the blood moon. John Weatherby released a quick, helpful tutorial on Instagram outlining his process for getting the best images possible. For one, you can shoot at a focal length between 100–200mm if you want to include a foreground.
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Weatherby also explains that having a sturdy tripod and ball head is an absolute necessity. Ensuring that the lens is locked in securely will yield clearer images of the moon. Using the camera’s shutter delay or self-timer, or an external remote, will also help prevent blurry shots as the camera is likely to shake a bit once you press the shutter. PhotoPills, an app that helps you identify where the moon will travel in accordance with your specific location, is recommended as well.
It’s important to check the weather in your area as cloud coverage can potentially conceal the moon completely. Windy.com is a free app available on desktop, iOS and Android that, in my opinion, does a decent job of forecasting weather patterns. It’ll give you a visual of where clouds will appear at specific dates and times so you can determine the best place to set up in your state or country.
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| Windy.com, a free app, is an effective tool for forecasting weather elements, including cloud coverage. |
The next total lunar eclipse will take place on September 7, and will be visible in parts of Asia, Africa and Australia. If skywatching interests you, you’re in or near one of the locations where the eclipse is visible and weather permits, I recommend getting out for a few hours and witnessing this wonderful event first-hand.
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