MirrorLess on the Job

A Mirrorless Wedding – Four cameras, three systems, two photographers and one happy couple

23/01/2015 By Mathieu 10 Comments

We hear, read and talk about camera equipment all the time, but doing so inevitably leads us into the perilous trap of arguing too much about which brand/camera/lens is better than the other. The rise of mirrorless cameras over the past two years has probably expanded this war of words even further. “Can a mirrorless camera rival other systems in terms of image quality, speed and performance?” “Can it find a professional application?” “Can a small sensor compete with a larger one?” The question that however is raised less but in my opinion is actually more important is the following:

Up to what point does all this tech talk really matter?

Mirrorless Cameras for Professional Work | Where they prevail & where they fail

24/06/2014 By Mathieu 26 Comments

While DSLRs remain the best-selling cameras and the main choice of professional photographers, general interest in mirrorless cameras is growing little by little. Many articles can be found online about photographers who have switched from their DSLR to a MILC system or are starting to use a mirrorless camera as a second body. As with any system, there are positive aspects but also limits that must be considered.

10 Things Professionals Demand From a Mirrorless Camera

16/12/2013 By Heather 4 Comments

We all know that from a realistic point of view, DSLRs are still today’s standard especially when it comes to professional photography. Many photographers continue to choose and invest in this segment not only because it has been the primary reference for years but also because you won’t find that number of diverse lenses available for any other system.

However the rise of mirrorless cameras is challenging the position of DSLRs. Brands are now investing in technology to create smaller, more portable bodies, and many professional photographers have started to switch to or adopt a MILC as a second body. It goes without saying that they want the features they loved on their DSLR to carry over to the mirrorless system as well. This means high image quality, high ISO performance, superior phase-detect autofocus, beautiful shallow depth-of-field, a robust and weatherproof build, and professional support–all characteristics the professional photographer will often refuse to forgo.

This list of ten features pros demand from their mirrorless cameras is the culmination of observations I’ve made living with a professional photographer myself (and a very fastidious one at that) and interacting with photographers around me. I’m sure that most of my observations won’t surprise you.

Mirrorless on the Job: One week with the Olympus OM-D E-M1

05/12/2013 By Mathieu 36 Comments

The release of the new [easyazon_link asin=”B00EQ07PG2″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”easyazon-textlink-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Olympus OM-D E-M1[/easyazon_link] has dramatically increased photographers’ interest in the Micro Four Thirds system. I had the chance to test it out for a day during the Castle Leslie event in Ireland but to fully understand how good a camera is for professional work, it was necessary that I use it in the field for my weekly photography assignments.

Olympus Europe kindly sent us the camera and three different lenses for one week. This allowed me to use it as my main camera for work and even bring it on a very short trip to France (you can check out my 5-axis stabilisation article here). It has been a very busy week with the E-M1!

One of the things that surprised me was that several of my Italian colleagues asked me “Is that the new OM-D?” while I was out on the job. The E-M1 seems to be the first MFT camera to have really captured the attention of professional photographers.

But is it really worthy of all the attention?

Mirrorless on the Job – Episode 2: Why the Fuji X100s is the perfect second body

22/10/2013 By Mathieu 21 Comments

Back in July, I published the first article in the Mirrorless on the Job series. In the article, I shared my experience as a professional photographer who uses mirrorless cameras for work with a specific focus on the OM-D E-M5 by Olympus.

As you can guess from the title of this second episode, I also use the Fujifilm X100s on the job, but in this case I have a different story to tell. While the E-M5 switch was premeditated because I was looking for an alternative to my DSLR, the incorporation of the Fuji into my workflow was almost a natural yet unexpected transition. When I first bought it, I was sure that I would only use it for personal purposes but I ended up carrying it with me at all times, often using it alongside my E-M5 as a second body and sometimes even as my primary body for some assignments. This unexpected combo has given me a lot of surprise and satisfaction in the year I’ve been using it.

So how does the X100s complete the gear I require for my work?