Photography courses for Bridge or Hybrid cameras

What's the point of buying a hybrid camera ?

Bridges and hybrid cameras both lack a mirror and prism. These two cameras are therefore devoid of optical sight, unlike the famous SLR (Single Lens Reflex) system. On the point of difference, the hybrid differs from the bridge by its interchangeable optics; the bridge is confined to a fixed lens. To compensate for this disadvantage, the bridge is often equipped with a zoom lens with a very wide focal range (such as the Nikon P1000 and its monstrous 125x zoom).

Let's come back to what distinguishes an SLR from a "mirrorless" camera (literally "without mirror", such as bridges and hybrids). Based on this difference, what are the advantages of a device without optical aiming? This is a topical question. While the current trend is clearly in favour of the mirrorless system; a trend that can be observed among many photographers surveyed (on their intention to abandon the SLR for a hybrid or a bridge), but also more factually when consulting sales figures; showing a clear growth for mirrorless, and a loss of speed for DSLRs.

Here are some of the recognised advantages of mirrorless cameras, which explain their growing popularity:

- The absence of optical sighting (mirror and prism) means the device is lighter. This difference may seem trivial, but it will show all its advantages during an extended shooting session (of several hours) when your neck and back don’t ache so much!

- Typically, bridge and hybrid cameras are equipped with a "digital" viewfinder; a small screen is placed behind the eyepiece of the viewfinder, and displays the image perceived by the sensor. This type of viewfinder has the great advantage of being able to modulate the brightness of the displayed image, and to make the scene perceptible in any condition, even in a dark environment.

- The mirrorless camera is much quieter at shutter release! The loud "click clack" of the reflex is actually due to the movement of the mirror. On a hybrid or a bridge, only the shutter noise is perceived (and completely silent if equipped with a digital shutter).

- The autofocus system of the hybrid camera is more powerful than that of the DSLR. On a reflex, the focus is on sensors located at the back and under the mirror, while on a hybrid, it is on the sensor itself. This configuration extends the collimator coverage to about 90% of the frame on hybrids, compared to only about 50% on a DSLR.

Of course, the mirrorless camera doesn't have everything; some features of the SLR still make it the preferred camera choice for many photographers. However, once its shortcomings are overcome, the mirrorless camera may well become the dominant system in the years to come.