When I first inherited the photography bug, there were really only two major players to choose from: Canon or Nikon. I knew nothing going into it, and was more interested in becoming a YouTube sensation than becoming a photographer. So I gravitated towards Canon because I heard they were 'better for video'.

My first camera was a Canon t3i with the kit lens. Eventually I added a 50mm f/1.8 into the mix. I didn't make any videos.

Then came Korea.

My mother and I took a trip to Korea in 2012. It would be the second time I had visited, and since I had a cool camera to play with I could take some photos and document the trip.

That's where it all began. I became obsessed with learning how to use my camera to take better photos, how to edit the photos I took, and how I could continue to learn more and more.

Fast forward a bit and I upgrade my kit to a Canon 70D with a couple fancy lenses. I was in the midst of my first photography course in college and learning more than I ever thought I could. My art improved and my technique honed.

Then I was gifted a hand-me-down Sony NEX-7, a small mirrorless camera with an APS-C sized sensor like the 70D I was using. However, the Sony was half the size and weight of the Canon, making it easier to port around.

Like the old adage goes: the best camera is the one you have with you.

I completely stopped using my Canon.

Fast forward again and I decide to upgrade to a full frame, 35mm camera. My options had grown from the CaNikon duo to the CaNikon-Sony trio.

I went Sony and never looked back.

So what's it like switching from DSLR to mirrorless? What are some differences, pros, and cons of that kind of system? Well. Let me tell you.

Size And Weight

I already mentioned this above, but the size factor is huge. For example, I had considered a Canon 5d Mark III before settling on my Sony A7ii. The Canon camera body (without a lens) is roughly 2lbs. The Sony comes in at roughly 1.3lbs. Now that doesn't sound like a big change, but that extra half pound of weight becomes pretty noticeable after a long period of shooting.

Weight aside, the Sony body is also much smaller, fitting into more bags than even my smaller Canon 70D could. It's super easy to carry around, and the smaller size means it's easier to pack. Many of the Sony lenses are also smaller than their CaNikon counterparts as well, though not always.

However, for people with larger hands the Sony can be uncomfortable to hold. Lightweight or not, it's still a smaller camera which means a smaller grip as well. I have small hands, so it works out, but I know plenty of people online with larger hands have had trouble with Sony cameras in the past.

Best advice here? Go to a camera store or Best Buy and try one. See how it feels.

Image Quality

This comes down to personal preference, and you could stare at charts and photos for hours and hours and still not come to a conclusion.

However, the dynamic range, contrast, and sharpness I get out of my Sony camera is amazing, especially for the price. More on that later.

Simply put, my Sony camera has the capability of taking breathtaking photos in a variety of situations without breaking a sweat.

Many of Nikon's offerings match Sony in terms of dynamic range and sharpness, though it's also worth nothing that the sensor inside the Nikon cameras is made by Sony and is in the Sony cameras as well.

Battery Life

DSLR's win this category hands down. The Sony camera is a wonderful piece of tech, but it's got a small battery powering all those fancy electronics.

Sony says you can get around 300 shots per battery, a far cry from the 900+ on your typical DSLR. That also means recording time when shooting videos is less as well.

However, third party batteries are extremely cheap and can be just as reliable, if not more so, than the OEM counterparts. A typical 2-pack of batteries for a Sony A7ii runs roughly $20 on Amazon.

Plus, if you turn on Airplane Mode in the camera you can extend the battery life even further. On average I can get about 400 shots before needing to swap batteries. They're also pretty small and take up very little space in a bag.

During my most recent trip to Korea, I walked around with 7 spare batteries in my backpack and could barely tell they were there.

Lens Selection

One of the best parts of using a mirrorless camera is that you can buy adapters allowing you to use virtually any camera lens on your camera's body.

This includes Canon and Nikon lenses, as well as all sorts of old school film camera lenses, many of which can be bought secondhand for very cheap and still perform exceptionally well. Many Sony photographers online use only vintage glass on their cameras.

However, Canon and Nikon have more native options for their cameras than Sony does, and at a variety of price points that benefits all levels of photographer and consumer. Sony's offerings are growing every year, but their selection is still a far cry from the volume of the CaNikon giants.

Viewfinder

That's the thing you look through while taking a picture. On a typical DSLR, you look through the viewfinder at an image being reflected up by a mirror through the camera's lens. This is an optical viewfinder.

Mirrorless cameras use what's called an electronic viewfinder, or EVF. Instead of looking through the viewfinder and seeing a reflected image, you're actually looking at a screen showing you what the camera sees.

This means that if you adjust one of your settings like shutter speed, ISO, or aperture, you can see - in real time - how those changes will effect the final image. It makes setting your exposure a breeze.

The downside to this is that it does take more battery power to operate an EVF than a standard optical, but the versatility is well worth the trade off in my opinion.

Value

Okay, so after all of that, cost has to factor in somewhere. When it came down to it, I bought my Sony A7ii because I was getting more camera and more bang for my buck than if I were to go with Canon or Nikon.

Ultimately it's up to whatever works best for you as a photographer, but I hope that this helps answer some lingering questions you may have had about mirrorless systems.

Let me know if I've missed anything or if you have any other questions.