Mirrorless cameras, the device that reborn the photography industry

Ricardo Valencia, assistant sales and marketing manager of the Digital imaging division at Sony Mexico, explains that phones continue to sell more than cameras because they are aimed at a mass audience; However, this does not mean that the photography industry is in decline and the industry has opted for more advanced technology for specialized audiences.

Mirrorless cameras target a niche of photographers or content creators who seek the best quality in their photographs or specialize in a type of image that phones cannot give due to hardware limitations, even with the innovations of the top devices. range, explains.

“Cameras have taken on an increasingly specific role that is closer to being a creation tool and not something that is focused on being used at family gatherings or to capture memories,” says Valencia.

An example of the limitations of telephones, he exemplifies, is demonstrated in concerts, because although smartphones increasingly have more powerful zoom tools, there are sectors of users who are choosing to carry point and shoot cameras, which are They allow in these types of events and have better zoom characteristics than a telephone.

Mirrorless, the perfect paradigm for photographers

Salom mentions that mirrorless cameras are the best because it is focused on professionals, who need higher quality “deliverables” and the technology of a phone still does not reach those standards even with its generative Artificial Intelligence capabilities.

”That is often not acceptable, because you are looking for a real photograph, that really conveys what happened, what the photographer saw without the image being altered by the AI,” the specialist mentions.

According to data from the 2024 Photography Industry Report, prepared by Zenfolio and in which 7,600 photographers from 102 countries participated, 52% of professionals are using mirrorless cameras, which indicates that the majority of specialists are finally making the change. towards this type of devices and reconfiguring the industry that for many years was dominated by DSLR cameras, better known as SLRs.

This same study highlights that phone cameras are especially popular among younger photographers (aged 18-20), however, the 30-39 age group shows a strong preference for mirrorless cameras, with 58% of respondents favoring this sector.

For Valencia, the reason these devices are becoming more popular is their ability to take creativity to the next level. Telephones, he comments, have limitations regarding the optics they have, since this is unique and with a camera you can obtain other types of results, even reaching a cinematographic level.