ARE MIRRORLESS CAMERAS WITH PRO SPECS THE FINAL NAILIN THE COFFIN FOR BULKY DSLRs?

Darling of the pro photographer and object of desire for anyone venturing into the world stunning visuals, the DSLR has ruled the roost since the demise of 35mm film cameras.

Their optical viewfinders, impressive battery life, excellent autofocus abilities and supreme range of lenses have historically been the clear distinction between DSLR and higher-end mirrorless fare, but the gap is rapidly shrinking.

With an ever-improving range of lenses, an almost baffling array of advanced features and some clear advantages in size, weight and silent operation, it’s little wonder photographers are ditching the bulkier mechanical mirror in favour of an electric shutter. The question is, which is the one for you?

NIKON Z6

£2099(bodyonly)/nikon.co.uk

Nikon’s been a bit sneaky with the Z6. Despite being announced at the same time as the Z7, the ‘lesser’ model has been held back while its 45.7MP sibling hogged the glory.

No longer. Sure, the Z6 has barely half the megapixels, but this means it’s better at a few other tricks – such as low-light photography. And for those chasing sporty burst action, the Z6 pips the Z7, offering 12fps versus 9fps.

In the hand, the Z6 feels just like a shrunken Nikon D850: it’s as sturdy as a mountain goat, with the same level of weather protection. But there’s only one memory card slot, albeit XQD.

A gorgeous tilting touchscreen takes up the bulk of the space on the back, while a ‘waffle’ joystick lets you quickly select your AF area, whether you’re after a single point or a wider focal zone.

In dim conditions images are crisp, with good colour saturation, even at 12,800 ISO. The in-body image stabilisation system is also excellent, allowing for sharp images at slower speeds. As for video? You get full-frame uncropped 4K, although there’s no stabilisation.

A 52mm mount brings a new range of lush lenses; but the FTZ Mount Adapter means your old F-mount glass can come along too.

KEY SPECS

Sensor 24.5MP full-frame

ISO range 100-51,200

Video 4K @30fps

Dimensions

134x101x67.5mm, 675g

Stuff says A joy to use, producing stunning stills and detailed videos

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DJI Ronin S

Modern indie filmmakers are spoilt for choice when it comes to pro-grade equipment on a bedroom budget. The DJI Ronin S gimbal is a great example, because its SmoothTrack technology allows for ultra-slick shooting of the most dynamic action. Designed for single-handed action shots, it makes for a powerful combination when paired with the Nikon’s impressive filming abilities. £499/dji.com