Q: I know you are a proponent of the mirrorless camera systems in general, and the Micro Four Thirds camera system in particular. Why do you think the market tends to gravitate toward Canon and Nikon digital SLRs?

A: I think it is a matter of incumbency and what product came first, as well as the marketing clout of Canon and Nikon. I think if Micro Four Thirds products were sold next to the SLRs in big-box stores and you had a competent salesperson demonstrating them and showing samples of the image quality, you would see things change quickly.

If you are shooting sports, SLRs are the best tool, and wedding photographers benefit from the full frame, its ultrahigh resolution and low-light capability. But after living with both systems for years, I am confident most consumers and photographers are best served with a mirrorless system.

My favorite camera reviewer, Steve Huff, makes no bones about this. I suggest that you check out his site at www.stevehuffphoto.com. It's the best on the Web. He prefers Micro Four Thirds over any APS-C digital SLR system and names Olympus as his favorite camera company. He recently did a test comparing the image quality of Olympus Micro Four Thirds with APS-C and full-frame cameras, and Olympus came out on top. He attributes it to superior optics and overall superior technology in the cameras.

To consider incumbency, let's put the situation in reverse and say that mirrorless came first and then someone tried to introduce the SLR and its flapping mirror and optical viewfinder later. The sales pitch likely would go something like this:

"You know that mirrorless camera outfit you're using, the one designed as a digital camera system from the start? I'd like to introduce you to an alternative to replace it. It is called the digital SLR and it is designed around a film camera system and lens mount introduced in either 1959 or 1987. Because it is adapted from a film camera system, it is much bigger and heavier than what you are using now. The lenses, especially, are bigger, heavier and probably do not perform as well as the lenses you are using now."

"With this system you get a real-time optical viewfinder that is big and bright, although it probably shows only 95 percent of the captured image, unlike the 100 percent of a mirrorless camera. You can get a 'full-frame' sensor as big as a piece of 35mm film, but, unfortunately, most people will not buy that version and instead opt for a smaller APS-C sensor that changes the effective focal length of the lenses. Your wide-angle lenses will function as normal lenses, although the optical designs are not optimized as such. Your normal lenses will act as short telephotos, and your telephotos as super telephotos. If you want that full-frame sensor, the camera will be very expensive and will need big, heavy and expensive professional optics to get the best results. Many of the system's lenses won't even work perfectly, if at all, on your full-frame camera."

"You will have to give up some things with this new system. Do you know how you can perfectly adjust exposure when looking through the viewfinder of your mirrorless camera, so you never get subjects that are too dark? That ability will disappear. So will the ability to preview digital filters, color balance and special effects in the viewfinder. And you know how you can look through the viewfinder while recording video, viewing the subject while holding the camera nice and steady? Forget about that, too. The mirror is a moving part that can fail, and it will need cleaning occasionally.

"And, of course, you'll need a bigger camera bag for your bigger and heavier digital camera system, but the exercise lugging it around will do you good. Sounds great, doesn't it? Cash or charge?"

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at www.soundadviceblog.com.