Rontalvos Feb 22, 2006





One of the newest trends in the camera world is the compact mirrorless interchangeable lens camera!



What the hell is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera?



Dpreview posted: The DPreview Poll results.

What should we call mirrorless cameras?



Interchangeable Lens Compact 19.9%

Compact System Camera 19.4%

Digital Single Lens Micro 4.1%

Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera 41.8%

Micro System Camera 9.0%

Single Lens Electronic 5.9%







Nobody knows what the hell to call them, but they're interesting pieces of gear.







Light enters through the lens, and with a traditional DSLR a reflex mirror kicks light straight up into the pentaprism (or pentamirror on cheaper models) and then back out the viewfinder, giving the shooter a live preview directly through-the-lens.



By eliminating the extra clearance between the lens and sensor for the reflex mirror, and the body size for the pentaprism and viewfinder, you are able to significantly reduce the size and weight of the camera.



But what makes a mirrorless camera different than a regular point-and-shoot?

Firstly, these cameras (Fuji X100 excluded) retain the ability to interchange lenses. Fast primes, long zooms, all of these lenses and the image quality improvements they bring to the table can be yours with a mirrorless system, compared to the fixed 3x zoom of your cheap point-and-shoot.



Second, your average point and shoot has a tiny sensor. I mean really small. Here's a graphic.



Most point-and-shoots (with few exceptions) have one of the smaller sensors on this chart. A smaller sensor is going to cut down on your image sharpness, reduce the dynamic range of your image, and give you hellacious image noise trying to take pictures in low light. Current mirrorless cameras have either an APS-C sized sensor or a 4/3rds size sensor.

-It's rumored that Nikon and Pentax are coming out with tiny sensored mirrorless systems. We'll see I guess.



Third, everything can be smaller. Smaller bodies and smaller lenses, while still retaining the large sensors inside, allow for a far more compact camera and lenses than a traditional DSLR.



Fourth, some people may not care about this, but the short distance from lens-to-sensor makes these mirrorless systems super easily adaptable to use all sorts of manual focus lenses, old system lenses, surveillance camera lenses, enlarger lenses, etc using just a simple adapter ring instead of a complex adapter with its own built in optics.







These sound awesome, what's the problem? Why don't you already own one?

That's a good question.



First, the auto focus may not be as good as that of a traditional SLR. These use contrast detection auto focus instead of phase detection which a normal DSLR uses. Most people are unlikely to see a performance difference, but if you shoot sports frequently then this may be a big deal for you.



Second, loss of the reflex mirror and pentaprism means no viewfinder. What has always set apart "professional" digital cameras from consumer models (in the eyes of a layman) is the need to look through the viewfinder. It keeps people from wanting to use our cameras all the time, and we all think it makes us look cooler. I have a hard time reconciling this difference myself, I'm thinking of ditching my traditional gear for a mirrorless setup but this is a huge mental block to get past, I love my viewfinder.



Second part 2: Digital viewfinders are integrated into some models such as the Samsung NX10 and the Panasonic G1/GH1/GH2, and digital viewfinders exist as an accessory to models like the Olympus E-P1/E-P2 and the Panasonic GF1/GF2. A non-adjustable optical viewfinder that clips into the accessory shoe exists for the Sony NEX-5 and is designed for use with the 16mm F2.8 lens. An optical finder also exists for some Olympus/Panasonic lenses but I don't know much about it. However, no digital finder will be as fast or as clear as a single lens reflex optical viewfinder in a traditional DSLR.



Note: The Fuji X100 is a special case and you could write a thread alone just about its fancy magic viewfinder.



Third, you have to buy new lenses. Maybe. For the Sony NEX system, there are currently only 3 E-Mount lenses with more planned to come soon. Panasonic and Olympus have a decently sized stable of lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system(m4/3), wikipedia claims there are 18. Currently Samsung also only has 3 NX-mount lenses. Like I said before though, the small-ish sensors and the short lens-to-sensor distance makes adapting almost any lens to mount up to these systems a very trivial affair, you just might have to manual focus them. The Fuji X100 has a fixed 35mm equiv lens.



Fourth but not least. There isn't really a shutter and mirror to keep dust off your sensor. Be quick with your lens changes because without the lens on it your sensor is very exposed.







Alright, sounds good. So what models are out there?

Olympus has the (higher end)E-P1/E-P2 and (lower end) E-PL1/E-PL2 models.







Samsung has the NX10 and NX100









Panasonic has the G1/GH1/GF1 which are bodies with build in viewfinders and hand grips.





and the GF1 and GF2 which are brick-like point-and-shoot styled bodies.



Panasonic also makes a M4/3 lens that lets you shoot NATIVELY IN 3D



And Sony has the discontinued NEX-3 and the current NEX-5







The NEX-5's included flash unit uses the same mount that the OVF for the 16mm lens would. You can't use both at the same time.



The Fuji X100 is a special beast of it's very own and I'll let somebody more knowledgeable fill us in on why it's so awesome.





Ricoh GXR, I don't even know where to start. It's a self-contained lens and sensor unit that you swap and attach to the body.







If anybody has information they want to add, please let me know and I'll add it to the OP.



Any current owners care to chime in to give advice to other prospective new owners or those still on the fence? Good stories or amazing pictures you've taken with these systems?



Let's talk about these little devils! Rontalvos fucked around with this message at 13:42 on May 9, 2011