Mirrorless camera

[3] Other terms include electronic viewfinder interchangeable lens (EVIL)[1][4] and compact system camera (CSC).

[6] DSLRs can act like mirrorless cameras if they have a "live view" mode, in which the mirror moves out of the way so the lens can always shine onto the image sensor.

Mirrorless cameras necessarily have shorter battery life because they need to power the screen and sensor at all times.

[11] The electronic viewfinder can provide live previews of depth of field, exposure, white balance and picture style settings, as well as offer a real time view of camera settings even in extremely low or bright light levels, making it easier to view the results.

[20][21][22] This design was different from other mirrorless cameras, and received mixed reviews, primarily due to its higher cost.

Its hybrid viewfinder overlaid electronic information, including shifting frame-lines, to compensate for the parallax effect.

[28] Sony announced their 2011 sales statistics in September 2012, which showed that mirrorless lenses had 50% of the interchangeable lens market in Japan, 18% in Europe, and 23% worldwide.

In early 2017, Sony announced the Alpha 9 mirrorless camera, offering 693 autofocus points, and 20 frame-per-second shooting.

In early 2018, Sony announced the a7 III mirrorless camera, bringing the 693 autofocus points of the A9 at a much lower cost.

At the NAB Show in April 2018, Blackmagic Design announced and demonstrated the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K at a price of $1,295 USD.

[44] In October 2019, Panasonic's Lumix S1H became the first hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera certified by Netflix for use in its Original productions.

The EOS R5 was significant at the time as it was the first camera to be capable of 8K RAW video recording at up to 30 fps, positioning it as a leader in hybrid photo-video equipment.

[46] The EOS R6 was viewed as the affordable sibling, offering 20 MP stills, 4K 60 fps video, and 8 stops of image stabilization, appealing to enthusiasts and professionals alike.

[47] Also in July 2020, Sony announced the a7S III, which was a much-anticipated camera as it was aimed at professionals, especially videographers, as it retained a focus on low-light performance and video features.

[48] Throughout 2020 there had been major improvements with achieving the ability to shoot in low light[48] to being able to record in 8K RAW,[47] 2020 was one of the most impactful years as it introduced new things to both photography and videography.

A day later, Fujifilm released the GFX 100s, featuring a smaller and lighter body holding a 102 MP medium-format sensor.

This camera is compared to the original GFX 100 with 6 stops of in-body image stablization (IBIS) and 4K video recording at 30 fps.

It featured Nikon's best autofocus performance with 3D tracking, 8K video, 60 fps RAW shooting as well as offered cutting-edge speed and reliability with its stacked CMOS sensor.

[52] For the year 2021, Sony led the market with a 32% share, followed closely by Canon at 28.2%, reflecting the growing preference for compact, versatile, and professional-grade systems.

These cameras catered to both photographers and filmmakers, pushing the boundaries of image quality, autofocus, and video capabilities.

[60] The OM System OM-1 pushed the boundaries of Micro Four Thirds with a stacked BSI Live MOS sensor and up to 50 fps of continuous shooting, appealing to wildlife and action photographers.

[61] In March of 2022, the Panasonic Lumix BS1H earned Netflix approval, further highlighting the growing acceptance of mirrorless cameras in high-end filmmaking.

[63] In 2023, according to CIPA, global shipments of mirrorless cameras reached approximately $17 billion in the first half of 2023, marking a 20% year-over-year increase and setting a record high for the third consecutive year.

[65] Nikon then released the Z8 in May 2023, which has the same CMOS sensor, 8K video, and 20–30 fps shooting rate modes as the Z9 in a smaller body.

A mirrorless camera (right) with an exposed sensor, next to a DSLR camera (left) which has a mirror in front of the sensor
Close-up of the lens mount (silver) and image sensor (red) in a mirrorless camera, showing the small gap between the lens and the sensor, with no mirror assembly