But Sony developed the Alpha 7 as the first full-frame camera to offer the quality of a DSLR with the sleek size of a mirrorless. There had been plenty of full-frame DSLR cameras. Ergo, full-frame sensors allow for the beautiful, shallow depth-of-field photos you can get from film cameras, and models with them have serious advantages in low-light photography and videography. About the size of 35mm film, the larger sensors can capture more light than the smaller versions used in early mirrorless cameras and, significantly, are compatible with standard 35mm lenses without the need for cropping. They weren’t perfect, though, and in fact created their own problem with the smaller body: They couldn’t accommodate the full-frame sensors used by SLRs, which are a critical piece in creating high-quality photos. Removing the mirror meant that cameras could be much thinner and eliminated a delicate moving part and potential point of failure. And instead of an optical viewfinder, they have an electronic one that displays real-time video of what the sensor sees. Without that component, light constantly reaches the image sensor.
Mirrorless cameras, naturally, eliminated that. The cameras were still large because they needed space for the mirror to flip. In the early 2000s, SLRs largely gave way to DSLRs (D for digital, which meant swapping the film for an electronic image sensor), but the form-factor largely remained the same. When you hit the shutter button, the mirror quickly flips up and out of the way, exposing the film to light coming through the lens. They feature viewfinders and a mirror inside the camera, which allows you to see through the main photographic lens. Some more history: Single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras have been around since the 1860s.
They were the first mirrorless cameras with the quality and features that pros required. Then in 2013, Sony introduced the Alpha 7 and Alpha 7R, digital cameras with full-frame sensors that also accepted standard, interchangeable lenses. But early versions used a smaller image sensor and lacked the performance of larger SLR models.
Sony full frame mirrorless camera portable#
Then, in 2004, mirrorless digital models began showing up (Epson generally gets credit for making the first) they were far more durable and portable because they lacked a sizable moving part-the mirror. They were the chunky but reliable workhorses you’d see journalists, artists, and even hobbyists clutching.
Sony full frame mirrorless camera professional#
For decades, the professional and pro-sumer photography market had been dominated by SLR and DSLR cameras.