The Unsung Heroes of Mirrorless Cameras

During the transition from DSLR camera technology to MILC systems, there were various camera launches that defined the era. The early adopters of mirrorless camera technology were Olympus and Panasonic with the introduction of the Micro Four Thirds mount in 2008. The release of the Panasonic Lumix G1 introduced the world to the first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. It makes sense considering that the original Four Thirds system was designed to be a true digital camera built from the ground up rather than a film SLR retrofitted with a digital sensor. This bridged the gap between a world of great point-and-shoot options and the lens interchangeability of DSLR cameras that dominated the market. MILC also featured video, something that was slowly gaining traction in traditional DSLRs of the time.

Before we proceed, we know that Leica and Epson made digital mirrorless around this era, however, these are rangefinder cameras! This writing also focuses on the consumer market as a whole.

Sony and Samsung both changed the market with the introduction of their MILC systems in 2010. It is important to note that both brands had the capability to manufacture their own sensors. Sony introduced the E-mount with the NEX-3 and NEX-5, which looked like a CyberShot with an interchangeable lens mount. Samsung went from making DSLRs with a Pentax K-mount to offering a camera ahead of its time, the NX10 (NX-mount). In 2011, Nikon introduced the Nikon 1 series which used a 1” sensor. Meanwhile, Pentax dropped the world's smallest MILC with the Pentax Q-mount system that featured a 1/2.3 inch sensor! Lastly, Canon went on to release their own MILC known as the EOS M system, and it featured an APS-C sensor. These cameras might not have featured the premium full-frame sensors seen on flagship DSLR's but they offered the same utility without the bulk.

Fujifilm introduced the X-mount with the X-Pro1, but what makes this one standout from the rest is the emphasis on aesthetics and user experience. Fujifilm also sought out to redefine its legacy while maintaining its roots in film.

By 2012, we had seven new mounts on the market but none of the early iterations of mirrorless used a full-frame sensor. The technology was new and taking a risk would mean financial ruin during the rising tide of the iPhone camera. APS-C sensors and smaller ones were used due to their abundance and low cost. There was also the struggle to develop an adequate lens road map, but Fotodiox played a role in keeping some of these mounts relevant through lens adapters.

The release of the first full-frame mirrorless camera would change the game forever, with the introduction of the Sony A7 in 2013. Sony stood uncontested in the full-frame mirrorless market until the L-mount's arrival in 2014, and all major players joined the roster by 2018 as Nikon's Z-mount and Canon's RF-mount.

Today, you can find these cameras on the resell market waiting to be rediscovered. There are a decade's worth of camera models that only had a year to impress the market before a new version took their place. They still serve the same purpose now as they did a decade ago: a small camera made for capturing the world around you.

Any camera that uses a sensor smaller than full frame is often dismissed as a consumer or starter camera, and this is a vestigial belief born in the DSLR era. As we look at the current ecosystem of photography, with mirrorless cameras at the forefront of advancement and innovation, it's important to note that the market, as it stands, could not have been achieved without the trailblazing smaller sensors of the earliest mirrorless cameras.