Amirrorless camera (sometimes referred to as amirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (MILC)[1] ordigital single-lens mirrorless (DSLM)) is adigital camera which, in contrast toDSLRs,[2] does not use a mirror in order to ensure that the image presented to the photographer through the viewfinder is identical to that taken by the camera. They have come to replace DSLRs, which have historically dominated interchangeable lens cameras.[3] Other terms includeelectronic viewfinder interchangeable lens (EVIL)[1][4] andcompact system camera (CSC).[1][5]
When compared to similar DSLRs, these cameras can be smaller, lighter, and quieter.[6]
In cameras with mirrors, light from the lens is directed to either the image sensor or theviewfinder. This is done using a mechanical movable mirror which sits behind the lens.[7] By contrast, in a mirrorless camera, the lens always shines light onto the image sensor, and what the camera sees is displayed on a screen for the photographer. Some mirrorless cameras also simulate a traditional viewfinder using a small screen, known as anelectronic viewfinder (EVF).[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.[8]
Many mirrorless cameras retain a mechanicalshutter. Like a DSLR, a mirrorless camera accepts interchangeable lenses. Mirrorless cameras necessarily have shorter battery life because they need to power the screen and sensor at all times.[6]
Mirrorless cameras are mechanically simpler thanDSLR cameras, and aresmaller,lighter, and quieter due to the elimination of the moving mirror. While nearly all mirrorless cameras have a mechanical shutter, many also have an electronic shutter, allowing completely silent operation.[9]
As the image from the lens is always projected onto the image sensor, features can be available which are only possible in DSLRs when the mirror is locked up into "live view" mode. This includes the ability to show afocus-peaking[10] display,zebra patterning, andface or eye tracking.[11] The electronic viewfinder can provide live previews ofdepth 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.[12]
With the latest AI autofocus available on newer mirrorless cameras, the autofocus speed and accuracy of newer models has been shown to be better than DSLRs. But mirrorless cameras have shorter battery life than DSLRs due to prolonged use of LCD and/or OLED viewfinder displays.[13] On-sensor autofocus is free of the adjustment requirements of the indirect focusing system of the DSLR (which relies on a separate autofocus sensor located below the reflex mirror), and as of 2025 mirrorless cameras could shoot with AI autofocus at up to 40 frames per second using up to 759 focus points —a number far exceeding what was possible on any DSLR.[14] However, some older mirrorless cameras with on-sensor phase detection autofocus (except forCanon'sDual Pixel Autofocus) repurposes pixel sites for autofocus acquisition, so that image data is partially or entirely missing for the autofocus "pixels", which can causebanding artifacts in the final image.[15]
The firstdigital rangefinder camera commercially marketed was theEpson R-D1 (released in 2004), followed by theLeica M8 in 2006.[16] They were some of the first digital lens-interchangeable cameras without a reflex mirror, but they are not considered mirrorless cameras because they did not use an electronic viewfinder for live preview, but, rather, an optical viewfinder.[16] Compact cameras with large sensors, technically akin to the current mirrorless cameras, were also marketed in this period. Cameras likeSony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 andSigma DP1 proved thatlive preview operation is possible, and useful with APS-C sized sensors.
The first mirrorless camera commercially marketed was thePanasonic Lumix DMC-G1, released in Japan in October 2008.[17] It was also the first camera ofMicro Four Thirds system, developed exclusively for the mirrorless ILC system. The term mirrorless came into use in order to describeMicro Four Thirds cameras when they were announced in 2008, especially as the first Micro Four Thirds camera, theLumix G1, was designed to be as similar to a DSLR as possible.[18] There are other terms that were created, too, but mirrorless became the most popular.[19]
TheRicoh GXR (November 2009) had a radically different design. The mirrorless camera featured interchangeable lensunits – a sealed unit of a lens and sensor, instead of the lens only being interchangeable.[20][21][22] This design was different from other mirrorless cameras, and received mixed reviews, primarily due to its higher cost.[20]
Following the introduction of the Micro Four Thirds system, several other cameras were released by Panasonic and Olympus, with theOlympus PEN E-P1 (announced June 2009) being the first mirrorless camera in a compact size (pocketable with a small lens). TheSamsung NX10 (announced January 2010) was the first camera in this class not using the Micro Four Thirds system, instead utilizing a new, proprietary lens mount (Samsung NX-mount). The Sony AlphaNEX-3 andNEX-5 (announced May 14, 2010, and released in July 2010) saw Sony enter the market with a new, proprietary lens mount (theSony E-mount), though the camera included LA-EA1 and LA-EA2 adapters for the legacyMinolta A-mount.
In June 2011, Pentax announced the 'Q' mirrorless interchangeable lens camera and the 'Q-mount' lens system. The originalQ series featured a smaller 1/2.3 inch 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor.[23] TheQ7, introduced in 2013, has a slightly larger 1/1.7 inch CMOS sensor with the same megapixel count.[24]
In September 2011, Nikon announced theirNikon 1 system which consists of theNikon 1 J1 andNikon 1 V1 cameras and lenses. The V1 features anelectronic viewfinder.[25] The series includes high-speed mirrorless cameras which, according to Nikon, had the fastestautofocus and the fastest continuous shooting speed (60 fps) of any camera with interchangeable lenses, includingDSLRs.[26]
TheFujifilm X-Pro1, announced in January 2012, was the first non-rangefinder mirrorless with a built-in optical viewfinder. Its hybrid viewfinder overlaid electronic information, including shifting frame-lines, to compensate for the parallax effect. Its 2016 successor, theX-Pro2, had an updated version of this viewfinder.
Beyond just consumer interest, mirrorless lens systems created significant interest from camera manufacturers as a possible alternative to high-end camera manufacturing. Mirrorless cameras have fewer moving parts than DSLRs, and are more electronic, which is an advantage to electronic manufacturers (such as Panasonic, and Samsung), while reducing the advantage that dedicated camera manufacturers have in precisionmechanical engineering. Sony's entry level full frame mirrorlessα7 II camera has a 24-megapixel 5-axis stabilised sensor, but is more compact and less expensive than any full-frame sensor DSLR.
Canon was the last of the major manufacturer of DSLRs to announce their own mirrorless camera, announcing theCanon EOS M in 2012 with an APS-C sensor and 18 mmregistration distance similar to the one used by NEX.
In the longer term Olympus decided that mirrorless may replace DSLRs entirely in some categories; Olympus America's DSLRproduct manager speculated that by 2012, Olympus DSLRs (the Olympus E system) might become mirrorless, though still using the Four Thirds System (notMicro Four Thirds).[27]
Panasonic UK's Lumix G product manager John Mitchell, speaking to the Press at the 2011 "Focus on Imaging" show in Birmingham, reported that Panasonic "G" camera market share was almost doubling each year, and that the UK Panasonic "G" captured over 11% of all interchangeable camera sales in the UK in 2010, and that the UK "CSC" sales made up 23% of the interchangeable lens market in the UK, and 40% in Japan.[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. Since then, Nikon and others entered the mirrorless market.
Due to the downward trend of the world camera market, mirrorless camera sales suffered, but not as drastically and was compensated with increase by about 12 percent in the Japanese mirrorless camera market.[29] However, mirrorless cameras took longer to catch on in Europe and North America. According to Japanese photo industry sources, mirrorless made up only 11.2% of interchangeable-lens cameras shipped to Europe in the first nine months of 2013, and 10.5% of those shipped to the U.S. in the same period.[30] An industry researcher found that mirrorless camera sales in the U.S. fell by about 20% in the three weeks leading up to December 14, 2013—which included the keyBlack Friday shopping week; in the same period, DSLR sales went up 1%. Looking ahead, the APS-C sensor segment is projected to retain a substantial 47.2% share ofmirrorless camera market.[30]
In 2013, mirrorless system cameras constituted about five percent of total camera shipments.[31] In 2015, they accounted for 26 percent of system camera sales outside of the Americas, and 16 percent within the United States.[32] As of 2023, mirrorless cameras have come to overtake DSLRs as the dominant kind of interchangeable lens camera, with them gaining market share over DSLRs, and nearly all camera manufactures have switched entirely and exclusively to making mirrorless cameras and lenses.[33][3]
Until the mid 2010s, mirrorless cameras were dismissed by many photographers, because of their laggy and low resolution screens, when compared with the clarity and responsiveness of the opticalviewfinders used on DSLRs, especially under strong sunlight or when photographing the sky at night.[34][35] In addition, mirrorless cameras were known for having worse autofocus performance compared to DSLRs, and much worse battery life.[36] This negative perception of mirrorless cameras began to change around 2013, when theSony α7 was released. It was the first professional, full-frame mirrorless camera, and, although not the first with depth aware autofocus, included small additional sensors on the main sensor to detect depth in the scene, for fast autofocus ("phase-detect").[37][38]
2015 sales statistics showed that overall camera sales have fallen to one third of those of 2010, due to compact cameras being substituted by camera-capable mobile phones. Within camera sales, mirrorless ILCs have seen their market share increasing, with ILCs being 30% of overall camera sales, of which DSLRs were 77% and mirrorless cameras were 23%.[39] In the Americas in 2015, DSLR annual sales fell by 16% per annum, while mirrorless sales over the same 12-month period have increased by 17%.[40] In Japan, mirrorless cameras outsold DSLRs during some parts of the year. In 2015, mirrorless-cameras accounted for 26 percent of interchangeable-lens camera sales outside the Americas, although a lesser share of 26 percent was in the U.S.[41]
In late 2016, Olympus announced their OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera, a successor to the earlier and successful Mark I. The Mark II model retains a Micro Four Thirds image sensor of 17.3x13 mm and features a 20.4 megapixel resolution sensor, representing a new generation of mirrorless cameras competitive with and in many respects superior to DSLR cameras.
In early 2017, Sony announced theAlpha 9 mirrorless camera, offering 693 autofocus points, and 20 frame-per-second shooting. In October Sony announces theA7RIII, offering 10 FPS shooting at 42 megapixels.
In early 2018, Sony announced thea7 III mirrorless camera, bringing the 693 autofocus points of the A9 at a much lower cost. In August, Nikon announced its new full-frame mirrorlessZ6 andZ7 cameras, both usinga new lens mount. Canon announced its first full-frame mirrorless model, theEOS R, and its ownnew lens mount the next month.
At the NAB Show in April 2018,Blackmagic Design announced and demonstrated thePocket Cinema Camera 4K at a price of $1,295 USD.[42]
In early 2019, Canon officially announced their second full-frame mirrorless camera following the EOS R introduced in 2018. That said camera is theEOS RP as it was made to be entry-level for a full-frame mirrorless.[43]
In July 2019, Sony announced thea7R IV with a groundbreaking 61-megapixel full-frame sensor, making it the highest-resolution full-frame camera at the time. Other improvements included 15 stops of dynamic range and 576-point phase-detection autofocus for exceptional detail and precision.[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. This became a giant milestone in the camera industry by showing that it is possible to have a camera that is highly compact and relatively affordable (compared to traditionalcinema cameras) while still meeting the high standards of a professional camera for film making.[45]
In July 2020, Canon announced both theEOS R5 andR6 to bring more mirrorless cameras to their line up. 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 thea7S 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.
The year 2021 marked a turning point for mirrorless cameras, as they surpassed DSLRs in shipments, accounting for over 67% of total camera sales.[49] On January 26, 2021, Sony announced theAlpha 1 and it had set the benchmark as it competed with theCanon EOS R5, being able to shoot video in 8K at 30 fps and 4K at 120 fps modes, as well as showcasing a 9.44-million-dotOLED EVF with a 240 Hz refresh rate.[50] The Alpha 1 aimed to unify both photography and videography at a professional level.
A day later, Fujifilm released theGFX 100s, featuring a smaller and lighter body holding a 102 MP medium-format sensor. This camera is compared to the originalGFX 100 with 6 stops of in-body image stablization (IBIS) and 4K video recording at 30 fps.[51]
Nikon, towards the end of the year in October, released theZ9, its flagship full frame mirrorless model. 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.[53]
Some expansions to the mirrorless camera is that hybrid cameras had gained a dominance as cameras like theCanon EOS R5 C andFujifilm X-H2S are catered to professionals going for high-resolution photo performance alongside 8K recording and internalProRes capabilities.[54] Some more improvements are how theAPS-C format had become a focus of innovation—cameras like theCanon EOS R7 or theR10, alongsideFujifilm's X-H2 andX-H2S, highlighted how APS-C cameras could offer professional-grade specs like high burst rates and advanced autofocus, all while remaining compact and more affordable than full-frame systems.[55] These systems have leaned more on an emphasis on content creators such as vloggers and YouTubers.
In 2022, mirrorless systems continued to dominate the digital camera market, accounting for 69% of interchangeable lens camera shipments—a 31% increase from the previous year, as reported byCamera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA).[56]
Among the most impactful releases of the year were theCanon EOS R7 (June 2022), and theSony FX30 (September 2022), both of which offer 4K video up to 60 fps but the FX30 to it further to 120 fps.[57][58] The R7 featured one of the highest performing APS-C sensors of the year, with 32 megapixels only slightly surpassed by theFujifilm X-T5 (November 2022) with 40 megapixels.[57][59] The X-T5 was also a top performer in video quality with 6.2K at 30 fps and 7 stops of IBIS. Nikon'sZ30 catered to content creators with its user-friendly video-centric design.[60] TheOM System OM-1 pushed the boundaries of Micro Four Thirds with astacked 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.[62] Additionally, theNikon Z9 was honored with the prestigious "Camera of the Year Award" and "Readers Award" at the Camera Grand Prix 2022, recognizing its groundbreaking performance and impact on the camera industry.[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.[64]
In April 2023, Canon released theEOS R8, and it contains various autofocus capabilities for recognizing subjects and 4K video from a 6K capture at up to 60p.[65] Nikon then released theZ8 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.[66] Meanwhile, Sony announced thea9 III in November 2023, the first modern mirrorless camera with a global shutter. The shutter allows for distortion-free motion capture by reading out each pixel of the image at the same time. The 24-megapixel CMOS full-frame shutter can also shoot at 120 frames per second, while being able to capture at shutter speeds as fast as 1/80000 second.[67]
Regionally, China led the surge with a 44% increase in sales, followed by Japan at 30%, and Europe at 9%. This uptick is closely linked to the revival of international travel, with the United Nations World Tourism Organization reporting that the number of international travelers in the first quarter of 2023 more than doubled compared to the previous year, reaching about 80% of pre-pandemic levels.[68]
A full-frame camera is a digital camera with a digital sensor which size is same to35 mm format (36 mm × 24 mm) film.[69] Cameras that have a smaller sensor than full-frame (such asAPS-C andMicro Four Thirds) differ in having acrop factor. Digital cameras with a larger sensor than full-frame are called medium format, named aftermedium format film cameras that use the120 and 220 film formats (although their sensors are generally much smaller than the frame size of medium format film cameras).
Sony was the first to introduce a full-frame mirrorless camera, theα7, in 2013.[70] It was followed by theLeica SL (Typ 601) in 2015.[71]
Nikon[72] andCanon[73] each launched full-frame mirrorless cameras in September 2018. Panasonic and Sigma, under theL-Mount Alliance, announced that they would be using theLeica L-Mount for their own full-frame mirrorless cameras.[74] Panasonic announced itsS1R andS1 cameras,[75] and Sigma announced a then-unnamed camera, later called thefp, all to be launched in 2019 along with lenses from Panasonic and Sigma.[76][77]
| System Lens mount | Crop factor / sensor size | Throat diameter | Flange focal distance | Stabilization | Focus system | Release date, system status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EF-M | 1.6 | APS-C (22×15 mm) | 47 mm | 18 mm | Lens-based | Hybrid autofocus (Phase and contrast detection) | October 2012[78][79] Legacy |
| Canon RF | 1.0 | Full-frame | 54 mm | 20 mm | Lens-based; R3, R5, R6, R7 also have IBIS and can use both types at the same time | Hybrid autofocus | September 2018[80][81] |
| 1.6 | APS-C (R7, Rxx, Rxxx) | May 2022 | |||||
| Fujifilm G-mount | 0.79 | 44×33 mmMedium format | 65 mm[82] | 26.7 mm | Lens-based, IBIS (depending on model) | Hybrid autofocus on GFX100*;Contrast-detection autofocus on other models | January 2017[83] |
| Fujifilm X-mount | 1.5 | APS-C (24×16 mm) | 44 mm | 17.7 mm | Lens-based X-H*, X-S*, X-T4, X-T5: Sensor-based (5-axis IBIS) | Hybrid autofocus on X-H*, X-S*, X-T*, X-Pro2 & up, X-E2 & up, X-A5 & up; Contrast-detection autofocus on other models | January 2012 |
| Hasselblad XCD mount | 0.79 | 44×33 mm Medium format | ?? | 20 mm | No | Contrast-detection autofocus | June 2016 |
| Leica L-mount | 1.0 | Full-frame | 51.6 mm | 20 mm | Lens-based and IBIS (depending on the model) | Hybrid autofocus | April 2014[84] |
| 1.5 | APS-C (Leica T*, CL) | ||||||
| Leica M-mount | 1.0 | Full-frame | 44 mm | 27.80 mm | No | No autofocus,rangefinder | September 2009 (Leica M9) |
| 1.3 | APS-H (27×18 mm) | September 2006 (Leica M8) | |||||
| 1.5 | APS-C | March 2004 (Epson R-D1) | |||||
| Micro Four Thirds | 2.0 | 17×13 mm4/3-type | 38 mm | 20 mm | Lens-based, IBIS (depending on model) | Hybrid autofocus (newer models) | October 2008 |
| Nikon 1-mount | 2.7 | 13×9 mm 1.0-typeNikon CX | 40 mm | 17 mm | Lens-based | Hybrid autofocus | October 2011 Discontinued in 2018 |
| Nikon Z-mount | 1.0 | Full-frame (Zx, Zf) | 55 mm | 16 mm | Simultaneous sensor- and lens-based stabilization | Hybrid autofocus | August 2018 |
| 1.5 | APS-C (Zxx, Zfc) | Lens-based | October 2019 | ||||
| Pentax Q-mount | 4.6 | 7.4×5.6 mm (1/1.7-type) (Q7, Q-S1) | 38 mm[85] | 9.2 mm[86] | Sensor-based | Contrast-detection autofocus | June 2011 (Pentax Q) Discontinued in 2017 |
| 5.6 | 6.2×4.6 mm (1/2.3-type) (Q, Q10) | ||||||
| Samsung NX-mount | 1.53 | APS-C | 42 mm | 25.5 mm | Lens-based | Hybrid autofocus | January 2010 Discontinued in 2015/16 |
| Samsung NX mini | 2.7 | 1" | 6.95 mm | Lens-based | Hybrid autofocus | January 2010 Discontinued in 2015/16 | |
| Sigma SA-mount | 1.35 | APS-H (Quattro H) | 44mm | 44 mm | Lens-based | Hybrid autofocus | February 2016 (Sigma Quattro) Discontinued in 2018 |
| 1.54 | APS-C (Quattro) | ||||||
| Sony E-mount | 1.0 | Full-frame | 46.1 mm | 18 mm | Depends (lens-based and most models have IBIS and can use both at same time) | Hybrid autofocus (newer models) | October 2013 |
| 1.5 | APS-C (e.g. αxx00) | June 2010 | |||||
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