The market of digital cameras with interchangeable optics-1: the first wave a year later turned into the second one

The market for compact cameras with interchangeable optics is still fairly young, but it has already proven its worth and promise. Its first representatives made by Panasonic and Olympus together with rangefinder cameras Leica we singled out into an independent class only a couple of years ago. And now it is obvious how attractive this class is for photo amateurs and how rapidly this segment of photographic equipment develops. In this review we will try to follow the main trends of this niche for the last several years.

They were the first: Leica M9, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, Olympus E-P1

December 2009: reincarnation of long range cameras as compacts?

The popularity of 35mm SLR film systems was due to the simplification of the technical side of photography, automation and even downsizing of the equipment. In modern digital era everything was turned upside down: automation and small size are now inherent in compact cameras.

Meanwhile the DSLR fashion is still reasonable: the point is that most of compact cameras are absolutely unable to produce decent results not only in difficult, but even in the most complicated working conditions. Any moderately experienced photographer can easily detect the difference in image quality, and the reason is one simple factor – the much larger sensor size in DSLR cameras.

It would seem that there is nothing easier – to combine a large sensor and a “compact” approach to camera construction? Various producers tried such method for several years, but only to the beginning of 2009 the technology matured to practical and effective solutions.

Olympus and Panasonic companies created new format of cameras which combine the best achievements of compacts and SLRs. And from the last novelties inherited not only a large matrix, but also a system of bayonet mount lenses, that is exchangeable high-quality optics.

The main difference is the absence of a mirror itself, an optical system that splits the light entering the lens and directs it either to the viewfinder and additional sensors for focus and exposure metering or to the main matrix for image recording.

Without cumbersome mechanics drastically reduced size and weight of devices miniature Lumix DMC-GF1, for example, weighs a little over two hundred grams ! . This new class represents a unique niche in the market, easily competing with DSLRs in terms of quality and still fitting in your pocket like a compact. Interchangeable optics only extends the range of their possible uses.

But, of course, there are disadvantages. Together with the mirror these cameras lost their optical viewfinder with the real image seen through the lens. Not even the funniest attachable electronic viewfinder will give the kind of immersion in the frame, in the story, that a photographer experiences when looking through the optical viewfinder. That was probably the main reason for us to single out interchangeable lens cameras into a class of their own.

Is it worth the money?? It’s up to each one of us to decide for ourselves. Optical Point of View – an essential part of photography. At the same time the display allows to look at the picture differently, and even to obtain different pictures – not better, not worse, but exactly different. Well, the combination of compactness, allowing you to carry a camera anywhere and anytime, interchangeable optics, giving versatility in use, and high image quality due to the large sensor – these are definitely valuable factors.

They appeared on the market in spring 2010: Ricoh GXR A12, Samsung NX10

March 2010: another giant was spotted on the mirrorless market

By now it’s clear how attractive interchangeable optics cameras have become: small enough to fit in your pocket or purse, but big enough to offer high image quality and interchangeable optics versatility – isn’t that a dream for every photographer?

The manufacturers have a perfect mutual understanding with the buyers. The market for compact cameras with interchangeable optics, while challenging, promises great profits and new opportunities. Perhaps even as big as the market for budget SLRs. For example we would even recommend amateur photographers to replace outdated DSLRs with these small but smart compacts.

In just half a year – by spring 2010 – there has been an increase in the number of developers of this type of camera: Ricoh has released an amazing construction camera and, perhaps even more importantly, a company has entered this market .

The Samsung NX10 may not be the most interesting camera, but knowing the ability of the electronics giant to achieve a leading position in any market and the irrepressible creativity of Samsung engineers and designers, we can expect that soon we’ll see a lot of very interesting “non-small” cameras. Sony has also announced its willingness to enter this niche – the models of this firm, quite possibly, will appear in our next review.

The question now hanging in the air is whether Canon and Nikon will get in on the action. The technologies and experience of the absolute leaders in manufacturing of serious photo SLRs and excellent compact cameras promise unprecedented possibilities in the class of replaceable optics.

The state of affairs intrigues us, journalists, because we haven’t seen such a variety of forms and solutions as non-smirror developers show for a long time. While there is no universal, tried-and-true secret of success, all players have to invent and experiment.

Only the high prices of new cameras make you think twice. Of course, compactness also costs money: thin and light notebooks and cell phones are still more expensive than their conventional counterparts. But the refusal of a mirror, complex mechanics, optics, prism, additional sensors should also have had an effect on economy.

Should we wait for compacts with mounts to become cheaper?? Probably not. If it happens, it will not happen in the nearest future. But the photographic perspective which is opened thanks to the possibility to have always with you “almost DSLR” and a couple of compact and qualitative interchangeable lenses is available even now. Just choose one of the cameras in our review, charge the battery and go get your shots.

The first model of legendary compact Sony NX-3 appeared in summer 2010

June 2010: they are small – but there are five of them at once!

In the summer of 2010, it became totally clear. that a new class of compact cameras with interchangeable optics has made a triumphant entry into the market for amateur photographic equipment. Unlike in DSLRs, there are new products one after the other although not all companies respond to the new trends. The major leaders took wait-and-see attitude for now, they probably define perspective of this market segment for themselves.

The compact interchangeable lens cameras are changing from the category of unusual gadgets to normally accepted full-fledged cameras. The idea fully justified itself, photographers and amateurs like it, and the producers promise new attractive prospects – their row has recently been joined by Samsung and Sony.

Now we are waiting for Nikon and Canon, the traditional grandes of photographic market, and though the latter don’t show any desire to join, we have no doubt that they will come up with some very interesting models very soon.

“Weatherproof cameras”, along with compact cameras and point-and-shoot cameras will definitely become a big segment of photographic equipment market with its own unique features – first of all, compactness of small cameras and quality of big ones, and traditional leaders, operating in all other segments, can hardly ignore it.

I would like to see the market launch of these companies as soon as possible. Because without them the competition is kind of weak. Despite the quite decent number of available models and the wide variety of formats and capabilities among them, the whole segment now has a somewhat strange and unexplainable disadvantage: the high price of almost all presented cameras.

Of course, you have to take into account the newness of the devices, their high-tech nature, and the abundance of features and capabilities built into many cameras. But you should remember that in fact “non-silver” cameras are the devices deprived of a mirror, that is one of the most complex and expensive systems of SLR cameras the mirror itself is only a formal value, but it implies a shaft and complex mechanics, prism, matte screen, “external” exposure and focusing sensors .

A key advantage of the new optics for the new shorter lens mounts is the reduction in size due to the original focus on small sensors traditional DSLRs were first limited by the limitations of the old film-based standards and then by the perspective of full-frame digital cameras and the shorter focal length of the lens.

Common sense says that the smaller glasses should cost less too. After all even the size of cameras reduced and their construction reminds more and more compacts rather than assembled on separate metal chassis bodies of advanced photo cameras – this is also an economy?

But it’s not just about the absolute numbers. We are ready to pay many times over for the miniaturization of cell phones and laptops. It’s also a question of value for money. If a compact, even with a bit bigger matrix, costs as much as a serious semi-professional SLR camera – you start to wonder if everything is alright with the market structure.

Another thing is that you don’t have to choose at the moment. If the quality and functionality of compact cameras you have outgrown, but the desire to carry a large SLR in you have not developed, you have to pay attention to one of the cameras in this review. Even if it costs the same or more than a more functional DSLR. We are looking forward to the entry of other manufacturers in this sector, as their entry will clearly make the non-small-size camera market even more interesting and attractive.

The Sony NX-5 and Samsung NX100 showed at the end of 2010 that each manufacturer goes its own way

December 2010: All for fair and free elections. Cameras – cool or beautiful!

The most interesting phenomenon in the market of compact cameras with interchangeable optics is absence of general idea, any common vision of “right” segments and classes. In any other sphere the unification will be found at once.

Among SLR cameras there are “professionals”, usually with division into studio and fast reporter’s cameras, “semi-pro” with full-frame sensors and comparatively reasonable price, advanced medium-class cameras and lightweight inexpensive amateur cameras.

And every manufacturer tries to assert its own products in each of the subspecies. It is the same with compacts: each brand will definitely have a large ultrazoom, a lightweight and handy “travel” camera, something delicate and beautiful and something inexpensive. And only compact system cameras are made in their own way by every brand, unlike anything else.

Panasonic targets professionals of two types: reporters and cinematographers. To them the company offers the most powerful features, expanded in the direction of professional requests management, special optics all the time, however, forgetting that at such prices, true professionals somehow difficult to abandon, say, a Canon in favor of Panasonic . Olympus is geared toward the trendsetter, who doesn’t care what’s in the camera, or how much it costs, as long as it’s beautiful and fashionable and has a very clear style connotation.

Sony targets the widest range of amateurs. For them the engineers tried to make the cameras as compact and light as possible, the designers developed a nice modern design. Add to that popular features like Full HD recording in NEX-5 and low price – you get excellent amateur cameras.

Probably the best in class, if only to ignore the claims of die-hard pros about the lack of buttons and levers. Samsung didn’t seem to aim for anything at all: they took the NX10 at random and only then decided to mold the solution into at least a pretty form – thus they released their “functional twin” NX100.

Such disorder, of course, prevents directional competition for those qualities that we might consider most important: for size and light weight, as was the case with super-thin compacts, for video capabilities or ergonomics.

But at the same time, the lack of a common paradigm encourages developers to put their imagination, talent and technology into action to be the first to discover the “perfect”, “right” formats, which the market will then adopt. This is not only interesting, but also quite useful for customers.

Right now you can choose a compact system camera by your own ideas and requests. Functional if you want, stylish if you want, lightweight if you want. And in each case, the choice will turn out to be not with a small, conventional vs. competitors advantage, but necessarily with a comparative degree of “most-is-most”. Very convenient.