What lens-mount advantages do mirrorless cameras have over DSLRs?
Asked 12/3/2013
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Ignoring sensor-size differences, does a mirrorless mount offer optical advantages over a DSLR mount for the same format, such as APS-C vs APS-C or full frame vs full frame? In particular, does the shorter flange focal distance of mirrorless cameras allow simpler or better lens designs, especially for wide-angle lenses, and does it affect what sensor sizes are practical?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
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It provides a benefit as it allows for more potential designs. If you think about it, a mirrorless lens mount can take any design for a reflex camera and adapt it to it with a simple extension of the lens tube, so anything that is possible for a DSLR is for a mirrorless.
The more flexible design is very real in fact because one can mount the lens much closer to the sensor and therefore allow for shorter focal-lengths without a retro-focus design. This lets wide angle lenses be simpler and those with larger apertures.
Of course lens designers have to make lots of compromises and one of them is the incidence of rays. As a lens is mounted closer to the sensor, the angle of incidence varies more which causes more vignetting. Designers can correct for this at the sensor-level with micro lenses or simply extend the tube to a point where they determine the issue to be minimal.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
12y ago
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Yes. The main mount-related advantage of mirrorless cameras is the shorter flange focal distance, because there is no mirror box to clear.
That gives lens designers more freedom. A mirrorless body can usually adapt DSLR-style lens designs by adding extension, but the reverse is not true. The biggest benefit is for wide-angle lenses: on a DSLR, short focal lengths often require retrofocus designs to keep the rear of the lens far enough from the sensor for the mirror. Retrofocus designs are more complex and can mean more elements and more compromises.
With mirrorless, the lens can sit closer to the sensor, so some wide-angle lenses can be designed more simply, potentially helping size, aperture, and optical quality.
The trade-off is that rays can hit the sensor at steeper angles when the rear element is very close, which can increase vignetting and related issues. Camera makers can mitigate this with sensor microlenses and other design choices.
So, mirrorless mounts don’t automatically guarantee better image quality, but they do provide more design flexibility—especially for compact and fast wide-angle lenses.
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