Why do APS-C DSLR lenses often seem larger than Sony E-mount APS-C lenses?
Asked 6/5/2014
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Sony E-mount APS-C lenses often look smaller and lighter than Nikon or Canon APS-C DSLR lenses, even though the sensor size is the same. I know some DSLR lenses are actually full-frame lenses used on APS-C bodies, but that does not explain every case. Is there something about mirrorless design, mount design, or Sony’s E-mount that makes the lenses smaller, or is the apparent difference mostly due to comparing unlike lenses?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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Actually, they aren't much smaller. Lens size for similar formats is actually pretty comparable, if you look at similarly speced APS-C vs. APS-C designed lenses. Take the examples (on camerasize.com) of 18-55 kit lenses, the 55-210 vs. a 55-250, or crop 35/1.8 lenses.
The size difference is mostly between full frame and crop lenses. But if you look at a full-frame e-mount lens vs. a full-frame EOS lens, say, a 24-70/4, again, the sizes are pretty similar.
The mirrorless lenses tend to get smaller when the sensor (and image circle required of the lens) gets smaller. As in micro four-thirds vs. APS-C.
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In general, APS-C DSLR lenses and APS-C E-mount lenses are more similar in size than they may first appear. The biggest source of confusion is comparing unlike lenses.
If you compare lenses with similar focal range, aperture, and format coverage, the sizes are often fairly close. Examples like typical 18-55 kit lenses, 55-210 vs. 55-250 telezooms, or APS-C 35mm f/1.8 primes are broadly comparable.
The larger differences usually come from:
- comparing full-frame lenses to APS-C lenses
- comparing lenses with different zoom ranges or maximum apertures
- assuming all DSLR lenses are oversized because of the mount
The mount itself is not the main reason. A lens mainly has to cover a certain sensor size and meet certain optical specs; those factors drive size more than whether the camera is mirrorless or DSLR.
So the short answer is: Sony E-mount APS-C lenses are not inherently dramatically smaller just because they are mirrorless. Much of the perceived size gap comes from comparing full-frame DSLR lenses against APS-C mirrorless lenses, rather than matching equivalent designs.
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