Thursday, September 20, 2007

Mirrorless interchangeable lens camera

I posted something like this on the FredMiranda forum recently. It had me thinking, so here is the guts of it more carefully thought out.

Compact cameras with tiny little sensors are losing their way. They have nowhere to go. We should be seeing 14mp point-and-shoots soon, thrilling stuff. Of course, you'll need to be able to shoot in 3000 lux lighting only. Do the manufacturers really not get it.

Now that Nikon has announced a camera with a 36mm chip, some people are now asking for a compact camera with this size chip. I'd like to see something else.

Nikon keep making these little compacts cameras like the P5100 (and the 8400 a few years ago) with extension lenses, I want to see them design a new format (ie CX) and mount system for the compacts.

Yes, lunacy I know. But we don't need these massive SLR lenses on our compact cameras. We just need small and that might mean introducing some completely new designs. The trick is, do it right.

Design something based along the lines of the 4/3rds system, and E-410 camera. A camera with a smaller, not larger sensor. The whole camera would be smaller due to the fact the mirror assembly would be small, and it would consume less power in the process.

But I'd take it further, remove the mirror completely and it would be even better. A CX or 4/3rds camera without a mirror , and smaller interchangeable lenses... yep, that would be ideal. Make the camera 7-10 megapixels and add a couple nice little lenses to go with it. For instance, a 24-72mm (FX equiv) lens could be standard, an optionally available an 18mm and a 105mm lens would be pretty ideal I think. Nothing stopping them from making other lenses too.

Yes, still dreaming. But I have hope.