Sony is ditching DSLRs, moving the camera industry beyond movie-age designs

Mirrorless cameras like the A7R family are the future of Sony and likely the rest of the camera industry.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Sony phased out its DSLR camera models, marking the end of an era and pushing the photography industry further away from its cinematic roots.

If you don't follow the internal mechanics of cameras, here's what Sony did and why movement matters. The Japanese company was a key player in the era of "mirrorless" cameras

. These cameras, while not perfect, offer better autofocus, faster shooting, and more computing power for photography.

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Mirrorless cameras took photography away from a basic conception that dated back to the movie era. At the time, SLR cameras used an internal "reflex" mirror to bounce light from the lens into a viewfinder so you could compose your shots. When you took a picture, the mirror flipped over and the shutter opened, exposing the film. As photography transitioned to the digital medium, the design of SLRs, or single-lens reflex cameras, was borrowed from digital SLRs, cameras that replaced image sensors with film .

The disappearance of mirror models of

Sony's interchangeable lens camera website

was spotted on Tuesday by SonyAlphaRumors. The change has also arrived online as camera retailers like Adorama and B&H Foto & Electronics discontinued the 2016 A99 Mark II.

Sony debuted

in high-end photography thanks to its

acquisition of Konica Minolta's SLR business

in 2005, when photographers ditched film cameras and bought compact digital cameras and DSLRs. Sony's first models were credible but did not undermine the dominance of competitors Canon and Nikon.

Sony's next step was the launch of its DSLT models, so named for the

translucent mirror< /p>

it was a stepping stone on the way to fully mirrorless cameras. This fixed mirror reflected some of the light passing through the lens back to the viewfinder and let the rest go to the image sensor.

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Sony's mirrorless transition

Sony's real success came when it released its mirrorless cameras, which allow light from the lens to go directly to the image sensor. These digital images are displayed either on the rear screen of the camera or in an electronic viewfinder with a small screen.

As the technology matured, Sony's efforts showed the industry that the mirror reflex was a relic. And with the change, Sony's camera fortunes grew.

"Sony wasn't a real driving force in the camera business until it left the mirror behind," Lori Grunin, my colleague and longtime camera critic. , said.

Sony did not respond to a request for comment.

The Japanese electronics giant, which is also a top seller of image sensors used by other camera and smartphone makers, has helped push its rivals into the mirrorless market. This includes

Nikon's Z6 and Z7

and

The Canon R5 and R6

. It's clear that mirrorless models are the future for photography professionals and enthusiasts.

Advantages without mirror

A big advantage of mirrorless cameras is better autofocus because the image sensor works all the time and is connected to increasingly advanced processors. Sony helped establish benefits such as eye-tracking autofocus which worked well, a big timesaver for portrait photographers and wedding photographers alike. Canon has just matched that in 2020 with its AI-powered R5 and R6. Mirrorless cameras also make better use of autofocus across the entire range of the frame, not just the central area.

Mirrorless cameras can also take pictures silently using an electronic shutter. Their electronic viewfinders can amplify low light so you can monitor focus and composition even when it's dark, and they can also help you with manual focus and exposure.

And mirrorless cameras can shoot full resolution photos incredibly fast.

Sony's high-end Alpha 1

and

Canon's next high-end R3

take 30 frames per second -- the same rate as video. Just a few years ago, shooting over 6 frames per second was a feat. But going fast is easier when mechanical mechanisms like mirrors are left behind.

All is not perfect in the world of mirrorless cameras. For example, the batteries drain faster because the camera has to power the sensor and the electronic viewfinder screen. The scenes the electronic viewfinders show can be out of step with reality, a distraction when panning the camera.

The term "mirrorless" is as inconvenient as "horseless carriage" was to early automobiles. But soon enough, for those who want something more than a smartphone, it'll just be the way photography is done.