Sony to release full frame mirrorless camera with removable lens.

This was recently posted on Engadget.com. Purportedly out 2013-2014, slightly larger body that current NEX-7 body, 24-30 mgpixels.

Hopefully I can start using my R glass again. This may be of interest to those with M glass as well.

<p>People have been using R lenses on Canon bodies for years.</p>

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<p>This may be of interest to those with M glass as well.</p>

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<p>This is <strong>mostly</strong> of interest to those with M glass; a rangefinder-less and hopefully affordable alternative to M9.</p>

<p>K.</p>

<p>i've been holding out waiting for a small form form factor full frame camera to mount my R glass on. The lenses are heavy enough already, without having to carry around a brick like the Canon 5D.<br>

Mostly, I miss using my 21mm lens, and wouldn't mind having a NEX style body that would work with it.<br>

I got my son a NEX-6 for christmas, and it's quite an impressive camera with real portability, but not full frame.<br>

I believe eventually, EVF will be indistinguishable from an optical viewfinder, with obvious advantages. The NEX has the best EVF I've seen to date.<br>

I'm not an expert on M glass and NEX sensors. I recall some issues with the NEX-7 versus the NEX-5 an M glass. I don't know if a FF sony sensor would be usable with M glass, hopefully it would.</p>

<p>Anything with a sensor smaller than that in the Leica S is not full frame.</p>

 

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<p>I recall some issues with the NEX-7 versus the NEX-5 an M glass.</p>

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<p>Yes, with some wide lenses. I think the CV 21/4 does not work well with the NEX-7.</p>

<p>Users like me cannot think of a camera without an eye level finder. That is why the early digital PENs were not tempting. An accessory finder can only be accepted grudgingly. Other than that, I wonder if a Sony FF can cost substantially less than the digital M Leicas. My understanding is that it is the sensor that determines price.</p>

<p>Duplicated.</p>

<p>Mukul, it's difficult to say <em>why</em> a Leica digital costs what it costs. Part of the reason is of course the name, and the fact that until recently, it was the only 'pro quality' digital camera system to use M glass (Leica or Zeiss), so they could charge whatever they damn well pleased.</p>

<p>But on top of that, the distance from the back of the lens to the sensor is much shallower than in a DSLR, and wide angle lenses project onto the sensor at a much steeper angle that with a DSLR. It is my understanding that anything wider than a 50mm can cause problems at the edges of the frame with a FF sensor, and anything wider than 35mm will cause problems with an APS-C sensor. Leica claims that they needed do spend an awful lot on R&D to fix this in the M9, which partially accounts for its price.</p>

<p>Assuming that's all true, my assumption is that using a wide lens from an SLR, or native E mount would cause no more problems than with a FF DSLR, but that using a wide lens from the M mount would cause edge issues. Probably less than Leica got originally, but since Sony doesn't make M mount lenses, it's unlikely that they will bother to correct it as well as the M9 did.</p>

<p>I would have to guess that those that wanted to use their M mount 35mm lenses would be fine, but owners of 21mm lenses would still need an M9 to get good corner-to-corner performance.</p>

<p>Makes sense: but if the E mount film-to-flange distance is greater than that of M mount, Leica M lenses won't work on E mount bodies. It is likely that Sony too will attack the wide angle problem in some way.</p>

<p>The flange distance is actually less, but the difference is that the E mount lenses are designed specifically to project onto a sensor, while most M mount lenses are not.</p>

<p>Would that mean a larger diameter rear?</p>

<p>If the rumour will become fact, then its quite possible Sony will work out the technical issues involved in using M-mount or ltm lenses with the appropriate adapter in a new full frame mirrorless camera. I believe they realize that they have sold many copies of the NEX-5, 5R, 6, and 7 precisely because either by accident or intentionally, they created a camera that could readily accept a variety of third party lenses (not just M-mount) and which no other manufacturer can compete in terms of range of this adaptability and IQ. I for one would not have purchased an NEX-5, regardless of its high image quality, if I could not have used my M-mount lenses. If this new FF can accept M-mount lenses and the sensor can produce high IQ, I will definitely be purchasing one, if it cannot accept M-mount lenses, count me out.</p>

<p>Sony have the RX1 and the obvious next step will be to do an interchangeable full frame RX, but I doubt it will have an M-mount - an adapter presumably might be possible and offered as per the NEX. My only thought is whether Sony will really have the catchet to make it work financially for them and the determination to build a complete enough system, before they shoot off with yet another new design or format.</p>

<p>Mukul, the lens mounts are about the same size. But it is possible that there is room for an additional element in the back of E lenses to 'align' the image so that it projects straighter onto the sensor. Or maybe it's not - I'm not a lens designer. It would be equally possible for other brands to do this, but older lenses probably would not have, as it is not nearly as necessary with film capture.</p>

<p>Lois, I'm with you. I don't have any Leica glass, but I bought the NEX-7 specifically to use older MF lenses. To date, the only Sony lens I own is the 16mm pancake, and that's mostly because it's, small, handy, and cheap, so why wouldn't I? It gives me an autofocus option for bringing the camera to parties, or snapping photos of people on the subway from the hip.</p>

<p>I have never used an EVF so I cannot comment on whether that would satisfy folks like me who use the eye level optical finder. There apparently isn't magic in the M9 sensor, just an overlay of microprisms that redirect off axis rays so that they can impinge on the sensor at a more on axis direction. No reason why Sony cannot develop something similar if it wishes to, although it may choose to not go the route of short back focus optics like those of the M Leica and others. The redesign of optics to provide more on-axis rays has concerned at least some high end medium format lens lens producers and it probably is also being undertaken with more recent Leica and Zeiss short back focus wide angle lenses, but I am only guessing on that. One feature that would be desirable in going from a NEX-7 to the FF sensor camera will be the rotatable monitor screen, which is a limitation of the Leica digital and other camera bodies. Live view also makes sense for R optics use, including macro photography.</p>