Rating the lens systems on Mirrorless cameras

My Sony NEX 5n is a terrific camera, but the native lenses available from Sony for the E mount is quite limited.  Of all the mirrorless systems, here's my quick ranking of the lens packages available.

1) Micro-four thirds

This mount has been around the longest and Panasonic and Olympus have focused on building up a complete range of lenses for these cameras.  The availability is very wide, from wide angle to telephoto zooms, a range of specialist primes and quality pro level zooms.  There is truly something for everyone.

2) Samsung NX

While I don't like the fact that there is very limited compatibility with Leica lenses for NX mount, Samsung have launched a range of primes that are cheap and good quality.  The recently launched 85mm f1.4 was quite a surprise, and its excellent quality levels more so.  Not much in the way of pro zooms or specialist primes (other than the 85mm), but I believe there will be more to come.

3) Fuji X mount

Fuji took a very interesting approach with launching only fast primes with the new X-Pro 1.  This certainly gave the camera enthusiast credibility, and allowed Fuji to focus on coming up with other lenses.  This is one to watch.

4) Sony E mount

Aside from the Carl Zeiss 24mm f1.8, there's not much to get excited about in Sony E mount.  This is a shame, as the NEX series are truly excellent cameras and arguably the best mirror-less camera from an image quality perspective.  Most of the Sony lenses tested haven't performed well, especially on the demanding 24MP sensor in the NEX-7.  However, if you shoot adapted lenses, the focus peaking feature makes it the best of the lot.

5) Ricoh modules

This is system is either very innovative or very weird, depending on where you sit.  I sit on the weird side.  Ricoh's lens modules incorporate sensors directly into them, rather than into the camera, meaning that a different lens could come with a completely different size sensor.  I think this would spin me out when trying to use it.  However, they do offer an array of different modules, with probably the Leica lens module being the most interesting.

6) Nikon 1

So far only consumer zooms are available, so not much to get excited about.

7) Pentax Q and K

The Pentax Q and K are truly at the complete opposite ends of the spectrum.   The K mount is basically a mirrorless D-SLR that takes Pentax K mount lenses, while the Q is interchangeable lens compact, featuring mostly toy lenses.

It really depends on what you need in a camera.  If a wide range of native lenses is very important, then get a micro four thirds camera.  If you shoot adapted lenses, then get the NEX.  If you want to do both, and don't mind a little extra size and cost, then and the Fuji X Pro1 would be perfect.

X Factor

Have you noticed that almost every Mirrorless camera launched recently has an ‘X’ in it’s name?  Strange but true.  Leica started the trend with the X1 (ie first mirror-less camera with an ‘X’ in the name); then came the X100 from Fuji who then added the X10 and XPro-1 recently.   Sony released their NEX series about 18 months ago, followed by the unusual Ricoh GXR.  Canon just named their fixed lens mirrorless compact the G1X, which looks almost exactly the same as the also just announced Panasonic GX1.

I call it all a bit exxy, pardon the pun; but at least Nikon and Olympus haven’t fallen into the X trap yet, though I am sure it won’t be long.

Kingston, ON - Sony NEX 3 with Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 Nokton

Ricoh GX-R and Fuji EVIL

The Ricoh GX-R is an unusual camera that has interchangeable sensors, as well as lenses.  For me the interesting part is the recent availability of the Leica M Mount module.  It features an APS-C size sensor that, crucially, doesn’t have an Anti-Aliasing filter, like a Leica M8 and M9.  These filters are put in most D-SLRs have to reduce Moire aberrations and banding, but result in a reduction in sharpness.  For Leica lenses, this allows them to display their legendary sharpness and rendering that makes Leica, well a Leica.

The only problem is that it is quite expensive.  The body plus the $649 M module makes it a $1500 proposition – more than a Sony NEX-7; but without the excellent viewfinder and other excellent NEX-7 features.  The GX-R is worth considering, but probably a bit too esoteric even for me.

Recently Fuji announced that they will produce an EVIL, so if it is anything like the X-100, I am sure it will be excellent.  I really like the idea of the hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder, and I am sure Fuji will have half an eye on those users who mount Leica M mount lenses to their cameras via an adapter.

Sony NEX-3 with Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 Nokton @ f1.4