SLRs Evolving to SLMs

For decades, the Single Lens Reflex camera has allowed photographers to optically view the image they were taking through the actual lens rather than a separate viewfinder. Seeing the crisp image directly through the lens was certainly an advance over the dual-lens rangefinders, but it added a level of mechanical complexity to cameras. A pentaprism and a moving mirror not only added complexity to the camera, it added cost, weight, and additional size. As video capability becomes integrated into still cameras, the time has come for the single lens reflex (SLR) camera to become the single lens mirror-less (SLM) camera. That is exactly what is happening in the industry. The latest offering appears to be Sony’s new e-mount NEX camera system which allows for interchangeable lenses and can capture both still images and HD movies. Sony is expanding the use of their new e-mount lenses with an HD camcorder in the Fall of 2010. For compatibility with their SLR lens family, they are offering an adapter which will allow their A-mount (alpha) lenses (which are also compatible with the Minolta lenses) to be reused with the camera systems. The one thing I would like to see Sony, Panasonic and similar vendors do is to create a wired LAN/Wi-Fi or even a 4G cellular camera body without an integrated LCD display so that such bodies along with the millions of high quality lenses floating around could be reused as high resolution security cameras.

Sony Cameras on Amazon