Definition March 2023 - Newsletter

MIRRORLESS GEAR.

Mirrorless cameras are a desirable choice for many filmmakers thanks to their reduced size, weight and complexity. Phil Rhodes explores the latest body and lens combinations from the leading manufacturers – and how state- of-the-art technology offers filmmakers huge performance in a tiny box

WORDS. Phil Rhodes

A lmost exactly a year ago, Canon announced that the EOS 1DX Mark III would be its last camera to use a traditional optical viewfinder. Some stills purists thought that controversial, but for those of us interested in moving pictures, optical viewfinders on stills cameras had long been dead weight. Given how much mirrorless cameras offer in terms of reduced size, weight and complexity, it’s an understandable choice – but the state of play now gives us a lot more than just that. It’s no coincidence, for instance, that the best price-performance

ratio in lenses demands short lens mounts with no room for a mirror. The short clearance grants designers lots of conveniences, which is why things like the Fujinon MK 18-55mm and 50- 135mm zooms, as well as really affordable anamorphics like those from Sirui, often rely on mirrorless mounts. At the same time, anyone interested in something old and classic will find that mirrorless designs can be treated more or less as a platform for adaptors accommodating practically any lens ever made – except, sometimes, those that were built for other mirrorless designs.

“The best price-performance ratio in lenses demands short lens mounts with no room for a mirror”

EASE OFF Mirrorless cameras can offer a small and simple solution to high- performance filming

69. MARCH 2023

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