A modernization of the DSLR was to remove the mirror and its components (optical viewfinder, separate phase detect autofocus system, etc.) and perform the functions those components provided using the just imaging sensor and an LCD (either the Rear LCD or a built-in electronic viewfinder, which is basically as small LCD with optics).
Removing the mirror box allows you to put the lens mount closer to the sensor (requires redesigning lenses, though), making for a smaller camera in depth. Quite a few other components that need critical alignment in manufacturing for DSLRs are also removed, making assembly or mirrorless cameras less complicated, quicker, and less expensive.
The down side to a mirrorless camera is that using the image sensor to perform exposure and focus and using the LCD or EVF to display what the camera is seeing consumes more power, produces more heat, and can be lower in some aspects of performance, such as focus speed. These trade offs make mirrorless cameras better at competing with entry-level DSLRs, but sometimes not as capable as high-end DSLRs. (Over time, this has been addressed, but that generally has meant higher priced mirrorless cameras.)
Here’s the short version of what’s currently available:
- Canon EOS M — APS-sized 24mp and 32mp sensors, EVF and no EVF options, uses EOS M mount
- Canon EOS RF — Full frame 20/26/30/45mp sensors, EVF, uses EOS RF mount; also RF-S is APS-C 24/32mp sensors, EVF, uses EOS RF mount
- Fujifilm XF — APS-sized X-Trans 24mp, 26mp, and 40mp sensors, OVF, EVF, and no EVF options, uses Fujifilm XF mount
- Fujifilm GFX — Small Medium Format 50mp and 100mp sensors, EVF, uses Fujifilm GFX mount
- Hasselblad XD — Small Medium Format 50mp or 100mp sensor, EVF, uses Hasselblad XD mount
- Leica M — Full frame 18-60mp color and monochrome sensors, OVF, uses Leica M-mount
- Leica SL — Full frame 24 and 60mp sensors, EVF, uses Leica L mount
- Leica TL — APS-C sized 24mp sensor, EVF option, uses Leica L mount
- Nikon Z — APS-C sized 20mp, Full frame 24/45mp sensors, EVF, uses Nikon Z mount
- OM Digital Solutions— m4/3 16mp and 20mp sensors, EVF and no EVF options, uses m4/3 mount (Originally: Olympus)
- Panasonic G — m4/3 10mp, 16mp and 20mp sensors, EVF and no EVF options, uses m4/3 mount
- Panasonic S — Full frame 24 and 47mp sensors, EVF, uses L-mount
- Sigma sd — APS-C or APS-H sized sensor, EVF, uses Sigma SA mount
- Sony Alpha E — APS-C sized 24mp sensors, EVF and no EVF options, uses E-mount
- Sony Alpha FE — Full frame 12mp, 24mp, 33mp 42mp, 50mp, and 61mp sensors, EVF, uses FE-mount
Formerly available cameras no longer made or supported: Nikon 1 (CX), Samsung NX.
The Mirrorless Camera Timeline (links are to my reviews)
- Sep 2006: Leica M8
- Sep 2008: Leica M8.2
- Sep 2008: Panasonic G1
- Mar 2009: Panasonic GH-1
- Jun 2009: Olympus E-P1
- Sep 2009: Panasonic GF-1, Leica M9
- Nov 2009: Olympus E-P2, Ricoh GXR
- Jan 2010: Samsung NX10
- Feb 2010: Olympus E-PL1
- Mar 2010: Panasonic G10, Panasonic G2
- May 2010: Sony NEX-3, Sony NEX-5
- Jun 2010: Samsung NX5
- Sep 2010: Panasonic GH-2, Samsung NX100
- Nov 2010: Panasonic GF-2
- Dec 2010: Samsung NX11
- Jan 2011: Olympus E-PL2
- May 2011: Panasonic G3
- Jun 2011: Olympus E-PM1, Olympus E-PL3, Olympus E-P3, Panasonic GF-3, Pentax Q, Sony NEX-3C, Leica M9P
- Aug 2011: Sony NEX-5N, Sony NEX-7
- Sep 2011: Nikon J1, V1, Samsung NX200
- Nov 2011: Panasonic GX1
- Jan 2012: Fujifilm X-Pro1
- Feb 2012: Olympus OM-D E-M5
- Apr 2012: Panasonic GF5, Samsung NX-20, Samsung NX-210, Samsung NX-1000
- May 2012: Sony NEX-F3, Leica M-Monchorom
- Jul 2012: Canon EOS M
- Aug 2012: Nikon J2, Sony NEX-5R
- Sept 2012: Fujifilm X-E1, Leica M10, Olympus E-PM2, Olympus E-PL5, Panasonic GH3, Pentax Q10, Sony NEX-6
- Oct 2012: Nikon V2
- Jan 2013: Nikon S1, J3
- April 2013: Panasonic GF6, G6
- May 2013: Samsung NX2000, Olympus E-P5, Olympus E-PL6
- June 2013: Pentax Q7, Samsung Galaxy NX, Fujifilm X-M1, Fujifilm X-A1
- August 2013: Panasonic GX7, Sony A3000, Sony NEX-5T
- September 2013: Olympus OM-D E-M1, Nikon AW1
- October 2013: Sony A7, A7r, Fujifilm X-E2, Panasonic GM1
- January 2014: Fujifilm X-T1, Olympus OM-D E-M10, Sony A5000, Samsung NX30
- February 2014: Panasonic GH4
- March 2014: Nikon V3, Samsung NX mini Smart, Sony A6000
- April 2014: Sony A7s, Nikon J4, Leica T (Type 701)
- May 2014: Samsung NX3000, Nikon S2
- August 2014: Pentax Q-S1, Olympus E-PL7, Sony A5100, Leica M-P Type 240
- September 2014: Samsung NX-1, Panasonic GM5
- January 2015: Fujifilm X-A2, Olympus E-M5II, Panasonic GF7
- February 2015: Canon EOS M3, EOS M10
- March 2015: Samsung NX500
- April 2015: Nikon 1 J5
- May 2015: Fujifilm X-T10, Panasonic G7
- June 2015: Sony A7rII
- July 2015: Panasonic GX8
- August 2015: Fujifilm X-T1 IR, Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic GH4R
- September 2015: DJI Zenmuse (drone), Sony A7sII
- October 2015: Leica SL
- November 2015: Leica M (Type 262)
- January 2016: Fujifilm X-Pro2, Fujifilm X-E2s
- February 2016: Olympus Pen-F, Sigma sd Quattro, sd Quattro H, Sony A6300
- April 2016: Panasonic GX80, Panasonic GX85, Leica M-D
- July 2016: Fujifilm X-T2
- August 2016: Fujifilm X-A3
- September 2016: Canon EOS M5, Panasonic G80/85, Olympus E-PL8, YI M1 (also development announcements: Panasonic GH5, Olympus E-M1 II, and Fujifilm GXF medium format)
- October 2016: Sony A6500
- December 2016: Fujifilm X-A10
- January 2017: Fujifilm X-T20, Leica M10, Panasonic GX850
- February 2017: Canon EOS M6
- April 2017: Sony A9
- July 2017: Leica TL2
- August 2017: Canon EOS M100, Olympus E-M10 Mark III
- September 2017: Fujifilm X-E3
- November 2017: Panasonic G9, Leica CL, Sony A7R Mark III
- January 2018: Panasonic GH5s
- February 2018: Canon EOS M50, Fujifilm X-A5, X-A20, X-H1, Olympus PL-9, Panasonic GX9, Panasonic GF10, Sony A7 Mark III
- May 2018: Fujifilm X-T100
- August 2018: Leica M10-P, Nikon Z6, Nikon Z7
- September 2018: Canon R, Fujifilm X-T3, Fujifilm GXR50, development announcements: Fujifilm GFX100, Panasonic S1, S1R
- October 2018: Leica M10-D
- January 2019: Olympus E-M1X, Sony A6400
- February 2019: Canon RP, Fujifilm X-T30, Panasonic S1, Panasonic S1R
- April 2019: Panasonic G90/G95
- May 2019: Fujifilm GFX 100, Panasonic S1H
- June 2019: Hasselblad X1D II 50C
- July 2019: Sigma fp development announcement, Sony A7R Mark IV
- August 2019: Canon EOS M6 Mark II, Sony A6100, Sony A6600
- September 2019: Fujifilm X-A7, Canon M200
- October 2019: Fujifilm X-Pro3, Nikon Z50, Olympus E-M5 Mark III, Olympus E-PL10, Sony A9 Mark II
- January 2020: Leica M10 Monochrom, Fujifilm X-T200
- February 2020: Fujifilm X-T4, Olympus E-M1 Mark III
- June 2020: Panasonic G100
- July 2020: Canon R5, R6, Leica M10-R, Nikon Z5, Olympus E-M10 Mark IV
- August 2020: Panasonic S5, Sony A7C, A7S Mark III
- October 2020: Canon EOS M50 Mark II, Fujifilm X-S10, Nikon Z6 II, Nikon Z7 II, Panasonic BGH1
- November 2020: Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs, Leica Q2 Monochrom
- December 2020: Leica SL2-S
- January 2021: Fujifilm X-E4, Fujifilm GFX100S, Sony A1
- March 2021: Nikon Z9 development announcement, Sigma fp L
- April 2021: Canon R3 development announcement
- May 2021: Panasonic GH5 II, Panasonic GH6 development announcement
- June 2021: OM Digital Solutions E-P7, Nikon Zfc
- August 2021: Fujifilm X-T30 II, GFX50S
- September 2021: Canon R3
- October 2021: Sony A7 Mark IV, Nikon Z9, Panasonic BS1H
- January 2022: Canon R5C (video), Leica M11
- February 2022: OMDS OM-1, Panasonic GH6
- May 2022: Canon R7, Canon R10, Fujifilm X-H2S
- June 2022: Nikon Z30
- September 2022: Fujifilm X-H2, Hasselblad X2D 100c, Sony FX30
- October 2022: OMDS OM-5, Sony ZV-1F, Sony A7R Mark V
- November 2022: Fujifilm X-T5, Canon R6 Mark II
- January 2023: Panasonic S5II, Panasonic S5IIX
- February 2023: Canon R8, Canon R50
- March 2023: Sony ZV-E1
- April 2023: Leica M11 Monochrom
- May 2023: Nikon Z8, Fujifilm X-S20, Canon R100
- July 2023: Sony A6700
- August 2023: Sony A7C Mark II, A7CR
- September 2023: Fujifilm GFX 100 II, Panasonic G9 II, Nikon Zf
- October 2023: Leica M11-P
- November 2023: Sony A9 Mark III
Another way of looking at mirrorless:
- 2023 — 17 cameras announced
- 2022 — 16 cameras announced
- 2021 — 13 cameras announced
- 2020 — 21 cameras announced
- 2019 — 21 cameras announced
- 2018 — 16 cameras announced
- 2017 — 12 cameras announced
- 2016 — 20 cameras announced
- 2015 — 18 cameras announced
- 2014 — 19 cameras announced
- 2013 — 18 cameras announced
- 2012 — 19 cameras announced
- 2011 — 15 cameras announced
- 2010 — 11 cameras announced
- 2009 — 6 cameras announced
In addition to the still cameras, six companies have made video cousins to the mirrorless cameras (i.e. video cameras that use specific mirrorless lens mounts; mostly m4/3 but some Sony E):
- Blackmagic Cinema Camera MFT (2012), Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (2013), Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera (2015), Blackmagic Ursa (2015), Blackmagic Studio (2015), Blackmagic 4K Pocket Cinema (2018), Blackmagic 6K Pocket Cinema (2019)
- DJI Zenmuse (drone) (2015)
- JVC GY-LSX2 (2014), GW-SPLS1 (2014), GY-LS300 (2014)
- Panasonic BGR1 (2020), AG-AF100/101 (2010)
- Sony NEX-VG10 (2010), NEX-VG20 (2011), NEX-VG30 (2012), NEX-VG900 (2012), EA50EH (2012), FS100U (2010), FS700 (2012), FS700R (2014), PXW-FS5 Mark II (2018), PXW-FS7 (2014), 4K XDCAM Super 35 (2014), FX9 (2019)
- Z-Cam E1 (2015), C1 (2016), E2 (2018)
Sub-sections in the Camera section: