A modernization of the DSLR is to remove the mirror and its components (optical viewfinder, phase detect autofocus system, etc.) and perform the functions those components provided using the imaging sensor and the color LCD (sometimes supplemented with an electronic viewfinder, or EVF).
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 are also removed, making assembly quicker and less expensive. The down side is that using the image sensor to perform exposure and focus and using the color LCD or EVF to display what the camera is seeing consumes more power, produces more heat, and is (at least for the time being) lower in some aspects of performance, such as focus speed. These trade offs make mirrorless cameras (also called Interchangeable Lens Cameras [ILC] or Interchangeable Lens Systems [ILS]) good at competing with entry-level DSLRs, but not as capable as high-end DSLRs.
| Camera | Sensor | Viewfinder |
| Canon EOS M | 18mp APS | none |
| Fujifilm X-Pro1 | 16mp APS | OVF, EVF |
| Fujifilm X-E1 | 16mp APS | EVF |
| Leica M-E | 18mp full frame | OVF |
| Leica M 240 | 18mp full frame | OVF, optional EVF |
| Nikon J3 | 14mp 1" | none |
| Nikon S1 | 10mp 1" | none |
| Nikon V2 | 14mp 1" | EVF |
| Olympus E-P5 | 16mp m4/3 | optional EVF |
| Olympus E-PM2 | 16mp m4/3 | none |
| Olympus E-PL5 | 16mp m4/3 | optional EVF |
| Olympus OM-D E-M5 | 16mp m4/3 | EVF |
| Panasonic GF6 | 16mp m4/3 | none |
| Panasonic GX1 | 16mp m4/3 | optional EVF |
| Panasonic G6 | 16mp m4/3 | EVF |
| Panasonic GH3 | 16mp m4/3 | EVF |
| Pentax Q10 | 12mp 1/2.3" | none |
| Samsung NX-2000 | 20mp APS | none |
| Samsung NX-300 | 20mp APS | optional EVF |
| Samsung NX-20 | 20mp APS | EVF |
| Sony NEX-F3 | 16mp APS | none |
| Sony NEX-5R | 16mp APS | optional EVF |
| Sony NEX-6 | 16mp APS | EVF |
| Sony NEX-7 | 24mp APS | EVF |
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
In addition to the still cameras, three companies—BlackMagic, Panasonic, and Sony—have made video cousins to the mirrorless cameras (i.e. video cameras that use mirrorless lens mounts):
- BlackMagic Cinema Camera MFT (2012)
- Panasonic AG-AF100/101 (2010)
- Sony NEX-VG10 (2010), NEX-VG20 (2011), NEX-VG30 (2012), NEX-VG900 (2012), EA50EH (2012), FS100U (2010), FS700 (2012)