What should mirrorless cameras be called? (dpreview)

[Hamish Gill]

Spotted this on DPreview ...

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1104/11041505mirrorlessvote.asp

thought it was quite interesting ...

We used to have a forum here entitled "mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras".
we decided that having extra forums for all the different types of cameras made things a bit confusing in the end... but i was said (by darren i think) "what on earth is one of them?" ... most likely this was because, as dpreview point out, there isnt a set name for them yet ...

i have voted in the poll for "compact system camera" as i think it has the nicest ring to it ... and the acronym "CSC" also works ...

it seems that "mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras" is the most popular but "MILC" is a bit stupid if you ask me ...
But ... i personally am happy to adopt whatever the outcome of that poll is ... as we do really need a standard ... even if that standard is a daft as "MILC"

What do you think?

 

[Larry Bolch]

Interesting that with all the folks working at marketing cameras, no one has found a generic name that has stuck yet. I have seen the term "hybrid" applied to them, and that makes a bit of sense, but it is not sexy enough to sell product. Micro Four Thirds worked just fine until Sony and Samsung came along.

Incidentally, a similar debate is raging about my Fuji X100. It has substituted an electronic focusing unit for the mechanical rangefinder, but the experience of doing photography with it is identical to the compact rangefinders I used in the film era. It feels like my old Konica S3, looks like it, shoots like it and has the same portability and stealth factors. It is in every way a 2011 version of a rangefinder camera—other than having a mechanical rangefinder. Some are using "rangefinder" and automatically spawning a deluge of mail protesting that it can not be a rangefinder without a rangefinder, even if the mitochondrial rangefinder DNA is vividly experienced.

The mirrorless cameras are obviously the next evolutionary step of dSLRs, as contrast detection focusing and LiveView have become viable. Perhaps the best solution would be to come up with a created name that is catchy but meaningless. Like say, Kodak? ;-)

 

[Hamish Gill]

The x100 is surely just a "compact" or perhaps more accurately a high end compact...

It might look a bit like a rf of yesteryear ... But it kooks more like a compact of yesteryear if you ask me!

 

[Larry Bolch]

It is like my Konica S3 has returned after last being seen in the early 1980s leaving with my ex-, but in the meantime has kept abreast of technological developments. It was totally familiar from the first exposure.

 

[Darren Bradley]

I thought those mirrorless jobs were called EVILs. That's what I call'em.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

How about Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Focus...... MILF

 

[Glen Roberts]

How about Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Focus...... MILF

I think the acronym "MILF" is already taken, but I don't understand what it means...

 

[Hamish Gill]

I'm about 15 weeks from finding out...

 

[Pete Askew]

I personally think Compact Camera fits the bill fine. If it is also fitted with rangefinder it becomes a compact range finder thus distinguishing it from something like a Mamiya 7 (MF RF). I think we have got so used to thinking of a SLR as a 35 mm or digital equivalent we have forgotten than things like Hasselblad V and H systems are also SLR's and think we need some special term for a camera without a mirror (like a 10 x 8" field camera).

 

[Darren Bradley]

Late to the party (out skiing all day), but I vote for MILF, too.