Compact System Cameras (CSCs), also known as mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, continue to generate buzz (and sales) these days because they appeal to two major audiences: DSLR enthusiasts looking for a more compact camera without sacrificing features or optical flexibility; and point-and-shooters who want to elevate their picture-taking experience without sacrificing compactness and portability.
By dispensing with the DSLR reflex mirror and mirror box, CSCs can be made considerably more compact while providing DSLR functionality. And because of the way CSCs are constructed, their lenses can be substantially smaller and lighter than comparable DSLR lenses—even if the cameras they’re fitted to have relatively large DSLR-size APS-C- or Micro Four Thirds-format sensors that deliver high image quality and high ISO performance.
How is this possible? The answer is simple. By eliminating the mirror mechanism, CSC lens systems can achieve a much shorter flange back distance—that’s the distance from the lens-mounting flange to the image sensor. And the shorter this distance is the smaller the lenses can be made for any given angular coverage—and still provide excellent imaging characteristics by covering the sensor format sharply from corner to corner. The result is an amazing array of high-performance, wide-aperture lenses, long zooms and ultra-wide-angle lenses that are no more than half the size and weight of their DSLR counterparts.
The Flange Back Factor by the Numbers
Here are some examples of what we’re talking about: the flange back distance of the Canon EF and EF-S DSLR mounts measures 44mm, and the Nikon F mount is 46.5mm; but the figure for the Micro Four Thirds mount is less than half that at 19.25mm, and the Sony E mount for APS-C-format NEX cameras measures a mere 18mm. As you’d expect, the flange back distance is even shorter with CSCs having smaller formats—it’s 17mm for the Nikon 1 mount and 9.2mm for the Pentax Q mount. This is the essential reason that the CSC lenses offered by camera makers and independent manufacturers can be so engagingly small and light, enabling an entire camera outfit to fit inside a small camera bag—a major selling point for serious photographers and emerging enthusiasts.
Not surprisingly, the increasing popularity of CSC models has resulted in a veritable explosion of CSC lenses over the past year or two, in all focal lengths ranging from ultra-wide to long telephoto zoom and everything in between. They include many with intriguing features as well as fetchingly compact form factors.
This is definitely a growth sector, and as more enthusiasts take the plunge and acquire compact system cameras as alternatives or adjuncts to their DSLRs or point-and-shoot models, CSC lens sales won’t be far behind.
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the intriguing optics out there in this up-and-coming, high-profit-margin segment of the marketplace.
Sigma CSC Lenses
Sigma currently offers more CSC-compatible lenses in the Micro Four Thirds and E mounts (APS-C) than any other independent lens maker. They include three prime lenses: the 60mm f/2.8 DN / A (Art) mid-range-telephoto that’s equivalent to 120mm in Micro Four Thirds (MFT) and 90mm in E-mount formats and employs Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass to minimize axial and transverse chromatic aberration (price: TBA); the 19mm f/2.8 DN /A, equivalent to 38mm in Micro Four Thirds and 28.5mm in E mount ($280); and the Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN /A, a normal lens (equivalent to 60mm in MFT and 45mm in E mount) that includes a double-sided aspheric element for enhanced performance ($280). sigmaphoto.com
Tamron CSC Lenses
Tamron announced their first E-mount lens for Sony NEX cameras, the long-range zoom Tamron 18–200mm f/3.5–6.3 Di III VC, in late 2011, and it continues to sell well ($740). It provides equivalent coverage of 27–300mm on the APS-C format, has Tamron’s proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization built in, a stepping motor for the AF drive that’s optimized for video shooting, and direct manual focus (DMF) to facilitate fine manual focus adjustments.
The company just announced its first Micro Four Thirds-format lens—the Tamron 14–150mm f/3.5–5.8 Di III VC (28–300mm equivalent) that has a stepping motor, one LD element, two molded-glass aspheric elements and one hybrid aspheric element to thoroughly compensate for aberrations. It’s slated for delivery late 2013 (TBA). tamron.com
Samsung CSC Lens
Samsung offers several NX-mount lenses for their APS-C-format NX compact cameras. All but one feature i-Function, an ingenious system that lets users press a button on the lens to toggle through camera settings, including aperture, shutter speed, exposure value, ISO and white balance, which can be set by turning a control ring on the lens, while the effect is previewed on the camera’s LCD.
The most fascinating is the NX 45mm f/1.8 2D/3D lens ($499), a high-speed short telephoto (69.3mm equivalent) that shoots 3D photos and movies on the Samsung NX300. By engaging a switch on the lens, a secondary dual LCD shutter drops into the optical path, enabling the camera to capture two slightly different images that are rendered on the camera’s 20.3MP sensor and processed by its image processor into a single 3D image that’s viewable on 3D TVs or other devices. In 3D mode, the lens has an effective maximum aperture of f/3.5, but its f/1.8 maximum aperture in 2D is great for low light and creating shallow depth-of-field imagery. samsung.com
Tokina CSC Lens
Tokina—with an optical manufacturing tradition that dates back more than 60 years—offers a compact 300mm f/6.3 telephoto mirror lens designed for mirrorless CSCs using a Micro Four Thirds mount. The reflex telephoto macro lens has a focal length that is equivalent to 600mm when placed on a mirrorless camera body, making it a super-telephoto lens. Despite its power, the lens is incredibly compact to match the size of the CSCs it is intended to be used with. It features a fixed f/6.3 minimum aperture, an all-metal lens barrel, very high-quality glass optics, a wide grip area on the manual focusing ring, smooth movement to assist in focusing and multilayer coatings. $299. tokinalens.com
Olympus CSC Lenses
Cool additions to the extensive Olympus Micro Four Thirds lens line include two high-speed lenses: the M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 fast portrait lens (150mm equivalent) that’s great for creating shallow depth-of-field effects and has a nine-blade circular diaphragm to enhance its beautiful bokeh ($899); and the M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 (34mm equivalent), a great street-shooting and low-light lens that features three aspheric elements including a dual super-aspherical element for ultra-high correction ($499).
For something entirely different, there’s the ultra-flat 15mm (30mm equivalent) body cap lens with a fixed f/8.0 aperture that transforms an MFT camera into a pan-focus snapshot camera ($49). olympusamerica.com
Nikon CSC Lenses
The jewel-like Nikon 1 CSC lenses are really petite, in keeping with the Nikon 1 J3, 1 S1 and 1 V2’s smaller CX-format sensor with a 2.7x crop factor, but they have an excellent reputation for high image quality. The latest 1 Nikkor lenses are: the 1 Nikkor 10–100mm f/4–5.6 VR (Vibration Reduction), a 27–270mm equivalent ultrazoom ($549); and the 1 Nikkor 6.7–13mm f/3.5–5.6 VR, an 18–25mm equivalent, ultra-wide-angle zoom ($499). nikonusa.com
