Fixed Lens Cameras

[Rexgig0]

Once upon a time, I fumbled and dropped a camera. A very nice, much-loved 50mm lens was mounted on the camera. The camera landed flat upon it back, and a neoprene camera wrap protected the exterior from damage, but, repair was necessary, due to impact damage. Thankfully, the lens was unaffected. Soon, I bought a pre-owned camera, an earlier model in the same system, to accommodate the lens, and was shooting again, with this much-loved lens, long before the camera repair was completed*.

Had the above-described event happened with a fixed-lens camera, the entire camera/lens combo would have required being shipped to another state.

Some fixed-lens cameras have lenses that extend, during the powering-up phase. This can produce negative pressure, that sucks air, and dust, into the camera. If any of this dust lands on the sensor, the user is generally unable to self-service the problem.

So, even though I may well use just one lens, for extended periods of time, I appreciate the option of being able to separate the lens from the camera body. I do actually like the Nikon Coolpix A, which has a permanently-affixed lens, with a ~28mm-“equivalent” angle of view, so, am not an absolutist, on this matter.

*On the day this happened, I had another camera with me, with a 40mm “pancake” lens, though it was of a different system, so, was able to shoot, for the rest of day, though not with the 50mm lens.

 

[Lukacs85]

If you use only one prime lens on your ILCE, what is the purpose of interchangeable option? Better to go with a fixed lens camera with your preferred focal length. The reason, because it's smaller, lighter.

You made this post because the GFX100RF.

I've had this camera for several weeks. Even if it's not your focal length or you need fast aperture, just one time try this camera. It's insanely compact compared any MF camera with prime lens. It's fraction of the price any Hasselblad camera with F4 prime. I'd never buy a GFX system camera because the huge plain shutter. I'd never buy a Hasselblad because of the price. This little camera is joy to use, the quiet leaf shutter is the second important addition after the MF sensor. The EVF is huge, the LCD is excellent, A7CR is not even close in this department. The lens is sharp, and well corrected considering the size, it handles excellent the high resolution.

Overall there are three benefits of a fixed lens camera:

1. Size: it's more compact than an ILCE version, because lens is almost on the sensor surface.
2. Quality of the lens: An ILCE version either significant larger or has inferior optical quality.
3. Leaf shutter (only Hasselblad has leaf shutter system), it's quiet, can sync flash high speeds without need of HSS.

Those are maybe not most photographers priority, so the don't need a fixed lens camera. I think the leaf shutter is the most forgotten difference, I've loved all of my leaf shutter cameras (DPM, DPQ, GR3, GFx100RF) and really prefer it over plain shutter.