Why Sony’s E-Mount Is so Significant in the Imaging World
A while ago, I shared a fun post by Taylor Jackson, where he points out that we’re all Sony shooters, whether we know it or not. At the time, I didn’t quite grasp the bigger picture of why that was such a significant statement, but after reading this super interesting article from Kish Sawh, I’ve gained a new understanding of why that is such an important statement for our creative community and for our industry as a whole.
You see, in a way, without Sony, there may not be a Nikon, a Fujifilm, or maybe even the globally significant and paradigm-shifting Apple iPhone.
To get a full understanding of how Sony has been pioneering change in the imaging industry over the last decade, we have to go all the way back to the release of the original a7 and a7R cameras. Those cameras were the start of the mirrorless revolution, spearheaded the path forward for Sony, and also changed the game for other brands like Nikon, Fujifilm, Apple, and many others.
Entering the fold at a time where DSLRs ruled the creative landscape, the a7 and a7R cameras were signs of what was to come and important catalysts for the amazing advancements that we all enjoy today. Looking back over the last decade, it’s interesting to put the significance of Sony’s E Mount and Alpha mirrorless revolution into perspective.
My Personal Alpha and E Mount Journey
I try not to date myself as a creative whenever possible, but let’s just say that I’m old enough to remember the first time that I saw a 720p television. At a time when the industry display standard was 480p, seeing an HD image for the first time was like getting a new set of eyes. That first experience was a moment that I will always remember and, looking back on it now, one that signaled where display technology was heading. The same can be said for the first time that I experienced my first full frame Sony Alpha camera.
My first full frame Alpha setup was the Sony a7 II with the Zeiss 55mm f/1.8. It was producing images for me that were insanely sharp and doing it with a fraction of the effort that it used to take me to focus and re-compose with my DSLR. Looking back on that time, I can tell that it was yet another pivotal moment in my career, as the experience with my a7 II was as significant as when I first experienced that 720p HD image. It was effortlessly easy to capture sharp portraits at impossibly shallow depth of field, and I could sense that Sony was determined to change the rules of the game.
New features like eye autofocus on my a7 II were facilitating a shift in my creative work while Sony was hard at work investing in sensor technology to provide a nexus for the industry to advance into the future. I can see now that changing the DSLR paradigm with mirrorless was just the beginning of Sony’s plans, as they’ve been relentless in the pace of innovation for themselves and through providing a platform for the industry to advance as a whole.
Speed and Innovation
Throughout the past decade of Alpha and E Mount development, the speed of Sony’s innovations and release cycles has facilitated a shift in the imaging industry as a whole. Revolutionary Sony sensors have created a platform for other imaging companies to thrive, where they may have been unable to otherwise. Take the Nikon Z9, for example. It’s quite feasible that companies like Nikon wouldn’t have been able to move to mirrorless if it weren’t for Sony’s investment in sensor development or their willingness to share and support the growth of other companies. I’m not sure about you, but I haven’t seen any Canon sensors in other manufacturers’ cameras lately.
By investing in sensor development when other companies weren’t able to, Sony became the bedrock upon which other brands built their platforms. Sony put innovation and advancement of the imaging industry above its own brand and profits by its willingness to help other companies develop and advance their own cameras using Sony sensors. They’ve opened up their sensor technologies for other companies to benefit from and aren’t stifling our collective growth by keeping their best technologies only for themselves.
We’ve all heard the adage that “sharing is caring” by now, which is the simplest way that I can make my point about the fact that Sony has been sharing its technology to further the advancement of the imaging industry. That’s what I admire the most about their approach to how they’ve led the industry over the last decade. It’s not just about growing on their own. It’s about community over competition. By advancing the entire imaging industry, everyone benefits, including Sony and the E Mount.
Fostering Progress
Taylor Jackson makes funny references to why we’re all oblivious Sony shooters in his video, but the gist of his point basically boils down to: “Many of us are unaware that we’ve been shooting with Sony sensors all along.”
As I reflect on the 10-year anniversary of E Mount now, I keep coming back to how vital Sony’s technology has become for our entire industry. Many of the new products that are constantly and rapidly innovating are doing so thanks to Sony’s sensors, and there’s no question in my mind that we wouldn’t have as vibrant a creative industry if these opportunities didn’t exist for companies like Nikon, Apple, and others.
Keep in mind that if you have an iPhone, you technically have a Sony sensor powering your imaging. It has been designed for Apple based on their specifications, but essentially, you are benefiting from Sony’s sensor technology, and their investments in enabling cutting-edge innovations for others, who are often their direct competitors.
That is such a powerful and inspiring point to grasp, as it’s infinitely more difficult to put the needs of others ahead of your own needs for the sake of a bigger vision that depends on everyone’s collective success. It’s essentially like being a team player at the highest levels, with the highest possible consequences, some of which could potentially negatively impact your own plans, products, and earnings potential.
Keeping E-Mount Open
Thankfully, even though Sony’s ethos is to put community over revenue, they continue to succeed and stay at the forefront of industry innovation with E Mount and Alpha. They’ve kept E Mount open and accessible to third-party partners like Zeiss, Sigma, and Tamron over the last decade, which benefits us in a number of ways. We get to enjoy lower prices, more lens options, and increased innovation through friendly competition.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a die-hard Sony fan who’s been shooting with Alpha for nearly a decade, but with that personal bias disclosed, I have to give credit where credit is due.
They say that those who get there first get to set the rules of the game, and Sony has done an admirable job in setting the standard for our industry as the pioneer in full frame mirrorless. Leading by example, and with a focus on the long-term success of our imaging industry, Sony continues to exhibit an ethos of community over competition, through the embodiment of policies that benefit our industry collective, instead of self-serving strategies that hold back growth and innovation.
Other brands are starting to take note of this ethos and are changing unpopular policies and practices by following Sony’s lead. Canon has recently decided to reverse course and open the RF mount to allow for some third-party lens support, which is a testament to how Sony has been setting the standard in this regard for a very long time.
E Mount and Alpha have changed the game for me personally as a full-time professional creative over the last decade, and it’s easy to see that Sony has also been pioneering imaging for the larger landscape of brands and products for other companies.
Cheers to continuing to set the standard for excellence, Sony, both in how you share your Kando with your own community and how you enable it for other communities who may not have the resources to achieve it on their own. I’ll be here toasting to the amazing decade that we’ve just enjoyed and to the inspiring innovations that I know we’ll see in the decade to come!
Happy 10-year anniversary, Sony Alpha and E Mount.
Images used with permission of Reza Malayeri & Lemar Griffin
