Sony E-mount
Sony α7 E-mount obscuring the sensor | |
| Type | Bayonet |
|---|---|
| Inner diameter | 46.1 mm |
| Flange | 18 mm |
| Introduced | 2011 |
The E-mount is a lens mount designed by Sony for their NEX ("New E-mount eXperience") and ILCE series of camcorders and mirrorless cameras. The E-mount supplements Sony's α mount, allowing the company to develop more compact imaging devices while maintaining vignetting with 35mm sensors. E-mount achieves this by:
- Minimising mechanical complexity, removing mechanical aperture and focus drive.
- Shortening the flange focal distance to 18 mm compared with earlier offerings from Sony which used 44.5 mm.
- Reducing the radius of the flange.
- Relying on software to correct vignetting
The short flange focal distance prohibits the use of an optical viewfinder, as a mirror box mechanism cannot be included in this reduced distance. Therefore, all E-mount cameras use an electronic viewfinder.