Sony E Mount wasn't designed for full frame cameras, says Leica manager

One of the things that many people seem to have noticed about the new Nikon Z6/7 and Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless cameras is that the lens mount is huge. They look at their Sony with its relatively small E-Mount and wonder what the big deal is? Is it all just marketing hype from Nikon and Canon to sell super fast aperture lenses?

Maybe not. Leica manager Stephan Schulz backs up the idea that Sony’s E Mount wasn’t designed for full frame cameras in a recent interview with Reddotforum. He also explains why the L mount was developed to address the needs of full frame mirrorless cameras and lenses with autofocus.

That’s a big difference with the L-mount versus the Sony E mount. They started the mount with the NEX, which was APS, but Sony didn’t have full frame in mind at that time. So, they had some challenges in making the lenses work for full frame. The Leica L-mount is much bigger which gives us more flexibility.

– Stephan Schulz, Leica Head of Professional Products

This could explain why it took Sony so long to develop and bring an array of full frame lenses to market – probably the most frustrating thing about Sony’s earliest days in the mirrorless. Although, now some of their full frame lenses are amongst the best in the world.

Yeah, E mount is pretty small by comparison. It has a 46mm diameter. Canon’s new RF mount is 54mm and Nikon Z mount is 55mm.

Regardless, Sony probably won’t be pleased with the suggestion that their lens mount is somehow “inferior”. It does make you wonder if Sony plans to change things up at some point to go with a mount better suited to full frame use.

It’ll be interesting to see how things play out in the world of full frame mirrorless in the next couple of years now that Nikon. Canon, Leica, Panasonic and Sigma are all looking to compete.

[Reddotforum via L-Rumors]

Huge Dom

Meanwhile Leica uses the M-mount for their other FF Mirrorless line that is even smaller than the E mount.
- Kaouthia
  
  And doesn’t have autofocus – which was kind of the whole point. :)
  - Huge Dom
    
    The sensor is not round, so there is always space for electrical connectors. ;)
    - Kim Min
      
      the GLASS ITSELF is fully manuals sans any electrical component. Obvi you’ve just made a comment without ever holding a m-leica in your hands.
      - Huge Dom
        
        I was referring to Sony wouldn’t require much more space for connectors… You obvi didn’t read the previ comments.
Jan te Pas

Though its a masterpiece by Sony to make it work. A littlebit cheap to say this as a Leica person. Because Sony has made great lenses since!
Aleksander T. E.

Meanwhile Leicas fullframe can be compared to crop cameras :) https://petapixel.com/2017/12/18/leica-m10-full-frame-sensor-line-top-crop-sensors-dxomark/
Hans J

Sony Needs a new mount. We deserve that as customers!
sanch

The small mount will make Sony make breakthroughs in optical designs. The more the challenges, the better. I am pretty sure they will be able to make really good lens. Already, their 90 mm G f/2.8 , their 135 mm f/1.8 and the 400 f/2.8 are the sharpest lens in the market.