Completely lost

[sashbar]

So, to be clear, a camera without a mirror but with interchangeable lenses is a "mirrorless" camera. But a camera with a mirror, an optical view finder and a fixed lens is still a "compact camera" (Canon G-1X and G16). Both are sold as being "pocketable" - if you have large pockets. As is the small bodied DSLR Canon SL-1 with an optical view finder. Canon appears to favor optical view finders with back of camera, articulated LCD screens in their line. As I've shopped I've found some rather obvious disparities in the resolution offered in LCD's and EVF's. Not so much with optical view finders, they are pretty consistent when it comes to resolution. Pro's and con's of optical vs electronic aside, is Canon simply sticking with proven technology with their upper end cameras when it comes to view finders?

These is no mirror in G-1X and similar cameras. There is just a tiny optical viewfinder with off-set parallax and narrow field of view, like any bridge or some P&S cameras. You do not look through the lense, unlike DSLR or a mirrorless camera.

The problem with an OVF is that you can not put a large DSLR type OVF into a small, never mind pocketable, body. You need space for the flipping mirror and the prism or pentamirror. That is why OVF in relatively compact DSLRs like SL1 are consistently tiny. Even then you can not make it flat, it will be chunky to accommodate the prism and mirror.

All cameras with proper large through-lense OVF are large size, big, heavy DSLRs. And the large OVF immediately reflects in the cost. But even with a large expensive and ambitious full frame D750 they were unable to squeeze in the OVF they use in their professional bodies. Compare it to a FUJI XT1 mirror-less which is less than half the size and packs an EVF that is larger than about any pro OVF on the market.

This all very simple - with OVF the space is the limit. You can not make it any better. With mirrorless EVF it is the matter of EVF screen resolution and brute processing force which is doubling and doubling every second year. So it is only a matter of time, and manufacturers know it.