Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I will phrase my question a little differently:
My question is how easily a mirrorless camera's sensor is damaged by direct exposure to the sun. With my Canon 5D MKII, Canon does not recommend using live view when the camera is pointed directly at the sun, because during live view the focal plane shutter opens and the sensor is exposed to the sun. I take this to mean that exposing the sensor to the sun while using live view for the time it takes to compose a scene, say 10 to 20 seconds, can possibly damage the sensor. For this reason I do not use live view to compose the scene and instead use the viewfinder. This way the focal plane shutter is closed and the sensor is only exposed briefly while making exposures. So my question is:
1. On a Sony mirrorless system, the sensor is always exposed to the scene during the entire time the camera is turned on?
2. If this is the case, then wouldn't the sensor be damaged if the camera is pointed directly at the sun while composing the scene? For example a shoot of a particular scene may take place over 15 to 20 minutes, during which time I normally have the camera pointed at the scene, including the sun. As the light changes I will make a series of exposures. So with a mirrorless system I might be exposing the sensor directly to the sun for 15 to 20 minutes. Canon would not recommend using live view for this period of time if the camera is pointed directly at the sun.
3. Or, are the sensors used on a mirrorless system more robust, more resistant to being damaged, when it comes to pointing the camera at the sun? If this is the case, then the mirrorless camera can be pointed directly at the sun while making a series of exposures, say over a 20 minute period of time?
Does any one have experience with a A7 or A7r or Nex 7 or A6000 using it in the way I have described?