If you're not familiar with the term, the mirror that mirrorless cameras lack is the one that directs light to an optical viewfinder from the lens. SLRs, of course, still offer that. Getting rid of the mirror box allows for a slimmer design with fewer moving parts, as well as more accurate autofocus. And, with the latest spate of models, autofocus is fast. So fast that you won't miss shooting with an SLR.
If you're willing to live without a viewfinder of any sort and use the LCD to frame shots, you can find solid mirrorless models for under $500, including a kit lens. Like SLRs, different manufacturers support different lens formats. If you buy a Sony mirrorless camera, you'll stick with Sony E and FE lenses, and if you opt for Fujifilm you're locked into the X lens system.
The exception is the Micro Four Thirds system, which is a lens format shared by Olympus and Panasonic, and utilized by more specialized cinema cameras made by companies like Blackmagic. The MFT sensor format is a 4:3 aspect ratio, as opposed to the 3:2 ratio used by most SLRs, and slightly smaller.
Canon, Nikon, and Pentax offer entry-level SLRs with traditional optical viewfinders. Sony has continued to support the A-mount SLR system, which dates back to Minolta autofocus SLRs, but has moved to using electronic viewfinders in its Alpha SLT series. The fixed-mirror design and EVF allow the video focus system to use the same sensor as the focus for stills, which delivers autofocus on the same level as with mirrorless cameras when recording moving pictures.
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