Which mirrorless camera to buy

Pocket 2. Osmo Action. Osmo Pocket. Lumix DC-S5. GR III. Brave 7 LE. Brave 4. K-3 Mark III. View all 71 camera reviews. Latest Camera Activity. View all camera activity. How We Test We purchase our own cameras and put them under the same test bench, so that you can compare the results easily. View all camera articles. Camera Tools Compare cameras. Having trouble deciding between two cameras?

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As we gather your suggestions, we plan on making more frequent changes to our methodology and we'll be able to add text to the reviews in the near future. Home Camera Best Mirrorless. Body Type. Sensor Size. Tested Lens. You may prefer one or the other depending on your ergonomic preferences. However, it's not weather-sealed and features an older iteration of Sony's autofocus system. It features a longer battery life, better build quality, and an in-body image stabilization feature, but it's significantly more expensive and doesn't offer superior image quality or autofocus performance.

Its autofocus system performs a little better than the Canon EOS M50 Mark II's, and it's a better option for 4k video, but it's more expensive, especially when considering Sony's lens ecosystem.

As such it seems almost churlish to find faults, and what little you could complain about is pretty minor. Probably the biggest complaints will be addressed to the side-hinged screen by Fujifans who prefer the older mechanism, but this is purely personal and I like the new approach much better.

Sony A7r IV review The A7r Mark IV is an impressive body, with its new 61 Megapixel sensor leap-frogging its high-res rivals to date and overall speed and handling that could easily tempt D owners. Fujifilm XT30 review The Fujifilm X-T30 follows a tried-and-trusted recipe now on its third generation, delivering the same sensor, processing and autofocus of the flagship X-T3 in a smaller, lighter and much more affordable body.

It may lack the X-T3's weather-proofing, twin card slots, larger and higher resolution viewfinder, 4k up to 60p and screen that angles sideways as well as vertically, but it boasts a popup flash absent from the flagship, and now includes an AF joystick too. Compared to rivals, it lacks built-in stabilisation, 4k movie clips longer than ten minutes, a standard 3.

But as a general-purpose body, the X-T30 remains a great choice, not just against new rivals but also as an upgrade for the earlier X-T20 and even the X-T2. The screen can finally flip-up by degrees to face you for vlogging, and the rare ability to keep filming beyond half an hour makes it ideal for interviews and events. If you do need IBIS, perhaps for unstabilised primes, then the A is still tempting even at a higher price, but I personally prefer the A for its improved focusing, longer recordings and selfie-screen even with the hotshoe limitations.

Sadly the 4k is of limited use, employing a severe crop and only working with less confident contrast-based autofocus. I'm also frustrated there's no USB charging, especially since the battery is fairly weak. But these aside, the EOS M50 remains a highly compelling model with a compact but comfortable body, effective touchscreen, industry-leading wireless, confident focusing for p video, and great colours out-of-camera.

Indeed the M50 may be pitched as an upper entry-level model, but I reckon it's Canon's most compelling mirrorless to date. Coupled with a hotshoe and microphone input, the M50 will be as popular with vloggers as it is with those looking for an upgrade from smartphone photography.

It delivers crisp and satisfying images from its 24 Megapixel full-frame sensor, captures good-looking 4k video in either full-frame or cropped APSC modes, handles itself confidently for action with 10fps bursts and phase-detect autofocus across almost the entire sensor, while also being ideal for events with excellent face and eye detection as well as the chance to shoot in genuine silence. Other options: The original Z6 is still a great camera that you can get for a little less.

Its processing power is not as speedy, and it only has one XQD slot. Alternatively, if you want more resolution, there's the Z7 II, which is very nearly identical to the Z6 II except it has a megapixel sensor. It's a hefty beast, with a solid feel that reminds me of what I used to love about film cameras. Even the on-off switch is made of metal. The sensor is typically Canon, which is to say sharp, with good contrast and the characteristic Canon color rendering it's slightly warmer in tone than some of the others here.

The phase-detect autofocus is fast and accurate. One thing I really like is when you change lenses, there's a cover that swings out to protect the sensor from dust the exception is if you have an adapter and you remove the lens, but not the adapter.

Every camera in this list would benefit from adopting this feature. The R-Mount lens system uses a very wide base diameter, like the Nikon system, and achieves similar results—there are fast R lenses around. Panasonic's S5 is a compact full-frame mirrorless with a very sharp megapixel sensor. The S5 mostly holds its own against the rest of these full-frame cameras in still image quality, but what really sets it apart is the extra video features you won't find elsewhere—support for V-Log recording, anamorphic 4K support, and uncropped 4K at 30 frames per second top the list.

The result is a camera that's perfect for hybrid video and stills shooters. The S5 uses the L-mount lens system, an effort to do for full-frame what Panasonic did for micro four-thirds: Create a unified lens mount standard. Leica is the driving force behind the L-mount, but Panasonic and Sigma also have plenty of glass in L-mount.

That means there's no shortage of lenses for the S5. The biggest shortcoming is the autofocus. Like the the bigger S1, there's no phase detection, and the camera relies on a contrast-based detection system, which is slower and less accurate. I have not tested this brand-new Fujifilm camera, but I have tested the same sensor in the XT-4 above, and the body is very similar to the X-E3, which is enough for me to feel safe saying that the extremely compact X-E4 is going to be very nice to travel with, whenever we all get back to traveling again.

It has 90 percent of what the XT-4 offers, which makes it easier to say what you don't get. There's no in-body image stabilization, the viewfinder is smaller and not as high-resolution, the LCD tilts, but isn't fully articulated, and the body isn't weather sealed. It's this last point that's a sore one.

Frankly, there's no excuse for not adding full weather sealing in a camera that so obviously calls to be in your hand all the time. The Z5 took excellent pictures in low light, thanks to in-body image stabilization and an ISO range up to Last, the 3. Read our full Nikon Z5 review. There's certainly no doubts around its image quality: it shoots stellar 24MP stills and 4K video, though the latter is limited to 30 fps. Buy it in a kit with the similarly diminutive mm lens and you have a great option for traveling light.

Read our full Sony A7C review. If street photography is your thing, then the Fujifilm X-E4 could be just what you're after. The latest entry in Fuji's excellent X series of mirrorless cameras packs a lot into a small, rangefinder-style retro body, including a 3-inch touch-screen LCD that flips out by degrees, a bright EVF and 4K video. But it's the megapixel stills that really shine here, digging up masses of detail and handling exposure and dynamic range well.

Noise is also well controlled, while Fuji's superb film simulations ensure that every shot looks just like you want it to. The relative lack of manual controls won't be to everyone's taste, and there's no built-in image stabilization, but the price is reasonable for the feature set and Fuji's ever-growing lens range offers something for every situation and budget.

Read our full Fujifilm X-E4 review. Nikon was a bit late to the mirrorless camera category, but it's making up for lost time. Following the launch of the full-frame Z6 and Z7 mirrorless cameras, Nikon introduced the Z 50, which doesn't have a full-frame sensor, but offers a solid feature set, great image quality and good performance — in a smaller form factor at a more consumer-friendly price. The Nikon Z 50 is a great mirrorless camera for Nikon enthusiasts; we liked its build and deep, comfortable grip, as well as its sharp electronic viewfinder.

Its 3. The Z 50 has intuitive controls, in-camera retouching, and good performance in low light. However, there's no in-body image stabilization, and the single card slot only supports lower-end SD cards.

Also look out soon for our review of the Nikon Z fc — a new mirrorless camera that has the same specs as the Z 50 but in an attractive retro body. Read our full Nikon Z 50 review. With its touch screen that rotates forward for selfie mode and 31 built-in image filters, the camera offers an easy upgrade from cellphone photography. And its compact design makes the Mark IV pretty easy to carry around. But the Mark IV is not dumbed-down in any way.

The bright OLED viewfinder offers a generous resolution of 2. The screen tilts up about 90 degrees and down degrees to face you when shooting selfies. It's not common in mirrorless cameras, and the capability is especially rare at this price.

And, it comes in a much more compact package, weighing in at If you can live with this compromise, though, you'll be rewarded with crisp photos and fast shooting speeds. The criteria when shopping for a mirrorless camera are pretty much the same as when you're looking for any sort of camera. First, what is your budget?

Next, what is your experience level? If you're new to mirrorless cameras or photography in general, it's worth getting a lower-priced model with more beginner-friendly features, such as in-camera guides that explain various settings. Last, consider what you want to do with the camera. If you're shooting sports or wildlife, you'll want a camera that can take a lot of pictures quickly, as well as one with in-camera stabilization.

And, while mirrorless cameras are known for their smaller size relative to DSLRs, you'll want one that's more compact if you're planning to take it traveling. One of the most important qualities that mirrorless and DSLRs share is that they accept interchangeable lenses, which can dramatically improve image quality and bring your photography to a new level. But there are scores of lenses to choose from, which can be confusing.

To help you get better acquainted with this important camera accessory, here's a quick rundown of types of interchangeable lenses that are available for your mirrorless camera:. Standard zoom lenses: This is the lens that most people who buy an entry-level DSLR or mirrorless model as a kit use first. Mirrorless kits generally come with a mm lens. They typically include a small amount of zoom 3x , and are often inexpensive, but not the highest quality.

However, in the past several years, the quality of these kit lenses has improved. Prime lenses: You can save money by choosing a prime or non-zoom lens.

They offer excellent quality, and are often much more affordable. If you need to zoom, just use your feet and walk closer to your subject!

Telephoto zoom lenses: If you shoot a lot of sports or other types of events, consider these powerful zooms, which can bring you closer to the action and provide features to capture images with shallow depth-of-field. They can be a bit heavy and bulky, but most manufacturers have been inventing new lenses that are smaller and more compact, but are still high quality. The 70mmmm is a good example of this type of lens. Wide-angle lenses: If you're traveling, this type of lens, such as a mm zoom, can be very valuable, since it allows you to capture different types of wide-angle shots.

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