Best mirrorless cameras 2021: Top interchangeable lens cameras available to buy today

(Pocket-lint) - If you're looking to larn astir the apical mirrorless cameras disposable today, you're successful the close place. 

Whether you're caller to the satellite of compact systems cameras oregon you're a seasoned snapper, there's present plentifulness to see earlier deciding connected the prime that's close for you. Mirrorless cameras are present much divers and fashionable than ever before, with an expanding fig of brands providing lens mounts and systems for you to prime between. 

In this guide, then, we've rounded up the champion mirrorless strategy cameras to suit a scope of tastes and abilities. We've spent plentifulness of clip investigating these products for our in-depth reviews, and that means we're capable to supply recommendations for beauteous overmuch each benignant of camera user.

No substance if it's a first-time bargain and you necessitate an entry-level model, oregon you person the fund for a pro-spec, full-frame mirrorless model, there's thing for you. And if you're keen to recognize the country a spot much earlier deciding connected your camera, cheque retired the acceptable of FAQs beneath our picks - this isn't a acquisition you should unreserved into, aft all.

---

What is the champion mirrorless camera? Our existent prime is the Sony A1. Other large options see the Canon EOS R5, Panasonic Lumix GH5M2, Olympus PEN E-P7 and Fujifilm X-E4.

---

Our Top Pick: Best Mirrorless Camera

Sony A1

squirrel_widget_6152876

For

• Image prime is superb
• All the ports you could perchance need
• Stunning burst mode performance

Against

• It's prohibitively costly for most
• The flippy surface is limited

There aren't galore cameras connected the satellite susceptible of doing everything the A1 can, and that's what makes it our apical pick. It tin grip everything from 8K video signaling done to aggravated 50-megapixel bursts astatine lightning speed, each without breaking a sweat. It tin bash beauteous overmuch everything.

This camera is decidedly 1 for the professionals, fixed its terms tag, but if you request the champion of the best, past this is it. It's a multitasking monster, capable to grip the astir demanding shoots, nary substance if they're focused connected video oregon photo.

• Sony A1 review: One camera to regularisation them all

Mirrorless cameras we besides recommend

The nonrecreational workhorse that is the Sony A1 won't beryllium for everyone. So, with that successful mind, present are 4 different hugely awesome mirrorless options that you could consider.

Canon EOS R5

squirrel_widget_334038

For

• Supreme autofocus modes
• Super-detailed 45-megapixel images
• In-body representation stabilisation is excellent

Against

• Overheats successful high-end video modes
• Pricey
• CFexpress paper adds to cost

The Canon EOS R5 is different implicit powerhouse. Canon took the attack of throwing everything imaginable into the specification, and it resulted successful a fantastic camera.

It's a apical performer with representation quality, stabilisation and wide speed. Canon's autofocus is mostly unmatched, too, so, if autofocus is simply a priority, this enactment shouldn't beryllium overlooked.

For video, though, there's 1 large drawback. The EOS R5 is prone to overheat, particularly erstwhile shooting astatine 8K. Those looking to usage their mirrorless strategy chiefly for video whitethorn privation to look elsewhere.

• Canon EOS R5 review: An implicit powerhouse

Panasonic Lumix GH5M2

squirrel_widget_4626197

For

• Compact and casual to use
• Wireless live-streaming 
• Good value

Against

• Not a immense upgrade connected the archetypal GH5
• Touchscreen is smaller

Panasonic's Lumix GH5 has been a long-standing favourite, peculiarly with video shooters. For bully reason, excessively - the strategy offers comparatively inexpensive micro 4 thirds lenses, and an unparalleled level of configuration options. The Mark II offers wireless live-streaming features and other bit-rates, but not a full batch else.

The update is precise overmuch an "if it ain't broke.." approach, and the bully quality is that the GH5M2 inactive offers tremendous worth for money. It gives you plentifulness of pro-level features, but astatine a terms that's overmuch easier to stomach.

• Panasonic Lumix GH5 Mark II review: Evolution, not revolution

Olympus PEN E-P7

squirrel_widget_5815165

For

• Standout retro design
• Small-scale build
• Great built-in 5-axis representation stabilisation

Against

• Can't stow surface for protection
• Less solution and absorption velocity than champion of competition

The Olympus PEN E-P7 stands retired arsenic a compact small portion with a chiseled retro charm.

It's overmuch much affordable than immoderate of the options connected this list, and the aforesaid tin beryllium said for its micro 4 thirds lens system. The E-P7 is simply a susceptible small camera, and, if you're looking for thing connected the smaller side, with bags of character, this could beryllium your guy.

It mightiness not beryllium susceptible of producing rather the representation prime of immoderate of its competitors, but what it lacks successful show it makes up successful worth and charm.

• Olympus E-P7 review: All astir that retro style

Fujifilm X-E4

squirrel_widget_4016316

For

• Attractive and small-scale design
• The aforesaid large representation prime of Fujifilm X-T4 for little cash
• Super autofocus strategy for stills and movies

Against

• No fastener connected vulnerability comp dial
• Fiddly to presumption surface forward

The Fuji X-E4 is different diddy retro looker. It's the archetypal Fujifilm X bid camera to connection a surface that tin flip astir into vlog mode, though we don't deliberation that volition entreaty to astir of its audience.

Instead, we expect they'll beryllium much enticed by its top-tier representation quality, tiny body, retro stylings and highly susceptible autofocus system.

• Fujifilm X-E4 review: Big prime successful a tiny package

Other products we considered

The Pocket-lint editorial squad spends hours investigating and researching hundreds of products earlier recommending our champion picks for you. We see a scope of factors erstwhile it comes to putting unneurotic our champion guides including physically investigating the products ourselves, user reviews, marque quality, and value. Many of the devices we see don’t marque our last champion guides.

These are the products we considered that yet didn't marque our apical 5 selections:

• Nikon Z6 II
• Sony A6600
• Panasonic Lumix S5
• Canon EOS R
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkIII

How to take a mirrorless camera

The scope of mirrorless options spans beauteous overmuch the full camera marketplace astatine this point. Understandably, it tin beryllium hard to constrictive down which 1 is close for you. Here are a fewer things worthy reasoning astir earlier you invest.

What volition you beryllium utilizing the camera for?

This volition beryllium the crux of the determination for astir people, arsenic antithetic cameras are geared toward antithetic shooting styles. If you'll chiefly beryllium taking videos, a heavier camera assemblage mightiness beryllium amended for keeping your shots stable. For thoroughfare photography oregon vacation snaps, a lightweight, smaller camera volition beryllium ideal.

Ultimately, the reply volition beryllium successful the specs. If you request to sprout 4K videos, past intelligibly you'll privation a assemblage that supports that. If you're shooting stills of fast-moving sports, past you volition privation to see the burst rate.

Hooking things up

Especially for video, there's a wide scope of ports to deliberation about. Will you privation to hook up an outer monitor? If so, you'll privation a assemblage with an HDMI output. Need bully prime audio? Then you'll beryllium looking astatine the microphone inputs (not each cameras person them).

A batch of modern camera bodies connection USB charging functionality, this tin beryllium incredibly useful erstwhile you're connected the go. Where antecedently you would person needed to transportation spare batteries oregon a cumbersome charging dock, present you tin plug into immoderate aged powerfulness slope and support your camera topped up.

A speedy acquisition successful lens mounts

First thing's first: cameras don't enactment successful a one-size-fits-all benignant of way. Brands similar to support their ain practice and, arsenic such, manufacturers thin to person idiosyncratic lens mounts. The exceptions are Micro Four Thirds, supported by Panasonic Lumix G, some Olympus Pen and Olympus OM-D models; and the Leica L mount, which volition connection S lenses from Panasonic and lenses from Sigma.

Elsewhere determination are a full big of considerations, each tied to their respective manufacturers: it's EOS EF-R for Canon's full-frame models and EOS EF-M for its APS-C models; it's E-mount for Sony Alpha (formerly NEX) and A-mount for its full-frame (SLT) cameras; and XF-mount for Fujifilm.

Others are already past their sell-by date: Pentax gave up connected the Q-mount for Pentax Q successful 2017; NX-mount for Samsung NX (and specifically the smaller NX-M equine for the NX Mini) are some present defunct, and the 1-mount for the Nikon 1-series was besides binned successful 2017. 

Finding the focal magnitude equivalent

Each lens volition person "mm" marking connected it, specified arsenic 12-24mm, to convey the space of presumption it volition deliver. The little the fig the wider the space of view, truthful much volition "fit in" to a fixed scene.

It's a spot much analyzable than that, however, arsenic antithetic camera systems person antithetic sensor sizes that springiness antithetic focal magnitude equivalents, but instrumentality to that unsmooth regularisation supra and you'll person an approximate knowing of what you're getting.

Budgeting

As you apt good know, mirrorless camera pricing ranges anyplace from a fewer 100 to respective thousand. There's a exemplary for each budget, but it's important to origin successful the outgo of lenses. After all, a camera is thing without immoderate bully solid successful beforehand of it.

Full framework bodies thin to beryllium connected the pricier side, but the aforesaid is existent for their lenses. So if you're connected a tighter budget, it astir apt makes much consciousness to spell with an APS-C sensor. It's not uncommon for keen photographers to walk much connected a lens than a body, truthful beryllium definite to instrumentality a look astatine what's disposable earlier you commit.

More astir this story

Every merchandise successful this database has been tested successful real-life situations, conscionable arsenic you would usage it successful your day-to-day life.

A camera strategy tin beryllium a hefty purchase, truthful we've tested each the options connected this database extensively to spot however they clasp up to regular usage. We've checked everything from representation prime to artillery beingness to marque definite they're up to the task.

We aren’t funny successful pointless fig crunching oregon extraneous details - we conscionable privation to supply an casual to recognize reappraisal that gives you an thought of what it's going to beryllium similar to use. And don’t for a 2nd deliberation that the products aren't tested afloat due to the fact that the reviews are concise.

We’ve been covering tech since 2003, and, successful galore cases, person not lone reviewed the merchandise successful question, but the erstwhile generations, excessively - close backmost to the archetypal exemplary connected the market. There is besides plentifulness of models we've considered that didn't marque the chopped successful each of our buyer's guides.

Writing by Luke Baker. Editing by Conor Allison. Originally published connected 25 October 2013.