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In 2023 a mirrorless camera is an easy and affordable option to join the advanced photography. In essence, the basic principle of such a camera is no different from the camera in your phone. Except that not a single smartphone, even the most expensive one, will give you the functionality of a mirrorless camera. You’ll be able to use everything from wide-angle lenses (for landscapes) to telephoto lenses (for capturing distant subjects) with a camera that’s slightly larger than a modern phone.
After talking to wedding photographers, we’ve rounded up the best mirrorless cameras in 2023. For convenience, we’ve listed them from the most affordable to the most advanced models. Note that we have collected the “camera + lens” kits from the official market. If you wish, you can always buy the lenses you need separately.
Top mirrorless cameras according to InPixMe
Olympus PEN E-PL8 Kit 14-42mm IIR
One of the best mirrorless cameras available. You can choose between two contrasting body colours – black and white. Although the camera is made of metal, it is better protected from water, rain and snow. The only wireless interface on board is Wi-Fi, which is needed to work with the proprietary application. The battery will last for 350 shots in a warm season. In the cold, the battery lasts much less, so it’s better to stock up on a backup.
Features
Micro 4/3 mount
17.2 megapixel sensor
Shooting speed 8.5 frames per second
Weight 374 g
Pros and cons
+ Price, easy to find on sale.
– No Bluetooth.
Fujifilm X-A5 Kit 15-45mm
An affordable option from another legendary camera manufacturer from Japan. The camera isn’t as fast to operate, but it does have a good sensor – images come out bright and clear. The camera can also record 4K video. But don’t count on it, as the frames per second will only be 15 – this feature is added here more for marketing purposes. The manufacturer has put a good battery in the camera, which will appeal to those who like to go for long walks.
Features
Fuji X mount
24.2 megapixel sensor
Shooting speed 6 frames per second
Weight 361g
Pros and cons
+ Quality APS-C CMOS sensor, plenty of battery life.
– Not the fastest autofocus for its money.
Canon EOS M100 Kit 15-45mm
The plastic body looks somewhat flimsy. A mirrorless version from one of the world’s most famous camera manufacturers. Canon decided not to flirt with the anatomical grip of a lightweight camera and designed the body as a compact “brick” that even a petite girl’s hand can easily handle. The camera has Bluetooth, which can be used to quickly send photos to a smartphone or computer. Those who like to delve deeper into the settings will appreciate the manual shooting mode. By the way, you can get very decent quality pictures with it. That is, of course, if you know what you’re doing.
Features
Plastic body with copper inlays
24.2 megapixel sensor
Shooting speed 6 frames per second
Weight 302g
Pros and cons
+ Good processor from a DSLR camera, plenty of accessories from the manufacturer.
– No dust protection.
Sony Alpha ILCE-5100LT Kit 16-50mm
Sony’s ‘holy simplicity’ makes the list of the best mirrorless cameras. A huge touch-sensitive rotary display takes up most of the space behind the body. The physical buttons on the camera are minimal and heavily pressed to eliminate accidental presses. The camera doesn’t shoot video in fancy 4K resolution but it does record FullHD movies at true 60fps. Great for bloggers who can’t get enough of their mobile phone’s camera to create content.
Features
Sony E mount
24.3 megapixel sensor
Shooting speed 6 frames per second
Weight 283g
Pros and cons
+ Good battery, basic dust protection.
– Expensive lenses.
Canon EOS M50 Kit 15-45mm IS STM
An advanced version of the mirrorless camera from the Japanese guys at Canon. On the surface, the mirrorless camera is similar to any Canon DSLR. The only thing that gives it away is its significantly smaller size and not the most comfortable grip. The camera is capable of shooting 4K video and transmits images via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The Canon EOS M50 also features Canon’s proprietary Dual Pixel autofocus system, which allows you to achieve excellent results when shooting video. But be warned, it doesn’t work in 4K.
Features
Canon EF-M mount
24.2 megapixel sensor
Capture speed 10 fps
Weight 387g
Pros and cons
+ Fast processor, Dual Pixel autofocus system.
– Difficult to find suitable lenses for the mount.
Nikon Z 50 Kit 16-50mm DX VR
The first camera in our selection from manufacturer Nikon. The manufacturer packs the power of an advanced DSLR into the compact and rugged body of a mirrorless camera. The camera’s comfortable ergonomics negate its weight, which to some may seem large for a mirrorless camera. But keep in mind, the mount is very new and there are very few lenses for it. True, you can always use an adapter, but that’s another story.
Features
Nikon Z mount
21.5 megapixel sensor
Shooting speed 11 frames per second
Weight 450g
Pros and cons
+ Comfortable ergonomics, fast continuous shooting.
– Does not work with all third-party lenses.
Sony Alpha ILCE-7KB FE 28-70mm 3.5-5.6
An excellent full-frame workhorse from Sony. Sure, it doesn’t quite reach the level of the top-of-the-range cameras, but for its money it’s a great camera. It has a high-quality sensor with pleasing colour reproduction, not the fastest but reliable processor and an electronic viewfinder. The body is made of durable metal. The battery capacity is enough for about 350 shots, so stock up on removable batteries.
Features
Sony E mount
24.7 megapixel sensor
Capture speed 5 fps
Weight 474g
Pros and cons
+ Full frame sensor, metal body.
– Expensive professional lenses, not suitable for fast action shots.
Sony Alpha ILCE-7M3K Kit 28-70mm
The flagship model from the Japanese manufacturer of mirrorless cameras. It’s got everything a photographer could possibly need. Whether you’re shooting portraits in a studio or outdoors sports, Japan’s Series 3 Seven is the answer. The metal casing of the camera will protect it in any conditions – the model is not afraid of snow, rain and water. It’s also perfect for the professional videographer. Let’s face it, many top youtubers write their vlogs on the Seven.
Features
Sony E mount
25.3 megapixel sensor
Capture speed 10 fps
Weight 650g
Pros and cons
+ Chic sensor, rugged camera body.
– Expensive professional lenses, heavy.
Fujifilm X-T20 Kit 18-55mm
An advanced cropped camera with a body made from durable composite material. The camera features Fuji’s proprietary sensor, a good touch screen and a built-in advanced flash that can be customised. On the miniature camera itself, the manufacturer has placed several additional buttons at once, which can also be customised. And in general, check out this great retro design!
Features
Fuji X mount
23.4 megapixel sensor
Capture speed 13 fps
Weight 333g
Pros and cons
+ Fast continuous shooting, design.
– Overpriced.
Nikon Z6 Kit 24-70mm
Nikon created this camera as an answer to giants like Sony and Fujifilm. The Nikon Z6 rightly tops the list of the best mirrorless cameras of 2023. Despite not having much experience with mirrorless systems, the Nikon Z6 has turned out to be a great full-frame camera. Remarkably, since the start of official sales of the camera, the manufacturer has been constantly updating the device’s software to fix even minor flaws in the firmware.
Features
Nikon Z mount
24.5 megapixel sensor
Shooting speed 12 frames per second
Weight 675g
Pros and cons
+ 4K video recording, high capacity battery, secondary display.
– Heavy.
How to choose a mirrorless camera
The main advantage of a mirrorless camera is its compact size. Judge for yourself, an entry-level mirrorless camera with a basic lens weighs about 350 grams. An analogue with a mirror will be 150 grams larger and a bit more overall. The lenses of mirrorless units also weigh 20-30% more.
Another important advantage of mirrorless cameras is their fast shooting speed and an advanced autofocus system. The camera itself can focus firmly on the desired point, which can move at high speed. In DSLRs, this is only possible in advanced models. By the way, some photographers find it more convenient to look at their subject through the large screen on the body of the device rather than trying to discern something through the electronic viewfinder.
The biggest drawback of the mirror-less camera is small battery life. One might also be disliked by the so-called Shutter lag, a delay in the display on low-end models. When you jerk the device to the side, the image on the screen seems to tilt slightly to the side opposite to the turn.
A good battery is important for a mirrorless camera
Due to the lack of a mechanical part, all images in mirrorless cameras are displayed on displays. This can be a large screen or a miniature viewfinder – either way, you will be looking at a ‘fake’ image. Each display in the camera needs power, so mirrorless cameras have a much faster battery life than their SLR counterparts. That is why it is important to pay attention to the battery capacity when buying a mirrorless camera. The battery capacity should not be less than 1000 mAh, which allows you to get at least 200-250 frames on one charge. It’s also good to have a good power bank handy, as modern cameras can be charged while you’re shooting. But not all.
What is a mount and how to choose one
Every interchangeable lens camera manufacturer makes sure that customers are only on their system. Because of this, giants such as Sony, for example, use a lens mount format that is unique only to their equipment. Right now, perhaps the most versatile mount is the Micro 4/3. Also popular are the “proprietary” Sony E, Fuji X, Canon EF-M and Nikon-Z lens formats. For the sake of experimentation you can buy a small adapter which will turn your Micro 4/3 lens into a Canon lens, for example.
But as you understand, the more elements in the system, the greater the chance that something in the system could malfunction at the most important moment. Relying on a non-native lens + adapter combination during important shoots is not a good idea.
Which sensor is better?
Like their SLR counterparts, mirrorless cameras use an image sensor where the image from the lens falls in. The difference is that the mirror-less cameras transmit the light directly inside the device, bypassing the “obstacle” in the form of the mirror itself. The image sensors in a mirrorless camera can be of different types – miniaturised or cropped and full-frame.
For those buying their first mirrorless camera there is no point in going for the expensive full-frame version. For beginners this category is not critical. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of the cameras under $1500 are of the cropped type. Such a mirrorless camera is much easier to sell if one day you get bored or want to upgrade to something more expensive.