Mirrorless Camera

We, the reviewers at Geektick have spent countless days reviewing the best mirrorless cameras, and we came up with the best mirrorless cameras out there. I have been using a standard Canon EOS 600D camera for about 2 years. It is quite bulky and is a hassle to take out and take a fast picture. Even though I have taken countless pictures, it still lacks something. The fact that it’s so heavy and requires up to two minutes to take a shot with it is just irritating.

But recently a friend of mine borrowed me his Mirrorless camera for about a day or two saying I should try it out. To my own shock it was actually pretty good. It had the same image quality, and it was about 5 times lighter than my DSLR. At that point, random thoughts were going through my mind. I was quite shocked and amazed at the same time. For example, going up a mountain and taking shots with a heavy DSLR is quite annoying and most of the time you leave it at home when you go hiking. And now I’ve found a nice solution. So I’ve decided to go hiking a bit, I’ve brought it with me and took some fancy shots of the mountains. Upon coming home I ported them to my PC and compared the shots to some old ones taken with my Canon. And once again I was shocked! The camera my friend lent me was literally better then my DSLR, the image quality looked the same two days ago. Before I gave it back I’ve decided to record a small video, and this time I was simply out of words. This camera was able to record videos in 2K and 60 fps. Simply astonishing!

But in the end I had to give it away. And now thanks to that I have searched up the best mirrorless cameras.

Lets get to business and see what camera suits you!

BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERA – FUJI X-T2

The X-T2 is an upgrade to the original x series, it solves many of the problems and cons the x series had. The camera has had an improvement in image quality and considerable changes in Auto focus, video, flash control, making the X-T2 the perfect mirrorless camera for photo geeks. This camera is quickly becoming the most popular camera out there, selling many copies across the world. This camera basically can fulfill all your needs and more. This camera can take any man’s breath away whether he is a photographer or not. It is that good! Now lets take a minute and admire the fact that this camera can record in 4K. Astonishing!

Fuji X-T2 features:

24MP X-Trans CMOS III sensor
ISO 200 – 12,800(up to 51200)
325 AF points
AF point selection joystick
F-Log flat profile and 4K out over HDMI
2.36M-dot OLED EVF with 0.005 sec refresh time
3″ 1.04M-dot articulating LCD
4K UHD video at up to 30 fps for up to 10 min
8 fps continuous shooting with AF
5 fps continuous shooting with live view updates between capture
14 fps continuous shooting with electronic shutter
Dual SD card slots (UHS-II compatible)
USB 3.0 socket

Battery life of this camera is one of the best and goes up to 1000 shots. No matter what you need this camera can suite your needs making this the best camera around. Granted performance wise it can be beaten by some other cameras but the price itself makes this camera the best camera.

Overall Score:

BESTSELLER – SONY ALPHA A6000

Sony a6000 is an upgrade of the Sony NEX-6, a very well-regarded CSC. It is the best selling mirrorless camera on the internet. Its autofocus speed compared to a DSLR is out of this world. It has a sleek body design as it only weighs 12.1 oz and the dimensions are 4.7x.2.6×1.8 inch. It comes in black, white and silver. This camera is by far my favorite one, you are able to take quality images, record Full HD videos for less then 500 dollars. I am going on a whim and saying this is probably the best beginner camera out there, and probably the best one for personal use. It is a pure bargain and if you are planing to get a casual camera to carry around this one is your perfect match.

Sony Alpha A6000 features:

24.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
Bionz X image processor
11 fps continuous shooting with subject-tracking
3-inch tilting LCD with 921,600 dots
Full HD video recording at 1080/60p and 24p; HDMI output
Built-in flash + Multi-Interface Shoe
Wi-Fi with NFC capability and downloadable apps
ISO 100-25600 (up to 51200)

The only major cons are that the A6000 utilizes Sony’s lower resolution SVGA viewfinder, rather than its top-end XGA panel. It has a battery life of 360 shots which is more then enough coming from this camera.

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BESTBUY – CANON EOS M5

The Canon EOS M5 is a 24MP mirrorless camera built around a Dual Pixel APS-C sensor, giving it depth-aware focus across most of the frame. It is compact, powerful and fast. That is why we deem this camera to be the best buy. Inside there’s a new image sensor and processor that offer better image quality and performance, and the sensor also now supports Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, allowing swift and accurate phase-detection autofocus across most of the image frame, it also increases the burst speed. This camera is the latest in the Canon series and one of the most anticipated ones out there.

Canon M5 EOS features:

24MP Dual Pixel APS-C CMOS Sensor
2.36M-dot OLED electronic viewfinder
1.62M-dot tilting rear touchscreen
Electronic video stabilization combines with in-lens IS to give 5-axis IS
ISO 100 – 25,600
7 fps continuous shooting
Wi-Fi with always-connected Bluetooth

Battery life is 295 shots, sadly this is disappointing, but in eco mode you can take up to 410 shots easily.

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CANON EOS M3

Canon has been selling mirrorless cameras since 2012, in addition to SLRs and point-and-shoots. There are two models to choose from the EOS M3 and the EOS M5.The EOS M3 is similar Rebel T6s stuffed into a compact body that resembles the company’s PowerShot models. It utilizes the Hybrid CMOS AF III 24.2MP CMOS sensor as well as a Digic 6 processor. Even though being around for over four years, there are just six EF-M lenses available from Canon. Luckily there are lenses from third party manufacturers such as Tamron and Samyang/Rokinon (but they are manual focus).

It only weighs 12.91 oz and the dimensions are 4.37 x 2.68 x 1.73 inch. The body comes in two colors white and black. Personall , I am not amazed with this camera, it’s quite similar to the Sony A6000 and has the same price tag, but it still deserves a place on this list as it’s a classic.

Canon EOS M3 features :

24.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor
ISO 100–12800 (up to 25600)
DIGIC 6 Image Processor
Hybrid CMOS AF III
Front Dial and Exposure Compensation Dial help provide full manual control and offer customizable functions as well as improved operability and ease of use
4.2 fps continuous shooting
Full HD 1920×1080 movies at 24p and 30p in MP4 format with ease using manual movie control
Intuitive touch screen 3.0 tilt-type (180° up/45° down) LCD monitor (approximately 1,040,000 dots) perfect for selfies
Easily transfer images and videos to a compatible smartphone, tablet or Canon Connect Station CS100 device with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC capability, and share on social networking sites or view on an HDTV
Compatible with EF-M lenses as well as the full line of EF* and EF-S* Lenses (using Mount Adapter EF-EOS M; not included) and Speedlites for expanded creativity

This camera only has a few cons to it. The biggest con is its low battery life which only lasts for up to 200 shots.

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PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-G7

The Panasonic G7 is a direct descendant of the original mirrorless camera. This camera is trying to be a non-specific interchangeable lens camera. Because of that it looks like a miniature DSLR and includes all the control points you’d expect. In fact it includes all the control points you’d expect from a mid-range DSLR, including twin control dials as well as plenty of buttons and switches. Nevertheless it is a mirrorless camera. The design of the G7 attracts DSLR buyers, but the level of direct control also makes it competitive with the likes of Sony’s A6000.

It weighs 14.4 oz and the dimensions are 4.92×3.39×3.05 inch. The body resembles a DSLR one and it comes in black and silver.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 features:

16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor
4K (UHD) video at up to 100Mbps
4K Photo mode with ‘Pre-Burst’ mode
ISO 200 – 25,600
30 fps continuous shooting
Fully-articulated touch screen
Wi-Fi for remote shooting and image transfer

It has a battery life of 350 shots.

Overall Score:

SONY ALPHA A7 II

Sony Alpha A7 II is Sonys 4th release. It has the same 24 MP sensor as the predecessors but performance increased. In the form of 5-axis sensor-based image stabilization and improved AF performance. It also has some design tweaks that change the over all look. The A7 II is 25% heavier then it’s predecessors. Nevertheless this camera is an improvement for the better. It is 30% faster compared to the A7. The a7 II has the ability to record in the XAVC S codec, which offers a 50MBps bit rate at 1080/60p. The a7 II retains the 3″ tilting LCD of it’s predecessor, but with an increase in resolution.

It weighs 21.1 oz and it’s dimensions are 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.4 inch.

Sony Alpha A7 II features:

24.3MP Full-Frame Exmor CMOS Sensor
BIONZ X Image Processor
1080 footage at up to 50Mbps (XAVC S)
ISO 100-25600
5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
Enhanced Fast Hybrid AF and 5 fps Burst
3.0″ 1,229k-Dot Tilting LCD Monitor
XGA 2.36M-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
Refined Grip & Robust Lens Mount
Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
Weather-Resistant Magnesium Alloy Body

The battery life is quite low once again, as it is only 270 shots.

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LEICA TYP 240

The LEICA M typ 240 is the world’s second full-frame mirrorless camera. It is the successor to the world’s first full-frame mirrorless camera, the Leica M9 of 2009. Over all the TYP 240 beats the M9 out of the water. The TYP 240 has a much higher ISO performance rate then the M9.

The body comes in two colors black and silver. And it weighs 23.9oz without any extension also it’s dimensions are 5.5 x 3.1 x 1.7 inch.

Leica TYP 240 features:

24 MP CMOS Sensor
ISO 200 – 6400
3” TFT Display with 920.000 Pixels, scratch resistant cover glass made of sapphire glass
3fps (until buffer of 2 GB is filled)
Recording resolution 1080p, 720p, 640*480 (VGA)
Single frame video compression (Motion JPG), Quicktime format (mov)
All-metal case made of die-cast magnesium; synthetic leather covering. Cap and base plate made of brass
Focusing Methods: Manual focus with optical rangefinder, Live View, 100% Live View Zoom, Live View focus peaking
Optical Viewfinder :Large, light bright-line rangefinder with automatic parallax compensation, LED illuminated frame lines

A great camera that is worth buying as it brings new things to the table. If you have enough money then this camera is for you.

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COMPARISON

These Mirrorless Cameras have been chosen due to their unique abilities, features and benefits. As many Mirrorless Cameras today forget about the average user and the use of the Camera itself. In many cases companies like Fujifilms and Sony try to make the perfect camera in every shape and size. So their goal is to make the strongest camera out there. Yet that means the production value in the latest cameras has increased and so has the price tag. I will try to judge the cameras based on their price and raw power.

The Typ 240 is not included as it is a different type of mirrorless camera as it uses an optical finder instead of an electronic viewfinder.

Price wise the A6000, EOS M3 and the G7 are clearly miles ahead as they cost under $500. It should be noted that for all these cameras you will need to buy a lens, only the G7 is an exception as it comes with a lens. That in theory makes them affordable to almost any beginner, therefore it should be noted that in some cases these cameras will not perform to the standards you want. The Leica Typ 240 is extremely expensive due to its unique and one of a kind abilities. The EOS M5 is remarkably cheaper then the tier one cameras but it offers a similar experience, it should be noted that the Canon EOS M5 is meant for everyone as it provides more features then the cheap and reliable A6000 and the price is under $1000 making it globally accessible. The Fuji X-T2 along with the Sony Alpha A7 II are tier one cameras and are the most expensive besides the Leica Typ 240, but the price is not without its reasons as they are among the best cameras of this world and should be regarded as such for few years to come. That might change though as Sony and Fujifilms are constantly putting out stronger and better cameras.

Still, price does not matter much to these cameras as all of them are powerful. Though the Fuji X-T2 is the most powerful one and the A7II coming in second place. But none of them can give the quality light design like the Leica Typ 240. Many of these cameras can burst up to amazing speeds up to 30 fps. There is where the G7 truly shines as it is the fastest burst speed out of all these cameras. While the others have an average burst speed of 7 fps. Though many of them can increase that burst speed with attachments. They can also increase their ISO in some cases.

MIRRORLESS CAMERA PROS AND CONS

I am just going to explain the pros and cons in more details. With every camera there is a risk of making a bad decision as it could have a bad video recorder or it would have a slow burst mode. That’s why this section is here.It is going to explain unanswered questions about these cameras.

SIZE AND WEIGHT

Mirrorless cameras have matured over the past 8 years they have also changed in shape, color and many other things, making it harder to talk about their strengths and weaknesses as they are all diverse. It remains true, though that mirrorless cameras are generally smaller than their DSLR peers. Taking the mirror out means that the lens can be mounted closer to the sensor, helping to reduce the size of the system. Furthermore, without the need to be backwards compatible with film era systems, the lenses tend to be designed to match the size of the sensor, meaning many of these are smaller, as well. Just as in the DSLR world though, more expensive, faster lenses, especially those designed for Sony’s full-frame Alpha A7-series, are an exception to the standard Mirrorless Cameras as they are big and bulky compared to the rest. Also to note, many of these cameras are made to be compact, in many cases the weight doesn’t go over 24 oz. The average weight of a mirrorless camera is about 17 oz.

AUTOFOCUS

Once a weakness of mirrorless cameras is now one of their strong points, the hybrid autofocus systems have essentially closed the gap between DSLR and mirrorless focus performance for all but the most demanding applications. Not all mirrorless models offer hybrid AF though, so it’s worth doing a little research if you need a camera with good continuous autofocus. Also, there are companies that develop lenses that are not autofocus, for example for the canon due to the fact that the canon only has a small amount of lenses to offer.

VIDEO

Mirrorless cameras assess focus from their imaging sensor rather than a separate module, they are more accurate and consistent. Combined with awareness of the scene that allows cameras to track and maintain focus on a subject’s eye, it’s increasingly the case that autofocus is one of mirrorless’s biggest strengths. The most obvious advantage of mirrorless cameras is that there isn’t a mirror blocking the sensor. This means you don’t have to completely change the way that the camera works in order to shoot video you can continue to use the same means of previewing and shooting when you switch from stills to video, while for DSLR you would have to change everything. As a result, it is mirrorless cameras that have led the charge towards offering better and better video and the clever photographic tricks that can stem from it. Many newer mirrorless cameras have the ability to shoot in 4K resolution, but the others posses up to full hd. This is a step in the right direction as 4K recording equipment is currently extremely popular and as mirrorless cameras get better so does their video resolution, granted though you will have to pay extra for those cameras but it is totally worth it, as you will get all you need in one camera.

Every camera has its cons. The mirrorless is fairly new and it is aiming to improve every down side as it constantly updates.

Cons:

The need to constantly power the sensor and screen while shooting, combined with attempts to capitalize on the size benefits of mirrorless mean that battery life is limited on most mirrorless cameras sometimes to a restrictive degree. The average battery life is about 250-350 shots with rare cases going above 350. But you can buy attachments to increase the battery life.

Of course, there’s the absence of an optical viewfinder. There are only a small number of Mirrorless Cameras with an optical viewfinder for example the Leica Typ 240, but these cameras cost a lot of money. While electronic viewfinders are constantly improving, they are not limited by the size of the image format and can more accurately preview the image you’re going to get, most contemporary camera live view feeds still lag behind the action when continuous shooting.

Mirrorless cameras have started to compete in areas where the DSLRs have dominated for years, we have also seen DSLR strike back, with mirrorless style on sensor phase detection being added to offer a faster live view experience and better autofocus during video. As such, it’s getting to the point that personal preference for one particular feature or one specific lens might sway your decision. Whichever you choose, advances in technology and a broader range of choices can only be a good thing.

CONCLUSION

The best camera from all of these is the Fuji X-T2 as it servers for all purposes, but the A7 II is a close second as it has the same capabilities as the X-T2, the Sony Alpha A6000 is the go to camera for beginners due to its many features for only 400 dollars, you will not find a camera that is this advanced and this cheap I can guarantee you that.So to put everything in perspective it all depends how much money you can spare on these wonderful cameras. If you cannot afford the types of Fuji X-T2 or the LEICA TYP 240 then you should reconsider buying the Sony Alpha A6000 or the Canon EOS M3 as they provide many features and are cheap. But if you are looking for pure raw power you should buy the Fuji X-T2 or the Sony Alpha A7 II, granted, they aren’t the cheapest but they sure provide a lot of advantages compared to the A6000 and the EOS M3.

I hope this article helped you choose the right camera for you.

My personal pick would be the A6000 as I do not need the raw power offered by the X-T2, also price has a lot to do with my own decision as the A6000 is a complete bargain. May Talos bless your kind hearth.