The best mirrorless cameras of 2021 and how to pick one

camera world has changed so quickly over the last year that it has given even jaded users whiplash since our last guide new models from canon sony and others have arrived with big improvements in shooting speeds autofocus and video and with new cameras arriving it's easy to find deals on past models it can be hard to keep pace with this technological arms race but that's where we come in our 2021 guide will catch you up on all the latest models and bargains so you can select a camera that fits your shooting needs to a tee [Music] to learn more about mirrorless tech and why it's taken over the camera world take a look at our upscale deep dive at the link in the description below now let's talk about what to look for in a mirrorless camera the most important factor is the sensor size the largest is medium format used on relatively niche and expensive cameras from fujifilm hasselblad and leica models full frame offers the best image quality low light capability and depth of field for mainstream cameras it's also the most expensive and finicky while blurred background bokeh looks beautiful focus can be extremely fine that means your subject's eyelashes might be in focus but not their eyes the next size is aps-c offered on fujifilm sony nikon and canon models cameras and lenses are cheaper but you still get dreamy bokeh decent low light shooting capability and relatively high resolution with a sensor size equivalent to 35 millimeter movie film it's ideal for shooting video micro four thirds used by panasonic and olympus is the smallest sensor size for mirrorless cameras it offers less bokeh and light gathering capability than aps-c but allows for smaller and lighter cameras and lenses for video it's harder to blur the background to isolate your subject but focus is easier to control also key to your buying decision is resolution high-res cameras like sony's 61 megapixel a7r4 deliver more detailed images but aren't ideal for video or low light shooting lower resolution models like panasonic's 10.3 megapixel gh5s excel at video and high iso shooting but lack detail for photos image quality is subjective but different cameras do produce slightly different results it's best to check sample photos to see which model best suits your style what about handling some cameras like the fujifilm xd4 have lots of manual dials to access shooting controls while sony's a6600 relies more on menus for heavy lenses you may need a camera with a chunky grip video is more important than ever most cameras deliver at least 4k at 30 frames per second but some models now offer 4k at up to 120p 6k and even 8k resolution if you need professional looking results choose a camera with 10-bit or even raw capability in-body stabilization is an important option for video and low-light photography meanwhile the evf resolution and refresh rate is key to judging shots particularly in bright environments you'll also want to consider whether the rear display flips around for vlogging along with lens selection battery life the number and type of memory card slots the ports and wireless connectivity now that you know what to look for let's jump into our top camera picks for 2021 [Music] i'd consider any camera under 750 dollars a budget model at the top end of that scale is sony's alpha a 6100 one of my favorite aps-c cameras from 2020. for 750 dollars it offers the best autofocus in its class while delivering good low light performance and sharp 4k video it even offers a flip up screen for vloggers the downsides are bad rolling shutter and a low resolution evf moving down a notch is fujifilm's 700 xt 200. with gyro stabilized video 30 frame per second 4k and a flip out display it's ideal for vloggers and video shooters it's equally suited to photos with a 24.2 megapixel sensor plus 8 frames per second shooting speeds with i and face detect af the best budget camera is canon's eos m200 for 550 dollars including a 15 to 45 millimeter kit lens you get a 24.1 megapixel aps-c sensor that delivers sharp shots with natural colors and skin tones it also comes with a flip up display and 4k 24p video albeit with a significant crop the biggest downsides are the lack of a viewfinder and a limited lens selection the selection improves if you can spend up to fifteen hundred dollars tops in that category is fujifilm's great handling fifteen hundred dollar xt3 the 26 megapixel sensor delivers good detail with pleasing skin tones and natural colors it excels for video 2 with 4k 60 frame per second 10-bit shooting along with microphone and headphone inputs less good are the lack of built-in stabilization and a tilt-only display for a budget full-frame model nikon's 1400 z5 is my top pick it delivers excellent 24 megapixel image quality with very good high iso performance it also comes with built-in stabilization and 4k video is available at up to 30 frames per second though there's a 1.7 times crop a better choice for video is panasonic's 1400 micro four-thirds gh5 it's one of the cheapest models with 10 bit high data rate 4k 60p video it also offers effective image stabilization pro inputs dual high speed card slots and a flip out screen several cameras are worthy of honorable mention in this category including canon's eos rp one of the cheapest full-frame cameras at just a thousand dollars other good options include the fast and pretty olympus omd em53 and sony's a 6600 with the best autofocus in its class now let's look at what you can get for under twenty five hundred dollars the leader of that category is the twenty five hundred dollar 20 megapixel canon eos r6 image quality is outstanding and the dual pixel autofocus responsive and quick it does video equally well offering 4k 60p 10 bit footage and a class leading 8 stops of shake reduction the downside is overheating that affects recording longer than 30 minutes video shooters should look at panasonic's 2 000 full frame s5 you can shoot 4k 30p down sampled video from the full sensor width or 4k 60p from an aps-c cropped size all in 10-bit color photo quality is also a strong point thanks to the dual gain 24 megapixel sensor the main drawbacks are the wobble prone contrast detect autofocus slow burst speeds and a mediocre evf for considerably less fujifilm's 1700 xt4 is the best aps-c camera you can buy with a flip-out display and in-body stabilization it fixes the two main issues with the xt3 and it still offers fast shooting speeds class-leading 4k video features and great handling however it's a bit bulkier than the xt3 and the autofocus is inferior to canon and sony's offerings honorable mentions in this category include the two thousand dollar nikon z62 which offers excellent image quality solid video specs and great handling also take a look at the 1800 canon eos r 1800 sony a7c and 2 000 sony a7 iii still strong after three years finally here are the best cameras it's the sky's the limit at the apex is sony's 50 megapixel a1 a stunning camera with a stunning 6500 price it rules in performance with 30 frame per second shooting speeds and equally quick autofocus that rarely misses a shot it backs that up with 8k and 4k 120p video shooting built-in stabilization and the fastest highest resolution evf on the market the only real drawbacks are the lack of a flip-out screen and of course that price the next best option is canon's 3900 dollar megapixel eos r5 for a lot less money it nearly keeps pace with the a1 thanks to the 20 frame per second shooting speeds and lightning fast autofocus it also offers 8k and 4k 120p video while beating sony with internal raw recording the big drawback is overheating as you can't shoot ak longer than 20 minutes and it takes a while before it resets and you can shoot again moving down a small notch are sony's a7s3 and a7r4 both priced at 3500 with a 61 megapixel sensor the latter is the highest resolution full-frame camera available but can still shoot at an incredible 10 frames per second the a7 s3 meanwhile is the best dedicated video camera with sharp 4k at up to 120 frames per second a flip out display and category leading auto focus honorable mention goes to panasonic's 4 000 s1h a netflix approved mirrorless camera that can handle 6k video and raw shooting and if maximum sensor size and resolution is paramount fujifilm's six thousand dollar 102 megapixel medium format gfx100s is the top dog you're now caught up but more models including canon's eos r3 and the nikon z9 are set to arrive later this year so stay glued to engadget.com if you enjoyed this video click like and please subscribe to stay on top of the latest tech [Music] you

Channel: Engadget

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Keywords: engadget, technology, consumer tech, gadgets, science, gear, tech, Nikon, Sony, Canon, Lieca, Leica, Panasonic, Fuji

Id: C8hvTBVR0_Q

Length: 11min 0sec (660 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 22 2021