The quick list
1. Best for professionals
2. Best professional APS-C
3. Best for affordability
4. Best for vlogging
5. Best for travel
6. Best for filmmaking
7. Best for style
8. Best for resolution
9. Best Canon
10. Best affordable full frame
11. Best Sony
12. Best for beginners
FAQs
Mirrorless sensor sizes
How we test
The best mirrorless camera means a lot of different things to different people. For one person means the best specifications on the market, while for someone else, it might mean the best mirrorless camera to get started with, meanwhile, someone else will be looking for the best combination of features for the least money! Our list covers every angle – it's not just about the 'best' featured camera, but the best value too.
You have to weigh a few things up when choosing a mirrorless camera. Do you want to shoot stills or video or both? Almost all of the cameras in our list can shoot 4K video, but some have in-body stabilization for smoother footage, professional 'log' modes for color grading, and higher frame rates or capture quality. If video is a priority, you should also check out our guides to the best cameras for vlogging or the best cameras for filmmaking.
And for stills photography, how much resolution do you need? It's tempting to assume that the higher the resolution the better, but this does bump up the costs. A 20MP Micro-Four-Thirds camera may have all the resolution you need, even for big prints for wall hanging, and while a 40MP+ full frame camera may be very tempting, both the cameras and the lenses cost a lot more – and you'll end up with a pretty heavy kit too.
Below we will take you through our expert picks of the best mirrorless cameras available for every type of user.
The quick list
Best for professionals
The Nikon Z9, without a doubt, is one of the best mirrorless cameras around right now. Made for professionals who demand the absolute best from their cameras, this will please both photographers and filmmakers alike with its all-around hybrid prowess.
Best professional APS-C
Don't get swayed by thinking you need a full-frame sensor, the Fujifilm X-H2S can hang with the best professional cameras. It has all the things a pro needs including incredible speed, in-body image stabilization, fast autofocus with subject recognition and tracking, and importantly incredible quality images.
Best for affordability
The E-M10 series has always been designed for value, but this Mark IV version adds power and sophistication too, with a 20MP sensor, improved in-body image stabilization, and a new flip-down and tiltable monitor.
Best for vlogging
The Sony ZV-E1 is the best camera you can currently buy for vlogging or even some movie-making. With a full-frame sensor, in-body image stabilization, and Sony's S-Cinetone and S-Log3. This is a powerful yet compact video machine.
Best for travel
The Fujifilm X-S20 doesn't have the external exposure controls of the higher-level X-series cameras, but that's the only thing we can find to complain about, and it's clear this is no 'amateur' camera, as its build quality and handling stand out straight away.
Best for filmmaking
Panasonic has always had one of the best reputations around when it comes to video, and the Lumix S5 II steps this up a notch with Panasonic's much-improved autofocus as well as pro-level in-camera recording including ProRes RAW.
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Best for Style
The Fujifilm X-T5 is probably the coolest-looking camera you can buy today with its retro charm and manual dials that hark back to film cameras of the past. Although this camera is as modern inside as it comes with 40MP images, IBIS, and 6K video.
Best for resolution
If you want the maximum resolution available then look no further than the Fujifilm GFX 100S with its 100MP sensor, this will give you seriously large images. It's not just resolution, the camera also has IBIS, 4K video, and some impressive autofocus features.
Best Canon
Canon fans will not be disappointed with the Canon EOS R5, which offers everything that people love about Canon cameras including excellent ergonomics, color science, and dual-pixel autofocus, also with some of the best lenses around, this camera can use EF lenses with an adapter.
Best affordable full frame
If you want a full frame camera that doesn't cost the earth then the Nikon Z5 is for you. While the Z5 doesn't offer every bell and whistle from the more expensive cameras on the list, the Z5 can still take beautiful 24MP images as well as 4K video.
Best Sony
If you are a Sony shooter and want the absolute cream of the crop for Sony cameras then take a look at the Sony A1. Offering almost every top spec that Sony could fit into a camera, this is the camera for literally any occasion, however, it also comes with an enormous price tag to match.
Best for beginners
The Nikon Z fc is a great place to start if you are getting into photography, the camera can be used fully automatic, but if you want to learn about aperture and shutter speed, then the manual dials are a great tool, and all on camera that looks beautiful too.
The best mirrorless cameras in 2023
Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.
The best mirrorless camera for professionals
Nikon might've been late to the game in launching its professional, top-spec mirrorless but the Nikon Z9 was definitely worth the wait. It's an absolute beast of a camera when it comes to video, knocking the Canon EOS R3 out of the park.
It's capable of 8K 60p video recording or 8K 30p with an enormous 2-hour record limit. Nikon decided to remove the mechanical shutter completely which means the Z9 is capable of 120fps continuous shooting and has a max shutter speed of 1/32,000 which makes it perfect for sport and bird photography.
The Z9 is powered by Deep Learning AF which makes the camera capable of nine kinds of recognition: human eyes, faces, heads, and upper bodied; animal eyes, heads, and bodies; and cars, planes, trains, and motorbikes.
It has the same 493 AF points as the Nikon Z7 II which seems impressive until you find out that the Canon EOS R3 has a whopping 4,779 AF points. The Z9 comes in quite a bit cheaper than both the Sony A1 and the Canon EOS R3 and it has a lot of advanced features.
Read our full Nikon Z9 review for more details
The best APS-C mirrorless camera for professionals
Since its launch, the Fujifilm X-H2S is the new flagship camera in the Fujifilm X-mount range. We thought the X-T4 had it all, but the X-H2S goes further, with a chunky pro-spec body and handling, a top-mounted status panel, and a fifth-generation sensor offering four times the speed of its predecessor.
The X-H2S can shoot at 40fps with minimal screen blackout, capture 6K video or 4K at up to 120p, has in-body stabilization, a flip-out vari-angle screen, and a 5.76m dot electronic viewfinder.
So why isn't it right at the top of this list? Because there's so much power here that only a professional photographer or videographer will need it – and it comes at a price. The X-H2S is the ultimate professional APS-C camera. Or at least it is for now because we believe a 40MP X-H2 is coming later this year.
Read our full Fujifilm X-H2S review for more details.
The best affordable mirrorless camera
The E-M10 series has always been designed for value, but this Mark IV version adds power and sophistication too, with a 20MP sensor, improved in-body image stabilization, and a new flip-down and tiltable monitor.
Retaining the 4K video and attractive styling that made the Mark III so attractive, the Mark IV is an ideal choice for anyone looking for an entry-level camera that can do pretty much everything.
The E-M10 series has long consisted of our favorite pint-sized cameras ever, so we're really pleased that the Mark IV, AT LAST, got Olympus's latest 20MP sensor. Even better, at today's prices, it's one of the cheapest mirrorless models on the market too, which is pretty amazing considering what it can do.
Read our full Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV review for more details
The best mirrorless camera for vlogging
The ZV-E1 is an excellent vlogging camera, it is small, compact, and lightweight while packing in some incredible features like an image-stabilized full frame sensor, and subject recognition and auto tracking straight out of the Sony A7R V. The camera is also incredibly simple and intuitive to use, so is perfect for anyone wanting professional looking footage without knowing a lot about cameras.
Video footage is excellent, sharp, clear, and with good color direct from the camera, stills are also fantastic quality, although are limited by the 12MP sensor. The latest autofocus tracking from Sony is a sight to behold, especially for human subjects, it is incredibly fast and accurate, with its AI powers meaning you don’t have to worry about focus and can think about other aspects of filming.
Read our full Sony ZV-E1 review for more details.
The best mirrorless camera for travel
Right now, the Fujifilm X-S20 is probably the best all-around travel camera for photo enthusiasts and hybrid creators, And pound for pound right now, the X-S20 is the hybrid camera to beat. The Fujifilm X-S20 can offer a seamless shooting experience for users of all levels, with its intuitive and straightforward designed controls and compact and portable form factor making it convenient to carry around and capture stunning moments.
However, X-S20 also hides deceptively powerful components, making it an absolute powerhouse for content creation. As well as stunning 26.1MP images, the X-S20's powerful processor enables the recording of high-quality 6K videos with professional-level output including RAW codes and 'open-gate' recording. Fujifilm's advanced subject recognition tracking has improved hugely.
Read our full Fujifilm X-S20 review for more details.
The best mirrorless camera for filmmaking
There is a lot of competition in this camera class, and while the regular Lumix S5 II may be the best overall value camera at this price point, the S5II X opens up some great use cases for solo filmmakers at a relatively small bump in price.
What’s most impressive here is that the S5II X doesn’t compromise S5II features to add extra video functionality, in fact, it added some features straight out of the box, including better AF and Live View Composite mode that only came to the S5II via firmware update.
If you’re a creator or a filmmaker who needs a top-tier hybrid camera that’s compact and can produce content that slips into professional workflows, without compromising on image quality, the Lumix S5II X makes a compelling case for itself. Even if RAW video capabilities weren’t an immediate interest of mine, ALL-I compression, the ability to shoot directly to SSDs and streaming functionality would have been enough to tip the balance in its favor over its stablemate and the competition.
Read our full Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX review for more details.
The best mirrorless camera for style
You might be wondering why you'd buy the Fujifilm X-T5 over the X-H2 – as they both share the same sensor and processor. The X-T5 is a more 'traditional' enthusiast camera in both looks and handling, while the X-H2 is for professionals. Both will take Fujifilm X-mount lenses.
The X-H2 also has a bigger buffer, better movie functionality and can shoot up to 8K, with a better viewfinder. Because of the higher buffer, the X-H2 also has a CFExpress card slot. But it's about $300/£200 more expensive. So it really comes down to what you want and what shoot.
However,t feels like the Fujifilm X-T5 is a welcome evolution of the X-T series, rather than a revolution. It's a classically controlled SLR-style camera that puts photography first for serious enthusiasts. The X-T5 takes the much-loved Fujifilm X-T4 further in terms of resolution but is still ideal for shooters who want a beautiful, lightweight camera with traditional controls.
Read our full Fujifilm X-T5 review for more details.
The best mirrorless camera for resolution
The GFX 100S makes some big improvements over its predecessor, the GFX 100. Not only is the GFX 100S smaller and lighter than any other 100MP medium format camera, it’s also far cheaper – and that makes it a lot more accessible. It is still expensive for many photographers (even professionals), but it proves that medium format photography is steadily becoming more mainstream.
Like its predecessor, the GFX 100S isn’t perfect – its autofocus performance may not suit every shooting scenario and its image stabilization doesn’t quite match what it says on the tin, but all that gets trumped by the image quality you’re going to get from this camera. With excellent dynamic range, tonality and color depth, sensational resolution and the ability to crop as much as you need and print as large as you want, this camera is worth the investment for anyone who’s after a versatile medium format body.
Read our full Fujifilm GFX 100S review for more details.
The best mirrorless camera for Canon shooters
As a stills camera, the Canon EOS R5 is simply Canon's finest product ever. It’s the perfect amalgamation of the EOS R’s form, the EOS 5D’s function, and the professional-grade autofocus of the EOS-1D X.
If you're a stills or hybrid shooter who flits between photography and videography, it's one of the best cameras you will ever have the pleasure of using. Alas, we can’t recommend the R5 if your primary interest is pure video shooting.
Don’t get us wrong, its video is incredible – but having to navigate the overheating restrictions prohibits it from being your A-camera (unless you only shoot 4K 30p, in which case you don’t need this anyway). It's not perfect at everything, but it's so good at so much that it's still a landmark camera. The Sony A1 sneaks ahead on specifications, but the Canon is A LOT cheaper.
Read our full Canon EOS R5 review for more details.
The best affordable full-frame mirrorless camera
While Nikon has done a solid job with filling out the very upper end of its Z range of full-frame mirrorless cameras with the flagship Z7 II and even found room for a cheeky APS-C offering with the Z50, it was arguably lacking an entry-level gateway to full frame. That has come in the form of the Nikon Z5, a stylish little shooter that offers full-frame features at an attractive price.
With twin card slots and 4K UHD video, it takes a few cues from professional bodies, though you won't be burst-shooting at anything higher than 4.5fps. Still, with full weather-sealing, five-stop image stabilization, and a spectacular electronic viewfinder, anyone making their first jump to full frame is going to find themselves absolutely spoiled for features. What we like most about this camera is its keen pricing – well below the Nikon Z6 II – and its neat retracting kit lens.
Read our full Nikon Z5 review for more details.
The best Sony mirrorless camera
The Sony A1 is everything that Sony says it is. It’s a technological triumph, a camera that really can do everything. Previously, cameras might offer speed, resolution, or video capability, but the A1 offers all three and even beats dedicated sports and video cameras at their own game.
However, good as it is, the price is, and will remain a major obstacle, and its appeal is limited to photographers who need everything it does, not just one or two of those things. Sony has also practically killed two of its other cameras by making this one! The Sony A9 Mark II is a terrific camera for sports, but beaten by the A1, while the Sony A7S Mark III's excellent 4K video capabilities pale against the A1's 8K capture.
Read our full Sony A1 review for more details
The best mirrorless camera for beginners
The Nikon Z fc is, without a doubt, one of the coolest-looking mirrorless cameras around right now. It's a retro-styled mirrorless machine with dial-based controls, and it's a joy to handle, use, and be seen using. Internally, it's basically the same deal as the Nikon Z50, with the same APS-C sensor and processor and many of the same specs.
A few extra features like a built-in flash have been shaved off, and it is more expensive than the Z50, so if you don't care about aesthetics then Nikon's other DX-format camera is the smarter choice.
But if you're the sort of person who can't resist the siren song of the best retro cameras, the Nikon Z fc will be right up your alley. The only thing we've got against it – and it is a pretty major thing, to be honest, is that there are still only two Nikon Z DX lenses to go with it. However, many photographers just want a kit lens and no more, so for them, it's not a problem.
Read our full Nikon Z fc review for more details
FAQs
What is the best mirrorless camera, if money is no object?
The Nikon Z9: capable of 8K 60p video recording or 8K 30p with an enormous 2-hour record limit. Nikon decided to remove the mechanical shutter completely which means the Z9 is capable of 120fps continuous shooting and has a max shutter speed of 1/32,000 which makes it perfect for sport and bird photography.
What's the most affordable mirrorless camera?
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is currently, in our opinion, the most budget mirrorless camera, this sleek retro style design packs a big punch at an affordable price point, making it a great camera for beginners or those stepping away from their trusty DSLR.
Mirrorless sensor sizes
Micro Four Thirds is the smallest sensor format, but the image quality is surprisingly close to that of larger APS-C cameras – and these cameras are small, powerful, and affordability.
APS-C cameras provide a good balance between quality and price, with a sensor roughly twice the size of Micro Four Thirds cameras.
Full frame mirrorless cameras have sensors the same size as 35mm film negatives and about twice the size of APS-C. This gives them better quality, but they are also bigger and more expensive.
Medium format cameras have sensors even larger than full frame, but carry a price tag to reflect that.
How we test cameras
We test camera resolution, dynamic range, and noise under scientifically controlled conditions using two key testing tools: Imatest Master and DxO Analyzer. All DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are subjected to these tests and, in some instances, high-end compact cameras.
We use these real-world testing and lab results to inform our comments in buying guides.
1. Resolution (ISO-12233): We use a resolution chart based on ISO-12233 from Applied Image inc to indicate the limit of the camera’s vertical resolution at the centre of the frame. The higher the value, the better the detail resolution.
2. Dynamic range (DxO Analyzer): This is a measure of a camera’s ability to capture detail in the highlights and shadows. We use DxO’s transmissive chart, which enables us to test a dynamic range of 13.3 stops.
3. Noise (DxO Analyzer): We use the dynamic range transmissive chart to analyze the signal-to-noise ratio for RAW and JPG files at every sensitivity setting using DxO Analyzer. A higher value means the signal is cleaner.
