The 6 Best Camera Brands - Fall 2024

Canon has been making cameras since the 1930s—often pitted against its long-time rival Nikon—and still largely dominates today's camera market. With exceptional professional services, Canon has long been a favorite among professional photographers, and their cameras typically feature accessible controls and intuitive menu systems, with a wide range of models to suit photographers of all experience levels. Whether it's beginner models like the Canon EOS R50 or more niche mid-range cameras like the wildlife-oriented Canon EOS R7, there's something here for everyone.

The best Canon camera we've tested is the Canon EOS R6 Mark II. Improving upon the already excellent Canon EOS R6, this enthusiast model can do it all. Its image quality is fantastic, and this camera performs incredibly well in low light. It also has an excellent autofocus system, borrowed from the pro-level Canon EOS R3, which can reliably track moving subjects, along with burst shooting at up to 40 fps in its electronic shutter mode. All in all, it's a very well-rounded hybrid camera for enthusiasts.

Widely known for its TVs, soundbars, and headphones, Sony has also been making cameras since the 1990s, quickly growing into one of the best camera brands in the world. It's also one of the world's largest manufacturers of image sensors—in fact, you're likely to find Sony-built sensors inside cameras from other brands on this list. Sony cameras tend to have snappy, highly effective autofocus systems and relatively portable bodies. Since they've been making mirrorless cameras for longer than most brands, Sony's E lens mount also has a well-established lens ecosystem with plenty of excellent third-party options.

The Sony α7 IV is the best Sony camera we've tested. This hybrid model improves upon the highly popular Sony α7 III by updating its video specs to meet the demands of today's hybrid photo and video shooters. It also has a higher-resolution sensor, making it an excellent choice for high-level portraits and landscapes. With in-body image stabilization (IBIS), 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording, excellent autofocus, and many lens options, this is one of the best enthusiast cameras you can get.

Nikon is another camera brand with a long history of producing optical devices, cameras, and lenses. One of the pioneering manufacturers of digital cameras throughout the 1990s, Nikon continues to hold its own among the top camera brands. Though it was slow to get on board the mirrorless train, Nikon has proven adaptable and continues to expand its lineup of mirrorless cameras and lenses, and its premium 'S Line' of lenses offers some of the highest-quality glass on the market. As in its heyday, the brand is known for pushing boundaries—from being the first brand to completely ditch a mechanical shutter with the Nikon Z 9 to making the longest fixed zoom lens on the market with the Nikon COOLPIX P1000.

If you're interested in Nikon, the Nikon Z 6III is the best Nikon camera we've tested. It's one of the only cameras at its price point to offer internal RAW video recording, in addition to the usual reliable build quality and excellent ergonomics that Nikon is known for. Plus, it has a partially stacked sensor that allows for quick burst shooting with minimal rolling shutter distortion, excellent IBIS, and a high-res viewfinder. The vintage-styled Nikon Z f is another great full-frame choice for those who prefer a retro look and want to save a bit of money, though its ergonomics can take some getting used to, and its video features aren't quite as advanced as the Z 6III.

As its name suggests, Fujifilm started as a photographic film manufacturer in the early twentieth century until it eventually began producing cameras in the late 1940s under the 'Fujica' moniker. It was also one of the most successful camera companies to transition from film to digital and is now one of the leading producers of APS-C and medium format mirrorless cameras. Fujifilm is unique in that it has stayed out of the full-frame market, giving the APS-C format its due. What unites most of the brand's models is an old-school and fun approach to design, with retro styling and physical control dials, as well as highly regarded JPEG colors and in-camera processing.

The Fujifilm X-H2S is one of the brand's two flagship APS-C models, along with the Fujifilm X-H2. These are among the best Fujifilm cameras we've tested, with performance that, in some ways, rivals full-frame competitors. The X-H2S is built around a 26 MP stacked-design sensor with a very fast readout speed for quicker burst shooting and fewer rolling shutter artifacts. The X-H2, meanwhile, uses an incredibly high-resolution 40.2 MP sensor. Both are hybrid beasts with advanced video capabilities and excellent IBIS systems. If you're looking for portability and the dedicated exposure dials that Fuji is known for, look to X-T series cameras like the Fujifilm X-T5, which shares the same high-res sensor as the X-H2 but in a more portable body.

Panasonic makes everything from TVs, appliances, and projectors to professional and consumer cameras under the LUMIX brand name. For a long time, Panasonic mainly produced cameras within the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system, which the company standardized in collaboration with Olympus. More recently, Panasonic has branched out into producing full-frame cameras thanks to its L-mount Alliance with Leica and Sigma, which all produce L-mount compatible cameras. Panasonic is also a market leader in bringing more advanced video features to consumer models.

The Panasonic LUMIX S5 II is the best Panasonic camera we've tested. While the original Panasonic LUMIX S5 offers a ton of value for its price, the S5 II improves upon the formula in a few key ways, namely being the first LUMIX camera to feature phase-detection autofocus. This enthusiast model is a great choice for hybrid and video shooters, with advanced video features like 6k video, internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, and plenty of codec/format support. It's no slouch for still photography, either, especially when it comes to image quality, though you'll want to look at MFT options like the flagship Panasonic LUMIX G9 II for a more established and compact lens lineup. Consider the Panasonic LUMIX GH7 for even more advanced video needs, with features like internal RAW recording and active cooling.

OM SYSTEM, formerly known as Olympus, has been around in some form or another since the 1930s. Olympus was a major player in the days of film, achieving worldwide popularity in the 1970s and 1980s with its innovative 'OM System' line of SLRs. In the digital age, Olympus helped develop the Micro Four Thirds system in collaboration with Panasonic, offering a smaller, more affordable alternative to full-frame and APS-C cameras. These are the quintessential travel and hiking cameras, with rugged portable bodies, great stabilization, and computational photography modes. In 2021, OM Digital Solutions acquired Olympus's imaging division and began releasing cameras under the name OM SYSTEM in a callback to the company's heyday.

The OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II is the brand's flagship model and one of the best Micro Four Thirds cameras we've tested. It's the ultimate sports and wildlife camera for those who want something rugged and portable. It has a weather-sealed body with fantastic ergonomics and best-in-class image stabilization. On top of that, it has a remarkably fast max burst rate and plenty of neat computational photography features, including a high-resolution composite mode. All in all, it's a very well-rounded camera for fans of the Micro Four Thirds system.