The 7 Best Mirrorless Cameras - Winter 2022 Reviews

The Canon EOS R6 is the best mirrorless camera that we've tested with a full-frame sensor. This premium interchangeable lens camera has a 20.1-megapixel full-frame sensor, making it well-suited to low-light photography. It feels incredibly comfortable to shoot with, thanks to its well-balanced design, large textured handgrip, and highly intuitive menu system.

As far as performance goes, it delivers fantastic overall image quality. It has an impressive amount of dynamic range to bring out a wider array of detail in high-contrast scenes, is great for landscape photography, and has remarkable RAW noise handling capability, meaning you can shoot at higher ISO levels in dim conditions without introducing too much visual noise. Its autofocus system is snappy and effective, doing a good job of tracking moving subjects with over 6,000 detection points for incredibly precise focusing.

That said, it doesn't have the best battery life. Its battery life for video is only decent, although battery performance can also vary with usage and settings. However, you can't use it while it's charging, which may be a bit inconvenient. Still, this is one of the best all-around mirrorless cameras that we've tested, thanks to its superb image and video quality, great autofocus system, and comfortable design.

The best mirrorless camera we've tested with an APS-C sensor is the Fujifilm X-T4. This flagship model from Fujifilm delivers great all-around performance, and it's especially well-suited to video, with an exceptional autofocus system that ensures moving faces and objects stay in focus. It also feels excellently built, with decent ergonomics and a fully articulated touchscreen that makes it easy to monitor yourself while recording or taking photos at unconventional angles.

Video quality is impressive, especially in 4k, and even in low light, there's minimal visual noise and grain. Overall, the image looks sharp and detailed. It's capable of incredibly high-quality video output and supports a range of frame rates to suit a wide variety of video types, from a more cinematic 24 fps to 60 fps or higher for smooth fast action. Finally, it has an amazing video stabilization feature to reduce camera shake, especially when moving at a moderate pace.

That said, it's not the most portable option out there. It's on the heavier side and may feel a bit cumbersome to carry around and shoot on the go for longer periods. Still, it's one of the best mirrorless cameras we've tested, thanks to its reliable autofocus, excellent in-body video stabilization, and impressive photo and video quality.

The best mirrorless camera that we've tested for general video purposes is the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5. Although it doesn't feature as many advanced videography features as the more filmmaker-oriented Panasonic LUMIX GH5 II, this full-frame hybrid is a great option for most people who want a camera to record videos and take still photos. It feels remarkably well-built and comes equipped with a fully articulated touchscreen to help you shoot from different angles or monitor yourself while recording.

It delivers incredible 4k video quality in brighter lighting conditions and great quality in 1080p. It also performs well in low-light, thanks to its full-frame sensor. It can shoot at up to 60 fps in either resolution, though shooting at this frame rate in 4k incurs a 1.5x crop. While it's not as effective as competitors, its autofocus system does a great job tracking moving subjects, although it's more reliable with faces than with objects. The camera also offers several recording formats and V-log picture profile support for more in-depth color grading in post.

Unfortunately, its continuous shooting speed leaves a lot to be desired for those who like to take photos as well as shoot video, as it's limited to 6 fps and has a 16s buffer empty time. That said, image quality is amazing overall. The camera also has an excellent battery life and doesn't impose a recording time limit, which is great. All in all, this is one of the best 4k cameras we've tested, and it's a great choice for those doing a mix of video and photo work.

The best mirrorless camera that we've tested that's under $1,000 is the Sony a6400. It represents a good middle ground for those who aren't quite ready to jump into full-frame photography but still have some experience or are looking to make the jump to mirrorless without breaking the bank. It's weather-sealed, feels well-constructed, and has a relatively portable body that makes it a great choice for travel photography.

This is an APS-C camera that stands out for its quick and accurate autofocus system, which can detect human subjects as well as animals, and it does an excellent job tracking moving subjects even as they move around the frame. Overall image quality is impressive out of the box, and the camera also has good noise handling capability at higher ISO values for low-light shooting. It also has a quick 11 fps burst rate and a good-sized photo buffer, although it takes a while to empty once full.

That said, it doesn't have in-body image stabilization, so you may need to rely on an optically stabilized lens if you're going to shoot handheld. On the upside, its kit lens does a good job of smoothing out the image. Sony's menu system isn't the most intuitive and can be tricky to navigate since you can't use touch controls. Still, if you're interested in a well-rounded and portable camera, this one has a lot to offer for just under $1,000.

The best budget mirrorless camera we've tested is the Canon EOS M50 Mark II. This portable APS-C camera offers a ton of value for its price and makes for a great entry point into the world of mirrorless cameras. It's light and comfortable to shoot with, thanks to a highly intuitive menu system and simple controls. It also has a fully articulated touchscreen to help with vlogs and selfies.

It delivers great overall image quality right out of the box, and it has decent noise handling capability at higher ISO settings for shooting in more dimly-lit conditions. The camera has a good autofocus system that tracks moving subjects fairly reliably when taking photos or shooting 1080p video. It can take burst photos at a reasonably quick 9 fps, although it has a very small photo buffer. Also, while the camera doesn't have in-body image stabilization, its kit lens is optically stabilized and does a good job reducing camera shake.

Unfortunately, while the camera supports 4k video recording, it's more suited to 1080p recording. It can only record 4k at 24 fps with a severe 1.5x crop, and its autofocus system performs poorly in this resolution. That said, it performs much better in 1080p, and there are more frame rates to choose from. All in all, for a camera at this price point, it offers a ton of value for beginner photographers or content creators working with 1080p video.