Best Beginner Mirrorless Cameras
Are you looking for a beginner or entry level mirrorless camera? You’re in luck because there are many great brands and models to choose from nowadays!
Here are some of our top picks for best beginner mirrorless cameras:
Table of Contents
Fujifilm X-T30
An amazing deal, the Fujifilm X-T30 ($800) contains many of the features of the award winning X-T3 in a smaller body. Some of these include the same 26.1 MP APS-C Sensor, Hybrid AF with 425 phase detection points, 20 fps burst shooting, electronic viewfinder, and 3” tilting touchscreen.
Pros:
Excellent JPG and Raw files
Excellent 4K Video uncrossed
Compact & Beautifully Built
Good Autofocus
20 FPS Burst
Cons:
AF joystick and Menu button awkwardly placed
Face Detection can be buggy
Summary:
The Fujifilm X-T30 one of my top choices for beginner photographers who are looking to advance their skills. Fujifilm has an excellent line of lenses that you can use for their advanced cameras down the line as well.
Nikon Z50
Nikon’s entry-level mirrorless, the Z50 ($895) is a great camera for both beginners and advanced photographers looking for a portable camera with excellent image quality.
It has a fantastic 20.9MP CMOS sensor based on the legendary D500, a bright 2.36M dot OLED viewfinder, 4K video (30 fps), and a twin control dial interface. It has the usual rugged Nikon build quality and a nice, growing ecosystem of Z Lenses to pair with.
Pros:
Excellent Image Quality
Excellent Dynamic Range
Very Lightweight and Small
Lots of customization
Good Video Quality
Cons:
Autofocus could be improved, but Nikon is pushing out great firmware updates all the time
Limited number of Z Lenses, but many are coming out all the time
Summary:
The Nikon Z50 is a great camera that a novice can grow into, as it has more advanced functionality than a ‘beginner’ camera and is appropriately priced a bit higher. It’s also a great way to enter into the Nikon Z system, which will mature over time.
Canon EOS M200
The Canon EOS M200 is a well priced ($549) entry level mirrorless camera packed with features like a 24 MP APS-C sensor, Canon’s excellent Duel Pixel autofocus, Face/Eye Autodetect, Tilting touchscreen, and 4K Video.
If you’re upgrading from a smartphone, the M200 will be comfortable since many of the camera controls are on the touchscreen.
Pros:
Small and Portable
Great Face/Eye Autofocus
Good Image Quality
Wifi/Bluetooth work great
Cons:
Grainy Low Light Photos
Burst shooting is slow
Sometimes slow autofocus
4K video is cropped
Summary:
Overall the Canon EOS M200 ($748) is a great beginner camera for most situations (minus low light and fast moving subjects), especially for those wanting to dip their toes into the photography waters.
Sony a6100
With Sony making some of the best high-end cameras on the market, the Sony A6100 is a great way to try out Sony camera technology as a beginner photographer.
It comes with many great features like 425 autofocus points, great subject tracking, and great video quality.
Pros:
Excellent RAW and JPG image quality
Amazing Autofocus, especially on people
Good Video Quality
Good Battery Life
Cons:
Large menu can be hard to navigate
Can’t adjust auto ISO threshold
Summary:
The Sony A6100 is a feature packed, easy-to-use beginner camera that will get you ready for the Sony camera ecosystem in case you decide to upgrade in the future.
Panasonic GX9
About $800
For those interested in the Micro Four Thirds format, the Panasonic GX9 ($798) is a great camera for beginners to start with and grow into. It has a 20MP sensor, electronic viewfinder, touchscreen, 4K video, and in-body stabilization. Many entry-level cameras don’t have in-body stabilization, so this is a great feature.
Pros:
Beautiful JPG images
Low Noise
In Body Stabilization
Accurate Autofocus
Good Controls
Cons:
Not Great Battery Life
4K is cropped
Auto ISO needs better customization options
Fujifilm X-T200
A slightly stripped-down version of the X-T30, the X-T200 has a 24 MP APS-C sensor, an electronic viewfinder, 4K video, and a fully articulating touchscreen display.
Although the X-T30 has gone down in price since launch, if you want to save about $100, the X-T200 is a valid option.
Pros:
Great Image Quality
Great Dynamic Range/Low Noise in Low Light
Un-cropped 4K Video
Large, Sharp 3.5” Touchscreen
Beautiful Retro Design
Cons:
Average Battery Life
Can’t select focus point if faces detected automatically
No subject tracking in video
Joystick is oddly placed
Summary:
The X-T200 is Fujifilm’s best ‘beginner’ mirrorless camera and is a perfect starting point for anyone getting into photography.
Canon EOS M50 Mark II
An update to the popular M50 Mark I, the M50 Mark II ($600, Nov 24 release) has many of the same features as its predecessor like a 24MP APS-C sensor. What’s new is the Duel Pixel autofocus which has excellent eye tracking in both stills and video. It also has a nifty feature where you can capture vertical video and stream live to YouTube.
Pros:
Great Image Quality
Excellent eye-tracking
Fully articulating touchscreen
Good for both pictures and vlogging
Cons:
Not too much of an update from the Mark I
A bit limited for advanced photography