First camera: TOP 5 mirrorless cameras for beginner photographers

The compact Olympus E-PL10 mirrorless camera is aimed at newbie photographers. It is convenient to take the camera with you on walks and travels - it takes up a minimum of space, moreover, a huge variety of interchangeable lenses has been released for the Micro 4/3 system.

The main protagonist of the camera is a LiveMOS sensor with a resolution of 16.1 MP. The TruePic VIII processor is responsible for processing images from it. This bundle provides fast operation of the auto focus system, which consists of 121 contrast-type focus points, and also provides the ability to record 4K video at a frame rate of 30 fps. In terms of video shooting, the camera lacks a connector for connecting an external microphone. However, one can be installed on the hot shoe of a mirrorless camera.

The camera has found application 3-axis system of sensor image stabilization. It compensates up to 3.5 stops of shutter speed or exposure when shooting hand-held, gives smoothness to the recorded video sequence. It is supposed to be sighted during the shooting according to the picture on a 3-inch tilting screen with touch control support. The mirrorless display can recline to the “selfie” position. But the viewfinder in the design of the model is not provided.

The Olympus E-PL10's software arsenal includes a variety of preset scene programs and creative filters to beautify your photos (16 different options). The camera is powered by a BLS-50 battery with the expectation of “shooting” about 350 frames without recharging. The body of the camera boasts a faux leather finish, making the model has a stylish appearance. A universal kit lens M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f / 3.5-5.6 EZ is usually supplied with the camera - in the equivalent of a full frame it covers the popular range of focal lengths from 28 to 84 mm.

For the first steps in the genres of photography and video shooting, the compact Panasonic DC-GX9 camera from the genus of mirrorless cameras will fit perfectly. It will be appreciated by travelers, street photographers and photography enthusiasts.

The camera is based on a Micro 4/3 sensor with a resolution of 20 MP. The physical dimensions of the sensor are half that of the full-frame counterparts of the model. However, you can squeeze a high-quality result out of a mirrorless camera without much effort. The camera image sensor is placed on an electromagnetic stabilization suspension. The stabilization system compensates for up to 4 stops of shutter speed or exposure, ensures the smoothness of the video sequence.

The autofocus of the model uses the Depth from Defocus technology with the ability to select the sharpness zone on the finished image. In total, the automatic focusing system has 49 points. You can select the desired focus areas by tapping on the tilted touch screen. It is also offered to sight in the process of building a frame through the window of the electronic viewfinder, which has a 90 ° rotatable design. By changing the position of the viewfinder, it is easier to build a frame from atypical angles.

Video shooting is given to the camera in 4K resolution with a frame rate of up to 30 fps and a bit rate of up to 100 MB/s. But the model does not have a port for connecting a microphone or a headphone jack. Professional video production is the prerogative of older Panasonic mirrorless cameras. On a full charge of the battery, the camera is able to shoot about 260 photos, which also cannot be written down in the strengths of the model. Compromises are a sign of the base level of the Panasonic DC-GX9. In contrast to them, you can put really high image quality, compactness of the camera and the widest choice of interchangeable lenses in addition to the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f / 3.5-5.6 ASPH POWER OIS kit lens.

In 2022, the Nikon Z mirrorless league has expanded with the relatively inexpensive Z30 camera, which is positioned as a practical tool for “content creators”.

The model is assembled in a compact case with basic protection against negative environmental factors. The camera fits comfortably in the palm of a medium size. The convenience of gripping a mirrorless camera is provided by the protruding battery handle, but for the sake of saving free space, the camera is devoid of a viewfinder. It is supposed to build a frame according to the image on a 3-inch touch screen, which is fixed on a swivel hinge.

The mirrorless camera is equipped with an APS-C sensor with a resolution of 21 MP. Image processing is run by the Expeed 6 processor. In burst mode, the camera develops a rate of fire of up to 11 fps. Video on the Nikon Z30 is recorded in the maximum resolution of 4K (3840x2160 pixels, 30 fps) without cropping and without restrictions on the duration of shooting. Due to the lack of a sensor stub, the user will have to be content with the services of stabilized optics for the Nikon Z system, or use the E-VR electronic image stabilization, which gives cropping at about 1.3x.

The hybrid autofocus system on board the camera consists of 209 points. It has an animal recognition mode, there is an automatic focusing on faces and eyes. The detection area covers about 90% of the sensor horizontally and vertically. The model was equipped with a stereo microphone, a Wi-Fi wireless adapter, and an HDMI interface. To complete the picture, the camera lacks only a headphone output to control the sound when shooting video. In the kit kit, the mirrorless comes with a Nikon Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR motorized zoom lens. The camera will serve as an excellent acquisition for both photography and video recording.

In the hierarchy of Sony cropped-sensor mirrorless cameras, the A6400 is located exactly in the middle between the previously released A6300 and A6500 cameras. Externally, the camera is almost indistinguishable from fellow "six thousandth" league, but the devil, as you know, lies in the details.

Of the visible innovations, the main changes affected the mirrorless screen. From now on , the display leans back to the selfie position, and it finally got a full touch control. Instead of the screen, the user is invited to stick his eye to the window of the electronic viewfinder, which has a resolution of 921 thousand pixels.

In the inner part, the model got hold of itself with a bang with the proven 24 MP APS-C format sensor without a stabilizing pad. The prerogative of image stabilization with a sensor shift was left to the older Sony A6500. At the same time , the 425-point automatic focusing system has undergone dramatic improvements. Japanese engineers taught her how to work in tracking mode on the face and eyes, and also significantly “pumped” the autofocus speed - the subject falls into the tenacious paws of the system in a record 0.02 seconds.

When “shooting” in series, the camera accelerates to 11 fps, while 46 RAW files and over a hundred JPEG photos are placed in the buffer. Also , the model does not graze the rear in matters of video shooting - recording 4K videos is possible using the entire width of the sensor at a frequency of up to 30 fps. In addition, the operator is provided with S-Log2, S-Log3 and HLG profiles (for creating HDR video). From a full-fledged professional application, the camera is only held back by the lack of a headphone output. The Sony A6400 has enough potential to solve the most ambitious creative tasks, and most importantly, the camera has a good foundation for the prospect of qualitative growth.

At first, the Canon EOS R family of mirrorless cameras consisted entirely of full-frame models, and the cropped cameras of the Japanese brand were defined in the Canon EOS M line. But in 2022, mirrorless cameras with an APS-C image sensor have arrived in the flagship league. One of the first such cameras was the Canon EOS R10.

The camera sensor with a resolution of 24.2 MP has a crop factor of 1.6x. The natural range of its light sensitivity is measured in a wide range from 100 to 32000 ISO units. A powerful Digic X processor is installed inside the camera, which is responsible for the high rate of fire of the mirrorless camera in burst mode (15 fps with a mechanical shutter and 24 fps with an electronic shutter), as well as for shooting 4K video from the entire plane of the sensor.

Video recording in 4K format without cropping the picture is carried out on a camera with a frame rate of 30 fps. If you want to see a frame rate of 60 fps, you will have to be content with taking an image from the 1.56x area. In video mode, 10-bit color and HDR PQ are supported. The image is supposed to be stabilized by using interchangeable lenses with an optical stub, since the model does not have its own stabilization suspension of the sensor.

A distinctive feature of Canon brand cameras is the proprietary automatic focusing system. Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II supports tracking of objects in the frame by faces and eyes. In total, the system has 651 focusing points. We also add here the developed ergonomics of the camera, the ability to sight on the touch screen on a rotary hinge or through the viewfinder eye, a full set of wireless communications - the Canon EOS R10 is "charged" to the fullest.