Nowadays there’s no such thing as a bad digital camera. The iPhone you have in your pocket takes stunning images and every single mirrorless or DSLR being released by the major brands is capable of capturing images that could land on the cover of Outside.
But with great choices come hard decisions. The camera market is so crowded you’ll have to do some research to find the model that includes the specific features you want—be that amazing autofocus, enormous file size, or an affordable price. We’ve put together a list of the new mirrorless cameras that stood out during our testing to provide a starting point.
Updated March 2025: We’ve added a new top pick from Canon and a splurge pick from Leica. Prices and info have been updated for 2025.
At a Glance
- Best Overall: Canon R5 Mark II ($4,299)
- Best Value: Sony A7CII ($2,198)
- Simplest: Fujifilm X100VI ($1,599)
- Splurge: Leica Q3 43 ($6,895)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How We Test Every Camera
Best Overall
Canon EOS R5 Mark II
$4,299 at Amazon $4,299 at B&H
Weight: 1.3 lbs (body only)
Size: 5.45” x 3.87” x 3.48″
Sensor: 45 megapixel full-frame stacked BSI CMOS sensor
Pros and Cons
⊕ Ultra-fast frame rate
⊕ Great autofocus
⊕ Compact body
⊗ Not the prettiest
It’s been a decade since Canon launched a camera as game-changing as their 2005 compact, affordable, yet fully-featured 5D DSLR, but the new R5 Mark II promises to have a similar impact in the mirrorless category. Thanks to a smart balance of size and specs, the R5 Mark II is bound to have a longer-than-normal shelf life with pro and amateur photographers alike.
The R5 Mark II’s appeal centers on three main things: a compact and easy-to-carry camera body, a 45MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS sensor that allows the camera to capture up to 30 frames per second (fps), and high-powered autofocus.
The croissant-sized camera body weighs just 20.7 ounces, making it a great choice for those who prioritize moving lightly on outdoor adventures. In the frames-per-second game, 30 is 10 more than you get with similar cameras like the Nikon Z8, and more than enough to capture a skier streaking past in a high-g turn or a cyclist ripping down a descent. And with an über-smart autofocus that uses machine learning to help shooters easily lock on and track a variety of different subjects, I was almost guaranteed to nail the shot every single time
The R5 Mark II doesn’t produce the same image quality as the Sony A7RV (the most resolution-packed mirrorless camera on the market). But the Sony files are a pain to store because they take up so much hard drive space, making them too big for 90 percent of shooters, even the pros. Canon opted for a more reasonable file size, that can still produce images that are high-quality enough to grace magazine covers and gallery walls.
One niggle is that the Canon camera body, compared to those from Nikon and Sony, is not as pretty to look at. But in the end, who cares when it produces beautiful photos?
Best Value
Sony A7CII
$2,198 at Amazon $2,198 at B&H
Weight: 15.1 oz (body only)
Size: 4.9” x 2.8” x 2.5”
Sensor: 33-megapixel full-frame Exmor R BSI
Pros and Cons
⊕ Small
⊕ Full-frame sensor
⊕ Fair price
⊗ No auto-focus joystick
⊗ Not ergonomic with Sony’s largest zoom lenses
The Sony A7CII is our top pick because it’s small but mighty and the best option for those of us who like to adventure. At just over a pound and about as thick as three iPhones stacked together, it’s travel friendly and comes with a giant full-frame sensor that captures 33-megapixel images, advanced auto-focus, and interchangeable lenses. In short, it’s a pro-level camera that’s significantly better than any current phone camera (or any phone camera we’ll likely see in the next five years).
The interchangeable lenses you can use on the A7CII add bulk and weight, but Sony makes two 35mm f/1.8 lenses that are the perfect add-on. Less than three inches long and about the diameter of a paper-towel tube, they’re much smaller than most standard lenses but fast enough to capture great photos in low light, wide enough for landscapes yet not too wide for portraits, and built with high-quality glass so it produces tack-sharp images
This camera is best for those who primarily want to shoot photos; but if you want to shoot video, you get beautiful 4K footage and incredible image stabilization for handheld shooting.
The A7CII costs $2,198 and the 35 millimeter f1.8 lens adds another $748, which brings the total to just shy of $3,000 for the basic setup. That may seem high, but it’s in the ballpark for a pro-level, full-frame camera that has the chops to shoot everything from action to landscapes.
Read our full review of the Sony AC7II here
Simplest
Fujifilm X100VI
$1,599 at B&H $1,599 at Adorama
Weight: 1.15 lbs
Size: 5” x 2.9” x 2.2″
Sensor: 40.2-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR
Pros and Cons
⊕ Easy to transport
⊕ Simple to use
⊕ Rich photos
⊗ No interchangeable lenses
⊗ Not a full-frame sensor
The X110VI won a spot on this list for three reasons: it’s small, relatively simple, and captures gorgeous images. About the size of three iPhones stacked together, the camera weighs just 1.1 pounds so backpackers, bikepackers, hikers, skiers, or anyone who’s moving fast won’t feel weighed down. You won’t want to pack it in a running vest, but the camera is certainly small enough to fit in your daypack, or even the chest pocket of your ski shell.
Some photographers will chafe at the idea of not having interchangeable lenses, but we love the simplicity of this camera. With just one, high-quality 23mm f/2 (35mm equivalent) lens to work with, you’re forced to be a more creative photographer. If you want to zoom in, you’ll need to walk closer. Need to capture a landscape? Back up or climb a hill. The 35mm focal length isn’t perfect for portraits, but it doesn’t distort the subject and can be made to work if you’re careful about your framing.
Why not just pack your iPhone 15 Pro (or newer) since it’s also portable and actually has three lenses? Because the X100VI is a camera (versus a phone with a built-in camera), Fujifilm is able to pack in a significantly bigger sensor (40.2 megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR) compared to what you get with an iPhone. That bigger sensor drinks in more light and therefore creates more detailed photos and also does better in low-light situations.
The X100V isn’t as powerful as a full-frame Sony or Canon camera, but it’s the perfect travel-sized option that captures better quality photos than an iPhone.
Splurge
Leica Q3 43
Weight: 1.5 lbs (body only)
Size: 5.12” × 3.15” × 3.62”
Sensor: 60.3 megapixel full-frame CMOS
Pros and Cons
⊕ Sleek
⊕ Ultra-sharp glass
⊕ Indestructible
⊗ Expensive
⊗ Limited in its uses
I let out a guffaw when I first heard the price for this camera. For $7,000, you can buy two Sony A7CIIs and several high-quality Sony lenses or one Canon R5 Mark II and a suite of their top-shelf lenses. So why the hell would you throw down $7,000 for one camera and one fixed lens? Because it’s a Leica.
Despite the outrageous price tag, Leica has a strong hold on me for two main reasons.
First, the brand has an incredibly storied past. Photographers toting Leicas have shot many of the world’s most important photos like the shot of the young girl fleeing a napalm attack in Vietnam, the iconic portrait of Che Guevara that’s on T-shirts and pins worldwide, and that rainy day photo of James Dean walking through Times Square. This history gives Leica more street cred than any other camera company and makes photographers want to use one in hopes that they, too, can one day shoot a photo that counts.
Second, Leica makes a damn nice and beautifully simple camera. It starts with the ultra-sharp glass, making the photos produced by the f/2 43mm lens on the Q3 crisper than those shot by a Nikon, Canon, or Sony. A fixed 43mm lens might be a little long for people who are used to fixed 28mm or 35mm lenses, but it’s great for portraits and street photography and still wide enough to capture a crowd or a landscape.
The Q3’s lens is matched to an ultra-high-res 60-megapixel full-frame sensor that shines in low light and produces rich images that look as good on Instagram as they do on your wall. Instead of a host of buttons and dials on the top of the camera, the Q3 controls are paired down and the camera features far fewer custom options. This is intentional because the camera is not designed for shooting Premier League soccer, but instead is meant to be toted along on your trek through the Alps or into the streets of New York City.
Many photographers have film Leicas that are decades old and still work great because of their unmatched build quality. The Q3 is no different thanks to an all-metal outer that will put up with drops, scrapes, bumps, and anything else you can throw at it during your adventures.
The Q3 might be compared to other pieces of high-end outdoor equipment like a carbon-plated running shoe, an ultra-light camping tent, or a set of all-terrain tires. These pieces of gear are not for everyone, should not be used in every instance, and cost a lot more money than other options. But for people who use these specialty pieces of gear for their intended purpose, they make a real difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Difference Between DSLR and Mirrorless Cameras?
A DSLR has a mirror inside the camera body that reflects the light coming through the lens and shoots it up to the viewfinder. When the shutter button is pressed, the mirror moves out of the way to let the light from the lens hit the digital sensor.
In a mirrorless camera there is no mirror, so the image you see through the viewfinder is electronically generated and the light goes straight from the lens to the sensor.
Which Is Better—DSLR or Mirrorless?
You could spend a week combing through threads about whether DSLRs or mirrorless cameras are better, but the short answer is this: mirrorless cameras are the future and that’s where you should spend your money.
Some people like that the viewfinder on a DSLR is optical, not digital, but the digital viewfinders these days are so good that you’ll never have any problems. Some people like the larger form factor of DSLRs when handling big lenses, but it’s easy to add an extra grip to a mirrorless that makes these smaller cameras just as easy to handle.
The advantages of the mirrorless camera, on the other hand, are numerous and growing. They’re smaller to start because there is no mirror, and therefore easier to transport on adventures. You can also shoot silently, since there’s no mirror moving around, which is an advantage in situations where you’re capturing wildlife or other sensitive scenes.
There used to be more lenses for DSLR cameras, but all the major companies now have a full line of high-quality mirrorless lenses, and the prices have also come down so you can easily find affordable but high-quality mirrorless cameras these days
How Much Does a Decent Camera Cost?
You should plan on spending at least $2,000 for the body. That gets you a pro-level camera that uses interchangeable lenses and comes with all the best features, like a full-frame sensor and high-quality autofocus. If you can make the jump to $3,000, you get even better resolution and all the new autofocus features that make shooting sports a breeze.
What Are Key Features to Look For?
If you’re going to invest in a mirrorless camera, get a full-frame sensor. These large sensors have incredible resolution and great low-light performance. From there you’ll need to decide what kind of photographs you want to make.
Shooting sports? Go for a mirrorless camera that has a really high frame rate and all the newest autofocus technology. More focused on landscapes and portraiture? Go for a camera that shoots high-resolution or high-megapixel images.
How We Test
- Number of cameras tested: 10
- Number of testers: 5
- Number of pictures taken: 70,000 +
- Hours spent figuring out each camera: Over 50 hours total
You’ve probably heard the term “camera geek.” I bring this up because our tester pool was full of digital nerds. All the testers are former or working photojournalists who’ve followed camera development for the past 20 years and love to geek out on new specs and features. They spend hours debating which camera is the best overall, which is the best for sports, which is the best for portraits, and love to argue about where the technology is going next.
All this enthusiasm made our job easy because we just had to distribute the cameras and let them go crazy. For this test, the cameras traveled all over the United States and Europe and captured everything from bike races to beach vacations.
What made a camera rise to the top of our test was a blend of performance and usability. Our testers looked for cameras that performed, whether that was accurate autofocus or great low light captures, and then also gave notes on how easy it was to get the camera to do what you asked. Were the dials in a convenient place? Was it easy to hold the cameras with a larger lenses? Did the camera bog you down on longer adventures? To be honest, the final decisions were quite hard but these were our clear favorites.
Meet Our Lead Tester
Before Jakob Schiller was a columnist at Outside he spent almost a decade working as a photojournalist at newspapers around the country. He’s old enough to have shot film, but since the rise of the digital camera, has taken well over 1,000,000 photos on various DSLRs and smartphones. He loves photography because it facilitates adventure and captures important historical moments, but he’s also a tech lover and can geek out with the best of them about things like resolution, autofocus, and shadow detail.
The post Our 4 Favorite Mirrorless Cameras for Adventurers and Travel Junkies appeared first on Outside Online.
