The best thing about traveling is being able to explore new places, experience new cultures, and meet new people, but another benefit is being able to share those memories with people back at home who couldn’t join you on your trip.
However, lugging a massive DSLR camera on holiday with you is not ideal, especially if you’re backpacking and limited to what you can bring with your one bag. So what options are you left with? Taking photos on your smartphone.
Capturing photos and videos on your smartphone will do for some, but it can easily eat up a lot of your memory on your phone, leaving you with minimal space for traveling apps like Uber, Airbnb, or HostelWorld.
These photos will also be lower quality than what you’d hoped for and don't do your travel destinations justice.
The solution to these issues is a mirrorless camera. It offers high-quality imagery like a DSLR but in a more compact and portable size.
So alas, we’ve done all the hard work by testing mirrorless cameras to bring you the BEST mirrorless camera for your travels.
Best Mirrorless Camera for Travels – Comparison Table
Best Mirrorless Camera for Travels – Reviews
This Sony A600 mirrorless camera is one of the best ones currently around and for good reason, it’s as compact as a regular digital camera but still has the top quality imagery that would come from a DSLR.
This Sony camera has 24.2MP and a full-frame image sensor which will give you professional-looking photos that can be blown up as art displays for your home when you return from your travels.
If you’re a keen Instagrammer, you’ll be happy to know that this camera has WiFi ability so you’ll be able to quickly transfer over your pics to share with your followers.
However, if you’re a vlogger, or looking to make a montage of your travel videos, then this may not be the best choice as it only films in 1080p rather than newer models that shoot in 4K.
Not only this, but it’s a budget-friendly camera that would be good for entry-level buyers or for a professional photographer looking for an alternative camera to use in their personal or traveling time.
The battery life will provide you with shooting 360 pictures without the need for recharging, so you should be able to go a solid few hours with continuous shooting.
Sony commonly does not have the most simple of menu systems, but after a few days of playing around, you should be able to feel comfortable and make the most of this little camera.
- High megapixels – Enables you to capture beautiful imagery
- Lightweight and compact – Easy to put in a small day bag
- Good battery life – Should last a day of frequent shooting
- Shoots in 1080p – Probably not best for video recording or production (vloggers)
If you’ve got a little more room in your luggage and are looking for a mirrorless camera that caters more to your video recording requirements, then take a look at this Panasonic Lumix G85.
As we said, this camera is great for recording video as it comes with 4K QFHD video capture allowing you to take quality video clips of your trip to remember forever.
However, whilst camera quality is still great with this camera, it does only come with 16MP so not ideal if you’re planning on blowing up your images for your home walls.
It does come with in-body stabilization, which is great if you’re shooting whilst walking around or in moving vehicles.
It comes with a flip LCD which is great for taking selfies if you’re not quite confident with foreign lingo to ask a local to take a picture of you.
The camera also comes with an optional power grip, which provides an additional battery for the camera on top of the one that’s provided in the body.
This will allow you to take over 300 snaps, which could last you anything from a day to a week depending on how frequently you’re shooting.
- Decent battery life – Can easily take over 300 shots
- Flip LCD – This allows you to take selfies on your travels
- Optional power grip for extra battery – Prolong the battery life of your camera
- 4K video capture – Great for vloggers or general video recording
- 16MP Camera – Not as high-quality imagery as other cameras
If you’re not too clued up on cameras, or maybe you’re looking for a budget-friendly mirrorless option, then this Canon EOS M200 should be a high contender.
Many YouTubers like to use this as a vlogging camera, so it’s no wonder that this is highly recommended for travelers looking to shoot on the go on their travels.
Its 4K video capture and 24.1MP make is just ideal for this and will easily create crisp and quality imagery for you.
The camera also comes with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth for easy file transfer to a smart device, so no need for USB cables with you on your trip.
There is also silent mode on the camera, which provides no shutter sound for shooting, ideal for when you’re in religious or cultural landmarks and want to be discreet.
All these features within a tiny camera that can fit into the back pocket of your jeans (not that we recommend that!)
- Compact size – Easily carried around by hand or put into a clothing pocket
- WiFi and Bluetooth enabled – No need for USB cables to transfer files
- 4K Video – Perfect for recording videos for YouTube or your own pleasure
- Silent shutter mode – Discreetly take photos in respectable establishments or landmarks
- No image stabilization – Will need to be more careful when taking pictures
Despite looking small and vintage, this Fujifilm digital camera is packed with exciting features. The fast auto-focusing camera is unbelievably for shooting whilst walking around and will produce beautiful images each time.
There is 26.1MP to this camera and has unique color filter controls to achieve stunning images to your preferred taste.
The menu system is so user-friendly, so if you’re someone who’s not experienced with this kind of kit, you should have it figured out within an hour or two.
We’d recommend getting a camera bag or neck strap to keep this little camera safe as it’s one you won’t want to replace in a hurry.
It creates stunning 4K videos at 30fps ideal if you feel photos just won’t serve a destination justice.
However, there isn’t a lens mount on this camera so you won’t be able to use interchangeable lenses, however, you can buy conversion lenses but nothing beyond that.
- Classic camera design – Tasteful and utterly timeless
- Stunning 4K video – Show more of your travels beyond the photos
- Color filter controls – Can create images to your photography style and taste
- No lens mount – Unable to interchange lenses
The X-T100 is considered to be Fujifilm's entry-level mirrorless camera, so if the model above is a bit out of your price range, then maybe this will be more suitable.
It has a whopping 24.2MP camera with an APS-C size sensor (not the best but still great) to produce some stunning photographs every time you choose to shoot.
It’s also compatible with 25 Fujinon lenses so you’ll be able to interchange between a variety to create a variation of shots throughout your travels. However, the more lenses you bring with you, the heavier your camera kit will be.
The X-T100 still has a classic camera design but with modernized technology, so if you’re into the vintage camera look, you’ll love this one.
It's enabled with WiFi and Bluetooth so you’ll be able to share your images instantly without transferring through cables or a laptop.
This little camera is one of the best performers in terms of battery and can offer over 400 shots per one full charge, so you may not even need an additional battery on hand.
- Great battery life – Can last over 400 shots
- WiFi and Bluetooth enabled – Upload photos immediately online
- Compatible with Fujinon lenses – Versatility in the shots you can create
- Not as lightweight as other models – Not as comfortable to carry around all-day
Best Mirrorless Camera for Travels – Buyers Guide
Is a mirrorless camera right for me?
If you’re a professional or hobbyist photographer who still wants DSLR quality images of their travels but without the inconvenience of carrying around a bulky body of a DSLR, then a mirrorless camera will be great for you.
However, if you’re just a keen traveler who wants to take some decent images to remember their trips, then you’ll be able to get by with just a regular digital camera.
What to Consider
Megapixels
The megapixels of a camera are the number of pixels that the camera will capture when it takes a photograph.
The more megapixels an image has the larger you’ll be able to print it out, so if you are intending to create poster imagery of your travel photographs then you’ll want to try and get the highest megapixel camera possible.
For the average traveler, 12 megapixels will be more than sufficient to capture quality imagery that could pass as professional across your Instagram.
However, if you’re wanting the highest quality possible and looking to print out your imagery then 20 megapixels would be recommended.
Image Stabilisation
Unless you’re dedicated to capturing that perfect shot with a camera tripod, then you’ll probably just be using your hands throughout your travels.
However, shaky hands can result in blurry photos, especially if you’re shooting in a dimly lit area which is just not ideal if you're trying to get a sneaky picture on your travels.
Luckily, most mirrorless camera manufacturers will integrate image stabilization into the body of the camera or into the lens, or even both (both offer the best results).
Frames Per Second (FPS)
If you’re going to be viewing animals, sports, or even taking city imagery whilst on your travels, you’ll want to make sure your mirrorless camera has a high enough FPS so you can get the perfect shot.
The higher the FPS burst rate, the more frames per second it’ll capture of something you’re shooting.
For example, if you’re trying to take a photo of a moving animal, a higher FPS camera will allow you to get a more crisp and smooth shot, even though the animal is moving about.
Size of the Sensor
The larger the sensor in your mirrorless camera, the better it will perform in dimly lit environments and the better your photos will come out.
A larger sensor will also give your more flexibility and depth of field effects, which often result in more professional standard photographs.
The three main sensors you’ll choose from in mirrorless cameras are Micro Four Thirds, APS-C, and Full-Frame. These are the smallest to largest sensors.
Lens Options/Compatibility
As mirrorless cameras are fairly new to the market, especially in comparison to DSLRs, there is not a huge choice of lenses currently available.
However, you may be able to use an adaptor to hook up any existing DSLR lenses to your mirrorless camera, this may be cheaper than buying brand new lenses.
The availability of lenses may change between not just brands but models of brands so make sure to do your research into how many and what kind of lenses you’ll be able to buy and use with the mirrorless camera that you want.
Camera Body Size & Weight
If the reason you’re looking to buy a mirrorless camera is to have one that’s smaller than a DSLR, then the main thing you’ll want to consider is the size of the camera body that you’re buying.
You’ll want to make sure you buy a camera that you’re more than happy to carry around in a bag or around your neck, along with a spare battery, lenses, a memory card with you on your travels, otherwise, it’ll be a waste of money.
Lenses are often the heaviest part of a camera, so if you are hoping to buy many additional lenses then try to find a lightweight mirrorless camera.
Battery Capacity
The truth is, mirrorless cameras do not have as good a battery capacity as DSLR cameras, however, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look out for what kind of battery life each camera has. Chances are, you’re going to have to carry additional batteries around with you on your travels if you plan to be shooting throughout the entire day.
Video Recording Capability
Whether you’re a fully-fledged vlogger or just looking to capture some high-quality videos to show friends back home, you’ll need to find a camera with 4K video quality or Ultra HD at most to ensure it’s crisp enough to fully appreciate your adventures.
Weather Resistance
You’re not always guaranteed beautiful sunshine whilst you’re traveling and you don’t want bad weather to deter you from getting that shot.
That’s why having a mirrorless camera that’s weather-sealed is great as you’ll still be able to shoot outside even when the weather is damp without any technical problems occurring.
Special Features
There are extra features that can come with a mirrorless camera that’ll make using it more efficient and convenient for you. Some of these features could be WiFi, Voice Command, Touchscreen, and Bluetooth.
If you’re a blogger or influencer, the WiFi feature may be most useful for being able to transfer files directly to your phone to share with your readers or followers.
Warranty
Some mirrorless cameras aren't as expensive as DSLRs but that doesn’t mean they’re cheap to buy, which means you’ll want to make sure it’s got a lengthy warranty on it to cover any problems that could pop up during the time you own it and especially on trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mirrorless camera?
A mirrorless camera is a camera that doesn’t have a reflex mirror to capture or record imagery, therefore there will be nothing between the person who is taking the photo’s eye and the sensor.
A DSLR camera will use a mirror to reflect the image up to the viewfinder and when you press the shutter, the mirror flips up and the light comes through the shutter and onto the sensor.
However, as there is no mirror within a mirrorless camera, there will be no viewfinder.
Not every compact camera or smartphone camera is considered a mirrorless camera however, it is only cameras that have similar designs and features to DSLRs but without the viewfinder (or the mirror)
Why are mirrorless cameras better?
One of the main advantages of mirrorless cameras, especially for travelers, is that they’re more lightweight as they have no mirror inside.
Even though they’re more lightweight than DSLRs, they still offer great camera quality, the ability to interchange through lenses, and they also have a similar versatility as DSLRs do, for example, can be used for vlogging, professional photos, or just casual travel photography.
Do professional photographers use mirrorless cameras?
Yes, some professional photographers nowadays will use mirrorless cameras instead of the common DSLR, but this is not always down to one being better, but maybe down to preference.