Photography is a hugely popular hobby, with more and more people using it for fun, expression, or for work. If you want to get into photography for any of these reasons then the first thing you will need to get is the camera.
But what camera is right for you? With so many options on the market not only is finding the right camera difficult but so is understanding all the jargon that comes with it.
To help make things a bit easier for you, we’ve made this list of the best mirrorless cameras you can buy as a beginner, and we will explain all the jargon and what it means along the way.
Also at the end you will find a buyer’s guide that goes more in-depth about what you need to look out for when buying a mirrorless camera.
How Do Mirrorless Cameras Work?
To help you in your purchase of a mirrorless camera, you will need to understand what they are and how they work.
Mirrorless cameras are becoming increasingly popular compared to DSLRs, which are experiencing a drop in use.
The system used in a mirrorless camera is much simpler than that used in a DSLR as these cameras need a reflex mirror to take a photo while mirrorless cameras don’t.
Instead of using a mirror to bounce light from the viewfinder to the sensor, a mirrorless cameras sensor is instead exposed directly to the light.
This generates a live preview of your scene directly into the electronic viewfinder, which is displayed on the camera’s LCD screen.
From here you can make final adjustments to the settings on your camera and get a preview of the image to get the perfect shot.
Though it may sound complicated, when using the camera this system allows for much easier shooting, making mirrorless cameras one of the most popular choices for beginners.
Lets take a look at the best beginner mirrorless cameras you can buy, so that you can begin your photography journey.
Best Mirrorless Camera For Beginners – Comparison Table
Best Mirrorless Camera For Beginners – Reviews
The Fujifilm X-T200 is arguably one of the best beginner mirrorless cameras on the market right now thanks to its very impressive specs.
The first thing to note is the APS-C CMOS image sensor. This provides a whole load of benefits to the camera, but let us explain what it is first. An APS-C sensor stands for Advanced Photo System, with the “C” here standing for “classic”.
They are also sometimes known as ‘cropped sensors’, as they have a smaller area to capture a scene over a full-frame sensor. This creates the impression of the image being zoomed in more and makes the background of an image much sharper.
The APS-C sensor in the T-200 ups the ISO value in this camera to 25,600.
The higher the ISO value, the easier it is to shoot high-quality images in a wide array of lighting conditions, so T-200 should be able to shoot well in both very bright and very dark locations.
The sensor also reduces the effects of a rolling shutter. A rolling shutter is a type of image capture in cameras that records the frame line by line on an image sensor instead of capturing the entire frame all at once.
This can distort the image, but with this sensor, this is very unlikely to happen.
Now on to other impressive specs. The T200 has a continuous shooting speed of 8fps (frames per second), which means that you’ll never miss a moment when you’re shooting.
To help you keep everything in focus while shooting, the T200 features four AF (autofocus) modes – Single Point, Zone, Wide/Tracking, and All.
All of these use 425 sensor-based phase-detection points, so in most cases, the T200 is easily able to pick up your subject without too much prompting or fiddling with settings.
Though if you are struggling a bit with this you can make use of the camera’s touch-to-focus ability, which is where you use the LCD touchscreen on the camera to touch the point you want the camera to focus on.
The T200 also uses face and eye detection when taking pictures to make it even easier to focus.
The camera can lock onto a person’s face, and can even follow them once they have turned away from the camera.
We’ve barely scratched the surface of all the impressive features that the T200 has, but this is a great all-around camera that any beginner will easily be able to use to take high-quality photos every time.
- Excellent color and dynamic range – your photos will really pop thanks to the huge variety of features that create sharp and bright images
- Sharp 3.5 inch rear touchscreen – from here you can preview your image, change the focus, and access other settings easily if you need to change some things before taking the picture
- Joystick in an awkward place – Though the joystick means that going through settings and framing the shot is easier, the placement can make it a little awkward to use the viewfinder
If you are a beginner who wants a camera that’s small, lightweight, and travel friendly, then this is the one for you.
The GX9 uses a 20.3MP (megapixel) Micro Four Thirds (MFT) Live MOS sensor, which is a sensor that has become the standard in Panasonic and Olympus mirrorless cameras.
It is a mirrorless, interchangeable-lens camera system that features a smaller sensor than APS-C’s.
This type of sensor allows for easier shooting, making it great for beginners. As it’s also smaller, it allows for the whole camera to become compact and lightweight.
The MFT sensor in the GX9 also improves fine detail rendition, allowing you to capture images just as they are.
This sensor also reduces shutter shock. This is the vibration caused by the shutter that can cause blurring of fine details in your images.
To keep everything steady, the GX9 features in-body stabilization that has been enhanced with 5-axis compensation, which also works alongside Panasonic’s own in-lens optical stabilizers.
While all this sounds complicated, what it means is that the camera can internally adjust and keep itself steady when taking photos so you’re able to get sharp shots every time.
If you want to go out to do some filming then you’ll be happy to know that the GX9 comes with 4K video, as well as enhanced 4K picture modes.
The viewfinder also has a 16.9 aspect ratio, which is great if you’re planning on shooting a lot of videos.
The 4K burst mode lets you shoot at 30fps, and with the GX9’s auto-marking feature which puts markers in the sequence where there’s a significant change in the frame content, you’re able to easily find key moments later.
The GX9 also has a really cool focus feature. In the 4K Post Focus mode the camera captures a short burst using every focus point, and in playback mode, you can tap on the picture to choose the focus point you want.
This means that you adjust the focus even after you’ve taken the shot, a feature that doesn’t appear on many other cameras.
With so many features packed into this little camera, the GX9 will make you wonder why you would ever need a bigger camera in the first place.
- Responsive 3-inch tilt-angle touchscreen – from here you can change the focus and other settings, as well as move the screen to an angle that’s more comfortable for you to use
- 4K video and focus modes – provides crisp and clear images every time
- Body is not weather sealed – if taking this camera out and about then you will have to be careful not to get it wet as the camera is not weather-sealed, meaning that it could become damned if exposed to water
The Z5 is another popular entry-level mirrorless camera, with Nikon being one of the most loved camera brands by hobbyists and professionals alike.
The Z5 ticks almost all the boxes when it comes to specs. The camera uses a large 24MP full-frame sensor to take photos.
This lets you take quality photos in a large variety of shooting situations and lighting conditions. This is also helped by the high ISO of this camera.
The Z5 features a 3.69 million-dot electric viewfinder (EVF), which is a viewfinder where the image captured by the lens is projected electronically onto a miniature display.
The image on this display is used to assist in aiming the camera at the scene you want to photograph.
Because this viewfinder uses so many dots, it creates a large and bright display, making composing shots super easy to do.
This image will appear on the 3-inch LCD tilt-angle touchscreen.
From here you can access and control many of the Z5’s settings, making it easy to change anything you need to quickly to get the shot you want.
Speaking of settings, another reason why this camera is so good for beginners is that all the controls are clearly labeled and easy to access, with many of the buttons being around the top and back of the camera.
There is also a joystick that lets you cycle through settings quickly, and a sub-selector D-pad that offers easy control of AF area selection and menu navigation.
The menu system is also very easy to get to grips with so beginners should find it relatively easy to learn and understand what all the settings do.
In terms of focus, the Z5 features a 273-point AF system that works well for both still and moving subjects.
The camera can automatically detect a face before the AF box shrinks down to cover the subject’s eye and hold focus while that subject is in the frame.
This, combined with the built-in 5 axis image stabilization, will prevent blur from appearing in your photos, ensuring sharp shots every time.
With so many features, the Z5 is able to perform just as well as other cameras that may need more experience to operate, with the benefit that all the features are set out in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
- Very good AF systems – this takes the pain out of manually focusing your shot every time, letting you capture images quickly without you having to change multiple settings
- Logical and easy to understand control layout – Beginners will easily be able to understand what every button and setting does thanks to the Z5’s uncomplicated design
- Low burst shooting speed – with a shooting speed of just 4.5fps, other cameras perform much better in this category. However, for beginners wanting to learn and hone their skills, this most likely won’t cause that much of an issue.
Canon is another very popular camera brand, with them making cameras that cater to all skill levels.
The M6 Mark II is very suitable for beginners for a variety of reasons.
The features match up well with cameras that require more skill or knowledge, so users will still be able to produce great images while also learning various photography techniques.
In terms of specs, the M6 Mark II makes use of a 32.5 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, which allows you to shoot in a huge variety of situations and lighting.
On top of this, the camera also features a Digic 8 processing engine, which gives the M6 Mark II an impressive shooting speed of 14fps.
This guarantees that you’ll never miss out on an important moment or shot when you are out shooting. There is also a 30fps raw burst mode, which while very fast also lowers the images captured to 18MP rather than the normal 32.
For autofocus, the M6 Mark II uses up to 5,481 AF points.
This means that you can tap anywhere on the touchscreen at the back of the camera to choose where in the frame you want it to focus. This camera also has an eye detection feature that makes focusing on subjects very easy.
This camera can focus so well on targets that this AF system is able to operate during the 14fps shooting, meaning that it refocuses between each shot.
This makes this camera ideal for sports or action photography as it guarantees that none of your images will be blurry, even if the subject is moving is high speeds.
If you want to use the M6 Mark II for filming or vlogging, then it comes with several features that may be interesting to you.
This camera can capture uncropped 4K video, and also features a tilting screen and microphone socket. And thanks to its small size you will be able to carry and transport this camera around easily.
With so much to offer, the M6 Mark II is a great camera choice not only for beginners but also expert photographers who want a good all-rounder camera.
- Small and lightweight – this makes the camera great for on the go photography
- Very fast max burst rate – ensures that you never miss a moment
- No in-body stabilization – This isn’t a massive con when it comes to this camera, as while usually it would mean that your images could be blurry, thanks to the excellent AF systems this likely won’t cause any issues
Best Mirrorless Camera For Beginners – Buyers Guide
Here are some of the key things you should look out for when buying a mirrorless camera.
Lens Systems
When mirrorless cameras first came on the market you were not able to switch out the lenses like you could on a DSLR, but this is beginning to change.
Now many mirrorless cameras come with an additional lens when you purchase the camera itself.
But before splashing the cash on a new lens make sure your camera will be compatible with it, and do your research to find out how different lenses can affect the look of your photos.
Sensor Size
Different cameras will come with sensors of different sizes, so make sure you find out what the size is before you buy the camera. Most mirrorless cameras come with an APS-C sensor.
The type of sensor that is in the camera will affect how well it is able to take photos in light or dark environments.
Autofocus
Probably one of the most important things that beginners should consider, good AF is one of the easiest ways to prevent blur in your images.
While all cameras these days come with various forms of AF, how well they work, and how easy they are to set up (automatically or manually) will have an impact on how your final image will look.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Brand Makes The Best Mirrorless Camera?
Fujifilm is known to make some of the best mirrorless cameras, with them often topping lists of the most popular and highly rated ones on the market
Are Mirrorless Cameras Better For Beginners?
Many beginners prefer to use mirrorless cameras over DSLRs as they are more of a natural step up from point-and-shoot cameras or phone cameras. They are also lighter and easier to transport, so for casual photography they are a very popular choice.