Best mirrorless cameras under INR 2 lakhs in India (with reviews)

We are at a point in technology where phones have replaced entry-level cameras altogether. With multiple cameras and focal lengths on the back, having the ability to switch lenses with DSLRs has lost its advantage. For professional photographers, a camera, though, is still their go-to device, given the vastly superior quality and flexibility that cameras offer over phones.

While DSLRs have ruled much of this century, the future unarguably belongs to mirrorless cameras. All leading manufacturers have fully embraced the platform and, if you had even an ounce of doubt, the recent flagship releases such as the Canon EOS R5 and R6 should quell such thoughts completely. Mirrorless technology has matured enough to match DSLRs and, perhaps, even surpass in areas such as video and autofocus.

With most manufacturers offering mirrorless cameras, we hope to guide you to pick a decent one just under the price tag of Rs 2 lakhs (INR 200,000) in India. This post should help clear some confusion in your mind whether you’re a complete newbie or if you are upgrading from a crop frame. While these cameras are no R5, they will still help you capture amazing professional looking shots, given you have the talent.

Before we jump on to the part where we look at the different models, some tips in the preread that we think might come in handy.

PREREAD

A fresh start vs. continuing within the ecosystem: This question is relevant to customers who already have a decent lineup of camera equipment including lenses and flashes. Now, these things don’t particularly come in cheap and most of them are compatible with the new mirrorless solutions. So does it make sense to stay invested in your current ecosystem?

Well, there’s no easy answer to it. To put it simply, if you have some entry-level glass, we recommend a fresh start. Sooner or later, you would want to update from those entry-level lenses to something that does your camera more justice and they would end up eating dust in your cupboard anyway.

Another issue that comes with using lenses made for DSLRs is that they only fit on the mirrorless cameras using an adapter, thus making the whole system bulkier and closer to the weight and size of a DSLR.

In case, you do have some high-end lenses though, it would not be unwise to stay in the current ecosystem given how expensive some of these new lenses can get, especially those made for DSLRs.

Spending just a little more to get a full-frame: We have seen a lot of newcomers wanting to start with a more affordable option and then moving up the ladder. Our personal advice is to buck that trend and just spend a little extra cash the first time.

The thing with most photographers is that as soon as they get a hang of the basics, the urge to move to something better kicks in and grows. Starting with a full-frame camera can ensure that your equipment stays relevant to your needs and skills longer. We are not saying smaller frame (micro-third) cameras aren’t any good, it’s just that full-frame mirrorless cameras are leagues ahead. It makes sense to spend just a little extra and future proof instead of having to shell out another large sum one or two years down the line.

That’s all we had. Now on to the cameras.

SONY α7R III/ SONY α7RM III

Nobody expected a third player, least of all Sony, to challenge the duopoly of Nikon and Canon until a few years back. But it has been a few years since Sony has been churning out some great equipment that gives a solid competition to Nikon and Canon. The Sony A7R III is one of the many great mirrorless cameras that Sony has to offer and it has been impressing professional photographers and critics alike, three years after its launch. The camera takes much inspiration from its elder sibling the A9, which is a much more expensive offering.

Key specs: The A7R III comes with a 35 mm full-frame 42 megapixels sensor with a backside-illuminated (BSI) structure for better lowlight performance. The ISO range goes from 100-32,000 natively and can be extended up to 50-102,000. Other notable features include 10fps with AF / AE tracking (8fps with live view/blackouts), 14-bit RAW, 4K 30FPS video, and a battery that can last up to 600 shots.

The camera comes equipped with a 3-inch touchscreen and a 1.4 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder. It also features a 5-axis in-body stabilization. Regarding the AF performance, it covers 399 points (phase-detection AF), 425 points (contrast-detection AF) that cover 68 percent of the sensor area. On the storage front, you get twin UHS-II SD card slots.

• 42MP BSI full-frame CMOS sensor
• 100-32,000 ISO (50-102,000 extended)
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• 10fps continuous shooting
• 14-bit uncompressed RAW
• 399 points (phase-detection AF), 425 points (contrast-detection AF)
• 4K 30FPS video, 1080p 120FPS
• 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 650 shots battery
• Dual SD card slots

How well does it perform

Features: Sony seems to have listened to customer feedback it got for the A7R II and has incorporated these changes into this model. The battery life is vastly superior and even as good as DSLRs. The controls have been reworked and are much more ergonomic than before. Having dual card slots also makes it a much more handy tool in the hands of professionals.

The camera is made of aluminum-magnesium alloy which gives it a solid build quality and a premium feel. The body is also weather-sealed which allows it to be taken in a number of scenarios and environments.

When it comes to lens selection, Sony seems to be doing a great job compared to its peers. There’s a wide range of E mount lenses offered by Sony as well as third-party manufactures, which just makes it so much more versatile.

However, the backscreen is not the brightest and the touchscreen can only be used for autofocus, which is a bit of a letdown.

Image quality: This is one area where we didn’t hear any complaints from any of the critics. Most reviewers have lauded the A7R III’s superior performance when it comes to capturing details. The autofocus on the A7R III is something that has got this amazing capability to accurately track even fast-moving objects even when shooting in burst mode. The eye AF is still great and among the best in the industry, three years after the launch.
Sony’s pixel shift technology that captures 4 different images of the same scene allows for a great level of detail. However, this is something you need to do on your PC and is not available on the camera and only can be used for still objects.

The 15 EV dynamic range allows it to capture great detail in high contrast scenarios and can capture great detail with limited noise even at higher ISO. The low light performance has been also called out as a strong suit for the camera and it can capture great details in very limited light as well.

Video: The A7R III can shoot up to 4K 30FPS or 1080p 120FPS. You get the option of both the full width of the sensor and with a Super 35 (basically APS-C) crop which captures slightly more detail by oversampling from 5K footage. The in-body image stabilization is decent but the competition has since caught on and even exceeded the A7R3’s capability in this department. The bitrate for 4K maxes out at 100mbps and all internally recorded footage is 8-bit 4:2:0, with the option to output an 8-bit 4:2:2 stream to an external recorder.

While you don’t get subject tracking while shooting videos, the Wide AF does a decent job of tracking and keeping the subject in focus.

SONY α7 III

Sony has been impressing the world with its range of cameras but it hasn’t impressed anyone so far with its naming scheme for them. For someone not invested in this ecosystem, the naming convention can be overwhelming. But we are willing to overlook this purely due to the fact that Sony makes such brilliant cameras. The A7 III was released alongside the A7R III and is a slightly more affordable offering compared to the latter with a few changes.

Key specs: Let’s talk about the similarities between the A7 III and the A7R III before we discuss the differences. Like the more expensive A7R III, the A7 III comes with a BSI sensor. The cameras also share the same dimensions, although the A7 III is lighter by 7g. The construction material is also the same, so you get the same magnesium aluminum alloy body for the most part. Both cameras can capture images at 10fps with continuous autofocus and auto-exposure. The video capabilities are also the same across both cameras.

However, there are quite a few differences between the two cameras as well and not all of them are tilted in A7R III’s favor. The most apparent difference is the pixel count. While the more expensive sibling can capture 42-megapixel stills, the A7 III maxes out at 24 megapixels. The ISO range on the A7 III at 50-51,200 in standard mode and ISO 50-204,000 in expanded mode is wider than the A7R III’s. This along with a bigger pixel size due to less number of them being present in the same area on the sensor can allow capturing less grainy and better low light shots.

The A7 III also enjoys better battery life of around 700 shots despite using the same battery. It also has a bigger buffer of around 40 uncompressed raws compared to 28 on the A7R III. The autofocus is also better with phase-detection points covering 93% of the image area. The 425 contrast AF points over a smaller area for accuracy remains the same as the A7R III.

There are areas where the A7R III is clearly ahead though. Resolution on the viewfinder and the display is better on the A7R III. While both cameras offer 5-axis in-body stabilization, Sony claims a 5-step advantage with the A7 III and a 5.5 steps for the A7R III. The back panel on the A7 III is plastic, while that on the A7R is magnesium. Lastly, the pixel shift technology is exclusive to the A7R III.

• 24MP BSI full-frame CMOS sensor
• 100-51,200 ISO (50-204,800 extended)
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• 10fps continuous shooting
• 14-bit uncompressed RAW
• 693 points (phase-detection AF), 425 points (contrast-detection AF)
• 4K 30FPS video, 1080p 120FPS
• 2.36M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 710 shots battery
• Dual SD card slots

How well does it perform

Features: Most of the things we said for the A7R III above hold true for the A7 III as well. The battery life is greatly improved over the predecessor and button layout is much more user friendly. The body is also weather-sealed similar to the A7R III.

Unfortunately, the OLED viewfinder is lower resolution compared to the competition and the backscreen is also not amongst the brightest.

Image quality: Like the A7R III, the image quality on the A7 III is superb. The camera benefits from a larger pixel size on the sensor and does a better job of capturing low light images that its costlier sibling. It also comes with an optical low-pass filter (anti-aliasing filter) to help address moiré. However, it only filters horizontal and not vertical.

Given the smaller file size, the buffer on the A7 III is larger and it can accommodate around 40 uncompressed raws.

The autofocus system does a superb job again and is better than the one on the A7R III. The eye-tracking is great even by 2020 standards and the lock-on autofocus tracking is better than the A7R III.

Unfortunately, though, the camera misses out on pixel shift for more detailed stills.

Video: Nothing much to add here on top of what was said for the A7R III. The video capabilities of both cameras are quite similar, although, the A7 III does a better job in low light due to a larger pixel size.

Nikon Z6

Nikon was late to the game in 2018 but they did deliver with the Z6 and the Z7 mirrorless duo. Both are very capable cameras and credit to Nikon for getting so much right in its first attempt. The new Z series uses the new Z mount lenses. Although, Nikon packs an FTZ adapter in most bundles that allows you to attach any of the older F series lenses on to the camera. Over the years, Nikon has made the Z6 better with firmware updates, with the last major update allowing Eye AF and Animal Detection AF features. The Z lenses, while limited in the number of options you can pick, are among the best Nikon has produced in their respective class so far.

Key specs: The Nikon Z6 comes loaded with enough specs to convince Nikon DSLR fans to switch over. The camera features a 24.5 megapixel 35 mm full-frame sensor with a backside-illuminated (BSI) structure for better lowlight performance. The native ISO range lies between 100-51,200 and can be boosted up to 50-102,000. It also features a 5-axis in-body stabilization similar to the Sony cameras.

Other notable features include 12fps burst (12-bit raw, 9fps on 14-bit) without AF / AE tracking (5.5fps with AE), 14-bit RAW, and 4K 30FPS video. The camera features a 3.7 million dot 3.2 inch OLED viewfinder along with a 2.1 million dot display. The battery can last up to 300 shots. As for the AF performance, it features a Hybrid PDAF, 273 focus points autofocus system. Unfortunately, there’s only a single XQD slot for the photo storage, and for professionals seeking a backup slot, this might not be the answer.

• 24.5MP BSI full-frame CMOS sensor
• 100-51,200 ISO (50-204,800 extended)
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• 12fps burst shooting (no AE)
• 14-bit uncompressed RAW
• Hybrid PDAF, 273 focus points
• 4K 30FPS 8-bit video, 1080p 120FPS
• 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 300 shots battery
• Single XQD card slot

How well does it perform

Features: Nikon Z6 is an impressive all-rounder that ticks most checkboxes for a budget full-frame mirrorless camera. The controls are well laid out and the camera has a solid grip. One cool feature on the Z6 is the ability to customize the focus ring on the lens for other controls such as the aperture or the ISO. The build is identical to the Nikon Z7 and leaves not much to complain with its weather sealing and magnesium alloy body.

Unlike the Sony cameras, the touchscreen is much more versatile and can be used for menu options and other functions as well.

However, there are some areas of concern with this Nikon. The battery is rated only for 300 shots, which is nowhere near what the competition offers. Then, the camera supports only one card which can be a bit of a bummer.

While we love the new Z series lenses, there are only a handful of these, and compared to what Canon and Sony offer for their mirrorless cameras, Nikon is nowhere close. This, even two years after the camera was released.

Image quality: The image quality from the Z6 is class-leading and you don’t have much to worry about here. The camera does well in most scenarios including low-light situations. The dynamic range is excellent too and seems to hold well against the competition.

With the recent 3.0 firmware, the autofocus has been also improved considerably and now offers eye and animal tracking similar to the competition. Although, it still does struggle in many scenarios compared to the AF system seen on Sony cameras especially with continuous focus.

Video: Similar to the competition, you can shoot 4K 30FPS or 1080p 120FPS. The 4K video is sampled from the entire width of the sensor and then downsized. The camera can also output 10-bit Log footage over HDMI to an external recorder.

The Z6 benefits from the larger pixel size on the sensor and outputs better 4K footage than the Z7. For an additional $200 and a trip to Nikon center, you can even shoot videos in RAW.

Nikon Z5

Nikon hasn’t been sleeping since the launch of Z6 and Z7 in 2018 and the Z5 is the latest and the most affordable full-frame entrant to the Z lineup. The camera shares a lot with the Z6 but also improves in certain areas compared to its predecessor. It’s priced slightly lower than the Z6 so there are some areas where compromises were necessary. Nonetheless, this is a solid entry-level full-frame camera that can be appreciated by all.

Key specs: From a quick glance, the Z5 may very well be confused for a Z6 or Z7 but there are plenty of subtle differences. The mode dial has been moved to the right and sits where the top LCD on the Z6/Z7 sits. The back control layout is identical to the Z6 and Z7. You get a 3.2-inch display on the back, albeit a much lower resolution 1 million dot screen. Fortunately, the viewfinder retains the same resolution as the Z6 and the Z7. Although the sensor resolution is the same as the Z6, it is not backside-illuminated. The biggest change is the addition of two SD card slots instead of an XQD slot seen on the other Nikons. It also uses a new EN-EL15c lithium-ion battery rated for 470 shots. The entire package with battery weighs 675 grams.

• 24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor
• 100-51,200 ISO (50-102,400 extended)
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• 4.5fps burst shooting
• 14-bit uncompressed RAW
• Hybrid PDAF, 273 focus points
• 4K 30FPS 8-bit video, 1080p 60FPS
• 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 470 shots battery
• Twin UHS II card slots

How well does it perform

Features: Most of the things here are identical to the Z6. Notable differences being the lack of a top LCD and the sensor not being backside-illuminated. The display resolution is also worse off but that shouldn’t stop you from capturing high-quality photographs. The biggest change is the 4.5FPS burst mode compared to 12FPS on the Z6. Although, there are certain improvements as well such as twin SD slots and much better battery life.

Image quality: We expect Z6 to have better quality images overall thanks to the BSI sensor that can capture more light and does better at higher ISOs. Lack of BSI might also impact the dynamic range to some extent. That said, the Z5 should still be able to produce good quality images in most conditions.

The autofocus system is identical to the Z6 and the performance should be similar too.

Video: While the Z5 can capture 4K videos, it does it at a 1.7x crop. This impacts the effective depth of field and field of view of your lenses. The detail is also lower than the oversampled footage on the Z6.

There is no crop on the 1080p videos but unlike the Z6, you can only shoot them up to 60 frames per second.

For video recording, the ISO range is limited to 100 to 25,600.

CANON EOS R

EOS R was Canon’s foray into full-frame mirrorless back in 2018. Over the years, Canon has tried to keep the EOS R fresh and relevant by adding some features through firmware updates and gradually building on the library of RF lenses available in the market. The camera borrows heavily from the 2016’s EOS 5D Mark IV but was built around a new generation of more versatile RF lenses.

Key specs: The camera borrows from EOS 5D Mark IV and thus offers similar picture quality as well. There’s a 30MP CMOS sensor with a phase-difference detection system that offers 5,655 focus points covering 88% of the frame horizontally. The viewfinder is as good as any and the 2.1 million dot rear LCD has its own used being an articulated one. The whole package weighs 660g with battery.

• 30MP full-frame CMOS sensor
• 100-40,000 ISO (50-102,400 extended)
• 8fps burst shooting with one-AF
• 14-bit uncompressed RAW
• 5,655 Dual Pixel AF
• 4K 30FPS 8-bit video, 1080p 60FPS
• 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 350 shots battery
• Single UHS II card slot

How well does it perform

Features: Like other cameras on the list, the outer shell is made of magnesium alloy and is robust to hold. You also get weather sealing. The controls are well placed and give plenty of customization options. The camera also offers M-Fn bar, a two-way control that lets you use it for a variety of functions such as ISO, autofocus, white balance, and various options during movie recording, among others.

It uses Dual Pixel AF system also seen on some DSLRs from Canon and it delivers, even in low light. Canon offers eye detection on the camera and it doesn’t disappoint either.

Unfortunately, there’s no in-body stabilization here, which is a sore point, given other manufacturers offer it.

Like the other Canon on the list, there’s just one memory card slot though and the battery is mediocre at best.

Image quality: The camera delivers similar to the EOS 5D Mark IV in terms of image quality. The ISO noise performance is pretty great and challenges the Z6 or A7 III. The dynamic range is great up to ISO 800 but withers off from there. Canon cameras are known for their color accuracy and the EOS R does not disappoint there at all.

The 30-megapixel sensor does as advertised and delivers crisp shots with plenty of detail. Unfortunately, the burst mode caps at 5fps with continuous AF, which is behind what Nikon and Sony have to offer. With live view, that speed drops to 3fps.

Lastly, there’s no intervalometer which makes shooting time-lapses difficult without external equipment.

Video: Good things first, the Dual Pixel autofocus works while taking 4K videos. You can also attach an HDMI recorder for 10-bit output. However, the biggest issue is the fact that the camera shoots at 1.8x crop making wide-angle capture really difficult without an ultra-wide lens. The videos are also soft and don’t match up to an A7 III or the Z6 when shot in 4K.

In 1080p mode, the camera does much better and is ahead of Sony and Nikon’s competitors in the budget.

CANON EOS RP

Similar to the Nikon Z5, the Canon EOS RP is an affordable full-frame camera. It doesn’t compete with the biggies on this list in terms of price but instead tries to win on affordability. In fact, we would say it’s a good camera for casual photographers or those already invested in the Canon ecosystem. While the camera fits a new generation of RF lenses, you can use older EF lenses using an in-the-box adapter.

Key specs: While it won’t blow your breath away, there’s plenty to like on this camera. It comes with a 26.2MP Dual Pixel CMOS sensor with Digic 8 processor. The camera shares a lot of specs with the EOS 6D Mark II. The native ISO range lies between 100-40,000 and can be extended to 102,400. Unlike other cameras on the list, there’s no in-body stabilization. The viewfinder is 2.36 million dots, while the backscreen has just 1 million dots. The battery life is rated at 250 shots and the whole body weighs 485g.

• 26.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor
• 100-40,000 ISO (100-102,400 extended)
• 4fps burst shooting
• 14-bit uncompressed RAW
• Dual Pixel AF
• 4K 24FPS 8-bit video, 1080p 60FPS
• 2.36M-dot viewfinder
• 250 shots battery
• Single UHS II card slot

How well does it perform

Features: The EOS RP is made out of polycarbonate-on-magnesium alloy which feels sturdy to hold. You also get weather sealing which is pretty amazing for this price. The controls are well placed and give plenty of customization options.

It uses Dual Pixel AF system seen on some DSLRs from Canon and it does get the job done. The eye AF is a hit or miss and needs the subject’s head to occupy a large area in the frame to work as expected.

Where it does feel short is the battery department. With a 250 shot rated battery, it feels fairly inadequate. Also, the camera supports a single UHS II slot, which is nowhere near what the competition is offering.

Image quality: The image quality is similar to a 6D Mark II in RAW but benefits from a newer processor in JPEG. The images are crisp and with plenty of detail, but again would be unfair to compare them to those from Z6 or A7 III. The camera offers 12 stops of dynamic range at base ISO which is average at best. The low-ISO images provide plenty of detail, but noise starts to become quite apparent in the pics beyond 6,400 ISO. The camera features an optical low-pass filter, which helps with moiré and aliasing artifacts, albeit, at the cost of sharpness.

Video: This is one area where the RP struggles. 4K videos are captured at 1.7x crop which makes shooting wide scenes difficult and the video prone to noise. Unfortunately, Dual Pixel AF doesn’t work in 4K video and the camera relies on contrast detection instead. 4K videos are also limited to 24fps.

In 1080p mode, the camera does slightly better. It’s nothing spectacular but gets the job done easily.