The last couple of months have seen leading manufacturers release mirrorless flagships that are filled with the latest technology to the brim. While the debate around mirrorless vs. DSLRs is still active in some communities, the fact remains that mirrorless cameras have successfully bridged the gap with DSLRs and are as good, if not better, in most aspects.

We believe that 3 lakhs is a fairly good budget to get a premium mirrorless from the stables of any manufacturer. However, you might have to stretch your budget even further if you’re eyeing on the recent flagships such as the Canon R5. That said, you can get really good cameras with a decent lens combo in this budget. Those looking for more affordable options can instead look at the best mirrorless cameras under Rs 2 lakhs.

Before we jump on to the part where we look at the best mirrorless cameras under Rs 3 lakhs from the top brands, 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.

Mirrorless cameras above Rs 2 lakhs or those under this price: It is a common understanding that if you’re buying a higher-priced gadget, it has to be better. That is kind of true, and kind of not. When we compare cameras like the Z7 and the Z6 or the A7R series against the A7 series, there’s usually more tech packed in the more expensive models. However, the additional tech may not justify the huge price difference between the two models. For instance, given the lower megapixel count on the less expensive siblings in the Nikon and Sony stables usually result in better low-light shots, a higher buffer, and in some cases even better video capabilities.

If you absolutely don’t make large prints from your photographs, trust us, 45 megapixels is an overkill. Anything between 20-25 megapixels should still be able to produce stunning results. However, a larger pixel count allows you to crop in your photos without sacrificing quality.

That said, you do get the benefit from picking the more expensive models in most cases and the pros outweigh the cons. All you need to consider is whether the additional price justifies the incremental gains. If not, you can find some excellent mirrorless cameras under Rs 2 lakhs as well.

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

SONY α7R IV/ SONY α7RM IV

It can be hard to outdo yourself. Sony had a winner with the A7R III but it managed to bring out an even better camera to the market. The Sony A7R IV has a 60-megapixel sensor that makes 45-megapixel cameras from the competition sound underwhelming. With that resolution, we are talking about creating billboards. Luckily, cramming those extra pixels didn’t lead to compromises in other areas. The A7R 4 feels like a solid upgrade over its predecessor in more than one way.

Key specs: The A7R IV has been equipped with a 35 mm full-frame 60 megapixels sensor with a backside-illuminated (BSI) structure for better lowlight performance. Another big change over the R III is the improved autofocus over the already class-leading system seen in the predecessor. It can also shoot in aspect ratios such as 3:2 or 1:1 along with the traditional ones.

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, 14-bit RAW, 4K 30FPS video, and a battery that can last up to 670 shots.

The camera comes equipped with a 3-inch touchscreen and a 5.7 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder. Unfortunately, there’s no top-plate display. Other features include a 5-axis in-body for 5.5 EV stabilization. The AF now covers 567 points (phase-detection AF), 325 points (contrast-detection AF) that cover 74 percent of the sensor area. The dual card slots come with support for UHS-II cards.

• 61.2MP BSI full-frame CMOS sensor
• 100-32,000 ISO (50-102,000 extended)
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• 10 fps (12-bit, compressed Raw), 6 fps (14-bit uncompressed Raw)
• 14-bit uncompressed RAW
• Hybrid AF, 567 phase detection, 325 contrast AF points
• 4K 30FPS video, 1080p 120FPS
• 5.76M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 670 shots battery
• Dual SD card slots

How well does it perform

Features: There’s not much missing on this camera that might want to make you look elsewhere. As we said, the 60 megapixel sensor is ahead of the competition in the mirrorless game.

There have been changes made to the body along with the internals compared to the A7R III. While the construction is still top-notch using aluminum-magnesium alloy, the camera comes with bigger buttons, including a dedicated AF-On on the back. The body is also weather-sealed which allows it to be taken in a number of scenarios and environments. It also gets a larger grip which helps maintain the balance to an extent when using bulky G series lenses.

The 5.7 million viewfinder is as good as EVFs can get and allows you to alter settings like refresh rate and resolution to save battery. Speaking about the battery, it’s rated for 670 shots using the rear LCD and close to 500 if you want to work with the EVF.

The camera also gets 11 customizable buttons with 100s of combinations that you can store on an SD card. When it comes to lens selection, Sony seems to be doing a great job. 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.

Annoyingly, the camera doesn’t offer the feature to delete multiple photos at once and requires users to delete each photograph individually.

Image quality: The A7R 4 improves on the winning formula and manages to impress with its image quality. Real-time Tracking AF allows to seamlessly move between subject tracking and face-and-eye-detection. The eye AF is precise and allows you to switch between the left and the right eye. The autofocus does well in most situations, even in burst mode for the most part.

Sony’s pixel shift technology that captures different images of the same scene allows for a great level of detail. You can create 240-megapixel shots using 16 images to create extremely detailed photographs. However, this is something you need to do on your PC and is not available on the camera. Additionally, it can be only used for still objects.

The A7R IV can capture up to 68 full-resolution images at up to 10 frames per second with continuous autofocus and auto-exposure. However, these are what Sony calls compressed Raws at 12- bit. Shooting with 14-bit uncompressed Raw drops the burst rate to 6fps.

The contrast range again impresses. The 15 EV dynamic range allows it to capture great detail in high contrast scenarios. 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. However, the performance at higher ISOs has slightly deteriorated compared to the R III and it is best advised to use this camera below ISO 1600 for best results.

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 6K footage. 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. We wish it offered 10-bit output over an external recorder.

Real-time AF works in videos on this camera, which is an improvement over the A7R III.

Nikon Z7

The Z7 has been in the market for two years now but continues to be the best Nikon has to offer in mirrorless. With a new Z mount for lenses, the Nikon has been designed to convince long-time Nikon users to switch from heavier DSLRs to the mirrorless camera format without losing out on any capability. Over the years, Nikon has made the Z7 better with firmware updates, with the last major update allowing Eye AF and Animal Detection AF features.

Key specs: The Nikon Z7 offers a 45.7-megapixel 35 mm full-frame sensor with a backside-illuminated (BSI) and on-sensor phase-detection. The native ISO range lies between 64-25,600 and can be boosted up to 102,000. It also features a 5-axis in-body stabilization similar to the Sony cameras. The mechanical shutter can last up to 200,000 cycles.

Other notable features include 9fps 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 OLED viewfinder along with a 2.1 million dot display. For autofocus, Z7 features a Hybrid PDAF, 493 focus points autofocus system covering 90% of the frame. Recent firmware update also allows animal eye tracking. 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. The battery life is rated at 330 shots.

• 45.7MP BSI full-frame CMOS sensor
• 64-25,600 (102,400 extended)
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• 9 FPS (only 12-bit RAW, no AE), 8 FPS (14-bit RAW, no AE), 5.5 FPS (14-bit RAW and AE)
• 493 PDAF points with 90% horizontal and vertical coverage of the frame
• 4K 30FPS 8-bit video, 1080p 120FPS
• 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 330 shots battery (EVF)/ 400 shots (LCD)
• Single XQD card slot

How well does it perform

Features: The controls are well laid out and the camera has a solid grip. The magnesium alloy body feels solidly built and offers weather sealing. The dials have been placed to help existing Nikon users feel familiar with the design. Z7 also allows you to customize the lens ring for a host of functions such as aperture and speed.

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 330 shots on EVF, which is nowhere near what the competition offers. Then, the camera supports only one card, which while pretty fast, is a let down for people used to the reliability of having two cards.

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.

With the new Z mount, Nikon was able to incorporate in-body image stabilization rated up to 5 stops of correction. The buffer though is small. It peaks at 25 fine quality JPEGs, 23 12-bit raws, or 18 14-bit raws at its top burst rate.

Image quality: The Z7 works well across both low and high ISOs. The lack of an anti-aliasing filter ensures higher sharpness, although at expense of increased moire.

At ISO 100, the camera offers a dynamic range of 10.98EV which is slightly behind Sony. The peak dynamic range is reported at 14.6EV. While still excellent, there is slightly higher banding in dark regions of the photographs on the Z7 compared to the D850 due to the on-sensor phase detection autofocus (PDAF).

With the recent 3.0 firmware, the autofocus has been also improved considerably and now offers eye and animal tracking similar to the competition. The autofocus does well with static objects but can be a hit or miss when tracking with AF-C. Face detection does need some work though and ends up focusing on objects other than faces, especially in moving scenarios. Nikon has rated the on-sensor AF system down to -1EV with an F2 lens attached which means it might struggle in dark environments.

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. You can also shoot 4K in Super 35 crop mode. The on-sensor phase-detection allows the camera to track subject distance while shooting video.

The camera can also output 10-bit Log footage over HDMI to an external recorder. For an additional $200 and a trip to Nikon center, you can even shoot videos in raw.

Canon R6

The Canon R6 is the most recent launch from Canon alongside the more powerful R5. While R5 stole the spotlight with its 8K video capabilities, the R6 is an equally impressive offering that borrows a lot of great features from the R5. It sits in parallel with the EOS 6D Mark II but has a lot more in common with the 1D X Mark III instead.

Key specs: The R6 features a 20MP sensor seen on the 1D X Mark III but without the ’16-point’ anti-aliasing filter seen on the latter.

This along with a fast processor allows the camera to deliver 20 fps with full autofocus in electronic shutter and 12fps in mechanical shutter mode. The in-body stabilization offers a reduction of 5.5 stops which goes up to 8 stops when using a stabilized lens and is among the best in the industry.

Other specifications include 102,400 (204,800 extended) ISO range, a 3.7 million dot OLED viewfinder, and a 1.7 million dot 3-inch display. The camera supports dual UHS-II SD card slots and the battery life is rated at 380 shots. All of this weights 680 grams with the battery and the cards.

• 20MP full-frame CMOS sensor
• 100-102,400 (204,800 extended)
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization system rated at up to 8EV of correction
• 20 fps shooting with e-shutter, 12 fps mechanical
• 6,072 Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
• UHD 4K/60p video, 1080p 120FPS
• 3.68M-dot electronic viewfinder with 120fps refresh rate
• 380 shots battery (EVF), 500 shots (LCD)
• Dual UHS-II SD card slots

How well does it perform

Features: Unlike most cameras on the list, the R6 is made of a polycarbonate body instead of magnesium alloy. It’s weather-sealed, of course, just to a lesser extent than the R5. The design takes a lot of inspiration from both the EOS R and 6D. While you get three dials, there’s no top-plate LCD. Canon DSLR users might find the presence of a joystick on the back a welcome change.

It gets a 3.7 million dot viewfinder that refreshes at 120Hz. The fully articulating 3-inch touch screen on the back is pretty versatile and bright enough for outdoor use.

The dual card setup is also customizable with multiple roles being assignable to the secondary card. The camera supports a large buffer of 240 raw shots or 1000 JPEGs.

The new battery on the R6 is 14% larger than the existing LP-E6N. Although, the camera is compatible with the older battery. CIPA rating for the battery is close to 400 shots on the EVF at the lower refresh rate.

Image quality: The 20-megapixel sensor does decently well as far as sharpness, color reproduction, and noise suppression is concerned. Fewer megapixels definitely give it an advantage over the R5 in low light and ISO performance. The speed of the shutter and the large buffer make it ideal for animal photography and sports photography. However, the camera does some aggressive noise suppression even at lower ISOs at the cost of detail.

The wide dynamic range of around 13EV at base ISO also gives plenty of room to play, although, the competitors do a better job at holding the dynamic range at higher ISOs.

Autofocus is where the Canon R6 shines along with the R6 and is truly class-leading. It features Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus system with 100% AF coverage and is capable of tracking human and animal eyes. The camera can even track eyes on moving birds, which is a laudable feat. Even at 20fps, the autofocus does a good job of tracking the subject, which makes it suitable for fast action paced events.

Video: While not having the capabilities of R5 when it comes to video recording, there’s plenty that the R6 has to offer. The greatest strength perhaps for the R6 is that the excellent Dual Pixel autofocus system works in all modes.

The camera can shoot up to 4K 60p with a minor 1.07x crop. It can shoot 8-bit 4: 2: 0 UHD and 10-bit 4: 2: 2 Canon Log or 10-bit HDR PQ internally.

The rolling shutter is significant in 24p and 30p mode when using the full sensor area. The biggest issue with video recording is that the camera overheats after shooting in 4K for over 40 minutes and requires significant cooldown time before it is ready to be used again.

TL;DR The R6 is a formidable camera thanks to its great autofocus system and fast shutter, making it ideal for sports or animal photography. It also offers 8 stops of stabilization with a compatible lens, which is class-leading. The images capture plenty of detail and sharpness. It’s great for video enthusiasts as well with 4K 60p video recording capabilities. However, the camera tends to overheat after 40 minutes of shooting. Also, the 20MP sensor might not be ideal for wedding or landscape photography for professionals.

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 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 given its ability to capture great details in very limited light.

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.

Panasonic Lumix S DC-S1M

While you don’t hear Panasonic’s name quite often, the fact is that the brand makes some of the best mirrorless cameras out there that can compete with the big boys.  The S1 may not be comparable to the other cameras on the list in terms of resolution alone,  but Panasonic has built-in loads of neat features that make this camera worthy of considerations.

Key specs: The S1 is built around the L-mount that has been developed by Leica. It features a new 24MP full-frame sensor without an anti-aliasing filter. The L mount on the camera supports Panasonic’s own lenses along with eight full-frame Leica lenses. Panasonic has promised to release up to 10 of its own lenses in the coming months.

The in-body stabilization offers a reduction of 5.5 stops which goes up to 6 stops when using a stabilized lens.

Other features of the camera include 100 – 51,200 (204,800 extended) ISO range, a 5.76 million dot OLED viewfinder, and a 2.1 million dot display. It relies on contrast detection autofocus system, using proprietary ‘Depth from Defocus’ technology. For storage, you get both an XQD slot and an SD card slot. The battery life is rated at 380 shots.

• 24MP full-frame BSI-type CMOS sensor
• 100 – 51,200 (204,800 extended)
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• 6 fps bursts with continuous AF
• Depth-From-Defocus AF
• UHD 4K/60p video (1.5x crop); Oversampled 4K/30p with no crop, 1080p 120FPS
• 5.76M-dot electronic viewfinder
• 380 shots battery (LCD)
• Dual XQD + SD card slot

How well does it perform

Features: Like many other cameras in this range, the S1 features a magnesium alloy body that is properly weather sealed. The camera is advertised to have a class-leading shutter that should last really long.

The S1 also excels with its 5.8 million dot viewfinder that refreshes at 120Hz. This results in a minimal lag of 0.005 sec, making it one of the best EVF out there. Meanwhile, the double hinge design on the LCD allows it to be used really well for both landscape and portrait shots. The 8-way joystick allows you to quickly move the AF point with ease and the buttons on the back are illuminated, making it one of a kind camera to offer this feature.

The dual card setup is also customizable with multiple roles being assignable to the secondary card. While the battery is rated for 400 shots, real-life usage should be much better, as with most other cameras.

Although, at approximately 1kg, it isn’t the lightest mirrorless on the block.

Image quality: The 24-megapixel sensor does well in both high ISO and low ISO. The photos are sharp with accurate color reproduction and high levels of details. There’s a high-resolution mode that uses sensor-shift stabilization technology and allows capturing detailed 96MP shots with improved noise performance. Although, you require a tripod and still environment to get the desired results. Above ISO 800 the camera becomes ISO invariant.

There’s a 6K Photo mode that creates sequences of 18MP images, either in the 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratio at 30 fps, allowing you to choose the best frame. In addition, HLG Photo mode allows you to capture HDR photos in HSP format that can be them streamed on an HDR display.

At base ISO 100, the camera offers a dynamic range of 14.5 stops, which is among the best. The dynamic range holds much better than Sony or Canon shooters between ISO 400 and 800.

The S1 uses contrast-detection autofocus. It offers a face/eye detection mode which works well but requires the face to occupy a large part of the frame for lock-on. A Low Light AF feature enables accurate AF performance down to -6 EV. The autofocus system also does well in continuous tracking mode. However, compared to the phase-detect autofocus systems seen in the competition, the performance leaves a lot of room for improvement.

Video: The S1 really shines when it comes to its video performance. It allows shooting 4K/60p from an APS-C crop of its sensor or oversampled 4K/30p from its full width. You can also shoot 1080p from APS-C region (cropped) at up to 180fps. The 30p 4K mode doesn’t come with the usual 30 minute time restriction either.

A Hybrid Log Gamma mode allows capturing 10-bit 4:2:0 in the H.265/HEVC format at 72Mbps.T he on-sensor phase-detection allows the camera to track subject distance while shooting video.

While the video quality is good, the Z6 and A7 III both offer better sharpness. The autofocus does well in video both for subject tracking and face detection. Although, the pulse or hunt back focus can render some videos unusable.

The $200 SFU2 upgrade unlocks the ability to capture or output 10-bit 4:2:2 footage in both 4K and 1080 resolution.

The post Best mirrorless cameras under INR 3 lakhs in India (with reviews) appeared first on Gizmopolitan.

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.

The post Best mirrorless cameras under INR 2 lakhs in India (with reviews) appeared first on Gizmopolitan.