If you want to take better pictures than a smartphone or point-and-shoot camera can, learn photography, or improve your skills, a mirrorless camera is probably the best choice for you. After more than 220 hours of research and testing over the past seven years, including real-world shooting with the top contenders, we recommend the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, a versatile, high-performance mirrorless camera that’s available at a great price. Its advanced features help it take consistently good-looking pictures in all kinds of conditions, and its small size makes it easier to carry than most competitors.
1. OM-D E-M10 Mark IV from Olympus
Even though the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV doesn’t have the best image quality, it takes great-looking pictures and does well in other ways that are more important when you want to get the perfect shot. It works with more than 100 Micro Four Thirds lenses, all of which work with its impressive built-in image stabilization, which makes images clearer by reducing the effects of shaky hands. And because it’s only about an inch bigger all around than our top point-and-shoot pick, you’d be more likely to bring this camera with you than a big DSLR or even a bigger mirrorless camera. The autofocus (AF) system of the camera locks on to subjects quickly and accurately. It stays accurate even when there isn’t much light, which slows down any AF system, including this one.
The E-M10 IV has great auto modes, but it also has manual control knobs and buttons and a touchscreen that you can tilt. This makes it one of the easier-to-use cameras in its class. It has Wi-Fi built in, so you can send photos to your phone and share them with your family, friends, and Instagram followers. You can also use your smartphone to trigger the shutter and change most of the settings using Wi-Fi. Even though this camera works well and has a lot of cool features, it’s usually a couple hundred dollars cheaper than its closest competitors.
2. Fujifilm X-T4
If you want to take your photography to a higher level and are willing to spend more than $2,000 on a camera and lenses, the Fujifilm X-T4 is the best choice. Even when shooting in very low light, the sensor makes images that are surprisingly clear, detailed, and true to color. The camera is tough and sealed against the elements. It has one of the best electronic viewfinders you can get, and it can take beautiful 4K video. Plus, its tilt-and-swivel screen and built-in image stabilization make it even easier to take pictures in difficult situations than our top pick.
3. Sony α7 IV
If you want to use old manual-focus lenses, shoot a lot in low light, or just want to brag to your friends that you have a full-frame camera (which has a sensor the same size as a frame of 35mm film and is bigger than those in our other picks), the Sony 7 IV gives you the sharpest detail and least noise of any mirrorless camera, especially at higher sensitivities. It’s fun to shoot with because of its tilting touchscreen, comfortable grip, and easy-to-use controls. Plus, its battery life (520 shots per charge) and dual SD card slots, one of which can also accept CFexpress cards, are big improvements over what we’ve seen on any other full-frame mirrorless camera under $2,700. With its weatherproofing, 10-frames-per-second burst mode, and AI-powered autofocus system that can find faces (human or animal) and then focus on their eyes to follow them, the 7 IV is the best full-frame camera for your money, if you’re willing to pay this much for a camera. Almost no one needs to.
All View
We took the cameras we tested out into the streets and parks of New York City and used them with their kit lenses in a wide range of situations, taking note of how they worked in full auto mode and in other shooting modes. When it came to cameras for beginners, we used each one in “teaching mode” to see how well it explained how to use the controls in terms that most people could understand. We wanted to make sure that you could take good photos right away, even if you didn’t have much experience with a camera of this level.
We paid attention to the autofocus system of the camera, noting how easy it was to choose where we wanted the camera to focus and how well it could keep focusing and track moving subjects. We looked at the menu systems to see how easy it was to find the settings you’d want to change. However, all cameras at this level have so many settings that any menu system will feel a bit overwhelming. We connected each camera to our phone to make sure it was easy to connect, to see how much control we had over the camera when using it remotely, and to see if it was easy to move photos from the camera to the phone.
