Picking the costliest mirrorless cameras is a lot of fun, but it also reveals how the mirrorless category is evolving.
All 5 cameras below deliver outstanding performance and a complement of cutting-edge features, typically in compact packages. Like all mirrorless cameras, they have the advantage of being able to autofocus before, during, and after the instance of exposure, or continuously while shooting video. Their electronic viewfinders (EVFs) display a live feed off the sensor, in effect previewing how the camera will capture the scene, complete with any exposure and white balance (AWB) corrections. These cameras also deliver impressive framing (burst) rates, outstanding responsiveness, very short shutter lag times, and (thanks to auto gain) the ability to view in very low light.
Judging by the cameras below, we can confidently predict that the mirrorless future is likely to be multi-format—one of the 5 high-end mirrorless cameras we’ve selected is medium format, two are full-frame, one is APS-C, and one is Micro Four Thirds. And so without further ado, here are our posh 5 mirrorless picks!
Note: We didn’t include the forthcoming medium format Fujifilm GFX 50S (Price: TBA) and Leica digital rangefinder cameras like the Leica M (Typ 240) and the Monochrom because, while they’re technically mirrorless cameras, they have optical range/viewfinders and lack integral eye level EVFs.
Hasselblad X1D-50c Mirrorless Digital Camera
Adorama price: $8,995.00, body only.
Said to be the world’s first mirrorless medium format system camera it draws its inspiration and classic form factor from Hasselblad’s legendary V-series and takes it to a new level in the X-series. It incorporates the acclaimed 50MP 43.8 x 32.9mm CMOS sensor employed in other medium format digital cameras in a robust, weatherproof precision body handmade in Sweden and couples it to Hasselblad Natural Color Solution software that delivers 16-bit color and an impressive 14-stop dynamic range. Other key features: a 2.36 MP XGA electronic viewfinder (EVF), 3.0-inch 920k-dot touchscreen LCD monitor, full HD 1080p video capture at 25 fps, a full-res burst rate up to 2.3 fps, ISO settings 100-25600, a central shutter with speeds from 60 min to 1/2000 sec, , dual SD card slots, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and GPS, and a super-fast USB 3.0 type C port. The X1D-50c can shoot in square format or XPan mode. An optional adapter permits the use of an upgraded range of HC and HCD Hasselblad leaf shutter lenses with faster shutter speeds and flash sync at up to 1/2000 sec.
Leica SL (Typ 601) Mirrorless Digital Camera
Adorama price: $7,450.00, body only.
A professional camera of the highest caliber, this advanced L-mount Leica delivers cutting-edge features and specs in Leica’s classic Leica rounded-ends ergonomic form factor. It incorporates a 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor coupled to Leica’s in-house Maestro II image processor to deliver outstanding image quality at sensitivities ranging from ISO 50-50000. To maximize resolution and detail, the sensor foregoes the use of a low-pass filter, and to meet the needs of demanding video-shooting pros, the SL provides DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) video recording at 24 fps in Super35 mode along with the L-Log gamma to maximize dynamic range. It can also capture UHD (3840 x 2160) video at 30 and 25 fps, delivers a full-res burst rate of 11 fps, and has a 2GB internal buffer that allows bursts of up to 33 DNG files or unlimited JPEGs. Other key features: A 4.4MP ultra-hi-res 0.66-inch 0.8x-magnification EVF, a 2.95-inch 1.04m-dot rear LCD touchscreen with a wide, 170-degree field of view, a super-fast, ultra-precise, multi-option Contrast AF system with Touch AF setting, Dual SD Card Slots, and built-in Wi-Fi and GPS. Made in Germany the SL’s weather resistant body is crafted from two blocks of solid aluminum.
Adorama price: $2,998.00, body only
This high-speed, high-performance addition to the Alpha a7 line of pro-caliber, full-frame compact mirrorless system cameras featureaa sensor-shift 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization system providing a claimed 4.5 stops of anti-shake compensation for pitch, yaw, horizontal and vertical shift, and roll—a big plus when shooting UHD 4K video at 30p, Full HD 1080p recordings at up to 120 fps, or handheld stills in low light. The a7S II employs a 12.2MP full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor coupled to an advanced BIONZ X image processor and uses an Enhanced Fast Hybrid AF system with 169 AF points on the image sensor, claimed to provide superior focus tracking and a full-res burst rate of up to 5 fps with continuous AF and AE at sensitivity settings up to ISO 409600! Other key features include a 3.0-inch 1,228, 800-dot tilting LCD monitor, a 0.5-inch 2.36M-dot XGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF, customizable color and gamma controls including the same S-Log3 Gamma Curve found on high-end Sony cinema cameras for increased dynamic range, built-in Wi-Fi with NFC, magnesium alloy body covers, and a shutter that’s been tested to 500,000 cycles. .
Adorama price: $1,999.99, body only.
This seriously upgraded flagship of the Olympus Micro FourThirds range has the same downsized classic DSLR look as its predecessor, but its real world performance has been notably enhanced thanks to an upgraded 20.4MP High-Speed Live MOS Micro Four Thirds image sensor coupled to a new TruPic VIII Dual Quad Core Processor that provides 15 fps full-res burst rate along with increased responsiveness, enhanced image quality, and improved performance at high sensitivity settings up to ISO 25600. It also has a large, wide-view, high magnification, 2.36m-dot eye-level electronic viewfinder (EVF) providing a 100% view, a 3.0-inch, hi-res 1.04m-dot, tilting touch-screen OLED monitor, and an advanced 5-Axis sensor-shift image-stabilization (IS) system that delivers shake-free images when shooting stills or DCI 4K/24p or UHD 4K/30p video handheld. Its Dual F.A.S.T 121-point AF system delivers pro-caliber performance, built-in wireless connectivity links it to iOS and Android devices using an intuitive QR Code Connect system, and it offers an enhanced customizable multi-function control array similar to that in high-end pro DSLRs. All this is built into a rugged dustproof, weatherproof magnesium alloy body.
Adorama price: $1,599.00, body only
This new, rugged, weatherproof minimalist DSLR-style is the top model in Fuji’s impressive X-series line. It features Fuji’s an upgraded 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor, claimed to deliver superior image quality and lower noise than conventional sensors, and it’s coupled to an advanced X-Processor Pro engine that delivers a continuous full-res burst rate up to 8 fps and internal UHD 4k video capture at 24 fps plus an F-Log Gamma setting for achieving superior color in post-production. The X-T2 also provides a 2,360k-dot, 0.77X hi-res OLED EVF and a tilting 3.0-inch 1,040k-dot LCD monitor, an Intelligent Hybrid AF system hat combines contrast- and phase-detection sensors in a 325-point matrix for enhanced AF performance, and has a Focus Peaking display for precise focus assessment and enhanced manual focus capability. Other key features: Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for easy sharing and remote operation via coupled devices, ISO settings 100-51200, a mechanical shutter with speeds to 1/8000 sec, an electronic shutter with speeds to 1/32000 sec (!), dual UHS-II SD card slots, and a variety of built-in film simulation and grain effect modes.
