Simpler, smaller, lighter, and quieter; these are some of the advantages mirrorless cameras have over DSLRs. And this is precisely why a number of photography enthusiasts are adopting mirrorless cameras in recent times. If you’re unaware, these cameras make use of electronic functions that replace the traditional mirror technology used by its SLR counterparts. The first such consumer camera was made in 2004, but from then on, the technology has grown by leaps and bounds. This list of top mirrorless cameras available in India is updated every time a new camera is launched, and the prices and pictures are updated as and when they change. Based on our ratings, here are the best mirrorless cameras you can buy in India that we found worth including in this list of 2018.
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If you’re looking for a full-frame mirrorless camera, nothing gets better than the Sony A9 which is the bearer of the first ever stacked full-frame CMOS sensor. This camera features an ultra-dense 693-point focal plane phase detection autofocus, while it has even been equipped with 5-axis in-body stabilisation. Its expandable ISO range of 204,800 seems a bit low, but do note that it applies to a 24.2MP sensor. And to top it all off, it does sensational 4K video as well. Additionally, it produces some really crisp 1080p 120fps shots to satisfy your slow motion needs.
This mirrorless beauty from Panasonic has been targeted mainly towards videographers. When it was released, it boasted of delivering 10-bit 4K footage at a fast 60fps speed, but with a new firmware update, the GH5 is able to reproduce 6K anamorphic footage as well, which is quite a big deal. It ships with a 20.3MP micro-four thirds sensor and 5-axis in-body image stabilisation. Moreover, its special 6K Photo mode allows the capture of 18MP photographs at a whopping 30fps burst speed. Panasonic has blessed this shooter with an extremely durable body, as it happens to be freeze-proof as well as dust and water resistant.
Equipped with a 24.3MP CMOS III APS-C sensor, this Fujifilm offering comes a retro lok. It features mechanical dials for controlling its shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation, drive modes and metering modes. It ships with a 3-inch tilting LCD display, but you can also make use of its large viewfinder which bears a magnification ratio of 0.77x. And then of course, the X-T2 also does 4K video recordings. Among its movie modes are a few that add retro filters as well, and they’re pretty well implemented we thought.
Sony makes some of the best mirrorless cameras in the market, and the A6500 is one among them. This compact powerhouse is characterised by a flawless autofocus system and 5-axis in-body stabilisation system which nullifies the need for stabilised lenses. It also holds on to a touchscreen display, which of course supports Live View autofocus. This helps the video capturing abilities of this camera more than anything. And, in case you’re wondering, the A6500 shoots some killer 4K footage. This mirrorless machine also benefits from a high resolution sensor and extremely fast electronic viewfinder.
This full-frame mirrorless shooter from Sony was released back in 2014, but is still giving a stiff competition to its peers. It holds on to a 24.3MP sensor and offers great 5-axis image stabilisation. Sony’s sophisticated hybrid autofocus system has been pushed inside this unit, apart from its Bionz X image processing engine. This allows the device to shoot excellent stills. But as far as its video shooting abilities go, they are limited to 1080p. The A7 II is still a great camera for photography enthusiasts, however.
Lens systems play a very important role in the way you will be using a camera. While making a switch from DSLR to mirrorless cameras, also leave space in your budget for purchasing additional lenses. Your legacy DSLR lenses might work with the help of adaptors, but you will have to sacrifice stuff like autofocus.
In a DSLR camera, a mirror does the work of showcasing the scene in your viewfinder. Since a mirrorless camera is devoid of that, manufacturers usually push in an electronic viewfinder, apart from a standard LCD. The electronic viewfinder is of little use if it’s low in resolution or brightness.
Mirrorless cameras have most of their functions running electronically, which means they consume a lot of battery. Buying an extra pair of batteries alongside your camera is always a good option.
PRODUCT NAME | PRICE |
IMAGE QUALITY |
BATTERY |
FEATURES |
VFM |
EXPERT RATING |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sony A9 | NA | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9.4 |
Panasonic GH5 | 181,167 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8.9 |
Fujifilm X-T2 | 129,690 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8.9 |
Sony A6500 | 88,949 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8.8 |
Sony A7 II | 109,990 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8.7 |
We’ve curated this list based on our own expert reviews, overall user reviews from shopping websites like Amazon and Flipkart, and expert reviews from trusted websites like Trusted Reviews, Tech Radar, and Digital Trends.
As far as the weighted averages of our final expert scores are concerned, the split is: 50% for expert reviews, 25% for expert reviews from our trusted websites, and 25% for user reviews.
For example, in this list, the Sony A9— our favourite mirrorless camera by far — had a score spilt of:
Expert review: 9/10
Expert reviews from trusted websites: 10/10 (Digital Trends, Tech Radar and Trusted Reviews)
User reviews: 9.5/10 (Amazon and Flipkart)
Overall expert score: 9.3/10 (rounded off)
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