If you’re ready to upgrade beyond the limitations of smartphone cameras, investing in a digital camera might be necessary. Digital cameras come in three primary forms: compact, DSLRs, and mirrorless.
Davis prefers the Olympus TG-6 because of its durability: watertight, freezeproof, shockproof, and dustproof features are among this camera’s many key selling points for professional filmmakers. Furthermore, traditionalists will appreciate its sizeable optical viewfinder, while its powerful performance makes it suitable for filmmakers looking for traditional images.
1. Canon EOS R6
With its full-frame sensor, a wide array of stills and video features, and outstanding image stabilization capabilities, the Canon EOS R6 is one of the top mirrorless cameras on our list. While its low light performance may not quite match that of Sony a7S III cameras, it outshines all other options on our list.
Like its predecessor, the EOS R6 is designed for photographers and videographers. Equipped with a professional-spec 20MP sensor and one of the first enthusiast cameras with HDR photography capabilities – which allow shadows to be rendered accurately while highlights are recovered – it makes an ideal camera for still photography and videography use.
The Canon EOS R6 digital camera is the premier option for photography as it offers superior image quality and unparalleled autofocus capabilities. Furthermore, it boasts an advanced image processor, making its operation much faster and simpler for everyday tasks.
The Dual Pixel CMOS AF II camera system enables rapid and accurate focussing even when subjects move or change position, and an advanced Subject Recognition system always detects eyes, faces, and heads to center your subject within the frame.
Like its predecessors, the Canon EOS R6 can record 4K video at up to 60fps with high-resolution Raw files and smaller compressed C-RAW files. Furthermore, its generous buffer depth of 12 fps with a mechanical shutter or 20 fps in silent photography mode provides ample buffer storage capacity.
This camera boasts extensive manual controls, such as an ISO control dial adjacent to its shutter release and an easy-access dial for shutter speed control. Furthermore, an easily useful record button with lock settings helps users avoid accidental control activation during video recording sessions.
The camera is driven by the DIGIC X image processor, which helps it perform various tasks quickly and accurately – such as using its advanced Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus system for fast and precise focusing, recording 4K video at up to 60fps or accessing its 4K photo mode.
2. Sony RX100 VII
Sony’s RX100 VII point-and-shoot compact camera is the seventh generation in their high-end point-and-shoot lineup, boasting a one-inch sensor and top video and autofocus features rivaling smartphones. Though more significant than most 1-inch sensor points and shoots, this high-end model offers premium image quality at a highly reasonable cost.
Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III can capture long bursts at 20 frames per second without viewfinder blackout, making it ideal for fast action and sports photography. Furthermore, its autofocus includes eye detection tracking of humans and animals for easier capture of kids and pets. Plus, its single burst mode fires off seven shots within less than one second to capture moments as they happen!
One of the main improvements of the RX100 VII is its microphone jack, making capturing sound with it much easier and saving on separate audio recorder costs. Furthermore, there’s also a flip-up screen, making taking selfies or shooting from awkward angles simpler.
The camera’s primary drawback is its lack of optical image stabilization, making it more challenging to shoot smooth videos for walk and talk vlogging. Sony S-Log2 and S-Log3 picture profiles assist you in getting optimal results with your video clips.
Overall, the RX100 VII is an excellent option for anyone seeking an adaptable and powerful point-and-shoot camera that can compete with high-end smartphones regarding image quality and performance. Although more costly than its 1-inch sensor counterparts, its extra investment may well pay off if you want something capable of handling anything your smartphone may throw its way – just be prepared to dedicate some time to learning all its features before diving in with confidence!
3. Fujifilm GFX 100S
Fujifilm’s extensive format system, the GFX 100S, is the latest entry and maintains the tradition of offering an enormous high-resolution sensor in an impressively compact body. While previous generations showed dual batteries and portrait grip features, this model has shrunk in terms of all-around dimensions and weight (500g less!) while offering weather resistance and built-in image stabilization features.
This new camera utilizes the same 102MP back-illuminated BSI CMOS sensor from the GFX 100 and pairs it with components from the X-T4 to create a competent camera at a remarkable price point. Combined with its quad-core X-Processor 4 processor, this makes the GFX 100S one of the most usable medium format cameras ever made, and its image quality surpasses anything any single DSLR can match.
There’s plenty of flexibility, too, with options such as recording uncropped 4K video at 30p or 10-bit F-log footage that offers stunning color fidelity with an incredible dynamic range. Additionally, the GFX 100S includes an in-body image stabilization system to help compensate for its slower autofocus speed.
Although not the fastest of its type, when used with suitable lenses, it can still deliver sharp results even under challenging conditions. Furthermore, its familiar twin command dials and exposure compensation button make learning and operating the 100S easy.
The GFX 100S stands out as an exceptionally usable medium format camera thanks to its highly polished interface, in-body image stabilization, and fast autofocus capabilities – features that combine to make it one of the most accessible medium format cameras ever built and consistently produce images beyond even top DSLR cameras in terms of image quality. Our Gold award acknowledges its excellence; remember that your budget must be considered when choosing lenses to use its full potential.
4. Panasonic Lumix GH5
Panasonic’s fifth offering in its video and stills hybrid lineup, the Panasonic GH5, appears to be an excellent option for photographers interested in shooting both stills and video. Boasting a 20MP Four Thirds sensor with 4K 60p video recording capability and V-Log L profile preinstalled, as well as supporting C4K, variable frame rates, and 10-bit internal recording, it makes an attractive package.
Panasonic’s Depth From Defocus technology powers the autofocus system of the GH5. This unique method utilizes pairs of images and an understanding of a lens’s out-of-focus rendering to expedite focusing. Furthermore, there are multiple focus modes like tracking and single-area focusing. Though mirrorless cameras don’t match DSLR autofocus systems for responsiveness, they still offer fast autofocus performance.
If you’re shooting video, your camera has several specialized recording modes, such as Cinema DNG and High-Resolution Audio explicitly tailored for video. High-resolution audio records separate mixes of audio tracks for editing purposes, while Cinema DNG adds a headphone jack so that you can monitor sound recording while making adjustments to settings.
Post Focus allows users to take short videos, adjust the lens focus throughout it, and then choose only those frames with the sharpest focus for post-processing – much like Canon’s focus stacking feature in higher-end camcorders.
At first, we tested the GH5 with its native JPEG and RAW image quality settings, and it performed admirably. Noise levels remained low at ISOs up to 1600 with only minimal signs of noise starting to emerge at higher ISO settings; we recorded continuous JPEGs up to 12fps with focus locked on for each shot while continuous AF mode allowed up to 9fps captures.
The GH5 features the Venus Engine and dual UHS-II SD card slots to offer exceptional burst shooting speeds and deep buffer specifications, such as 10-bit 4:2:2 data capture when coupled with external recorders – it will continue recording until either its buffer fills up or its battery runs out!
