Today we have gathered up the top 5 mirrorless cameras for bloggers. A couple years ago I posted the Camera Essentials for Bloggers, and opened up my camera bag to show you what I shoot with. Many of you commented that, while my cameras were amazing, they were just a bit out of your price range. So last fall Megan and I took a weekend trip to Charleston to test out Canon’s entry level T6i DSLR and see what that looked like. The results were great, and I was really impressed with what is out there for under $1000. So with all of the new mirrorless cameras coming out, it got me thinking about some more options that I could recommend.
Every camera that I have on this list is amazing in some way, however not every camera is going to be perfect for you. Before you ever pick a camera, you need to decide what you intend to do with it, then what you can afford. As with almost everything in life, the more you spend the better the quality. So don’t start with price, start with what you need. Are you shooting primarily still images, video, or a mix of both? Do you need a shallow depth of field, do you need 4k video, and are you traveling with this camera? These are all questions you should ask yourself before purchasing a camera.
The list below is in my personal order of preference with details on what each camera will be great at achieveing for bloggers. I did my best to ensure a variety of prices, but all of these mirrorless cameras are worth their price.
1. Fuji X-T10 with FujiFilm 27mm 2.8f lens
Price: $898 – $599 for the camera body, $299 for the lens.
This is the camera set-up I just bought for my dad. He is a big film camera guy and wanted something that felt like the cameras he had in the 70s. The vintage look and feel of this camera is right on. But the image quality, color, and camera build are better than I expected. This is my first choice for a camera under $1000 that can do almost anything and has a great look. You can change out the lenses, add a hot shoe flash, and shoot almost anything.
2. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II with Olympus 25mm 1.8f lens or Olympus 12-40mm 2.8f Lens
Price: $898-$1448 – $549 for the camera body, $349 for the 25mm 1.8f, or $899 for the 12-40mm 2.8f
I was first introduced to this camera from Jeff Sheldon’s trip to Iceland. I could not believe a mirrorless camera could get images and video of this quality. I was blown away by this setup. Like the Fuji XT-10, this camera has the looks and image quality to do it all. I went back and forth between this camera and the Fuji XT-10 and it honestly came down to just being more familiar with fuji film and preferring that color set.
3. Sony Alpha a6300 with Sony 16-50mm lens
Price: $1148 for camera body and lens
This is the best point and shoot video camera for the money. You can get 4k video in a compact camera body and have the options for multiple lenses. If you don’t need 4k video and HD video will do the previous model Sony Alpha a6000 is half the price and quite a camera.
4. Olympus PEN-F with Olympus 17mm 1.8f lens
Price: $1,199 for the camera body, $449 for the lens
The film version of this camera became a style and photography icon in the 1960s. Like the other Fiji and Olympus cameras on this list, the vintage look and feel is right on. However, what sets this camera apart is the 20 Megapixel live sensor and 50 Megapixel high-res raw images this camera can take. IT can also take up to 10 images in a second for high-speed shooting. Which is unmatched for this price. So if you need the high res images, speed, and want a small vintage camera body this is a great camera.
5. Sony A7Rii with Sony Zeiss FE 35mm 1.4F
Price: $4,696 for camera and lens
In my opinion, this is the best mirrorless camera and lens setup you can buy. If you can afford it. The camera itself is the top Sony a7 series camera with a full frame sensor, 42megapixel raw images, and 4k video with an internal vibration sensor that is near perfection. The Sony Zeiss lens is extremely well reviewed and can shoot at a 1.4 aperture in 4k video. This is seriously an amazing camera. I have rented this camera set up for a couple of shoots and it is every bit as good as my Canon 5D Mark3 and 35mm 1.4f L series lens set up, but with 4k video.
What camera do you shoot with for your blog? Any camera you have been dreaming of?
