5 top mirrorless cameras

In the midst of 2020, Canon's camera portfolio was expanded with one of the most sophisticated models - the EOS R5 camera. This is a full-frame mirrorless camera with a high-resolution 45 MP sensor, supporting in-camera 8K video shooting.

The combination of a full-frame matrix and a powerful DIGIC X image processor allows recording 8K video at up to 30 fps in RAW or H.265. Video shooting in 4K resolution is available with a frame rate of up to 120 fps. The footage is saved to SD and CFexpress memory cards in 10-bit format with 4:2:2 subsampling, using C-Log or HDR PQ profiles. During shooting, the operator is assisted by the proprietary Dual Pixel CMOS AF second-generation focusing system with the ability to select 1053 autofocus areas. Videographers will appreciate it.

The mirrorless camera also takes photos at a professional level. It is claimed to have a shooting speed of 12 fps with a mechanical shutter and 20 fps with an electronic one, which is very “tasty” for a 45-megapixel sensor resolution. The model also debuted with matrix-shift stabilization. Side by side with some Canon RF lenses, the matrix stabilizer helps to gain up to 8 shutter speed stops compared to critical values.

The camera's electronic OLED viewfinder with a resolution of 5.76 million dots operates at a frequency of up to 120 fps, which allows tracking the fastest moving objects through the "eye". Instead, you can use the services of a screen that rotates in all planes with touch control. An additional information screen for duplicating key settings is located on the upper end of the camera body, made of magnesium alloy with dust- and moisture-proof qualities.

The era of full-frame mirrorless cameras began with Sony cameras. From generation to generation, they are “finished” to perfection. The standard of a full-frame mirrorless camera in 2020, as seen by the Japanese company, is the A7r IV model.

The camera's first sensor is a 61 MP CMOS matrix, which has 15 steps of dynamic range. It is covered by a five-axis sensor-shift stabilization system, characterized by an efficiency of 5.5 exposure stops. The native sensitivity of the matrix is measured within the range of 100 to 3200 ISO units, extended - from 50 to 102400 ISO. ISO up to 1600 units are considered working for it, which is not much by modern standards. Using the "Pixel Shift Multi Shooting" function, the camera glues several frames into one to obtain a final photo with a resolution of 240.8 MP - this is 19008 x 12672 pixels.

The mirrorless camera easily handles large data arrays - full-resolution shots take up a lot of space. No joke, the Sony A7R IV can shoot up to ten 60-megapixel frames per second. A 567-point autofocus system with real-time tracking, face and eye recognition is responsible for aiming the camera at the target. Eye autofocus works for video in continuous mode, among other things.

Speaking of video shooting. It is produced on the camera in the maximum resolution of 4K with data reading from the full width of the matrix. Videographers will appreciate the support of gamma curve profiles S-Log 2, S-Log 3, HLG, connectors for connecting a microphone and headphones. Moreover, the audio interface on board the model is digital. The video recording bitrate is 100 Mbps.

In terms of controls, the Sony A7r IV uses a well-tested scheme from previous generations of the "sevens". The OLED viewfinder with a high resolution of 5.76 million pixels and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz stands out in the camera. The touch screen on the back of the model is mounted on a swivel hinge. Using touch, you can select the autofocus area and enlarge the image with a double tap. But the long-awaited work with the menu and camera settings was not brought to the touch interface. Is the game worth the candle? Definitely yes. But only if the need for a professional tool for high-quality photography is at stake.

Nikon Z9 is a truly iconic mirrorless camera aimed at the professional segment of photographers and videographers. The model became the first professional swallow without a mechanical shutter, and its matrix is completely devoid of the rolling shutter effect.

The camera has a full-frame image sensor with a multilayer design to ensure the fastest possible data reading. Its resolution is 45.7 MP. The camera's silent electronic shutter processes shutter speeds up to 1/32000 s. The mirrorless camera is powered by a powerful EXPEED 7 processor. Its potential allows for serial photography at a speed of up to 20 fps in RAW at full frame resolution. The camera's memory buffer is virtually infinite and is limited by the capabilities of the memory cards used (CFexpress type B or XQD, for which two slots are allocated).

The multilayer matrix together with the new processor allow to read the image much faster - it is fed to the screen and the viewfinder without the slightest delays and darkening between frames. The Nikon Z9 has an OLED viewfinder with 3.69 million pixels and the highest brightness of 3000 nits. The design of the camera display is tilt-and-swivel, which gives more degrees of freedom when viewing from unusual angles. The 493-point autofocus system deserves special praise in the mirrorless camera, capable of recognizing and tenaciously holding various objects in the frame: faces, eyes and heads of people, animals, vehicles. The autofocus is assisted by artificial intelligence algorithms.

The model uses a matrix image stabilization system with an efficiency of up to 6 shutter speed or exposure steps. The camera also copes well with video shooting. In-camera recording of videos is possible in a resolution of up to 8K at 60 fps in ProRes format. Shooting in 4K can be done at a speed of 120 fps, and at 60 fps, 10-bit ProRes 422 HQ is available. The mirrorless camera lacks only logarithmic gamma curve profiles, but instead there is a low-contrast Flat color profile, convenient for post-production of the footage. The model is made in the form factor of a professional camera with an integrated vertical battery grip. The additional info screen on top and dust and moisture protection of the body also indicate the professional orientation of the camera.

The top of the Nikon mirrorless hierarchy is the top full-frame camera Z9. And almost the same, but in a more compact bottle, is the Nikon Z8.

The camera has a full-frame 45.7 MP matrix with a multilayer structure, which ensures the fastest data reading. Side by side with the image sensor works a powerful EXPEED 7 processor. It reveals the potential of serial photography and video recording on a mirrorless camera. Thus, in the reportage genre of photography, the camera develops a shooting rate of up to 20 fps in RAW. Photos are saved on an XQD / CFExpress type B card or on a UHS-II SD card - the slot in the model is dual.

It is noteworthy that the mirrorless camera is completely devoid of a mechanical shutter, and the electronic shutter in its design allows you to shoot absolutely silently. The working ISO range for the camera can be called from 64 to 25600 units. A special tribute to the 493-point autofocus system with focusing functions for the eyes, faces and heads of people, birds or animals deserves special respect. The autofocus also perfectly recognizes vehicles and even airplanes. In the "Starlight View" mode, autofocus is provided up to -9EV.

Nikon Z8 is equipped with built-in matrix stabilization with an efficiency of up to 6 stops of shutter speed or exposure when shooting with stabilized optics. Stabilization will come in handy both when taking photos and in video recording mode. Videos are recorded on the camera in 8K at 60 fps in the proprietary N-RAW format, and using H.265 compression, you can shoot 8K video at up to 30 fps. When shooting in 4K, it becomes possible to record to a memory card in ProRes RAW HQ (12 bit) and ProRes 422 HQ (10 bit), for which you will need an extremely fast flash drive.

The model has advanced ergonomics, an auxiliary info screen on the top end of the body, an OLED viewfinder without darkening, a 3.2-inch touch screen on a swivel hinge. In terms of ergonomics, the mirrorless camera was thought out to the smallest detail. It replaced the once ideal Nikon D850 camera from the SLR league of cameras - the Z8 model has every chance of becoming just as popular and in demand among professional photographers.

Sony A9 III became the first swallow in the arena of top mirrorless cameras with global shutter. What is it and what advantages does it provide? Let's figure it out step by step.

The most important advantage of the global shutter is that it reads data from all the pixels of the sensor at once, which solves many problems. Firstly, the camera can shoot continuously at an incredible speed of up to 120 fps, in full RAW format and using autofocus. Secondly, the mirrorless camera can shoot at ultra-short shutter speeds of up to 1/80,000 sec. The third point is synchronization with flashes at any speed. Finally, the global shutter completely eliminates the rolling shutter effect.

The model received an 8-step matrix stabilization system on 5 axes. As for autofocus, the camera has 759 focusing points, which cover almost 96% of the frame. The mirrorless autofocus uses intelligent algorithms to track people, animals, birds, insects and vehicles in the frame. Also, a new Pre-Capture function has appeared in the autofocus system - it is activated by pressing the shutter button halfway.

The matrix with a global shutter is an ideal solution for video shooting. Sony A9 III can record video in 4K resolution without cropping with 10-bit color representation and 4:2:2 subsampling. The operator has access to S-Log3 support and the proprietary S-Cinetone color mode. Add to this an OLED viewfinder with a resolution of 9.44 million dots, a touch screen on a rotating hinge, a dual slot for SD UHS-II and CFExpress type A cards, dust and moisture protection of the body - as a result, we have a camera that has the potential to change the world of photography.