Best curent cameras - Which one to choose?

Whether you are thinking about getting into photography or simply replacing your current camera, one question quickly comes up: which camera should you choose? What is the best camera? After several years of running our travel/photo blog, we realized that we needed a more general guide to help answer these questions clearly.

We had already written more specific articles to help you choose the best DSLR camera for your needs or decide which travel camera to choose, but a complete buying guide was still missing. That is why we decided to put together this article, with all the main criteria to consider when choosing your camera.

If you want to go even further, we have also published a comprehensive article detailing all the important aspects to consider when choosing a camera.

With so many models, brands, formats and lens systems available, it can quickly become difficult to choose the right camera. The aim of this guide is therefore to help you understand the main differences between the most relevant options and identify the type of camera that best suits your needs, your budget and the kind of photography you want to practise.

The photography market has changed a lot in recent years. Mirrorless cameras now dominate most new releases, while DSLRs are becoming less common and are often more interesting on the second-hand market. At the same time, compact cameras, bridge cameras and smartphones continue to evolve, making the choice even less obvious. In this guide, we’ll focus on the cameras that still make the most sense today, whether you are looking for a compact travel camera, a versatile mirrorless body or a more advanced camera system.

For the past few years, and especially since 2018, the interchangeable-lens camera market has clearly been shifting towards mirrorless. Today, recommending a new DSLR is much less relevant, as most innovations, new lenses and future developments are now focused on mirrorless systems. That said, recent DSLRs can still perform very well, especially if you buy them second-hand. Since many photographers have moved to mirrorless, it is now possible to find recent DSLRs in excellent condition for much less than their original price.

In this guide, I’ll focus mainly on the most interesting cameras currently sold new, based on their value for money, features, size and weight, and the quality of their ecosystem, especially the available lens range. So, which camera should you choose today? I’ll tell you everything!

By “tight budget”, I mean a minimum of around 500€ (below that, you’ll usually have to turn to the second-hand market, choose a much more limited compact camera, or simply stick with your smartphone), up to about 1000€. However, it’s important to define whether this is the budget you intend to spend on the camera body only or on your entire setup, including lenses and accessories. In the latter case, it will often be more relevant to look at expert compact cameras or bridge cameras, which I’ll cover first. I’ve also written a complete guide explaining which compact camera to choose.

Here are the cameras of this type that I currently recommend if you have a small budget and want a compact, versatile alternative to an interchangeable-lens camera.

Sony ZV-1 II

The Sony ZV-1 II is a compact camera mainly designed for vloggers and content creators. Its 18-50mm equivalent zoom is particularly useful for filming yourself, travel videos, wide-angle shots and everyday scenes, while keeping the camera very small and easy to carry.

Nikon COOLPIX P1100

The Nikon COOLPIX P1100 is all about zoom range. With its spectacular 24-3000mm equivalent lens, it is a very specific bridge camera, especially interesting for wildlife, birds, moon photography or distant subjects, even if its small sensor makes it less comfortable in low light.

OM System Tough TG-7

The OM System Tough TG-7 is a rugged compact camera built for difficult conditions. Waterproof, shockproof and easy to use, it is a great choice for snorkeling, hiking, beach trips, family holidays and outdoor adventures where you would not want to risk a more fragile camera.

Mirrorless cameras are now the most relevant choice if you want an interchangeable-lens camera on a reasonable budget. In this selection, I’ve focused on affordable bodies that still offer good image quality, modern autofocus, solid video features and access to a serious lens ecosystem.

Canon EOS R10

The Canon EOS R10 is one of the most balanced mirrorless cameras in this price range. Its 24MP APS-C sensor, fast autofocus and strong burst performance make it a very good choice for travel, family photography, wildlife and everyday use. It is more advanced than the EOS R50, with better ergonomics and more direct controls. The main limitation is the lack of in-body stabilization, but it remains one of the best all-round options under 1000€.

Nikon Z50 II

The Nikon Z50 II is a modern APS-C mirrorless camera that improves on the original Z50 with better autofocus, a newer processor and stronger video features. It keeps a compact and comfortable body, making it a good option for travel and everyday photography. Its 21MP sensor delivers very good image quality, even if the definition is slightly lower than some competitors. The main limitation remains the still relatively limited range of Nikon DX lenses.

Fujifilm X-T30 III

The Fujifilm X-T30 III is a compact APS-C camera that will appeal especially to photographers who like Fujifilm’s colors, film simulations and more traditional controls. Its 26MP sensor offers excellent image quality, while the small body remains easy to carry when travelling. It is also a very capable video camera for its size, with strong specifications in this price range. However, it does not have in-body stabilization, which is worth keeping in mind if you often shoot handheld in low light.

Sony A6600

The Sony A6600 is no longer the newest APS-C mirrorless camera, but it still has some strong arguments today. Its 24MP sensor, excellent autofocus, large battery and in-body stabilization make it a very reliable choice for both photography and video. It also gives access to the very large Sony E-mount lens ecosystem, including many third-party lenses from Sigma, Tamron and others. Its design and menus feel older than more recent models, but it remains a solid choice if found at a good price.

Canon EOS R50

The Canon EOS R50 is one of the easiest mirrorless cameras to recommend for beginners. It is small, light, simple to use and still offers a very good 24MP APS-C sensor with Canon’s excellent autofocus system. It is less advanced than the EOS R10, especially in terms of controls and handling, but it is also more compact and often cheaper. For travel, family photos and learning photography, it is a very attractive entry-level option.

OM System OM-5 II

The OM System OM-5 II is a very interesting choice if you want a compact and rugged camera for travel, hiking and outdoor photography. Its Micro Four Thirds sensor is smaller than APS-C, but the body offers excellent 5-axis stabilization, weather sealing and access to a very compact lens system. This makes it especially practical if you want to keep your gear light without giving up advanced features. It is not the best option for very shallow depth of field, but it is excellent for mobility and difficult conditions.

By “average budget”, I mean a budget between around 1000€ and 2000€. In this price range, you can already find very capable interchangeable-lens cameras, but also some high-end expert compacts that may be more relevant if your budget needs to cover the entire camera, not just the body.

For people with a higher budget, these expert compact cameras are among the most interesting options to consider.

Fujifilm X100VI

The Fujifilm X100VI is one of the most desirable expert compact cameras available today. It combines a 40MP APS-C sensor, a bright 35mm f/2 equivalent fixed lens and Fujifilm’s famous film simulations in a compact, beautifully designed body. It is especially well suited to street photography, travel, documentary work and everyday photography. Its fixed focal length makes it less versatile than a zoom compact, but it also forces a more deliberate and creative way of shooting.

Sony RX100 VII

The Sony RX100 VII remains one of the best premium compact cameras if you want a powerful zoom in a truly pocketable body. Its 24-200mm equivalent lens gives you much more flexibility than most expert compacts, making it useful for travel, family photography and everyday situations. The autofocus is very fast and reliable, and the camera also offers strong video features. The main compromise is the small 1-inch sensor, which is less comfortable in low light than larger-sensor cameras.

Leica D-Lux 8

The Leica D-Lux 8 is a premium expert compact with a large Four Thirds type sensor and a bright 24-75mm equivalent zoom lens. It is not necessarily the best value-for-money option, but it offers a very pleasant shooting experience, elegant ergonomics and a compact body that is easy to carry. Its zoom range makes it more flexible than a fixed-lens compact like the Fujifilm X100VI. It is a good choice if you want a refined compact camera with a more premium feel.

Panasonic Lumix L10

The Panasonic Lumix L10 follows the spirit of the previous LX100 series, with a Four Thirds type sensor and a bright 24-75mm equivalent zoom lens. It is designed as a serious compact camera for travel, everyday photography and hybrid photo/video use. Its main advantage is the combination of a relatively large sensor, a useful zoom range and a fast aperture in a compact body. If availability is good, it could become one of the most interesting premium compact cameras in this price range.

With a budget between 1000€ and 2000€, you can already access some very capable mirrorless cameras. There are clearly too many interesting models in this price range to include them all, so I have made a selection of the cameras that seem to offer the best balance between image quality, autofocus, video features, ergonomics and lens ecosystem. These bodies are not necessarily positioned as professional high-end models, but they already offer more than enough performance for most photographers.

Canon EOS R8

The Canon EOS R8 is one of the most interesting full-frame mirrorless cameras in this price range. It offers excellent image quality, very good autofocus and a lightweight body that makes it particularly attractive for travel, portraits and everyday photography. Unlike some competitors, it does not have in-body stabilization, but its compact size and full-frame sensor make it a very strong option if you want to enter the Canon RF system without going too high in price.

Nikon Z6 III

The Nikon Z6 III is a very capable full-frame hybrid camera, designed for photographers who also want strong video features. It offers a 24MP sensor, excellent autofocus, in-body stabilization and advanced video recording options, making it much more modern than the older Z6 II. It is also a very good entry point into the Nikon Z system, especially if you want to build your kit around Nikon Z mount lenses.

Sony A7 IV

The Sony A7 IV remains one of the most balanced full-frame mirrorless cameras in this price range. Its 33MP sensor, reliable autofocus, 5-axis stabilization and strong video features make it suitable for many types of photography, from travel to portraits, landscapes and professional work. One of its main strengths is also the Sony FE ecosystem, with a very wide choice of native and third-party lenses, which I detail in my Sony FE lens list.

Sony A6700

The Sony A6700 is the most interesting APS-C option in Sony’s current range if you want a compact but powerful mirrorless camera. It offers a 26MP sensor, excellent autofocus, 5-axis stabilization and very strong video specifications, including 4K up to 120p. Compared with full-frame bodies, it is easier to carry and often more affordable to build a complete setup, while still benefiting from Sony’s mature lens ecosystem.

Fujifilm X-T5

The Fujifilm X-T5 is one of the best APS-C cameras for photographers who prioritize image quality, controls and shooting experience. Its 40MP sensor provides a lot of detail, while the compact body, film simulations and in-body stabilization make it very enjoyable to use for travel, landscapes and everyday photography. Fujifilm also has one of the strongest APS-C lens ecosystems, which is a real advantage if you want to build a complete kit around Fujifilm X mount lenses.

OM System OM-5 II

The OM System OM-5 II is a very good choice if you want a compact, stabilized and weather-sealed camera for travel, hiking and outdoor photography. Its Micro Four Thirds sensor is smaller than APS-C or full frame, but the system allows you to use smaller lenses and keep your gear very light. If you are hesitating between several ecosystems, it can also be useful to compare this approach with full-frame systems such as Nikon Z cameras or other mounts like the Nikon full-frame mirrorless range and the L-mount lens ecosystem.

I’ll be honest: if you are planning to spend more than 2500€ on a camera body, you should already have a fairly clear idea of what you need. And above all, you should know why you are ready to spend that much. If that’s not the case, it may be wiser to lower your budget a little, invest more time in understanding your needs, and possibly save some money for lenses. That said, it is still difficult not to mention a few excellent cameras that are not that far above the previous price range. I will skip expert compact cameras here, as there are very few options at this level and they are not always easy to find.

For this budget range, I have deliberately made a very short selection. Of course, there are many very high-end cameras that could legitimately be considered among the best in each brand, such as the Sony A1, the Canon EOS R3 or the Nikon Z9. However, these are mainly aimed at professionals or very specific uses, with prices often well above 6000€.

Sony A1

The Sony A1 is a true professional hybrid camera, designed for photographers who need both very high resolution and extreme speed. Its 50MP full-frame sensor, fast burst shooting, advanced autofocus and 8K video capabilities make it one of the most complete cameras on the market. It is clearly overkill for most users, but for demanding sports, wildlife, action or professional hybrid work, it remains a benchmark camera.

Canon EOS R3

The Canon EOS R3 is a professional full-frame mirrorless camera built mainly for speed, reliability and action photography. Its 24MP sensor may seem modest compared with some competitors, but it allows excellent performance in sports, wildlife, events and low-light situations. It also benefits from Canon’s very strong autofocus system and the growing RF ecosystem, which you can explore in my Canon RF lens list.

Nikon Z9

The Nikon Z9 is one of Nikon’s most impressive mirrorless cameras, aimed at professionals who need a robust, fast and highly capable body. Its 46MP full-frame sensor, advanced autofocus, strong burst performance and 8K video features make it suitable for wildlife, sports, reportage and high-end hybrid work. It is large, heavy and expensive, but it is also one of the most complete cameras in the Nikon Z system.

Some of you may wonder why certain cameras are not included in this selection, such as the Panasonic G9 II, Canon EOS RP, Nikon Zfc, Sony A7C II or other popular models. This does not mean that these cameras are bad. In many cases, they are even very good. But when I take into account their price, performance, ergonomics, size, video features and lens ecosystem, they do not always seem to fit as well as the models selected above.

For example, some cameras are excellent but too specialized, too expensive for what they offer, or less balanced than their direct competitors. Others suffer from a lens ecosystem that is still a little limited, or from compromises that may become frustrating depending on your use. In short, I cannot include every good camera on the market, and I had to make choices to keep this guide readable and useful.

Just keep in mind that the higher you go in budget, the more important it becomes to know exactly why you are choosing a specific camera. Spending more on the body also means having less money left for lenses, memory cards, batteries, filters, a tripod, a camera bag or other accessories that may have a bigger impact on your photography than the camera itself.

I hope this updated guide has helped you better understand which camera to choose depending on your budget, your needs and the type of photography you want to practise.