Top 5 BEST Budget Mirrorless Cameras in 2025

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The best mirrorless cameras from Sony, Canon, Nikon and more

Over the past 15 years, our small, knowledgeable staff has tested every significant mirrorless camera that has been released into the market. Since the first models of the Minor Four Thirds, the format has undergone significant change. Almost all photographers now use it by default. Mirrorless sets the standard in 2025, regardless of your preference for a professional hybrid or an entry-level body.

Look at the Nikon Z6 III to see how far the format has advanced. In our assessment, we found it to be an outstanding all-arounder with strong video specs, rapid speed, and decent handling. We believe it to be a flexible choice for a wide range of users. However, other models do better in different ways. For instance, our top pick for a beginner’s mirrorless camera is the Canon EOS R10.

Our best mirrorless choices in a variety of price ranges and genres are included in this guide. Based on our own considerable experience, we can suggest all of the cameras shown here with confidence because they have undergone comprehensive real-world testing. A few deserving substitutes are also provided, along with a preview of future models that may be worth the wait.

Table of Contents

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1. Nikon Z6 III

With a major improvement over the Z6 II, Nikon’s third-generation Z6 III gives it an advantage over competitors like the Canon EOS R6 II. It’s a mid-range all-arounder that met several testing requirements. Its 24.5MP full-frame sensor doesn’t provide the best detail in the class, but we liked the view through its best-ever EVF (5.76m-dot number).

Additionally, burst speeds are quick—up to 60 frames per second at full quality for JPEG. In our assessment, however, the autofocus really stood out as the best system in low light, and the most recent subject detection modes were appropriately sticky.

The video specifications of the Z6 III are particularly noteworthy. As well as conventional 4K at 120 frames per second and 10x slow motion up to 240 frames per second in Full HD, you also get 6K footage up to 60 frames per second in-camera and oversampled 4K raw. Even without a cooling fan, the record times of 120 minutes are astounding. There’s a case to be made for the now-less expensive Z6 II if you don’t do a lot of action or video photography. But the Z6 III is an attractive hybrid due to its excellent overall performance.

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2. Canon eos r10

Although there are less expensive mirrorless cameras for novices, none of them can compare to the Canon EOS R10’s versatility. According to our tests, the Canon EOS R10 stands out for novices because to two features: its strong subject-tracking autofocus, which works over 651 AF points, and its 15 fps burst shooting rate. Together, these two characteristics make the R10 an excellent performer in a variety of situations, especially when subjects are moving quickly. It was especially effective in tracking subjects’ eyes, in our opinion.

It isn’t the ideal camera for novices: we thought the EVF was a bit small, and we also noticed that it didn’t have image stabilization, a feature that competitors like the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV (below) had. However, we also discovered that the R10 is a camera that is easy for beginners to use because of its deep grip and low weight. In our evaluation, we also praised the usefulness of the AF joystick. The absence of native lenses for Canon’s RF mount at the moment is the sole significant disadvantage. The R10 is a flexible choice for beginning photographers in every other way.

The Digic X processor, which unlocks the newest focusing technology and some remarkable burst-shooting capabilities for its price, is the secret to the allure of the Canon EOS R10. With Dual Pixel CMOS AF II and 15 frames per second continuous shooting (albeit the EOS R10’s buffer applies a strong brake), this camera is more than capable of capturing the family dog’s game-winning goal in the garden water polo.

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3. Canon EOS R5 Mark II

The EOS R5 Mark II, Canon’s most adaptable camera to date, was chosen as the 2024 Camera of the Year by both our knowledgeable staff. By adding a new stacked sensor that almost eliminates the negative effect of rolling shutter and a second CPU that increases the camera’s overall performance, it improves upon the excellent 45MP and 8K video-toting EOS R5, making it a lot faster camera for action photography.

Along with being a lot faster, the EOS R5 Mark II also has new autofocus modes. Some of these modes can identify sports like basketball and soccer and can intelligently choose where to focus based on the subject’s posture and the position of the ball, including for one of up to ten stored faces. Another revelation is Canon’s eye control AF, which tracks your gaze in the viewfinder to determine which subject you want to focus on.

Additionally, in-camera image upscaling can produce quite spectacular results by increasing the size of your photos by 400%, or 180MP. All things considered, testing the EOS R5 Mark II was a highlight of 2024; the camera constantly amazed us, and even if the test period was long, we felt like we were only scratching the surface. The more expensive EOS R1 is the camera to choose for serious athletes. The EOS R5 Mark II, however, is the wise option for almost all other professionals. It’s even more appealing because it’s significantly less expensive than Sony’s A1 II.

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4. Panasonic Lumix S5 II

The Panasonic Lumix S5 II is a deserving replacement for the S5, one of our preferred video cameras. Similar to the S5, the S5 II is marketed as a hybrid, although its strongest suit is video. Our tests revealed that the 6K/30p footage had a broad dynamic range and was rich and detailed. 10-bit recording at nearly all resolutions and the capability to capture uncropped video utilizing the sensor’s entire 3:2 aspect ratio—useful for cropping content—bolster its video skills. During testing, we also discovered that it was comfortable to hold while still being durable. Thankfully, the physical controls are unaffected by its small size.

Panasonic’s first mirrorless camera incorporating phase detection autofocus for video is the S5 II. Although the 1.5x reduction on 4K/60p video is unfortunate, we discovered that it produces crisp, steady video even when shooting handheld when combined with efficient picture stabilization. The Lumix S5 IIX will appeal to dedicated videographers, while the Panasonic Lumix GH6 is a more portable video powerhouse with a Micro Four Thirds sensor. However, for high-quality video, the S5 II is an excellent full-frame hybrid.

So, how much value does the S5 II offer for the money? Highlights include 6K/30p video recording and a new 24MP full-frame sensor; almost all video settings are available in 10-bit. Additionally, the S5 II can record from the entire sensor area, which in the S5 II is 3:2 aspect ratio, rather than being restricted to 16:9 video aspect ratio (or wider) like most cameras. This uncropped footage may be familiar to you as “open gate” or “full sensor” recording.

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5. Sony A6700

There is a compelling argument for the Canon EOS R7 as the best mirrorless camera with a crop sensor. A significant drawback, similar to the Nikon Z50 II, is that there aren’t many native lenses for it, and none of them are especially interesting. That leaves us with cameras like the Fujifilm X-T5 and Sony A6700, which are both capable cameras in their own right and feature an impressive selection of lenses. With a 26MP APS-C sensor equipped with five-axis stabilization and a 759-point phase detection system using Sony’s Real-time Recognition AF, the Sony A6700 is a potent hybrid camera for enthusiasts.

Throughout our review, the camera continuously produced crisp, well-balanced photos and demonstrated class-leading AF accuracy in identifying and tracking a variety of targets. We were also delighted by the video quality; in clear settings, the 4K 60p oversampled from 6K looked sharp.

The A6700 isn’t flawless; on cloudy days, its metering system suffered with underexposure, and we experienced noise when shooting at higher ISOs. Regarding video, Sony’s intricate menu system is lacking, and 4K 120p footage has an unsatisfactory 1.6x cut. Nevertheless, Sony has enhanced the handling compared to earlier A6000-series devices, providing direct-access controls and a deeper grip while keeping the device’s small size. We believe the A6700 is still a fantastic option if you’re looking for a clean APS-C hybrid with the newest focusing capabilities. Check out the X-T5 if you prefer a vintage look with exposure settings; if you want the fastest performance, the EOS R7 is the best option.

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