The least we can say is that mirrorless cameras (or hybrid cameras) are on the rise in 2020. It’s not surprising because these cameras can offer large sensors (4/3, APS-C up to Full Frame) in much smaller bodies than DSLRs (since they do not have mirrors) while keeping the advantage of interchangeable lenses. In addition, this family of cameras has made huge progress in recent years and Hybrid cameras now easily compete with DSLR cameras in terms of performance (it is no coincidence that Nikon and Canon started to launch Full Frame mirrorless cameras in 2018). And if you want to take pictures while traveling, these cameras are particularly interesting because they are an excellent compromise between weight / size and performance.
Afterwards, as with DSLR’s, it is sometimes a question of finding a compromise between budget, performance and size. So even if Full Frame mirrorless cameras have become more affordable (and remain smaller than their DSLR equivalents), they are not exactly “cheap” and the lenses that take full advantage of these sensors are not lightweight and cheap either.
In the comparison table below, I have therefore deliberately chosen to exclude super high-end mirrorless cameras (such as the Sony A9, Sony A7iii, Nikon Z6 and Z7, the Canon EOS R or the Fuji X-T4) which are aimed more at professional photographers than at the general public. You will find below all the hybrid cameras that I think are the best and still affordable for most people.
Last update : 25/08/2020
Which mirrorless camera (hybrid camera) to choose? the Important criteria
I will not go over all the important criteria to choose the right camera, but I will just focus on the points that deserve particular attention in the case of mirrorless cameras.
Sensor size: In the mirrorless camera family, you will find micro 4/3 sensors, APS-C and Full Frame sensors. In general, the larger the sensor size, the better the performance in low light and high light contrasts conditions. But it’s important to rememeber that the bodies with Full Frame sensors are a little larger / heavier and especially that the lenses for Full Frame sensors are larger than those specially designed for micro 4/3 and APS-C formats. In short, it is always a question of finding a good balance according to your needs and your budget. There is no answer better than the other and everything is a question of compromises- The lenses selection: It is important to look at whether the range of lenses available for a camera (depending on its sensor size) is large enough for your needs. This is one of the arguments in favour of DSLR because Canon and Nikon have very extensive lens lineups. But don’t worry, with the success of mirrorless / hybrid cameras, it’s changing and the lens lineups are getting bigger and bigger for other brands as well.
Without further delay, here is the comparison table of the best mirrorless cameras in 2020. I will try to keep this table up to date as best as I can, but your suggestions for cameras that I may have forgotten are more than welcome (and as I said, I didn’t put the super high-end models on purpose).
The comparative table below is interactive. You can choose the cameras you want to compare, remove the lines that do not interest you… and to reset the table, simply reload the page. For a better reading experience, do not compare more than 2-3 models on mobile and 6-7 on computer.
| Criteria |  Sony A 6000 |  Canon EOS M50 |  Olympus EM10 M3 |  Fujifilm X-T20 |  Fujifilm X-T30 |  Nikon Z50 |  Sony A7 II |  Sony A6500 |  Sony A6600 |  Fujifilm X T2 |  Fujifilm X T3 |  Panasonic GH5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Sony A 6000 | Canon EOS M50 | Olympus EM10 M3 | Fujifilm X-T20 | Fujifilm X-T30 | Nikon Z50 | Sony A7 II | Sony A6500 | Sony A6600 | Fujifilm X T2 | Fujifilm X T3 | Panasonic GH5 |
| Characteristics of the device | ||||||||||||
 Price | 500-600$ | 600-700$ | 550-700$ | 700-1000$ | 800-1100$ | 900-1100$ | 1300-1500$ | 1200-1400$ | 1500-1650$ | 1500-1800$ | 1500-1900$ | 1500-1800$ |
| Weight (body + kit lens) | 344gr + 124gr | 387gr + 100gr | 396gr + 107gr | 383gr + 320gr | 383gr + 320gr | 402gr + 131gr | 556gr | 453gr | 503gr | 507gr + 310gr | 539g + 330gr | 725gr |
| Size | 120 x 67 x 45 mm | 116 x 88 x 59 mm | 122 x 84 x 50 mm | 118 x 83 x 41 mm | 118 x 83 x 47 mm | 127 x 94 x 60 mm | 127 x 96 x 60 mm | 120 x 67 x 53 mm | 120 x 67 x 69 mm | 133 x 92 x 49 mm | 133 x 93 x 59 mm | 139 x 98 x 87 mm |
| Toughness – Waterproofing | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Battery life | 310-360 pictures | 235 pictures | 330 pictures | 350 pictures | 360-380 pictures | 280-320 pictures | 350 pictures | 310-350 pictures | 720-810 pictures | 330-340 pictures | 370-390 pictures | 400-410 pictures |
| Speed | min exp : 1/4000 img/sec : 11.1 | min exp : 1/4000 img/sec : 10 | min exp : 1/16000 img/sec : 8.6 | min exp : 1/32000 img/sec : 8.2 | min exp : 1/32000 img/sec : 20 | min exp : 1/4000 img/sec : 11 | min exp : 1/8000 img/sec : 5 | min exp : 1/4000 img/sec : 11.1 | min exp : 1/4000 img/sec : 11 | min exp : 1/32000 img/sec : 8.2 | min exp : 1/32000 img/sec : 20 | min exp : 1/16000 img/sec : 11.9 |
| Sensor | ||||||||||||
| Size | APS-C | APS-C | 4/3 | APS-C | APS-C | APS-C | full frame | APS-C | APS-C | APS-C | APS-C | 4/3 |
| Resolution | 24.3mpx | 24.2mpx | 16mpx | 24.3mpx | 26.1mpx | 20.9mpx | 24.3mpx | 24.2mpx | 24.2mpx | 24.3mpx | 26.1mpx | 20.3mpx |
| ISO range | 100-25600 | 100-25600 | 200-25600 | 100-12800 | 160-12800 | 100-51200 | 100-25600 | 100-25600 | 100-32000 | 200-12800 | 160-12800 | 200-25600 |
| Kit lens | ||||||||||||
| Focal range (full frame equivalent) | 24-75 | 24-72 | 28-84 | 27-84 | 27-84 | 24-75 | No kit lens | No kit lens | No kit lens | 27-84 | 27-84 | No kit lens |
| Max aperture | f3.5/5.6 | f3.5/6.3 | f3.5/5.6 | f2.8/4 | f2.8/4 | f3.5/6.3 | No kit lens | No kit lens | No kit lens | f2.8/4 | f2.8/4 | No kit lens |
| Lenses available for the brand | 3/5 | 1/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Additional functionalities | ||||||||||||
| In Body or lens stabilization | lens stabilization | lens stabilization | in body stabilization | lens stabilization | lens stabilization | lens stabilization | in body stabilization | in body stabilization | in body stabilization | lens stabilization | lens stabilization | in body stabilization |
| Viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder with 1’440’000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 2,360,000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 2’360’000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 2’360’000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 2’360’000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 2’360’000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 2’360’000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 2’360’000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 2’360’000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 3,690,000 dots | Electronic viewfinder with 3’680’000 dots | No |
| Screen | tilt screen (vertically) with 307’200 pxs | touch screen that can be rotated 180 degrees with 1,620,000 dots (540’000 pxs) | tilt and touch screen with 345’600 pxs | tilt and touch screen with 1,040,000 dots | tilt and touch screen with 1,040,000 dots | tilt and touch screen with 1,036,800 dots (345,600 px) | tilt screen (vertically) with 307’200 pxs | tilt and touch screen (vertically) with 307’200 pxs | tilt and touch screen (vertically + selfie) de 307’200 pxs | tilt screen with 1,040,000 dots | tilt screen with 1,040,000 dots | touch screen that can be rotated 180 degrees with 1,620,000 dots (405’000 pxs) |
| Video | full HD | 4k (cropped) + full HD | 4k + full HD | 4k + full HD | 4k + full HD | 4k + full HD | full HD | 4k + full HD | 4k + full HD | 4k (30p) and full HD | 4k (60p) and Full HD | 6k, 4k (60p, 10bit) and full HD |
Best mirrorless camera: my opinion
Honestly if you have a tight budget, the Sony A6000 really has an incredible price/quality ratio. For 4-500$ you have an APS-C sensor, the kit lens, excellent performance in all situations (landscapes, moving subjects, low light), a light weight (less than 500gr with the kit lens). Certainly at this price you don’t have a weather sealed body or the 4k but you can’t have everything either 😉 . A light and versatile camera that will also give you great opportunities to evolve in your photography practice.
In the category of cheap Hybrids, I also recently added the Canon EOS M50 which has a great quality/price ratio with its APS-C sensor, a screen that can be turned 180 degrees (perfect for filming or photographing) and that films in 4k (even if it’s cropped but still). An excellent choice for aspiring bloggers/vloggers who also don’t want to break the bank
If you have a little more budget (800€ – 1100€), there are many options in 2020! The market has changed considerably in this price range in recent months. The Fujifilm X-T20 has an even better value for money with the arrival of its successor the X-T30 (especially since the 18-55 F2.8-4 kit lens from Fuji is really nice!). Same thing with the 2 higher end models that are the Sony A6500 and the Fujifilm X-T2 which is much cheaper with the arrival of the X-T3 and X-T4. Add to this the recent release of the excellent Nikon Z50 and you will get a super competitive mid-range APS-C hybrid market!
If you don’t have a budget limit, the best APS-C mirrorless cameras in 2020 are the Sony A6600 and the Fujifilm X-T3 (the X-T4 is even better but more expensive). I would say that the X-T3 is maybe a little more ergonomic (a little bigger so a better grip) and weather sealed while the Sony A6600 has a great touch screen (with tilting screen in selfie mode) with stabilization in the body which is ideal for video and the best autofocus on the market. Personally I have a preference for the Sony A6500 and A6600 which are the only models to have in-body stabilization.
If you want to try the “Full Frame” format, the Sony A7 II is now available at an absolutely unbeatable price (with the release of the A7iii, A9 and competitors from Nikon and Canon). However, keep in mind that the lenses for the full frame format are larger and that your equipment will therefore be heavier (but still lighter than full frame DSLR). But the image quality will not disappoint you, believe me! It’s the camera I chose and I don’t regret it for a second. If you want to know why I chose this camera, you can read these few paragraphs. And if you want to see some pictures taken with the Sony A7II, don’t hesitate to take a look at our Instagram or our professional gallery.
Edit 2020: After 5 years of loyal service, my Sony A7ii died and I switched to the Sony A7iii.
And finally, for people who are particularly interested in video, the Panasonic GH5 is in a way the ultimate camera for aspiring videographers (and in addition it also makes very good pictures). This camera offers the 4K in 60p which will allow you to make “slow motion” in 4k. It also offers a 10-bit recording mode, which allows much more possibilities in post-processing.
Best Mirrorless camera in 2020 : my choice
It is an extremely difficult choice because the hybrid camera market evolved a lot in 2019-2020. There is a lot of choice and all the above-mentioned devices are of very good quality. But if I had to buy a mirrorless camera in 2020, it would be hard to pass up the excellent quality/price ratio of the Fuji brand (both for its bodies and its lenses). For beginners I would choose the Fuji X-T30 which is much cheaper this year and comes with a great kit lens (the 18-55 F2.8-4). This camera is a featherweight (383gr) with the possibility to make videos in 4k. I think it’s the camera with the best quality/price ratio in 2020.
P.S. This article contains affiliate links so if you buy a mirrorless camera by clicking on one of our links, we will get a small commission. Please also note that we are not sponsored by any brand and this is our sincere opinion about the best mirrorless cameras in 2019. Finally, you will not find any Amazon links in this article because we do not support the questionable ethics of this company. We recommend you to rather bus on another online shop (B&H) or to buy second hand on Ebay
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