What's the best camera you can buy right now? Like finding the 'best' restaurant, the answer depends entirely on your tastes and budget. But that doesn't mean we haven't put together a guide to help you buy the right camera for you, based on your photographic preferences.
All cameras are a compromise. Finding the best camera for you is a process of discovering which balance of strengths and compromises suits your style of photography. For example, there's no point buying a big, powerful full-frame beast if you're mainly looking to do hobbyist travel photography.
Beginners looking to learn manual shooting, meanwhile, are better off with a mirrorless camera or DSLR that offers easy access to these physical controls, rather than a touchscreen-based premium compact.
We've taken all of these nuances into consideration when compiling our top ten list below. Just want to know what we think the best camera is right now for most people? That's the Nikon Z6. It's small, light and relatively affordable for a full-frame camera. And while it's only compatible with a handful of native lenses, you can use hundreds more through an adapter.
1. Nikon Z6
A brilliant full-frame all-rounder mirrorless
Type: Mirrorless | Sensor size: Full-frame CMOS | Resolution: 24.5MP | Lens: Nikon Z mount | Viewfinder: EVF | Screen type: 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen, 2,100,000 dots | Maximum continuous shooting speed: 12fps | Movies: 4K | User level: Intermediate/expert
High-resolution EVF
Familiar and refined handling
XQD card format has limited support
Limited buffer depth
Now just over a year old, the Z6 still retains its position as our best camera. Being a fantastic all rounder with superb handling, there's nothing yet which beats it in terms of versatility, usability and affordability. The Z6 combines both excellent stills and 4K video quality with everything else that's key for a full-frame mirrorless camera. That means we get a lightweight and compact body that still manages to handle beautifully on account of a substantial and ergonomically designed grip. There's also a sharp and crisp 3.69-million dot viewfinder along with a responsive, and tilting touchscreen. The native lens range for the Z mount is expanding rapidly, but if there's something you need that's not covered then you can use F-mount optics via the optional FTZ adapter ($245 / £270 / AU$180). We've also been treated to features such as Eye AF for the past few months, which helps it to compete even more strongly against Sony's Alpha line. We love the Z6 – though the Sony A7 III (see below) isn't too far behind it.
- Read our in-depth Nikon Z6 review
- Also consider: Sony Alpha A7 III
- Buying guide: Best mirrorless camera
2. Fujifilm X-T30
This ravishing retro option squeezes in plenty of high-end tech
Sensor size: APS-C | Resolution: 26.1MP | Viewfinder: 2,360K dots | Monitor: 3.0-inch tilt-angle touchscreen, 1,040K dots | Autofocus: 425-point AF | Maximum continuous shooting rate: 8fps | Movies: 4K at 30p | User level: Expert
Superb value for money
Excellent images and lovely videos
Small body can be fiddly
One card slot
Fujifilm's X-T3 may still one of the most capable APS-C mirrorless cameras around, but that fact that the company managed to incorporate so much of its tech inside the smaller and cheaper X-T30 makes this our recommendation for most people. A solid 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor, popular Film Simulation modes, excellent 4K video capabilities and a hybrid AF system with 425 phase-detect AF points stand out as highlights from its strong spec sheet, while improvements to overall speed and face/eye detection (with more to come via scheduled firmware updates) make for a slightly more polished performance over the previous X-T20. Our only gripe is the small viewfinder magnification, but there's enough handling prowess to still make it one of the best APS-C options out there. Hot on its heels is the newly-announced Nikon Z50, which may just push the X-T30 out of this list once we've had chance to test it properly.
- Read our in-depth Fujifilm X-T30 review
- Also consider: Fujifilm X-T3
- Buying guide: Best mirrorless camera
3. Sony A7 III
Quality results partnered with speedy operation
Sensor size: Full-frame | Resolution: 24.2MP | Viewfinder: 2,359K dots | Monitor: 3.0-inch tilt-angle touchscreen, 921K dots | Autofocus: 693-point AF | Maximum continuous shooting rate: 10fps | Movies: 4K at 30p | User level: Intermediate/expert
Great 24MP sensor
Sensor-based stabilization
Weather-sealing could be better
Some EVF tearing
We love the A7 III. The original A7 and A7 II showed Sony was moving in the right direction and making all the right noises. But despite being over 18 months old, it's this third iteration that still stands out in the full-frame mirrorless market. The core of the camera – namely a 24MP full-frame sensor, 4K video, sensor-based image stabilisation, 10fps burst shooting and a 693-point hybrid AF system – is strong enough, but with two card slots and a 710-shot battery life on top of that, you're getting excellent value for money as well as top performance. We have some reservations with the viewfinder and weather-sealing, but this is still one of the most versatile cameras around right now, mirrorless or otherwise.
- Read our in-depth Sony Alpha A7 III review
- Also consider: Nikon Z6
- Buying guide: Best mirrorless camera
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