Taking photographs has become an essential part of our everyday lives and our travels. What vacation or trip would ever be complete without documenting it through a series of pictures?
With many options to choose from, it is important to consider some factors before buying a camera. From little compact cameras you can put in the compartment pocket of your backpack to bigger ones with larger LCD screens, there are a lot to choose from.
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**You will find more detailed reviews below, but you can also click the links above to check the current prices and read customers' reviews on Amazon.
Top 5 Best Mirrorless Camera under $500
But what is becoming more and more popular among travelers today are mirrorless cameras, which appeal for their simplicity, compactness, and convenience. Above all, what tempts a lot of people to choose them over big DSLR models is their price. There are a lot of mirrorless cameras to suit all kinds of budgets on the market today. But if you are looking for an affordable one that offers high-quality features, you're in the right place.
It now depends on you which one to purchase. In this article, I will provide you with a list of my top picks for the best mirrorless camera under $500.
Choose Your Camera before Your Trip
It's easy to save some money by getting your camera duty free, but your chances of being able to operate it efficiently in a hurry are fairly slim. Modern cameras are becoming cheaper and have better quality lenses, sensors, specs and overall quality than they did even two years ago. Make the investment and enjoy superior results. Stay with the well-known brands. Although there are great cameras worth below $200, you may also consider getting $300 and up for better qualities and features.
Choosing the Right Mirrorless Camera for You
A Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera or MILC for short is a digital system camera that can support multiple lenses while preceding the mirror reflex optical viewfinder featured you can find on an SLR.
It has become a popular option especially for beginners in photography upgrading from point and shoot cameras. The first ever mirrorless camera was introduced in the year 2008. Since then, it has progressed significantly in its features and designs offered.
Today, you can find more than a dozen of mirrorless cameras manufactured by different known brands. This makes choosing a little bit of a challenge. If you're planning to buy one for your next travel, here are some of the important things you have to consider:
Resolution
Many cameras these days take pride in megapixel ranges. You'll see that resolution can go from 8 to about 12 megapixels, depending on its purpose. Anything that goes higher than 12 might not be recommended unless you are planning to use it for professional purposes, and might also be pretty expensive.
Lens and Flash
The lens and flash of your camera would also be the key, depending on your purposes. If you are planning to go on a trekking trek or other outdoor activities, the best one you would have is the one with fast response time. Under low-light conditions, you'd want to have a camera that has a good flash. Select a basic model that offers versatile features if you are still unsure.
Batteries
When traveling, one of the main concerns of people who use the camera is the battery life. Battery failure at the unexpected moment will normally lead to an upsetting loss of a shot. For me personally, I rather have an interchangeable battery camera than the one with a built in, so that I can change its battery whenever I needed.
Sensor
When choosing a mirrorless camera, the sensor is an important feature you have to look out for. Different cameras have different sized sensors and the size of the sensor is has something to do with the image quality. The bigger the sensor, the sharper the images would be. There is less image noise for photos that are taken at higher sensitivities.
The first kind of sensor you are able to find is the Micro Four Third Sensors. They're normally smaller than the APS-C format but bigger than a point and shoot sensor. APS-C sensors are the most popular on mirrorless cameras. But they require bigger lenses; nevertheless, the image quality is better than that of a Micro Four Third Sensor. An APS-C sized sensor is the better option for low-light photography. There are also many cameras that ship with a full-frame 35mm camera.
Lens Choice
The interchangeable lenses are a highpoint feature on a mirrorless camera. It can bring your photography experience to a whole new level. You are able to mount lenses of a bigger flange focal length with a companionable adapter. On top of lenses designed for your mirrorless camera, you are able to add DSLR and SLR lenses. There are zoom, prime, telephoto, specialty, wide-angle, and macro and lenses.
Autofocus
Another good thing about the most mirrorless camera is their autofocus feature. It focuses only after it detects sufficient contrast. The autofocus capability isn't as effective in low light and for moving subjects. A hybrid autofocus system that associates contrast and phase detection methods fixes the issue.
Video Recording
DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are in terms of video recording capability features. It is able to shoot full HD up to 4K and record in multiple frame rates.
Wi-Fi
A lot of mirrorless cameras come with inbuilt Wi-Fi connectivity with some also supports 3G and 4G LTE mobile connectivity. They allow GPS tagging on top of image sharing between mobile devices and computer units.
Accessory
Accessories can improve your camera performances. This includes electronic viewfinders, dedicated flashes, battery grips, and remote controls. Search for integrated features along with those you are able to add as accessories.
Movable Display
If you like taking your pictures of you or your friends, making sure that the camera you are considering have a movable displace. It's particularly beneficial for timed photos or selfies where you cannot see the LCD display.
Also, make sure to stay in touch with the trends to find the one that meets your needs. Camera models differ and make updates quite often, so it would be nice to shop around in order to avoid making a bad decision and find the most suitable travel camera for you!
What Are The Best Mirrorless Camera Under $500?
Sony has attained success with its release of compact camera units, which dates back to the largely outstanding NEX series. The NEX series is now just "Alpha," which brings it in keeping with the traditional DSLRs of Sony. The new produce of Alpha E-mount cameras has already had a strong surprise with cameras like the mid-range A6000 and now with the A5100.
On the surface, the A5000 features the same design as the A5100, but with its price of $348, it is one of the most affordable interchangeable lens cameras you will find. Despite the cheap price, it still has the same size APS-C sensors that power essentially all DSLR cameras below $1,500. That is a great value proposition. And if you're looking to get more out of your camera, you can also invest in the best travel lenses for Sony to upgrade your travel photography and take it to the next level.
Editor's Rating: 98/100
Price On Amazon: from $319.99
- It has Wi-Fi and NFC addition
- Improved metering
- It has elegant design
- It has large sensors
- Poor continuous AF
- Poor LCD screen
- Noise reduction too aggressive at times
The Pentax Q is what I call, "the consumer enthusiasts camera." So, what do I mean with this? Well, what I mean is that this camera targets BOTH the average consumer who is want to have something cool and exciting and does not care about sensor size, on top of the Enthusiast.
The enthusiast side of this camera can be found in its functional control and body design. And the Pentax Q has an excellent design and menu control system. It has a body made of magnesium alloy that feels solid but the camera is very small! It may seem like a spy toy camera in real life, so traveling with it is so convenient.
Editor's Rating: 97/100
Price On Amazon: from $398.00
- It has a very small design perfect for traveling
- It has in-body stabilization system
- It has Intriguing lens system
- It has sharp rear LCD
- It has in-camera art filters
- It is available in different colors
- No Wi-Fi
- Lags behind other mirrorless systems in image quality
- Raw uncorrected for distortion
If you are looking for a camera that looks like a Leica T but wouldn't cost as much, then this Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaoyi, which making its name on mobile electronic products in the last couple of years, has something suitable for you. It is called the M1, and it is a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless ILC that would not come close to breaking your bank.
The M1 does not boast any headline-grabbing specifications. Inside is a 20MP Sony IMX269 Micro Four Thirds sensor that shoots RAW DNG at a max ISO of 25,600 and can capture 4K video. The backside of the camera has a 3-inch 720 x 480 touchscreen display with "phone-like" controls for the smartphone generation, and although there is no EVF or built-in flash, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are included.
Editor's Rating: 95/100
Price On Amazon: from $349.99
- It has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- It is available in 4K video resolution
- It has touch screen display
- It has accurate face detection focusing
- It has HDMI Port
- No image stabilization
- No articulating screen
- No built-in viewfinder
- No flash
This is another camera that is suitable for a traveler's needs – it is small, affordable, and most of all offers a lot of functions and features. The Sony A3000 looks like a little DSLR with a little simpler control design.
You could also mistake it for a fixed lens bridge super-zoom, though obviously, it requires interchangeable lenses to use E-mount of Sony. It measures 128x91x85mm and weighs 411g with card and battery. But of course, even though it looks like a DSLR, it is smaller and lighter.
Editor's Rating: 93/100
Price On Amazon: from $259.99
- It provides the user with remarkable image quality
- It has improved JPEGs and great high ISO quality for its class
- It has a very compact camera body
- It has a fast maximum aperture
- It has a very reliable autofocus
- It has no tilting display
- It doesn’t have a viewfinder
- Its lens isn’t very wide
- It has slow buffer clearing
The Nikon 1 J5 brings the Nikon J-series cameras in line with its competition and significantly improves upon the J4. With a 20.8-megapixel BSI CMOS CX-format sensor, this camera takes sharp images with impressive dynamic range, particularly when set to lower ISO speeds.
At higher ISOs, this camera also performs well but is heavy-handed with its in-camera noise reduction. With the use of a fast 171-point autofocus system and can shoot at up to 60fps, the J5 is a nimble compact camera. With a slanting touchscreen and easy to use controls, the Nikon 1 J5 mirrorless camera will definitely please any travelers who want to make their trip more memorable.
Editor's Rating: 90/100
Price On Amazon: from $496.95
- It has user-friendly controls
- It has an impressive dynamic range for its class
- It has very fast hybrid autofocus
- It has fast high-speed shooting capabilities
- It has a tilting touchscreen display
- No hot shoe or viewfinder
- Has aggressive noise reduction, even at base ISO
- 4K video is limited to 15fps
My Advice is...
All in all, each of these cameras is all impressive, but they offer different features that you can't find the others. If you want something with good metering, then Sony Alpha a5000 is a good choice.
If you want an easy to use the unit, then Nikon 1 J5 have it covered. If you are worried about the weight, Sony A3000 is for you. If you want something you can easily connect with your mobile devices and has good video recording, YI M1 wouldn't disappoint, and if you travel in action, then you should take advantage of the Pentax PENTAX's stabilization feature.
A little research and careful thought will go a long way to making your travels more memorable and timeless through photographs. Choose what you want for your camera, create a list of the features you want to have and then go shopping. Always consider the known brands, keep it simple, teach yourself how to use them, and enjoy!
Do you use a mirrorless camera on your travel? Tell us about it in the comment below!
