Sony’s best cameras come in all shapes and sizes, from high-speed sports shooters to high-resolution bodies to very compact pocket cameras. And the perfect one is the right one for you and your needs!
Our top picks from across Sony’s entire lineup will be highlighted here, including some of the best point-and-shoot cameras from its Cyber-shot offerings, the best APS-C vlogging cameras, and the best professional cameras from its full-frame catalog. We did not include the Sony A9 II high-speed or the Sony A7S III footage, as they are often customized for such a reference, but we have three Sony’s Alpha 7 full-frame mirrorless cameras that have incredible flexibility, incredible resolution and excellent clarity respectively.
First Sony was part of a fully-fledged, thoughtful group and built a huge lead over Canon and Nikon – a lead that is insurmountable in many people’s minds. And it’s impossible to argue with the line-up.
The 61-megapixel Sony A7R IV offers all but medium-format cameras that cost $10,000 North for raw resolving capacity. The Sony A9 II sports camera is an excellent medium for lightning-fast shooting for many pro photographers. And the latest Sony A7S III – a camera challenging Canon EOS R5 for video recording.
These are systems targeted at specialists and practitioners, but Sony has not forgotten about its more inexpensive APS-C cameras, from the Sony A6100 entry levels to the top of the Sony A6600 line, with specialists such as the vlogging-oriented Sony A6400.
These Sony mirrorless cameras are designed for interchangeable lenses and keen shooters. However, Sony is now producing Cyber-Shot compact cameras with fixed lenses to all forms of consumers, from family snappers to travel shooters and scouts who want quality results to fit into a pocket with a small enough sensor – or with a variety of zooms that you can’t get out of a mirrorless camera frame.
10 Best Sony Mirrorless Camera
1. Sony α7R IV
- 61MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
- BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
- 567-Point Phase-Detection AF System
- UHD 4K30p Video with HLG & S-Log3 Gammas
- 5.76m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF
- 3.0″ 1.44m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- Up to 10 fps Shooting, ISO 100-32000
- 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
- 240MP Pixel Shift Multi Shooting
- Bluetooth & Wi-Fi, Dual UHS-II SD Slots
The Sony Alpha a7R IV is the latest in a long line of very capable full-frame cameras that are known for their outstanding stills and video performance and adaptability. The improved 61MP Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor and expanded BIONZ X image processor in this fourth version of the a7R provide remarkable imaging results with significant smoothness, a 15-stop dynamic range, and, of course, speed. Shooting at up to 10 frames per second is possible, as is recording UHD 4K30 video, both with support for Real-time Eye AF and Tracking AF technology. With 567 phase-detection autofocus points, the upgraded sensor design uses a Fast Hybrid AF System for remarkably fast and accurate focusing performance. Despite its high resolution, the sensor is differentiated by its wide natural sensitivity range of ISO 100-32000, which allows it to work in a variety of lighting settings. In addition, the a7R IV retains the 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE sensor-shift image stabilization, which effectively reduces the appearance of camera shake by up to 5.5 stops for both stills and video.
The a7R IV has a redesigned physical construction with more durable weather sealing to suit working in very extreme weather conditions, balancing the image advantages. The 3.0″ rear tilting touchscreen LCD boasts a high 1.44m-dot resolution for crisp playback, live view shooting, and menu navigation, and the OLED electronic viewfinder has been upgraded to an amazing 5.76m-dot resolution for excellent viewing. The camera has two SD card ports, both of which are UHS-II rated for better performance, and a USB Type-C connector for tethering and speedy in-camera battery charging. Wireless transmission and remote camera control are also possible thanks to built-in Bluetooth and both 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.
2. Sony Alpha 1
- 50MP Full-Frame Exmor RS BSI CMOS Sensor
- Up to 30 fps Shooting, ISO 50-102400
- 8K 30p and 4K 120p Video in 10-Bit
- 4.3K 16-Bit Raw Video Output, S-Cinetone
- 9.44m-Dot EVF with 240 fps Refresh Rate
- 759-Pt. Fast Hybrid AF, Real-time Eye AF
- 5-Axis SteadyShot Image Stabilization
- Dual Drive Mech. Shutter, 1/400 Sec Sync
- 5 GHz MIMO Wi-Fi, 1000BASE-T Ethernet
- Dual CFexpress Type A/SD Card Slots
The Sony Alpha 1 is a flagship camera in every meaning of the word. It’s the one camera that can do it all. This full-frame mirrorless camera is built without compromise, with high-resolution stills, excellent 8K video recording, speed and sensitivity, and connection for the most demanding professional workflows.
A newly developed 50.1MP full-frame Exmor RS BSI CMOS sensor and the BIONZ XR processing engine are at the heart of the Alpha 1, or a1. The a1 is capable of 30 fps continuous shooting at full resolution, 8K 30p and 4K 120p 10-bit video recording, and still offers varied sensitivity up to ISO 102400 for low-light shooting thanks to its efficient stacked sensor construction and optimized processing. A 759-point Fast Hybrid AF system is included in the sensor’s design, which provides superior subject tracking and Real-time Eye AF on humans and animals, as well as a dedicated Bird Mode.
Despite its high-resolution sensor’s connotations, the a1 is a powerful video contender, with 8K and 4K recording resolutions, full pixel readout, internal 4:2:2 10-bit sampling, and 16-bit raw output through full-size HDMI. The a1 has no recording limit, allowing for longer shots, and it supports S-Cinetone for smooth skin-tone rendering, well-controlled highlights, and soft colors, just like professional cine cameras.
The a1 has a familiar form on the outside, but it boasts some noteworthy enhancements on the inside, including a 9.44m-dot OLED EVF with a 240 fps refresh rate for fluid motion rendering and greatly decreased blackout when shooting constantly. The camera’s shutter design has also been updated, and it now supports full-frame flash sync speeds of up to 1/400 sec, as well as flash sync speeds of up to 1/200 sec when using the silent electronic shutter. The camera has a 3.0″ tilting touchscreen LCD on the back, as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity with 2×2 MIMO functionality for wireless remote control and file transmission. The a1 also has two memory card slots, one of which supports CFexpress Type A and the other SD UHS-II memory cards for flexible and high-speed file storage.
3. Sony a7R III
- 42MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
- BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
- 399-Point AF System & 10 fps Shooting
- UHD 4K30p Video with HLG & S-Log3 Gammas
- 3.69m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF
- 3.0″ 2.36m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
- ISO 102400 & Pixel Shift Multi Shooting
- Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, Dual SD Slots
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C Port & PC Sync Port
The Sony Alpha a7R IIIA Mirrorless Digital Camera, demonstrating that speed, resolution, and video capabilities can all coexist, is a versatile, high-performance camera defined not only by its resolution but also by its multimedia versatility. The a7R IIIA features a full-frame 42.4MP Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor and an upgraded BIONZ X image processor, allowing for a 10 fps continuous shooting rate, as well as better focusing performance for faster, more reliable subject tracking and wider frame coverage. This new Fast Hybrid AF System combines 399 phase-detection points with 425 contrast-detection regions for faster focus acquisition in a variety of lighting settings, as well as more successfully maintaining focus on subjects. In addition to speed and AF, the processing enhancements enable to achieve of higher image clarity over the ISO 100-32000 sensitivity range, which can be expanded to ISO 50-102400. When recording UHD 4K video using the entire width of the full-frame sensor, or when using a Super35 area and 5K oversampling to avoid moiré and aliasing, video recording capabilities have also been extended for improved quality. Additionally, the a7R IIIA keeps the 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE sensor-shift image stabilization, which can now reduce the appearance of camera shake by up to 5.5 stops for both stills and video.
Aside from photographic improvements, the a7R IIIA has a new body design that boasts a 3.69 million-dot Tru-Finder OLED electronic viewfinder for bright, clear, and realistic eye-level monitoring. A new rear 3.0″ 2.36m-dot tilting touchscreen LCD is also available for more intuitive settings control and improved support when working at high and low angles. Dual SD memory card slots have been added for additional shooting versatility, and a bigger NP-FZ100 battery has been used to achieve up to 530 photos per charge while using the viewfinder. The magnesium alloy chassis and comprehensive weather-sealing make the a7R IIIA dust- and moisture-resistant, making it ideal for usage in challenging situations.
