Best Mirrorless Camera Under $1500 – Buyer’s Guide 2020

If you are familiar with the world of cameras and the art of picture taking, there are three actual loose categorizations for them: The DSLRs, the Mirrorless Cameras and the Point and Shoots. And although, a couple of years ago, photographers mainly took pride in taking pictures with their DSLRs, lately, they have started trading off their DSLRs for the Mirrorless cameras because of the advantages they have.

If you are in a hurry and interested in finding the best mirrorless camera under 1500 USD, please review the following table:

Comparison Chart of the Best Mirrorless Camera Under $1500

Product

Rating

Price

Sony Alpha a6000

Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 16-50mm Lens, Graphite (ILCE-6000L/H)

SONY ALPHA A6500

Sony Alpha a6500 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/ 2.95' LCD (Body Only)

PANASONIC LUMIX G7

Panasonic LUMIX G7KS 4K Mirrorless Camera, 16 Megapixel Digital Camera, 14-42 mm Lens Kit, DMC-G7KS

Fujifilm X-T20

Fujifilm X-T20 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/XC16-50mmF3.5-5.6 OISII Lens-Silver

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Mirrorless Camera with 14-42mm EZ Lens (Silver) US ONLY

Why Choose a Mirrorless Camera?

Mirrorless Cameras Do Not Have a Limitation to Cropped Sensors

Although most of the popular Mirrorless cameras happen to be cropped, it is also feasible to find a full-frame mirrorless camera. With a full frame sensor, you can easily get wider shots, and you would need to use a speed booster or spend more money on the fish-eye lens.

They Are Small and Lightweight

One of the most important and attractive features of the mirrorless cameras is the fact that they are much lighter than their DSLR counterparts. Since they do not have a mirror box mechanism and also, since they have a much smaller sensor, they are much easier to carry. This might not come up much when taking professional shots but in times of street photography and event capturing, its weight, or relatively, the lack of weight is a blessing to the shoulders.

They are Much More Silent

Since they do not possess a mirror box in them, there is no use of flipping up the mirror when you want to take a picture. And this makes it a very smooth and quiet operator. A major advantage if you happen to shoot at live events and there is a needle drop silence. Your photography won’t break the mood.

Mirrorless Cameras - 3 Categories

Getting yourself a mirrorless camera involves making an informed decision, to get the absolute worth of your money. But Mirrorless cameras can mainly be broken down into three categories, the Consumer, the Prosumer and the Professional Level Cameras.

Consumer

They are basically entry level cameras for people who intend to have a step up from the point and shoot cameras to attain something more flexible with a lot more control.

Often, it can also be said that the consumer mirrorless cameras are interchangeable with entry-level DSLRs since it has the interchangeable lens feature and it is much lighter and smaller than DSLRs. If you are looking for a mirrorless camera under 1500 USD, you are probably looking for a camera which belongs to this category.

Prosumer

The word prosumer is gotten from mixing the words consumer and professional together. They are cameras between the two extremes and will be very comfortable for photographers switching from the DSLR. They offer better image quality than consumer cameras while being smaller and lighter than their professional counterparts.

The Prosumer cameras also have an electronic viewfinder and also, an LCD camera behind them. So if you happen to be used to using the optical viewfinder, using these features will make the transition much easier for you.

Professional Level Cameras

These offer the best quality of capture you can ever find on a mirrorless camera. As long-time hobbyist or Learned Photographers, the professional level mirrorless cameras will deliver. They are closer to the DSLR in size, although still smaller than them, they have a faster processor and fully functioning autofocus, effecting buffering even when shooting large files or during burst sequences. They also support multiple peripherals like the external monitors, microphones, headphones out of many others. They allow for more customization and control while taking their pictures which makes them very fit for professionals.

Apart from features, another important factor is the price of the mirrorless camera you would want to get. Fasten your seat belt; you are about to see the best cameras suggestions for unbelievable prices.

Quick Take - Best Mirrorless Camera Under $1500

Here's a quick take of the best mirrorless camera under $1500: 

  1. Sony Alpha a6000 Review
  2. SONY ALPHA A6500
  3. PANASONIC LUMIX G7

Review of the Best Mirrorless Camera Under $1500

Let's take a look at this year's top picks.

Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 16-50mm Lens, Graphite (ILCE-6000L/H)

PROS

  • Built-in Wi-Fi & NFC
  • Small size
  • Great EVF

CONS

  • No touchscreen
  • Frustrating AF set process
  • Screen not fully articulated

The Sony Alpha A6000 possesses a very similar aesthetic to the A7. The camera is fitted with a newly conceived 24.3 million pixel APS-C CMOS sensor in it to allow the best quality of pictures possibly available. Also, its counterpart, the A7, it has a sensor which possesses the gapless on-chip design to properly maximize the efficiency when the camera is collecting light and overall, boost picture quality. It is more of a prosumer choice camera.

The A6000 is an intuitive and lightweight camera that allows you to capture beautiful and breathtaking moments in high quality. With the world’s fastest autofocus as an added feature, coupled with a 24.3MP detail, high-speed moments can be taken in a second. It is a fast response camera that is both compact and easy to use.

Sony Alpha a6500 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/ 2.95' LCD (Body Only)

PROS

  • Solid construction
  • Superb video quality
  • Long Impressive buffer
  • In-body image stabilization
  • Performs excellently well at high ISO
  • Impressive autofocus performance and frame coverage

CONS

  • Customization
  • Touchscreen operation
  • The rolling shutter can be distracting

The Sony a6500 is a certified top-tier piece of hardware that excels in all ramifications when mirrorless cameras are being discussed. With an amazing 24MP camera quality, image stabilization and video camera to allow easy video shoots. Going wrong with this camera is difficult. For me, as a photographer who uses the Sony A6500, it is the best mirrorless camera under 1500 USD.

This is a piece of hardware that fits a lot of technology and inventions into a small space. With numerous specs and a guarantee for maximum quality, this camera is one of the most impressive releases by Sony in recent times. The addition of the touchscreen and stabilization are great additions to user experience and satisfaction. The UI works great, and it is a great fit for professionals all over.

Panasonic LUMIX G7KS 4K Mirrorless Camera, 16 Megapixel Digital Camera, 14-42 mm Lens Kit, DMC-G7KS

PROS

  • 4K (UHD) video
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • 4K Photo mode
  • Super-fast focus
  • In-camera Raw conversion
  • High image quality

CONS

  • Wi-Fi
  • Dated Q.Menu
  • Touchscreen tabs
  • Non-Mechanical shutter
  • The number of external​

The Panasonic Lumix G7 is a high end mirrorless camera with an angular and stylish design, which draws inspiration from much older and retro DSLR designs in the past. It handles firmly and compact and is a joy to use. It uses an OLED screen instead of the viewfinder mirror, and it is a great piece of hardware for shooting videos.

The G7 is a solid camera that not only handles perfect and comfortably well, but it is also camera with so many control points that allows for proper manipulation of picture output. It excels in video mode, delivering one of the best 4k qualities found in the mirrorless camera.

Fujifilm X-T20 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/XC16-50mmF3.5-5.6 OISII Lens-Silver

PROS

  • Tactile controls
  • Excellent handling
  • Advanced AF system
  • Film simulation modes
  • Rich and detailed images

CONS

  • Battery life
  • EVF magnification
  • Limited touchscreen control

This camera is considered a pleasure to use, with proper ergonomic design and a firm handle; it handles well and shoots with a lot of stability. It possesses a 24MP sensor that produces great quality images, for both professional and vocational use. Its Autofocus is fast and active, and it has a touchscreen to allow for easy controls. The 4k video has also been added, and this feature places it in a great light of contention amongst its peers.

This is a very feature heavy camera that still draws upon the design of the DSLRs but remains lighter and smaller than it. It takes high quality pictures and videos and can be used by hobbyists and professionals alike.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Mirrorless Camera with 14-42mm EZ Lens (Silver) US ONLY

PROS

  • Small size
  • Excellent EVF
  • Versatile and lots of customization

CONS

  • Small sensor
  • 4K time-lapse
  • Tilting screen

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 II is a steal for its price, feature packed, customizable, handles great and high quality. It possesses a 16MP CMOS sensor, 5-axis image stabilization for videos, and a top-notch viewfinder to heighten accuracy and Wi-Fi for easy sharing.

The OM-D E-M10 Mark II is a refreshing camera that is very well tailored for enthusiasts while offering full customization, great video and picture quality. You really can’t go wrong with this choice.

Conclusion

These were the top 5 best mirrorless cameras under $1500. Do you feel like we missed out on a couple of cameras? Let us hear your thoughts.