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Looking for the Best Mirrorless cameras under $600? Check the top models below.
A mirrorless camera can always be a costly affair. However, not every pocket feels flexible enough to spend thousands of dollars at once.
There are photographers who are beginners or newly experiencing the field where they would obviously like to save a little while purchasing their favorite mirrorless cameras.
If you ask me, I started on a similar kind of budget for a dslr when I had just started out.
So, Why you not start with the best one in the market?
That’s apparently why this post is going to help you out. I’ve made a list of all the models that are selected after passing the following criteria:
- 12+ MegaPixels
- High ISO Range
- Lightweight
So, Which is the Best one currently?
The Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera is currently the best mirrorless camera under $600. It comes with a 24.3MP sensor that is beginner-friendly and lightweight. It also comes with a flip screen that is loved by a lot of vloggers.
What makes a great camera for an amateur that can fit the budget of 600 dollars?
Well, there are some features that you should look for, especially if you are a beginner. I’ve discussed them all at the end of the article so stick around for that.
Let us see what specs can be accessed under the range of $600 with these best-picked cameras.
Table of Contents
Best Mirrorless Cameras under $600
Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera
All the people who are looking for a camera with a standard viewfinder whether fixed budget under $600 has a choice here Sony Alpha a6000 comes with an OED viewfinder which has 1.4 million 100% coverage.
It is just the best choice for instagram bloggers and vloggers. The camera fits the budget and comes with direct social sharing options.
This is a compact camera that can suit traveling photographers. The camera comes with a 24 MP CMOS APS-C sensor for fast image processing. I really like the 35-millimeter full-frame image sensor that can shoot some really good pictures under any light conditions.
The mirrorless camera comes with a Focal Range from 0 to 20 (EV). It has a standard ISO and 179 points AF.
There are 25 contrast-detection points with his camera which can take your photography to another level. For the best-in-class image processing, the camera uses the BionZ processor which delivers admirable results.
You can make use of the automatic mode available with the camera for long shooting hours as well.
The drawback of purchasing this camera certainly is that the camera can only shoot video in 29-minute intervals. This maybe enough for 99% of the users, but I feel it’s worth mentioning. So, if you need a greater video recording time, this camera might not be for you.
You can share your data with the Wi-Fi connectivity options made available to you through the camera. The dimensions of the camera are 4.72 x 1.77 x 2.64 inches, and it weighs 12.2 ounces.
Pros:
- 24 mp sensor
- Bionz Processor
- 179 AF
- Wifi sharing
- OED Viewfinder 100 % coverage
- Solid build
Cons:
- 29 minutes video recording interval
- Could be more lightweight
Sony Alpha a5100
If there is one camera that can provide you with the advantage of taking stunning pictures from maximum angles possible, it has to be Sony Alpha 5100.
The camera comes with various lenses that let you enjoy the best photography experience under $600. The fast autofocus and brilliant processes let you shoot at a great speed continuously for long durations.
The camera comes with amazing automatic settings which can be set by beginners to get an idea about good photoshoots. That’s one of the reasons why it is the best mirrorless camera for under 600 dollars.
You also have Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity options for easy sharing of the data to be edited or uploaded. The compact camera can be easily carried to your workplace/studio.
Talking about the important specs of the camera, the camera comes with an extremely fast Auto Focus of 179 points.
The Frame Rate of the camera is 6 FPS along with the 24-megapixel APS-C sensor. You can easily enjoy recording 1080 pixels of video quality with this camera.
What I further like about this camera is the list of accessories that it comes along with it – There is a shoulder strap, a micro USB cable, a lens cap, and a charger, and the battery.
The dimensions of the camera 4.33 x 1.42 x 2.48 inches and it weighs 9.9 ounces and it is definitely compact and lightweight.
Pros:
- 24 MP Sharp sensor
- 1080 p video quality
- 179 AF
- Wifi and NFC
- Compact and lightweight model
- Solid and Durable design
Cons:
- Shooting time could be better
Canon EOS M100
If you are someone looking for a mirrorless camera with amazing specs along with an attractive look Canon EOS M100 could be your absolute pick. The camera is super convenient to be used by beginners or simple passionate photographers too.
First of all the camera comes with a Dual Pixel CMOS AF (49 points) along with phase detection for sophisticated photography.
I love the Canon EOS M100 because it comes with a 24.2 MP CMOS APS-C sensor and the high resolution keeps you overwhelmed with the picture quality.
I love the Sharing options you get on this camera. You have NFC, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth choices. The LCD touch screen of the camera can be easily handled by novice photographers too.
You can easily share and circulate the photographs in videos with the good connectivity choices provided.
All the wildlife photographers might really enjoy working with this camera because if it’s the finest autofocus and great clarity and quality of shootings. The various shooting modes allow you to enhance the quality of your photos.
The looks of the camera probably form one of the best parts of it. It is a very compact, lightweight, and travel-friendly camera that looks equally attractive. The dimensions of the camera are 1.4 x 4.3 x 2.6 inches and it weighs 10.7 ounces.
If you are buying this camera, I highly recommend you to purchase the bundle w/ 15-45mm & 55-200mm lenses for few more bucks.
Pros:
- 24.1 mp sensor
- High-Resolution video quality
- Dual Pixel AF
- Wifi, Bluetooth, and NFC
- Compact and elegant design
- Tiltable LCD screen
Cons:
- Gets heated up pretty quickly
Panasonic Lumix GX85
The Panasonic Lumix GX285 is the very small and compact camera with some brilliant specs in image quality.
The Panasonic Lumix comes with 5-axis In-body Sensor Stabilizer along with LUMIX 2-axis optically stabilized lenses that allow superior zooming facility and the camera also carries a world-class Dual Image Stabilization Technology.
With this amazing feature, the low-light shootings feel so effortless, I was literally impressed during my testing.
The camera packs a 16MP MFT sensor along with a good Autofocus. It actually removes the requirements for low-pass sensor filters while boosting fine detail resolving power up to 10%.
The quality of the 4K videos is way beyond casual expectations from an affordable mirrorless camera. The dimensions of the camera are these and it weighs this much.
Apart from these features, you are really going to like the Tilting LCD, Integrated Viewfinder, Thumbwheel Controls, and Fast Shootings. The dimensions of the camera are 1.73 x 4.8 x 2.78 inches and it weighs 1.9 pounds.
Pros:
- 16MP MFT sensor
- 5-axis In-body Sensor Stabilizer
- LUMIX 2-axis optically stabilized
- 4K shoots
- Tilting LCD
- Very compact and lightweight design
Cons:
- None
Fujifilm X-A5
This camera has been recently discussed more as a “topic of the conversation” type of cameras in the market.
There is a lot to love about the Fujifilm XA5. It comes with some amazing features and attributes which are worth mentioning in this list.
The exclusively lightweight camera eradicates the bulk from your bag with wonderful features. The camera comes with a 24.2 MP image sensor and a decent Autofocus for break-less shooting durations.
There are 5 facilities and modes as Shooting Self-portraits, Ergonomic Grip, Fast Shooting, Vertical Command Dial, Portrait Enhancer, and Eye Detection Autofocus. All the amateur photographers are going to love these modes which enhance the overall quality of the pictures.
The lovely camera with small carrying cases easily. The dimensions of the camera 1.6 x 4.6 x 2.7 inches and it weighs 1.1 pounds. The camera is worth the money you pay to buy it, and it comes under $600.
Pros:
- 24.2 MP sensor
- 5 amazing modes
- Good AF
- Professional touch to shootings
- Very compact and lightweight design
- Small and attractive look
Cons:
- Cannot stand extremely heavy uses
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II
The last but not the least product is Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II camera. This is yet another feathery lightweighted mirrorless camera that you can consider purchasing under a budget of $600.
The camera packs some powerful features like 5 Axis Image Stabilization for clear and accurate images.
More to love about the camera is that it is also equipped with an OLED electronic viewfinder with 0.62X magnification to uplift the level of your photography noticeably.
The 8.5 fps Burst Shooting experience feels amazing along with brilliant AF points of Contrast Detection and Phase Detection. The dimensions of the camera are 4.7 x 3.6 x 3.3 inches and it weighs about 1.1 pounds.
The camera is light and compact to hold and feels very easy to carry whenever you want. Even novice photographers can do a lot with this camera.
Pros:
- Extremely lightweight
- 5 Axis Image Stabilization
- Great AF points
- Contrast Detection
- Phase detection
- Small and attractive look
Cons:
- Almost none
Features determining the quality of a good Mirrorless Camera:
Image Quality
When you want the best mirrorless camera under $600, the topmost priority that you should have is the image quality.
There are a few things that you should look in the camera that helps in getting a better image quality:
- Sharpness
- Resolution of the Camera
- High ISO performance
Lets go through each of them one by one.
Sharpness
Even If you are a beginner, I strongly urge you to start shooting in RAW format as it will help you a great deal later on in the editing stage.
Again, I understand that not everyone wants to use a mirrorless camera for making a career. So, If you are one of those people who is just looking for casual vacation pictures or a simple inexpensive camera for your holiday/trips $600 is a great budget to start with.
So, If you have decided to not shoot images in RAW format, then the Sharpness of JPEG becomes a big deal for you.
Thus, for casual photographers, JPEG sharpness is a big deal as you won’t be involved in a lot of extensive post editing phase.
Resolution
It goes without saying that the greater the megapixel count of your camera, the better, larger images you will be able to produce.
Further, if you are looking forward to printing some of your images in larger formats, I highly recommend you go with at least 16 megapixels. Anything above or equal to 20MP is sufficient for most purposes.
NOTE: The Resolution should be looked at together with other specifications such as ISO and Shutter speed of the mirrorless camera to get a better idea. This is one of the prime reasons why a smartphone camera can’t equal the quality of a mirrorless cam under $600. The capabilities of a mirrorless camera are much more than that of a phone or any other device with a camera for that matter.
ISO
ISO basically the sensitivity of your camera towards light.
I don’t really think there’s a standard for high ISO performance. Look for a mirrorless camera that can capture life like pictures without a lot of noise in darker or low light situation areas. You don’t need a perfect mirrorless camera, you just need a cam that can produce good images without a lot of noise,
Unless you are thinking of shooting inside of a studio or in good light conditions, ISO is something that you should look at for sure.
Beginners Friendly settings:
Generally, mirrorless cameras are designed in a more professional way which creates problems for beginners who want to start their career in photography or fresh learners while learning photography just for interest.
Again, some passionate photographers require mirrorless cameras to carry on with their hobbies of photography. All of these people might not be habituated with extremely professionally designed cameras with complicated handling. Thus, you should look for cameras that have simple settings which in turn allows a faster experience.
Lightweight:
Nobody prefers carrying a bulky camera in his or her bag anymore.
With the advancement in technology and time, the qualities of the cameras have uplifted too. Weight is one of the factors where these mirrorless cameras have an edge over the traditional DSLRs, smartphone or compact camera.
Manufacturers are capable of equipping the cameras with good features even in compact bodies. Cameras cannot be fixed at home. They need to be carried to the destination of the shootings and hence cameras have to be portable.
You should invest in a lightweight, compact and portable design whenever possible.
Duration of Shooting:
You should keep a check on how long the camera can shoot continuously at a certain speed. The longer the camera can shoot the better it gets for you.
Look at things like the number of pictures you can capture with the camera in a single charge; the video recording times on different formats such as 4K, 1080p, and 720p; etc.
Connectivity:
If not all the connectivity choices, then at least the camera should be having NFC and Wi-Fi connectivity for the convenience of the user to share and edit the data.
Video Quality:
The minimum requirement for video quality could be 1080 pixels.
However, if possible you should opt for 4K video qualities for experiencing ultimate clarity and precision in your shootings. Also one should always look for standard Image Stabilization and better Auto Focus Points for obtaining maximum accuracy and quality in the images.
The Frame Rate of a camera should be quick enough. You can also choose to invest in some good filters and shooting modes of a mirrorless camera to enhance the quality of your photographs.
Wrapping up
What we can do is look for decent mirrorless camera specs without straight away heading for the top-notch mirrorless cameras. A handy lightweight camera, with clear picture quality, is all that users need.
With this we wrap up the article, having stated some selected cameras which are mirrorless and come under a price range of 600 dollars. We tried including only selected cameras with the best specs possible and some important factors you should consider before purchasing a camera. Hope you found the article useful.
Over to you: What is the Best Mirrorless Camera under $600 for you? Let me know in the comments below.
