STATE OF THE ART

Get pro-level photos wherever you go, with these pocket-friendly, lightweight, mirrorless cameras

Pocket-friendly cams that take pics like a pro? Yes please! We test three of the most capable and stylish mirrorless cameras from Olympus, Fujifilm and Canon

Aside from the seductive design based on trophy film cameras of old, it’s easy to see the appeal of mirrorless digital cameras. As their classification suggests, the mirror mechanisms of traditional, bulkier SLR cameras have been removed to enable smaller camera bodies, which has the knock-on effect of more compact lenses. The result is a lighter overall weight and less back and shoulder ache when carting one around all day. At the same time, crucially, and in the majority of cases, the sensor at the heart of each camera has stayed the same size as that found in a larger digital SLR. That has maintained quality very near to – or in some cases on a par with – a larger, outwardly more ‘professional’ camera. This has meant not only enthusiastic amateurs but also a wave of professional photographers ‘going mirrorless’. As a result, and unlike the DSLR or cheaper point-and-shoot compact market, mirrorless cameras, alongside premium cameras, are still very much booming.

It’s worth noting when eyeing up any mirrorless camera that you’ll be buying into that particular manufacturer’s system, by which we mean the various attendant lenses, flashes and accessories you’ll need with the body. So, if you’re considering expanding your equipment in the future, take a look at the additional bits of kit each provides – and how many. In other words, a purchase decision shouldn’t be based 100 per cent on how funky a specific camera looks, but also the support that comes with it.