When it comes to cameras, it seems that Canon and Nikon own the lion’s share of the market.
While there is some truth to that, it doesn’t mean that there are no alternatives or worthy competitors. Case and point, we have Sony.
Sony is one of the oldest technology manufacturing companies. Chances are, you own or have owned something made by them.
It’s easy to see why, heralding from Japan, the company is known for the ingenuity and reliability of their products.
When it comes to cameras, Sony has something to offer to just about anyone. It could be hard to pick one of their many quality cameras.
That’s why today, we’re talking about the best Sony cameras. If you’re looking for a camera by the company, you’ll find it here.
First, we’ll talk about the best cameras Sony has to offer. Second, we’ll talk about the things you have to consider before picking any cameras.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
The Best Sony Cameras
These are the best Sony cameras on the market that are worth your time and money.
1. Sony A7 III
Sony has always been a top-notch electronics company, but they really outdid themselves with the A7 III.
It might not have all of the bling that you get from their pricier products like Sony’s newest flagship camera or phone, but it is somehow even more versatile and well-built than those models.
The stabilization system promises to make 5EV of compensation.
The 24.2MP back-illuminated image sensor and the latest generation processor, both work together to give an amazing tonal range that will blow your mind when you use super-high ISO settings.
Additionally, handling is good but maybe a little small for some people who are used to using pro lenses on their bodies.
Unfortunately, applies across all Alpha models so there’s no fix for it unless one wants another camera altogether.
I’d say just about any Sony camera is good for your money thanks to their top performance at a sensible price.
However; the A7III still stands as the best in its line-up. The A7 and A7II models may be cheaper but they can’t compete with this model’s newer features or better quality photos.
- Advanced 24.2MP BSI full frame Image Sensor w/ 1.8X readout speed
- 15 stop dynamic range, 14 bit uncompressed RAW, ISO 50 to 204,800. Compatible with Sony E mount...
- Up to 10fps silent or mechanical shutter with AE/AF tracking. Battery life (Still Images): Approx....
- 693 phase detection / 425 contrast AF points w/ 93 percent image coverage. Focus sensor: Exmor R...
- In the box: Rechargeable battery (NP FZ100), AC adapter (AC UUD12), shoulder strap, body cap,...
2. Sony A7R Mark IV
The “R” models in Sony’s A7 series cameras are designed first and foremost for resolution.
The Sony A7R Mark IV sets the standard with its new, record-breaking 61-megapixel camera that has more than double the pixels of any other Sony or full-frame camera on the market today.
The detail rendition is spectacular, though the gain is perhaps not quite as obvious as the bare numbers might suggest.
In reality, this means that while it does beat up on old model A7R Mark III in terms of sheer power and beauty with its new sensor tech.
It’s especially more apparent when you compare the images and video from other cameras to the ones taken with the A7R Mark IV.
There’s only so much you can see from a bunch of stats thrown around like confetti at an 8-year-old’s birthday party.
The A7R Mark IV tends to draw comparisons to the best medium format cameras, but we think that this camera is still a far cry from what you can get with them.
The larger sensors in medium format models are not just about megapixels – and even if they did have more of those than Sony’s new flagship model, the resolution power would be much lower.
- Stunning resolution: world’s first 61MP full-frame 35mm back-illuminated Exmore R CMOS Image...
- High speed: up to 10Fps continuous shooting at 61MP with AE/AF tracking; 26. 2MP in APS-C crop mode
- Fast Hybrid Autofocus: 567 Phase detection AF points and 425 contrast AF points to cover more area
- Advanced subject recognition: real-time tracking and real-time eye AF for humans, animals and movies
- Accurate color reproduction: 15-stop dynamic Range at low sensitivities for greater Color accuracy
3. Sony A9 II
The A9 II is the next generation of Sony’s flagship camera, and it has all the same cutting-edge features that made its predecessor such a sensation.
But this time around, they’ve thrown in their newest Bionz X processor for more speed and precision than ever before on a device like this.
Not only that, but Sony also added some sweet upgrades like 425 contrast AF points for precision focusing and 693 phase-detection AF points that can identify targets from up to 23 feet away.
More impressively, this is all done at blazing speeds of 20fps or 30 fps depending on your needs (not too shabby!).
They also have what they call Real-Time Eye-AF so you don’t need an eye sensor anymore.
The new Sony A9 II is like a big outdoor party. The weather-resistant body won’t let the rain, snow, or sleet ruin your plans and despite being tough it still looks good!
You can take all of that in with one eye on what you’re recording thanks to the 5-axis image stabilization system which ensures every shot will be crisp even if your hands shake (even during video).
The port covers are also watertight so no more worrying about sand getting into those ports when shooting at the beach for hours.
They’ll keep working just fine underwater too – perfect for surfers who want to record themselves surfing without taking their camera out of its waterproof housing.
- SONY ALPHA A9 II: Compact professional cameras mastered for sports photography and photojournalism
- SUPERIOR SPEED: Fastest 35mm full-frame 24. 2MP stacked Exmore RS CMOS sensor with integrated memory
- FASTER AUTO FOCUS: Up to 20fps at full resolution with 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second
- ADVANCED SUBJECT RECOGNITION: Real-time Tracking and Real-Time Eye AF for humans, animals and movies
- VOICE MEMO FUNCTION: Attach a voice memo (. wav) to photo files or use voice to text for IPTC data
4. Sony ZV-1
The Sony ZV-1 delivers everything that a vlogger could wish for in a compact camera, and it comes with Sony’s excellent AF system.
There are features to help inexperienced photographers/videographers/vloggers get good results. The exposure can be controlled automatically or manually.
There’s even an ND filter plus Log and Gamma control. It makes shooting great 4K video easy but you still have plenty of controls when you need them!
All this adds up to one enticing little (or not so little) camcorder for your next YouTube masterpiece, if anything just because the name is awesome.
Much of the specification on the Sony ZV-1 is familiar from the Sony RX100 series of compact cameras, but there are a few notable differences to make it better for vlogging.
The ZV-1 has a 1-inch type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with 20.1 million effective pixels, which is considerably larger than just about every compact camera on the market.
And that gives it some advantage in image quality as we have seen in cameras like Sony RX100 VII
The Exmor RS CMOS sensor brings phase-detection focusing – which is usually faster and more decisive than contrast detection.
The ZV-1 has a total of 315 phase-detection AF points, ensuring that even the most minute detail will be captured with sweet precision.
- 20.1MP stacked back illuminated 1” Exmor RS CMOS sensor w/ DRAM. Large aperture 24-70mm1 F1.8-2.8...
- Fast Hybrid Autofocus and Real Time Eye Autofocus and Real-time Autofocus tracking.
- Side flip-out 3.0” LCD screen that also tilts up and down for easier to compose selfie shots
- Quickly switch between two modes of defocused background bokeh
- Product Showcase Setting transitions focus from face to object
5. Sony RX0 II
Sony may not be the best brand for action cameras, but they are still a force to reckon with.
This Sony camera is not cheap, and it doesn’t come without its trade-offs. One of those drawbacks would have to do with size.
This little guy isn’t going anywhere near your pocket!
But if you’re looking for quality over accessibility then this could be just what you need. It has an incredibly high 15MP sensor that will capture everything in crystal clear detail.
It’s also able to withstand water or any other environmental hazards only partially because of its waterproof casing.
This waterproof casing also provides protection against crushing forces should anything happen at such heights as 5 feet (1 meter) off the ground
Finally, we’ll give you a quick rundown of the new camera features and you can decide if it lives up to its competition.
It has up to 1000fps shooting, 4K recording capabilities, and wireless connectivity.
This is going to be perfect for all those adventurous people out there that want better video quality from their trip but don’t have many friends who can tag along on adventures with them.
- 1” (1.0-Type) stacked back-illuminated Exmore RS CMOS sensor
- 24mm F4 Zeiss tessar T lens delivers high-resolution images. Battery life (STILL IMAGES)(CIPA) -...
- Internal 4K movie with Pro features and image stabilization; Focus Range (From the Front of the...
- Matchbox sized durable Duralumin, water/shock/crush proof body
- 15.3MP raw up to 16Fps continuous and interval REC. For time-lapse
6. Sony A6100
Full frame cameras are expensive, so we thought adding some good APS-C sensor cameras would be a good idea.
The Sony A6100 is easily one of the best Sony cameras to get if you want something more advanced that won’t completely break the bank.
A Sony A6100 costs only around $600 but comes with some advanced features you find in cameras that cost twice as much.
The 24.2MP APS-C sensor is superb—which we all know because it’s been done to death in reviews of this camera for over a year now.
It has a 0.02-second autofocus and 425 phase/425 contrast-detection AF points with an eye autofocus system that can track people as they move about the frame if you’re into that sort of thing (I’m not).
There are also 4K recording features, which will be useless until high-speed data transmission becomes more commonplace but it’s cool nonetheless.
Wi-Fi connectivity is available for decent file transferring. NFC capability is also nice to have but Wi-Fi will do it for most.
- World’s fastest AF at 0. 02 sec. W/ real-time AF & Object tracking
- Wide 425-phase/425-contrast detection AF points over 84% of sensor
- 24. 2MP APS-C Exmor sensor w/ front end LSI and ISO up to 51, 200
- Up to 11fps continuous shooting at 24. 2MP RAW w/ AF/AE tracking
- Real-time AF Tracking, Real-time Eye AF for human and animal
Best Sony Camera – Buying Guide
Let’s take a look at what you need to know when purchasing a Sony camera.
Lenses
One of the main points of owning a professional camera is the ability to use and change lenses.
If you know anything about cinematography, you’ll know that the choice of lens heavily affects how your film looks like.
With that in mind, you’ll need to make sure that whatever camera you’re buying has wide first and third-party lens support.
Usually, the big manufacturers like Nikon and Canon will have the most support but Sony has enough support to cover all your bases.
Accessory Support
This goes hand in hand with lens support. You’ll want a camera that has wide accessory support.
Why get a camera that’s only compatible with a handful of third-party accessory manufacturers.
This goes double if you already have accessories.
It would be wise to read which camera supports those accessories. You can expect all Sony cameras to be supported.
At a minimum, make sure your Sony camera supports external flash add-ons and battery grips. The latter offers a firmer and comfier grip on the camera in addition to longer battery life and more versatility when it comes to camera controls.
Sensor Size
For this one, you’ll have to distinguish between two types of sensors: full-frame and cropped.
With a full-frame sensor, you’ll get better image quality. The sensor’s size is big (physically speaking) and can fit in more information.
On the other hand, cropped sensors have a decreased image quality simply because the physical space of the sensor is smaller.
The trade-off happens here in terms of budget.
Full-frame sensor cameras will always cost more. So the question here is if they’re within your budget or not.
Image Stabilization
This is a useful feature that most digital cameras have built-in nowadays.
Image stabilization reduces shakiness and frantic camera jitter by using algorithms that calculate which axis is being uneven and returns it to a stable state.
While you can get a gimbal to further help stabilize the image during handheld photography, we say there’s no trade-off, always go for a camera that incorporates digital image stabilization.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baeou4Uw0wI
Best Sony Cameras – Wrapping Up
This concludes our guide on the best Sony cameras you can buy.
Remember that despite the popularity of Canon and Nikon, Sony has a lot to offer to just about any videographer.
Much like their other products, Sony’s cameras are well-built and offer the latest in technology.
All you need to look at when purchasing a Sony camera is which one suits your specific needs the best.
- Do you want to shoot stills?
- Are you a vlogger?
- Do you want to make films?
Regardless of what you want, you’ll find it on our guide.
So, what are you waiting for? Want a Sony camera? Get yourself the one you want and get to capturing your next masterpiece.
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