Best Digital Cameras of 2020

Best Prosumer Mirrorless 2020

26 MegapixelsElectronic View FinderHigh ISO: ISO 6400 or more is available at full-resolution.Stabilization: Compensates for tiny involuntary movements of the camera.Level: Measures camera tilt and helps to keep the horizon level.Continuous DriveUltra HD (4K) video: 3840x2160 resolution or more.Manual Controls: Both fully-manual (M) and semi-automatic modes (T and V).Custom White-Balance: Specifies exactly what should be white to the camera.Action Photography: Shutter speeds of 1/1500 or more.Night Photography: Reaches shutter-speeds longer than 4 seconds.Hotshoe: Allows external flash units to be attached.Spot MeteringDepth-Of-Field Preview: Improve perception of DOF before shooting.Weatherproof - Seals protect from dust, humidity and light splashing.Accepts Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC), SDHC and SD memory.Neocamera detailed review

The Fujifilm X-T4
Fujifilm X-T4 leaped into 2020 as worthy successor to the excellent X-T3 reviewed here
Fujifilm X-T3 by including built-in image-stabilization to the Fujifilm X-system flagship series. This professional-grade mirrorless features a 26 megapixels 4th-Generation X-Trans APS-C CMOS sensor with 2.1 million Phase-Detection pixels! With a sensor nearly twice as large as Four-Thirds, the X-T4 delivers extremely good image-quality without much bulk.

Given its comparatively large APS-C sensor with unique X-Trans Color-Filter-Array to omit the need for an Anti-Alias Filter, the Fujifilm X-T4 produces very high-quality images with excellent rendition of details and quite low image-noise, although falling slightly short of class-leading due it a high pixel-density. Dynamic-range though is vastly superior to what Micro Four-Thirds cameras can capture. Of course, this sensor requires lenses with APS-C coverage which are considerably larger and heavier than equivalent Micro Four-Thirds ones.

Fujifilm made their 4th-Generation sensor extremely fast. Its hybrid 425-Point AF system combines both Phase-Detect and Contrast-Detect to lock focus at blazing speed while the hybrid shutter allows for 20 FPS continuous shooting at full-resolution or 30 FPS with a 16 MP 1.25X crop. In this mode, shooting is black-out free and the viewfinder optionally shows 125% coverage to frame fast-moving subjects.

This mirrorless has a highly mechanical interface that makes it particularly efficient to use with dual control-dials plus an aperture-ring on most compatible Fujinon lenses. There are direct dials for ISO, Shutter-Speed, EC and Drive Modes too, plus an 8-way joystick. It offers an extensive feature-set, including 9-frame AEB, Focus-Bracketing, Motion Panorama, an Interval Timer, Multiple-Exposure and now HDR, all in a sturdy weatherproof and freezeproof body.

All this counts to make the Fujifilm X-T4 the Best Prosumer Mirrorless of 2020. Its combination of high image-quality and speed is unmatched by a digital camera this compact.

Best Professional Mirrorless 2020

24 MegapixelsElectronic View FinderHigh ISO: ISO 6400 or more is available at full-resolution.Stabilization: Compensates for tiny involuntary movements of the camera.Level: Measures camera tilt and helps to keep the horizon level.Continuous DriveUltra HD (4K) video: 3840x2160 resolution or more.Manual Controls: Both fully-manual (M) and semi-automatic modes (T and V).Custom White-Balance: Specifies exactly what should be white to the camera.Action Photography: Shutter speeds of 1/1500 or more.Night Photography: Reaches shutter-speeds longer than 4 seconds.Hotshoe: Allows external flash units to be attached.Spot MeteringDepth-Of-Field Preview: Improve perception of DOF before shooting.Weatherproof - Seals protect from dust, humidity and light splashing.Accepts XQD memory.Accepts Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC), SDHC and SD memory.Accepts CF Express Type B memory.

The market is hottest for this class of mirrorless which saw all manufacturers of Full-Frame Mirrorless Digital Cameras add a model in this category. Most new such cameras are built around a stabilized 24 Megapixels Full-Frame CMOS sensor without Anti-Alias Filter. One model among those stands out and that is the Nikon Z6 II which follows the impressive Nikon Z6 reviewed here
Nikon Z6.

The Z6 delivers an exceptional performance which is fully expected to be retained by the Z6 II which brings further improvements. The imaging pipeline retains the excellent 24 MP sensor with 273-Point Phase-Detect AF which is mounted on a 5-axis image-stabilization mechanism effective to 5-stops over hand-holding. Its standard ISO 100-51200 sensitivity range extends to ISO 50-204800 while delivering excellent image-quality with extremely low noise and a broad dynamic-range.

This mirrorless is exceptionally fast among its peers. It is capable of 14 FPS continuous drive with AF and AE locked on the first frame. This slows down to an average 5.5 FPS with continuous autofocus. A relatively deep buffer allows the Z6 II to capture 147 JPEG images or 84 RAW files per burst.

A 0.5" EVF with an ultra-sharp 3.7 MP provides an exceptionally large 0.8X magnification. There is an Eye-Start Sensor to instantly switch between the EVF and 2.1" LCD with 2.1 megapixels. Ergonomics of the Nikon Z6 II are very efficient with dual control-dials, a focusing joystick, a traditional mode-dial and plenty of customization. This latest camera adds an SDXC memory-card slot in addition to the XQD already present on the Z6.