10 Best Mirrorless Cameras under $1000 to Buy in 2024

Choose a lightweight mirrorless camera under $1000 which won’t break your bank.

Mirrorless devices offer exceptional image quality, are compact and lightweight, and have unique features that make them a great option for photographers of all levels. Photographers recommend choosing mirrorless cameras under $1000 if you search for a perfect combination of image quality, compact size, and control.

They don't have a mirror that moves up and down to capture an image. Instead, they use an electronic viewfinder that shows you a digital representation of the scene, making it easier to see exactly what you're capturing. This feature is especially useful for photographers who shoot in low light or need to see a live preview of their image as they're framing it.

There are a few key characteristics that you should consider when choosing the best mirrorless camera under $1000. Firstly, you want to look for a camera with a large sensor that can capture images with excellent detail. A larger sensor also helps ensure that low light is not compromised, which is important for getting those beautiful shots in dimly lit environments.

When it comes to mirrorless vs DSLR, a mirrorless model can offer a more lightweight design, making it easier to carry around and handle. Additionally, a full frame mirrorless camera under $1000 can provide comparable image quality.

Sony Alpha a7 is a great choice for photographers who are looking for a full-frame sensor camera for portraits at an affordable price.

The full-frame sensor is larger than an APS-C sensor with the same megapixel count, which means that it can capture more light and information in low-light conditions. The autofocus system on this camera is fast and accurate, with 759 phase-detection and 425 contrast-detection AF points.

Another great feature of this mirrorless under $1000, is the in-body image stabilization, which allows you to take sharp handheld shots even at slow shutter speeds. This is especially useful for shooting portraits and wedding photos, as well as for taking shots in low-light conditions.

Panasonic G85 is a mirrorless camera under $1000 and the cheapest 4K camera that offers some unique features that are not commonly found in this price range, such as 4K video recording and creative controls.

The G85 also has some interesting new features, like Panasonic's clever Post Focus and Focus Stacking modes, which let you capture footage as a video clip and then selectively focus later on.

Additionally, This Panasonic camera has a solid design that is comfortable to hold and comes with a dual image stabilization technology that allows for sharper photos even when shooting at slower shutter speeds.

It has a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor that doesn't have an optical low pass filter, which improves image quality and reduces artifacts caused by moire and streaking.

Olympus E-M10 III is a great mirrorless camera for beginners, with its satisfyingly chunky control and mode dials that make it easy to grip and adjust while shooting single-handed.

Being a mirrorless body, it is lightweight and compact, making it ideal for travel and everyday use. It also has two electronic dials on the top-plate that change exposure settings, and a raised mode dial provides access to subject-based scene modes.

One of the most significant advantages of this camera is its electronic viewfinder feature. It allows photographers to preview the shots they are taking before they shoot them, ensuring that they capture the right type of image.

The camera is user-friendly, with an easy-to-use interface and a user-friendly touch screen, making it ideal for beginners who are new to photography.

Panasonic Lumix G7 boasts a high-resolution digital viewfinder, a tilting display with touchscreen controls, a 16MP Micro Four Thirds sensor, and 4K movie recording support. If you don’t have the money necessary to purchase a professional video camera, then the G7 is a good budget-friendly alternative.

This device is capable of recording in 4K resolution and the rotatable touchscreen gives you great operability. These features are further supported by the useful EVF and a nicely-designed body that has an ergonomic grip.

For its price, this is the best mirrorless camera for video recording and a great variant for beginning YouTube bloggers.

The Sony A6300 offers incredible performance for its price, making it an excellent choice for those looking for a mirrorless camera under $1000. As a Sony camera, it boasts a 24.2MP sensor that captures high-quality photos and videos at an excellent resolution.

This camera's impressive number of pixels is supported by a sensor that is perfect for shooting at high ISO settings. Sony managed to pack a lot of power into this compact model, making it one of the best mirrorless cameras under $1000.

Moreover, this model has a microphone input, allowing for better audio quality.

This multifunctional and small device, considered by many as the best mirrorless under 1000 dollars, comes with a super-sensitive 20.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and a state-of-the-art hybrid AF mechanism. The unbelievably high shutter speed of 1/4000s allows you to capture dynamic scenes without missing crucial moments or taking blurry pictures.

Despite being a cheap camera, the NX3000 has both Wi-Fi and NFC support, enabling you to easily send images to your phone or tablet. This model also has Photo Beam, which can be used for transferring files instantly, while Mobile Link enables you to send entire folders at once.

One of the main advantages of the RX100 is its size, making it a very portable mirrorless camera for travel or street photography. It also boasts a 20.1 megapixel 1-inch Exmor CMOS sensor, which provides excellent image quality when used with Sony lenses.

RX100 has a 3.6x optical zoom lens, which is unusual for a camera of its size, making it a great option for capturing different perspectives while traveling.

The lens is also quite sharp, and it performs well in low light conditions. Another advantage of the RX100 is its fast autofocus system, which is essential when shooting fast-moving subjects.

The camera also has a range of shooting modes, including aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual mode, giving the user greater control over their shots.

The Nikon Z50 is a compact camera with a 20.9-megapixel APS-C sensor, which delivers great image quality and detail. The autofocus system is also impressive, with 209 focus points and excellent tracking, even in low light conditions.

Nikon Z50 is a solid choice for amateur and semi-professional photographers, and it's also a great option for those who are looking for a full frame mirrorless camera under 1000 dollars.

One of the standout features of the Nikon Z50 is its electronic viewfinder, which is bright and clear, making it easy to compose your shots. The tilting touchscreen is also a great addition, allowing you to shoot from various angles and navigate through menus easily.

The camera's battery life is decent, but it's not the best out there. You will need to carry an extra battery or two if you plan on shooting for extended periods of time.

Fujifilm X-S10 is one of the best mirrorless cameras under 1000 dollars with compact body, making it perfect for newbies and hobbyists. One of the standout features of this Fujifilm camera is its X-Trans CMOS III sensor. The sensor uses a different type of color filter array than most other camera sensors, which results in higher resolution, lower noise, and more accurate color reproduction.

Another great feature of the X-S10 is its X-Processor 4 engine. This latest generation processor delivers high processing speed and computing power, resulting in excellent stills and video quality. However, if the cost of this model is too high for you, have a look at the previous version. It is regarded by many users as the best digital camera under 500 dollars, allowing you to hone your photography skills step by step.

It also reduces rolling shutter distortion when recording video, and delivers cinema-quality DCI 4K/30p and super-slow motion Full HD/240p video.

Sony ZV-E10 mirrorless camera under $1000 offers great image quality and plenty of features for vloggers. Its autofocus system is excellent, with 425 AF points and 'Real Time Tracking', which is extremely reliable in tracking human faces.

The ZV-E10 is also affordable, making it a great choice for those who are just starting out with video-based content creation.

For photographers who are looking for a decent quality camera for photography, the Sony ZV-E10 is definitely worth considering.

One of the main characteristics of the ZV-E10 is its fast hybrid autofocus system, which features 425 phase-detection points and 169 contrast-detection points across 84% of the sensor’s image area. This wide coverage and dense AF point placement means that even quick-moving subjects stay in focus.

If you're a beginner and don't want to break the bank, there are a few things you should consider when choosing the best mirrorless camera under $1000.

Resolution. Camera's resolution is important, and you can find some of the highest megapixel cameras in this price range. The higher the resolution, the more detail you can see in your photos and video footage.

A camera with a high resolution sensor can help you capture stunning images of subjects that are far away and close up, so you can focus on details and get creative with your shots.

Autofocus. It's also important to find a model with good autofocus, so you can track subjects while recording video.

Battery life. It is another important factor to consider when choosing a mirrorless camera. You don't want to be constantly running out of battery while out on a shoot. Make sure to choose a camera with a long battery life, or consider purchasing third-party camera batteries so you can swap them out when needed.

Sensor size. Size of the sensor is also something to keep in mind. It can affect the camera's performance in low-light situations. A larger sensor can provide better low-light performance, but it may also increase the size and weight of the camera.

Design. When shopping for a mirrorless body, the design of the camera is crucial. You want something that is compact and lightweight but still offers all the features you expect in a high-end camera.

Special features. If you plan to use your camera for sports or wildlife photography, make sure to choose a camera that offers features specifically designed for these purposes, such as ISO, high-speed continuous shooting and advanced autofocus systems.