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The best mirrorless camera for beginners
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read the full article here. After 60 hours of research and 25 hours of testing, we found the $600 Sony a5100 is the best mirrorless camera for beginners. It stands out from the dozens of competitors we considered by delivering superior photo quality while being easier to use right out of the box thanks to simple menus and controls. Plus, it offers enough flexibility to keep up with a new photographer's developing skills.
Sony Alpha 5100 is the smallest APS-C camera with a built-in flash
If you've been holding out on purchasing an Alpha 6000 because you don't need an electronic viewfinder, Sony's got a mirrorless camera just for you. Internally, the Alpha 5100, which replaces the NEX-5T, is nearly identical to its pricier counterpart, with a 24.3-megapixel sensor and a BIONZ X processor. You also get a 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 power-zoom lens, bundled with the camera for $700 ($550 for the body only), and the same hybrid focusing system, letting you acquire a subject in as little as 0.07 second. It excludes an EVF, but the A5100 does have a 921k-dot display (with touch functionality this time) that flips forward 180 degrees for self-portraits. There's also built-in WiFi, XAVC S video capture and a top sensitivity of ISO 25,600. It ships next month in black and white.
