The Buyers guide to...Best Sony cameras in 2023

The arrival of the Sony A7 IV has generated a lot of buzz among photographers, much like the Canon EOS 5D Mark II did a decade ago. Sony has made significant improvements to the A7 III, and photographers of all levels have been impressed with its full-frame 33-megapixel sensor, fast focus, and high level of detail. The A7 IV is not an entry-level camera, but it is a versatile option for amateur photographers who want to invest in their hobby and potentially make some money from it. While the A7 IV is not as cheap as the A7 III was at launch and doesn’t have as many video features as the A7S III, it is a capable video camera and is much more affordable.

Overall, the A7 IV is a solid upgrade from the A7 III and is worth considering for those looking to make the jump to the next generation of cameras.

Read our Sony A7 IV Review

The Sony A6600 is designed for photography and videography enthusiasts who want to capture stunning images in any setting. It features a 24.2MP Exmor CMOS image sensor, BIONZ X image processor, and front-end LSI, which enhances image quality in both stills and videos.

One of the most impressive features of the A6600 is Sony’s innovative 5-axis in-body image stabilization system that provides a 5.0-step shutter speed advantage. Additionally, the camera boasts an autofocus acquisition time of just 0.02 seconds, with 425 phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points, covering approximately 84% of the image area.

Sony’s latest Eye AF technology is also included, which employs AI-based object recognition to detect and process eye data in real-time. This feature promises improved accuracy, speed, and tracking performance of Eye AF for both humans and animals, making it an excellent option for portrait and pet photography.

In addition to its photography capabilities, the A6600 also has high-resolution internal 4K movie recording with full-pixel readout without pixel binning in Super 35mm format, built-in interval shooting for time-lapse videos, and a 180-degree tiltable 3.0-type 921k-dot (approx.) LCD touch screen.

Despite not having the same shape as Sony’s full-frame A7 series, the A6600 is equipped with much of the same technology and can capture stunning images across a wide range of subjects. It’s an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-performing camera.

Read our Sony A6600 Review

Despite having the same pixel count as its predecessor, the Sony A7R V comes with significant upgrades that make it a highly appealing option for professional photographers and content creators alike. The A7R V boasts an improved processor and AI Processing Unit, resulting in impressive enhancements to Eye AF, which is now much more sensitive and snappy.

Moreover, the camera features a 9,437,184-dot viewfinder and a 4-way tilting touchscreen that enables more touch-control. The A7R V also has 8K video capability (with a 1.2x crop) and the ability to capture full-frame 4K from 6.2K footage.

Professional photographers who require high resolution will appreciate the A7R V’s 61MP sensor, while content creators can take advantage of the 8K video capability to create downsampled 4K footage. All in all, the Sony A7R V is a very tempting option for anyone seeking a camera with exceptional capabilities.

Read our Sony A7R V Review

While some videographers may have been hoping for a resolution upgrade from the 12mp A7S II, Sony’s decision to stick with this resolution has resulted in the A7S III boasting even better low-light capabilities than its predecessor, along with a more advanced autofocus system, vari-angle screen, and the highest-resolution viewfinder available.

However, the A7S III is not just about resolution; it promises to make 4K video capture easier and produce the best 4K footage possible from a Sony camera. The quality of the footage is outstanding, and the camera offers a range of video-specific improvements.

Furthermore, the A7S III introduces the highest-resolution electronic viewfinder to date and is the first Sony A7-series camera to feature a vari-angle screen, a feature that videographers and photographers have been demanding.

Overall, the Sony A7S III offers a host of improvements to its video specifications, including a vari-angle screen, excellent viewfinder, and advanced video features, making it an excellent choice for videographers and photographers alike.

Read our Sony A7S III Review

The Sony A7S II is still an excellent camera and remains on our list of the best Sony cameras, particularly since its price has dropped now that it has been succeeded by the A7S III.

The camera’s low-resolution sensor has been optimized for video, resulting in maximum quality and making it a popular choice as a lightweight broadcast camera. The 12MP sensor enables full pixel readout without pixel binning, making the most of the sensor’s capabilities.

While its features and layout are more similar to a stills camera than a video camera, the A7S II makes it easy for photographers to transition to videography. It also includes professional log color modes like S-Gamut3.Cine/S-Log3, allowing video editors and directors to seamlessly blend footage from multiple cameras.

To capture high-quality video, the A7S II can shoot at 4K, 30fps, and 1080p, 120fps. Its small size and light weight make it ideal for handheld use, and the camera features 5-axis image stabilization to ensure smooth, fluid footage.

Sony’s Alpha A1 is the company’s most advanced camera yet, offering a combination of a high-resolution full-frame sensor and lightning-fast performance. It comes equipped with a new 50.1Mp full-frame stacked Exmor RS image sensor and can perform up to 120 AF/AE calculations per second.

The A1’s impressive processing power enables it to shoot at up to 30fps, with a large buffer that allows for sequences of up to 155 full-frame compressed RAW images or 165 full-frame JPEGs to be captured at that rate.

Moreover, the A1 features improved Real-time Eye AF for humans and animals and uses high-level subject recognition technology for Real-time Eye AF for birds. Its algorithms also maintain AF tracking if a sitting bird takes off or the framing changes.

The A1 is the first Sony Alpha series camera to offer 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 XAVC HS video recording. It also boasts 4K 120p / 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 video capabilities and S-Cinetone color. It uses 8.6K oversampling for enhanced resolution, and 8K footage can be used for 4K editing during post-production.

The camera also features a 9.44 million dot OLED Quad-XGA electronic viewfinder with a refresh rate of up to 240 fps, ensuring no blackout and delivering the highest resolution in its class. Additionally, it has a 3-inch 1,440,000-dot tilting touchscreen with the revised menu arrangement and more extensive touch-control found in the Sony A7S III.

For those who require even more resolution, the A1 includes Sony’s Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode, which enables the compositing of 16 full-resolution images. Overall, the Sony A1 is a game-changer, offering exceptional capabilities and advanced features that set it apart from other cameras on the market.

You can also find the latest Sony A1 offers at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Read our Sony A1 Review

The Sony A7C is the smallest of the Sony A7-series cameras and is an excellent option for those seeking a compact full-frame camera with exceptional autofocus and noise control systems. It has a flat-topped rectangular body that resembles the Sony A6600, but it features a vari-angle screen rather than a tilting monitor. Inside, the A7C has the same 24Mp sensor and core features as the Sony A7 III.

When paired with the FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6 kit lens, which is a small collapsible optic, the A7C is an attractive choice for travel and everyday photography. However, to achieve this small size, Sony had to make a few compromises on the handling, such as eliminating the joystick on the back of the camera and including only one control dial. Additionally, the electronic viewfinder is the type of unit more commonly found in APS-C format cameras.

For those who can live without a vari-angle screen and don’t mind a slightly larger camera, the Sony A7 III, which sits above the A7C in the range, is an excellent alternative that costs a little less.

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The Sony ZV-1 is an ideal camera for vloggers, offering everything they could wish for in a compact package and featuring Sony’s excellent AF system. It includes features that help inexperienced photographers, videographers, and vloggers achieve good results, with the option to control exposure automatically or manually, a built-in ND filter, and Log and Gamma control. The ZV-1 is perfect for producing great 4K video while allowing for control when needed, making it an enticing choice for vloggers.

While much of the Sony ZV-1’s specifications are similar to the Sony RX100 series of compact cameras, there are a few notable differences that make it better suited for vlogging. Notably, the ZV-1 features a 1-inch type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with 20.1 million effective pixels, which is relatively large for a compact camera and delivers advantages for image quality.

Moreover, the Exmor RS CMOS sensor brings phase-detection focusing, which is generally faster and more decisive than contrast detection. The ZV-1 features a total of 315 phase detection AF points that are available for use in stills and video mode. Overall, the Sony ZV-1 is an excellent option for vloggers seeking a high-quality camera that is easy to use and delivers exceptional results.

Read our Sony ZV-1 Review

The Sony RX100 VII caused a stir when it was announced, promising ‘A9-level’ AF performance and 90fps single burst shooting. This reinforced Sony’s reputation as a true innovator in the market.

Under the hood, the RX100 VII features a 1-inch, stacked 20.1-megapixel Exmor RS CMOS sensor with a DRAM chip and Sony’s Bionz X image processor. On the outside, there is a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mmviii F2.8-4.5 lens.

What’s really exciting, however, is the technology the RX100 VII inherits from Sony’s A9. Like the A9, the RX100 VII offers blackout-free shooting, providing a completely live view, even when continuous shooting at 20fps.

The RX100 VII also boasts ‘A9-level’ AF/AE tracking performance during continuous shooting, meaning the camera performs AF/AE calculations up to 60 times per second and captures fast-moving action at 20fps with AF/AE tracking.

The camera also features Sony’s Real-time Eye AF and Real-time Tracking modes, making their debut for the first time in a compact camera. With 357 focal-plane phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points, its AF system is among the best you will find in a camera of this size.

Additionally, the Sony RX100 VII introduced a new Single Burst Shooting mode, capturing a high-speed shot at up to 90fps in JPEG or Raw format using the anti-distortion shutter. Sony describes the mode as enabling photographers to frame fast-moving action and shoot as if capturing a single frame, but the RX100 VII will deliver seven frames, taken at 90fps, 60fps, or 30fps.

The Sony RX100 VII is also targeted at vloggers, with solid movie-making credentials, including 4K in-body movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning in high bit rate XAVCS, Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for video, and a microphone input.

Thanks to its combination of fast responses, incredible Real-Time Eye AF for humans, animals and birds, 30fps shooting capability and 50Mp full-frame sensor, the Sony A1 is a very attractive choice for wildlife photographers who can stomach its price tag.

Read our Sony A1 Review

The Sony RX100 VII caused a stir when it was announced, promising ‘A9-level’ AF performance and 90fps single burst shooting. This reinforced Sony’s reputation as a true innovator in the market.

Under the hood, the RX100 VII features a 1-inch, stacked 20.1-megapixel Exmor RS CMOS sensor with a DRAM chip and Sony’s Bionz X image processor. On the outside, there is a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mmviii F2.8-4.5 lens.

What’s really exciting, however, is the technology the RX100 VII inherits from Sony’s A9. Like the A9, the RX100 VII offers blackout-free shooting, providing a completely live view, even when continuous shooting at 20fps.

The RX100 VII also boasts ‘A9-level’ AF/AE tracking performance during continuous shooting, meaning the camera performs AF/AE calculations up to 60 times per second and captures fast-moving action at 20fps with AF/AE tracking.

The camera also features Sony’s Real-time Eye AF and Real-time Tracking modes, making their debut for the first time in a compact camera. With 357 focal-plane phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points, its AF system is among the best you will find in a camera of this size.

Additionally, the Sony RX100 VII introduced a new Single Burst Shooting mode, capturing a high-speed shot at up to 90fps in JPEG or Raw format using the anti-distortion shutter. Sony describes the mode as enabling photographers to frame fast-moving action and shoot as if capturing a single frame, but the RX100 VII will deliver seven frames, taken at 90fps, 60fps, or 30fps.

The Sony RX100 VII is also targeted at vloggers, with solid movie-making credentials, including 4K in-body movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning in high bit rate XAVCS, Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for video, and a microphone input.

The Sony A6100 is a camera that is designed for novice photographers who are looking to grow their skills. It has a range of features that are comparable to the more advanced Sony A6600.

The camera boasts internal 4K movie recording in Super 35mm format, with full pixel readout that captures almost 2.4 times the amount of information needed for 4K movies. This is great for those who are interested in making videos, and the integrated microphone input and built-in interval shooting feature make it even more appealing.

The A6100 also shares many of the same features as the A6600, including a 24.2MP Exmor CMOS image sensor, the latest BIONZ X image processor, and a front-end LSI. Its 425 phase-detection AF points cover approximately 84% of the image area, allowing for lightning-fast autofocus acquisition in just 0.02 seconds. It also has 425 contrast-detection AF points.

Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF modes, which provide faster and more accurate autofocus performance when capturing images of humans and animals, are also included on the A6100.