For the last several years, PetaPixel has published its awards for the best cameras, lenses, smartphones, and more. This year, we’re expanding the PetaPixel Awards with a new category: People’s Choice.
From now until next week, December 9, cast your vote for which camera you believe deserves the award of “Camera of the Year.” Voting is being hosted on SurveyMonkey and responses are randomized in the poll. Click here to cast your vote now.
If you need to do some catching up, make sure to check out our reviews for each of the nominated cameras below. Then, make sure to cast your vote.
Cast Your Vote for PetaPixel’s Camera of the Year: People’s Choice
The Canon EOS R1
You could argue that all flagship cameras are a niche product for a certain echelon of professional photographers– and you would be correct. However, some cameras like the Nikon Z9 and Sony Alpha 1 can handle many kinds of photography while still giving the ultimate in ruggedness and customization. Perhaps the Canon R1 is too specialized for its own good and many of the people we spoke to who tested the R1 found the R5 Mark II to be the more useful choice given its greater versatility. The R1 seems to be covering territory already trodden by the EOS R3.
That being said, the R1 is incredible at what it does. It shoots faster than almost every camera except the Sony a9 III, is rugged and reliable, and can shoot non-stop for a long time. The autofocus is reliable and good at tracking many different subjects. Canon makes excellent sports glass too, which the R1 takes full advantage of.
The R1 is ideal as a sports and journalism camera and could find some use as a wildlife camera, too. If you are interested in this kind of photography and if it makes sense to pay $6,300 to get it, the R1 could be the perfect tool for you.
The Canon EOS R1
It is clear that Canon has made a versatile camera that keeps the pressure on the Nikon Z8 and is also Canon’s best hybrid video and stills capture device. I still feel like the form factor and handling of the Z8 are excellent and I prefer the layout to the R5 Mark II. However, there is no denying that the Z8 still gives a similar stills shooting experience and some video improvements, all at a lower price.
What the Canon R5 Mark II represents is Canon’s most capable all-round camera to date and it is easy to see why it has overshadowed even the EOS R1. I think many Canon shooters will opt to go with the R5 Mark II as a preferred tool for shooting sports, action, and wildlife, even though the R1 and R3 are more specialized tools in this regard. The fact is, Canon has given the R5 Mark II a capable sensor with good electronic shutter characteristics and a far more versatile megapixel count, and it should do for Canon shooters what the Nikon Z8 did for Nikon. I’d simply add a battery grip if I wanted a larger form factor and better battery life for more serious applications. I’m happy to see that the R5 mkII retains everything I loved about the original R5 but also adds more versatility to a wider range of users.
Nikon Z6 III
The $2,500 Nikon Z6 III covers a lot of bases and is one of the nicest handling cameras on the market. Potential buyers will love the controls, improved EVF experience, and overall image quality results. The Z6 III also proves to be a camera that can handle many different kinds of photographic situations and video assignments as well and Nikon has made it to be an incredibly versatile product that should please most users.
Nikon autofocus performance still has a few quirks but the success rate for shooting sports and action will be high, especially due to the fast burst rates in both mechanical and electronic shutter mode. Video shooters also need to take a serious look at Nikon products if they haven’t already.
Sony a9 III
In meaningful ways, the Sony a9 III is a revolutionary camera. It makes possible shots that were once impossible. While the a9 III pushes photography and camera technology into uncharted waters, it is not all smooth sailing. Image quality has taken a demonstrable step bac, and as incredible as the camera’s speed, Sony’s choice of memory card tech is less forward-thinking than its image sensor.
The Sony a9 III is the first of its kind. It makes lofty promises of groundbreaking this and unprecedented that. Sony delivers on some of these promises and sets the stage for a future where there may be no compromises. We aren’t there yet and may not be for many years. But in the meantime, the Sony a9 III empowers photographers in ways no camera ever has.
Sony a1 II
While the original a1 was light-years ahead of the competition at the time of its launch which helped to justify the high price of admission, the a1 II’s advantages are relatively less substantial this time around. It is still Sony’s best all-around camera but the competition has caught up significantly in the last couple of years.
Sony users who don’t need the same action and sports capability but still want high image quality should certainly look at the a7R V instead. However, there is no denying that the Sony a1 II is the highest-tier option and stands as one of the best modern mirrorless cameras that money can buy. If you do pick one up, you won’t be disappointed by what it can do.
Fujifilm GFX 100S II
You can look at the GFX 100S II as a simple upgrade from the GFX 100S with better autofocus, better IBIS, and improved displays, but I think the new changes are substantial enough that the GFX 100S II becomes a more compelling product against the more expensive GFX 100 II. Unless you need the better video capabilities or the fastest possible burst rates, the GFX 100S II gives the same image quality, and stability, and still shoots quickly enough for most people. It’s also lighter and more compact with a form factor that I prefer when traveling around.
The GFX 100S II is going to make more practical sense as a medium-format camera to far more people than any other option out there.
Leica Q3 43
Leica has taken a page from Ricoh’s book and made a version of the much-loved Q3 with a newly developed, longer focal length 43mm f/2 APO-Summicron lens, and it brings me right back to a nostalgic place and time when I would wander the streets with nothing but a fixed 50mm. According to Leica, nothing has changed on the body of this new Q3 at all, save for a stylish grey leather finish. I can’t find anything different in the experience of using the Q3 43 body that would disagree with that, and even the lens has a very familiar feel and design structure to the original 28mm f/1.7.
I wish the camera was updated even a little bit, but I have to admit that I had more fun with the 43mm lens than I did with the previous Q3; and I really had fun with the previous Q3. Everything that people loved about the original is intact and maybe that was the plan all along. However, everything that was annoying about the original is here, too.
Fujifilm X100VI
I think that, at some level, the reason so many are quick to try and bring down the X100VI or diminish the joy others are getting by using one is the idea that photography should be work, or that it should be tough, or uncomfortable in some way. It’s true, the X100VI makes capturing meaningful photos so easy, so effortless, and so full of joy. If photography, to you, should be none of these things, then yes, you’re right, this camera is bad.
But that is, of course, a silly perspective. Photography is a hobby because it’s fun, and this camera really gets that. You can blame the social media hype machine for this camera’s outrageous popularity, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but just because people are excited about it doesn’t mean they aren’t right to be. If the X100VI, or any camera, gives people joy and makes them fall in love with photography for the first time or, like me, fall back in love with it again — whether that’s the process of shooting or the results or sharing what they’ve shot — then that is a huge win. Nobody has to buy it themselves, but if you’re raining on someone else’s parade, you’ll have no water left with which to tend your own garden.
Fujifilm X-T50
The Fujifilm X-T50 is clearly aimed at the photographic community as the 40-megapixel sensor delivers excellent image quality but somewhat hampers video performance. It’s possible to shoot 4K 30p video the full width of the sensor but the pixel binning reduces image quality. Otherwise, you can shoot 4K 60p or even 6.2K 30p but with a heavy crop. It’s important to note that the read-out speed of the 40-megapixel sensor isn’t ideal either and rolling shutter will rear its head.
It’s also clear that the X-T50, while still aimed at beginner photographers, has much better overall photo capabilities thanks to the IBIS unit and enhanced autofocus performance. It would make for an excellent backup body for an X-T5 user and has a bit more room to grow as a beginner learns the craft. It would also be an ideal travel camera for the advanced photographer looking to keep things light and compact
Fujifilm X-M5
I wanted to love this camera so desperately. When I first looked at the X-M5, I was won over by its handsome design and compact nature. And the world needs more stylish little cameras like this, which are within the reach of most people’s budgets. However, we might lose too much to make this lower $799 price possible.
The Fujifilm X-M5 gets some stuff right but lacks the few essentials that I would want to make it an ideal entry-level camera. The Fujifilm X-T30 II is an excellent design with retro-inspired controls and has an EVF. It might not have the same video capabilities, but I would probably still choose the X-T30 II over the X-M5. If you are into the more video-side of the hybrid experience or don’t feel that an EVF is needed, the X-M5 is an excellent choice on a budget. If you are looking for a great entry-level photographic camera and want an EVF, there are better options.
OM System OM-1 Mark II
Up until the release of the Panasonic G9-II, the OM-1 was the best Micro Four Thirds flagship camera around. Although the G9 II surpassed the OM-1 in terms of autofocus performance and video capabilities, I would say that the OM-1 II is once again the most compelling photographic camera in the Micro Four Thirds segment.
The improved buffer and autofocus performance are the significant changes that were most needed. Still, there is no denying that the overall tweaks we see between the original OM-1 and the OM-1 II are fairly minor. I wouldn’t drop either the original OM-1 or G9 II to get this latest model, and the reason we even have a new version might have way more to do with rebranding than with actual improvements to the camera.
Unfortunately, these changes also come with a higher price tag, which could push more users towards the G9 II or the original OM-1. None of this can take away from the fact that the OM-1 Mark II is once again the overall leader when it comes to fast action photography in the Micro Four Thirds lineup
Panasonic S9
I am honestly struggling with answering who this camera is for because the S9 is quite enigmatic for such a simple camera design. I do at least prefer the handling and controls to similar cameras like the Sigma FP series and the LUTs are an enjoyable if somewhat limited way of avoiding the whole editing game altogether. In so many ways though, it is a very pared-down camera and yet I did have fun using it in specific situations. Perhaps it’s better to approach the question at hand by describing what potential I see in the S9 as a useful tool.
The real challenge arises when you consider that all these features and so much more can be found on the S5 II for just a little bit more investment. This will be even more true when the Lumix Lab app becomes available to other Panasonic cameras like the S5II, unlocking arguably the most fun and exciting part of this whole experience without purchasing the S9. Take the Lumix Lab app away and you are left with a very basic camera that will only appeal to those users who want either the smallest full-frame L-mount experience possible — or the most simplistic.
Panasonic GH7
During my time with the GH7, it seems like a perfect camera for shooting PetaPixel’s YouTube show. It offers everything the G9 II does, with the peace of mind only a cooling fan can bring, in a body perfectly designed for capturing video. The GH7’s $300 premium over the G9 II is easily justified for those who will take advantage of even one of its video-centric features.
The $2,200 question though is why anyone would spend that much on a Micro Four Thirds camera when the full frame Panasonic S5 IIX can be had for basically the same price — or less. The full-frame sensor will give the S5 IIX an advantage in low light, dynamic range, and shallow depth of field. However the GH7’s 4K/120P, much reduced rolling shutter, internal ProRes RAW recording, and optional 32-bit float audio make a strong case for compromising on sensor size. That said, the GH7 has me thinking that we may see a lot of these features in an upcoming full-frame, L-Mount S1H replacement. That will undoubtedly be a more expensive camera though, so the GH7 will likely continue to be a great choice for video enthusiasts.
Cast Your Vote for PetaPixel’s Camera of the Year: People’s Choice
Image credits: Elements of header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
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