REVIEW | GEAR SHOWDOWN
GEAR SHOWDOWN: FULL-FRAME
MIRRORLESS CAMERASWith main manufacturers now making substantial strides into the full-frame mirrorless
arena, it’s easily one of the most exciting gear categories today. D-Photo’s review round-
table team takes a look at four of the hottest models to see how they compareIn recent years, mirrorless cameras have
come along in leaps and bounds, and many
models now make just as good a case for
themselves as conventional DSLRs, if not
better. They’re smaller, lighter, pack a range
of innovative features, and can often matchDSLR power and speed beat for beat.
With this many serious full-frame mirrorless
models on the market, D-Photo’s review
team decided that it was time to sit down
with some of the best and see how they
stack up against one another.CANON EOS R NIKON Z6 PANASONIC LUMIX S1 SONY A7 III
Canon released its first full-frame
mirrorless camera, the EOS R, in
late 2018. Eschewing the trend of
releasing both a pro and enthusiast
body, Canon has opted to walk the
middle ground, balancing specs
and cost.
This EOS R features a 30.3MP
full-frame CMOS sensor that
will be familiar to anyone who
has experienced the 5D Mark IV
DSLR. The camera also features
Dual Pixel autofocus (AF) system
with a whopping 5655 focus
points — it’s the same one used in
the 1Dx Mark II — and includes an
innovative multifunction touch bar.
The EOS R has that classic Canon
feel, and any shooter already
immersed in the ecosystem will
be right at home, especially with
an adapter to allow the use of an
existing Canon lens collection.Nikon joined Canon in releasing its
own full-frame mirrorless models
in late 2018: the Nikon Z6 and
Z7. The Z7 packs the larger sensor
and price tag, but the Z6 shines
with its versatility. The series also
launched with some nice compact
lenses, and Nikon has provided
an exciting road map for further
lens releases.
The Z6 boasts great low-light
performance and a wide ISO
range, along with quick 12fps
shooting. It also offers cropless
4K video and an in-body
image-stabilization (IS) system
good for up to five stops of
shake compensation.
Solidly built but with the
lightweight advantages of
mirrorless technology, Nikon’s Z6
is an exciting first-generation full-
frame mirrorless outing.Panasonic has long been a
mirrorless pioneer, but it has
primarily championed the
Micro Four Thirds format. With
the release of the Lumix S1
and its big brother the S1R, the
company takes its first stab at
full-frame glory.
The Lumix S1 is built around
a 24.2MP CMOS sensor,
and features in-body shake
reduction and Panasonic’s
Depth from Defocus contrast-
detect AF system. Designed to
handle rigorous video needs
along with stills, the S1 also
shoots 4K/60p video.
With a solid, weather-sealed
build and impressive ultra-high-
resolution electronic viewfinder,
the Lumix S1 looks and feels like
a winner.Sony has been at the full-frame
mirrorless game for longer than
the other manufacturers on this
list, and the third-generation
a7 III capably illustrates just why
that is such an advantage.
About the size of a pre-digital
SLR, the slight a7 III nonetheless
packs a massive 42.4MP full-
frame sensor. That resolution
hasn’t come at the expense of
speed, either, with the camera
capable of continuous shooting
up to 10fps, as well as filing 4K
video footage.
The a7 III is also able to take
advantage of Sony’s steadily
growing native lens collection,
including ample consumer-level
models alongside the premium
G Master range.