The 10 best DSLR and system cameras you can buy right now

While smartphones might pack properly capable snappers nowadays, there’s no escaping that a dedicated shooting partner will deliver results that outclass anything you can pap on your iPhone. So, whether it’s a system camera or a DSLR you’re after, these are the 10 best cameras you can buy right now. A warning: some of them probably cost more than your car.

10) Canon EOS 200D

Canon has done well to squeeze some of its more advanced tech into the 200D, while keeping it friendly for beginners. There’s enough stuff here to make it a possible backup or travel model for those using some of Canon’s mid-range models, too. If you’re attracted towards DSLRs but are generally put off by their large size and bulk, this is the smallest you’re going to get. While it may not be as small and lightweight as some of the smaller mirrorless models on the market, the handling and features of a DSLR make it a nice alternative. Image quality is very good and by entering into Canon’s eco-system, you get a pretty-much unrivalled set of potential lenses and accessories.

9) Sony A9

Sony’s high-end mirrorless cameras continue to impress, and the A9 represents a genuine challenge to Nikon and Canon’s top-of-the-range DSLRs. 20fps stills shooting, with continuously-updating autofocus and exposure, from a full-frame lens? That’s something none of this camera’s rivals can touch at the moment. Is this a camera for non-professionals, though? At £4,500/$4,500, it’s a tough sell – the Sony A7 series offers fantastic (albeit slightly slower) models for a lot less. For those five percenters who shoot sport, wildlife or photojournalism and need the speed, though? The A9 is the fastest camera in town – and its 5-axis image stabilisation is a real boon.

8) Nikon D500

The Nikon D500’s range of features and excellent performance make it one of the best APS-C DSLRs you can buy. It’s a chunky camera, designed to produce good images in a range of different conditions. Those experienced enough to be au fait with all the different settings options will love the direct controls on offer, while features such as 4K video recording also appeal to videographers as well as photographers. There’s a huge array of things going for the D500, high price or otherwise – if you’re looking for a solid all-rounder that performs well in a range of different conditions, it’s a worthy investment.

7) Canon EOS 80D

The 80D is a really lovely camera to use. Everything is just so effortless – you pick it up, point it at something, click away and get a load of great, in-focus pictures back. Then, if you want, you can connect via Wi-Fi and download them to your phone. It’s the photographic equivalent of playing FIFA 16 as Barcelona, on full auto mode, against Aston Villa: by the time you’re finished you’ll be convinced that you’re a genius, but really you’ve not got much to do with the results. Yes, it’s much bigger and uglier than the cream of the compact system camera crop, and it’s a lot more expensive than a whole host of perfectly good DSLRs including Canon’s own 750D. But if you want a camera that takes the hard work out of getting great photos, you won’t find many better ways to spend a grand.

6) Fujifilm GFX 50S

The GFX50 is a camera for professionals (with a price tag to match), but that doesn’t mean it isn’t user-friendly. You don’t need to be a technical master to take killer shots with this camera; anyone with a grasp of the photography basics will be shooting like Ansel Adams or Rankin in no time. The GFX 50S is also smaller than full frame DSLRs, but packs in a larger sensor, and is arguably easier to use. Fuji’s fantastic control layout is easy enough for newcomers to learn, and instantly recognisable for anyone stepping up from an X-series camera. The massive number of autofocus points is unheard of in a medium format camera too, and really opens up what’s possible – both inside and outside a studio setting.

5) Sony A6500

The A6500 is one of the best compact system cameras around, and sits at the very top of the APS-C tree. Capable of producing superb images straight out of the camera, its raft of high-speed features make it a particularly good match for anyone who likes to shoot fast-moving action subjects, be it wildlife or your pet dog. The touchscreen isn’t perfect, it’s pretty expensive and if you tend to shoot non-moving fare like landscapes, portraits and macro, you might be better suited to the A6300. Which you go for depends a lot on your preferences for a camera’s controls and feel, but we reckon the A6500 just edges it.

4) Panasonic Lumix G9

The G9 is the best Lumix camera to date and a cracking choice for wildlife or action photography. Naturally, there’s a trade-off with that Micro Four Thirds sensor – as great as the G9’s images are, they’re not on a par with with a full-frame camera, particularly in low light situations. But the plus sides are lightning shooting speed, a much lower price tag and smaller lenses. If you’re looking for a camera for your travels, the G9 and its system of light and small lenses could be ideal. With 4K video and handy shooting modes like High Resolution also on board, it’s one of most versatile high-end mirrorless cameras you can buy right now.

3) Fujifilm X-T2

The one real drawback to the Fujifilm X-T2 is its price: it’ll cost you £1400/$1600 body-only. But high price or not, it’s worth every penny. What you’re getting here is a camera which approaches high-end DSLRs for speed and rivals pretty much any camera – even full-framers – for image quality, all while sitting inside a gorgeous and diminutive weatherproof shell. Add in its new video abilities and it’s a true all-rounder. Just as importantly, it’s a camera which handles superbly and which never makes you work hard to do anything. If you miss a shot it’ll be all your own doing. Does it take great pictures? It sure does. And is it a great camera? Absolutely.

2) Nikon D850

If you’re need pro-friendly features and can stomach the price tag, the Nikon D850 is the best DSLR you can buy today. It has a ton of fantastic features that will appeal to anyone who’s looking for a workhorse of a camera that can shoot in pretty much any situation, be it landscapes or fast action. Negatives are few and far between. Having the focus points clustered around the centre is sometimes a little annoying as you have to focus and recompose, but that’s something which is common to pretty much all DSLRs. A very capable AF system and a range of other features mean that for those who already shoot Nikon, this is a dream upgrade.

1) Fujifilm X-T20

Is the X-T20 a cheaper edition of the X-T2 that retains all the same benefits? Not quite – there’s a step down in build quality, as well as a few minor differences here and there. But for most people, the £800/$900 model will deliver results that are just as good as its big brother’s, in a body that’s just as easy to live with. With well laid-out controls, a huge viewfinder, excellent autofocus, a top class sensor and access to some superb lenses, the X-T20 is one more fantastic mirrorless camera from Fujifilm – and the best bang-for-buck system snapper you can buy.