The Totable Mirrorless Compact System Cameras

Pentax Q-S1
Tiny enough to slip into almost any pocket, the Pentax Q-S1 travels nicely and, despite its miniscule size, is compatible with a series of eight lenses. Fashion-forward photographers have a choice of four standard color combinations as well as the ability to style the camera with 36 body and grip colors—even khaki green and charcoal black, for those who prefer a more classic look.
Price: $500

EDITOR’S PICK: Sony a7S
Like its a7 and a7R siblings, the Sony a7S is a full-frame mirrorless master of photography. With the latest model in this trio, the resolution drops to 12 megapixels—the sweet spot for low-light photography. Paired with an ISO that reaches 409,800, the a7S can almost see in the dark. Excellent video capabilities, great design and handling are only part of this amazing camera’s story, and with a little research and exploration, you’ll see why.
Price: $2,500

Olympus PEN E-PL7
Just announced at the end of the summer, Olympus continues its more consumer-oriented PEN camera line with the E-PL7. It’s a solid camera for experienced photographers, too, and we like the vintage design. Olympus is also definitely trying to lure smartphone photographers into the fold with the E-PL7’s Wi-Fi and selfie-friendly flip-down LCD. Still, it’s equipped with enough manual controls to keep most photographers happy.
Price: $600

Sony a5100
Another end-of-summer surprise, the Sony a5100 isn’t quite as small as the Pentax Q-S1, but it’s compact and packed with features, some of which have trickled down from the more sophisticated (and expensive) a6000. Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity are built in, with plenty of apps to expand the a5100’s functionality and creativity. We especially like being able to capture both high- and low- resolution video at the same time.
Prices: $550 (body only); $700 (with 16-50mm motorized zoom lens)

Fujifilm X-T1
Perhaps more than most other Fuji X-series cameras, the X-T1 has a retro look and feel with its analogue dials positioned across the top deck of its weather-resistant body. Once you’ve mastered those nostalgia-inducing controls, you’ll be impressed with its speed—from autofocus to high-speed bursts—as well as its gorgeous OLED EVF, which offers several unique viewing options.
Price: $1,300

Olympus OM-D E-M1
By the time you read this, you’ll know that Olympus has released a silver version of its excellent OM-D E-M1, but even more exciting is the firmware upgrade to version 2.0. Tethering, keystone compensation, live composite (for seeing exposures and effects in real time in Live View) and two new art filters are all part of the firmware update. The E-M1 is a great mirrorless camera, and the firmware update places it even higher on our favorites list.
Price: $1,400

Samsung NX1
Moving into the flagship position of Samsung’s mirrorless cameras, the 28-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor (the first of its kind) NX1 was announced at this year’s Photokina. The NX1 packs numerous under-the-hood enhancements, including a new DRiM V processor and a new AF system with both phase- and contrast-detection sensors in a new pattern. This weather-sealed camera is fast, too, with a continuous speed of up to 15fps and is the latest camera to feature 4K video capture, which can be recorded—uncompressed—directly to an SD card.
Prices: $1,500 (body only); $2,799 (with 16-50mm S lens, battery grip, charger and extra battery)