Mirrorless cameras can capture good-quality birds in flight while quickly taking continuous shots. But can they be used to capture the birds in flight with full focus and sharpness? If you buy one of the cheapest cameras for bird photography, the last thing you want to ruin the experience is image quality and even the camera in bad weather.
So mirrorless cameras come with weather sealing? Most mirrorless cameras come with weather sealing to thrive and use in the outside weather while capturing wildlife and birds in flight moments. Your experience will be good with the image quality and focus on the subjet losing the focus dight.
If you want to know more about the best cameras for birding, keep reading. In this compilation, we have covered the 9 best mirrorless cameras for birds in flight.
Best Cameras for Your Birding Adventure
1. Sony A1
This killing Sony A1 camera offers a stacked 50- megapixel sensor, allowing you to focus on the object and finest details fully. The rapid-fire shooting capability allows you to capture 30 frames in 1 second. The electronic camera shutter doesn’t let you compromise the image quality. It is accurate and fast, along with capturing good-quality images. Sony A1 camera is easy to use while capturing the flying birds’ moments, even during a flight. This also offers weather sealing to protect from the outside weather and dust particles, making it a good option as one of the best cameras for Birding photography.
On the other side, It creates big and heavy files, so unsuitable for those who continuously capture big events images, as it might create storage space issues. When the space is crowded, it needs better continuous lighting to capture good-quality images.
On the other side, It creates big and heavy files, so unsuitable for those who continuously capture big events images, as it might create storage space issues. When the space is crowded, it needs better continuous lighting to capture good-quality images.
Pros
- The full frame captures both portrait and landscape modes.
- 50Mp CMOS sensor captures better images with quality in sharpness.
Cons
- Needs good light for continuous shots.
- This camera creates data-heavy images, resulting in storage space issues.
2. Canon EOS R7
Canon is the best mirrorless camera, with 32.5 megapixels with an APS-C sensor. The electronic shutter allows you to capture 30 frames per second, and the mechanical shutter captures 15 frames per second.
Canon EOS R7 also offers incredible IBIS and two card slots. Along with weather sealing, the OLED EVF is 2.36 million dots, making it one of the best cameras for birding photography.
Pros
- Canon R7 offers great value.
- OLED EVF
- 32.5 megapixels APS-C sensor.
Cons
- The electronic viewfinder is just average.
- Absence of native APS-C camera Sensor.
3. OM System OM-1
This is the first mirrorless camera from the brand Olympus and is known for its ability to capture moments in rapid-fire shoots. The Quad pixel of 1053 points allows it to shoot raw files at 50fps so that you can capture the subject like a flying bird in the focus.
OM System OM-1 mirrorless camera is considered a revolution for bird photography. The autofocus mode allows for quick photoshoots, and this camera’s 5-axis in-body image stabilization is excellent. This camera also has the BSI live MOS sensor, which makes it capable of capturing highly sensitive subjective information even in poor light conditions.
The comprehensive protective sealing of this camera prevents it from outdoor moisture and atmosphere, making it a perfect choice for bird shooting photographers.
Pros
- 50 fps with C-AF
- AI detects Quad pixel of 1053 points
- Weather Sealing
- Excellent Image Stabilization – 5-axis
- Smaller in size and lighter in weight
Cons
- The 20-megapixel is less for high-quality image sharpness.
- Handhold resolution has no motion correction.
- C-AF tracking is not well integrated, and it isn’t very pleasant.
4. Fujifilm X-T4
The FujiFilm camera has APS-C 26.1 megapixel sensor. The advanced features of this camera, like eye autofocus, will help you to track the subject with eye movement with Real-time eye autofocus.
Fujifilm X-T4 allows to capture of sharp images, and the continuous shooting speed of 15 frames per second makes it compatible with capturing birds on flights, making it an excellent bird photography camera. The Fujifilm X-T4 camera buffer allows you to capture around 500 to 600 raw files. And you can also capture high-quality videos in 4K.
Pros
- The buffer capacity is great.
- It allows you to capture 4K quality videos for up to half an hour.
Cons
- The battery can be charged only in the camera.
- While charging the battery, you can’t use the camera.
5. Nikon Z9
Most wildlife photography professionals and bird photographers consider Nikon Z9 their dream camera. It enables the 3D tracking of moments, making them the most formidable DSLR cameras. The Nikon Z9 offers Artificial intelligence-based eye tracking of the subject, and the autofocus is 493 points. This camera has a full-frame stacked 45.7-megapixel sensor and an electronic shutter.
The camera has two card slots, can handle up to 1000 raw files, and can capture 20 frames in one second. Another best feature making it a highly recommendable camera is weather sealing.
Pros
- Buffer can store one thousand raw files.
- Excellent 8K Video quality.
- AI enables subject eye tracking.
- Full frame, 45.7 stacked sensors.
Cons
- Heavy and large.
- The mechanical shutter is absent.
- This camera is costly.
6. Sony Alpha A7 IV
The upgraded Sony Alpha A7 IV has AI that enables Eye tracking autofocus, which detects humans and wildlife, including flying birds. This feature helps to capture the birds in flight with pin sharpness focus. The grip of the camera is better and deeper. You will find it friendly and super amazing once you get friendly with the camera and have a good memory of the menus and touch interface settings. Sony A7 allows you to capture ten frames per second. It is good for photography and captures excellent videos, and in the APS-C Super 35 crop mode, it can shoot up to 4K 60p videos too. The resolution is higher, and the screen is articulated completely instead of a tilt screen.
Sonly A7 buffer allows you to capture 828 raw files in full resolutions. Sony A7 IV has good image stabilization and offers up to 5.5 stops of shake, making it one of the best cameras for birding photography. The best thing about sensitivity is it is expandable. The standard sensitivity is 100 to 51.2K and can be expandable to ISO – 50 to 204,800.
Pros
- Smart Autofocus and Subject tracking.
- Well, they are designed to hold and handle.
Cons
- It is complicated to navigate the AF menus.
- Less Video Stabilization
- In full DR mode, the continuous shots rate drops to 6fps.
7. Sony A9 II
This Alpha A9 II allows you continuous shooting, and you can capture 20 frames per second in high resolutions. Sony A9 II camera has a full-frame 24.2-megapixel sensor. A9 II lets you capture images by detecting the subjects with an eye-tracking autofocus system, and it performs best when it is about autofocus.
The image quality is sharp, even capturing the birds in flight mode. Being smaller in size and lighter in weight, this camera is compact and offers great value.
Pros
- Sony A9 II is compact.
- The autofocus is great.
- Great value.
Cons
- For professionals, the 4K video quality features are not excellent.
- It lacks a touch interface.
- The interface is not advanced and easy to navigate.
8. Olympus OM-D E-M1X
This model of the Olympus series has a 20.4-megapixel sensor making it a good mirrorless camera for bird photography. The continuous speeds of shot capturing allow you to capture 18 frames per second.
The smart bird detection autofocus of Olympus OM-D E-M1X lets you capture a bird in flight with sharp, high-quality images, making it one of the best cameras for birding.
Pros
- Autofocus and bird detection.
- Good Buffer capacity.
- Great image resolution.
- The stabilization is excellent.
- Two camera batteries extend the camera usage time.
Cons
- 20.4 megapixels is lower for continuous, high-quality, sharp images.
- Dynamic range is less for log videos.
- Live ND mode can’t be utilized during the interval shooting.
9. Canon EOS R3
This mirrorless camera has an eye-controlled autofocus system for the top tier and excellent photography performance. With your eye movement, Canon EOS R3 can adjust the subject’s focus, which is an excellent feature. It comes with a full frame stacked 24-Megapixel sensor. With an electronic shutter, you can capture 30 frames per second, and the mechanical shutter allows you to capture 12 frames per second. This camera also has dual card slots. 120pfs EVF, 5-axis in-body image stabilization, and a touch screen allow you to capture the best out of the moment.
Along with all these amazing features, the weather sealing is great. All these features make the Canon EOS R3 one of the best cameras for Birding photography, even in flight mode.
Pros
- Innovative features.
- Eye-controlled autofocus system.
- Image stabilization.
- Both electronic and mechanical shutters.
Cons
- The 24-megapixel resolution is low.
- Canon EOS R3 is comparatively costly.
Important Factors to Consider While Choosing the Best Cameras for Birding
While selecting the Mirrorless Camera for bird photography, it is important to keep a few essential things in mind, which will help you to save your camera for the long term. Selecting the best cameras for birding will save you money as you don’t have to buy the camera quickly and frequently.
- Autofocus – The eye-tracking autofocus improves the photography experience. It is essential for sharp and good-quality images.
- More Megapixels – The greater the megapixel size is, the better resolution it will offer. Also, consider your device storage space according to how many continuous shots you must take.
- Sensor Size – Large sensors offer great image quality even in low light. APS-C sensors give excellent results over the full frame sensors.
- Image Stabilization – For sharp images, stabilization is important to avoid shot shaking.
- Rapid Fire Shooting – The greater continuous shooting speed is essential to capture shape edges and birds in flight.
- Weather Sealed – Weather sealing is important for outdoor photography to save your camera from dust and the atmosphere and to make it durable.
Final Thoughts
The Sony A1 mirrorless camera is the best choice if you are a professional bird photography shooter. If you are looking for an alternative to the Sony A1 because of storage space, then Nikon Z9 is the best option you might love to use.
Every bird photography lover wants to capture the sharpest quality bird in flight images. And using the most suitable cameras for birding according to your professional skills and requirement is the best way to get there.
This post showed you the nine best mirrorless birding cameras that can be used for taking snaps of flying birds. It also covered the features, the reasons to buy, and the drawbacks.
This post has also covered the list of important factors when selecting a camera to help you select the best camera for bird photography according to your requirement.
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