The Great Mirrorless Camera Showdown: Final Four

Last week we launched the Great Mirrorless Showdown – a bracket-styled tournament that will determine the favorite mirrorless camera among creators.

We chose 8 mirrorless cameras and pitted them against each other in head-to-head match-ups and asked the filmmakers who create footage on Artgrid to vote on each one.

Here are the results of the first round:

So we have reached the Final Four stage of the tournament, featuring the 4 best mirrorless cameras on the market. Let’s look at the match-ups.

Sony A7s III vs. Sony a1

In the first round, the Sony A7s III prevailed over the Sony FX3 largely thanks to its versatility and viewfinder, which the FX3 lacks. The Sony a1 beat the Sony Alpha a9 II thanks to its superior image quality, with one of our filmmakers proclaiming it was “the best mirrorless hybrid camera on the market without any fear of being contradicted.”

Let’s see how this semifinal match-up pans out.

What our filmmakers say

Jonathan Stütz: “The dynamic range and low-light capabilities of the a7s III are superior to the a1, so it gets my vote.”

Wesley Aston: “The a1 is an everything camera, whereas the A7s III lacks megapixels for photos and is never an option for stills. I shoot a lot of timelapses and cannot get 8K with it.”

Verdict

It seems that even though the a1 has more megapixels and can record in 8K, the a7s III’s much friendlier price tag, low light capabilities and outstanding video quality give it the nod.

Winner: Sony A7s III

Panasonic GH5 vs. Canon R5

In the last round, the Canon R5 beat the Canon R6, its superior image quality overcoming the higher price tag. The Panasonic GH5 II, on the other hand, got the nod over the Panasonic S1H thanks to its comfort and battery life despite not having a full-frame sensor.

So, will the GH5 II’s Cinderella story continue, or will the favorite R5 prevail?

What our filmmakers say:

Endyframe Production: The R5 is full-frame, reaches 8k, has a better dynamic range and shoots better stills than the GH5. But most importantly, the R5 has much better autofocus.”

Monster Filmmakers: “The R5 provides more lens options, has a larger sensor and great stabilization.”

Tim McGlinchey: “For such a massive price difference, I’d need the R5 to offer more game-changing features than it does. Amazing how well the GH5 has held up given its age. I have such a big soft spot for this camera, as it has been my main stock footage system for the past 3 years with Artgrid! So I may be biased.”

Verdict

In this match-up, price doesn’t beat image quality as far as our filmmakers are concerned.

Winner: Canon R5

Wrap up

After the dust has settled over the semifinal match-ups, 2 cameras are left standing and will meet in the all-important mirrorless camera showdown final.

We have ourselves a classic match-up between the 2 big camera manufacturers, Sony and Canon. Who will claim the top spot? The Sony a7s III or the Canon R5. Find out next week. Until then, stay creative!