Best mirrorless camera under 2 lakh in India

For most people spending up to 2 lakh, the Nikon Z5 II is the best buy: full frame, two SD slots and 4K 60p. Choose the Canon R8 if weight matters more than a second card slot, and the Sony A7C II if you already own Sony lenses.

These are the bodies under 2 lakh and in stock at the stores we track today.

The specs that decide it

Nikon Z5 II. Two SD slots make it safe for paid work, and at 700g it is a serious body. Its 9.4 frames per second is good for portraits and events and slow for birds. Nikon's own specification puts the mechanical shutter at 7.8 frames per second.

Canon R8. The lightest full-frame here at 461g, with uncropped 4K 60p. It has one card slot, no stabilisation in the body according to Canon, and no mechanical shutter. Canon gives it 6 frames per second with an electronic first curtain. Read how it compares with the R6 Mark II before buying it for events.

Sony A7C II. Small at 514g, with 10 frames per second. Its 4K 60p is a Super 35 crop, and there is one card slot, so it is a travel and personal-work camera.

Nikon Z6 III. The fastest here at 14 frames per second, with 4K 120p and two slots, one CFexpress Type B and one SD. It is at the top of this budget, so watch the tile above in case it moves out of range.

Canon R7. APS-C, so it is not full frame, but it has 15 frames per second, two UHS-II slots and a 1.6x crop that helps wildlife shooters.

Keep some money back

A full-frame body without good lenses wastes the sensor. Price your lens before you settle on a body. If the whole budget is 2 lakh, the Canon R8 or Z5 II leaves more room than the Z6 III.

The Sony A7 IV and Canon R6 Mark II sit near this limit too. Check their tiles if your budget can move a little.

What to avoid

Avoid single-slot bodies for weddings or anything you are paid for. Do not buy a camera for its top burst number unless you know that number applies with its mechanical shutter. Electronic shutter speeds can look impressive and bring banding under some lights.

Before you buy

At this price, go and hold the camera. Ask the store whether they can bring the body and lens you want together, then shoot a few frames indoors. Ask what is in the box and get the seller's contact details, because you will want to talk to them again.