The Best New Cameras

With equipment like this, it’s becoming difficult to take a bad photo.

Some of the latest cameras are designed for people who prefer to just press a button and see great images. Other models are for those who want to control every aspect of picture taking. Here are three top choices in each category.

FOR CASUAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Leica X2

Want the ultimate in point-and-shoot equipment? The Leica X2 is it. This handmade, German-designed and -manufactured beauty looks like a scaled-down version of the Leica M flagship model, with a fixed (instead of interchangeable) lens system. Photos are easy to frame in the large, 2.7-inch rear display, and a traditional external viewfinder is available for those who’d prefer that.

The camera features a high-resolution 16-megapixel APS-C-sized sensor, which is approximately half the size of a traditional 35-mm piece of film and is known in the industry as a “full frame” or FX sensor. Any sensor smaller than FX will increase the focal length, or magnification of a lens, and decrease the amount of information gathered. Newer cameras use smaller sensors to save size and weight while still delivering fine photos.

The X2 features a mild wide-angle Leica Elmarit 24-mm f2.8 aspherical lens (equivalent to a 36-mm lens in FX format). Its complex design reduces or eliminates optical distortions found in cheaper lenses. The X2 has a fast autofocus system, a high-end image-processing engine and simple, intuitive controls. It is an easy camera to shoot and yields stunning photos. Additionally, the X2 is fully customizable and comes in a choice of 10 colors of leather trim. From bold to discreet, you can make your own statement with the Leica.

Street price: $1,995. Info: us.leica-camera.com

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7

Panasonic designed the sleek-looking Lumix for anyone with a fondness for the classic street-shooting rangefinder cameras of the 1950s. It accepts a wide assortment of lenses and can deliver exceptional photos in its simplest programmable modes. The Lumix body is made of magnesium, which means that it is highly impact resistant yet light by comparison with older steel or aluminum cameras.

The Lumix is one of a quickly growing segment of mirrorless cameras. This means that the large mirror and prism that characterized old 35-mm single-lens-reflex (SLR) cameras has been eliminated. A mirrorless camera requires a back-mounted view screen or top-mounted electronic viewfinder. The Lumix has a 16-megapixel MFT (Micro Four Thirds) sensor, which is smaller than the APS-C sensor on the Leica. The advantage of the MFT sensor is its ability to provide a shallow depth of field or bokeh, that pleasing out-of-focus background look that many fashion photographers use.

The camera has one of the best electronic viewfinders in the business and a touchscreen on the rear panel. With a 1/8,000 shutter, it can capture the fastest sports action with ease, and it also features multi-mode HD video capability. It is Wi-Fi-enabled for seamless downloading of photos to computers and has near field communications (NFC) to transfer images to Android smartphones.

Beyond a wide assortment of image-stabilized lenses, the Lumix adds a superb selection of photo modes for the casual user who wants a professional look. Dynamic monochrome, old-style aged color and high-contrast art are just a few of the options. For those seeking more control, the Lumix offers a high level of customizable features and programming.

Street price: $850 (body only). Info: panasonic.com

Sony Alpha A7

The Sony broke the size barrier with the first mirrorless full-frame (FX) camera. This means that unlike most mirrorless models with a smaller sensor that yield a magnified image, the A7 boasts a sensor that’s the same size as a 35-mm frame. The 24.3-megapixel full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor means more information and light-gathering capability. And with Fast Hybrid autofocusing technology, the A7 can shoot up to five frames per second in Speed Priority mode with subject tracking and predictive focusing. It may not be the most attractive camera in this lineup, but it’s one of the fastest and most powerful.

The Sony has all the expected features of high-end cameras, including electronic viewfinder, Wi-Fi and NFC capability, and comes with four new German Zeiss lenses that cover most traditional shooting situations. Zeiss, in business since 1846, manufactures some of the finest lenses for high-end cameras. In auto or program mode, the camera renders shockingly deep details, amazing contrast and photos that can rival the Nikon Df’s (see below) with a much smaller form factor. For shooters who want to capture scenes with the clarity that only Zeiss glass can offer, the Sony delivers.

Street price: $1,698 (body only). Info: sony.com

FOR SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHY BUFFS

Leica M Type 240

Leicas have always been a serious photographer’s camera. The Type 420 looks like most of its predecessors, emulating the design aesthetic of another famous German brand, Porsche. The mantra of “evolution, not revolution” is clear in this flagship model.

“M” stands for Messsucher, the German term for a combined range/viewfinder; this system has appeared on Leica cameras for decades. The M series viewfinder allows you to see action outside the frame for enhanced photo composing. The 240 features a newly designed, Belgian-manufactured, high-resolution, 24-megapixel sensor in full 35-mm FX format. The result is that you can capture an incredible amount of information in low-light settings. The new M also delivers stunning images when paired with Leica’s famous M lenses and sports a complete array of user-addressable features and programmable modes.

The M is quirky—it’s not as fast as a digital SLR, has a rear-focusing screen that could be brighter and has a user interface that requires a challenging learning curve. But if you invest the time to understand this camera, you’ll find that it can provide some of the sharpest images and best color on the market. Granted, it’s not the best choice for capturing your kid’s soccer game, but for nature and landscape, it’s unbeatable.

Street price: $6,950 (body only). Info: us.leica-camera.com

Nikon Df

For shooters who miss the rugged good looks and chunky appeal of the original Nikon F series, Nikon has released the retro-styled Df (the f stands for fusion). It features all the external controls of the past (shutter speed, aperture settings), planted into a solid, weather-sealed magnesium body.

The Df employs Nikon’s most powerful full-frame 16-megapixel sensor, which you’ll also find on the company’s top-of-the-line professional F4 model. Like the Leica’s sensor, the Nikon’s is equivalent to a 35-mm size. The Df takes virtually all Nikon lenses dating back to the 1950s and is designed for still images only, with no video capabilities. It is a single-lens-reflex model featuring a traditional viewfinder and mirror, just like the original SLRs. It has a super-accurate electronically controlled shutter with speeds between 1/4,000 and four seconds.

The Df, whose features emulate those of film cameras, is not a fast-moving point and shoot. It’s for those who want to tinker with settings, play with older lenses and carry something that’s stylish and hip.

Street price: $2,750 (body only). Info: nikonusa.com

Olympus OMd EM1

If you’re looking for a lighter, high-performance camera that’s equally at home on the runway or on a trek through a rainforest, consider the OMD, which won’t consume more than a corner of your carry-on suitcase. The OMD features a dust- and weather-sealed case (effective to -10 degrees Celsius). As a Micro Four Thirds format mirrorless camera, like the Lumix, it’s more compact than the Nikon. And as an added benefit, its lenses are fully interchangeable with all Panasonic MFT lenses.

The Olympus offers a sophisticated autofocus system that’s one of the fastest in the industry and a wide assortment of feature buttons. It can be customized for users at all levels of photography experience, with a rapid point-and-shoot mode for impatient learners. Its 16-megapixel sensor delivers excellent low-light capability and excellent color.

The Olympus has an exceptional 2.3-million-dot electronic viewfinder in addition to a rear-focusing screen, hence the old-style-looking hump on its upper deck. It also features an advanced processor that conducts a variety of lens corrections. And speaking of lenses, Olympus offers several MFT-format lenses, some of which are weather-sealed, like this camera body. Modern touches like Wi-Fi and exceptional low-light capability make the Olympus a powerhouse for users seeking superb imaging capability in a portable package.

Street price: $1,299 (body only). Info: olympusamerica.com

Steve Lundin is a Chicago-based freelance writer.