Five ‘dark horse’ digital cameras that deserve more attention

There are a few digital cameras on the market that are genuine dark horses; we’re going to show you that these sleeper cameras are better than you think.

Creators often overlook the five dark horse/sleeper digital cameras listed below. Unfortunately, these cameras don’t receive as much love as others because many believe that the autofocus systems are not up to snuff, the ergonomics are strange, or the megapixel counts are too low.

The belief that all the cameras listed below are not up to some required arbitrary standard is a shame because they’re great cameras and represent excellent value for money. If you’re in the market for digital cameras, make sure you give the five digital cameras below the time they deserve. You might be surprised at just how good they truly are.

Nikon Z 5 — Full-frame excellence for under $1,400

Nikon’s Z 5 is one of the unpopular digital cameras that more people should be talking about positively. This entry-level full-frame camera costs under $1,400, and it has a fantastic 24-megapixel sensor that’s packed into a body with superb ergonomics.

The reason why this camera is a dark horse? There’s a belief out there that the autofocus performance is subpar. The truth is that Nikon’s mirrorless autofocus has come on in leaps and bounds over the last year to 18 months. The autofocus performance of the Z 5 is rapid and accurate, and it will help you capture whatever you want. The native ISO goes up to 51,200, and you can fire off 4.5 frames per second. In addition, there are five stops of IBIS, a large touch screen, dual card slots and more. As a result, the Z 5 is one of the market’s best wallet-friendly full-frame digital cameras.

Sigma fp L — The small full-frame digital camera that can

The Sigma fp L is misunderstood and overlooked by many, yet, it’s a digital camera with specs that rivals the big boys of the full-frame camera world. Inside this tiny camera body sits a 61-megapixel sensor that can deliver outstanding details and impressive dynamic range. Still, Sigma’s fp L is ignored because of its unique form factor and modular design. In our review, we said:

“If you want to make high-resolution photos with excellent lenses and get terrific results, then this camera could be for you. Is it harder to use than an iPhone? Yup. Is it harder to use than most DSLRs? No, it’s just unfamiliar. Give it just a couple of days and you’ll be using this camera as well as your current camera.”

Levi Sim

This camera is best when paired with smaller L mount prime lenses and when used in conjunction with the optional articulating viewfinder. The autofocus system is more than good enough for most, battery life is good, and the user experience, while different, is also fantastic. If you’re in the market for a small yet powerful digital camera, check out the Sigma fp L.

Panasonic Lumix S5 — One of the most underrated digital cameras ever

The Lumix S5, like other Panasonic digital cameras, gets a bad rep because of Panasonic’s contrast-based autofocus. The crazy thing is that most who knock the DFD autofocus system haven’t tried modern iterations of it. Is it as fast as Canon’s or Sony’s autofocus? No, but it’s not far off, and I can tell you, it’s just as accurate. No matter what you shoot, the Panasonic Lumix S5 won’t let you down. In our review, we said:

“The Panasonic Lumix S5 is a fantastic full-frame camera that offers all the bells and whistles you need at a very attractive price point The camera is ergonomically pleasing. It has a great IBIS system, the autofocus, despite what many will tell you, is more than good enough for just about every genre of photography, image quality is simply outstanding, and the battery life is stellar.”

Gear Editor — Brett Day

On top of everything listed above, the S5 is compact and lightweight. In fact, it’s one of the smallest full-frame cameras on the market, which makes it a delight to use. It’s incredibly affordable, too! So don’t believe the naysayers. This is one of the best bang-for-your-buck full-frame digital cameras on the market.

Pentax K-3 III — One of the best APS-C DSLRs ever made

Many believe that DSLRs are dead. Well, they’re wrong. DSLRs are alive and well. The rugged Pentax K-3 III, which is weather-sealed to the nines and boasts an advanced autofocus system, is proof of this. In our review, we said:

“The K-3 III is perfect for landscapes, wildlife, sports, and even street/documentary photography. The Pentax K-3 III is rugged, ergonomically sound, feature-packed, and the image quality is fantastic. When paired up with Pentax Limited or Star series lenses, images from the Pentax K-3 III delight!”

Gear Editor — Brett Day

This 26-megapixel camera boasts excellent IBIS, a responsive touchscreen, a self-leveling sensor, a gorgeous 100% coverage optical viewfinder, two SD card slots, fantastic high ISO performance and much more. The K-3 III is one digital camera you don’t want to overlook. It’s a stunner.

Canon EOS R6 — Don’t let the megapixel count fool you; this camera means business!

Cameras are judged based on how many megapixels they pack. Canon’s EOS R6, unfortunately, became a camera to be judged by this metric. However, don’t make the mistake of writing this camera off. This dark horse digital camera delivers more than enough performance for most photographers regarding resolution, and the AF system is phenomenal.

The Canon sensor produces the glorious colors we have come to know and love. The sensor also delivers lots of dynamic range and plenty of detail. The R6 is solidly built and features tons of weather sealing. The IBIS in this camera is exceptional. It’s so good that I was able to handhold this camera and capture the Milky Way. No joke. Dual card slots, a fully articulating screen and an excellent EVF round out this digital camera nicely. Don’t overlook it.