Today is National Camera Day, so I thought it’d be great to look back on the cameras released this year so far!

While we’re waiting on new mirrorless cameras from Canon, Sony and others, there have already been a boatload of cameras released this year with some pretty exciting features. In no particular order, here are my top releases so far in 2020.

Fujifilm X100V

Read our review | Check latest pricing from B&H

The X100 put Fuji on the map in terms of mirrorless cameras back in 2011, and the fifth-generation X100V continues that trend. The camera body is simple yet elegant, with dials on the top for ISO and exposure compensation. To any passerby, it might look like the trendy film cameras of old … but in reality, it holds some pretty powerful digital capabilities.

Our own James Maher reviewed the X100V, calling it “the most important camera of the decade.” He commented on the amount of restraint Fuji had with the X100V:

“I would argue that the camera’s biggest quality has been the restraint that was shown in its development. This camera felt like it was built by photographers. The restraint aspect needs to be focused on, as the X100 used an APS-C sensor and built-in 23mm (35mm equivalent lens) with only an option to purchase 50mm and 28mm equivalent attachment lenses and nothing else.”

The X100V added a two-way tilting touchscreen and an improved hybrid viewfinder, in addition to improvements in weather sealing. It’s the very definition of what a street photography camera should be. Small, light and unobtrusive, not to mention stylish.

Nikon D780

Check latest pricing from B&H

If you want the old-school DSLR feel with the benefits of mirrorless, you can’t get much better than the Nikon D780. As the successor to the D750, the D780 upgrades several of its predecessors technologies. The D780 is a 24.5-megapixel DSLR, offering up to 7fps continuous shooting and an ISO range of 100-51,200.

But where the real power comes in is with the camera’s Live View function, which offers 273-point phase-detection autofocus. This allows for face and eye-detection autofocus capabilities, in addition to silent shooting up to 12fps at full resolution. While you might not always use the Live View function, seeing some mirrorless-centric features like these is certainly exciting for DSLR traditionalists.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

Read our review | Check latest pricing from B&H

While the future of Olympus is somewhat uncertain, the company released an upgrade to its flagship E-M1 camera in February — the E-M1 Mark III. With this update, Olympus kept nearly identical body styling as the Mark II version of the camera, but did have a few changes, including a better joystick and dedicated ISO button.

But the real changes came to the camera’s internals, powered by the camera’s new TruePic IX processor. The E-M1 Mark III borrowed from its older E-M1X cousin with the addition of both Handheld High Res and Live ND. But the E-M1 Mark III also added a brand-new feature — Starry Sky AF — enabling photographers to get crisp astrophotography shots without having to rely on focusing to infinity.

The camera also added a big upgrade to the Face / Eye Precision AF (which wasn’t talked about enough, if you ask me).

Sony ZV-1

Check latest pricing from B&H

Taking the core body of the popular RX100 and putting some amazing video internals in it seemed like an odd idea, but it … oddly … works. The ZV-1 is a perfect, compact, handheld camera perfect for vloggers. It offers features that cater specific to video, like its one-click Background Defocus, allowing for maximum bokeh in the background without having to adjust your settings manually.

It also has a feature called Product Showcase, which means you no longer have to pray that the product you hold up in your YouTube reviews will be in focus.

While the ZV-1 won’t replace a camera like the Lumix S1, or video-only cameras, it certainly offers enough for amateurs and pros that want to travel with a more lightweight camera. It also offers some pretty good still capabilities, like continuous shooting up to 24fps and built-in digital and optical stabilization.

Canon EOS-1D X Mark III

Check latest pricing from B&H

The 1D X Mark III received quite the big update earlier this year, offering a package that pro shooters will love. Like the Nikon D780, the 1DX Mark III features some great still functions, with a 20.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and updated DIGIC X processor. The camera can shoot up to 16fps and has an ISO range of 100-102,400.

The 1D X Mark III adds some mirrorless-centric features in Live View too, like a 20fps shooting rate and Face Tracking and Head Detection autofocus.

The camera also makes quite the impression on videographers, with the ability to record DCI 4K content internally at up t0 60fps, with 10-bit and 4:2:2 color. Full HD shooting is also available at 120fps, as well as RAW 5.5K video at 60fps.

What’s next?

Rumors are certainly abound, especially for Canon’s upcoming release of the R5 camera and the rumored Sony a7S III. Is there a certain camera you’re hoping gets released this year? Let us know in the comments below.

Lead photo by Matt Quinn on Unsplash