Best mirrorless cameras for less than $1,000

The category of interchangeable-lens cameras subsumes a variety of capabilities and designs. There's the familiar dSLRs, large-bodied models which use a reflex mirror to enable the use of a through-the-lens optical viewfinder. Then there are Sony's SLT (Single Lens Translucent) models, which incorporate the same phase-detection autofocus system as dSLRs, but whose fixed mirror requires the use of an electronic viewfinder (EVF) rather than an optical one. And then there are the mirrorless models, which generally use contrast-detection autofocus and, if they have a viewfinder, it's an EVF. Though they're sometimes referred to as "compact system cameras," they're not all compact; in fact, only a handful could really be classified as such.

The mirrorless models cover a lot of ground. For instance, there are compact models designed for people dissatisfied with the image quality and performance of point-and-shoot models looking for more. Then there are the models for advanced shooters who want the speed and photo quality of a dSLR without the bulk. And there are a host of models that slide along the continuum between the two.

This isn't to say that the rest of the ILC crowd doesn't measure up; though some have weak aspects, such as slow performance or overly large bodies, there doesn't seem to be any real losers among the entire field. You can find them on our list of best interchangeable-lens cameras. There are still some mainstream models I haven't yet reviewed, like Samsung's NX200, the Olympus PEN E-PM1, and Pentax's tiny Q, and the field is heating up for the more expensive models, such as Fujifilm's just-announced X-Pro 1 and Sony's Alpha NEX-7.