The 10 Best Retro-Styled Mirrorless Cameras Worth Buying in 2026
You love classic cameras with timeless beauty but still want cutting-edge imaging tech. 2025 is a great year to buy one: over the past two years, a wave of retro-styled mirrorless models has landed with modern sensors, stabilization, and smart subject-detection AF. They shoot beautifully, look fantastic hanging from a strap, and—yes—feel like fashion accessories. Below is my personal top 10 for 2026, drawn from hands-on time and a sweep of trusted reviews. I’ll tell you what each one gets right, where it stumbles, what it costs, and who I think should pick it.
1) Nikon Z f — the new “film-Nikon” energy
Nikon nailed the brief: knurled dials, engraved type, and a silhouette that winks at the FM/FE era—but under the skin sits a modern 24MP full-frame sensor with excellent color and low-light performance. It’s a camera that makes you slow down just enough to enjoy the act of shooting, without ever feeling sluggish. Ergonomically, it’s happiest with small primes; hang a big zoom and the romance fades a little.
-Design & feel: Metal-dial nostalgia done right; very convincing “old-Nikon” vibe.
-Tech & image quality: 24MP full-frame, strong IBIS; image quality lives up to the looks, though some menu/handling quirks remain.
-Price & who it’s for: About $1,996.95 body-only; for style-savvy shooters who want full-frame files and tactile controls. Nikon USA+2B&H Photo Video+2
2) Fujifilm X100VI — the cult compact grows up
Fujifilm kept what makes the X100 magic—leaf shutter quietness, an aperture ring that begs to be turned, and that hybrid OVF/EVF—and added IBIS plus a superb 40MP APS-C sensor. It’s the single camera I recommend when someone says, “I want a daily carry that makes me want to shoot.”
-Design & feel: Small, elegant, rangefinder-style; the kind of camera people ask you about in cafés.
-Tech & image quality: 40MP sensor, IBIS, film sims, built-in ND; images look rich straight out of camera.
-Price & who it’s for: Typically $1,799 when in stock; for storytellers who value experience and JPEG color as much as resolution charts. DPreview+1
3) Fujifilm X-T5 — the “classic SLR” for stills nerds
The X-T5 is a sweet spot: dial-driven, weather-sealed, and now with Fuji’s 40MP sensor that punches well above its class for detailed landscapes and portraits. It’s lighter than you expect and feels like a modern take on a 35mm SLR. Video is fine; stills are its first love.
-Design & feel: Three-dial top deck, compact, purposeful—very “photographer’s camera.”
-Tech & image quality: 40MP APS-C, 7-stop IBIS, pixel shift for 160MP—class-leading stills, decent AF.
-Price & who it’s for: About $1,999.95 body-only; for travel, portrait, and landscape shooters who want a classic layout with modern files. DPreview+1
4) Leica M11 — the purist’s jewel
No camera changes your pace like a Leica M. The M11 keeps the iconic brass-and-leather minimalism and mates it to a 60MP BSI sensor with triple-resolution RAW. It’s manual-focus only, it’s expensive, and it’s intoxicating. If you want a tool that rewards patience and primes, this is the high church.
-Design & feel: Timeless rangefinder simplicity, built to outlast you.
-Tech & image quality: 60MP full-frame with gorgeous dynamic range; the files are malleable and clean.
-Price & who it’s for: $8,995 body-only; for deliberate photographers who want the most tactile shooting experience in digital. leicacamerausa.com+1
5) Leica Q3 — luxury point-and-shoot (with real teeth)
The Q3 is a fixed-lens 28mm full-frame compact that feels like a sculpted object. Autofocus is much improved over earlier Qs, the 60MP sensor sings, and the tilting screen finally makes low-angle frames painless. The lens is stellar; the crop modes are genuinely usable thanks to the resolution headroom.
-Design & feel: Minimalist slab, tactile lens rings; pocketable for a coat, not a jeans pocket.
-Tech & image quality: 60MP, leaf shutter, strong video options; luscious color and detail.
-Price & who it’s for: Listed around $6,735 at U.S. Leica dealers; for travelers and street shooters who want Leica look without the M’s learning curve. DPreview+1
6) Hasselblad 907X & CFV 100C — rolling sculpture
Nothing here looks like a “normal” mirrorless. The 907X body and CFV 100C back recreate the waist-level charm of classic V-system Hasselblads with modern medium-format color and tonality. It’s for unhurried, intentional photography; if that’s your tempo, it’s intoxicating.
-Design & feel: Ultra-thin body + digital back; shoot waist-level like it’s 1968—pure art object vibes.
-Tech & image quality: 100MP medium-format sensor with exquisite color and DR; AF and speed are not the point.
-Price & who it’s for: Officially $7,399 (often listed down from $8,199) for the kit; for landscape, portrait, and fine-art shooters who want the slow craft. Hasselblad US+1
7) Nikon Z fc — the affordable retro gateway
Think of the Z fc as the playful cousin to the Z f: APS-C, very lightweight, and drenched in classic Nikon styling. Image quality is solid, the flip screen makes vlogging easy, and paired with the little Z DX primes it’s a joy. Build is lighter than the Z f, but so is the price.
-Design & feel: Bright metal dials, pastel color options; super approachable.
-Tech & image quality: 20.9MP APS-C, reliable AF and 4K/30p; JPEG color is pleasing once tuned.
-Price & who it’s for: About $956.95 body-only; for creators and casual shooters who want style without the full-frame cost. DPreview+1
8) Panasonic Lumix S9 — full-frame minimalism for creators
The S9 strips the body down to a chic rectangle with a big sensor inside. It’s the most “designer” full-frame of the bunch, favoring compact lenses and social-first workflows. No EVF and no mechanical shutter will turn off some photographers, but for video-led creators it’s slick and capable.
-Design & feel: Clean, colorful finishes; absurdly small for full-frame.
-Tech & image quality: 24MP full-frame, strong color science, excellent phone-to-social pipeline; stills ergonomics are a compromise.
-Price & who it’s for: As low as $1,197.99 body-only; for creators who value portability and video tools over viewfinders. DPreview+1
9) Fujifilm X-T50 — compact SLR style with Fuji’s best sensor
The X-T50 brings the beloved X-T look to a smaller, easier body. You get that 40MP sensor, IBIS, and a new Film Simulation dial that nudges you to play with color. AF isn’t class-leading for fast action, but for everyday shooting it’s more than good enough—and the files are gorgeous.
-Design & feel: Classic dials, smaller handgrip; easy to carry, fun to shoot.
-Tech & image quality: 40MP APS-C with IBIS; “Fuji color” on tap via sims; AF is fine but not a sports camera.
-Price & who it’s for: $1,599 body-only (kits from $1,799); for travelers and hobbyists who want X-T vibes without X-T5 bulk. DPreview+1
10) Ricoh GR IV — the ultimate pocket classic for street photographers
The GR IV carries forward everything that made the GR series legendary: a truly pocketable body, lightning-fast handling, and images that feel honest and unforced. The new generation refines the formula with a higher-resolution APS-C sensor, improved stabilization, and a refreshed lens—without losing the stealthy, no-nonsense character street photographers love. No EVF and modest battery life remain, but the camera disappears in use and lets you focus purely on seeing.
-Design & feel: Ultra-compact and discreet, designed for confident one-hand shooting; a true “always-with-you” street companion.
-Tech & image quality: ~26MP APS-C sensor, improved IBIS, fixed 28mm-equivalent lens with excellent sharpness and natural rendering.
-Price & who it’s for: Around $1,400–1,500; for street photographers and daily documentarians who value portability, speed, and understatement. Ricoh GR IV
