For cameras over US$1,000 let's be honest, these aren't gifts to anyone but me, myself, and I. If you've been waiting until Christmas for an excuse to finally get yourself a camera, then check out these top 5 cameras that most impressed us in 2016.

5) Canon 5D Mark IV

US$3,200

You might be surprised to see the Mark IV so low on the list, but then again, this was a fantastic year for cameras. On a standalone basis, the 5D Mark IV is a fantastic camera, but it didn't set the standard like its predecessors did. Therefore when we consider it against other groundbreaking cameras to come in 2016, it's at a humble 5th place.

4) Olympus OM-D EM-1 Mark II

$US2,000

You can read our first impressions of the camera here, and our full review over hereusd2-000-olympus-om-d-e-m1-mark-ii-is-the-pinnacle-of-micro-four-thirds-system). To put it simply, this should take Micro Four Thirds to its utmost limit, and its hard to think about how Olympus can improve further iterations of its cameras. This isn't without its flaws, but most of the problems we found with the camera were ultimately in the limits of its sensor. It has great in-body stabilisation, a decent resolution, extraordinary autofocus and burst, but mediocre low-light performance.

3) Hasselblad X1D

US$9,000

The Hasselblad X1D is truly a groundbreaking camera. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't used it. It contains the same sensor used in much larger, more expensive Hasselblad cameras, but puts it into an incredibly compact body. The ergonomics are wonderful, and the impressive autofocus performance means that this is really a camera intended for portability.

2) Fujifilm X-Pro 2/Fujifilm X-T2

US$1,500/US$1,600

We have a full review of the X-Pro 2 here, and the X-T2 is in many ways a near identical camera. The video above will go through many of the differences between the two cameras, but if we were to sum up all our editors' comments it would be that Fujifilm has really struck gold this year. With their new sensors in familiar, already excellent bodies, Fujifilm has revived the APS-C market in a way that makes perfect sense for enthusiasts. These cameras don't have the autofocus issues that old Fujifilm cameras struggled with, but retain the great colour and low light performance that makes all the difference in the images.

1) Nikon D500

US$1,700

Nikon stepped up massively this year with the D5 and D500. While the D5 is obviously an impressive camera, and one of the best of the year, the D500 was what really left its mark. For the price it offers truly professional-level autofocus performance, and it also has 4K capability and excellent low-noise performance. It's hard to think where Nikon can go from here, because for most users this camera will be more than capable of shooting any event or action situation. Full-frame shooters of course can opt for that D5, but anyone else will be more than happy with this gem of a camera.

2016-12-16 03:00