If you’re hiking or filming yourself, it can be frustrating to carry around heavy equipment. For my needs, I want the lightest equipment to do the job.
The lightest full-frame camera is the Sony ZV-E1 and the smallest APS-C camera is the a5100. While these cameras are compact they’re not the best for most people.
The best lightweight camera for most people is the Canon R8. It weighs only one pound, it has some great lens options, and it’s relatively affordable.
If you search for the lightest full-frame camera you will probably see many different options, but the problem with light cameras is that they usually have heavy lenses.
So what is the lightest camera and lens that also has the longest focal range, interchangeable lenses, and great image quality? For my needs the camera must offer a range from 35mm-180mm. The reason being that if you had to carry an extra lens you could save more weight with a super wide angle zoom rather than and heavier telephoto.
Now I understand the small point-and-shoot cameras are the real champions here, but I’m mostly talking about full frame or aps-c for their use of dynamic range and sharper optics.
Lightest Full Frame cameras
| Camera | Weight (with battery) | Sensor Resolution |
| Sony ZV-E1 | 14.1 oz/483 g) | 12.1 MP |
| Sigma fp | 14.89 pz/422 g | 24.6 MP |
| Canon R8 | 1.0 lb / 461 g | 24 MP |
| Canon EOS RP | 17.1 oz/485 g | 26.2 MP |
| Sony A7c | 17.95 oz/509 g | 24.2 MP |
Lightest APS-C cameras
While comparing aps-c all in one zooms I didn’t find a lot of great options. Most all-in-one zooms for aps-c don’t have great image quality, and this is why I decided Sony wins the lightest aps-c category. However, continue reading how fuji stacks up to full-frame.
The Sony a5100 is the lightest camera that offers interchangeable lenses. The only problem is it doesn’t have a viewfinder like the sigma FP and offers poor ergonomics.
| Camera | Weight |
|---|---|
| a5100 | 9.98 oz |
| zv-e-10 | 12.1 oz |
| Canon R50 | 13.2 oz |
| Canon m50 ii | 13.7 |
| a6100 | 13.97 oz |
| Canon R10 | 15.1 oz |
| a6600 | 17.76 oz |
| Canon R7 | 21 oz |
| Sony FX30 | 22.7 oz |
Lightest aps-c camera and all-in-one zoom
At 9.98oz, the Sony A5100 is quite light and pocketable if you have a pancake lens attached. The lightest Sony aps-c lens that offers both wide and telephoto is the 18-135mm (27-202mm with crop) at 11.5 oz. Combined with the a5100 the weight is 21.48 oz or 608 g. If you can handle a few more ounces the a6100 weighs 13.97 oz.
The only problem with the a5100 is the age. This isn’t a problem for most landscape photographers, but if you want the latest and greatest, I would go with the zv-e-10.
Camera | Weight | All in one zoom | Combined Weight |
| a5100 | 9.98 oz | 18-135mm | 21.48 oz/608g |
| zv-e-10 | 12.1 oz | 18-135mm | 23.6 oz |
| Canon R50 | 13.2 oz | 18-150mm | 24.1 oz |
| a6100 | 13.97 oz | 18-135mm | 25.47 oz/722g |
| a6600 | 17.76 oz | 18-135mm | 29.3 oz/829g |
| Canon m50 ii | 13.7 | 18-150mm | 24.5 oz |
| Sony FX30 | 22.7 oz | 18-135mm | 34.2 oz |
Batteries
The a5100 is pretty lightweight Considering the A7iii Body is 22.88 oz, but keep in mind you will need an extra battery (1.5 oz) to keep up with the a7iii or a6600.
Lightest Full Frame Camera
As seen in the chart below the lightest full-frame mirrorless camera and super zoom is the Sony ZV-E1. The main thing making the ZV-E1 heavier than Aps-c is the battery size. You also need to realize that you lose valuable weight with the loss of a good EVF, and that’s why I prefer the A7C.
Here are the Sony a5100, A7c, and A7riii compared. As you can see the a5100 is tiny, but it’s also not that easy to hold. The A7riii is larger, but it has a substantial improvement in ergonomics.
Check out my other post on why I think the Sony A7c is still worth it today.
Lightest Full Frame camera and all-in-one lens
| Camera | Weight (body) | All in one Zoom | Weight (lens) | Combined Weight |
| Sony ZV-E1 | 14.1 oz | Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 | 20.3 oz | 34.4 oz/975 g |
| A7c | 17.95 oz | Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 | 20.3 oz | 38.25 oz/1084 g |
| A7sii | 22.1 oz | Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 | 20.3 oz | 42.3 oz/1196 g |
| Canon R8 | 16 oz | Canon RF 24-240 f4-6.3 | 26.4 oz | 42.7 oz/1211 g |
| A7iii | 22.9 oz | Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 | 20.3 oz | 43.2 oz/1224 g |
| EOS RP | 17.11 oz | 24-240mm f4-6.3 | 26.4 oz | 43.5 oz/1233 g |
| Nikon Z6 | 23.7 oz | 24-200mm f4-6.3 | 20.1 oz | 43.8 oz/1241 g |
| Nikon Z7 | 23.7 oz | 24-200mm f4-6.3 | 20.1 oz | 43.8 oz/1241 g |
| Canon EOS R | 23.2 | 24-240mm f4-6.3 | 26.4 oz | 49.6 oz/1406 g |
| Sigma FP | 14.9 oz | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Although the Nikon and Canon have slower apertures they offer image stabilization where the Tamron does not.
Is lens image stabilization, optics, or maximal aperture most important? If you don’t carry a tripod you might lean more toward Nikon or Sony. If you need sharp optics I would think the Tamron is the most sharp by a decent margin. It definitely wins the maximal aperture if you would also use this lens for travel considerations.
Lightest full-frame cameras for video
The chart below shows that the Sony A7c is slightly heavier than the Sony ZV-E-1. It also has a slightly smaller body design and features compared to the ZV-E1, such as a larger viewfinder. The overall dimensions are also marginally smaller. The Sony A7c is still one of the lightest full-frame cameras available and may suit your needs if you need the option of shooting both video and stills.
| Camera | Weight (with battery) | Sensor Resolution |
| Sony ZV-E1 | 14.1 oz/483 g) | 12.1 MP |
| Sigma fp | 14.89 pz/422 g | 24.6 MP |
| Canon R8 | 1.0 lb / 461 g | 24 MP |
| Canon EOS RP | 17.1 oz/485 g | 26.2 MP |
| Sony A7c | 17.95 oz/509 g | 24.2 MP |
Lightest Camera and lenses for Fuji
Lately, many landscape photographers are switching to Fuji over full frame. Fuji does not have a great all-in-one zoom, but they do have light lenses. Listed below are the lightest lens/camera combination for Fuji.
| Camera | Weight | Zoom | Combined Weight |
| Fuji x-t30 | 13.51 oz | 10-24mm, 55-200mm | 48.22 oz/1367g |
| Fuji x-t3 | 19 oz | 18-135mm | 53.71 oz/1522g |
| A7iii | 22.9 oz | Tamron 28-200 | 43.2 oz/1224 g |
I understand this is not really a fair comparison, but it gives you an idea of how much weight you can save with the all-in-one zoom.
Conclusion
If I could only choose one camera, I would go with the Sony A7c at the combined weight of 38 oz. It’s not the lightest camera here, but it an EVF and great battery life compared to the alternatives.
For a more budget option, go with the Canon R10. It’s slightly lighter than the Sony A7C and it’s half the price.
I think the best lightweight zoom is the Tamron 28-200mm. This lens is in a class of it’s own and is much sharper than what is offered by any aps-c lens.
A lightweight camera provides photographers with a combination of portability, comfort, ease of use, cost-effectiveness, versatility, and convenience. Whether you are a professional photographer or a hobbyist, a lightweight camera is a great investment for simplifying your approach and enhancing your creativity.
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