Top mirrorless camera options for travel with a $800 price limit?

Question

im finally going on my dream trip to japan next month and i really want to get a proper camera because my phone pictures always look kinda flat but i literally have no idea where to start... like i dont even know what mirrorless actually means other than people saying theyre better for traveling because theyre light or something. im super excited to take cool photos of all the neon lights in tokyo and the temples in kyoto but everything i see online talks about sensors and f-stops and it just makes my head spin sorry if this is a total noob question!

i have about $800 saved up for the whole setup so like the camera and the lens and maybe an extra battery or a memory card if thats possible. i really want something that isnt too big because im gonna be walking like 20 miles a day lol.

here is what i think i need:

fits in a small bag or backpack

good for taking pictures of food and city streets

easy to use because i dont know how to change settings manually

stays under my $800 limit

is it even possible to get a good one for that price? someone told me to look at fujifilm or sony but i cant tell which ones are the old ones or the new ones. what would you guys buy if you were me and had no clue what you were doing?

BonheurBen · Accepted Answer

Honestly man, $800 for a full setup is getting harder since prices skyrocketed. I used to love Fuji but unfortunately the used market is a mess right now. I recently had issues with older models being overpriced and not as good as expected. You should just grab the Sony Alpha a6100 with 16-50mm Lens. Its fast, tiny, and fits your budget. Get a SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SDXC too.

SteelPhoenix · Answer

Honestly, ive had issues finding anything decent for that price lately... gear prices are just not as good as expected. Its frustrating. Unfortunately, most used stuff is way overpriced right now tho. If i were you, id look at the Canon EOS R50 with RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM. Its tiny and the auto mode is actually smart. Just grab a SanDisk Ultra 128GB SDXC to stay under budget.

zgqmlkommr · Answer

Like someone mentioned, $800 is tight but definitely doable. Ive been very satisfied with the Panasonic LUMIX G100 with 12-32mm Lens for travel. Its super light and leaves room for a Lexar Professional 1066x 128GB SDXC and spare batteries. If you want better autofocus, the Sony Alpha ZV-E10 with 16-50mm Lens works well too. Check out the DPReview buying guides; they make the technical jargon way easier to understand.