The 6 Best Cameras For Photography

Most digital cameras now come with advanced video features that would impress any videographer, but the bread and butter of most DSLR, mirrorless, and compact cameras is still photography. Whether you're looking for the perfect camera to document your travel adventures, a model that can capture beautiful landscapes, or a fast camera to keep up with sports and wildlife, there's no shortage of options out there, including many that are well-rounded enough to suit all manner and styles of photography. What's most important is choosing a camera that fits your budget, ergonomic preferences, and the type of photography you're interested in.

It's worth noting that a camera's overall performance can vary drastically depending on the lens you use. Your lens influences the amount of light entering the camera, an image's depth of field, autofocus behaviour, and stabilization performance, and that's without mentioning the physical aspects of your lens, which can affect the camera's portability. As a general rule, it's better to invest in a less expensive camera body and higher-quality lenses than to invest in an expensive camera body and cheap lenses.

These picks were selected not only based on their overall performance but also their feature set and price.

Best Camera For Travel Photography: Sony α6400

The best camera for photographers who do a lot of travelling is the Sony α6400. This versatile mirrorless camera is fairly small and lightweight for an interchangeable lens camera, and it's advertised to be weather-sealed to protect against rain and humidity. It has a touchscreen that can flip out if you want to shoot at a lower angle or up for selfies. Its battery life is also good and should last throughout the day, though this can vary with real-world conditions and settings.
It has a 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor that delivers impressive JPEG image quality, with photos that look sharp and detailed even at higher ISO levels. Its RAW noise handling capability is good, too, so you can shoot in low light at higher ISOs without sacrificing too much quality. Like most Sony cameras, it has an amazing autofocus system that reliably keeps moving subjects in focus, whether taking photos or shooting video. Its overall video quality is also impressive.
It lacks in-body image stabilization, so photos and videos can look shaky when shooting without a tripod or in more dimly-lit conditions, though its kit lens still does a good job of reducing camera shake when taking photos. Despite that, this is one of the best travel cameras we've tested, and most people should be happy with it thanks to its lightweight design, great image quality, and excellent autofocus system.

POINT-AND-SHOOT ALTERNATIVE: SONY RX100 VII

If you prefer the convenience and portability of a point-and-shoot, consider the Sony RX100 VII. It's less comfortable to use than the Sony α6400 due to its more compact size, and it's less effective in low light since it uses a smaller 1-inch sensor, but it's incredibly portable and has a built-in zoom lens with a fair amount of focal reach. Its lens ranges from a full-frame equivalent 24 to 200mm, giving you a lot of flexibility to frame shots and zoom in on subjects while travelling. The camera is also small enough to slip into a coat pocket or travel bag, and despite its size, it still features a pop-up EVF if you prefer to shoot through a viewfinder. It also has a tilting screen that you can flip up for selfies. Like the α6400, it has a highly effective autofocus system that does a fantastic job keeping moving subjects in focus. That said, it has a poor battery life, and it drains even quicker if you record a lot of videos, though battery performance can vary drastically with different settings and usage habits.
Get the α6400 if you want an interchangeable lens camera with better ergonomics and longer battery life. However, the RX100 VII is a good alternative if you want an even more compact point-and-shoot camera.

Best Camera For Street Photography: Fujifilm X100V

The best camera for street photography that we've tested is the Fujifilm X100V. This premium compact camera has a retro-styled rangefinder design and uses a 26-megapixel APS-C sensor. It's portable enough to carry around fairly discreetly and can easily fit into a small bag or coat pocket. It also has a sharp built-in lens with a 35mm equivalent focal length, ideal for street photography.
This camera also has a hybrid electronic/optical viewfinder offset from the centre of the body. With the flip of a switch, you can go from an OVF with an uninterrupted view of your subject and surroundings, encouraging more engagement with your environment, to an EVF that lets you preview exposure settings live. It delivers amazing overall image quality with impressive noise handling at higher ISOs, meaning it can deliver sharp images with minimal noise even in more dimly-lit conditions.
That said, it doesn't have any image stabilization feature, which makes it harder to get a steady image when shooting handheld at slower shutter speeds. Also, while its autofocus system is good overall, it's not the most reliable at tracking moving faces, which is key when taking street photos of people. Despite that, this is still the best camera for street photography that we've tested, thanks to its compact size, hybrid viewfinder, and excellent image quality.

Best Camera For Landscape Photography: Sony α7 III

The Sony α7 III is the best camera for landscape photography that we've tested. It has a high-resolution full-frame sensor with 24.2 megapixels, so you can take clear, detailed images that are suitable for social media or high-quality prints. The camera also feels remarkably well-built and has a tilting screen that can help when taking landscapes from a lower angle.
It delivers fantastic image quality and has an incredible dynamic range at its base ISO, so it can bring out a wider array of detail in highlights and shadows when taking high-contrast landscape shots. It's very well-suited for shooting in low light thanks to its full-frame sensor, which has superb noise handling capability at higher ISO levels, so you can shoot in dimmer lighting without introducing too much visual noise.
That said, this camera isn't weather-sealed, which shouldn't be a deal-breaker but means you'll have to be more careful when shooting outdoors in rainy or humid conditions. It also has a somewhat confusing menu system that makes it difficult to find relevant settings on the fly. On the upside, though, it has an outstanding battery life that should last throughout a day of shooting, depending on your usage habits. Overall, this is one of the best cameras for photography that we've tested.

Best Camera For Sport And Wildlife Photography: Nikon Z 6II

The best camera for photographers interested in sports and wildlife is the Nikon Z 6II. This full-frame interchangeable lens model has a weather-sealed body that feels well-constructed and very comfortable to shoot with. It has an intuitive menu system and a large, high-resolution EVF. It also has a very good battery life that you can extend further by using a portable battery pack for long days of shooting.
It shoots at a fast 13 fps in its high-speed continuous shooting mode, meaning you can capture quick bursts of fast movement. It also has a range of shooting speed options in its low-speed drive mode, giving you more precise control over its burst rate. It features two memory card slots, including a high-speed CFexpress card slot, which gives it a virtually limitless photo buffer that ensures you can shoot continuously without interruption. Its image quality is also excellent overall, and it has fantastic noise handling for low light conditions.
That said, it doesn't have the most effective autofocus on the market, and it struggles especially to track moving faces consistently. Still, it does an excellent job tracking and keeping moving objects in focus, and it has a lot of detection points. It also features in-body image stabilization and does a good job of stabilizing camera shake when shooting handheld. Overall, this is one of the best cameras for wildlife photography that we've tested.

DSLR ALTERNATIVE: NIKON D780

If you'd rather use a DSLR for sports or wildlife photography, check out the Nikon D780. While its maximum continuous shooting speed of 8 fps is slower than the Nikon Z 6II's, it has an optical viewfinder that gives you an unfiltered view of your subjects. Going with a DSLR opens you up to Nikon's vast selection of F-mount DSLR lenses. This camera also has a virtually instantaneous buffer empty time if you manage to fill up its buffer, more likely if shooting in RAW format. Image quality is excellent, and it has an incredibly effective autofocus system that can reliably track moving subjects and keep them in focus. Unfortunately, it lacks in-body image stabilization, but it does a superb job stabilizing photos when shooting handheld and using its kit lens. It's also bulkier and heavier.
Get the Z 6II if you want a camera that's easier to carry around and has a faster burst rate, but if you prefer the feel and features of a DSLR camera, the D780 is a great alternative.

Best Budget Camera For Photography: Sony α6100

The best camera for photographers on a budget is the Sony α6100. It has a very compact body for an interchangeable lens camera, making it easy to take with you on the go. It's also well-built and feels comfortable to use with evenly-spaced physical controls and a comfortable handgrip. Its screen can also flip out and up to face you for selfies and vlogs.
It uses a 24.2-megapixel crop sensor and delivers impressive overall image quality, with an excellent dynamic range at its base ISO and good noise handling capability at higher ISOs, so you can take photos in more dimly-lit conditions without introducing too much visual noise. On top of that, it has an amazing autofocus system that reliably keeps moving subjects in focus whether you're taking photos or shooting video. It also delivers good overall video quality.
That said, it doesn't have in-body image stabilization, meaning that stabilization performance depends on your chosen lens. While it does a good job smoothing out camera shake in 1080p with its kit lens attached, it performs poorly when shooting in 4k. Sony's menu system is also convoluted and can be hard to navigate. Overall, this is one of the best cameras for photographers on a budget, thanks to its reliable autofocus system, impressive image quality, and lightweight design.