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The 5 Best Cameras For Photography - Winter 2024 Reviews

Updated
Best Cameras For Photography

While new cameras are getting better and better for videography, taking photos is still the bread and butter of most consumer cameras. 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. In fact, most modern cameras are well-rounded enough for all kinds of photography. The biggest difference will come with the lenses you use. Generally, investing in a less expensive camera body and higher-quality lenses is better than in an expensive camera body and cheap lenses.

We've bought and tested over 100 cameras in our lab, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best digital cameras for photography. If you're looking for something more specific, you can also check out our recommendations for the best cameras for low-light photography or the best cameras for portrait photography. Or, take a look at the best cameras we've tested overall.


  1. Best Camera For Photography

    The Sony α7 IV is the best camera for photography we've tested. It's a very well-rounded hybrid model that sits just shy of pro territory. Improving upon the highly popular Sony α7 III, it has a new 33-megapixel sensor that captures highly detailed photos and gives you plenty of leeway to crop and make edits. Sony's real-time autofocus is also spectacular, with very reliable subject detection and tracking to keep moving subjects in focus. Plus, it has in-body image stabilization (IBIS) to help get more stable handheld shots.

    That said, it has its limitations. For instance, if you want to shoot uncompressed RAW files, the camera's max burst rate drops to 6 fps, which is disappointing for those who shoot high-level sports or wildlife photography. The comparable Canon EOS R6 Mark II has it beat in that respect, with 12 fps burst shooting (or up to 40 fps in electronic shutter mode). However, the wide selection of glass available for Sony's E-mount, including plenty of third-party lenses at various price points, gives the α7 IV an edge.

    See our review

  2. Best APS-C Camera For Photography

    If you prefer the portability and price of the APS-C format, the Fujifilm X-T5 is a fantastic crop sensor camera. With a 40-megapixel APS-C sensor, it's one of the best digital cameras for photography if you're interested in landscapes or portraits, giving you plenty of leeway to crop and edit your photos. While it isn't as well-suited to low-light shooting as a full-frame alternative like Sony α7 IV, the detail and image quality you can get out of this camera is hard to beat at this price point.

    The camera also honors Fujifilm's photography-oriented roots with vintage-style exposure dials that make it a breeze to adjust your settings on the fly and a three-way tilting screen that's incredibly versatile for waist-level shooting and street photography. If you're looking for a more robust camera with better ergonomics for studio work, you might prefer the Fujifilm X-H2. It uses the same sensor as the X-T5 but has a bigger body and additional benefits for hybrid or video shooters, like a full-sized HDMI port and CFexpress card slot. However, it's a bit pricier and less portable.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range Camera For Photography

    The Sony α6700 is the best mid-range camera we've tested for photographers. This hybrid model uses a 26-megapixel APS-C sensor and captures fantastic image quality. It's also relatively portable, with a fairly compact body that you can easily take on the go, and it has an excellent battery life. It also has one of the best and most reliable autofocus systems on the market, with sophisticated subject detection and tracking—not to mention IBIS and a wide selection of native and third-party lenses to choose from.

    If you don't want to fiddle around with RAW files as much, consider the Fujifilm X-S20 instead. Fujifilm is known for its excellent JPEG color science and film simulation profiles, making it a good choice for those who prefer to take snapshots straight out of the camera. Like the α6700, it has IBIS to help you shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds and great ergonomics. However, its autofocus isn't as effective as Sony's AI-driven AF, so it's less suited to very fast subjects like sports or wildlife.

    See our review

  4. Best Entry-Level Camera For Photography

    If the Sony α6700 is out of your price range, the entry-level Canon EOS R10 is an entry-level model that packs a punch for its price. With a highly accessible user interface and great ergonomics, it's beginner-friendly and easy to use, and it features one of the best autofocus systems of its class. On top of that, you get quick burst shooting, a good battery life, and some impressive video specs for an entry-level model, including 4k recording at up to 60 fps (though with a crop) and 10-bit capture in its HDR PQ mode.

    The biggest downside of the R10 is that lens selection is still relatively limited for the RF mount. If you'd prefer a more established lens ecosystem, the Fujifilm X-S10 is another great camera at this price point, and it's one of the few to feature in-body image stabilization. That said, it has a less reliable autofocus system, and its internal video specs are a bit worse.

    See our review

  5. Best Budget Camera For Photography

    The Canon EOS R50 is the best budget photography camera we've tested. It's a great choice for beginners thanks to its simple and intuitive controls and various auto-shooting modes that allow novice photographers to play around with different photography styles. On top of that, it has a highly accurate and easy-to-use autofocus system, and it's very portable for travel or street photos.

    Unlike the Canon EOS M50 Mark II, which it effectively replaces, this is also a good camera to grow with since it uses the same lens mount as full-frame Canons like the Canon EOS R6 Mark II. That means you can use both APS-C and full-frame lenses with the R50, making it easier to upgrade to a full-frame body later. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is another great budget option, especially if you want the more portable Micro Four Thirds system. It has a well-established lineup of lenses, as well. That said, its autofocus system is much less reliable than the Canon camera's, and the camera is a bit less suited to low-light shooting because of its smaller sensor.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • Canon EOS 5D Mark IV: The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is a high-end full-frame DSLR popular among professionals and hobbyists thanks to its impressive image quality and robust weather-sealed construction. However, it's an older model now and lacks features like IBIS and the more reliable AF tracking on newer mirrorless cameras like the Sony α7 IV. See our review
  • Canon EOS R7: The Canon EOS R7 is an excellent upper mid-range camera that's well-suited to wildlife photography, with a sturdy build, great ergonomics, quick burst shooting, and a reliable autofocus system. However, lens options for the RF mount are still relatively limited. See our review
  • Nikon D780: The Nikon D780 is one of the best all-around DSLR cameras we've tested and is suitable for various photography styles. Some may prefer its optical viewfinder to the electronic viewfinders on mirrorless models like the Sony α7 IV. However, it isn't the most portable camera and has a slower burst rate than many mirrorless alternatives. See our review
  • Sony α7 III: The Sony α7 III is the predecessor to the Sony α7 IV and is still a great photography camera. It's around the same price as the Fujifilm X-T5 and a good alternative if you'd prefer a full-frame sensor. However, its IBIS system isn't as effective, and the camera is less well-rounded for hybrid photo/video work. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Feb 27, 2024: We've replaced the Fujifilm X-S10 with the Canon EOS R10 since the R10 has a more intuitive user interface, better autofocus, and slightly more advanced video specs.

  2. Feb 02, 2024: Removed the RICOH GR III and the compact category entirely to limit the scope of the article and renamed the Fujifilm X-T5 to 'Best APS-C Camera For Photography'.

  3. Dec 06, 2023: Replaced the Fujifilm X-S20 with the Sony α6700 as the mid-range pick because it has better autofocus, and replaced the Nikon Z 50 with the Fujifilm X-S10 because it includes IBIS. Added the Canon EOS R7 to Notable Mentions.

  4. Nov 08, 2023: Renamed the Nikon Z 50 from 'Best Lower Mid-Range Camera For Photography' to 'Best Entry-Level Camera For Photography' and added mention of the Nikon Z fc as a vintage-style alternative to the Z 50.

  5. Oct 12, 2023: Replaced the Fujifilm X100V with the RICOH GR III and renamed it the 'Best Compact Camera For Photography' because of the X100V's limited availability.

All Reviews

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best digital photography cameras for most people to buy, according to their needs. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability (no cameras that are difficult to find or almost out of stock in the U.S.).

If you would like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our camera reviews. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There is no single perfect camera. Personal taste, preference, and shooting habits will matter more in your selection.