The 6 Best Cameras For Landscape Photography - Spring 2024 Reviews

The Sony α7 IV is the best camera for landscape photography that we've tested. This hybrid mirrorless camera can pretty much do it all, and it's a great fit for high-quality landscapes thanks to its 33-megapixel full-frame sensor. It isn't the highest-resolution option on the market, but it's a step above its predecessor, the Sony α7 III, and most other cameras in this price range, giving you just a touch more leeway to crop in your photos. It also has excellent dynamic range to capture more detail in high-contrast scenes and give you more flexibility to adjust your exposure and process your images.

Beyond its stellar image quality, it's well-built, with a weather-sealed body that'll give you more peace of mind when shooting outdoors on rainy or snowy days. It also has an amazing battery life, especially relative to other mirrorless cameras, so you'll get plenty of shots on a full charge, which is great for longer shooting days. Throw in a wide range of native and third-party lens options, and you've got one of the best landscape photography kits for enthusiasts.

While the Sony α7 IV will get you very detailed high-resolution photos, the enthusiast-oriented Nikon D780 is the best DSLR option for landscape photography. While it's bulkier than mirrorless alternatives, it has an unmatched battery life that can easily last you throughout long shooting days at remote locations. It's also remarkably well-built, weather-sealed, and feels great in hand, with plenty of physical controls and customization options.

Aside from its design and ergonomics, it's well-suited to landscape photography thanks to a more light-efficient backside-illuminated sensor. That's evident in how well the camera performs in low light, with fantastic noise management across its ISO range. That and its wide dynamic range make it a great choice for trickier lighting conditions. While, at 24.5 megapixels, it has a lower resolution than the α7 IV, that's still more than enough to give you some cropping leeway and make reasonably-sized prints.

Full-frame sensors may be ideal for landscape photography, but newer APS-C cameras like the Fujifilm X-T5 prove that sensor size isn't everything. You might prefer a crop sensor camera for many reasons, from portability to smaller lenses. The X-T5 is a relatively compact option that doesn't sacrifice build quality or weather sealing. It even has a very effective IBIS system, which can come in handy when shooting at slower shutter speeds without a tripod.

The real selling point of the X-T5, however, is its high-resolution 40.2-megapixel sensor. It's one of the highest-resolution APS-C sensors on the market, giving you plenty of detail and room to crop in your landscape shots if needed. It even performs admirably in low light, with decent noise handling. Overall, this is the camera to get if you want a more portable camera system for landscapes and don't mind a slight trade-off in dynamic range and noise performance. If you're looking for something a tad cheaper, with a wider range of third-party lens options, the Sony α6700 is another fantastic APS-C option. It's more well-rounded for hybrid shooters but uses a lower-resolution sensor.

If you're looking for something cheaper than our picks above, the Canon EOS 90D is a great DSLR option at a mid-range price point. Fitted with a 32.5-megapixel APS-C sensor, the 90D can capture excellent landscape images with a good amount of dynamic range to bring out detail in high-contrast scenes. The higher resolution is also great if you need to crop your photos or want to make prints.

The 90D has a few other benefits over mirrorless alternatives, including a longer battery life, great ergonomics, and a well-established lineup of compatible EF and EF-S lenses, which include more affordable options as well. Plus, it's weather-sealed to give you some peace of mind in more adverse weather conditions. If you'd prefer something more portable, a mirrorless alternative like the Canon EOS R10 is also a great choice, though Canon's RF system doesn't have as wide a lens selection.

The Nikon Z 5 is Nikon's entry-level full-frame offering and one of the best-value cameras you can get for landscape photography. You won't find a better full-frame option for less. Though it's less versatile for faster subjects and video, with a slow max burst rate and severely cropped 4k video recording, this is a fantastic choice if landscape photography is your main focus.

Its 24.3-megapixel sensor delivers amazing image quality, with plenty of dynamic range to bring out a wider array of detail. And despite being an entry-level model, it still has features you'd expect to find on higher-end models, like a high-resolution viewfinder and weather-sealing. Battery life is also impressive, though not nearly as good as a DSLR like the Nikon D780 or the Canon EOS 90D. Nikon Z lenses don't come cheap, especially the premium S Line, and third-party options are limited. However, this is a great choice if you're looking for a full-frame body that won't cost you a fortune.

If you're on a tighter budget or are just getting into photography, getting an entry-level camera like the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 or finding another older used DSLR is a great way to get started. This model has an excellent 24-megapixel APS-C sensor with impressive dynamic range for those trickier high-contrast landscapes. Like the Canon EOS 90D, it has an excellent battery life, great ergonomics, and simple, intuitive controls that make it a great choice for beginners. It's also one of the most portable DSLRs around, which makes a difference when lugging it with you on a long hike.

If you're just starting, a budget mirrorless option like the Canon EOS R50 can also be a good choice. However, while it's even more portable, it has a much shorter battery life, and lens options are more limited. The SL3, on the other hand, has a long line of DSLR lens options, including more affordable options, so you can easily step up your landscape game as your skill level increases.