Every now and again I get a DM or email asking me what is the best camera for landscape photography.
As the cliche goes: the best camera is the one you’ve got on you.
When you’re starting to take outdoor photography more seriously, that answer really doesn’t satisfy you. You want to know about dynamic range, megapixels, weatherproofing, battery life, DSLR vs. mirrorless… The list goes on.
So what is the best landscape camera?
Unfortunately, there’s isn’t a straight answer to this question. There are pros and cons to every bit of gear andyour personal use ultimately dictates what equipment you’ll need.
In this article, I’m going to take a comparative look at the top cameras for landscapes (including an affordable option). I’ll then go on to explore what you should look for in a good outdoor camera and how your unique requirements might affect your purchasing decisions.
The Best Professional Cameras for Landscape Photography
Nikon D850
TheNikon D850 is widely regarded asone of the best cameras for landscape photography. If you’re an enthusiast or professional looking for incredible image quality, excellentdynamic range, anda battery that will outlast your patience, this is a solid choice.
Key Specifications
- 45.7 MP sensor
- 35.9 mm x 23.9 mm sensor size
- Full frame (1.0x crop factor)
- Mirror lockup
- 1/8000s to 30s shutter speed
- 7 frames per second continuous shooting
- AF down to EV -4
- ISO 64 - 25,600
- Long-exposure noise reduction
- Battery life of 1840 shots or 70 minutes of HD movie footage
- 4k video capture at 30fps
What This Means for You
The high-resolution sensor means you’ll getincredible image quality while also maximizing your dynamic range due to the low ISO compatibility which goes all the way down to ISO 64. You can also recover up to 2.5 stops of blown-out highlights. This will help you to capture as much detail as possible from shadowy foregrounds to bright skies.
I’m always shooting at awkward angles and frequently find myself lying in mud just to look through my viewfinder. TheD850 solves this problem with a 3.2-inch tilting LCD display screen and image live view meaningyou can set up your composition with ease.
If you’re trying to capture a low-light scene, you’ll be happy to hear that this camera can focus in near-darkness atEV-4. This is ideal for that moment the sun is about to hit the top of those mountains in the distance.
If mouth-watering time-lapses are your thing, be prepared to be able to capture8k time-lapse sequences of nearly 10,000 full-sized images with its Interval Timer Mode.
Camera Body & Accessories
Best Mirrorless - Sony a7R IV
TheSony a7R IV is the fourth in a series ofhigh-resolution full-frame mirrorless cameras and has caused countless landscape photographers to cheat on their brand of choice. With a 61 MP sensor, ridiculous low-light capability, and beautiful dynamic range, I predict more infidelities to come.
If you’ve not already been seduced by the powers of theSony a7R series, you will be after this introduction.
Key Specifications
- 61 effective megapixels
- Full frame (1.0x crop factor)
- 35.7 x 23.8mm sensor size
- 9504 x 6336 maximum resolution
- 100 to 32000 ISO sensitivity
- Up to 10fps continuous shooting
- 4k video
- Tilting touchscreen LCD monitor
- Battery life of approx. 530 shots
What This Means for You
Despite the high price point, both thea7R III and thea7R IV are increasinglypopular choices for professional landscape photographers due to their ability to capture stunningly high-resolution images. Time to find a bigger wall to hang up your printed images because this exceptional mirrorless camera can handle it.
Of course, megapixels aren’t everything and fortunately, the a7R IV doesn’t stop there. Unlike studio photographers,outdoor photographers require robust gear that can handle the shooting environment. The A7R IV boasts a deeper grip, improved moisture handling, and better resistance to dust.
One of the biggest pain points of being a landscape photographer is the weight of all your gear. By the time you’ve packed your camera, lenses, drone, food, water, and spare clothes, hiking up a mountain for sunrise can often feel like a chore. Thankfully,the Mark IV doesn’t add to your problems. It weighs 23 ounces and is 5.2 x 3.9 x 3.1 inches in size - another perk of going mirrorless.
There’s nothing worse than a powerful camera that feels clumsy so you’ll be pleased to hear users report that it feels good to use. It has anintuitive menu system and button placement seems to make sense for the most part.
Camera Body & Accessories
Canon EOS 5DS R
TheCanon 5DS R is another professional-level camera that features asuper high megapixel sensor and a sturdy build. If you want stunningly sharp images, excellent long-exposure handling, and satisfying color reproduction, this is the camera for you.
Key Specifications
- 50.6 MP sensor
- Full frame (1.0x crop factor)
- 8688 x 5792 maximum resolution
- 3.2 inch LCD display
- Full HD video recording
- 61 point AF module
- ISO 100-6400 (extended mode: 50-12800)
What This Means for You
While theCanon 5D MK III is a great all-round camera, the5DS R is mainly built for studio and landscape shooters. The result: a purpose-built camera that will satisfy your demands as a professional nature and wildlife photographer.
Unlike the 5DS,the 5DS R has introduced a secondlow pass filter which creates a cancellation effect. Generally, low pass filters cause very minimal blurring by ever so slightly separating pixels in order to reduce aliasing. The 5DS R, however, cancels the blurring effect, resulting in super-sharp images.
It also boasts an impressive 50.6-megapixel sensor which makes itjust about the highest megapixel full-frame camera you can buy on the market, behind the a7R IV. This allows you to print out super high-quality versions of your images and even allows room for cropping without losing significant detail.
If you’re used to using the Canon range, you’ll be able to pick up this camera without having to re-learn the UI. It’s still as intuitive to use with asensible menu system and a sturdy build that will handle a variety of environments.
Unlike the a7R IV and the D850, it has afixed 3.2” LCD screen. As a Canon 5D user myself, this is certainly a drawback in some situations, such as wanting to set up your camera low to the ground. Most of the time, however, it really doesn’t make much of a difference.
Camera Body & Accessories
- Canon 5DS R
- Canon Lithium-ion Rechargeable Battery
- Lexar 32GB CompactFlash Memory Card
- Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L
Best Affordable Camera for Landscape Photography
Not everyone needs or wants to spend thousands of dollars on outdoor photography equipment. Settling for a more budget-friendly camera for landscape photography doesn’t mean you need to settle for poor quality.
Sony Alpha a6000
Thea6000 isone of the best affordable mirrorless cameras, sitting at under $500. It’s a cropped sensor 24.3-megapixel camera and while you’re not getting the level of detail as the likes of the a7R IV, you’re still getting value for money.
Key Specifications
- APS-C (1.5x crop factor)
- Sony E-Mount
- 24.3 effective megapixels
- 6000 x 4000 max resolution
- 23.5 x 15.6mm sensor size
- 1920 x 1080: 60 fps
- ISO 100-25600
- Continuous shooting up to 11fps
What This Means for You
The Sonya6000 isone of the cheapest in a line of Sony mirrorless cropped sensor cameras. Although it was released back in 2014, it’s still a good option for those on a budget. The newest version in the series is thea6600 which comes in at under $1500 for the camera body alone.
Despite being the cheapest in its series, it still has a24-megapixel sensor like the later models. As a stills camera, this still performs remarkably well but it falls behind when it comes to video, only shooting 1080 at 60fps.
As with other Sony cameras, it sports a3” LCD screen which can be tilted for ease of viewing. One of the best features of the a6000 is its auto-focus system. The camera uses a 179 point detection system which gives you much wider coverage. That combined with the ability to shoot continuously at 11ps makes it great a tracking moving objects like birds and animals.
Camera Body & Accessories
Canon Rebel T7i
Another great cheap outdoor and wildlife camera is theCanon Rebel T7i. Also known as the 800D outside of America, the T7i is an incredibly popular 24MP DSLR under $1000. It’s the ideal camera for photographers looking to produce quality images while also looking after your bank account.
Key Specifications
- 24.2 effective megapixels
- Cropped sensor
- 6000 x 4000 RAW file size
- Up to 45 points AF system
- ISO 100-25600 (expandable up to 51200)
- 1/4000s to 30s shutter speed
- Continuous shooting at up to 6fps
What This Means for You
This camera is one of the best choices for those with a budget between $500-1000 and it shares a lot of the same features as some of the more expensive models. It’s clear it has been built with the casual nature photographer in mind.
One of the most important considerations for casual photographers is a good auto mode system. The Rebel T7i does agood job all round in the auto mode, setting the exposure, focus, and white balance. It makes it incredibly easy for beginners to point and shoot at a subject without worrying about more complicated settings.
I’d recommend any casual or beginner user to learn some of the basic manual settings in order to gain more control as the flash system can be a bit keen. Moreover, the camera has atendency to lower shutter speed rather than increasing ISO in low light, resulting in blurry images.
Camera Body & Accessories
- Canon Rebel T7i
- Canon Rebel T7i with 18-55mm f/4-5.6 kit lens
- Canon 200-DG Gadget Bag
- 3Pod Orbit Monopod
Best Money-Can-Buy Landscape Camera
If money isn’t a consideration for you and you’re looking for the best of the best then you’ll want to start looking at medium format cameras.
Medium format cameras have the ability to produce much larger high-resolution images than full-frame DSLRs and near-perfect color accuracy. But, with that comes a hefty price tag.
Fujifilm GFX 50S
The FujifilmGFX 50S is a 51.4MP medium format camera that packs a punch when it comes to image quality. This mirrorless beast boasts a 43.8 x 32.9mm sensor and while smaller than film counterparts, it doesn’t lack in the number of pixels produced. The camera supports G-mount lenses which are equally as impressive as the body itself.
Key Specifications
- 51.4 effective megapixels
- 43.8mm x 32.9mm image sensor
- Extended ISO 50-102400
- Approx. 3fps continuous shooting
- 3.2” LCD monitor
- Full HD video recording
- 15 film simulation modes
- Up to 400% dynamic range setting
- 10-80% operating humidity
What This Means for You
Althoughthe camera itself has some size to it, it’scomfortable to hold because of its large handgrip. Not only is it great to hold, but it’s also easy to use with a sensible interface and logical dial placement.
Aside from usability, your landscape images will achieve excellent color accuracy and insane levels of detail. The ISO can be dialed all the down to 50 which contributes to animpressive dynamic range which is hard to achieve on most full-frame cameras.
In part, the improved image quality you’ll experience with the GFX 50S is down to the G mount lenses. Of course, there has to be a compromise and this is most noticeable in its autofocus and operational speed. But, if image quality is your main priority, then you’ll not be disappointed.
If you’re willing to part with $5,500 for the body and another $1500-2500 for a lens, this the GFX 50S is afantastic choice for landscape photographers that need incredibly high-resolution images.
Camera Body & Accessories
- Fujifilm GFX 50S
- Fujifilm GF 100-200mm f/5.6
- Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4
- SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO Memory Card
How to Choose a Landscape Camera
Landscape, outdoor, nature, and wildlife photographers all have similar needs when it comes to choosing a suitable camera. As well as the unique challenges landscape photographers face, there are also universal aspects you should consider when choosing any camera.
Camera Resolution
Camera resolution refers to the amount of detail a camera can capture and is measured in pixels.
The fewer pixels a camera can capture, the more grainy the image will be as you print it in larger sizes. Conversely, cameras that capture more pixels will retain more detail and the images will appear sharper.
Megapixels is one of the most leaned on selling points of any digital camera these days. In essence,the more resolution the bigger the potential print size. That’s why camera manufacturers are having a race to the top when it comes to increasing sensor resolution.
As well as the increased potential print size,higher resolution cameras allow for cropping without losing significant detail or image quality. Cropping is useful when you don’t get your composition quite right or when you simply didn’t have enough time to set it up.
Most people don’t need super high-resolution cameras of 40MP+ unless you’re printing really big. I’ve successfully used my 22-megapixel Canon 5D MKIII to shoot images that ended up being printed on the back of a double-decker bus. Granted, I’d achieve better results if I had higher megapixels but the point is, it worked and the client was happy.
Sensor Size
Megapixels aren’t everything. One of the most important factors in determining image quality is the sensor size. It’s why phone companies can boast all they want about megapixels but will struggle to compete with images produced by full-frame cameras.
Digitalcameras will usually either have a cropped or full-frame sensor and some, like the Fujifilm GFX 50S, will sport a medium format sensor, which is bigger. As a general rule of thumb, the larger the sensor, the better the image quality and dynamic range. This means that you’ll get better detail, contrast, and tones from a larger sensor.
The sensor is an electronic device that collects light information after it passes through the aperture. You will typically notice a crop factor number when you’re looking at camera specifications. Since cropped sensors are smaller than full-frame, the focal length of the lens will be multiplied.Each camera manufacturer will have a different crop factor but it will be displayed something like 1.5x.
So, if you’re shooting landscapes on a cropped sensor, you will need to take into account that your focal length will be different from what it says on the lens. For example, a 24mm lens on a cropped sensor camera will act more like a 35mm would on a full-frame camera.
Weather Resistance
This will purely depend on your specific shooting conditions. Weatherproofing is something to take into consideration when buying a new camera for landscape photography. You should keep in mind the operating temperatures as well as factors like dust and water resistance.
A good weather-sealed camera will give you more flexibility and peace of mind when shooting in different conditions. Even if you don’t think you’ll be in extreme conditions, it’s still something to keep in mind. For example, if you get a stray splash of seawater when you’re on a boat or a gust of wind blows sand in your direction when you’re on the beach.
Be aware that weatherproofing is definitely not the same waterproofing. While most cameras will handle a bit of rain, they’ll certainly not appreciate a swim in the local pool.
It can be hard to tell how weather-sealed a camera is and some spec sheets will provide minimal information. You might need to check on first-hand user reviews if this is an important consideration for you.
Your Budget
Finally, your budget is ultimately the determining factor on what kind of camera you go for. Armed with all the information about sensor size, megapixels, dynamic range, and other key specs, you should be able to pick the best camera for you within your target budget.
Keep in mind that costs can easily creep up when you start to add in lenses, filters, and any other landscape photography equipment.
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