The best cameras for wedding photography in 2024: shooting the big day

Finding the right camera for wedding photography is essential for capturing every special moment seamlessly. Whether you’re a seasoned pro looking for an upgrade or just starting out and need an affordable option for your first few weddings, here are my top recommendations.

As a camera reviewer and a wedding photographer myself, I prioritize models that allow for fast, quiet shooting over extended periods. Silent shooting mode is crucial, especially during ceremonies, and fortunately, most modern mirrorless cameras come equipped with this feature.

In addition to silent operation, the best cameras for wedding photography require fast and accurate autofocus, particularly in low-light conditions. Wedding moments can’t be repeated, so you need a camera that won’t miss a beat. Dual memory card slots are also recommended, providing extra storage or backup in case of card failure.

The good news is that many of these features are now available at various price points. While you still need to be selective, the days of needing only high-end professional cameras are over. In fact, I’ve divided this guide by budget and usage to help you find the right fit.

For those who want the best overall option, my top pick is the Canon EOS R5, offering 8K video and 30.3 MP stills. It’s on the pricey side, but if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, a DSLR, or an all-rounder like the Sony A7 IV, this guide has a camera that will suit your wedding photography needs.

The Quick List

The best cameras for wedding photography in 2024

Best professional

In many ways, the Canon EOS R5 is the ultimate camera for professionals – and it is particularly potent for weddings. Its 45MP sensor produces stunning stills, and if you want more pixels you can also take advantage of its 400MP photo mode for still-life subjects. The 8K video famously has recording limits, but work within them and you'll achieve glorious footage – with the option to extract crisp 35MP still images. 

The industry-leading AF system is simply the best I've ever used on a camera, and I've used the EOS R5 for at least five weddings. It's clever enough to track eyes even if they are obscured – which is a lot at weddings with friends and family jostling to capture the happy couple. And it locks onto faces in extremely low light, for example during the first dance.

Setting the R5's continuous burst to the maximum 12fps (20fps with electronic shutter) is ideal for one-time shots like walking down the aisle. There's also the hugely impressive in-body image stabilization system that can compensate for up to 8 stops when paired with an optically-stabilized RF lens. The Canon EOS R5 is expensive yes, as are the best Canon RF lenses, but it's never let me down.

Read our full Canon EOS R5 review

Best entry-level

If you're shooting your first few weddings or working as a second shooter for an established professional, the X-S20 is a great entry-level option. In our review, we praised its straightforward controls, excellent fully automatic modes, and its small and compact size. Of course, I wouldn't recommend the X-S20 if it couldn't handle the demands of a wedding. It builds on the success of the X-S10, with the same 26MP resolution but a processor and battery from Fujifilm’s flagship Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujifilm X-H2. The result is a compact camera with phenomenally fast subject recognition and tracking.

Another standout feature for weddings is the X-S20's enhanced battery, which Fujifilm claims can capture 800 frames on a single charge. Wedding pros always have plenty of spare batteries, but it's nice to know that you'll be swapping out the battery less often throughout the day. The 5-axis in-body image stabilization (up to 7 stops with compatible lenses) is on par with most of the options in this guide, and it gives you more leeway against camera shake in low light.

Despite the bigger battery, the X-S20 is lightweight at just 491g, and one of the most compact in this guide, yet there's still a comfortable handgrip and sensible button layout. The APS-C sensor and single memory slot might be a deal breaker for you. But if you're happy to live with just one SD card, the X-S20 is the ideal budget camera for wedding photography, along with Fujifilm's huge range of X-mount lenses.

Read our full Fujifilm X-S20 review

Best value full-frame

Nikon's entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera is incredible value if you're shooting weddings on a budget. Limitations come with its price, such as a maximum continuous shooting speed of 4.5fps, but this should be enough for most wedding scenarios. It has a 24.3MP CMOS sensor that not only captures beautiful, color-accurate photos but it can also shoot 4K video – all with that full-frame fidelity and cinematic depth of field.

The Z5, unlike other full-frame Z cameras, doesn't have a top display panel, and its position is taken up by the camera's mode dial. Being smaller physically, it lacks the array of buttons that the Nikon D850 has for changing settings without having to delve into menus. Otherwise, it handles very well, and I'm pleased that the Z5 has dual UHS-II slots so your images can be safely backed up on the second in case of a card failure. 

The 273-point hybrid autofocus system is also fast and accurate, and eye autofocus makes sure your wedding portraits and walks down the aisle are always in focus. It's lightweight, while weather sealing is important for weddings that take place outside in rainy weather. If you're coming from a Nikon DSLR, the Z5 is a great choice since the Nikon FTZ adapter means you can use your existing (and cheaper) Nikon F mount lenses.

Read our full Nikon Z5 review

Best all-rounder

I loved and used the Sony A7 III for years, but impossibly, I love the Sony A7 IV even more. I'd recommend it wholeheartedly to wedding pros who don't want to spend quite as much as a flagship camera like the Canon EOS R5 but need an all-rounder to go between video and stills. 

Our reviewer found the A7 IV to be a powerful hybrid model. "Stills photographers can revel in its 33MP resolution and incredible burst mode, while videographers get a camera that leaves the previous A7 III far behind." The A7 IV has state-of-the-art autofocus, a massive buffer depth, and dual card slots (as you'd expect). Image quality is excellent and visibly better than the 20-24MP rival cameras in this price bracket, and Sony has possibly the biggest range of third-party and own-brand lenses to choose from. 

One downside is Sony's image stabilization, which can lag behind rivals. Static shooting is perfect, but for run-and-gun style filming you'd be wise to use a gimbal. The menus can also be quite complex to set up and use, but if you're coming from another Sony model, the settings and controls are a logical extension of what you already know.

Read our full Sony A7 IV review

Best hybrid

In the past, I've found it hard to recommend Panasonic's Lumix line-up to wedding photographers because of its focusing abilities. However, the addition of phase detection autofocus brings the S5 II right in line with some of the best hybrid cameras money can buy. It's becoming increasingly common for wedding photographers to shoot both stills and video simultaneously. If that's you, the S5 II has you covered for a very reasonable price.

In our review, we loved the S5 II's tough and compact frame, 5-axis in-body image stabilization, and excellent color science. You get two SD UHS II card slots, although there's no CF Express slot to handle the highest-resolution video recording (6K with a full-sensor readout at 29.97, 25, 24 or 23.98p).

Its active image stabilization utilizes the power of an entirely new image processor, and deploys algorithms that can detect and anticipate camera motion - it becomes particularly effective when you're moving for run-and-gun footage, then. The S5 II is a video specialist, and almost all of its extensive recordable video formats can be captured with a maximum of 10-bit color, including 4:2:2 10-bit C4K/4K 60p video, without any video recording limits. If you're already a wedding videographer or looking to offer more video for clients, the S5 II can produce incredibly high-end results.

Read our full Panasonic Lumix S5II review

Best Micro Four Thirds

Wait a minute – aren't Micro Four Thirds cameras just toys, that aren't suitable for professional use? Not quite. One of its most criticized characteristics – the fact that its 2x crop factor sensor gives you twice the depth of field – is an overt strength for wedding photography. 

When you're shooting in low light on a full-frame camera (such as a church ceremony) and you open your aperture, your depth of field is so thin that it's a struggle to get more than one subject (like the bride and the groom!) in focus. However, because a f/1.8 aperture on the OM-1 gives you results more like an f/3.6, you get double the depth of field – and, thus, more of your subjects in focus when shooting in low light. The compromise, of course, is that you have to work a bit harder to get a shallow depth of field.

The OM-1 is one of the smallest and lightest systems here (behind the Fujifilm X-S20). Its 20.4MP resolution is quite conservative, but there's 50MP and 80MP hi-res shooting via pixel shift, astonishingly good image stabilization, and the most extensive native lens selection of any mirrorless camera system. The OM-1 is a camera packed with computational features that use processing to improve images when or after they're taken. If you're a thoroughly modern wedding photographer who values portability and clever tech, the OM-1 could be the camera for you.

Read our full OM System OM-1 review

Best DSLR

In a world of advanced mirrorless cameras, the D850 might feel a bit behind the times, but that feeling will change once you start shooting with it. It's one of the best (if not the best) DSLRs ever made, and the perfect do-it-all camera for wedding photography if you like the form factor.

The excellent 45MP full-frame sensor with a broad dynamic range helps you to get every bit of detail from the bride's dress, and the advanced 153-point AF can handle moving subjects with ease. It maintains a shooting speed of 7 frames per second (or 9 frames per second with the optional battery grip). Even without the grip, the D850 has an impressive battery life of 1840 shots, surpassing almost all mirrorless competitors.

The D850 is heavy compared to mirrorless rivals – and even the medium format Fujifilm GFX 100S below. However, this compact size is advantageous when using large, heavy lenses – a factor often overlooked by compact mirrorless users. And as a DSLR it has a bright, clear optical viewfinder, which is still preferred by many photographers over digital displays. With a durable weather-sealed build it should last you years. It's a modern classic.

Read our full Nikon D850 review

Best for resolution

A few years ago, I wouldn't have dreamt of recommending a medium format camera for wedding photography. They were heavy, slow, and rightfully required a careful rather than a run-and-gun shooting approach. However, having used the Fujifilm GFX 100S, which is 500g lighter and more compact than its predecessor, I think it's truly changed the game for medium format. 

The camera's biggest draw is its large sensor, boasting 102MP which gives you tonnes of leeway to crop in on images or work with giant prints for the most demanding clients. Medium format does have its limitations and drawbacks. With the GFX 100S, you can't rattle off more than 5fps, and the huge file sizes require you to use lots of high-capacity memory cards, plus a powerful computer that can process them at the editing stage. 

You'll need solid photography skills to use the GFX 100S for weddings. If you're a high-end wedding photographer who's currently using a professional DSLR or mirrorless, and you're looking to take your work to the next level, you can't beat the GFX 100S for breathtaking image quality, color, and clarity. As our reviewer said, "It is just as groundbreaking as the older GFX 100 but at not much more than half the price."

Read our full Fujifilm GFX 100S review

How to choose the best camera for wedding photography

To find the perfect wedding camera, ask yourself what level you're at now and where you'd like to be in the future. There's no point spending thousands on a camera with class-leading video if you'll only ever shoot stills. But equally, you don't want to buy an entry-level camera only to outgrow it in a year or two. I always recommend getting the "best" camera you can for your budget at the time.

What are you going to use your camera for? In today's competitive industry, wedding photographers often shoot stills and video to offer their clients more value. But if you only take photos, focus on the image quality rather than getting bogged down in video specs. When the sensor has a higher megapixel point, that will give you bigger photos and room to crop in if needed, but you'll also have bigger image files to deal with and will need bigger memory cards to store them on. 

A full-frame sensor will give you the best performance in low light, but a smaller APS-C sensor will bring the price of the camera down for beginners. The smallest Micro Four Thirds sensors also have the advantage of a 2x crop rate, effectively turning a 50mm into a 100mm lens.

At weddings, people don't stay still for long. The most important thing to look for is a camera with fast, accurate autofocus performance so you can capture spontaneous moments in sharp detail. All of the cameras here have advanced autofocus modes, with features like eye detection to track the bride and groom as they move the frame.

If you are a wedding videographer or shoot in a hybrid way, look for 4K footage as a minimum, preferably with unlimited recording times so that you can record speeches and the ceremony in one go. Built-in image stabilization is important if you're shooting handheld rather than on a gimbal or tripod.

All of the cameras in this guide are interchangeable lens cameras, but each will have its own mount and lens range to consider. Currently, Canon only lets you use its own lenses (not necessarily a problem when they're as good as they are), whereas Sony has opened up its mount to third-party manufacturers, giving you a range of options even at the same focal length.

If you're going between a few models on this list, check out the full reviews featured in this guide. Our experts have tried and tested all of the cameras in real-life situations to bring you honest strengths and weaknesses and help you make a decision.

How we test cameras for wedding photography

We put the best cameras for wedding photography through rigorous evaluations encompassing real-world shooting conditions as well as meticulously controlled laboratory settings. Our comprehensive tests delve into key aspects such as resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio, vital in gauging camera performance.

To evaluate resolution, we employ ISO resolution charts, meticulously assessing the camera's ability to capture fine details. The dynamic range, a pivotal metric, is determined using specialized DxO Analyzer test equipment. Additionally, our analysis includes a meticulous examination of noise levels across the camera's ISO range, performed using DxO Analyzer.

These in-depth real-world assessments and lab-generated data serve as the cornerstone for our insights and recommendations featured in our buying guides. For a deeper understanding of our testing and reviewing methodologies, explore the detailed breakdown of how we test cameras at Digital Camera World.