Choosing the best camera for photography is hard enough for professionals, but when you're just starting out the choice of types and price brackets can be overwhelming.
The best camera for photography isn't necessarily the most expensive, or the most powerful – it's about choosing the right camera for what you want to do. So before we list the best cameras across the whole spectrum, consider the following to see if they help you find what you really need.
If you want a camera that is user-friendly and cheap, then you probably need one of the best point-and-shoot cameras. If you waant to learn how to take photography as a hobby then I'd look at our pick of the best cameras for beginners. But if you are looking for something to take on holiday or something that children can use then check out the best cameras for travel, or the best cameras for kids. And if you are looking for really serious kit to make a living from your photography, then you probably need to invest in one of the best professional cameras.
If you still need some inspiration, here are the our pick of the best cameras for photography available right now…
Chris George
Chris has been writing about photography professionally for nearly 40 years and has tested hundreds of different cameras – and owned dozens of them too. He has been the editor of What Camera, N-Photo, PhotoPlus, Video Camera, and Digital Camera magazines during his long career. He loves the challenge of helping people find the right camera, to suit their photography and their budget.
Best cameras for photography: Quick list
In a hurry? Here's a quick overview of the cameras in this guide, with links that let you jump down the page directly to a review of whichever one catches your eye.
Canon has ingeniously stripped down this modern mirrorless camera to the bare basics, to make this an affordable option for anyone who wants to start doing "real" photography. Read more↵
If you want a mirrorless camera that you take to any shoot, for any genre of photography, the Fujifilm X-T5 has you covered – and it has great retro looks too! A great enthusiast option. Read more below
The traditional DSLR is still what I'd recommend for those studying photography - with this Canon camera and compatible lenses being highly affordable Read more below↵
If you want the highest resolution mirrorless camera on the market then this 61-megapixel full-frame mirrorless shooter it perfect to capture the finest of details. Read more below
With a built-in zoom lens, this compact camera is an all-in-one pocketable shooting solution. Its twisting LCD means it is perfect for selfies, or recording YouTube videos.
This futuristic-looking device, provides a mini video camera with a built-in gimbal - allowing you to shoot handheld video that looks smooth and professional.
The wide-angle lens and dual screen makes this great for those wanting to film themselves on the move. It is really compact too, so a good option to would-be travel vloggers too! Read more below↵
A 360 camera shoots you and everything around you using two 180° fisheye lenses - so you don't miss anything. You can edit the video to show the view from any direction afterwards. Read more below
With 8K video capture, and a host of professional videomaking features this is top choice for serious filmmakers. But as a hybrid mirrorless camera it is a brilliant stills camera too.
Why you can trust Digital Camera World
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.
Mirrorless camera are the newest form of interchangeable lenses cameras for those who want to take photography seriously - and these are steadily taking over from the traditional DSLR. But up until recently, beginner models have been more expensive. We love the EOS R100 as it sets out to be the mirrorless camera that is priced so anyone can join the party.
The EOS R100 is custom-made for beginners. Sure it lacks some of the features of pricier options - most notably the LCD screen at the rear is not touch sensitive, and is fixed - so can't be swung around for selfies, say. However, thanks to the D-pad on the rear it is simple to navigate menus and settings – and there's a guided user interface to help explain things to the newbie.
That's lots tech from more professional models in Canon's EOS mirrorless range - such as the Dual Pixel autofocus that offers face tracking and eye detection to offer a huge helping hand in getting your pictures sharp.
The lens system is relatively new - so there are no secondhand bargains, and frustratingly no third-party options. However, Canon has done a good job of making affordable lens options - and the camera can be used with old-school EF-mount DSLR lenses using an adapter.
The Fujifilm X-T5 a state-of-the art mirrorless camera, that acts like a classically controlled SLR, making it one of the best retro cameras. This makes it ideal for serious enthusiasts and old-school shooters, with its traditional dials on the top of the camera that enable you to change ISO and shutter speed settings quickly.
The X-T5 takes the much-loved Fujifilm X-T4 further in terms of resolution but is still ideal for shooters who want a lightweight camera. Its specs are ferocious, with 40.2MP photographs, 10-bit 4:2:2 video at 6.2K 30p, and a 3-way tilting touchscreen for flexible image composition. In terms of the way that it looks, feels, and handles, the X-T5 is in a class of its own.
The DSLR is the traditional camera for those learning about photography - those who are new to the hobby, or studying photography at college, making this one of the best cameras for students. The Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is a long-standing favorite of ours in this category (and is sold as the Canon EOS 250D in Europe). It's by no means the most advanced DSLR you can get, but its simplicity, its controls, and the quality of the images it can create make it our top recommendation for anyone just starting out, and has limited budget to spend.
What we like about the Canon, is that there is a huge range of affordable lenses for this interchangeable lens system. So you can find others that you can borrow different options from - and find bargain secondhand options.
What’s more, there isn't a lot the SL3/250D doesn’t do – unlike other budget DSLRs, it offers 4K video, and boasts a fold-out rotating LCD screen
Its 24-megapixel Dual Pixel sensor delivers super-sharp, super-high-quality images. Do make sure you buy a kit that includes an 'IS' zoom lens - which gives you image stabilization that will help ensure your handheld shots are that bit sharper.
The downside is that DSLRs are on their way out - and Canon even has stopped producing new models or new lenses for the system.
The 'R' models in Sony's A7 series cameras are designed first and foremost for resolution – and the Sony A7R Mark V is the highest resolution camera yet with a full-frame sensor.
It's not just the detail rendition that's stellar, but this camera's 4K video capability and 10fps continuous shooting speed – all combined with in-body 5-axis image stabilization and one of the most powerful autofocus systems the world has seen, complete with the world's best (so far) eye AF.
One of the most compelling reasons for picking the Sony system, however, is the extensive lens range now available, both from Sony itself and third-parties, and the momentum the Sony brand has built up in the photographic community.
Normally we recommend interchangeable lens cameras for any kind of serious photography or filmmaking, but we'll make an exception with the Sony ZV-1.
It has a fixed 3x zoom lens and a 1-inch sensor that's smaller than its Micro Four Thirds and APS-C rivals, but it makes up for it with a super-compact body small enough to slip into a jacket or even a trouser pocket, and a body, controls, audio system and rear that are optimized brilliantly for vlogging. The newer Sony ZV-1 II is more expensive and offers a wider-angle zoom, which is better suited for vlogging but otherwise is pretty much identical to the original.
The woolly hat you see in the pictures is a muffler to cut wind noise while filming, and it comes with the camera, and the autofocus on this camera is blazingly fast – and copes brilliantly when you hold objects up to show the camera.
Excellent large screen much easier to use than predecessor
+
DJI Mic 2 Bluetooth option makes a complete vloggers kit
Reasons to avoid
-
Choosing length of grip and battery can be irritating
Is the DJI Pocket 3 an action camera? Well, it's not rugged and waterproof, but given a lot of action cameras are used in the hand on selfie sticks, this is a sensible option to consider. It is easy to use, and has a usably big touchscreen with the third iteration. There is no questioning the superb stabilization, clever 'follow' modes, and flip-around selfie shooting.
There’s also a handy ultrawide lens attachment that, admittedly, definitely drops quality, but adds a field of view. There is also the option of buying in a combo with a DJI Mic 2 that adds a Bluetooth microphone making this an ideal tool for vlogging (the 3 built-in mics can also help cancel the ambient noise). The 1-inch sensor handled mixed and low light well in our tests too.
That aside, the convenience, versatility, and stabilization offered by the DJI Pocket 3 can’t be overstated. After all, nothing much can do all the things it can and still slip into a jacket pocket. You can even connect wirelessly to your smartphone and get big-screen control and playback via the DJI app.
Good vlogging tool in vertical or horizontal formats
+
Great low-light performance
Reasons to avoid
-
12MP stills - so best suited to shooting video
-
Fixed non-interchangeable lens
Action cameras and not really cameras for photographing sports from the sideline. Instead they are for shooting video where you are the star of the show. Loved by adrenaline junkies, they can be great for recording leisurely bike rides as well as snowboarding down black runs. They have very wide-angle lenses - so need to be close to whatever you are shooting, hence why they are best turned to face you. GoPro is the dominant name in the action camera market, but for us the DJI Osmo Action 4 beats the old champion in its own arena - performing particularly well in low light due to its bigger sensor.
There are times when handling even an action camera's wide-angle lens becomes a problem, and that's where a 360-degree action camera can step in. With two back-to-back lenses and enough smarts to eliminate a selfie stick from the footage, this almost magic camera can capture an image from a point within reach looking any direction you see fit.
I tried it with the bike attachment – which holds the camera a little way in front of the bike, over the front wheel – and was amazed at the footage which makes it look like I'm cycling toward a perfectly controlled drone. Better still, by syncing with my phone I could add GPS data and have it overlaid, in the form of a speedometer, by the Insta360 app.
The only real worry is how exposed those glass fisheye lenses are when the camera is in use; the joy of re-positioning the camera angle after the fact can be hours of fun. 5.7K is good enough for sharing, but more resolution would help pro work.
The EOS R5 is Canon's most powerful all-round camera, and seems to be trying to corner every segment of the market at once. It's got a superb 45MP image sensor that produces images of incredible detail, and can even shoot 400MP photos (under strict conditions). It also boasts the best autofocus system I've ever used, which feels like cheating whether you're photographing people, animals or vehicles - and making this a great camera for those serious about shooting sports or wildlife.
The video specs are equally exceptional making this our pick for serious filmmakers. It can capture uncropped 8K RAW video internally at up to 30fps in 4:2:2 12-bit Canon Log, or HDR PQ (both H.265) in both UHD and DCI. On top of that, Frame Grab enables you to extract 35.4MP stills from your 8K footage, ensuring you never miss a moment and 4K can be captured at up to 120fps.
With weather-sealing, up to 8 stops of in-body image stabilization, dual memory card slots (including support for the high-performance CFexpress card format), a fully articulating screen and plenty of other tricks, this really is one camera to rule them all.
We test cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions. We use our lab tests measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio on DSLR and mirrorless cameras. Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts, dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range. For action cameras, 360 cameras, and compact cameras we rely solely on using cameras in the field - and comparing results and handling with hundreds of other models our testers have evaluated in the past. Our rigorous testing informs our choices as recommendations in our buying guides.
Mirrorless cameras and DSLRs are the most popular type of camera amongst enthusiast and pro photographers - because they allow you to switch lenses to suit what you are shooting. They are often sold 'body only' without a lens, but are also available in kits with a budget standard zoom lens. But you can then buy long telephoto lenses to shoot birds, or ultra-wide-angle lenses for architectural interiors, or macro lenses for extreme close-ups. Most of these cameras will give you dozens of lens options.
A camera with a fixed, built-in lens - as found on compact cameras and action cameras - means that you buy something that doesn't mean investing extra in a lens. Many point-and-shoot cameras have zooms that can cater for most subjects - and bridge cameras in particular can feature super-telephoto settings for close-ups of the moon or distant wildlife.
Should I buy a DSLR or a mirrorless camera?
DSLRs use a traditional interchangeable lens design, where you actually view the subject through the lens - via a mirror that swings out of the way as you take the picture. Mirrorless cameras do away with this optical path - and you instead view your subject as you take the picture via a video screen (often built into the eyelevel finder).
Most manufacturers are now concentrating on mirrorless models, and we are seeing far fewer new cameras and lenses for DSLR systems nowadays. However, the cheapest DSLRs are less expensive than the cheapest equivalent mirrorless models - and the lenses are cheaper too - so are still be a viable budget choice for beginners.
We test cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions - but the actual testing regimen varies widely depending on the type of camera being evaluated.
For mirrorless and DSLR system cameras, we use laboratory tests to measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio on DSLR and mirrorless cameras. Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts, dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range.
For action cameras, 360 cameras, and compact cameras, we rely solely on using cameras in the field - and comparing results and handling with hundreds of other models our testers have evaluated in the past. Our rigorous testing informs our choices as recommendations in our buying guides.
Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography.
His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Nikon D800, a Fujifilm X-T1, a Sony A7, and his iPhone 15 Pro Max.
He has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Dorling Kindersley, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar.
