Best Camera for Bird Photography (Top 19 Picks in 2023!)

I’ve had two Sony a1 full frame cameras for the last 12 months. I’ve used them to take pictures of polar bears in Canada and penguins in Antarctica. And I’ve shot images of leopards, rhinos, and elephants in Africa.

The Sony a1 is one of the market’s best cameras for bird photography. It’s phenomenally expensive. But it’s very exciting to use for several reasons. There are virtually no limits placed on your shooting. The sensor size, frame rate, and buffer size are among the best in the business. Same for its bird-eye autofocus (AF) and subject tracking. So the usual trade-offs don’t apply.

Everything about the a1 is built for speed. The sensor has a high enough readout speed. So rolling shutter effect is not a problem. And the updated BIONZ XR engine offers 8x faster image processing. That leads to a market-leading frame rate. And it means a buffer size that lets you shoot compressed RAW images at 30 fps for more than five seconds!

Like most mirrorless cameras, it’s also great for video. It can shoot unlimited 8K footage with full frame 8.6K oversampling. That means the best-quality, uncropped video you can downsize. Plus, you can record 4K and HD at various frame rates for even more options.

Usability
The Sony a1 is easy to handhold. It has a touch screen LCD. And it features an incredibly bright and clear electronic viewfinder (EVF). The camera body is also weather sealed. So you can take it anywhere outdoors!

It’s also incredibly easy to customize to your heart’s content. You can use the menu system to save three different custom presets. And these are immediately accessible from the main dial. The presets hold just about every possible setting you might need. That includes exposure values, autofocus preferences, and other parameters like white balance.

The rear LCD is quite small. And some might prefer the ergonomics of the Nikon and Canon mirrorless models with integrated grips. However, I haven’t found it to be a problem. One of the advantages of buying an a1 battery grip? You can take it off to save weight if you know you’re shooting handheld for a while.

If money is no object, this is the best of the best for wildlife photography! We also named it our best camera for safari photography!

The Nikon Z9 is probably the closest competitor to the Sony a1. I almost bought one last year. I was already using Nikon glass with my D810 and D850 DSLRs. And it would have been much more convenient (and much less expensive!) to get a Z9. However, I had my trip to Canada coming up. And it wouldn’t have been available in time.

The trifecta of bird photography consists of frame rate, sensor size, and autofocus. So how does the Z9 compare with the a1? The Z9’s RAW frame rate is 10 fps slower. The sensor is 4 MP smaller. And the autofocus system doesn’t have Sony’s excellent bird-eye tracking.

However, we’re talking about very slight differences at this level. The Z9 is still one of the most capable cameras for bird photography. And the Z9 has some better features:

• A larger, higher-resolution LCD
• Slightly better color depth and dynamic range

The only real problem is the size of the camera. The integrated grip makes it much taller and wider than the a1. It’s almost twice the weight!

I can never decide between the EOS R3 and the EOS R5. The Canon R3 offers far more features and much better specifications for wildlife photography. But then I remember that it only has a 24 MP sensor!

It’s true—the sensor size of a full frame camera doesn’t matter unless you want to shoot 8K video or print out at large sizes. The R3 sensor is 6000 x 4000 pixels. And it’s enough for a 300 dpi print 20 inches wide.

It’s also true that the lower number of pixels means they are twice as large as those on the R5. That means a better dynamic range and much better performance at high ISOs.

The R3’s new firmware also offers a custom high-speed continuous drive mode. It lets you shoot 2 to 50 shots in JPEG or RAW at up to 195 fps! And the exposure and autofocus settings are fixed. But that’s a blazing speed for wildlife photography.

The Canon R3 also has a unique Eye Control AF mode that lets you move the focus point by just looking at your subject. That’s a valuable time-saver. I hope it makes its way into a few other camera bodies in the next few years.

Combined with Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel AF, the R3 is an excellent camera for bird photography. You can see a comparison with the Sony a1 or the Nikon z9 for context.

If you prefer a larger sensor that lets you crop in more aggressively, then the Canon EOS R5 beats the R3 hands down. It has almost twice as many pixels! That improves the resolution both for wildlife photography and videography. Plus, the R5 can produce 8K footage at 8192 x 4320 pixels.

The R5 is also much lighter for toting around outdoors. Its color depth is better for bird photography. And it has nearly six times as many focus points. So that gives the R5 a superior autofocus system.

On the other hand, the maximum frame rate and shutter speed are much slower. The low-light ISO, minimum focus sensitivity, dynamic range, and battery life aren’t as good.

You don’t get Eye Control AF, unlimited video recording, or a zero blackout viewfinder. And the LCD has a much lower resolution. As I said, the R3 does look better on paper. But that’s true only if you can put up with the smaller sensor! The choice is yours.

Like the R5, the Sony a9 II has a rather small sensor. And that has implications for the maximum video resolution. It is only 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels).

The color depth and dynamic range aren’t as good as the a1. And several other features are less impressive than the a1 for wildlife photography.

• You get 66 fewer focus points.
• The frame rate is 10 fps slower.
• The EVF resolution and magnification are much lower.
• Video recording is limited.

There’s also no Pixel Shift High-Res mode, gyroscopic stabilization, or anti-dust shutter. And there’s no HDMI port or CFexpress card slot.

But the a9 II is a lot less expensive than the a1. Plus, the all-important autofocus system is almost as good.

The pixels are also more than double the size, meaning a higher maximum ISO and better high ISO performance. And it has a lighter camera body, NFC connectivity, and longer battery life.

Apart from weight, battery life, and NFC connectivity, the Sony a7R IV loses out to the a1 in every other respect. The main problem is the maximum shutter speed. It is 20 fps slower.

You also don’t get gyroscopic stabilization, an anti-dust shutter, blackout-free shooting, or unlimited video. The minimum focus sensitivity and viewfinder resolution, and magnification are also lower. Finally, the highest video resolution is still only 4K, which is very strange on a 61 MP camera!

But if the image resolution is important to you, then the big advantage of the Sony a7R IV is its 61 MP sensor. Combined with the lack of an anti-aliasing filter, the extra megapixels should allow you to get much greater detail in your images.

The extra megapixels in Pixel Shift High-Res mode help you create monstrously large 241 MP files! You should also get better color depth, dynamic range, and high ISO performance.

Not to be confused with the a7R IV, the Sony a7 IV has a much lower sensor resolution and slightly poorer dynamic range and color depth. It also has shorter battery life, lower viewfinder resolution, and no flash sync port or Pixel Shift High-Res Mode.

The two cameras share many features, but the a7 IV does have a few advantages over the a7R IV. It offers gyroscopic stabilization, unlimited video, and lens breathing correction.

There’s also an HDMI port, an anti-dust shutter, and more selectable focus points. Finally, the much larger pixels mean a higher maximum ISO, improved high ISO performance, and better minimum focus sensitivity.

The Canon EOS R7 is a recent addition to the R series of cameras. It is similar to the R6 listed below. However, it has a better RAW frame rate, a higher-resolution sensor, and unlimited video recording.

It also has a faster maximum shutter speed and longer battery life in a lighter camera body. If you enable Pre-shooting, it even takes pictures a half second before you press the shutter release. That’s a real help for bird photography when you hope to catch the moment a bird takes off or catches a fish.

The Nikon Z6 Mark II and the Nikon Z7 Mark II are similar to the Canon R3 and R5. There is a trade-off between sensor size and frame rate. The Z6 Mark II has a higher frame rate. But the Z7 Mark II has the larger sensor. Again, this is a matter of choice. But I’ve opted for sensor size. So the Z7 Mark II makes our list.

The Z7 Mark II has a larger sensor. It means nearly twice as many focus points as the Z6 Mark II. And the color depth and dynamic range are also superior.

However, the number of extra pixels means each one is almost half the size. That means poorer performance at higher ISOs, a lower maximum ISO, and a minimum focus sensitivity that’s 1.5 stops worse.

In almost all other respects, the two cameras are identical. That includes eye tracking, time-lapse recording, and wireless and Bluetooth connections. They have a tilting 3.2″ touch screen, headphone and microphone ports, and weather sealing.

They also offer anti-flicker mode, AE bracketing, focus bracketing, and focus stacking. Finally, they take the same memory cards and have smartphone remote control functions.

The Z7 Mark II is a good camera for bird watching.

The Canon EOS R6 is the other full frame mirrorless camera in the R series. Compared to the Canon R3, the lack of an integrated grip makes it much smaller and lighter.

There are also nearly six times as many selectable focus points. However, that doesn’t offer much practical advantage. You don’t want to spend all your time switching between focus points!

In terms of other features, there are quite a few that both cameras have in common. However, the R6 has a smaller sensor and a lower maximum frame rate. It also doesn’t have blackout-free shooting, Eye Control AF, or 6K video.

The LCD is smaller with a lower resolution, the highest shutter speed is much slower, and the battery life is shorter. Color depth, dynamic range, low-light ISO, and minimum focus sensitivity are also worse. Finally, there’s no LCD on the top plate and no illuminated buttons for shooting in the dark.

Despite that, it’s still a great option for bird photographers.

I had a Nikon D850 before I switched to mirrorless last year. It was pretty reliable… until it got splashed by freezing salt water in the Southern Ocean! However, the big letdown is the continuous shooting speed. It’s not great, even with the optional battery grip.

The excellent Multi-CAM 20K autofocus system has 153 points (99 cross-type), of which 55 are selectable. And I particularly liked the 3D Tracking option. However, it suffers from a restricted focus area like all DSLRs.

It’s hard to focus on erratic subjects like birds in flight. It forces you to focus and recompose if your subject’s eye is outside the central area. And focusing in Live View is especially poor. The D850 only has slow, contrast-detection focus points.

Why did I switch from the Nikon D850 to the Sony a1? It might be useful to review the pros and cons. (Spoiler alert—there aren’t many cons!)

On the plus side, the D850 has a slightly larger LCD with much better resolution. The battery life is officially 3x longer (if you believe the CIPA ratings!). And the color depth and dynamic range are marginally better. That’s about it unless you count 8K time-lapse mode, NFC connectivity, focus stacking, focus bracketing, and illuminated buttons.

On the minus side, there are a ton of features that favor the a1 rather than the D850. You can compare their specs and see for yourself. The D850 doesn’t have Animal Eye AF Tracking or Eye Tracking Focus. The a1 also has better viewfinder magnification and High-Res mode to capture better bird details.

That’s the difference between what is Nikon’s best DSLR for bird photography and Sony’s flagship mirrorless model. The D850 is an excellent camera for a bird photographer. And I’d still have one now if the mirrorless revolution had never happened.

The Nikon D6 is the other heavyweight in Nikon’s corner. And I mean literally due to the integrated grip! Again, it shows the same trade-off between sensor size and frame rate. (Like the Canon R3 vs R6 and the Nikon Z6 Mark II vs Z7 Mark II.) This time, the D850 has twice the sensor resolution. But the D6 has twice the frame rate!

The D6 also has a much higher maximum ISO, much longer battery life, and double the shutter life expectancy. However, in other respects, the two cameras are almost impossible to separate.

There’s no in-camera stabilization. But both have two memory card slots, wireless and Bluetooth connections, and the same size touch screen. They also offer RAW support, face detection, illuminated buttons, and headphone and microphone ports. Finally, they offer AE bracketing, focus bracketing, smartphone remote control, and anti-flicker mode.

If you like DSLRs more than mirrorless models, then the D6 and D850 are valid options for capturing birds. But it’s getting harder and harder to justify!

The Canon EOS 1DX Mark III is the flagship Canon DSLR. Its specifications are similar to those of the Nikon D6. It offers a similar resolution but a much higher frame rate.

The D6 does better in battery life, LCD resolution, time-lapse recording, focus bracketing, and AE bracketing range. The D6 is also lighter and comes with Bluetooth.

However, the EOS-1DX Mark III has better autofocus. The Dual Pixel AF system has more focus points, cross-type sensors, and available focus points at f/8 (when using a teleconverter or extender). The new Digic X processor also helps. It boosts the autofocus processing speed by 380x!

Other benefits include higher-resolution video and longer shutter life expectancy. It’s a decent camera for birding.

Do you like mirrorless cameras but don’t fancy carrying a heavy camera bag? The APS-C Fujifilm X-T4 might suit you. It’s not in the same ballpark as the top mirrorless models offered by Sony, Canon, and Nikon. But it packs a lot of punch despite its size. And the native XF lenses are much smaller and lighter.

It has a smaller sensor. But the X-T4 shares many features with most full frame mirrorless models. That includes eye tracking and face detection, anti-flicker mode, and sensor-shift image stabilization.

It also offers smartphone remote control, time-lapse recording, touch screen control, and weather sealing. You get wireless and Bluetooth connections. And there are headphone, microphone, and flash-sync ports.

The RAW frame rate matches the Canon R5 and Nikon Z9. It can capture 4K 60p video footage. And the rear touch screen is fully articulated for difficult angle shots. In addition, it has retro styling that might appeal to some buyers. It offers 12 Film Simulation modes. That includes cinematic options like Eterna Bleach Bypass. It creates low saturation and high contrast.

When it comes to bird photography, the main downside is the autofocus. It’s an improvement on the X-T3’s system. It has “stickier” subject tracking for birds in flight (especially in low light). However, face and eye detection give false positives. Tracking is also poor with some colors or accelerating and decelerating subjects.

If you can’t afford the EOS-1DX Mark III, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is another full frame DSLR in a similar mold. It’s four years older than the Mark III but has a larger sensor. It also offers time-lapse recording, NFC connectivity, and 4K picture mode. The lack of an integrated grip also makes it much smaller and lighter.

The 1DX Mark III has a higher maximum ISO, more focus points (including cross-type and at f/8), and a faster frame rate. It also offers longer battery life, a higher-resolution screen and video, illuminated buttons, and CFexpress support.

Both cameras have Wi-Fi, touch screen operation, weather sealing, face detection focus, and RAW support. They also have AE bracketing, anti-flicker modes, and electronic levels.

Both have two memory card slots and smartphone remotes. And each has headphone, microphone, and flash sync ports. They’re solid options as bird-watching cameras.

The Nikon D500 is a DX-format camera. That means it’s a kind of APS-C DSLR camera with a 1.5x crop factor. The sensor is smaller than a full frame sensor and has a lower resolution. However, the expanded ISO range and continuous shooting speed are higher than on the D850!

If you’re looking for a crop sensor model, it might be helpful to compare the D500 to the Fujifilm X-T4. They’re both APS-C cameras. But the D500 is a DSLR, and the X-T4 is mirrorless.

The X-T4 wins in every major area, including image quality, features, video, size, and value for money. It has a higher picture and video resolution, IBIS, a fully articulated LCD, and a larger viewfinder. It also comes with more focus points, a higher burst rate, a lighter body, and a longer shutter life expectancy. Finally, it boasts focus bracketing, webcam functionality, and eye tracking.

On the other hand, the D500 offers a larger, higher-resolution LCD, NFC connection, and illuminated buttons. It also has more than twice the battery life.

They also share several other features. They have wireless and Bluetooth connections, a touch screen, RAW support, face detection, and microphone, headphone, and flash sync ports. They also have weather sealing, time-lapse recording, and AE bracketing. Finally, they come with two memory card slots, a smartphone remote control, and an anti-flicker mode.

All in all, the D500 offers a decent bundle of features for beginner bird photographers. But only if you’re wedded to Nikon and can’t stand the idea of a mirrorless camera!

The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) camera. That means it has an even smaller sensor than APS-C cameras, such as the Fujifilm X-T4 or the Nikon D500. However, the integrated grip makes the body quite large and heavy.

It provides a great feature set. It includes 4K video and an exceptional frame rate with the electronic shutter. You also get built-in wireless, GPS, and Bluetooth connectivity. And it’s a weather-sealed camera body. The LCD is “selfie-friendly. It makes it handy for bird watchers who vlog.

One important note. The Olympus Pro cameras, such as the EM1X, are the only mirrorless models with all cross-type sensors. That gives them an advantage in autofocus speed and accuracy. It’s ideal for capturing birds.

You might not like the sensor size. But it’s good enough for wildlife and bird photographers like Andy Rouse!

The Sony Cyber-Shot RX10 IV is a bridge camera (or superzoom). It offers a one-stop shop for bird photographers. You wouldn’t expect very high image quality with this kind of camera. However, the RX10 IV has fast and accurate subject tracking and a sharp Zeiss fixed lens. It’s the same as a 24-600 mm lens on a full frame camera.

The stabilization is also excellent. And the fastest apertures are f/2.4 at 24 mm) and f/4  at 100 mm. This makes it easy to shoot handheld in low light. The highest frame rate is fast enough for bird photography (although you can’t shoot in RAW). And the electronic shutter is silent.

You can also use the RX10 IV for macro work. And it will focus at wide focal lengths of 1.2″ (3 cm). You can even use the built-in flash for daylight fill-in flash as the sync speed is 1/2000 s!

Being a Sony camera, the electronic viewfinder is sharp and clear with no lag. However, the touch screen only lets you select the focus point. It doesn’t work for menus, playback, or entering text.

There’s only one card slot, one MR preset, and no GPS (although you can get that from your smartphone). However, the most irritating problem is that you can’t zoom in (or out) while shooting in continuous mode.

Apart from that, this is a great package for beginner bird photographers. It does a lot of things, surprisingly, very well!

I started with a bridge camera. And one of the reasons I did was because it offered a great zoom range. If that’s important to you, then the Nikon Coolpix P1000 is worth a look. The zoom range is a massive 83x. The equivalent focal length on a full frame model would be 24-3000 mm!

There are challenges when shooting at maximum zoom. This includes diffraction effects and heat haze. The P1000 comes with “Dual Detect.” It offers five stops of optical image stabilization. However, you still won’t get very sharp images, given the size and resolution of the sensor. The other problem is that the maximum aperture drops from f/2.8 at 24 mm to f/8 at 3000 mm. So objects in the background might become distracting.

The buffer is also very small, the battery life is short, and the maximum ISO is quite low. There’s no touch screen or weather sealing, and the autofocus system struggles at longer focal lengths.

The P1000 does have quite a long list of features. It offers RAW support, 4K video with no crop, a 0.5″ (1 cm). It has a minimum focus distance of 24 mm for macro work. And a Snapback Zoom button helps you focus on a “lost” subject.

It has a 3.2″ fully articulating screen and a large, high-resolution EVF. Finally, the Snapbridge software makes it easy to geotag and share photos over Bluetooth. It’s yet another camera for beginner bird photographers.