Best Camera for Nature Photography (Beginner, Budget, Pro!)

The Fujifilm X-T5 is a 40 MP APS-C camera. The sensor offers good low-light performance and dynamic range. It has plenty of resolution for landscape, macro, or wildlife shots—even if you want to crop in.

It offers 15 fps (frames per second) continuous shooting, which is plenty for wildlife photography. And you get in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and an improved autofocus system.

The latter includes face and eye detection and tracking. But the tracking is slightly unreliable and not as sticky as it could be.

The fast readout speed means minimal rolling shutter when using the electronic shutter. The JPEG engine is impressive. And a classic draw for Fujifilm cameras is its easy-to-apply film simulation modes, such as Provia, Velvia, and Astia.

It’s quite large for a crop sensor camera. But it offers a comfortable grip and dedicated dials for the ISO, shutter speed, and exposure compensation. You can press these to customize the functions.

It also has DSLR-style front and back control dials and an autofocus joystick. The fully articulating screen is a big bonus. And both the electronic viewfinder (EVF) and touchscreen offer excellent resolutions.

This is also a great camera for video. It offers internal 10-bit recording, and the ability to shoot 4K/60p is impressive. But there’s a slight crop.

You can shoot in Log format, but you also get the Eterna profile if you don’t want to spend time color grading. The only slight problem is that you must use a USB-C dongle to plug headphones into the camera.

Battery life with the new NP-W235 battery is good. You can take 580 shots or 740 in Economy mode as per the CIPA. USB charging is rapid. But you can’t use an external charger.

And finally, the camera’s styling is also easy on the eye. And you have a wide range of native lenses.

The Sony a6600 is a 24.2 MP APS-C camera. The 11 fps burst rate is fine for wildlife action shots. The autofocus system is best-in-class. And face and eye detection and tracking are what all the other camera manufacturers are trying to copy!

The X-Trans crop sensor is a bit old. It suffers from rolling shutter and doesn’t suit post-processing in Adobe Lightroom. But it does offer good dynamic range and low-light performance for nature photography. And it’s backed up by IBIS.

The body design makes it look like an entry-level camera. And there are a few handling problems.

The old menus need an upgrade. And the grip leaves very little room for your fingers, especially with a wide-aperture lens. The dials are also limited. And all must be operated with your thumb.

The displays are average at best. The rear LCD flips up vertically. But that doesn’t help if you have something in the hot shoe. It also has under a million dots, and the touch functionality is limited.

You can choose your AF point. But you can’t navigate the menu or change exposure settings.

You can shoot good-quality 4K videos without any recording limit. And you also get microphone and headphone jacks. Plus, you have advanced video profiles like S-Log2 and S-Log3.

But the output is limited to 8-bit—even to an external recorder. That means S-Log3 and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG, a type of HDR) aren’t that useful.

The a6600 is the first Sony APS-C camera to use the higher-capacity FZ100 battery. And battery life is excellent at 810 shots (CIPA). This is more than the full frame bodies that use the same battery!

And this camera has a wide range of compatible lenses. This includes Sony lenses and many others from third-party manufacturers.

The Canon EOS M6 Mark II is a fast-focusing, fast-shooting camera. And it has a 32.5 MP APS-C sensor, which is plenty for any branch of nature photography.

But the key feature for budding wildlife photographers is the burst rate. This is normally 14 fps, but it rises to 30 fps if you’re happy with 18 MP RAW files.

You can also half-press the shutter to activate pre-shot technology. This lets you capture a half-second of shots before taking a burst!

There’s no IBIS system. But the sensor does offer good image quality, JPEG color, and low-light performance.

Like the a6600, the grip is too small. And most of the controls are on the back, which means your thumb has to do most of the work.

The rear LCD flips up vertically like the a6600, which is a problem if you fit the optional EVF-DC2 attachment. But the touchscreen functionality is more advanced.

The autofocus system doesn’t quite match what you get with Canon full frame cameras. But it’s still rapid, accurate, and easy to use.

If you shoot many videos, you get 4K, but it’s very soft. The other problems are that there’s no headphone jack. And you can’t use the hot shoe to mount the optional EVF with a microphone or external monitor.

Battery life is low at 305 shots (CIPA). And you do get USB charging, but very few chargers are compatible.

There are quite a few APS-C lenses in the Canon range. And there’s even some third-party support.

The 20.9 MP Z50 is an APS-C mirrorless camera in the Nikon line-up. And it’s a decent option for those on a budget.

The sensor offers good JPEG quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance. This is perfect for beginner nature photography.

But it’s quite old, with no IBIS and relatively low resolution. So it’s less than ideal for landscapes or macro work. Plus, the autofocus is a little unreliable, especially in low-light situations.

The grip is large and comfortable, even with heavier lenses. And there are two control dials on the front and back.

The rear panel flips downwards rather than upwards, which means it doesn’t get in the way of anything in the hot shoe. But that means you can’t use it with a tripod.

You get 4K video without a crop, but there’s no headphone jack. And the battery life is quite low at 320 shots (CIPA). But you can use USB charging with just about any cable.

There are currently only three native (Z DX) lenses available. But the Z50 works with all Nikon Z lenses. And you can also buy the FTZ II mount adapter to access compatible DSLR lenses. But full-frame lenses tend to be bigger and heavier to use.

The Sony a7C is a compact 24 MP full frame camera. It has five-axis image stabilization and a 10 fps continuous shooting speed, which is a little low for wildlife photography.

Its best feature for nature photography is the hybrid AF system it shares with Sony’s high-end mirrorless cameras. You get real-time tracking and eye detection for humans and animals, and it’s been tuned for recording video.

The body is rugged for outdoor use. It’s weather- and dust-resistant. And the handling is good, helped by a fully articulating touchscreen.

You can shoot over-sampled 4K video footage at 30 fps with a 1.2x crop. But you must drop to Full HD at 120 fps if you want slow motion.

You also get profiles like HLG, S-Log2, and S-Log-3. Plus, there are 3.5 mm headphone and microphone ports.

The FZ100 battery offers 680 shots per charge with the viewfinder or 740 with the LCD. There’s a USB-C port for charging. And like the a6600, this camera has a wide range of compatible Sony lenses.

The 26 MP Canon EOS RP is a compact, affordable full frame body. It’s travel-friendly and ideal for a beginner nature photographer on the go. Or it can be a second body for a more experienced enthusiast.

But wildlife photographers will be disappointed. It has a continuous shooting speed of only 4 fps and a slow readout speed, leading to rolling shutter.

And the sensor offers good JPEG image quality. But the RAW files offer limited flexibility in post-processing.

As always, with Canon cameras, the Dual Pixel autofocus is excellent for nature photography. But it can only be used in Live View or when filming.

The RP is the first Canon camera to offer eye detection in Al Servo AF (continuous focus) mode. But it only works well at short distances and varies with the AF motor speed of the lens.

The EOS RP is the smallest and lightest full frame model on the market. But the controls aren’t cramped or finicky. The twin control dials on the front and back come in handy.

The grip is deep and comfortable. But your pinky may not fit on it! If that happens, you can always buy one of the three optional grip extenders. The camera grips come in black, blue, and red.

The fully articulated rear panel offers an excellent touchscreen interface. It flips out to the side. So it doesn’t get in the way when using a flashgun or a tripod. But the eye sensor isn’t disabled. So you might accidentally switch off the screen.

You get 4K video (with a 1.7x crop) and headphone and microphone ports. Battery life is low at 250 shots (CIPA). And charging only works at USB 2.0 speeds with a limited range of cables.

Plus, there’s no weather sealing. But the matching Canon RF lenses have a gasket to stop dust and moisture from getting in.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV is a DSLR-style, entry-level 20 MP Micro Four Thirds camera. It’s another budget camera. And wildlife photographers will love the 15 fps frame rate, deep buffer, and five-axis IBIS worth up to four stops.

The sensor provides excellent image quality or nature photography. And you get 28 scene modes, various creative filters, and a guided Advanced Photo mode.

But the autofocus system only has 121 points (all slow contrast-detect). And subject tracking is unreliable.

It’s compact and lightweight. And the handling and controls are excellent—apart from the rather complex menus.

The selfie-friendly LCD offers touchscreen controls. But it flips down to face the subject and won’t work with selfie sticks or tripods.

You can shoot excellent 4K footage up to 30 fps. But you need to drop to Full HD for 120 fps high-speed capture. The overall recording limit (according to JEITA) is 80 minutes. But each clip is limited to 29 minutes.

Battery life is poor, and you can only get 360 shots per charge using the LCD. But the Mark IV supports MicroUSB charging for the first time in the E-M10 range.

Lastly, you can access many compatible OM-system lenses for nature photography.

The Sony CyberShot DSC-RX10 IV is a premium 20 MP bridge camera. It’s best suited to wildlife photography with a fixed f/2.4-4 lens. (An equivalent zoom range of 24-600mm.) And it offers 24 fps continuous shooting.

The hybrid AF system has 315 phase-detect focus points. The AF focus points cover 65% of the frame. And the camera achieves a high hit rate when tracking erratic subjects.

You can also program the Auto Exposure Lock (AEL) button for back button focusing. But there’s an important limitation. You can’t focus while zooming in or out. And you also can’t program the stickiness of the AF system.

The sensor provides excellent image quality with a high dynamic range for nature photography. This is thanks to DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) and S-Log2.

Rolling shutter is also limited, even for fast-moving subjects. And there’s an image stabilization system. But you don’t get any in-camera RAW conversion.

The grip is comfortable. But the build quality and feel of the buttons are a little disappointing. The three-inch touchscreen is small and only tilts up and down.

It does offer touch tracking in still or video mode and a quick way to zoom in to 100%. But you can’t use it to swipe between images or navigate the menus.

The menus are a little complicated but very customizable. And they’ve been updated with color coding to make life easier.

There’s a My Menu option. And there are also other custom options, including the Memory Recall modes taken from the Sony a9. These allow you to change multiple camera settings by simply pressing a button.

Another is AF Area Registration, which lets you customize the autofocus area. And finally, the Function Menu can hold up to 12 different options. Plus, you can customize 10 buttons in shooting and playback modes.

You get high-quality 4K video without pixel binning. But you can’t use AF tracking or face detection for 1080/120p video.

The profiles include S-Log2 and S-Log3. And you also get a gamma display assist function, proxy recording, and zebra patterns. You can also capture high-speed video at up to 960 fps. Plus, there are both microphone and headphone jacks.

Battery life is 370 shots when using the EVF or 400 with the LCD. You can charge it using USB. But it doesn’t have a standalone charger.

The a1 is Sony’s flagship mirrorless camera. It comes with a 50 MP full frame sensor. And I have a pair myself. I chose them because they’re great for wildlife photographers.

The resolution is excellent for nature photography. The RAW frame rate of 30 fps is high. And the autofocus system offers the most reliable eye detection and tracking.

The Nikon Z9 and Canon EOS R3 come close. But the Sony AF system is still the gold standard! The AF system provides excellent eye detection and tracking. But it doesn’t work with certain birds, such as pelicans.

There are other failings, too. It’s annoying, for instance, to specify whether you’re shooting a human, animal, or bird.

The new Sony a7R V does that for you. And it even throws in vehicle and insect detection for good measure! Let’s hope the next firmware update brings those features to the a1!

The a1’s EVF is stunningly bright and clear. But the rear touchscreen is small and only tilts up and down.

And some people dislike the ergonomics of Sony cameras. I must admit that I get blisters on my right hand when I use the a1 without the battery grip (to save weight).

Also, I don’t like pushing a button to change my custom shooting mode using the main dial. That’s very tricky to do when using the EVF!

You can shoot in 8K/30p video with various Log profiles. And there are headphone and microphone jacks. But it would be nice to have an oversampled 4K format!

Battery life is only 430 shots with the EVF or 530 with the LCD. But those figures are much higher in the field when you’re likely to be using burst mode virtually all the time. And again, this camera has a wide range of compatible Sony lenses.

The Nikon Z9 is a 45.7 MP full frame mirrorless camera perfect for wildlife or nature photography. I considered buying one myself, as I had always been a Nikon shooter. But it didn’t come out in time!

The Z9 is almost the ultimate camera. The resolution, 20 fps RAW burst rate, and autofocus system are all excellent. And the Sony sensor has such a fast readout speed that Nikon has been able to take out the mechanical shutter.

This camera is the first Nikon model to offer 3D tracking and AI-assisted subject recognition. This covers people, animals, and vehicles. And the Z9 in Auto mode can tell what’s in front of it—unlike the a1!

The handling is fine. The dual-grip design makes it easy to shoot in portrait and landscape formats. And the pull-out touchscreen also hinges horizontally and vertically.

The only problems are its size and weight. It’s actually 8% lighter and 20% smaller than the Nikon D6. But a more realistic comparison is with the Sony a1. Comparing the Z9 and a1, the latter is a 21 oz (603 g) lighter!

Like the Sony a1, the Z9 offers 8K/30p video. But this rises to 8K/60p 12-bit capture with a firmware update. It also gives you oversampled 4K capture up to 60p.

Plus, there’s a wide range of video formats, including 8-bit and 10-bit options. The autofocus system also works exceptionally well for video. And it’s more than a match for the Sony a1 or the Canon R3.

Officially, the Z9 only gets 740 shots per charge via the rear LCD. Or you get 700 using the EVF. But this rises to 2,000 to 4,000 in real-world usage. Another way to look at it? You could leave your camera on for six hours before the battery died!

The Nikon Z9 could be a good investment for nature photographers. The number of native Nikon Z lenses is bound to increase in the next few years.

The Canon EOS R3 is a 24 MP full frame camera. It sits at the top of the wildlife photography tree (until the Canon EOS R1 comes out). And the Dual Pixel autofocus system is excellent at tracking people, animals, and vehicles.

There are no real weaknesses apart from the relatively low sensor resolution. If you’re a landscape photographer and prefer more megapixels (MP), you can always buy the EOS R5!

The EOS R3 is the only camera in the Canon line-up with Eye Control AF. This lets you place the focus point in the frame simply by looking at your subject!

Admittedly, it has to be calibrated beforehand. And it doesn’t work for all users. But it’s still a neat trick. Plus, the EVF also has an optical simulation mode. This lets you see the actual scene rather than what the picture is likely to show.

The R3’s built-in grip makes it comfortable in portrait and landscape formats. It’s not as heavy as the Z9. But the Sony a1 is still 9.8 oz (278 g) lighter.

The resolution limits video performance. But you can still shoot 12-bit 6K RAW or oversampled 4K video from a 6K sensor area.

You can also record C-Log3 and RAW videos internally. You do get some overheating in 4K/120p and 6K. But it’s not such a major problem as on the R5. Plus, there are also microphone and headphone jacks and a full-size HDMI port.

Again, there are many compatible Canon RF lenses suitable for nature photography.