Top 5 Best Cameras for Photography in 2025

These days, it’s impossible to avoid video. It’s nearly impossible to find a camera released today without a video mode and increasingly sophisticated video features, unless you’re thinking of purchasing a Leica or Hasselblad that will break the bank. Of course, those cutting-edge hybrid cameras still produce excellent images, but why spend extra money on features you won’t use? Fortunately, the benefit of all these technological developments is that the majority of contemporary cameras are capable of producing amazing image quality. But it all depends on the photographer using the camera to capture high-quality shots. Whether it’s an older used model or one of the more photography-focused hybrids available, there are still plenty of options available for people who only want to concentrate on photography, even though video may be here to stay.

Here are our picks for the top cameras for photographers. If you’re searching for something more focused, you can also look at our suggestions for the top cameras we’ve tested overall, the top cameras for portraiture, or the best cameras for low light. You should look at our top video cameras if you happened upon this page by chance and are genuinely looking for a camera for videography.

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Last update on 2025-01-17 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Top 5 Best Cameras for Photography in 2025

1.Sony A7 IV

Last update on 2025-01-17 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

The Sony α7 IV is among the best cameras we’ve tested for photography, despite being firmly in the hybrid photo/video camp. In-body image stabilization (IBIS), a high-resolution viewfinder, two SD card slots with the option to use a CFexpress card, and a very well-built, weather-sealed body are all included at this price point. In addition, it has an amazing 33-megapixel backside-illuminated full-frame sensor with a broad dynamic range. You have a little more freedom to crop your photos because it has a little higher resolution than the majority of its peers at this level.

But the main factor that makes this our top choice is its extensive lens selection, even though any contemporary camera can produce stunning images at this price range.Sony’s E mount is one of the most established mirrorless lens ecosystems, with a wide range of both native and more affordable third-party options. That makes it incredibly versatile for almost any type of photography you want to do, whether it’s portraits or landscapes. Another excellent option at this tier is the Canon EOS R6 Mark II. It has better ergonomics overall than the Sony, and it can shoot at faster burst rates, but its lens selection is more limited.

The Sony α7 IV is an excellent camera for taking landscape photos. Its 33-megapixel full-frame sensor produces crisp, beautiful images right out of the camera and records an amazing amount of detail. Additionally, it allows you a little more freedom when cropping or printing your images. A wider range of highlight and shadow detail can be captured in busier or more contrasted landscape photos thanks to the RAW format’s extremely broad dynamic range. Additionally, it performs remarkably well in low light conditions where you need to increase the ISO, even though its high ISO noise performance is slightly worse than that of some similar cameras. For longer hikes or photo shoots in far-off places, it is regrettably not the most portable camera.

A hybrid mirrorless camera designed for enthusiasts is the Sony Alpha 7 IV. It costs a little more than its predecessor, the Sony α7 III, but it’s still a fantastic choice for people who want a full-frame mirrorless camera but don’t necessarily need the newest video features that the Sony α7 IV offers. This excellent all-around photo and video camera fills the gap between the older a7 III and the video-focused Sony a7S III and the higher-resolution Sony a7R IV. It has a larger 33-megapixel sensor, a newer processor, an updated autofocus system, a fully-articulated screen, and more sophisticated video features.

A fantastic camera for wildlife and sports photography is the Sony a7 IV. It has two SD card slots, including an integrated CFexpress Type A slot, so you can have a backup ready for more demanding shoots. It is also weather-sealed and robust. When shooting JPEG, it also has a respectable burst rate of 10 frames per second. It can only shoot at 6 frames per second when shooting in uncompressed RAW, which is disappointing if you want to maximize the camera’s sensor for subjects that move more quickly.

If you don’t mind a larger camera, the Sony a7 IV is a good choice for vlogging. You can keep an eye on yourself while recording thanks to its fully articulated screen. Additionally, it has a ton of frame rate settings that allow you to record slow-motion and high-speed action. For longer shooting sessions, the fact that there is no time limit on recording is great. Additionally, it boasts an amazing autofocus system that tracks your face and eyes to keep you focused at all times. With its in-body image stabilization, it effectively reduces camera shake in videos. However, because of its size, it is not the ideal choice for walk-and-talk vlogs. Additionally, its video battery life isn’t as long as that of its predecessor.

2.Canon EOS R10

Last update on 2025-01-17 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

The Canon EOS R10 fills a gap that has existed in the company’s mirrorless camera lineup for a few years. It’s currently among the best cameras available, and because of its compact size and light weight, it’s also among the best travel cameras. This makes it a great choice for both novices and seasoned Canon enthusiasts seeking a fun second camera for daily use.

Although the EOS R10 is slightly more costly and sophisticated than more conventional entry-level cameras, such as the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and EOS 250D DSLR, it is still a significant improvement over those models and well worth the price. In actuality, it is a development of double-digit DSLRs, such as the Canon EOS 90D, which are cameras that became firm favorites with those who wanted to snap their family, vacations and day-to-day lives with smartphone-beating quality.

The Digic X processor, which unlocks the newest autofocus technology and some remarkable burst-shooting speeds for its price, is the secret to the allure of the Canon EOS R10. With Dual Pixel CMOS AF II and 15 frames per second continuous shooting (though the EOS R10’s buffer applies a firm brake), this camera is more than capable of capturing the family dog’s game-winning goal in the garden water polo.

People, animals (dogs, cats, birds), and vehicles are just a few of the many subjects that the EOS R10 can track and follow around with a fair amount of tenacity. This is a very helpful feature that sets this camera apart from competitors like the Fujifilm X-S10, even though the latter does have in-body image stabilization and (at the moment)a bigger selection of lenses.

Yes, lenses. These are the primary drawbacks of the EOS R10, along with its somewhat tiny viewfinder (with a 0.59x magnification). The RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM and the RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM zoom are the only native lenses that Canon has produced for the EOS R10 and its EOS R7 sibling as of this writing. Although you can use Canon’s full-frame RF lenses as well as older EF ones on this camera with an optional adapter, this is quite insignificant when compared to Sony and Fujifilm.

The significance of this greatly depends on your personal taste and level of photography experience. The RF 50mm f/1.8 RF 16mm f/2.8 , and other reasonably priced RF lenses are ideal for the EOS R10.These choices should be sufficient to keep you going until Canon releases some new APS-C lenses. However, a camera like the Fujifilm X-S10 or Fujifilm X-T30 II might be more appropriate if you prefer more options right away or don’t like uncertainty.

Nonetheless, the Canon EOS R10 is among the greatest entry-level cameras available if you’re just starting out and want a small camera that will develop with you. Even though you won’t want to frequently push it above ISO 6400, its new 24MP CMOS sensor creates some beautiful pictures with enough wiggle room for you to recover some details from shadows. Additionally, you can record some stunning footage, even if the 4K/60p mode does not come with a 1.56x crop.

Despite its relatively old-fashioned sensor, which isn’t backside-illuminated, the EOS R10’s powerful processor, autofocus experience and versatile controls give beginners a great camera to start with and a powerful one to grow into. That means you can have plenty of fun with it while you wait for Canon to make some more native lenses.

3.Sony A7R V

Last update on 2025-01-17 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Although there are a few design changes that enhance the A7R IV, the A7R V’s overall design is very similar to earlier models, with the majority of innovations taking place under the hood. Newcomers should have little to no trouble navigating the main settings, and existing Sony users will probably feel right at home.

A brand-new 4-axis 3.2-inch articulating touchscreen on the rear of the camera can be tilted, flipped sideways, and twisted to face forward, making it ideal for both still and motion pictures. Compared to the first two models, which only had a tilting screen, this makes the screen a little bulkier, but it has no effect on handling. It’s the same with the electronic viewfinder.

Despite the nearly limitless ways to customize Sony cameras, the exposure compensation dial is now unmarked on the top of the camera and, like the majority of the buttons and dials, can be set to perform a different function if users so choose. However, setting it to exposure compensation is the most practical option.

Similar to earlier A7R models, when two cards are inserted, the two card slots on the grip’s side can be configured to record in multiple ways. Both SD and CFexpress Type A cards, the latter being the faster option, can be inserted into the card slots on the A7R V. If you like the price and capacity, this is fantastic.benefits of SD cards, but to realize the full speed potential of the camera, considerably more expensive CFexpress Type A cards are a must Shooting speed has also been improved, and the buffer is also larger, with a continuous shooting speed of 10fps available. Sony claims that up to 583 compressed raw images can be captured in Hi+ mode with compressed raw files. For testing, we used a 128GB Kingston Canvas React Plus SD card with transfer speeds of up to 300MB/s. This allowed us to separately shoot 170 JPEGs in Fine quality, 100 Compressed raw files and 50 uncompressed raw files before the camera began to stutter. It’s a far cry from the claimed buffer performance, but is still respectable, and more than most photographers would ever need.

The camera could shoot for 30 minutes, and this card worked flawlessly for 8K video. In a 64.5F/18C room, the camera body did heat up while recording, but this wasn’t a problem. However, when shooting outside in warmer weather, this could be an issue. When filming in warmer weather, opening the camera’s battery door on the bottom can help dissipate heat, but there are clear risks involved.

The A7R V seeks to rectify the shortcomings of its predecessor and is a far more comprehensive camera overall, even though the A7R IV didn’t offer much more to persuade owners of the A7R III to upgrade. Whether you’re upgrading from an older model or moving from another brand to Sony, the enhancements Sony has made along with the addition of some welcome new features make it much more appealing.

The ability to have the shutter close when the camera is turned off is one new feature intended to address sensor dust complaints from A7R IV users. This might work, but it’s impossible to test this claim after just a few weeks of camera use. However, since DSLR shutters shut off after every picture,has been taken, and these cameras still suffer from sensor dust, whether it’ll be effective is questionable.

4.Canon EOS R7

Last update on 2025-01-17 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

The A7R V seeks to rectify the shortcomings of its predecessor and is a far more comprehensive camera overall, even though the A7R IV didn’t offer much more to persuade owners of the A7R III to upgrade. Whether you’re upgrading from an older model or moving from another brand to Sony, the enhancements Sony has made along with the addition of some welcome new features make it much more appealing.

The ability to have the shutter close when the camera is turned off is one new feature intended to address sensor dust complaints from A7R IV users. This might work, but it’s impossible to test this claim after just a few weeks of camera use. However, since DSLR shutters shut off after every picture.

The EOS R7 features an APS-C sensor, in contrast to Canon’s full-frame cameras. A smaller, lighter camera system and a lower price tag are two advantages these offer, even though they can’t capture as much light as full-frame sensors found in cameras like the Canon EOS R6.

The EOS R7 is now Canon’s flagship APS-C camera because it offers an amazing array of features for its price. You get in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which helps maintain image quality when you’re shooting handheld, unlike the EOS 90D. Along with a good array of video-shooting features, such as microphone and headphone inputs and the capacity to record uncropped 4K/60p video, you also get two UHS-II card slots.

The EOS R7 is among the best mirrorless cameras due to its many features, which make it impossible to compete with Canon’s full-frame models, which use the same RF-mount. Because there are currently only two native RF-S lenses for the EOS R7’s sensor, this mount is also the camera’s biggest flaw.

These lenses include an 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 kit lens and an 18-150mm ‘all-rounder’ that is included in the EOS R7 package. Other than these two lenses, you can use the full-frame RF lenses that are already available or use EF or EF-S lenses with the optional EF-to-RF adapter. Both options are not the best for keeping things light and manageable, but hopefully as the system ages, it will also grow to include more options.

The EF-M mount is used by Canon’s “other” APS-C mirrorless system, which you may already be familiar with. There is no way to mount lenses from this system using an adapter, and they are incompatible with the APS-C models of the EOS R series. Canon has not yet publicly acknowledged that it will no longer produce EF-M models. The EF-M series has most likely come to an end with the release of the EOS R7 and EOS R10.

The EOS R7 is a great all-arounder aside from its small selection of native lenses. Wildlife, action, and sports photographers will love it because it can shoot at up to 30 frames per second and has Canon’s newest autofocus technology. The crop sensor will also let you get closer to the action with your long lenses.

5.OM System OM-1 II

Last update on 2025-01-17 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Since the earliest days of film, there has been a snobbery surrounding camera formats. While this is still true to some degree with digital photography, the camera market has completely changed, and Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras, which have smaller sensors, are frequently among the most cutting-edge models on the market.

One such camera is the OM System OM-1 Mark II, although it is not a major improvement over the original OM System OM-1 but rather a minor update. With features and functionality that might easily entice photographers away from larger format APS-C and full-frame cameras, particularly those seeking a lightweight camera system, the new model is still among the most technologically advanced cameras on the market today.

In addition to the IP53-rated weather-sealed body, the OM-1 II has many of the same features as the original, such as the same 20MP back-illuminated sensor with its 1053-point AF system, 50 frames per second when shooting with continuous autofocus, and software-based Live ND filters. Since the two cameras have a strikingly similar appearance—nearly identical—what makes the OM1-II unique?

When you’re getting a much smaller sensor, this price may seem like a drawback because it puts it in the same range as many mid-range full-frame cameras. However, the majority of OM System fans prefer a camera system that is generally lighter and smaller, including the lenses. It’s a smaller, more portable system that can capture any subject and perform exceptionally well in wildlife and landscape photography.

This small and lightweight camera is made to withstand the harsh conditions of outdoor photography thanks to its sturdy construction, which includes IP53-rated splash and dust resistance as well as the ability to tolerate freezing temperatures as low as -14 degrees Fahrenheit or -10 degrees Celsius.

The OM-1 II weighs 1.32 pounds (599 grams) with a battery and memory card, making it marginally smaller than the typical full-frame mirrorless camera. Additionally, there are two SD card slots for redundancy and dual recording.

The camera’s well-contoured grip and superb thumb plate on the back make it comfortable to hold even though it’s a little smaller. The OM-1 II is one of those cameras that you can say fits your hand like a glove.There are plenty of direct controls for speedy access to key camera settings, and the menu system itself is well laid out and easy to navigate, which can be an easily overlooked benefit of any camera. Although the OM-1 II looks almost identical to its predecessor, the newly rubberized dials provide greatly improved grip and overall feel.

The 5.76m-dot EVF, which now features a blackout-free display when shooting at even the highest frame rates available, produces a stunningly bright and clear image, making shooting with the OM-1 II an absolute pleasure.

Although it has a lower resolution than the EVF, the LCD on the back is still impressive. Convenient, bright, and clear, the 3-inch vari-angle 1,620K dot touchscreen has some small on-screen icons.

The on/off switch is located on the left side of the camera instead of the right, where you hold the camera, which is the only aspect of the design that I dislike. It is considerably simpler to turn on cameras when they are positioned correctly.

How to choose the best camera for you

The main thing to look at when buying a digital camera is sensor size. Larger isn’t always better, but it is a good guide to what kind of camera it is, how expensive the lenses will be, and who it’s aimed at. In general, Micro Four Thirds and APS-C cameras are for both hobbyists and pros, while full-frame models tend to be strictly for advanced photographers with bigger budgets. Compact cameras with 1-inch sensors are for travel zooms and everyday photography.

Other features to look out for are viewfinders (electronic or optical), which are considered essential by most photographers, and handling. If you’re likely to want to use longer lenses, then a good grip is essential. You should also consider which lenses you’re likely to need for your favorite types of photography – for example, bright prime lenses are better for portraits and street shooting, while wide-angle zooms are more useful for landscapes. Deciding which camera system, including lenses, is the best for you is often better than choosing a camera in isolation.

What type of camera is best for photography?

As you’ll find in our comprehensive buying guide above, there’s no single factor that defines what type of camera is best for photography. From sensor size to resolution, there are many aspects to bear in mind when choosing a stills camera, which is why it’s a good idea to consider the feedback from our real-world tests when deciding.

The importance of each of these factors will come down to your preferred style of shooting. Objectively speaking, the larger a camera’s sensor, the more light it can gather – and the higher its resolution, the sharper its images will be. That’s why we rate mirrorless cameras such as the Sony A1 so highly for their stills performance: its 50.1MP full-frame sensor is the class of the field.

But the question isn’t necessarily that simple. The highest resolutions tend to be overkill unless you’re a professional photographer. Equally, full-frame cameras are less travel-friendly due to the size of their sensors. For that reason, you might prefer a mirrorless camera with a high-resolution APS-C sensor, such as the Fujifilm X-H2. Or if you’re just starting out, the best photography camera for you could be an APS-C model with a lower resolution, such as the Canon EOS R10.