So, you’ve considered all the different types of photography and made your decision—you’re going to pursue a career as a landscape photographer. Congratulations!
To help you on your way, we’ve curated a list of the best cameras for landscape photography. We’ve included a range of cameras to suit different budgets and experience levels. They include everything from top-of-the-line DSLRs to compact point-and-shoot cameras. Each one will take your work to the next level—and produce a gorgeous landscape photography portfolio to help you get more work and sell your landscape photography online. Let’s dive in!
What To Look For in a Landscape Photography Camera
Since landscape photography doesn’t usually involve shooting fast-moving objects, you can pay less attention to some camera features, such as advanced autofocus systems and rapid continuous shooting. By focusing on features geared towards landscape photography, you’ll be able to find a less expensive camera that still provides all the capabilities you’ll need.
When buying a landscape photography camera, these are a few of the specs you should pay attention to:
Megapixels: Choosing a landscape camera that can take high-resolution images will ensure you capture every detail in your landscapes. Another benefit is the large images can be made into huge prints, which can be a big seller if you want to sell your landscape photography.
Dynamic range: A camera with a wide dynamic range will allow you to capture the shadow details and take clearer landscapes with less noise.
Full frame sensor: Cameras with full-frame sensors are well-suited to landscape photography as they provide the best image quality and the capability to take wide-angle landscape shots. However, this is not a hard-and-fast rule. As you’ll see in this list, there is a wide range of cameras without full-frame sensors that are still very capable landscape cameras.
Weather sealing: Choosing a landscape photography camera that’s designed to stand up to the elements can help you capture great landscape photos without worrying too much about rain, snow, or sea spray wrecking your gear.
Rugged construction: Landscape photography typically involves a lot of traveling and hiking to locations. So it’s a good idea to choose a quality-built camera that can stand up to some abuse.
Best Nikon Cameras for Landscape Photography
Price: $3,299.95 at NikonUSA.com
The D850 is a good landscape camera that boasts a 45.7-megapixel full-frame sensor. It also offers great dynamic range, with excellent shadow detail for landscapes.
Another feature that landscape photographers will appreciate is its long battery life. The camera can take 1,840 shots on a single charge, so you’ll be less likely to find yourself out at a great location with no battery left.
The D850 might have more features than you need if you plan on focusing on landscape photography, as this camera is also very capable at action shots and recording 4K videos. However, the high image quality and resolution make it worth considering as your next landscape camera.
Price: $1,699.95 (current sale price at NikonUSA.com, regularly $1,999.95)
The D750 is another excellent landscape photography camera from Nikon. This one is a nice middle-of-the-road option between Nikon’s higher-end and entry-level models.
It features a 24.3-megapixel full-frame sensor and it is capable of taking stunning landscapes with very low noise, even at high ISO sensitivities. This camera uses an energy-saving image processor that lets you take up to 1,230 shots on a single charge. It also has a slim body design, yet still provides enough grip to be comfortable to handle.
The D750 is built to last, with its durable magnesium alloy and carbon fiber construction. In addition, this camera features the same degree of weatherproofing as the more expensive D810.
Price: $599.95 (current sale price at NikonUSA.com, regularly $699.95)
The D5600 is a lower-cost option that is great for inexperienced photographers who want to develop their skills. It’s quite an affordable price!
Similar to many cameras that are designed for entry-level photographers, it has simple-to-use auto settings that let you pick it up and start taking great landscapes. But many of the advanced capabilities of the higher-end cameras can also be found on the D5600.
This camera does not have a full-frame sensor. But it does deliver high-quality photos with its 24.2-megapixel DX-format image sensor. It also has an ISO range of 100-25600 and will enable you capture great landscapes in any lighting conditions.
Best Canon Cameras for Landscape Photography
Price: $3899 at Canon.com
This landscape photography camera is designed to excel at taking stills, so it doesn’t have a ton of video features that landscape photographers will find unnecessary. It has a 50.6-megapixel full-frame image sensor, and can capture images at resolutions of 8712 x 5813. As a result, it can be used to take landscape photos for large-scale printing.
The EOS 5DS R is also known for its ability to capture fine edge sharpness when taking detailed landscapes. One way it accomplishes that is with its low-pass filter cancellation function.
Most cameras use a low-pass filter to reduce color artifacts at the cost of losing some detail. But this camera can disable the low-pass filter to capture the sharpest image possible—perfect for taking huge, yet detailed landscape photos.
Price: $3499 at Canon.com
While the 5D Mark IV can’t offer the same outstanding resolution as the EOS 5DS, it is a more versatile camera at a lower price. The 30.4-megapixel full-frame sensor will offer more than enough resolution for most photographers’ needs.
This is a well-rounded landscape camera: it is also known for great dynamic range and color output, and its ability to handle shooting in any type of lighting situation. In addition, the camera’s weather sealing has been improved over its predecessor, the 5D Mark III.
One feature that landscape photographers will love is the built-in GPS that can tag your images with location information. So if you’re capturing tons of photos while moving to various locations, this can help you keep your images organized.
Plus, it also offers many additional features, including 4K video capture, a 61-point autofocusing system, and 7 fps continuous shooting speed.
Price: $1699 at Canon.com
The EOS 6D is another great Canon landscape camera, and it’s available at less than half the cost of the EOS 5DS R. It still sports a full-frame sensor and provides incredible image quality at 20.2 megapixels.
While the newer model in the 6D line, the EOS 6D Mark II, can offer a few more bells and whistles, this camera can provide better value for landscape photographers.
It also features a compact and lightweight body, so it will be easier to lug to those hard-to-reach locations.
Best Sony Cameras for Landscape Photography
Price: $3,299 at Sony.com
The Sony RX1R II is a landscape photography camera with a full-frame sensor. Sony describes it as a “professional compact camera.”
It features a 42.4-megapixel image sensor for outstanding image detail. It also offers a wide dynamic range and low noise. In addition, the built-in lens is a large-aperture Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 lens that will perform well for landscape photography.
As a high-end compact camera, it also features some capabilities you won’t need for shooting landscapes. However, its small size, combined with incredible image quality, make it worth checking out.
Price: $1,999.99 at Sony.com
The a7R II is one of the best landscape cameras. It is a mirrorless camera with a 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor. This model has also been praised for its low light performance, ergonomic design, and good weather sealing. This camera offers good value since it’s available for a much more affordable price than the newer a7R III, yet offers many of the same features.
In addition, the areas where the newer model outshines the a7R II are less important for landscape photography. For instance, one of the main differences between the two cameras is the newer model has a more advanced autofocusing system. Lastly, the camera doesn’t rely on an optical low-pass filter, so it provides amazing image clarity.
Price: $549.99
The a6000 is an excellent choice for the landscape photographer on a budget. That’s because newer versions are available—with the release of the a6300 and a6500—but this model still provides everything you need to take beautiful landscape photos.
Despite having the price of an entry-level camera, it has many of the capabilities you’d expect from an expensive DSLR. It has a 24.3-megapixel sensor and an ISO range of 100-25,600.
Since the a6000 is mirrorless, it also features a small and lightweight body that is easy to travel with.
Best Mirrorless Cameras for Landscape Photography
Mirrorless cameras are worth taking a serious look at if you want the functionality of a DSLR in a smaller package. One of the main downsides of going mirrorless is the shorter battery life due to the constant use of the sensor and electronic viewfinder or live view on the display.
While the Sony cameras listed above are all great choices if you’re looking for a mirrorless landscape camera, here are some more options:
Price: $1099.95 at B&H
This camera is part of Fujifilm’s X series of cameras. The company boasts that these cameras mix the latest technology with traditional styling. The X-T2 is a versatile mirrorless camera that’s compatible with a wide range of lenses that will perform well for landscape photography.
This camera has a 24.3-megapixel image sensor with no low-pass filter, resulting in amazing image quality. The X-T2 made some improvements over the previous model’s electronic viewfinder, including making it two times brighter. In addition, the viewfinder will automatically adjust the brightness so it will be easy to see in any lighting condition.
The X-T2 is a capable landscape camera with a durable and weather-resistant structure. It is designed to handle harsh conditions including cold temperatures down to 14 degrees F.
Price: $1,699.99 at GetOlympus.com
The E-M1 Mark II is a mirrorless camera that is known for its excellent image quality, durable construction, and an impressive amount of manual control. It uses a 20-megapixel APS-C image sensor and features a lightweight, weatherproof body.
This is one camera that has many features that you may not need as a landscape photographer. For instance, it offers 60 fps burst shooting, 4K video capture, and 5-axis in-body image stabilization system. As a result of these extra features, the E-M1 Mark II costs the same as some landscape cameras with higher quality full-frame sensors.
However, if you are looking for a mirrorless camera that sports all the latest features and can also take great landscapes, check out the E-M1 Mark II.
Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras for Landscape Photography
While DSLRs and mirrorless cameras offer much more flexibility, a good point-and-shoot camera can still excel at landscape photography. One of the main drawbacks is you won’t be able to swap lenses to suit the situation.
On the upside, point-and-shoot cameras are easier to use for inexperienced photographers, and typically cost much less than DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. Their small size also makes them convenient to keep with you, which is handy if you happen to see a great landscape photo opportunity when you don’t expect it.
So even if you already own a great DSLR, a point-and-shoot can be useful as a backup camera. Here are some point-and-shoot cameras worth taking a look at:
Price: $596.95 at B&H
The Ricoh GR II is a compact landscape camera that features a large image sensor for a point-and-shoot. It can capture images at 16.2 megapixels. It is well-suited to landscape photography, with its outstanding image quality and durable magnesium body. This camera provides enhanced resolution by avoiding the use of an anti-aliasing filter. It also has an advanced image processor that does a great job at improving image quality, contrast, and white balance.
Price: $649.99 at Canon.com
This compact camera has a 20.1-megapixel sensor. It also features a bright f/1.8-2.8 lens that can capture great images even in low light conditions. The G7 X Mark II is designed to be easy to use, so it has a range of automated features as well as a “picture style” function.
That means that just like on Canon’s EOS series cameras, there are eight presets to help you easily adjust color, contrast, and more. For instance, the landscape mode can help ensure the image is in focus and colors are vibrant.
Complete Your Kit
Once you get the best landscape camera to suit your needs, the next step is choosing the best lenses for landscapes. Then, you can stock up on all the camera and lens accessories for landscape photography. After you’ve scored all the gear you need, you’ll have a big collection of amazing landscape shots in no time! And there’s so much you can do with them, whether it’s selling them in your online store or growing your Instagram followers. Happy shooting!
Looking for some landscape photography inspiration?
Sam Stone’s Lonely American Escape
Preserving the Earth’s Memory in Photographs
20 Travel Photography Portfolios from Around the World
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