for landscape photography

GFX 100 + GF23mmF4 R LM WR @ 23mm, ISO 200, 1/1000, f/16.0

If you love landscape photography, you might be wondering which camera on the market today is the best. With so many great cameras, it's hard to pick a winner. We decided to create an in-depth guide that features the best cameras we recommend for your landscape photography needs. It is important to note that each tool in the list below has been thoroughly tested by our team members, so we only provide recommendations based on our real experience.

Although most digital cameras can work very well for landscape photography, some will be better than others based on metrics like total megapixels, dynamic range, camera features, and the selection of objectives.

Landscape photographers often want cameras that have so much

megapixels

as possible, as wide a dynamic range as possible, long battery life, built-in features such as focus stacking, as well as the ability to withstand harsh weather conditions. Often the high ISO performance, high frame rates, deep buffers and fast autofocus systems are of little use to landscape photographers.

At the same time, other features such as in-body image stabilization (IBIS) can be very useful, especially when cameras are able to take advantage of sensor movements in order to track stars or create star patterns. high resolution images using pixel shift technology. The ability to capture more dynamic range when shooting at higher ISO sensitivities, as well as the ability to focus easily in low light conditions can also be vital for those photographing the night sky. So, if you like astrophotography, you may need to evaluate these criteria separately when choosing a particular camera or camera system.

Finally, it is important to point out that a good camera for landscape photography requires a solid selection. high performance lenses. A landscape photographer should be able to choose lenses based on their particular needs and budget.

Although many photographers continue to rely on tried-and-true DSLR cameras for landscape photography needs, some are turning to mirrorless. systems. Both certainly have their pros and cons, and depending on your needs, you might want to evaluate each to see what works best for you.

Keep in mind that sensor size will dictate overall system size, weight, and overall cost. Although medium format digital cameras offer the best overall image quality for landscape photographers, they are often large, heavy and very expensive. For these and other reasons, most avid and professional landscape photographers often choose full-frame, mirrorless DSLR cameras for their needs. Still, even full-frame cameras can prove too heavy and expensive for many enthusiasts, making APS-C and smaller sensor systems the best choices. In this article, we'll first review our top camera picks for landscape photography, then go over some of the budget options.

As of early 2021, many mirrorless cameras are available from various manufacturers. , including Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm, Hasselblad, Sony, Nikon, Canon and Leica. Most of these cameras are capable of exceptional image quality, thanks to their high-resolution image sensors, wide dynamic range, and superb built-in features, making them all perfectly suited for landscape photography. Let's take a closer look at the cameras we've selected from different manufacturers. The list below is sorted in order of preference, although each camera we feature is more than capable of producing outstanding images.

Best Cameras for Landscape Photography in 2021

Fujifilm GFX 100< /p>

Nikon D850

Canon EOS-R5

Nikon Z7 / Z7 II

Sony A7R IV

Panasonic S1R / S1

Pentax K-1 / K-1 II

Best Budget Camera for Landscape Photography

Fujifilm GFX 100

Our top pick is the amazing Fujifilm GFX 100, the only medium format camera that we've decided to include in our top cameras for landscape photography. The Fujifilm GFX 100 is an excellent choice for landscape photography for many reasons. First, it has an ultra-high resolution 102MP sensor that produces images with stunning detail and excellent dynamic range. Second, it offers a wide selection of exceptionally good lenses suitable for landscape photography, as well as all sorts of useful accessories and bellows from Fujifilm and third-party manufacturers. Third, if you're shooting handheld, it comes with very effective in-body image stabilization (IBIS). And finally, Fujifilm has provided many of the tools built into the GFX 100 specifically for the needs of landscape photography, such as easy-to-use focus stacking, bracketing, focus peaking, and histograms. screen to help photographers achieve optimal exposure.

Its cheaper and lighter sibling, the GFX 50S is also a great camera if you're on a budget. Although it may have a lower resolution, it's a solid tool with great ergonomics and build quality, capable of producing beautiful images.

GFX 50S + GF23mmF4 R LM WR @ 23mm, ISO 100, 1/1, f/11.0

Check out our

Detailed review of the Fujifilm GFX 100

and

GFX50S

for more information on this camera.

Nikon D850

Although mirrorless cameras have grown in popularity lately for a number of reasons (see

DSLR

), they still have some catching up to do with DSLRs when it comes to battery life and lens selection. For the purposes of landscape photography in particular, none of the camera manufacturers have yet made tilt/shift lenses, so either adapters have to be used with them or bellows systems have to be used to be able to tilt the plane of focus. Nikon offers a wide range of tilt/shift lenses today and, although they are quite expensive, they are among the many lenses available for the system, providing many different options for landscape photographers.

NIKON D850 + 70 -200mm f/2.8 @ 95mm, ISO 64, 6/10, f/5.6

After testing the Nikon D850, our team at PL agreed that it is the most comprehensive DSLR on the market today. It features a phenomenal 45MP sensor with the ability to drop down to ISO 64 and deliver class-leading dynamic range performance, proven Nikon ergonomics and an easy-to-use menu system, a rich selection of lenses, great camera features, excellent weather sealing, and incredible battery life. In short, the Nikon D850 is the best full-frame DSLR on the market today.

For landscapes, you might want to go with one of the mirrorless cameras on this list due to its lighter weight, but it all depends on how far you plan to travel with your camera. The Nikon D850 is such a proven and versatile camera that it's usually our first recommendation. However, it's roughly on par with the Canon EOS R5, Nikon Z7 II and Sony A7R IV, all of which have their own pros and cons. Decide based on which one you think best suits your particular needs.

NIKON D850+ 24-120mm f/4 @ 50mm, ISO 64, 1 second, f/8.0

For more information see our

Nikon D850 in-depth review

.

Another Nikon DSLR that we highly recommend is the older D810, which is another phenomenal camera for landscape photography needs. We haven't included it in this list because of the D850 which replaced it. Personally, I decided to continue shooting with my Nikon D810 even after the D850 came out because it was such a phenomenal camera. Later I sold it in favor of the Nikon Z7, which I discuss below.

Canon EOS-R5

Watching Canon go from one of the least desirable to one of the best mirrorless camera options for landscape photography has been pretty incredible. While the original EOS R was a very strange camera with a few quirks and issues (as detailed in our

Canon EOS R review

), Canon decided to iron out all the issues and release the ultimate Canon mirrorless camera for landscape photography needs in the form of the EOS R5. Featuring a 45MP sensor with a high-resolution optical low-pass filter, the EOS R5 boasts excellent image quality and wide dynamic range, making it a popular camera for photography needs. of landscape.

Canon EOS R6 + RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM @ 33mm, ISO 100, 1/4, f/8.0

As well as excellent ergonomics and an easy-to-understand menu system, the Canon EOS R5 has a rugged magnesium alloy construction, superb weather sealing and dual memory card slots (1x CFexpress and 1x SD UHS-II ). Despite its high resolution sensor, the EOS R5 is capable of shooting up to 12 FPS using its mechanical shutter and up to 20 FPS using the electronic shutter. Similar to the Nikon Z, Canon's RF lens options have grown significantly since the launch of the original RF mount (although Canon has focused more on professional-grade zoom and prime lenses). And for those who like to film, the EOS R5 is the only consumer digital camera on the market today capable of shooting 8K video.

Canon EOS R6 + RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM @ 50mm, ISO 400, 1/100, f/8.0

For those on a budget, the Canon EOS R6 is another great mirrorless option for landscape photography. Although with its 20.1 MP sensor it has a much lower resolution than the EOS R5, many of its features are very similar to those of the R5. As detailed in my article

Canon EOS R5 vs. R6

, it has the same ergonomics/build quality, 5-axis IBIS, autofocus system and continuous shooting speed. All of this makes the EOS R6 a great all-around camera. So unless you're planning on doing really big prints, the EOS R6 will be a great alternative to the EOS R5 and will save you quite a bit of money.

You can read more about both. cameras in our

Canon EOS R5 Review

and

EOS R6 review

.

Nikon Z7 / Z7 II

The Nikon Z7 and Z7 II are strong contenders in our list of best cameras for landscape photography needs thanks to their excellent overall performance. The Z7 and Z7 II mirror the Nikon D850 sensor and its ISO/dynamic range capabilities, come with highly effective in-body image stabilization (IBIS), and pack everything (and more) the D850 has to offer in terms of features. built into the camera. designed for landscape photography, all in a smaller, lighter body. While lens selection remains a challenge, Nikon has been able to unfold its holy trinity in the form of the

Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S

,

, and

Z 70-200mm f/2.8S

in a relatively short period of time. And for those who like to do astrophotography, the new

Z 20mm f/1.8S

is also an excellent economical choice. In short, Nikon's new range of Z lenses are simply amazing compared to their F-mount counterparts.

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 44mm, ISO 64, 1/4, f/8.0

Although the original Z7 featured a single XQD/CFexpress memory card slot, Nikon added a UHS-II compatible SD memory card slot to the Z7 II. As explained in my article

Nikon Z7 vs. Z7 II

, there were a few other significant upgrades that shipped with the Z7 II, including dual EXPEED 6 processors, a much larger buffer, and the ability to use a real battery grip with controls. Still, we wish Nikon paid more attention to firmware updates. So we created our

detailed wish list

camera features we'd like to see on future Nikon Z-series cameras. Even though Nikon was able to fix some of them, we hope to see continued improvements and innovation in these cameras.

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 31mm, ISO 64 , 1 sec, f/8.0

For more information on the Nikon Z7, see our

Nikon Z7 review

and

Nikon Z7 II Review

. For more information on Nikon Z lenses, please see

Everything you need to know about Nikon Z lenses

and

The Nikon Z Lens Roadmap

.

For those on a tighter budget, the Nikon Z6 and Z6 II are also favorable choices for landscape photography. Although these cameras have 24 MP sensors with low pass filters, as long as you don't plan on making huge prints, they are still excellent cameras for most photographers. You can read more about the Z6 in our

Nikon Z6 Review

, while a comparison between this camera and its second generation version can be found in our

article.

NIKON Z 5 + NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR @ 27mm, ISO 100, 1/125, f/8.0

Another even cheaper option than the Z6 II is the full-frame Nikon Z5 (see our

Nikon Z5 review

). Although it has a slightly older 24 MP CMOS sensor, its dynamic range performance, as well as all camera features are still ideal for landscape photography needs.

Sony A7R IV

While the early iterations of the Sony A7R suffered from a number of issues, Sony really came along and fixed most of the issues with the release of the A7R IV. With its superb 61MP BSI CMOS sensor, long battery life and rich lens selection, the Sony A7R IV is our top choice among full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market today. Sony has also done an incredible job with their lens releases, offering plenty of options from ultra-wide-angle to super-telephoto lenses for landscape photographers. Sony's desire to open up the E-mount and work with third-party lens manufacturers has resulted in many lens options being added in a relatively short period of time.

ILCE-7RM3+ FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS @ 29mm, ISO 100, 1/1, f/11.0

If you're on a tighter budget, its predecessor, the Sony A7R III is also an excellent choice that we can highly recommend for landscape photography needs.

Our biggest criticism of Sony mirrorless cameras in general is the ergonomics and the poorly organized menu system, which can make it difficult for photographers to use these cameras in the field.

ILCE -7RM3 + FE 12-24mm F4 G @ 13mm, ISO 400, 1/15, f/8.0

Panasonic S1R / S1

Panasonic's first high-resolution full-frame mirrorless camera is packed with great features, making it a serious contender for landscape photography needs. Featuring an excellent 47.3 MP image sensor, built-in image stabilization, 9 FPS continuous shooting speed, dual memory cards (1x CFexpress/XQD and 1x SD UHS-II), pixel-shift technology and excellent dynamic range, the Panasonic S1R is one of the most feature-rich mirrorless cameras on the market today. High-Resolution Pixel Shift Mode is capable of delivering images up to 186.9MP, providing an incredible level of detail when shooting landscapes (although this feature has its limitations, as detailed in our

Panasonic S1R review< /p>

).

DC-S1R + LUMIX S 24-105/F4 @ 24mm, ISO 100, 25 sec, f/6.3Copyright Spencer Cox

Another strong point of the Panasonic S1R is the lens selection. With Leica, Panasonic and Sigma being part of the 'L-Mount Alliance', there are plenty of great lens options for the L-Mount - from ultra-premium Leica glass to budget options from Sigma. Panasonic's zooms and fixed lenses are also excellent and highly recommended for landscape photography needs.

DC-S1R + LUMIX S 24-105/F4 @ 26mm, ISO 100, 1/320, f/5.6Copyright Spencer Cox

The biggest drawback of the S1R is its size, weight and price. It's as big as a high-end DSLR, weighs over a kilo and costs $3,700, making it the third most expensive camera on this list after the Fuji GFX100 and Canon EOS R5. . However, the cheapest

panasonic s1

is still a great camera for landscape photography and shares most of the same specs. In particular, it also has sensor shift technology. While it doesn't quite match the S1R's 187-megapixel mode, the S1's sensor offset still captures an impressive 96-megapixels. (With no sensor shift enabled, the S1 takes 24-megapixel images.)

The size and weight of these two cameras may still turn a number of landscape photographers off, but their excellent feature sets are worth considering.

Pentax K-1 / K-1 II

Another well-rounded DSLR in our list is the Pentax K-1, which rightly deserves its spot, thanks to its 36 MP CMOS sensor with 5-axis IBIS capable of taking high-resolution images with pixel-shift technology. With Pixel Shift, the Pentax K-1 is capable of producing highly detailed, noise-free images up to 42 MP. While 42 MP might not seem like a lot when we have 45 and 50 MP cameras on this list, it actually gives more pixel-level detail compared to other cameras. Additionally, the ability to move the image sensor also allows the Pentax K-1 to capture moving stars with its "AstroTracer" feature, making the K-1 arguably the best camera on the list for shooting needs. astrophotography. The Pentax K-1 comes with a slew of built-in features for landscape photography, including built-in GPS and compass that are automatically inscribed in every captured image, which can be useful for tracking the movement and position of the camera.< /p>

PENTAX K-1 + HD PENTAX-D FA 24-70mm F2.8ED SDM WR @ 31mm, ISO 100, 0.6sec, f/5.6

Pentax replaced the original K-1 with the K-1 II in early 2018, which offers even more features such as Portable Pixel Shift Mode, superior AF tracking algorithm, and other enhancements to its tracking function. pixel offset. It's all worth upgrading to the latest version.

PENTAX K-1 + HD PENTAX-D FA 24-70mm F2.8ED SDM WR @ 48mm, ISO 100, 1/4, f/8.0

Best Budget Camera for Landscape Photography

If you're not ready to spend thousands of dollars on a medium-frame or full-frame system, you might want to consider a few budget-friendly options with smaller sensors that offer a bit less resolution. Many photographers who take landscape photography as a hobby may want to consider these cameras, which we have had good experience with:

Fujifilm X-T3 / X-T4 - Our top picks among APS-C cameras are the X-T3 and X-T4, both of which offer excellent image quality in a relatively small footprint.

Nikon D7500 - Nikon's DSLR with an APS-C sensor offers wide dynamic range and a solid selection of Nikkor lenses

Nikon D5600 - Another great budget choice is the Nikon D5600, which is capable of amazing image quality even when paired with kit lenses

Canon EOS 80D - A powerful 24MP camera from Canon that can be paired with a long list of Canon EF and EF-S lenses to deliver stunning results

Canon EOS T7i - Featuring a 24MP sensor similar to the 80D, the T7i is another great camera from Canon

Sony A6000-series - The Sony A6000-series cameras are all very good mirrorless options for landscape photography needs

camera with which you photograph landscapes and why? Please let us know in the comments section below!