The best professional camera for you will depend, as is always the case, on what you shoot. If you’re a fashion or portrait photographer, for example, you’ll want a camera with high resolution so you can capture fine detail and print images large scale.
For sports and news photographers, on the other hand, the best professional camera is more about things like burst rates and tracking capabilities. And landscape photographers, meanwhile, will need a camera with excellent weather sealing as well as lots of megapixels.
There are a handful of cameras that can do all these things, but they cost a fortune. Often the key to finding the right camera for you is figuring out exactly what you need out of your kit. If you’re a videographer (or you regularly shoot video for your work), for example, then you’ll be looking for a whole other set of features, with uncropped capture, codecs, and frame rates becoming far more important than autofocus modes and sensor size.
No matter whether you’ve got a budget of $1,000 or $10,000, we’ve gathered the best professional cameras right here…
Top Picks: Best Professional camera
The R3 might only have a 24.1MP sensor, but shooting at 30fps – you’ll be glad not to have monster file sizes! Canon’s AF is also the most reliable in the business, and the Eye Control AF can be an absolute game changer. Read more below…
The Nikon Z8 offers the best of absolutely everything Nikon’s flagship Z9 packed in, but now in an even smaller body. With 8K video recording, a staggering 120fps burst shooting, and a 45MP sensor. Read more below…
For resolution – look no further. I absolutely fell in love with this camera for the way it renders images, and it packs an aggressive autofocus system that makes it as formidable for taking headshots as it is for capturing architecture. Read more below…
The new flagship camera in the Fujifilm X-mount range, the X-H2S has it all. Shooting at 40fps, 6K video or 4K at up to 120p, in-body stabilization, a flip-out vari-angle screen, and a 5.76m dot electronic viewfinder. Read more below…
If mirrorless cameras just don’t work for you, there’s still life left in the DSLR – and as far as I’m concerned, the D850 is the best DSLR camera for all-purpose professional work with a great resolution and a tough body. Read more below…
6. Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX
And for videography, the Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX is a no-brainer. Incredible image stabilization for when you forget your gimbal, SSD recording, HDMI RAW output, ALL-I compression, Apple ProRes… short of a cinema camera, there’s no better choice for supreme video performance. Read more below…
Best professional camera in 2023
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The best professional camera for sports
The Canon EOS R3 is a top-tier tool of choice for working professionals. Whether you shoot sports, weddings, portraiture, pets, or news, the blackout-free 30fps stills and 6K RAW video mean that you never miss a moment of action or detail – and the improved autofocus performance, coupled with ghostly good Eye Control AF, ensure that every shot is focused exactly where you want it.
It sets a new dynamic range benchmark for pro-level cameras, and its lower pixel count enables it to generate significantly less noise than its higher-res rivals: the Sony A1 and Nikon Z8/9.
The Canon EOS R3’s 24.1MP resolution is enough for almost everybody; and if you’re shooting sports professionally, the smaller filesize makes workflow and storage much more manageable. What you’re getting for your money here is the best AF for moving subjects, fantastic image stabilization, and the ability to move focus points by simply looking around the viewfinder (and it works even with my glasses on!).
Read our full Canon EOS R3 review
The best all-around professional camera
This one is effectively a toss-up between the Nikon Z8 and the Nikon Z9. The Z8 is, after all, being pushed by Nikon as “a baby Z9”, with an almost identical feature set. The only real difference right now is that it has a more compact body (without the Z9’s “pro” vertical grip and bigger battery) and it costs over a grand less. Personally, I prefer the smaller body and smaller price tag, so the Z8 gets my vote!
It’s capable of 8K 60p video recording or 8K 30p with an enormous 2-hour record limit. Nikon decided to remove the mechanical shutter completely, which means the camera is capable of 120fps continuous shooting and has a max shutter speed of 1/32000 sec, which makes it perfect for sport and bird photography.
The ferocious autofocus is capable of ten kinds of recognition: human eyes, faces, heads, and upper bodies; animal eyes, heads, and bodies; and cars, aircraft, planes, trains, and motorbikes. Though, in my experience, the AF occasionally faltered where Canon and Sony’s didn’t.
Overall, though, there is literally nothing this camera can’t do: its speed, resolution, ruggedness and video capability in one. And as noted, it’s cheaper than the Z9 – which in turn is cheaper than the Sony A1 and Canon EOS R3. So in terms of bang for buck, it really can’t be beaten.
Read our full Nikon Z8 review
The best professional camera for resolution
Want the ultimate in medium format resolution in a body so small and steady that you can use it for street photography? Meet the Fujifilm GFX 100 II, a marvel of photographic achievement that packs a 102MP medium format sensor into a body about the size of a bulky DSLR. It even possesses in-body image stabilization – which, despite having to stabilize a gigantic medium format sensor, is actually on par with the IBIS systems on Sony’s smaller full-frame sensors.
While it lacks the vertical grip of the ten-grand Fujifilm GFX 100, (which our reviewer thinks is a good thing), it otherwise boasts newer and more powerful capabilities squeezed into a much smaller and much cheaper body – though Fujifilm’s medium format lenses mean that this is still far from a compact system. The image quality is simply spectacular; for ultimate stills shooting, this is almost unbeatable. It even shoots very good 8K 30p video, too!
Read our full Fujifilm GFX 100 II review
The best APS-C camera for professionals
Don’t be fooled by its smaller APC-C-sized sensor, the Fujifilm X-H2S is a real powerhouse when it comes to professional photography. The new flagship camera in the Fujifilm X-mount range, the X-H2S has it all, with a chunky pro-spec body and handling, a top-mounted status panel, and a fifth-generation sensor offering four times the speed of its predecessor.
The X-H2S can shoot at 40fps with minimal screen blackout, capture 6K video or 4K at up to 120p, has in-body stabilization, a flip-out vari-angle screen, and a 5.76m dot electronic viewfinder. This camera is the most expensive in Fujifilm’s X range but is still a nice saving over a lot of the other cameras on this list.
Read our full Fujifilm X-H2S review
The best professional DSLR camera
If mirrorless cameras just don’t work for you, there’s still life left in the DSLR – and as far as I’m concerned, the D850 is the best mirrored camera for all-purpose professional work. Where the Nikon D6 is built for sheer speed, durability, and responsiveness, the D850 is built for resolution – though it can still capture images at 7fps, or 9fps with the optional battery grip.
Its big, chunky body feels good in the hand and great with larger lenses and, while its live view AF may be sluggish, it’s a very powerful, modern-feeling camera – a superb all-rounder that actually feels as tough, rugged, fresh, and exciting now as when it was launched back in 2017. Some people say that the Z8 is the mirrorless D850; I prefer to say that the D850 is the DSLR version of a Z8.
Read our full Nikon D850 review
The best professional camera for video
The Panasonic S5 II X is effectively in a class of its own when it comes to a camera capable of content creation, videography and filmmaking. In fact, short of a cinema camera, its closest rival is the camera for which it’s an upgrade: the Panasonic S5 II.
My colleague Jon Devo has spent much more time using the two cameras than I have, so I’ll quote his five-star review: “With its most direct competition coming from its stablemate, the more specialized S5 II X faces some fundamental challenges from a consumer perspective.
“Does it offer enough in terms of value for money to entice creators to spend a little extra? The extra features, such as SSD recording, HDMI RAW output, All-I compression, Apple ProRes, and Streaming functionality, make it an enticing proposition. This is especially true if the all-black design appeals to you. Of course, you can shoot RAW with the S5 II via a paid-for software unlock, but for pretty much the same money, once you’ve paid for the update, the S5II X still offers more.”
Read our full Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX review
The best professional Sony camera
Jack of all trades, master of most, there’s nothing that the A1 can’t shoot. Sports? Check, with its unreal 30fps continuous shooting. Fine detail? Check, with its 50.1MP resolution. Video? Check, with its 8K recording capability.
This all-round performance comes with a few caveats, however, the first one being cost. It’s more expensive than the 100MP medium format Fujifilm GFX 100S, for example – apples and oranges, we know, but the very comparable Nikon Z8 and Z9 also come in considerably cheaper.
The 30fps burst isn’t always achievable (sometimes topping out at 15-20fps, which is still impressive but less impressive than the spec sheet), but for my money the biggest oversight is that this uber-powerful machine only has a tilting screen. I know not everyone likes full articulation for stills, but an 8K camera with a non-articulating screen is a bit of an oversight. Overall, though, if you want a camera that can take on any possible assignment, this is it.
Note, however, that the new Sony A9 III is set to go on sale in Spring 2024 – with a top shutter speed of 1/80,000 and an revolutionary global shutter sensor, it promises to revolutionize both the Sony professional camera line-up.
Read our full Sony A1 review
The best stills-first professional camera
A camera so good that I went out and bought one myself, the EOS R5 is an absolute beast for stills. Its Dual Pixel AF CMOS II is nothing short of a cheat code for wildlife and sports photography, especially combined with its 20fps top burst speed. And if its pixel-packed 45MP resolution isn’t enough for you, it’s capable of capturing incredible 400MP (yes, four-hundred megapixel) photographs.
For stills, then, I rank it as Canon’s best camera. However, while it was the first camera to bring 8K video to the con/prosumer market, it does fall short of more recent rivals when it comes to 8K (thanks to its well-documented recording restraints and overheating limits).
So if it’s supreme video resolution you need, look to the Sony A1 and Nikon Z8/9. For the best stills performance, though, I genuinely think the R5 stands alone.
Read our full Canon EOS R5 review
FAQs
What camera do most professional photographers use?
While the world is increasingly a mirrorless one, a huge number of pro photographers still use DSLRs. This is partly because professionals are less interested in spec-chasing than enthusiasts; cameras are simply tools to do a job, and DSLRs are still excellent tools. So workhorses like the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Nikon D850 and Nikon D6 are still very often seen in the hands of the pros.
That said, when it does come time for a professional to upgrade, they invariably go mirrorless. The three flagship cameras – Canon EOS R3, Nikon Z8 / Nikon Z9 and Sony A1 – along with bodies like the Canon EOS R5 and Nikon Z7 II are among the most popular.
How many megapixels do professional photographers use?
It depends on the photographer, and on the profession. Fine art photographers, archival photographers, and many commercial photographers deliver their work in the highest quality and resolution possible. This often takes the form of medium format cameras, such as the 151MP Phase One XF IQ4 150MP Camera System, or the 100MP Fujifilm GFX 100S and Hasselblad X2D 100C.
How to choose a professional camera
Picking the best professional camera is not just about picking the one with the best or most enticing specifications. You have to look at the system as a whole, its lenses, its other models, and what is set to be released in the future. Before making a choice, it’s worth asking yourself a series of questions:
1) Are you switching from a different system? If this is the case, it’s well worth looking into whether there’s any potential for compatibility between your existing and new system (i.e. using lens mount adapters). ‘Migrating’ an existing system is much simpler and cheaper than starting again with a whole new setup.
2) What lenses will you need? Think about the kind of work you need and the lenses you need for it, and check whether the system you’re considering can meet those needs. Lens guides can be useful here, such as our guides to the best Canon lenses or the best Nikon lenses.
3) DSLR or mirrorless? While it does sometimes feel like mirrorless is taking over the world, the best DSLR cameras do still have their advantages and some, like the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III, are breaking new ground. Read our guide to DSLR vs mirrorless cameras if you’re still not sure.
4) Video vs stills? Are you shooting videos as well as stills? While both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras can and do produce excellent video, mirrorless currently has the edge here, so if the video is part of your portfolio then it’s worth factoring this into consideration.
How we test cameras
We test camera resolution, dynamic range, and noise under scientifically controlled conditions using two key testing tools: Imatest Master and DxO Analyzer. All DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are subjected to these tests and, in some instances, high-end compact cameras.
We use these real-world testing and lab results to inform our comments in buying guides.
1. Resolution (ISO-12233): We use a resolution chart based on ISO-12233 from Applied Image inc to indicate the limit of the camera’s vertical resolution at the centre of the frame. The higher the value, the better the detail resolution.
2. Dynamic range (DxO Analyzer): This is a measure of a camera’s ability to capture detail in the highlights and shadows. We use DxO’s transmissive chart, which enables us to test a dynamic range of 13.3 stops.
3. Noise (DxO Analyzer): We use the dynamic range transmissive chart to analyze the signal-to-noise ratio for RAW and JPG files at every sensitivity setting using DxO Analyzer. A higher value means the signal is cleaner.
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