Which is the best camera for wedding photography? This is a difficult question to answer because it all depends on why exactly you want to purchase one.
The choice of the top-rated cameras for wedding photography depends on the purpose. For example; you might want to buy a wedding photography camera to capture some great moments during the wedding ceremony of your close friends or a family member. Or you may want to foray into wedding photography as a career choice.
If you are struggling to find the best cameras for wedding photography for personal use or for your career aspirations, read on to learn everything you want to know about how to choose the best cameras.
We will also have a look at the top 5 cameras that provide the features you need to be a successful wedding photographer.
We will also discuss the various features of these cameras that will help you meet your specific purpose whether it’s for personal use or to be a successful wedding photographer.
Shall we begin?
5 Beginning Cameras For Wedding Photographers
1. Fujifilm X-Pro2 Body Professional Mirrorless Camera
This camera has all the features that will help you capture some great snaps that the couple will cherish always.
The cameras from the Fujifilm X-series were actually the first ones to show the world that the distinction between crop sensor (APS-C) and full frame had become blurred.
Today, professional wedding photographers are enjoying the immense benefits of the crop sensor format offered by the Fujifilm X series.
While providing clean high ISOs, these cameras also offer the shallowest depth of field to ensure the pics look realistic. These features have also made wedding photography an easier task.
In spite of the flip-screen and DLSR-like ergonomics of the Fujifilm X-T2 and IBIS of the recently released Fujifilm X-H1, it is the retro rangefinder build offered by the Fujifilm X-Pro2 that has won our hearts.
We must admit it is these features that can make a difference to your career as a wedding photographer.
This camera has beautiful stealth-like aesthetics that will allow you to stay unnoticed even as you do your job to perfection.
We found the design of the best cameras for wedding photography quite practical as well. For example, Fujifilm X-Pro2 can help you feel comfortable when you take the cameras close to your face as it can keep your left eye free to judge the surrounding. It will not be covered by the camera.
This means you can see what is happening outside of the focus of the lens of the camera. You can wait for a moment or two if you feel there is a disturbance that can affect your ability to get a picture perfect.
Fujifilm X-Pro2 features 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III sensor along with a hybrid viewfinder that provides a unique way to capture a wedding. It allows you to record in a digital EVF as well as an optical format or even a mixture of both.
It allows you to capture snaps at the rate of 85fps refresh rate. Keeping in mind these features, we feel the price range of $1500 is quite justified.
Most wedding photographers who have used this camera have expressed satisfaction over the features and ease of use.
Things we liked
- High ISO performance
- Excellent for APS-C
- Megapixels: 24.3
- Advanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder
- 16 Film simulation modes
Things we didn’t like
- AutoFocus feature needs to be improved upon
2. Canon 5D Mark III
What makes it the best cameras for wedding photography is the all-around features provided by it.
It offers a great image quality along with high resolution, and responsive operation. It can help you capture wedding moments at the rate of 6 frames per second while continuous shooting.
It has an excellent build quality, a high-resolution LCD monitor, and an excellent 100% viewfinder. This camera provides a complete manual video mode and also has dual CF and SD card slots.
If you are still looking for added benefits, then this best camera for wedding photography doesn’t disappoint you.
It also allows for multiple exposures and a Live View feature. It also has an ‘overlay’ function to help you align multiple images.
Wedding photographers who have used this camera have highly appreciated the features and confessed to having impressed their clients with some great photography using this camera.
Priced slightly over $2000, we feel it’s a great deal to start your career as a wedding photographer or continue your journey in the field.
Things we liked
- Great image quality
- High resolution
- Fast AF performance
- Robust, reliable body
- 6 frame per second continuous shooting
- High-resolution LCD monitor
- 100% viewfinder
- Full manual video mode
- Has dual CF and SD card slots.
Things we didn’t like
- Slightly overpriced
3. Sony a7 III
It is packed with the best and the latest technology to help wedding photographers be successful in their career.
This camera has been created by Sony that has built a reputation in the field of cameras and other similar gadgets.
You can expect some great features including a more manageable 24.2MP, and an incredible AF performance!
What makes this camera stand out in the list of best cameras for wedding photography is it does not slow down even when it is piled up with huge files. So, you can be assured that it will not hamper your editing workflow.
Also, these cameras allow you to place the AF point more than 93% of the image area, which would mean obscure compositions would be made easier without the need to rely on focus-recompose technique.
Another feature of this camera we loved is it has 693 phase as well as 425 contrast AF points with 10FPS and the Sony’s mind-blowing Eye AF to ensure you can maintain the focus.
Customer reviews of this camera have been encouraging. Keeping in mind these features and the cost, which is less than $2000, we feel it is a great camera to capture wedding photography.
Things we liked
- High ISO performance
- 5-axis in-body image stabilization
- Long-lasting battery
- Touch/tilting LCD screen
Things we didn’t like
- Slightly overpriced
4. Nikon D810
One of the features that made an impact is it provides you with an advantage of a medium-format-like 45.7MP that can come in handy when your aim is to preserve every little detail of the wedding portraits.
This camera is also designed to help you shoot smaller RAW files so that you can preserve memory.
And yes, it also has the BSI sensor that offers a remarkable ISO range of 64 to 102,400. With this camera, you can shoot files at 12,800, which is still more than acceptable for the satisfactory client delivery.
Another feature of Nikon D810 that makes it one of the best cameras for wedding photography is it offers ISO64, which means, with this camera, you will be able to shoot with faster lenses and larger apertures even in the bright daylight.
It seems like Nikon understands that wedding photography needs the best AutoFocus feature, and perhaps, that’s why, the manufacturers have designed this camera that ‘AutoFocuse’s perfectly.
Some other features of this camera worth mentioning include an ultra-accurate AF system, 99 cross-type sensors, 153 focus points, and a dedicated AF processor, which offers 7FPS at 45.7MP.
Another benefit you can achieve by using this camera is it has a tilting/touchscreen LCD with a Touch Shutter that empowers you with the ability to shoot and focus just by touching the screen. This can be incredibly useful for you if you like to get high or low with compositions.
While most of the customer reviews ooze confidence, some users have complained that the autofocus feature doesn’t work as expected.
Also, this camera is priced on a higher side, which might be a deterrent for wedding photographers who are just beginning with their career and looking for a cost-effective option.
Things we liked
- Tilting/touchscreen LCD with a Touch Shutter
- Larger viewfinder
- ISO range of 64 to 102,400
- Offers XQD memory card format
Things we didn’t like
- Though the addition of XQD memory card format provides extra benefits, you must note that the card is pretty expensive.
5. Nikon D5
It can prove to be a good investment to take your career forward with the advanced features of this camera.
There are several good reasons for why this camera is priced higher. It offers all the features that you need to be a successful wedding photographer. It provides you with an ability to capture clear images even in complete darkness.
Nikon D5 has a native ISO of 102,400 that can be extended further to 3,280,000! Now, this is why we found this to be one of the best cameras for wedding photography.
Another feature of Nikon that can help you make a mark as a wedding photographer is it can shoot at an incredible speed of 12FPS for 200 shots with AF/AE.
And again, this is the camera whose buffer never fills even when you push it really hard.
It is comfortable to hold, thanks to its perfect button placement and the grip. It’s undoubtedly one of the most comfortable and the best cameras for wedding photography
If you are a DSLR wedding photographer looking for the best camera for wedding photography without any compromises on price, this one’s just for you.
The build of the camera is great and it might prove to be a great investment as it is built to last a lifetime?
It is designed ergonomically, which means it can put you at ease even while trying to capture wedding moments in a rather complicated position. Despite its bulky size, you won’t find yourself at much of an unease while shooting with this camera.
That is why; most professional photographers who have used this camera recommend this in spite of its high price tag.
Things we liked
- Robust camera with long life expectancy
- Incredible ISO performance
- Speed of 12FPS for 200 shots with AF/AE
- Great image quality
- Uncompressed 1080p video output
- Fast start-up time
- Responsive touch functionality
Things we didn’t like
- Higher price
Conclusion
We have picked these best cameras for wedding photography based on the features and specifications. These cameras offer an amazing value for your money and of course, help you capture the best moments during a wedding with a great clarity.
If you ask us to choose one among these best cameras for wedding photography, we would recommend Canon 5d Mark III particularly if you plan to use it for professional purposes.
This camera is just too brilliant at the job it’s been designed for. It will help you kickstart your wedding photography career with a bang, thanks to the perfect clarity and the host of other features offered by it.
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