How to Choose a Camera for Professional Photography

By Zach Hodges

When it comes to transitioning your photography hobby into a full-time business, deciding which professional camera to buy can be overwhelming. From Canon to Nikon to Sony, there are key things to consider when buying the right camera for you.

What Camera Should You Buy?

Cameras are a big investment.

There are so many choices and variables in choosing a camera and it can feel really overwhelming, so I’m hoping to guide your journey and help make sense of the camera landscape.

I’ve been doing photography for 20 years, and I work for VSCO. While we don’t sell cameras, we offer tools and community, so I hope this is as unbiased and trustworthy as possible.

What Cameras Are Other Professionals Using?

We recently did a poll on our social media channels to ask photographers what camera brands they’re currently using and the results were really interesting.

Canon came out on top on both Twitter and Threads.

Fujifilm took a strong second place on Twitter while barely falling to third place behind Sony on Threads.

Nikon took 4th place in both places, but was definitely in the game.

Leica, OM Systems, and Ricoh also showed up strongly in the comments.

We’ll look at each of these brands in more detail, and then we'll talk about recommendations for different photography genres.

But, before we do that, there are 7 really important considerations that often get overlooked in these conversations.

How to Choose the Best Camera for You

You’re not just buying a camera, you’re stepping into a whole system, and as a professional you really need to know how that system is going to work for your business.

It’s not just about having fun, you need to make money with this stuff.

So, consider the following:

Camera Accessories

Does the camera brand have everything you’ll need to grow into as your business grows? For instance, are there lens options you could afford soon to expand your offering and increase your quality?

Repair Program

How is their repair program? You will be very grateful for a good repair program as a professional relying on these cameras for your work.

Most brands have a professional repair service offering, but they vary in cost and what they offer, so look into that. And where is the repair center? Is it close or across the country?

Backup Camera

You should really have a backup camera so that you can get the job done even if something goes wrong with your main camera. Consider whether the brand you’re exploring has good options for a backup camera you could afford.

Memory Cards

Look at the memory cards that the cameras you’re looking at take. Some newer types like CF Express will be more expensive and require a separate card reader, which is a hidden cost.

Resolution

Really think twice about high resolution cameras. Something around 24mp covers many of the main needs of a professional.

Look into the megapixel requirements for the print sizes you think you’ll need, you’ll probably be surprised how little you actually need. Those extra megapixels might just take up space and slow down your computer without adding much value, ultimately costing you time and money.

Formats

Full frame is a kind of default, but don’t rule out APS-C or Medium Format.

Both of these offer compromises that plenty of professionals find more compelling than full frame for their business needs— and they are very successful with them.

Buying a Used Camera

Don’t rule out the used camera market. The best camera from a few years ago still works great, and there are some amazing deals to be had out there. Your money can stretch a lot farther if you’re willing to buy second hand.

Overview of Major Camera Brands

First off, there are no wrong choices when selecting from modern cameras.

People win contests with 10-year old cameras regularly, so things have been really good for a long time. You'll be fine no matter what you choose.

However, each brand has its own strengths and weaknesses.

High-level Overview of the Camera Brands

• Canon is the market  leader, and is known for its beautiful colors, ergonomics, and high-end lenses— but it can be an expensive place to start. 
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• Sony is another market leader and offers a wide range of lenses and camera bodies with class-leading performance. 
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• Nikon has a proven history of innovation and boundary pushing, and has a well-balanced and competitive offering that’s caught up to the other two.
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• Panasonic is strong in video and has made fast gains recently in the full frame market. 
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• Fujifilm specializes in APS-C and medium format systems above and below full frame, offering very compelling alternatives to the cost vs. performance ratio of the other brands. 
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• Leica has a rich history and high-end, perhaps niche product. 
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• OM Systems is geared towards rugged adventure photography. 
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• Hasselblad and Phase One are in there too at the upper end with amazing medium format systems.

Camera Lenses

A quick word on lenses before we get into cameras.

Every brand has bundled cameras with a kit lens, and these vary widely in quality. You may already have one of these.

Broadly speaking, these bundled lenses are often not the best place to start for most professional genres. So, really take a look at the lens offerings of each brand as you explore. Consider getting a cheaper camera and a nicer lens, or even just upgrading the lens on your existing camera instead.

Often a new lens will actually make the biggest difference in your photography.

Canon

To start off, we have to talk about Canon, the biggest player in the market for a long time now. 

It’s not surprising that they have a great product range, amazing lenses, a long history, a robust used market, and excellent Canon Professional Services (CPS) support. Their cameras are known for their color science, amazing autofocus, ergonomics, reliability, and strong video capabilities, and their lenses are renowned.

However, there are some disadvantages. Canon’s expensive top tier lenses are great, and there are some entry level offerings, but the jump between the two can be $2000 USD with nothing in the middle. Since they are also very restrictive with third-party lenses like Sigma and Tamron, your upgrade options are often both limited and expensive. This can make Canon a harder place to start for people just getting going. There does seem to be some change possibly coming here, but we’ll have to wait and see.

That said, Canon makes an amazing product. For most genres the R6II is a wonderfully balanced camera that can do just about anything very well. 

For higher resolution, the Canon R5 is excellent.

Of course the R3 and the upcoming R1 wins for speed. 

The Canon R8 is a good option on a budget, but keep in mind that lenses can still be pricey.

Thanks to their long history, Canon’s used camera market is amazing. Something like a 5DIV or EOS R can be had for $1000 USD, which is a pretty incredible deal compared to $2000 USD for a new R6II.

Sony

Sony has risen quickly in the last decade to become the top competitor to Canon with its leading sensor technology and autofocus capabilities. 

Because Sony has been making mirrorless cameras the longest, they have an extensive lens ecosystem with many price point options and just about every 3rd party option possible. The Sony used market is quite strong as well. They have a competitive Pro Support Program, and their cameras are extremely capable at video as well. 

However, they’re known to release new cameras rather than update older ones, and their product lines can be confusingly overlapping. Some find their designs and ergonomics uninspiring, which is highly subjective.

For most genres, the A7IV is extremely capable, but it is a bit more expensive than its rivals. 

For speed, check out the Sony A9III. 

For low light, the Sony A7SIII is a unique offering, there’s really nothing else like that. 

For high resolution, the Sony A7RIV is top-notch at 61 mp, rivaled only by medium format. 

On a budget, the Sony A6700 APS-C camera is a great choice.

A7III is still for sale and offers fantastic value as well at $1300 USD new. It’s a great camera compatible with all their new lenses.

Fujifilm

Fujifilm is really interesting, they turn left where everyone else turns right, and it’s really paid off for them. 

One thing that was quite surprising was how much higher Fuji usage was among VSCO’s social media users compared to industry averages. This is a very popular brand, and again it’s easy to see why. 

We’re all familiar with the viral X100 series. They just make really fun and inspiring cameras. But Fuji has built very compelling offerings above and below their full frame competitors. 

Their “X” system is the most serious APS-C system there is, and offers amazing performance with lower cost and weight. While their medium format GFX cameras offer astounding image quality and fast-enough performance at competitive prices. 

They also take video very seriously. In fact, I recorded the companion video to this article on a Fujifilm camera. However, Fuji Professional Services are more expensive than the others.

For a balanced option, the Fuji X-H2 and X-T5 are great. 

For medium format, the Fuji GFX 50S II is great, and the GFX 100 series offers a crazy 102 megapixels if you really need that. 

On a budget, the new Fuji X-T50 is a good choice, but on the used market, the Fuji X-T4 or XT-3 are great.

The X-H1 is an amazing value at $800 USD right now, and this was a flagship camera just 6 years ago.

Nikon

Nikon has a long history of innovation extending into the modern age with groundbreaking cameras like the Z9. They have a mature lens ecosystem with diverse options in cost and performance, and their long history means they have a great used market as well. 

They had a slower start in the mirrorless market, but they’ve been moving quickly and the new Z6III is a class-leading camera at a competitive price. 

They recently acquired Red camera well, so their strong intentions with video are very clear, though their newest cameras are already very good in this area. The repair service with Nikon Professional services is also great.

The Nikon Z6III is an excellent do-anything camera for most genres that shows Nikon isn’t holding anything back, and the Z7II offers a great experience with higher resolution. 

For ultimate speed, consider the Nikon Z8 or Z9. 

On a budget, the Nikon Z5 is solid, the Z6II is still great and is bound to become a great deal now, and the used D750 is an amazing deal now under $600 USD for a very capable camera. 

They also offer the Zf, which puts some gorgeous vintage style on a modern camera if that’s interesting to you as well. The other full frame competitors have nothing like that.

Panasonic

Panasonic is really carving out a name for itself lately with very powerful video features and affordability in the full frame market. 

The newest camera, the S5 Mark 2 X, is very competitive, but before that their autofocus lagged behind the competition. You really don’t have a lot of options here, but the options you have are great and affordable. Plus, they use the open L mount lens system, which has a wealth of great options from other manufactures like Sigma and Leica as well.

For a balanced option, look at the Panasonic Lumix S5M2X. On a budget, the Panasonic S9 is a great choice, and the used Panasonic S5 offers good value with solid performance.

Leica

Leica is famous for amazing build and image quality, and their legacy is just astounding. Oscar Barnack invented what we now call full frame 100 years ago. 

They are expensive and pretty niche, but there are plenty of professionals using their cameras, and their lenses are renowned for their magical quality. So they’re more of an aspiration than a reality for many of us, but don’t rule them out, especially on the used market.

The new Leica S3 competes with other mirrorless cameras very well but at a premium. It uses the same L mount as the S5M2X, so there are great lens options there. 

The Leica M series is very unique and specialized, with the M11 being the smallest and lightest full frame camera you can get with this level of image quality. There’s just nothing else like that. 

It’s hard to call anything in the Leica world a good deal, but for better prices, consider the older M9 or the 240. Oh, and Leica is still making film cameras with the MP! So they bring some very unique offerings to this list that could be worth consideration.

OM Systems

Lastly, several VSCO social media users in the camera poll mentioned OM Systems.

OM Systems is the continuation of the Olympus brand by their new owners, and they really carved a place in the photography world with their emphasis on portability and ruggedness that suits outdoor and adventure photography well. 

They’ve gone all in on the smaller Micro Four Thirds (MFT) sensor, which means you lose some image quality in exchange for a smaller and lighter system, that’s also often cheaper as well. They do have a mature lens system, and Panasonic has also been making compatible lenses for many years. 

You can get a lot for your money with OM-Systems, especially if you need a more compact, travel-friendly system or something with long range and light weight for wildlife photography.

For most genres, the OM-1 Mark II is an excellent pro-level body, but it’s quite expensive. The OM-1 Mark I is still excellent, and a better deal now. The OM-5 is a smaller, less-feature rich camera but still delivers a lot at a much lower price. The used market for these cameras is very strong as well.

Other Popular Cameras

There are other popular cameras like the X100V, the Ricoh GR, the Leica Q — these are wonderful cameras and there are pros that use them, but it’s usually not where you’d start to build a business. These cameras are very specialized with their fixed lenses and often serve as inspiration machines and second cameras for professionals.

Types of Cameras by Photography Genre

Each photography genre has different needs and each brand’s cameras map into those needs uniquely.

Best Camera for Portrait and Fashion Photography

For portrait and fashion photography, you need great color, good prime lenses for background blur, and great eye-tracking auto-focus. You might compromise on resolution since you probably don’t need massive prints.

Camera recommendations for Portrait and Fashion Photography would be the:

• Canon R6II
• Sony A7IV
• Nikon Z6III
• Fuji X-T5

Look at their 50mm and 85mm primes (33/35mm and 56mm for Fuji). They surely have high end f/1.2 or 1.4 options, but some also have great f/2 or cheaper 3rd party versions that could be a great place to start.

You may want to look at the lower end camera offerings of these brands as well, since often the compromise there is in build quality, and you’re less likely to be pushing those boundaries of weather sealing as often with models anyways. 

Canon R8, Nikon Z5, Sony A7III, or Fuji X-T50 might be worth a look.

Best Camera for Landscape, Architecture, Product, & Commercial Photography

For landscape, architecture, product, and some commercial photography, you often need high resolution and dynamic range for demanding client needs. 

Brand new camera recommendations for landscape, architecture, product, and commercial photography would be the:

• Canon R5
• Sony A7RV
• Nikon Z7II
• Fuji GFX 100 II

Speed and low light performance are less critical, since you might even be on a tripod, so you could also look at some of the older models that have slower autofocus but great image quality for a better deal. 

The Nikon D850 and Sony A7R 3 and 4 and the many older Fuji GFX cameras are all great used options with high resolution.

Best Camera for Event and Wedding Photography

For event and wedding photography, you need lightweight gear you can hold for hours, auto-focus speed to catch important moments, great low light performance, and reliability. 

Resolution can be compromised, as long as it’s good enough (which they all are). These are demanding genres, and it’s a good idea to make room in your budget for a backup camera as well.

Brand new camera recommendations for event and wedding photography would be the:

• Sony A7IV
• Canon R6II
• Fuji X-H2 or X-T5
• Nikon Z6III

There might be some push back about the higher resolution options here, but do you really need the R5 or Z7 for these genres? Maybe? I personally don’t think so - you can print a 20” print with 24 megapixels at full resolution, and you could probably go well past that with upscaling software in those rare times you need something bigger. 

If you’re taking a few thousand photos at each event, double or triple the resolution might cost you more in time and storage than you’d make from the occasional big print. But that’s just my opinion, I’d love to hear your experience if you disagree.

Look at the 24-70 and 70-200 zoom offerings of each brand to get started. Sony has the lightest 24-70 lens, but Canon has those light and small 70-200 lenses that are pretty unique.

Best Camera for Travel and Stock Photography

For travel and stock photography, you probably need lightweight and versatile equipment. 

Resolution can be probably compromised in favor of low light performance, speed, and weight, and you need to consider lenses here as well since those can add to the weight substantially.

Recommendations for travel and stock photography cameras:

• Smaller sensor cameras for their lighter weight:some text
  • Fuji X-T5
  • Sony a6700
  • OM-Systems OM-5
  • These are going to be easier to carry for a long time, and a slightly less quality photo that you take is going to be better than the 100 megapixel photo you don’t take because you got tired of carrying your camera around.
• Canon R6II
• Sony A7IV - perhaps with their new 24-70 lens which is the lightest one available
• Nikon Z6III
• Leica M

Camera Buying Resources

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential cameras, you may want to look into some final details. There are some great resources to help you make your decision:

• DPReview: Great reviews and camera comparisons. Check out their studio comparison tool to review image quality.
• Camerasize: Helps compare camera sizes, which can be useful in understanding how big something really is.‍
• Lens Reviews: Check out reviews by Christopher Frost and Optical Limits.
• PetaPixel: Information on digital cameras, lenses, accessories, photography-editing software, and more.
• Phoblographer: Reviews for photographers using cameras and gear in real-world situations.

Choosing Which Camera to Buy

Hopefully you're now better equipped to make an informed decision! Again, all of these cameras are amazing, and no choice you make will be a bad one. So much of this comes down to personal preference and style.

Honestly, if I was starting over right now, I’d probably be really looking hard at Nikon and Fuji. They have both the technology and the motivation as the underdog to deliver the most value right, and I think they are, but all the other brands have a lot to offer as well. 

Professional Photography Resources

As you navigate the photography industry, check out some of our other helpful resources for professional photographers— like our guides to starting a photography business or pricing your work. 

VSCO is a community-driven platform that equips photographers to expand creatively and professionally— see how our photo editor and community features can be a part of your photography process.