Best Cameras For Wildlife Photography
We often get asked our recommendations for the best cameras for wildlife photography.
If you’re looking for a good camera to add to your travel photography gear to photograph wildlife, it’s important to know and understand the features you’ll need in order to make the best comparisons.
Wildlife photography requires patience and split-second reactions. Yes you’ll find good wildlife photography cameras in all price ranges to suit any budget, but keep in mind there are features you need specifically for taking pictures of wildlife.
Below are the top 10 cameras we recommend for wildlife photography.
Some of the links on this site are affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, we may earn a small commission – at no extra cost to you! Read the full Disclosure Policy.
Nikon 500mm f5.6 Lens Review
Looking for an affordable lens for wildlife? Check out our review and why we LOVE the Nikon 500mm f5.6 lens for nature photography!
Features of a Good Wildlife Photography Camera
A good burst mode. This is important no matter what kind of wildlife you’re photographing. Animals don’t stay still very long so you’ll need to be able to capture movement in fractions of a second. Look for a camera that can capture a lot of frames within that second so you can capture THE shot.
Decent buffer depth. This refers to how many continuous shots a camera is capable of capturing without stopping. A bigger buffer means more shots, which gives you a longer burst, that gives you a greater chance of capturing that perfect moment. Be aware that cameras will generally be able to capture a larger buffer of JPEGs than RAW files, so if you don’t mind losing a little editing flexibility, this can be a good option. Note that the write speed of the memory card is also a factor, so it’s a good idea to use the fastest card you can.
Fast and efficient autofocus. In order to capture spot-on focus of an animal that’s moving fast and unpredictably requires a sophisticated autofocus system with good coverage of points across the frame.
Lens or lens range. In order to fill the frame with the animal or bird, you’ll need to use telephoto lens range. A compact camera needs a decent zoom lens already attached, or find a bridge camera. For cameras with interchangeable-lens capability like DSLR or mirrorless, check out telephoto lenses available for the mount on the camera that are within your budget.
Best Cameras for Wildlife Photography
Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera
The Nikon Z9 mirrorless camera can capture RAW format images at the full resolution of the camera at up to 20 fps with a buffer of 1,000 frames in a burst. It features the most advanced autofocus system, incorporating new subject detection algorithms and 3-D tracking that enable it to automatically recognize nine subject types, including animals and birds, without requiring the user to switch AF modes.
Key Features- 45.7MP FX-Format Stacked CMOS Sensor
- EXPEED 7 Image Processor
- 8.3K 60p N-RAW, 4.1K 60p ProRes RAW
- 8K30p and 4K120p Video, 10-Bit Internal
- Up to 20 fps Raw, 30 fps JPEG Shooting
- 493-Point AF, AI-Based Subject Detection
- Blackout-Free Real Live Viewfinder
- 3.2" 4-Axis Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- Vertical Grip, 2x CFexpress Type B Slots
- 5 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GNSS
Sony a9 II Mirrorless Camera
The Sony A9 II is a 24.2-megapixel full-frame gadget which makes it a great camera for wildlife photography. It can capture 20 frames per second and it has 5-axis image stabilization. It also has an advanced subject recognition for real-time tracking and eye autofocus for animals. This feature is something that makes it one of the best wildlife photography cameras.
Key Features- 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor RS CMOS Sensor
- BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
- 693-Point Phase-Detection AF System
- Up to 20 fps Shooting, ISO 100-204800
- UHD 4K30p Video, Real-Time Eye AF
- Blackout-Free Quad-VGA 3.7m-Dot OLED EVF
- 3.0" 1.44m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
- Dual UHS-II SD Card Slots, Voice Memos
- 5 GHz Wi-Fi, 1000BASE-T Ethernet
Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless Camera
The Canon EOS R6 is a wonderful mirrorless camera for wildlife photography. It offers high-quality images with its 20MP full-frame CMOS sensor. The 100% horizontal and 100% vertical AF system with face detection and auto selection modes adds to the image quality and sharpness.
Key Features- 20MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC X Image Processor
- 4K60p and FHD 120p 10-Bit Internal Video
- Sensor-Shift 5-Axis Image Stabilization
- 12 fps Mech. Shutter, 20 fps E. Shutter
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with 1053 Points
- 0.5" 3.69m-Dot OLED EVF
- 3" 1.62m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
- Subject Tracking with Deep Learning
- Dual SD UHS-II Memory Card Slots
Nikon Z6 II Mirrorless Camera
The Nikon Z 6II tops our list as the best mirrorless camera for wildlife photography. It uses a full-frame sensor and is a good option for most wildlife shooters. Its weather-sealed body feels well-constructed and incredibly comfortable to shoot with, thanks to its large handgrip, high-res electronic viewfinder, and customization options.
Key Features- 24.5MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
- Dual EXPEED 6 Image Processors
- UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
- 14 fps Cont. Shooting, ISO 100-51200
- 273-Point Phase-Detect AF System
- 3.6m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
- 3.2" 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 5-Axis In-Body Vibration Reduction
- Dual Memory Card Slots
Canon EOS 1DX Mark III
Canon EOS 1DX Mark III is a great camera for wildlife photography if you are looking for a DSLR with a full-frame sensor. The wide ISO range, which is 100-819,200, lets you photograph in bad lighting conditions. It's perfect for wildlife photographers who like making videos as well. It can capture full-frame videos at up to 4K resolution.
Key Features- 20.1MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC X Image Processor
- EOS iTR AF X 191-Point AF System
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 525 Selectable Areas
- Up to 20 fps Shooting, ISO 100-102400
- 4K60 10-Bit 4:2:2 Internal Recording
- Canon Log and 5.5K Raw Video Support
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS
- Dual CFexpress Memory Card Slots
Nikon D500
The Nikon D500 is one of the best cropped-sensor cameras on the market today. It was first introduced in 2016 but it’s still an exceptional choice. We LOVE using this camera for photographing wildlife. ISO performance is best among all APS-C cameras, reaching 1.638.400. That’s just one stop below the D5’s industry-leading sensitivity.
Key Features
- 45.7MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
- EXPEED 5 Image Processor
- 3.2" 2.36m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 4K UHD Video Recording at 30 fps
- Multi-CAM 20K 153-Point AF System
- Native ISO: 64-25600,Extended: 32-102400
- 7 fps Shooting for 51 Frames with AE/AF
- 8K Time-Lapse, Negative Digitizer Mode
- 180k-Pixel RGB Sensor, Focus Shift Mode
- SnapBridge Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Nikon D6
One of the top cameras for wildlife photography is the Nikon D6. But it's a heavy camera so probably you may not want to move with it too much. With a 20.6-megapixel full-frame sensor and a range of ISO 100-102,400, it’s a powerful camera. It captures high-quality images even in low-light.
Key Features- 20.8MP FX-Format CMOS Sensor
- EXPEED 6 Image Processor
- Multi-CAM 37K 105-Pt. All Cross-Type AF
- 14 fps Shooting, Extended ISO 3280000
- 4K UHD Video Recording at 30 fps
- 3.2" 2.36m-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
- 0.72x-Mag. Pentaprism Viewfinder
- 180k-Pixel RGB Sensor and Group Area AF
- Built-In Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS
- 1000 Base-T Gigabit Wired LAN Support
Fujifilm X-T4
The Fujifilm X-T4 is a crop sensor camera. It doesn't perform as well in low light as the Nikon Z 6II because of its APS-C sensor, but it's significantly smaller and more portable, and APS-C lenses are generally cheaper. It offers good all-around performance and it's great for everyday nature photography.
Key Features- 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans BSI CMOS 4 Sensor
- X-Processor 4 Image Processor
- 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization
- DCI/UHD 4K at 60 fps, Full HD at 240 fps
- 425-Point Hybrid AF System
- 3.69m-Dot 0.75x OLED EVF
- 3.0" 1.62m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
- ISO 160-12800, up to 15-fps Shooting
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Connectivity
- Film Simulation Modes
Panasonic G9
The Panasonic G9 is an affordable Micro Four Thirds camera. It's a versatile camera for wildlife photography. For action photos, it has a 5-axis in-body image stabilization. If you use it with a lens that has optical stabilization, you can get 6.5 stops of correction.
Key Features- 20.3MP Digital Live MOS Sensor
- Venus Engine Image Processor
- UHD 4K60p Video; 80MP High-Res Shot Mode
- 5-Axis Sensor Stabilization; Dual I.S. 2
- 0.83x 3.68m-Dot OLED Viewfinder
- 3.0" 1.04m-Dot Free-Angle Touchscreen
- Top Status LCD; Rear Joystick
- Advanced DFD AF System; 6K PHOTO
- ISO 25600 and 60 fps Continuous Shooting
- Dual UHS-II SD Slots; Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
Olympus OM-D E-M1X
This is a dual-grip 20MP Micro Four Thirds mirrorless option from Olympus. If you are looking for a durable, weather-sealed and sturdy option, the Olympus OM-D E-M1X could be the best camera for wildlife photography for you. A cool extra features is the Live ND option, which provides the effects of an ND filter without having to use one.
Key Features- 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds Sensor
- Dual TruePic VIII Image Processors
- Integrated Vertical Grip, Dual Batteries
- 2.36m-Dot 0.83x Electronic Viewfinder
- 3.0" 1.037m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
- DCI 4K/24p & UHD 4K/30p Video Recording
- 5-Axis Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization
- 15 fps Shooting and Expanded ISO 25600
- 121-Point All Cross-Type Phase-Detect AF
- Weather-Sealed Construction
If you also enjoy landscape photography in addition to wildlife photography, check out the gear we use and recommend.
![Best Amazon Prime Day Deals For Travel Photographers [2022 Edition]](https://photojeepers.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/luggage-and-camera-768x480.png)
