Best Camera for Landscape Photography

How many times have you seen a scene of such breathtaking beauty in front of you, you just had to capture it, only to discover that the photo you produced doesn’t even come close to matching what you saw with your eyes?

If you’re serious about landscape photography, your phone, point-and-shoot or basic digital single lens reflex cameras just don’t have the versatility you need to produce consistently great landscape photos.

What To Look for When Buying a Landscape Photography Camera

If you are looking for the best camera for landscape photography, you are going to want to choose a higher end DSLR or mirrorless camera to get the job done.

Some important features to consider include:

High megapixels: You want a camera that is capable of producing sharp images with a lot of detail. The higher the megapixels, the better the resolution. Today’s cameras tend to have higher megapixel values, but you want to make sure that the one you choose has at least 24.5 effective megapixels. This is especially important if you want to print any of your images.
High ISO sensitivity: When shooting landscape photography, many people find themselves shooting in low light conditions. To produce a good image in low light, you need a higher ISO. If you plan on capturing the night sky, this is particularly important.
Larger sensor size: The larger the sensor, the more of the scene you are going to be able to capture. Medium-format cameras produce the best landscape photos because of their sensor size, but not everyone wants to carry a camera that is the size and weight of a medium-format camera. At the very least, be sure to get a full-frame 35mm or mirrorless model.
Wide lens selection: Wide-angle lenses are best when it comes to capturing landscape images. Zoom lenses with wide angles can give you a lot of flexibility, but they often do not produce images that are as sharp as a prime lens. If you use prime lenses, be sure to get multiple lengths for the most flexibility.
Weather proofing: Landscape photography exposes you and your camera to the elements. Just as you protect yourself from wind, dust, cold, heat, rain and anything else Mother Nature might throw at you, you want to be sure your camera can handle the elements as well!

Our Top Camera Picks for Landscape Photography

Investing in a good camera for landscape photography is necessary for anyone who is serious about capturing stunning images that move, inspire and awe the viewer.

So, what is the best camera for landscape photography? We’ve selected not one, but four cameras that fit the bill.

Our top picks all have unique standout features that make them great for this type of photography, but they all have one thing in common: they produce amazing landscape photographs.

Sigma FP Digital Camera

Sigma’s FP camera is a great camera to take with you when you head out into the wild on foot to capture those awe-inspiring landscape images in remote locations.

The body weighs in at a meager 422 grams, including the battery, and measures 112.6 x 69.9 x 45.3 mm.

This is the smallest and lightest full-frame mirrorless camera out there, but don’t let its size mislead you into thinking that it can’t get the job done.

It lets you capture clear and crisp images with 24.6 effective megapixels and let the budding filmmaker in you have at it, as this camera has full videography capabilities.

Pentax K-1 Mark II DSLR Camera

The latest technology from Pentax provides the landscape photographer superior quality for professional-grade images.

The Pentax K-1 Mark II is a full-frame 35 mm powerhouse. The 36.4 effective megapixels gives you clear images right down to the little details.

This camera is also great in low light conditions, with class leading detail and exceptional shadow recovery.

This model also offers outstanding resolution with its Pixel Shift Resolution II technology, which captures four separate images of your scene with a slight shift in the angle of the image sensor. The resulting image is a composite of the four shots, giving you a richer, more vibrant and clearer photo.

Medium Format

Medium format cameras are ideal for landscape photography.

When it comes to medium format cameras, our choice for the best camera for landscape shots are:

Phase One XF IQ4

For professional landscape photographers, you really can’t do any better than the Phase One XF IQ4 150MP. There is nothing like it on the market.

It is one of a very small number of cameras capable of producing images with 150-megapixel resolution.

You can create larger than life landscape images and not fear losing any of the details when you enlarge the photograph. The RAW files contain unparalleled detail for endless creative and editing potential.

The full-frame medium format sensors on this camera capture more of your creative vision.

The backside illuminated sensors provide superior color rendering and detail.

What’s more, this camera is built on the Infinity One Platform, which guarantees that the performance and workflow capabilities of the XF will only get better as new advances are incorporated into the system.

Pentax 645Z

The Pentax 645Z packs a 43.8 x 32.8 mm imaging sensor 1.7 times larger than the sensors in full-frame 35 mm cameras, giving you a lot of coverage for those grand landscape scenes.

This is one responsive camera, so you won’t miss out on those shots that require a quick capture, and the 51.4 effective megapixel resolution gives you high-quality images with a lot of detail.

You will not be disappointed with the sharp details, smooth tones and the true-to-life feeling in the photos you capture with the Pentax 645Z.

If you are ready to purchase a high-quality landscape photography camera that is both affordable and functional, look no further than C.R. Kennedy.

C.R. Kennedy is one of Australia’s leading distributors of cameras and photographic equipment. We offer a wide range of DSLR, mirrorless, full-frame and action cameras.

If you need more information check out more articles on the C.R. Kennedy blog.