The Best Cameras for Wildlife Photography in 2024
Eagle eating fish while flying
Important factors in selecting the best cameras for Wildlife photography
Wildlife photography is one of the most challenging and rewarding genres of photography. Getting amazing photos takes dedication, and of course, reliable gear. In this article, I have gone through and listed the best cameras for wildlife photography according to both specs and real-world use. Though I personally capture images using a Nikon, I have had the opportunity to take photos with Canon and Sony cameras and conversed at length with other well known wildlife photographers about the brands they use and gear they recommend within their brand. When considering the best cameras for wildlife photography, there were four main criteria I looked into; autofocus, resolution, burst speed (fps), and video capabilities.
Autofocus
When photographing wildlife, autofocus is of the utmost importance. Wildlife is unpredictable and sometimes you only have seconds to capture a handful of images before the animal disappears. All of the cameras in this list are great cameras when it comes to general autofocus but some do have tracking and eye AF features for animals that make them unique and incredibly more useful. This is especially true when it comes to bird eye AF which is one of the newer focus types introduced to the market.
Resolution
When choosing a good wildlife camera, you do not want one that is too high resolution because you will run into buffer issues. The sweet spot for wildlife is right around the 30 - 50 MP range. This will give you a good sized image to crop but also one that can allow your camera to have a higher burst speed without blackouts.
Burst Speed (FPS)
Speaking of burst speed, when capturing birds in flight or animals in motion, you will want a camera with a decently high FPS so that you can capture bursts to give yourself the best chance at capturing the moment. Most modern cameras have a pretty good FPS in the realm of 10-20 fps; but there are some camera bodies that are leaps and bounds beyond the rest. However, one must ask, is it worth it? I have found the sweet spot to be right around 15-20 fps in my real-worl use. Any more and you have a lot more culling to do and any less may cause you to miss the moment you are aiming for.
Video capabilities
In the world of social media forcing creatives to become hybrid photographers/videographers, it can be great to have a camera that can not only capture great photos but also great video. 4K video has become a staple and should be a must when looking for a great camera body; but some of the newest camera bodies even offer 8K which can be game changing. Though you typically would not use 8K video for final renders, it does allow you to crop in significantly more and still have high quality video.
The Best Cameras for Wildlife Photography by Brand
Nikon Options
Nikon Z6 II - $1,596.95
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes, domestic animals
Bird eye tracking - No
Resolution: Full Frame - 24.2 MP
Max burst speed: 14 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/60p
Main takeaways: The Nikon Z6II is an amazing camera in the sub $2K camera class for Nikon lovers. My wife and I own three of them for weddings and portraits and they are amazing. However, it is the only camera in this lineup without good animal tracking or bird eye AF. That being said, the Z6 III will be released sometime in late 2024 and rumor has it, it will come with bird eye AF and many more amazing features. Just some food for thought.
Nikon Z8 - $3,696.00
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes
Bird eye tracking - Yes
Resolution: Full Frame - 45.7 MP
Max burst speed: 20 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/120p, 8K/60p
Main takeaways: The Nikon Z8 is my newest camera body. I bought this camera specifically for wildlife and outdoor photography but will also use it for portraits and other work. The fact that it comes with 4K/120p and 8K/60p is insane. It is probably the best all-around camera that Nikon has to offer and the best bang for your buck. It also is the only camera on the market and in this list capable of shooting 8k/60p.
Nikon Z9 - $5,496.00
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes
Bird eye tracking - Yes
Resolution: Full Frame - 45.7 MP
Max burst speed: 20 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/120p, 8K/60p
Main takeaways: The Nikon Z9 is essentially the same camera as the Z8 but with a built in battery grip. If you think that more battery life is worth the extra $1,500 or you must have the best no matter the price, then go for it! But I struggle to make an argument that it is worth the extra cost personally. To each their own.
Sony Options
Sony Alpha 7 IV - $2,298.00
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes
Bird eye tracking - Yes
Resolution: Full Frame - 33 MP
Max burst speed: 6 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/60p
Main takeaways: The Sony Alpha 7 IV is a great entry level full-frame mirrorless camera for Sony lovers. It has the perfect amount of resolution and meets general videography needs. It also has bird eye AF and animal AF and the focus is amazing. I have personally used this camera and have friends who use it and swear by it.
Sony Alpha 7R V - $3,898.00
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes
Bird eye tracking - Yes
Resolution: Full Frame - 60 MP
Max burst speed: 10 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/60p, 8K/24p
Main takeaways: The Sony Alpha 7R V is Sony’s best mid-range professional wildlife camera. It is also nice that it comes with 8K capabilities though 24p isn’t as ideal as 30p or 60p and I do wish it was capable of 4K/120p. If it had any of these options, it would be even more amazing.
Sony Alpha 9 III - $5,999.00
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes
Bird eye tracking - Yes
Resolution: Full Frame - 25 MP
Max burst speed: 120 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/120p
Main takeaways: The Sony Alpha 9 III is Sony’s flagship camera. Boasting a whopping 120fps RAW capture of images (though it will fill the buffer in 1.6 seconds), it is the fastest camera in the industry in regard to fps with its ground-breaking global shutter. Again, I do wish that it came with 8K capabilities but 4K/120p is still amazing.
Canon Options
Canon EOS R6 II - $1,999.00
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes
Bird eye tracking - Yes
Resolution: Full Frame - 24 MP
Max burst speed: 12 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/60p
Main takeaways: The Canon EOS R6 II is Canon's best entry level full frame mirrorless camera for wildlife photography for people looking around the $2,000 price point. It has all the general specs needed to capture some great photos and video.
Canon EOS R5 - $2,999.00
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes
Bird eye tracking - Yes
Resolution: Full Frame - 47 MP
Max burst speed: 12 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/120p, 8K/30p
Main takeaways: The Canon EOS R5 is the best mid-range camera Canon has to offer and is a nice step up from the R6 II with the 47 MP sensor and 4K/120 and 8K/30p capabilities. If I was to choose a Canon camera for wildlife, this would be my pick.
Canon EOS R3 - $4,999.00
Specs
Animal eye tracking - Yes
Bird eye tracking - Yes
Resolution: Full Frame - 24 MP
Max burst speed: 30 fps RAW
Video Capabilities (max settings): 4K/120p, 6K/60p
Main takeaways: The Canon EOS R3 is Canon’s flagship camera and is built for sports and wildlife. It is a great camera though I do feel the resolution could be slightly higher; but I completely understand why it is the case given it’s targeted audience and purpose. That being said, you would not be disappointed by this camera if you chose to buy it.
Final Thoughts
In the modern camera line-up, it is hard to pick a bad camera for wildlife photography. However, if you have some financial flexibility, there certainly are some cameras that are better than the rest depending on what is important to you and your photography/videography needs.
Thank you all for reading along and if you have any questions or if you think I made any mistakes, feel free to leave a comment below! To see some of my outdoor and wildlife photography, be sure to give me a follow @zachnicholz on Instagram. If you’d like to read more blogs related to this subject, check out my article on The Best Camera Equipment for Landscape Photography or if you shoot Nikon, check out my Professional Nikon Z8 Review.
This article contains Amazon Affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of these links, I will receive commission at no additional cost to you. As always, thank you for your support!
The Best Cameras for Wildlife Photography in 2024
Written by: Zach Nichols
Jan 20, 2024
© Zach Nichols Photography