Best Camera for Bloggers [2023] – Take Your Blog Photos to Another Level

Photo images are a really important part of blogs these days. Whether you are a travel blogger, food blogger or any other type of blogger, you are sure to want good images to make your site look great.

If you have found this post, it is likely that you are looking to invest in one of the best cameras for bloggers to ensure that you can take photos that you are proud of.

In this top bloggers camera guide, we will help you to find the right camera for you and your blog. Whether you are looking for the best camera for travel blogging, the best camera for bloggers on a budget, or the best camera for beginner bloggers, we cover it all and help you to decide which is the best camera to use for blogging in your niche.

We will cover all the different types of cameras that bloggers use, from smartphones through to top-end DSLR cameras, we will highlight the key features that you need for your blog so that you can buy with confidence.

The Best Blogging Cameras

Sony Alpha A6000 – The Best Camera for Bloggers

The Sony Alpha A6000 is a brilliant mirrorless digital camera and we have rated it as the overall best camera for bloggers.

As a mirrorless camera, it is nice and compact but you can still use a good range of Sony E-mount interchangeable lenses to get the perfect shot with amazing quality images. Although, many bloggers will be perfectly happy just to use the 16-50mm power zoom lens that comes as standard.

The A6000 boasts the world’s fastest auto focus6 and shoots at an impressive 11 frames per second. This means that you will get crystal clear pictures even if you are a sports blogger or trying to catch shots of fast-moving kids for your family travel or mom blog.

The fantastic picture quality is thanks to the well regarded 24.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor.

One of the great features of the Sony Alpha A6000 is how light it is, weighing in at just under 350 grams (0.76 lbs) you won’t think twice about carrying it with you everywhere.

It is half the size of a standard DSLR, but the image quality is superb, you can really see why mirrorless cameras have become so popular over recent years. For the majority of people, the extra bulk and weight aren’t worth it.

Even by mirrorless standards, this is compact. You will only get smaller if you are happy to go for a simpler point and shoot camera.

We love that this camera can easily be connected with your phone for easy sharing of your images, and the accompanying app can even be used to change settings and control your camera from a distance (perfect for family photos).

The Sony A6000 is packed full of features that you need like the ability to record in full 1080 HD video,  a 3-inch LCD screen that tilts (but doesn’t flip), and you can take great photos in low light thanks to the ISO range of 100-25600.

We love how easy to use this camera is to use. We think that everyone will be able to take great quality blog photos using this camera. When you add to this that it looks great, is compact and very affordable, we rate this as the best camera for blogging and vlogging photography.

Nikon D850 DSLR – Best DSLR Camera for Bloggers

If you are looking for a seriously good blogging camera then you should take a look at the Nikon D850 DSLR.

The D850 has a full-frame sensor with an astonishing 45.7 megapixels, and an ISO range of 64-25,600 which allows you to create high-quality images.

Nikon has put some serious effort into this camera and claims loads of improvements over previous models, including sensor design, autofocus, dynamic range, sensitivity, Speedlight control, battery life, shutter and mirror drive mechanisms, Silent Photography in Live-View mode, and focus shift capability.

This Nikon blogger camera includes a tilting 3.2-inch LCD monitor and a battery life of around 1840 photos. The autofocus goes down to -4 EV to let you capture great photos in low-light situations.

The ability to take photos at up to 7 Frames Per Second and 45.7 Megapixels means that you won’t miss any of the action so this could be the best camera for fashion bloggers. Whilst the level of detail in the shots makes it the best beauty blogger camera.

The Nikon D850 shoots video in 4K UHD and you can also choose to shoot in the time-lapse or slow-motion modes. The combination of great photos and sharp video make this a good camera for blogging and vlogging.

There is so much going on in this camera that we recommend that you check out some detailed reviews. This experienced photographer thinks that it is ‘a total game-changer – almost perfect’

All in all, we think that this is the best DSLR camera for bloggers. The only negative is the high price, but if it is within your budget you will love taking photos on this camera.

Canon EOS Rebel T7i – Best Budget DSLR Camera for Bloggers

Our top budget DSLR camera for bloggers is the Canon EOS Rebel T7i which also makes an ideal DSLR vlogging camera. It is nowhere near the most expensive DSLR out there but we think it strikes a good balance between function and affordability.

It has a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor and the standard kit lens is 18-55mm which is a useful range, of course, the Rebel T7i (or EOS 800D outside the US) is compatible with the whole range of Canon prime lenses if you want to take your photography to the next level.

If you are new to DSLR cameras you will appreciate the useful auto mode whilst you learn more about the manual settings.

On the back is a nice 3-inch touch LCD screen which is really clear and makes using all the menus pretty simple and intuitive.

The Canon EOS Rebel is capable of shooting 6 photos per second and has a battery life of approximately 600 photos.

The built-in Wi-Fi is really handy for sharing and uploading photos on the go.

If you like to take video then the 1080p video recording is fantastic quality making this one of the best Canon cameras for video blogging.

Obviously, since this is a DSLR you won’t be able to slip it in your pocket, but this camera is popular with travel bloggers as it is relatively compact for a DSLR camera.  If you want the flexibility and quality of a DSLR at a good price, we think that the Canon EOS Rebel T7i could be the best camera for blogging and vlogging.

Panasonic LUMIX ZS80 – Best Compact Camera for Travel Bloggers

The Panasonic Lumix ZS80 is one of the best cameras for travel bloggers and one of the best cameras for bloggers on a budget. We have used this series for years (known as the TZ80 in the UK) and they never disappoint.

The key feature is the awesome 30x optical zoom (720mm equivalent) which allows you to take great shots from afar. Through some technical wizardry, they have managed to fit this into a camera that fits inside your pocket.

It is great for taking shots of animals, for taking shots without disturbing the scene and for getting close-ups of architectural details.

Of course, a great zoom is of no use if the images aren’t any good, but the ZS80 takes crisp and incredibly vivid photos and videos.

It’s not just good for close-ups though. At its widest, the ultra-wide-angle 24mm equivalent lens is perfect for taking gorgeous landscape photos.

Inside you will find a 20.3-megapixel 1/2.3 MOS sensor and the high-end featured Venus Engine. This is great for taking photos in dimly lit environments while minimising image noise. A really cool feature is the Star Light AF feature that helps you achieve great focus on night sky stars.

Despite being genuinely pocket-sized, the TZ80 is capable of full manual control and able to record RAW files should you wish. This is a great feature to have on the best budget camera for bloggers.

This great travel blogger camera is perfect for anyone that likes to take video or do any vlogging as you can capture shots in incredibly detailed 4k ultra HD.

If you want still images of fast-moving objects, the Panasonic should do the job thanks to the high-speed autofocus and shooting 5 frames per second.

This camera is a bargain price making it one of the best cheap cameras for blogging as well as a good camera for travel bloggers.

Fujifilm X-T20 – Best Mirrorless Camera for Bloggers

Alongside the Sony A6000, the Fujifilm X-T20 is one of the best mirrorless cameras for bloggers. We love the classic look of this camera, but don’t worry, there is nothing old fashioned about what’s inside this camera.

The sensor produces outstanding 24.3-megapixel images, it can easily produce panoramic shots using the on-screen guide, has wireless communication via an app on your phone, and can create stunning time-lapse sequences.  

There is a fully automatic mode or you can get creative in the manual mode. We found this camera to be intuitive to use and is a great camera for anyone starting a blog.  

It may be feature-packed, but the Fujifilm X-T20 is quite light and compact in design. There is a rubber outer to help you keep hold of it more easily. 

The camera is capable of recording Full HD and 4K video.

On the back is a tilting touchscreen LCD monitor which allows you to shoot those oh so subtle secret shots from waist height and it also comes in handy when in bright light. Whatever shots you take can be easily uploaded using the HDMI port or wireless technology.

This is a great blog camera for intermediate-level photographers. It produces top-quality images and 4k video that will be sure to bring your blog to life.

iPhone 11 Pro –  The Best Smartphone Camera for Bloggers

You could say that the best camera is the one that you have with you, and for this reason, we definitely think that it is worth considering using a smartphone camera as one part of your blog photography equipment.

The quality of the camera inside a smartphone is one of the main differences between the top of the range phones and the budget ones and the one inside the iPhone 11 Pro is brilliant.

We think that the best phone camera for blogging is the iPhone 11 Pro. The quality of photos that you can get from the iPhone 11 Pro is quite incredible and offers a genuine challenge to those taken on a dedicated mirrorless or DSLR camera.

The iPhone 11 Pro has a unique triple camera that gives you a 52mm telephoto lens with an f/2.0 aperture, a 26mm wide-angle lens with an f/1.8 aperture, and an ultra-wide 13mm lens with an aperture of f/2.4.

This means that the iPhone 11 Pro camera has a huge degree of versatility and should be able to cope with most blogging situations. Maybe it’s not up to the very highest standards but you will get decent shots that you can use on your blog. Battery life and memory are issues though so we would probably want to use this alongside a dedicated blogging camera, but the fact it is always on you could make this the best camera for lifestyle blogging.

GoPro Hero 8 Black – Best Action Camera for Vloggers and Bloggers

You definitely don’t want to use a GoPro for all your blogging needs. But, if you like to include some videos of sports, underwater or wide-angle ‘look where we have just got to’ type videos then a GoPro is perfect for the job. They are super portable, have quality sound, 4k resolution for ultra-crisp images and are really sturdy.

The GoPro Hero 8 Black is our pick as best action camera for bloggers and vloggers. If you don’t think you will use it that much you could go for one of the older models and save a few dollars.

How to Choose the Best Camera for Blogging

Buying a camera for blogging is an important decision that you want to get right. Other than a laptop, it’s pretty much the only piece of kit that a blogger needs. There’s no point having an awesome camera that is so big you leave it at home, or a point and click blog camera that doesn’t give you all the options that you need to take great photos.

So here are some of the important factors that you should consider when choosing a new blogging camera.

There are 4 main options when choosing a camera for your blog: smartphone, point and click, mirrorless and DSLR (this stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex – not that anyone ever says that in full).

Smartphone

The cameras in the latest smartphones are pretty awesome and you can take some great photos with them. They have the great benefit of being able to do some many other things as well, but they have a few limitations when it comes to being used as a blogging camera.

Cons of using a Smartphone

• Storage Memory: Smartphones have fairly limited storage capacity compared to a dedicated camera and the memory can quickly get filled up leaving you forever deleting pictures on the spot so that you can take some more. Memory cards for cameras are pretty cheap these days whilst getting a phone with lots of storage ramps up the price loads.
• Zoom: They tend to only have digital zoom rather than a proper optical zoom like you get on the best cameras for blogging.
• Manual Settings: The best smartphone cameras for blogging allow some options to adjust settings, but this is more fiddly and less flexible than on a dedicated blogging camera.
• Battery: The battery life can drain quickly when you are taking lots of photos and leave you with a lifeless camera phone just when you need it most.
• Quality: They just can’t match the quality of a good blogging camera.
  

There are also a couple of advantages to using a smartphone as a blogging camera.

Pros of using your Phone

• You almost certainly have/need one already so it is not an extra expense.
• If you are less into the technical side of photography you may actually take better photos with a phone thanks to the technical wizardry inside.
  

Compact / Point and Shoot Camera

Point and click (or point and shoot) cameras are fairly simple cameras that are ideal for bloggers that want to take their photos in automatic settings. You can still get great photos but they don’t quite match the quality of a DSLR or mirrorless camera.

One of the things that we love most about this type of camera is that you can get some with amazing optical zoom lenses which are great for travel bloggers who want to capture a scene from a discrete distance.

DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera)

A DSLR camera is the largest type of camera and is generally the type preferred by professional photographers. It consists of a camera body and a lens. A wide range of interchangeable lenses is available depending on the needs of the photographer making them good contenders for best blogger camera.

The name refers to the fact that when you take a photo with a DSLR, the camera uses a mirror within the camera body to capture the image.

DSLR cameras offer full flexibility of control and allow you to easily adjust factors like shutter speed, aperture and ISO to take beautiful, creative photos.

Mirrorless Cameras

Mirrorless cameras are like the younger brother of a DSLR. They also consist of a separate camera body and lens. The big difference (as you may have guessed) is that they do not contain a mirror. This means that the best mirrorless cameras for bloggers are much smaller than a DSLR, but they share many of the same features and benefits as a DSLR.

What features do you need in a blogging camera?

There are so many different types of blog and so many different types of blogger that there is no single best camera for bloggers. You need to focus on the types of photos that you want to take.

If you are a travel blogger you are probably looking for a travel blog camera that takes great landscape photos. Or are you more interested in photos of the local population, in which case you might like a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a great 50mm prime lens? The same lens would be great if you take close-ups of flowers or butterflies for your blog.

If you are looking for a vlogging camera then the video capabilities of the camera might be your top priority whilst Instagrammers might be most interested in filters and ease of upload when looking for the best camera for Instagram.

Manual Mode

Manual mode allows you to have complete control over their image quality, allowing you to adjust settings like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO so that you have complete control over how your image will turn out (as long as you know what you are doing).

Most cameras have an automatic mode as well so you can use this whilst you learn more about the art and science of photography. Or you can use the semi-manual modes where you adjust some settings but the camera takes care of the rest.

ISO

ISO relates to how sensitive a camera’s sensor is to light. By adjusting the ISO you can take better photos in darker conditions. Cameras have a max ISO, the best blogging cameras for low light conditions will have an ISO of 1600 or higher.

Sensor Size

In general, a bigger sensor (also known as a CCD) will result in better image quality as there is more light available to create the image. DSLR cameras are big to accommodate a large sensor.

RAW

If you like to do a lot of editing of your blog images, you will want to use the uncompressed “RAW” format rather than a JPEG. The RAW file is an image that preserves all of the information from the sensor, such as sharpness and contrast, without the processing and compressing that the camera does when converting to JPEG. Not all cameras have the option to shoot in RAW so be sure to get the right camera if editing is important to you.

Megapixels

Megapixel is a way of measuring the resolution of the cameras. In theory, the more there are the better the image will be. To be honest, the number of megapixels is largely a marketing thing as anything over 20MP is more than enough and other factors have more importance to the image quality.

LCD Screen

All cameras in this review have an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen to view the photos that you have taken and for adjusting the settings. Bigger, higher definition screens allow you to see the image better, especially in bright light.  A flip screen can come in handy for taking selfies or videos for your blog or vlog. They are also good if you travel a lot as they can be flipped so that the screen faces into the camera body protecting it from being bashed about.

WI-FI Connectivity

Some cameras have inbuilt wifi connectivity so that you can connect straight to the internet. This is super handy for uploading photos to cloud storage or sharing on social media.

Optical Zoom vs Digital Zoom

Optical zoom is a true zoom that uses magnifying lenses to bring a scene closer much closer than as seen by your eye.

Digital zoom is essentially using in-camera image processing to crop an image and make part of the photo seem larger. This results in a loss of resolution and reduction in image quality.

Basically, optical zoom is way better so if you want to zoom, it is a feature that you should be looking for.

Final Thoughts on the Best Camera For Bloggers

We hope that you have enjoyed reading our guide to the best cameras for blogging. There is a huge range out there and it can be hard to work out which features you really need.

However, we had to make a decision and our overall best camera for bloggers is the Sony Alpha A6000.

We don’t think that you will be disappointed if you go for this camera. It has a great balance between price, function, quality and size to make it our overall favourite blogging camera.