Taking snaps of food has become a huge part of both commercial and personal photography. Whether you’re a professional shooter looking to broaden your skill set, or someone starting a business in the food industry finding a camera to shoot food well can be a difficult task to initially navigate.
We aim in this list to cover a wide range of cameras for a variety of budgets and skill sets to cover the best options for everyone. Regardless of your skill set or level of exposure, its worth finding a good camera that suits your need from the outset.
Food is a challenging subject to shoot whether you’re a skilled photography or a beginner so having the right camera to begin with is vital in making your life that bit easier before you set out shooting.
Read our list and see which camera is right for you. We will be sure to cover something for everyone so read on and find the perfect camera for you and your food shooting ventures.
Sony a7 III ILCE7M3/B Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera
The Sony A7 III is our choice for the best all round food photography camera. Whilst this camera has a staggeringly high price for those that are working on a budget, or even those that don’t want a commercial shooting camera – for those that want the best option on the market as of now, the Sony A7 III is almost impossible to beat.
This camera boasts amazing high resolution images thanks to its 24 megapixel sensor. The image quality this camera is capable of capturing is remarkable given the price range. The full LCD touch screen is another feature that will leave users happy.
The autofocus on this camera is one of the best ever, the camera is capable fo capturing extremely high levels of contrast in images which is particularly attractive for food photographers. It also shoots extremely well in low level light, and on top of this with a cheap adapter you can add any lenses to this camera.
For what many consider a basic full bodied camera, the Sony A7 III is truly a remarkable camera that is perfect for food photography and uses beyond.
Pros
- High resolution shooting abilities.
- Superb image quality.
- Full LCD touch screen.
- Great low level light shooting.
- 423 contrast points for heightened images.
- 24 megapixel sensor.
- Great for advanced and beginner photographers.
- Amazing autofocus that is unmatchable at this price range.
- Ergonomically deigned.
- Perfect for shooting food, and then all your other shooting needs.
- 93% autofocus coverage that is unbelievable.
Cons
- No battery charger included.
- An adapter is required to add additional lenses.
- It is an expensive camera for beginners, those on a budget or those just starting out (though it is worth the investment).
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Camera Body
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III camera is our choice for the best value camera for food photography. All things considered for under 500 dollars this camera is an excellent option for those wanting a camera that will take great shots of food.
The ergonomically designed body that Olympus have used to create this camera is perfect for long days of shooting, as with Olympus products the build quality and overall functionality is great. This camera has plenty of good features too, such as its ability to save images as j.peg’s, RAW files and easily transfer shots with the built in WiFi function.
It also shoots in 4K video which is fantastic for anyone wanting to shoot videos as well, boasts a 16 megapixel sensor comes with a built in autofocus and a fantastic ISO range that will suit bloggers, social media users and more.
Pros
- Great value for money.
- Shoots in 4K video.
- Has WiFi for transfer of images and videos to smart phones in matter of seconds.
- Can save files in a wide range of formats.
- Amazing ISO range.
- Great ergonomic design.
- Perfect for beginners.
- LCD touch screen.
- Compact body.
- Aesthetically pleasing design.
Cons
- The body can be a little on the small side for bigger hands.
- Basic camera that won’t offer some of the features that other, slightly pricey models can offer.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Full Frame Digital SLR Camera Body
The Canon EOS5D Mark IV is a full frame digital SLR camera is one of the most in demand cameras for still life shooters around the world. This camera is a favourite amongst food photographers alike and has a reputation for being the most professionally astute model for this genre of shooting.
As with most still life camera that exceed there potential this cameras main draw is the fact that it has a amazing autofocus capable of detecting and generating a variety of contrasts within your shots.
The 61 autofocusing functionality of this camera make it a great choice for food photographers, this model is an updated version of previous models and the new built in real time autofocusing is an another step in exploring new shooting techniques with this camera. Overall this is an excellent choice for professional quality image taking.
Pros
- Professional quality images.
- 61 points of autofocus.
- 41 cross-type sensors.
- Outstanding ISO values and performance.
- Real time auto focusing capabilities.
- Greta for beginners and advanced shooters.
- A forever camera that you will never outgrow.
- High resolution images.
- Superior image quality.
- WiFi Connectivity.
- Touch screen and LCD face system.
- Amazing quality build.
- Ergonomically this camera is perfect for using for long periods of time.
Cons
- This is an expensive camera.
- ISO sensitivity is absent.
Canon Digital SLR Camera Body [EOS 80D]
The Canon Digital SLR camera is our choice for the ultimate beginner camera. This camera is extremely easy to use and perfect for those that are wanting a camera for non professional use.
This camera is simple to use whilst also taking extremely high quality images. Perfect for bloggers, social media addicts or anyone wanting to share snaps quickly – this camera has full WiFi’s connectivity, as well as a burst shooting feature that means you’ll never miss a shot.
Perfect for the beginner or someone who wants a more budget option camera that’ll still take great shots.
Pros
- Great value for money.
- WiFi connectivity.
- Perfect camera for beginners.
- Simple, easy to use.
- Great image quality.
- Burst shots are outstanding – you will never miss a shot again.
- JPEG image saving for easy transferring and storage.
- Decent ISO range given the price.
- Autofocus included.
Cons
- The autofocus is low in range.
- The camera can be nosey when set in certain settings.
- No memory card support for saving multiple images.
Nikon D3400 w/ AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
The Nikon D3400 w/AF-P DX Nikkor 18-55mm camera is another great option for the aspiring food photographer out there.
This is a great budget all round camera for those that are learning photography, want a basic food shooting camera or just want a reliable camera. The battery life is surprisingly good, the camera functions in two basic modes manual and semi-automatic. Both function well and extremely easy to use.
This camera is really lightweight which is a pleasant surprise as well as being able to shoot consistently well. Users are extremely happy with this camera and praise it for the great shooting abilities it has on such a comparatively low price.
Pros
- Great value for money.
- Easy to use – this is the ideal beginner camera.
- Buttons and functions are designed for the user.
- Ergonomically superior to other models.
- A great camera for all round shooters.
- Great battery life.
- Snapbridge app compatible.
- 11 point autofocusing system.
- Quiet motor.
Cons
- Slightly limited in its functionality.
- No RAW files option which is an issue for some shooters.
Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Compact Digital Camera
The Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Compact Digital Camera is the last Camera that will feature on our list. This is another great versatile budget option for users out there wanting an all round camera that will offer both great value and high levels of functionality.
The camera has a quirky aesthetic, whilst containing a range of amazing built in features. The autofocus is extremely great considering the price of the camera. The high resolution shooting ability is impressive, whilst built in features such as face detection make this an outstanding choice for shooters.
Consider this camera if you’re looking for plenty of built in features on a budget. Great value for money this camera will offer users a great shooting experience.
Pros
- Great all round camera.
- Exceptional value for money.
- Interesting design and build.
- JPEG shooting abilities.
- ISO is fantastic for the price.
- Bluetooth and wifi connectable.
- Easy to use and great built in features.
Cons
- Tiny buttons.
- No lens cap included.
This list has hopefully provided wannabe food photographers with a list of all the best cameras on the market right now. We took everything ranging from price, ease of use to versatility into consideration when curating this list.
We hope that you have found the right camera for you!
