Photography

The Best Cameras for National Photography Month

A person holding a professional camera over a table of food, taking a high quality photo that we can see in the viewfinder screen.

They say April showers bring May flowers, so why not try capturing the beauty of this blooming spring? National Photography Month is upon us, which means it’s time to get your cameras out and express yourself through visual art. If you don’t already own a camera, it can be hard to figure out exactly what product is right for you. Do you need specific features? What size lens is appropriate? What types of cameras are on the market? Are certain brands better than others? In this post, we’ve provided recommendations from our very own camera expert, Saxon Kotowski, categorized by the many different types of photography. Whether you’re capturing nature, people or events, or wish to take your new camera in the air or underwater, we can help you find your new camera companion.

Best for Landscape Photos

Nikon Z 7II 45.7 Megapixel Mirrorless Digital Camera Body, a black professional camera for landscape photos

For landscape photos, we recommend the Nikon Z 7II 45.7 Mirrorless Digital Camera. Saxon says, “When it comes to taking in your surroundings, Nikon’s Z7II fully submerges you. With advanced color grading and image processing, photos look vivid and alive no matter your lighting or environment”. This is one of the best cameras when it comes to dynamic range. It’s even able to shoot 900-second exposures, capturing movement like never before. Pair this device with the Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens to create the perfect wide angle for all your nature scenery shots.

Best for Portraits

For portraits of your favorite people, we recommend the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Camera Body paired with the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM lens. According to our expert, “In portrait photography details are everything. The Canon R5 has a 45mp Full Frame sensor to help you capture every pixel” as well as a “unique color processor and auto-focus points”. With the addition of the powerful lens, you’ll have the power to blur the background around your subject to capture the sharpest image. This Canon model will make each portrait pop and make your subject feel more confident than ever.

A black professional camera for portraits, the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Camera Body

Best for Live Events

The Sony Alpha a7 IV Mirrorless Digital Camera, a professional black camera best for live events

You can’t go wrong with the Sony Alpha a7 IV Mirrorless Digital Camera for live events like concerts and parades. Even when environments have shifting lights, smoke machines or moving crowds, you’ll get a clear shot with this product. While our previous recommendations focused on just photos, this device is versatile enough to capture high-quality videos with seamless rotation. This camera offers “in-body image stabilizing” and when pairing it with the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art Lens, you can create a variety of shots “from wide-angle to portrait”.

Best for Waterproof Action

Practicing your amateur stuntman moves? Looking to record first-person footage of your sports tournament or ocean adventures? The GoPro Hero11 Black Action Camera is just the device for you. “This camera not only shoots in 5K video quality but it also is rated to go 33 feet underwater”, says Kotowski. Feel free to take it along for every deep dive. GoPro also makes an attachable handle accessory to make this tiny camera easy for anyone to hold. Even if you accidentally drop the camera while it’s attached, you won’t need to worry about losing it. The device will “float to the water surface to easily recover”.

GoPro Hero11 Black Action Camera, a compact square black camera for underwater photography

Best Drone Camera

DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone With RC Screen Remote, a white camera base with grey propellers for flying

There’s a limit to the wide shots you can get on a normal camera, even when adding an external lens. But if you’re looking to take your footage above and beyond (pun intended), you should definitely add a DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone to your collection. These devices are designed to fly hundreds of feet above the ground to get the most cinematic shots in the places humans simply can’t reach. Saxon suggests, “The Mini 3 Pro offers the user 4K video with a 48MP sensor. With Slo-Mo filming abilities and tracking features, this drone will be perfect for the newest of flyers to the most advanced”. This camera is bound to create some movie magic.

Best Vlogging Camera

Content creation as an occupation or hobby has become extremely popular on social media. If you’re interested in publishing your own videos online, the Sony ZV-1F Black Vlog Camera can offer you enhanced video quality on a budget. Perfect for beginners, this device captures “4K video with a 20mm wide angle lens, advanced tracking and strong autofocus abilities”. Get yourself a backdrop, set up your own tripod and press that record button. With this Sony camera, you’re bound to find a new community of followers and fans with each vlog posted.

Sony ZV-1F Black Vlog Camera For Content Creators & Vloggers, black camera with foldable viewfinder

Explore Abt for the Best Camera Options

If we didn’t feature your preferred photography style in our recommendations, don’t worry! There are plenty more cameras and photo accessories where that came from when you shop at Abt. If you’re new to visual art and aren’t sure where to begin, take a look at our digital camera buying guide to learn more about these products. Once you’ve found your perfect device, you’re well on your way to creating something beautiful. 

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