5 Best Cameras For Car Photography 2022(Reviews & Guide): Top For Automotive Photography And More

Best camera for car photography 

Your Presence in this article shows that you are on a thrilling journey to select the best camera for Car Photography. If the answer is yes, then you have come to the right place. We believe that everyone gets to experience something different whenever they show passion for photography.

Expert choice
Sony A7 III
  • UHD 2160P Video Recording 
  • Touch Screen LCD
  • Full Frame Sensor 
  • 24.2 MP
  • Excellent ISO up to 51200
  • One of the best cameras for car photography.
Value to money
Nikon D 3500
  • 1080 FHD Video Recording
  • Optical Viewfinder 
  • A number of shooting modes 
  • Beginner Friendly
  • Good Autofocus points makes it best car photography camera
moving car at night time

Photography itself has a variety of fields within. While most photographers have a passion for capturing images of wildlife, others are keen on photographing natural scenery. Similar to this, automotive photography is a thing too. 

Most photographers either have a passion for this or they just take photos of automobiles to advertise them. Either way, their captured images, and their quality hold great importance for them. Finding the best camera for car photography is difficult because the market is full of cameras. So, this is why we have brought to you a list of best cameras for car photography.

Brand

Screen Size

Resolution

   Price


1. Sony A7 3

3 inches

UHD 2160p

2. Canon EOS 6D

3 inches

FHD 1080p

3. Panasonic Lumix

3 inches

4K UHD 2160p

4. Nikon D3500

3 inches

FHD 1080p

5. Canon EOS Rebel T6

3 inches

FHD 1080p


But before we get to that, our beginner photographer readers here need to understand some core aspects of car photography. Whether you take pictures of racing cars or parked cars, you must choose the best camera for the job. Ensure that the camera you’re choosing is best for your particular needs. How do you determine that? Well, the answer is simple.

As a photographer, you have to cover different Genres to pursue your passion. However, you still have space in your heart about the things you want to capture anytime, anywhere. If it’s a car or automobile, then you should keep an ideal camera for yourself.

Qualities of a good camera for car photography

You may also need to invest in the best camera for photography. There are different smartphones available to capture great pictures, but the essence and the true sense of passion you get from professional cameras are un-matchable. 

You already understand that the equipment has a lot of importance. Due to these reasons, we are here to help you out by providing a buying guide on the best photography cameras for cars. 

However, before starting anything about it. You should know that car photography or automotive photography is not easy and simple. You have to capture outstanding shots of beautiful and luxurious cars while racing or car shows. 

For good camera photographs, you have to consider two different factors such as the nighttime and the twilight. If your intention is to capture a variety of images, then it’s a good option to consider various flash and lens in the car camera bag.

You can read about How to get into car photography as a hobby here.

When it comes to choosing a camera for car photography, you won't always have an environment of your choosing. There is a possibility that the lighting could be bad or you cannot get a good angle for your photo. This is why we recommend you invest in a camera that compensates for these drawbacks. 

The best camera for car photography would give you some precise control over exposure and allow you to capture every detail. Carry on reading and find out which camera best suits you in our top five list of best cameras for car photography

1. Sony A7 III The best camera for car photography

#1 on our list of best cameras for car photography is the sony a7 iii. Capture the most intricate details through the Sony A7 III. The camera comes with a CMOS full-frame sensor and 5-axis image stabilization. This allows you to take steadier stills of moving cars with no possibility of blurred images.

The Sony A7 III also has the capability of recording 4K HDR quality videos, which means you can shoot high-resolution videos of your favorite cars burning their tires. The ISO can be expanded up to 208,400 to capture stunning images with no noise at all, Thanks to the area-specific noise reduction feature.

What makes the A7 III an ideal candidate for our list is its specialty in capturing close details and high-speed performance. This quick operation of the camera will allow you to take several split-second shots of moving cars. In addition, Sony a7 III performs incredibly in low light and the battery life of this device is excellent. If you are looking for the best camera for car photography then you should consider buying this camera.

  • 24 Megapixels full-frame BSI CMOS image sensor
  • 10 fps shooting
  • Stunning image quality
  • 4K HDR video quality
  • Touchscreen LCD
  • Dual card slots
  • ISO 50-204,800
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Easy to use 
  • 639 phase detection
  • Fantastic battery life and image processing system
  • Eye AF feature
  • 5-axis image stabilization

2. Canon EOS 6D Mark II digital SLR: The Best camera for Racing photography

Up next on our list of best cameras for automobile photography is the Canon EOS 6D Mark II. This DSLR has a compact design as well as lightweight. It comes with several features that produce amazing images of high quality. The incredibly accurate autofocus quickly locks on to subjects and allows you to capture detail with ease.

One of the features that we liked of the EOS 6D Mark II is its water and dust resistance. In terms of car photography, this feature can come handy when conditions get messy in car shows. 

The DSLR also has a large LCD screen which lets the photographer adjust focus or angles, giving them more control over how perfect they want their photos to be. Even in videography, the EOS 6D Mark II has shown to be a great choice. The 6-fps continuous shooting in 1080p quality is all that a camera enthusiast could ask for.

  • 26 Megapixels CMOS full-frame sensor
  • Dual Pixels AF
  • ISO 100-40,000 (expandable up to 102,400)
  • 6.5 fps continuous shooting
  • 1080p Video quality
  • Touchscreen 3” LCD
  • Built-in Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth support
  • DIGIC 7 image processors
  • Dust and Water-resistant
  • Good battery life
  • Digital Image Stabilization (Video Only).
  • 34.4 Megapixel.
  • 6960 x 4640 Max Resolution.
  •  Auto and Manual Focus.
  • Canon EF-M Lens Mount.
  • 408g of weight.
  • MP4/H.264 and 4:2:2 8-Bit Recording Mode.\
  • Best Digital SLR camera for a car lover

The Canon 6D variant of the automotive photography camera comes with a polycarbonate and aluminum alloy build. It has a moisture and dust seal body feature, which protects the camera from any kind of intense situation of weather.

The camera also has a 45-point AF system, which provides a dual cross-type point. That’s why you will see an outstanding performance of the camera wherever you capture car photography with better image stabilization. Apart from that, it offers 16 various options for the AF system set up to control it in every possible way. 

If you are an enthusiastic car photographer, it offers you a 6.5 fps burst rate. You can easily capture more than 20 150 JPEG raw file frames. This camera is well-known among professionals due to its constant outstanding performance.

You will never find any issues in the white balanced mode. It’s designed professionally by canon to give you natural-looking images with warmth and neutral delivery. It also wins the competition in price tag with its 26.2 MP sensor, which others offer 24MP sensor at the same rate.

The bottom line of this car photography camera is that it’s significantly better and well-rounded as compared to the older versions.

Pros

Updated Live view focusing.

Comfortable Grip.

Considerable Options of connectivity.

Refined LCD touchscreens.

Cons

No 4k Video Resolution.

No 3.0 USB port.

Limited AF coverage.

A bit expensive 

3. Panasonic LUMIX FZ300 for automotive photography

One of the best cameras for car photography we have on our list is the Panasonic LUMIX FZ300. This one tops off the competition with its 4K video recording as well as 4K photos. The moment you want to capture can appear anytime. So, if you happen to trap it in a video, you can easily extract it out of there and still have a high-resolution image.

The next feature worth describing is the 24x zoom that the Panasonic LUMIX comes equipped with. If somehow you happen to not keep up with the car you want to photograph, the zoom got your back. Overall, the Panasonic LUMIX is a great choice for a car lover. However, in terms of price, it might not be affordable for every photographer. The cost is worth it, but the high price still plays a part.

  • 4K video and photo
  • 24x zoom for shooting cars
  • 12.1 Megapixels MOS sensor
  • Splash-proof and dustproof
  • 5-axis hybrid optical image stabilization
  • Tilt correction
  • Weather sealing
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • Excellent image quality
  • Touch screen display
  • Instant autofocus system
  • 12.4 fps shooting

4. Nikon D3500 for shooting cars

#4 on our list of best cameras for car photography is the Nikon d 3500. If you’re a beginner photographer, or you need a better alternative for your smartphone camera, the Nikon D3500 is the best choice. 

The D3500 is all about simplicity and quality. This DSLR is designed to shoot sharp and crisp photos with its 24.3 Megapixel sensor. The shape and size of this camera make it no burden to carry around. A brilliant choice for newbie photographers who don’t want complex controls and want an easy interface.

Some of the epic features of the Nikon D3500 is its ability to take 5 pictures per second, accurate focus, and guide mode for beginners. But the most compelling reason to opt for the D3500 is its affordable price. If you’re looking for a camera that’s easy to use and lets you pursue your passion for photography without breaking the bank, the Nikon D3500 is at your service.

  • 24.2 Megapixels APS-C CMOS
  • 11-point AF
  • ISO range 100-25,600
  • 420-pixel RGB sensor
  • 1080p video recording
  • 3” LCD
  • 5 fps shooting
  • Bluetooth support
  • 365g of weight
  • Auto and Manual Focus for quality images 
  • Nikon F Lens Mount.
  • MOV Recording Mode.
  •  6000 x 4000 Max resolution.
  • Auto ISO Sensitivity.

The canon D3500 comes with a perfectly balanced and comfortable camera due to the pronounced griping. It has very lightweight, which makes it hassle-free to shoot while traveling. You can take a look at its advantage of using several features with the help of its streamlined array of controls.

While focusing on a moving car, it helps to provide you the perfect viewfinder coverage ever. Also, the focusing is better under great lighting. However, it also offers a considerable performance under a bad light surrounding.

The auto white balance system is another blessing of this camera that helps you to get better car photography results under artificial lighting. You will never experience any kind of image degradation during the higher sensitivities, which is outstanding. 

The bottom line of the Nikon D3500 is that it’s ideal for any car photographer who is using a professional camera for the first time. Moreover, you can easily enjoy every possible feature of this camera at an affordable price.

Pros

Easy user Interface.

Durable Battery Life.

Beautiful Image Quality.

Allows you take great pictures of cars even in low light

Good AF system 

Cons

Issues in Touchscreen Control.

No Wi-Fi.

5. Canon EOS Rebel T6 digital SLR camera

Similar to our previous camera on the list, the Canon EOS Rebel T6 is famous for its simple controls. It features an 18 Megapixels APS-CMOS Sensor which is pretty much average and that’s not a bad point. 

Considering the low price of the EOS Rebel T6, it is very much tuned for a beginner’s demand. The body is made of plastic which makes it incredibly easy to carry around.

The photo quality it produces is great and the camera is overall a good choice for car photography.

 In conclusion, the EOS Rebel T6 is best for beginner levels. If you’re looking for a camera that brings something big to the table, then consider opting for the first three cameras here on our list. But then again, you must be willing to pay high to play high.

  • 18 Megapixels APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • 9-point autofocus
  • 1080p video shooting
  • Optical Viewfinder
  • 3 fps burst shooting
  • Good image quality
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • ISO 100-6400, expandable to 12,800

Buying Guide on the Best Camera for Car Photography

There are cameras available in the market that can easily match your needs. But it depends to consider the right choice for yourself as there are so many choices available in the market. How you could consider cameras for car photography? All these questions might come into your mind. Nothing to worry about, because there are so many people who also have the same thinking.

Therefore, we are here to help you out with our detailed Camera buying guide that will help you to select the best camera for car photography camera. Everything we will discuss in this guide will lay out perfectly so that you can easily understand all about it.

Before starting anything about buying a car photography camera, it’s important to look upon the types of cameras available in the market. So, that you could know about the best camera for car photography. Read about these cameras and then decide which camera fits your shooting style.

Mirrorless cameras for automotive photography

Mirrorless cameras in the market don’t come with an option of a mirror. Due to these reasons, it comes with an interchangeable or fixed lens. The best thing about these cameras for car photography is that it offers you a simple yet most useful technology option.
These cameras are lighter and smaller as compared to the DSLRs. Therefore, it holds a lot of importance whenever you want to shoot in an Auto show or car racing event.

Sony a7 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera

Even having a full-frame sensor, the Sony a7 manages to maintain the size of the camera. You can singlehandedly operate the camera due to the outstanding deep grip. The simple layout is considerable for more appealing car shots, but it doesn’t provide any trouble for any category of style records.

The majority of its buttons are placed on the right-hand-side; also, it offers you a mode dial button at the top of the plate. It helps you to easily switch between various settings of exposure. 

Even holding an affordable price tag, you will experience beautiful color representation and detailing level of its car captured images. The outstanding features and content innovations of this best camera for car photography have changed the entire perception of mirrorless technology.

  • 416g of weight.
  • 24.7 Megapixel.
  • Auto and manual focus.
  • Sony E Lens mount.
  • MP4 and AVCHD recording mode.
  •  6000 x 4000 Max Resolution.
  • One of the best full-frame mirrorless camera
  •  Legendary Image quality
  • Auto ISO Sensitivity (100 to 25600).
  •  CMOS 35.8 x 23.9mm Sensor.

If you are preferring various color prints, the Sony a7 will offer you a variety of creative styles in white, black, or vivid colors. The most demanding feature of the Sony a7 is the all-purpose mode where you can adjust the exposure easily without losing the performance. Also, the lightning condition will never affect the visual results because of its auto white balance system.

Pros

Tilting Screen.

Full-Frame Sensor

Compact and light body

Legendary image quality.

Outstanding autofocus performance and build quality

performs well in low light conditions

Cons

Not ideal for several lenses.

No touchscreen option.

Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Camera

If you are the type of person who loves crowded layout, the Sony a6000 will never disappoint you. It comes with amazing and comfortable handling with a luxurious texture that brings an expensive feel. The camera provides simpler control and accidental adjustment. Apart from that, most of the buttons can easily customize.

The final results of the Sony a6000 are appealing due to its APS-C feature. The camera does offer well-saturated colors and exceptional detailing level. You can edit the pictures of this camera due to its convenient picture styles. The monochrome styling is one of its best things for car photography.
The Bottom line is that it’s good for anyone who has less budget but is enthusiastic about shooting various scenes or doing experimentation on car photography.

  • 6000 x4000 Resolution.
  • 24.7MegaPixel.
  • CMOS23.5 x 15.6 mm Sensor.
  • Auto and Manual focus.
  •  344g of weight.
  • XAVC S, MP4, and AVCHD recording Mode
  • Sony E Lens Mount.

Pros

Built-in Wi-Fi Option.

Lightweight and Compact

Great Viewfinder.

Pocket friendly 

Cons

Hard AF system setup.

Lacks Touchscreen.

Why DSLRs are best cameras for car?

Digital Single Lens Reflex or DSLR is the camera’s type where you can use a single lens for taking photography, focusing, or framing. It may not sound familiar to a person who is buying professional cameras for car photography as a beginner.

However, you should understand that DSLR is the current Top market camera, which a person uses for professional and amateurs photographs of a car in 2020. Such cameras are famous due to their battery life, ergonomics, and versatility. DSLR cameras offer legendary picture quality, fast focus points, and processing capability, and different sharing options. A DSLR camera is expensive as compare to other types of cameras. Beginner car photographers are encouraged to buy an entry level DSLR camera.

Nikon D7500 DX-Format DSLR

The Nikon D7500 comes with a pronounced handgrip and weatherproof body feature. It helps you to take car photography with comfortable handling. The weight of this device is light, but it doesn’t mean that you will get power-packed performance.

This DSLR camera provides a dedicated ISO button instead of a metering mode button near the exposure compensation control. This feature helps you to effortlessly manage the entire setting. Apart from that, you will also get other layout options to easily improve accessibility.

The speed and accuracy of this DSLR camera are possible with a decent performance due to its 51-point AF system. The camera gives you 8fps shooting speed, where you can easily produce a total of 50 raw files.

The white balance and metering are handled by its 180,000 pixels RGB sensor. Regardless of the condition, you will see the results of this camera provides you natural warmth and stunning exposure deliveries. 

This camera for car photography also has an En-EL15a batter, which keeps it workable for more than 900 shots. The image results are good, so no reason to curse the sensor.
The bottom line of the Nikon D7500 DSLR is that it comes with a 4k Video resolution, a Powerful sensor, and an 8fps burst shooting feature at an affordable price.

  • 640g of weight.
  •  21.51 Megapixel.
  • Auto and Manual Focus
  • Niko F Lens Mount
  • MPV/MOV/H.264 Recording Mode.
  •  5568 x 3712 Max Resolution.Auto
  • ISO sensitivity (100 to 51200).
  •  CMOS 23.5 x 15.6mm Sensor.
  •  Digital Image Stabilization.
  • One of the best cameras for car photography

Pros

Better Performance at high ISOs. 

Tilt Angle Screen. 

Incredible Sensor.

Cons

Slow live view focusing.

Limited SD card Slots.

Point and shoot or Compact Cameras

Point and shoot or Compact Cameras are popular among most photography lovers due to its convenience and portability. It’s just like a camera phone, which you can take along every time to do car photography.
Such Cameras for car photography offers you faster burst shooting, improved low light capabilities, Raw captures, zoom lens, etc.

Micro four-thirds cameras

Micro four-thirds cameras are usually the mirrorless camera type, which provides a variety of options and styles. However, senior size is the common feature you can see in these best cameras for car. If you are a beginner, it’s one of the best cameras for car photography. However, it has some limited abilities like the camera only have its MFT sensors. The best part is its lenses, which are cheaper, lighter, and smaller.

Action Cameras ​​

The primary focus of these cameras is to capture videos. However, these cameras are rugged, waterproof, and small in size. The best part is that you can use these cameras by mounting them in your body to capture car videos. Action cameras are very compact. These devices are cheap. Go pro is a very famous action camera. If you wanna buy a cheap camera with good features then you should consider buying a Go pro camera.

Bridge cameras for car photography 

Bridge cameras come in between DSLR and Compact cameras in terms of size. Buying this camera is just like getting a full-stack option for car photographs. It offers one of the best manual controls and fixed high magnification zoom lenses. Most of the bridge cameras are digital.

The Essential Features of Car Photography Camera

Different Cameras offers you different features. Some of them don’t belong to your needs, while others are essential. Therefore, it’s good to know about every feature so you could easily buy the best camera for car photography. So, here is a list of features.

1. Raw

Different cameras have the option to save images in either JPEG or raw Format. However, other cameras only offer you the JPEG format. If we conclude their differences, so you could get more flexibility whenever the information is recorded in a raw format by the sensor. While JPEG format usually in the image compression process discards some data.

Mirrorless cameras, MFT, and DSLRs have the option of both JPEG and Raw format. Only Camera phones or Compact cameras tend to be limited to the JPEG format. If you are considering a professional and best camera for car photography, then raw capability cameras are the best for you.

2. ISO For excellent image quality even in low light.

ISO helps you to check the camera sensor sensitivity in light. Increasing the sensitivity helps you to easily capture beautiful images without a flash in a darker condition. ISO can make or break your photos. Depending on your budget, you should consider the higher ISO camera or at least more than ISO 1600.

3. Manual Mode

To get the perfect image exposure, you can get better creative control in a manual mode. The best part about the manual mode is that you can manually select ISO, Shutter Speed, and aperture. However, Automatic mode selects it automatically for you.

However, the semi-automatic or automatic control mode is better for a beginner. Sooner or later, you can learn about manual mode to get to take car photographs in the way you want. You can analyze the manual mode in a camera by considering the “M” label on it.

4. Mega Pixels and FPS of best camera for car photography

Measurement of camera resolution is considered as the megapixels. The higher a camera megapixel, the more it offers sharp print and high quality. For now, you should know that higher megapixels are not the only option for car photography. It depends upon the preferences so that you can consider the MP based on that.

Frame per second gives you the idea to take as many photos as you can within a second. It’s a useful option whenever you are doing car photography at the time it’s moving. Always go for a camera having a higher Frame per second and megapixels to capture sharp images.

5. Auto Focus and image Stabilization 

If you are missing the Great shots of cars from your camera, there are issues of autofocus. This feature plays an important role in taking brilliant car photographs. For better image quality, you have to consider the best quality autofocus system.

The shakiness and vibration reduction is possible with the help of image stabilization. Having this feature can save a lot of your time to capture higher quality car photos.

6. Ergonomics 

Ergonomics is the most important thing to select the best camera for car photography. It’s the feature, which helps you to feel it in your hands. If it provides you a good feel, then the camera is eligible to buy for car photography.
The weight, size, durability of the camera is found in its ergonomics. So, you could easily reach out to all buttons, holds it effortlessly, easy to use menu system, and never feel ruggedness.

7. Wi-fi Connectivity

New cameras are coming with a feature of Wi-fi Connectivity, which helps you to upload it on social media or your computer directly from your camera. Apart from that, you can also download various apps on the computer that helps you to better perform things. Best cameras for cars are supposed to have WiFi connectivity.

8. Viewfinder And LCD

The viewfinder feature is another amazing thing that can easily help you to compose your image. The best part about this feature is that it can easily show you the looks of images according to the current settings.
LCD or Liquid crystal display is a common screen type of camera. It helps you to get the idea of screen quality by looking at the camera screens.

9. automatic sensor cleaning and PANO mode

Old cameras tend to produce ultrasonic vibrations due to the dust on the sensors. However, the automatic sensor cleaning feature helps you to remove the sensor and work perfectly.

The PANO mode feature automatically sticks multiple scenes of images together into a panoramic shot. This feature is not evident in DSLRs, and evident in mirrorless or point-and-shoot cameras.

If you have a higher budget and wants to stick with advanced features, then DSLRs are the best for you to select. If you have a little higher budget but need a simple camera, then it’s good to go with a compact camera including a 1-inch type sensor. If you have a very limited budget, just say less than $300, then make sure to buy one that offers waterproofing and a zoom lens or it offers something better than your smartphone.

Conclusion 

red car in road

Choosing the right camera can be difficult But through evaluating the important pros and cons of it, one can easily find out which camera helps best in unlocking their potential. We hope our list was helpful to you in considering which camera is best for car photography. Good luck with capturing those hot wheels!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best camera for car photography?

Sony A7 III is the best camera for car photography because it has all the required features and more. This device is easy to use, has stellar image quality, best shutter speed, and allows you to take quality images even in low light. You can take pictures of cars in full HD using this device. If you are into car photography then you should consider buying this camera as it's one of the best cameras for car photography.

vintage women in car

What camera do most photographers use?

Most photographers use Canon EOS 6D Mark II. This device allows them to take amazing shots of cars thanks to its best AF system. It has DIGIC 7 image processor that provides the best possible image processing. Most Entry level photographers use this camera for car photography because it is extremely easy to use and carry. This is one of the best cameras for car photography.

What is the best lens for automotive photography?

The best lens for automotive photography is canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L. It performs excellently in almost all situations. The aperture range of this lens is f/2.8 to f/32 which is pretty good for shooting wheels. This beautiful lens is weather-resistant so you don't have to worry while shooting incredible shoots. Car photographers and videographers should consider buying canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L.

What is the best camera for car videography?

According to experts, the best camera for car videography is Sony A7 III. This device allows you to record car videos in UHD 4k videos.
It comes with a touchscreen LCD and has a CMOS sensor. Sony A7 III is easy to use and offers incredible details in both videos and photos. Due to these reasons, this camera is loved by car videographers.

What is the best camera setup for car photography?

If you are interested in car photography then all you need is a good camera. You can also use a tripod to get the best shots. In-car photography, background matters a lot. Make sure your background, angle, and light is good. A cheap camera will not do the trick. You would need a high-end camera for amazing car shoots. If money is no issue, go for a professional DSLR camera to get the best results You can also buy a used DSLR camera if you don't want to spend too much on the camera..

If you wanna buy a different camera then make sure that particular camera offers excellent continuous shooting, a touch screen for easy navigation, a good image sensor, and weather sealing. Stick to these points and you would be able to find the best car camera.

What is the best camera for racing photography?

According to professional photographers, the best camera for racing photography is Canon EOS 6D Mark II. The autofocus of this camera is legendary. It allows you to record videos in Full HD 1080P and has digital image stabilization. Most racing professionals use this camera as this camera is weather-resistant and has 6.5 FPS shooting. Long story short, Racer photographers should consider buying this camera.