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Top 19 best cameras for Product Photography: Get the professional shots you expect

Top 19 best cameras for Product Photography

Table of Contents

To take high-quality product photos, you might need one of the best cameras for product photography – whether you’re a professional product photographer, a beginner, or a self-employed business owner.

Don’t worry, Innovature BPO will help you; we share the 19 best cameras for product photography, including options for Nikon, Canon, Sony, and other cameras!

How to Choose the Best Digital Cameras for Product Photography

Adjust the Camera Settings Manually

Why should you adjust the camera settings manually? Shooting in manual mode is one of the fastest ways to improve your photography. It will allow you to set your preferred aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, the three settings known as the ‘exposure triangle.’

How to Choose the best camera for product photography

These settings allow you to control how dark or light your image is. When you set the camera to automatic mode, the camera makes that decision for you, and though you might think it is more convenient, it rarely gives you the perfect exposure. Instead, it gives you the camera’s best guess, and that’s why it’s better to shoot in manual mode if you want to get those settings just right.

Select a Camera With Removable Lenses

Cameras with removable lenses are cameras that can be used with a variety of lenses. Unlike fixed lenses built into cameras (mostly compact cameras), cameras with removable lenses give users more options in terms of imaging capabilities. While there are general-purpose lenses that have a similar range to those on built-in cameras, the optical quality is generally better. But the real power of interchangeable lenses lies in the dedicated lenses available.

We need to look at the cameras that accept interchangeable lenses. They fall into several categories: 

DSLR

Digital Single-Lens Reflex, or DSLR, cameras (which were preceded in the film era by simple SLRs) are made by Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Leica, and Sony. These cameras are good cameras for product photography. They have a reflector and optical viewfinder that allows you to see the actual image projected by the lens. Every DSLR brand has its mount. For example, lenses made for Nikon will not fit Canon and vice versa.

Mirrorless

Mirrorless cameras for product photography are the newest and fastest-growing category of interchangeable-lens cameras. These cameras look like small DSLRs but instead of a reflex mirror viewing mechanism, they use electronic viewfinders, which are very small screens that display images that you view through the built-in viewfinder. Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Nikon, Canon, and more currently make mirrorless cameras and all companies are developing the technology. The mounts for mirrorless cameras are not compatible with DSLR lenses, although there are some adapters available that allow users to mount DSLR or rangefinder lenses on mirrorless bodies.

Rangefinder

Rangefinder cameras are specialized tools that are favored by documentary photographers and photojournalists. They consist of an optical viewfinder and focusing mechanism that lets you view the scene, not through the lens, but parallel to it. Leica is the only company currently making a digital rangefinder, but there are a handful of other companies (Zeiss and Voigtlander) that make film rangefinder cameras, which are still in demand.

To use interchangeable lenses, you have to select a set of lenses that fit your camera’s lens mount. Camera brands use a range of lens mounts, so check the characteristics of your camera before buying lenses.

Consider the Number of Megapixels

The image sensor in your camera contains an array of pixels which are nothing but buckets that collect photons or light.

A megapixel is a rating of the total number of pixels that make up your image.  One megapixel is equal to one million pixels in an image. Just multiply the number of horizontal pixels by vertical pixels to get the total number of pixels and divide by a million. The answer is your camera’s megapixels.

A decent 6-megapixel camera is good enough for most normal camera usage. Go for higher megapixels only if you wish to use your images for canvas-sized prints or large hoardings.

If your interest is in night sky photography, then a higher-megapixel camera can be important. For the web and the usual print size of 4×6, a 4-12 megapixel camera is easily good enough.

Select a Camera that Works Well in All Light Situations

After all, cameras are designed to capture and record light, so if there is too little or too much light, it will be harder for the camera to do its job. But with technology constantly evolving, we’ve seen digital cameras shine in recent years, producing some incredibly impressive results even in the darkest or brightest conditions. That makes your product less prone to damage and easier to repair if something goes wrong. What are the best camera for Product Photography.

Although there isn’t any noticeable difference in the image quality you can expect from the various brands, there are still small nuances to be aware of when choosing your first camera. Each brand offers its selection of native lenses which can influence the look of your photos, and in some niche cases, it can determine what exactly you’re able to shoot. Let’s take a look at the four main camera brands and their characteristics.

Nikon Cameras – The best camera for Product Photography

Nikon D850: Best Nikon camera/ best DSLR for product photography

(Source Image: © James Artaius)

Using a Nikon camera for product photography is not a bad choice for photographers. The first line of Nikon cameras to mention is Nikon D850 – an older DSLR that is still a popular choice for professional work. Despite its age, this is an incredibly versatile camera, especially when paired with Nikon’s powerful AF-S FX range of lenses.

The D850 focuses on a 45.7 MP CMOS sensor that offers excellent dynamic range, outstanding image quality, and vibrant colors. Expect superb texture details, high-speed performance, and subtle tonal details.

The camera also features an ergonomic design, including a flip-up screen and Nikon’s traditional, easy-to-use button layout. We also like the upper LCD screen, which shows basic picture parameters and settings.

In particular, the Nikon D850 has excellent low-light autofocus and good noise handling at high ISOs.

Overall, the D850 is the best camera for product photography. It is an all-around professional camera suitable for many purposes, including product photography.

Nikon D7500 – Powerful mid-sized DSLR

The Nikon D7500 is a midsize DSLR camera. It has a 21 MP APS-C sensor and takes Nikon F-mount lenses. There is a tilting touch screen at the rear, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 4K video. One of the more eye-catching specifications is the 1,640,000 ISO upper limit on expanded sensitivity. But more on that later.

The D7500 replaced the D7200 and introduced several upgrades along the way. Continuous burst shooting speed improved from 6 to 8 fps. The metering sensor got a boost from 2k to 180k, which is quite the jump. The rear screen became tiltable and touch-sensitive, and the camera now offers 4k video shooting. Albeit with a 1.5 crop factor.

The D7500 is an outstanding stills camera and a refinement of an already excellent DSLR. It brings added speed and buffer depth to the enthusiast level and adds improved subject recognition. More comfortable to hold than its predecessor, the addition of a tilting touchscreen only adds to the camera’s excellent ergonomics. For stills shooters, the Nikon D7500 is one the best camera for product photography with favorable Low-light performance and general build quality.

Nikon D3500 – Best simple camera for product photography and video

Are you a beginner in product photography on a budget? Then check out the Nikon D3500, a versatile camera suitable for those new to the world of product photography, thanks to its quality and very small but capable at a competitive price. This model comes with two matching lenses: the Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR and the Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 ED.

While these are beginner lenses, you can benefit from Nikon’s great range of lenses to capture the details of your product. In terms of quality, the Nikon D3500 has a 24.2 MP sensor and an ISO range of 100-25,600. Low-light performance is decent, but not comparable to models like the Nikon Z7 II.

For those who are learning product photography, simply enable tutorial mode and the camera will provide on-screen camera setup instructions. Nikon D3500 is one the best camera for product photos.

Nikon D500: Best camera for close-up product photography

(Source Images: Nara Shin)

Nikon released the much-anticipated D500 for sports and wildlife shooters on January 6, 2016. Thanks to its excellent image quality, proven ergonomics, and superb autofocus system with a huge buffer, the Nikon D500 is a sports and wildlife photographer’s dream come true.

The D500 occupies the top spot in Nikon’s APS-C-format (crop sensor) body line as a true flagship model and an easy, long-awaited alternative. The D500 is meant to be viewed and operated as a miniature D5. The D500 uses trending XQD cards and is equipped with a 20.9-megapixel CMOS sensor. When comparing the D500 with its predecessor, the D300S, the difference in image quality is huge.

The Nikon D500 is quite large for an APS-C sensor DSLR. Compared to the D7200, the D500 is heavier (about 3 ounces) and larger in all dimensions. On the back of the camera is a 3.2-inch articulating touchscreen LCD with 2,359,000 dots. The touchscreen’s functionality works well, especially in Live View and video recording, the screen’s articulation is good and it feels quite durable.

Thanks to its impressive touchscreen display, the D500 provides one of the better user experiences of any Nikon DSLR. The camera is designed very well and proved to be user-friendly in real-world shooting situations.

Canon Cameras is the best camera for commercial photography

Canon EOS 6D Mark II

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II is a full-frame DSLR camera. It’s well-built, comfortable to use, has an intuitive menu system, and offers an excellent overall battery life. It also delivers excellent image quality, with little apparent noise or graininess present in images and an okay dynamic range. 

(Source images: Dave Maze)

The Canon 6D Mark II is decent for travel photography. Images are sharp and mostly clear of visual noise when shooting at high ISO levels. You can use its long minimum shutter speed to take complex long-exposure shots. It also has a fantastic battery life for photos, depending on how you use it. Unfortunately, its autofocus performance is mediocre, especially with tracking faces, and its bulky design can make it a hassle to carry around. So Canon EOS 6D Mark II is the best camera for product photography.

Unfortunately, its video qualities are somewhat limited, with no support for 4k recording and mediocre video quality in FHD. It’s also big and bulky, making it a challenge to carry around for long periods. But Canon EOS 6D Mark II is also ideal for the best camera for product photography camera for you.

Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is a compact point-and-shoot camera suitable for vlogging and the best camera for product photography. It can capture good quality shots that remain mostly free of noticeable visual noise, so your images shouldn’t appear very grainy, and you can also use this camera to live stream directly to YouTube. 

It’s also exceptionally portable, and footage taken while walking should remain smooth and stable. It can shoot in 4k and FHD without a crop. It has a touch-sensitive screen that can get bright enough that you can still see it under direct sunlight. You can also use it to navigate its menu or flip it upwards to face you when the camera is pointed at you.

Unfortunately, its battery performance is poor and can frequently interrupt your shooting sessions by overheating the camera and shutting it down. Its autofocus is also middling in photography and struggles to track faces and moving objects. This can make it hard to record long videos in 4k, so it may be best to stick to recording in FHD.

Canon 5D Mark IV: Best canon camera for product photography

The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is a high-end full-frame DSLR camera. It offers impressive image quality, a sturdy and comfortable-to-use construction, and good video recording quality in 4k, though video shot in that format does incur a rather severe crop. Its autofocus system is decently effective and reliable in photography but performs exceptionally well in tracking moving subjects while recording video. 

The Canon 5D Mark IV is good for landscape photography. It takes images with a high dynamic range, good color accuracy, and little loss of detail even at high ISO levels, which is great for nighttime shoots. It has a sturdy-feeling construction that’s rated as being weather-sealed, though we don’t currently test for that.

(Source images: Tyler Stalman)

The Canon 5D Mark IV is only available in one color variant: ‘Black’, and you can see its label here. We tested it in conjunction with the Canon EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, though other EF-mount lenses can be bundled with the camera body. You can also purchase it without a lens at all. For an additional fee, you can also purchase it pre-installed with the C Log gamma setting, which lets you capture images with a wider dynamic range and allows for in-depth color grading when editing video. We haven’t tested this variant or any other configuration of this camera.

Unfortunately, this is a very bulky, heavy camera, and its fixed screen is an inconvenience when trying to record video of yourself or when you’re shooting from unconventional angles.

Canon EOS 80D: Best entry-level DSLR for product photography

The EOS 80D from Canon is intended for dedicated enthusiast photographers, a demanding group of people who want to be able to shoot a huge range of subjects in a variety of conditions. The camera features a 24-million-pixel sensor along with a DIGIC 6 processing engine; a combination that brings a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-16,000 – a full one-stop higher than the 70D – which you can expand to ISO 25,600 (the same as the 70D). Canon EOS 80D is the best camera for product photography, which you should consider.

The maximum continuous shooting rate is the same as the 70D’s at 7fps, but the burst depth has been increased to 110 JPEGs or 25 raw files when a UHS-1 SD card is used. That’s a significant step up from the 65 JPEG or 16 raw files possible with the 70D. 

Modern DSLRs have two autofocus systems: one for when using the camera conventionally (in reflex mode), where images are composed in the viewfinder; and a second for use in Live View and video mode. 

The reflex mode has 45 AF points, all of which are cross-type, whereas the 70D has 19 points. It can also use color information from the 7,560-pixel RGB+IR (infrared) metering sensor to help with subject tracking. This and the increased burst depth make the 80D more attractive to keen sports and action photographers.

Turning to the Live View and video autofocus system, the 80D uses Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology like the 70D, which means it has phase detection points on the imaging sensor itself. The new system is more sensitive and faster than the one in the 70D, but because fast autofocusing often isn’t desirable when you’re shooting video, it’s possible to vary the speed of the 80D system over seven steps for slower focus changes.

Even though the EOS 80D was launched back in 2016, it’s still arguably the best camera for product photography for enthusiasts and anyone upgrading from a cheaper model.

Canon EOS M50: Best budget DSLR camera for product photography

The Canon EOS M50 is a compact APS-C mirrorless camera. It offers very good image quality, even in dimly-lit environments, and has a relatively small, lightweight body. Its autofocus system is effective and consistent, and it has a fairly broad selection of photo and video configuration features. It has a bright, sharp, and responsive touchscreen interface that’s easy to operate, even for novice users. 

The Canon M50 is a good option for vlogging and it is also the best camera for Product Photography. It has a fully-articulated screen that can be oriented to face you directly and the camera itself delivers excellent overall face-tracking performance whether you’re shooting in 4k or FHD. 

Unfortunately, it has a short battery life and middling video quality in both FHD and 4k, so your videos may appear slightly soft and grainy, especially in poor lighting conditions, and recording in 4k incurs a severe crop.

The Canon M50 comes in two color variants: ‘Black’ and ‘White’. Variant fitted with the EF-M 15-45mm lens. You can also purchase the Canon M50 with the EF-M 55-250mm lens or without a lens at all.

Canon EOS R: Best full-frame camera for product photography

In some respects, the Canon EOS R is positioned squarely in the middle of its mirrorless lineup. It boasts a full-frame 30.3MP CMOS sensor, which is on par with the 5D Mark IV DSLR. 

The two sensors share much in common, the key difference being that the EOS R features a phase-difference detection system with the 1D X Mark II’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF – and a staggering 5,655 focus positions, which cover 88% of the frame horizontally and 100% vertically.

It is unique in the product range in possessing the M-Fn multi-function touch bar – an experiment that was quickly abandoned, as many users felt it was poorly positioned and inconsistent enough to be most useful when turned off, though we found it a useful input. 

The 3.69 million-dot electronic viewfinder and 3.15-inch, 2.1 million-dot articulating touchscreen both remain more than serviceable, though higher resolutions (and higher refresh rates) mean they’re unspectacular by 2020 standards. 

In terms of EF and EF-S-mount lenses, the EOS R (and indeed the R system as a whole) achieves native performance with almost the entire range of DSLR optics (except for a handful of older glass) thanks to the EF-EOS R mount adapter (often bundled with the camera). 

This means that you can upgrade your body and keep using your existing lenses, as well as take advantage of all the current Canon glass if it isn’t yet available in (or if it’s cheaper than) an RF equivalent. Furthermore, the Drop-In Filter Mount Adapters also add polarizing or variable ND filters to any EF or EF-S lens.

The EOS R also boasts an impressive ISO range of 100-40,000 (expandable to 50-102,400) and is capable of autofocusing down to -6EV, making it exceptional for shooting in low-light situations.

The EOS R features ‘Touch and drag’. This enables you to use half of the LCD as one big trackpad when you look through the EVF, dragging your thumb across the screen as you would a joystick to select your focus point.

Sadly the EOS R takes another, a less fortunate cue from the 5D Mark IV: its 4K video comes with the same 1.7x crop, which affects depth of field and means that your RF and EF lenses won’t be as wide (a 24mm lens becomes 40.8mm). The good news is that it comes with C-Log and can record internally at 4:2:0 8-bit with Rec. 709 color space, and externally at 4:2:2 10-bit with Rec. 2020 – though it maxes out at 4K 30fps and 1080p 60fps.

Sony Cameras is the best camera for product photos

Sony RX100 VII: The most capable pocket camera for product photography

The Sony RX100 VII is a versatile compact zoom camera. It offers excellent overall image quality and features a highly effective autofocus system for both photography and video. It’s also lightweight and fantastically portable, making it easy to bring along with you throughout the day. The Sony RX100 VII is a good camera for travel photography.

The Sony RX100 Mark VII is the latest iteration of Sony’s diminutive RX 100 series cameras. It’s a pocket powerhouse that combines a 28-200mm equivalent zoom with 20fps shooting (up to 90fps in a new short Single Burst shooting mode), 4K video capture now with human and animal eye AF and the performance (says Sony) of its flagship full-frame mirrorless sports camera, the A9.

Inside the RX100 Vii’s diminutive body is a 20-megapixel 1-inch sensor, which is a decent size for a compact camera but outgunned by the sensors in mirrorless cameras and DSLRs, many of which are also a good deal cheaper than this camera. Being compact, the RX100 VII doesn’t take interchangeable lenses, but the Zeiss 24-200mm equivalent f/2.8-4.5 lens has a decent range, if not up to the standards of a travel zoom camera.

(Source images: DPReview TV)

RX100 Mark VII is a bit of an odd fish. It’s the size of a pocket compact camera, with a long-ish zoom lens that might be handy for travel, but it also packs in high-end video capabilities, high-end autofocus, and high-speed shooting modes. This pushes the price well north of the $1,000/£1,000 mark…

Unfortunately, videos recorded in dimmer environments are somewhat noisy. Depending on your choice of settings and usage habits, its battery life is also on the short side, and its lack of a handgrip, small size, and smooth-finish body makes it tricky to maintain a secure hold.

Sony A7R IV: Best Mirrorless camera for product photography

A7R IV is among the highest resolution cameras you can buy as well as the best Sony cameras. It’s also near the top of the list of the best camera for product photography 2021. 

The single biggest feature of these cameras is the one that has not changed.  A7R IV has a 61MP full-frame sensor and the ultra-high-resolution 240MP Pixel Shift mode. But the Sony A7R IV is not just about resolution. It has a very rounded balance of overall image quality and versatility, combining its ultra-high-resolution with 10fps continuous shooting capability and a buffer that can sustain this speed for up to 7 seconds.

Sony’s epic hybrid AF technology takes another step forward too, with 567 phase-detection AF points spread across 74% of the image area and 325 contrast AF points. It now offers Real-Time AF tracking in its movie mode too. 

Video performance gets a boost with the addition of Real-Time AF, but otherwise, it does feel as if Sony is resting on its laurels somewhat. There’s still no 50/60p 4K video capability, nor 10-bit capture, and if you want the best ‘oversampled’ quality you need to use the cropped Super 35 mode. You can capture full HD at up to 120fps and, arguably, the A7R IV is hardly a video specialist. Nevertheless, it does feel as if the video capabilities have not advanced significantly.

Sony’s A7 series was the first full-frame mirrorless camera design, and it’s still the smallest. That’s great in principle, but when you match up these bodies with Sony’s bigger, high-performance lenses (especially the premium G Masters like the 24-70mm f/2.8), the combination quickly starts to feel front-heavy.

Sony A7R IV is the best camera for product photography, which you should consider!

Sony A6100: Best budget camera for product photography

Sony A6100 APS-C mirrorless camera has a hard act to follow. It’s an upgrade on the half-a-million-selling A6000, which can now be had for an astonishingly low price (around $408/£349 body only). A6100 (hoặc ILCE-6100 đôi khi được gọi) giới thiệu những cải tiến đáng kể, đáng chú ý nhất là video 4K. It’s also a good camera for product photography.

(Source images: Matthew Richards)

At the heart of the A6100 sits a new 24.2 megapixel Exmor CMOS image sensor and a new-generation BIONZ X processor. It’s a potent mix that aims for outstanding performance in everything from autofocus and quick-fire shooting to enhanced image quality even at high ISO settings, along with convincing 4K movie capture.

The A6100 gains Sony’s latest hybrid system which combines 425 phase-detection points with 425 contrast-detection points. New features include ‘Eye AF’ for animals instead of just for humans while adding AI-based real-time tracking. This automatically focuses on the eyes wherever they move within the frame. Autofocus speed is incredibly quick, rated at 1/50th of a second. 

The A6100 inherits processing algorithms from Sony’s latest full-frame mirrorless cameras, aiming to improve color reproduction, particularly for skin tones. There are several ‘creative styles’ on offer, including standard, vivid, portrait, landscape, sunset, black and white, and sepia, as well as incremental adjustments for saturation and sharpness. On top of that, there’s a wealth of ‘picture effects’ like pop color, retro photos, toy cameras, and watercolor, plus many more besides.

The Colour rendition looks very natural in the standard creative style and impressively vibrant in landscape and vivid modes, without going over the top. Image quality is much improved over that of the A6000 when shooting under dull lighting conditions at high ISO settings. Both chroma and luminance noise is less apparent while fine detail and texture are better preserved.

Sony A5000: Best camera for jewelry product photography

The Sony A5000 was the fourth compact system camera released by Sony after the company decided to discontinue the NEX brand for E-mount cameras. Instead, it employs the Alpha brand, which is frequently abbreviated as “A.” The a5000 was announced at CES as the successor to the NEX-3N. It is a good product photography camera.

This camera adopts the familiar NEX shape we’ve grown accustomed to, with a flat, compact (body only) design. That’s not to say it doesn’t have some of the features of the higher-end cameras. The Sony Alpha a5000 features an APS-C format Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor with 20.1 million effective pixels and the same Bionz X processor as the Sony Alpha A6000.

This combination allows the sensitivity to be set up to ISO 16,000, but the maximum continuous shooting rate is more modest at just 2.5fps, or 3.5fps in Speed Priority Continuous shooting mode.

Although aimed at novices, the Alpha 5000 has advanced exposure modes (program, aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual) in addition to iAuto, Superior Auto, Scene selection, and Sweep panorama for less experienced photographers. This means that users have room to grow as they learn about the camera. 

There are also 13 Picture Effects such as High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera, and HDR Painting that can be applied to JPEG images. Raw files can also be recorded, but not at the same time as using Picture Effects.

There is no viewfinder on the A5000, but the 3-inch 460,000-dot LCD screen is a tilting unit that can be tipped up 180 degrees to help when shooting selfies. It’s worth noting that there is also no hot shoe or accessories port, so you can’t add any external accessories to the camera.

NFC and Wi-Fi technology is on-board, with the former allowing quick connections to be made to NFC mobile devices such as Android smartphones and tablets.

The Sony Alpha A5000 was launched at the start of 2014 and has since been superseded by the A5100. But Sony A5000 is the best camera for product photography.

Other Cameras which camera is best for product photography

Fujifilm X-S10: One of the best small, mid-range mirrorless cameras

The Fujifilm X-S10 is a mirrorless crop-sensor camera. It delivers great image quality and records reasonably sharp, detailed video in both 4k and FHD, though you may notice some noise when shooting in dimly lit environments. Its in-body image stabilization feature also helps smooth out camera shake in both still photography and video. It’s comfortable to use, feels impressively well-built, and has a bright, sharp, fully-articulated screen, along with a wide assortment of ports for using accessories.

The Fujifilm X-S10 is good for travel photography. It delivers impressive image quality out-of-the-box, with minimal amounts of noise even at moderately high ISO levels. The Fujifilm Simulation modes can help give your shots a bit of added flair, and you can only apply them to JPG files. It features a very wide shutter speed range to help you capture both quick moments or take complex long-exposure shots. It’s also comfortable to use for the most part and feels impressively well-built. 

While its autofocus performance in the video is fantastic, it has a hard time maintaining focus on subjects when used for still photography. But the Fujifilm X-S10 is also an option worth considering when you are wondering, what camera to buy for product photography.

Panasonic LUMIX FZ80: An attractive all-in-one camera combining versatility, ease of use, and advanced functionality

The Panasonic LUMIX FZ80 is a budget bridge camera. It has a 20-1200mm equivalent zoom lens, making it a great choice for casual shooters who want to take decent-quality photos with the flexible focal range of a superzoom lens. It’s more portable than a lot of higher-end bridge cameras and offers a lot of value for its price, despite its plasticky build quality.

The Panasonic LUMIX FZ80 is the best camera for Product Photography and special decent for sports and wildlife photography. Its ‘4k PHOTO’ feature lets you pull stills from short 30 fps video clips, allowing you to capture the perfect moment of action. It also has a fairly quick burst rate in its high-speed continuous shooting mode. 

The built-in lens’ long focal length can help you zoom in on far-away subjects, like athletes in a stadium or race cars circling a track, and its optical stabilization feature smooths out a good amount of camera shake. Its autofocus system does a great job tracking slow-moving subjects but struggles more with faster-moving subjects and face-tracking. It can also be slow to focus, which isn’t ideal when the timing is critical. Still, its ‘Post Focus’ and ‘Focus Stacking’ features can help you fine-tune the focus even after the photo has been taken. 

Unfortunately, the camera feels a little cheaply built, and though it has an electronic viewfinder, it’s very small and has a low resolution, making it harder to get a clear view of your subjects.

Panasonic Lumix GX85: Best camera for product photography for beginners

There’s a lot in the Lumix GX85 to appeal to family photographers and first-time mirrorless buyers as an alternative to a decent first DSLR like the Nikon D5500. It’s got a great feature set, very good photo and video quality for its class, pretty fast performance, and an attractive, relatively compact design.

With an electronic viewfinder, fast continuous shooting, and 4K video, it fits right into that camera’s demographic: an enthusiast-friendly model with a feature set that should also appeal to families and travelers at a reasonable price. So Panasonic Lumix GX85 is the best camera for Product Photography for beginners.

(Source images: DPReview TV)

Although it’s 16 megapixels rather than the new 20.3MP sensor that’s in the higher-end GX8, it’s a version of the Four Thirds-size sensor that forgoes an antialiasing filter (aka OLPF). The new version of the company’s Venus image-processing engine which is in the GX85 has moire-reduction built in to compensate.

Panasonic’s DFD (Depth from Defocus) autofocus technology is generally fast and accurate, and that holds in the GX85 for individual shots; it locks focus and shoots quickly enough for most uses in bright and dim light. Its tested continuous shooting rate of 6.6 frames per second with autofocus for more than 40 shots or raw or JPEG is better than average, and even sustains a solid burst with raw+JPEG.

The Panasonic Lumix GX85 is also ideal for the best camera for product photography camera for you!

Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70: Best camera for product photography under 500

The Panasonic Lumix ZS70 is a fully featured pocket point-and-shoot that includes a useful 30x optical zoom plus a flip-up LCD screen to more accurately enable the composition of selfies. While it’s not 100% perfect and shots at maximum wide-angle setting display softness towards the corners of the frame, we are getting a lot of versatility. In short, Lumix ZS70 is suitable for a broad range of users seeking a single camera that very nearly does it all.

Lumix ZS70 is suitable for various levels of photography from beginners to intermediate users, pocket-sized digital cameras with generous focal ranges that belied their compact dimensions were once a product category in themselves: aka the travel zoom.

On top of the aforementioned 30x optical zoom here, equivalent to a generous 24-720mm in 35mm film terms, we are getting Raw as well as JPEG capture, plus the ability to shoot up to 4K resolution video clips. The resolution has also been boosted to 20.3 megapixels on the ZS70, compared with the 18.1MP of its TZ80 predecessor, which is welcome if slightly unnecessary given the still diminutive physical size of its sensor.

Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70 is the best camera for product photography under 500.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV: Best inexpensive camera for product photography

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is an entry-level mirrorless camera with a 20.3-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor. It’s very lightweight and portable, and it has a tilting screen that can flip down to face you when holding it in a selfie position. It delivers impressive image quality with fantastic dynamic range and good noise-handling capability. It has in-body image stabilization to reduce camera shake when shooting without a tripod, which works effectively, whether taking photos or shooting video. The camera also delivers great 4k video quality and satisfactory FHD video quality. 

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is good for travel photography or for the best inexpensive camera for product photography for beginners. It delivers impressive image quality and performs well even in low light. Its approximate advertised battery life is okay, though this can vary with settings and usage habits. The camera supports USB charging, but you can’t use it while it charges. It also isn’t weather-sealed.

While its autofocus system is excellent at tracking moving objects. However, its autofocus system is only decent, and it does a poor job tracking moving subjects in video and struggles to track faces when taking photos. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is also the best camera for product photography, which you should consider.

Additional Accessories for Product Shots

Product photography can be quite expensive since it requires a lot of special equipment. But you don’t need to have all the latest product photography equipment and accessories to get started. Innovature BPO’ll show you the essential tools to create professional-level results and lead the trends of product photography in 2022.

Learn more >> Product Photography trends in 2022 that continues to transform e-commerce in 2023

Background for Shooting

Getting the right background not only keeps the focus on the product you’re photographing but also helps simplify the editing process when it comes time for post-production. Try using a white or light backdrop, as this will make it easier to remove unwanted objects and retouch photos.

Tripod

To get that crisp-looking photo that captures every detail of your product, you’ll want to get a high depth of field, which ultimately determines the sharpness of the image. To achieve this, you’ll need to set your camera to a low aperture (a high f/stop) and slow shutter speed. 

However, when your camera is on a slow shutter speed, it’s nearly impossible to hold it still enough with your hands to avoid ending up with a blurry photograph — and this is where a tripod saves the day.

Lighting Equipment

Great studio lighting will determine the quality of your product photography! The more you understand how to use studio lights and which fit best your setup, the better the photos you’ll create.

The best lighting equipment for product photography is a combination of one or two high-quality continuous lights (they stay on all the time while you’re styling your products for stills and video). These lights can either be high-power LED lights, low-pressure mercury-vapor gas-discharge fluorescent lamps, or tungsten light bulbs.

  • There are so many options and different price points. The best lighting equipment for product photography is the following:
  • Continuous Lighting
  • Best 3 Continuous Lights
  • Continuous vs Strobe Lighting
  • Best 3 Strobe Lights
  • Which Lighting Softbox to choose?
  • How useful are Ring Lights
  • Reflectors/foam boards
  • Product Photography Lighting Boxes
  • How many lights or reflectors?
  • Bright vs dark scene

Shooting Table

To display your products during a photoshoot, you’ll need a surface that’s stable and sturdy. This can be a table, a chair, or if you’d like, a professional shooting table sweep — there are plenty of good options on Amazon.

Lightbox

Unless your photo studio gets good natural light, you’ll want to invest in some decent studio lights — at least two softbox light setups. These will help diffuse harsh lighting and adjust for shadows to achieve desired results.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but choosing the right camera is essential to successful product photography. So, Innovature BPO’ll show you the top 10 best camera for Product Photography to help you get the professional shots you expect.

Of course, if you’re not planning on doing photoshoots consistently, or if you’re on a tight budget, don’t feel pressured to drop a chunk of change on a fancy DSLR camera.