There are many great cameras on the market today for a wedding photographer! So how's a photographer to choose?

Knowing which to use can be a bit daunting. No worries, though! We're here to shine some light on this matter.

We believe that the best cameras for wedding photography are DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. They're ideally suited for the conditions you'll encounter during a wedding.

They perform well in low-light conditions and have fast autofocus. These cameras can create an attractive bokeh effect. This is just scratching the surface, though, so let's take a closer look at these cameras. 

If you're in the market for a good wedding photography camera, this article will be handy - starting with these important features that your camera should have. 

 Important Camera Features

• Batteries: Two things matter about batteries. 1) Battery life is critical. Check shot count before buying a battery or camera. 2) Always carry an extra battery, just in case. A good photographer is a prepared one.

• Multiple Card Slot: Shooting weddings means shooting a ton of pictures! It's vital to be prepared and have a backup with more than one card slot! A camera with dual slots is absolutely essential.

• High ISO with Low Noise: If you're going to shoot wedding events, you'll need good high ISO performance.

• Durability: When you invest several (or more) thousand in a camera, you need it to be durable. Wedding photography cameras inevitably take a beating. You might drop it or expose it to the weather. It needs to stand up to wear and tear.

• Ergonomics: You don't want your fingers to be searching for buttons on the camera when you should be pressing and shooting. You want a camera that feels natural in your hand and with which you won't struggle to press buttons.

• Burst Shooting: As you can imagine, burst shooting can be handy at weddings. It's those continuous shots that can capture some great, often unexpected, moments. So the more frames per second, the better.

• Focus Speed: Fast focus speed is necessary, particularly for continuous shooting, like burst shooting.

With these features in mind, let's move on to DSLR vs mirrorless cameras for wedding photography. 

DSLR vs Mirrorless

Most wedding photographers will select between a traditional DSLR or a Mirrorless camera. (Mirrorless cameras don't have the mechanical shutter, also known as a mirror; thus, they're known as mirrorless cameras.)

Many will lean toward traditional DSLRs for a variety of reasons. DSLRs are considered more powerful than mirrorless cameras. They tend to perform better in conditions you're likely to encounter when shooting wedding events.

There are some significant differences between DSLR and mirrorless cameras. You can read more in this previous blog post, but let's take a closer look. 

Camera Sensors - Technicals

The sensor is the rectangle-shaped sensor in the middle of the camera that sits behind the lens. When light hits the sensor, it's translated into data and read by the sensor.

Larger sensors have more surface area, which means more light and details are captured - all in a split second it takes to shoot an image. More light and detail can affect image quality. 

Sensors fall into one of two categories:

• Full Frame

• Cropped

Full-Frame Camera sensor

• If you compare that to a cropped sensor, the full-frame sensor gives you a wider field of view.

• A full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera has a sensor the size of a full-frame 35mm film camera (24mm X 35mm).

• It has twice the size of a super 35mm sensor surface area with a wide-angle view with a shallower depth of field.

• You tend to also get higher resolution with crisper clarity and an increased capacity for faster auto-focus.

• The full frame has better performance in low light and a greater ability to produce a creative depth of field.

The differences between the two cameras could prove valuable for a wedding photographer, which is why so many wedding photographers will go with a full frame.

 Cropped Sensor Cameras

• As we've said, a cropped sensor is smaller than a full-frame sensor. The smaller the sensor, the more cropping.

• Cropped sensors are not as good as full-frames in low-light conditions.

• There's slower auto-focus.

• Images are not as sharp as you get with a full frame.

• There's less depth of field and background blur (bokeh).

• Some cropped sensors have smaller pixels than full-frames, making noise more visible.

• Less information in each image

• There are various sizes of cropped sensors, including but not limited to the APS-C.

• Most lenses are manufactured for the full frame's field of view. Critically, if a lens' focal length says 50mm, that means a 50mm-wide field of view on a full-frame, not a cropped sensor, which will be narrower.

Our Top Picks for Wedding Photography Cameras

Canon 5D Mark IV

The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera (Body Only) is a full-frame, high-resolution DSLR. It's capable of up to 7 fps (frames per second) continuous shooting and recording video in full HD up to 1080p30. It records 4K (30p/25p/24p) video with select EOS lenses or an optional Mount Adapter EF-EOS R.

Key Features:

• 30.4 megapixel Full-Frame CMOS sensor

• ISO range 100-32000 can expand up to 50-102400

• Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus

• 61 Points Auto Focus System

• DCI 4K video recording with 29 fps

Pros:

• DIGIC 6+ image processor

• 7.0 fps continues shooting

• HDMI port

• Intelligent Optical Viewfinder version II

• Built-in GPS and wifi

• EOS webcam utility

Cons:

• There's no built-in flash.

• It's bulkier than mirrorless options.

Canon 6D Mark II

This is a good, less expensive option to the more expensive Canon 5D IV. It is a full-frame 26.2MP DSLR with an upgraded 45-point cross-type AF system and Dual Pixel CMOS AF for Live View shooting and Full HD video recording. It also features a 3.2 inch upgraded LCD with a capacitive touchscreen to enable touch-to-focus, touch-to-shoot, and swipe-to-zoom operations. Even in low lighting, the camera captures high-resolution imagery with impressive clarity and low noise. 

Key Features:

• 26.2 megapixel Full-Frame CMOS sensor

• ISO range 100-40000

• DCI 4K time-lapse video

• Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus

• 45 AF Points

Pros:

• DIGIC 7 image processor

• HDMI port

• Water and dust resistant

• Built-in GPS and wifi, Bluetooth, and NFC

• EOS webcam utility

Cons:

• There's no built-in flash.

• It's bulky.

• Only EF lens mount available

Canon 80D

The Canon EOS 80D is a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera with a 24.2 megapixel CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 6 image processor. It's an update of the Canon EOS 70D. This is a good camera for reliable image quality in varying conditions. Its 24.2 MP sensor, combined with the DIGIC 6 Image Processor, produces maximum detail, rich tonality, and natural color gradations. It has a fast, highly accurate autofocus to capture fast movement. The Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Phase-Detect produces fast and accurate autofocus for shooting videos or live view stills.

Key Features:

• 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor

• Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus

• 45 all cross-type AF Points

• 3-inch vary angle LCD touch display

• ISO range 100-12800 and auto option

• 1080p Full HD 60fps

Pros:

• DIGIC 6 image processor

• 7 fps continues shooting

• Built-in NFC and wifi

• Well-priced camera for what it offers

Cons:

• There's no built-in flash.

• Only one card slot

• It has a small sensor size (APS-C).

• Fewer Megapixels than 90D

Canon R6

This Canon's new R-mount mirrorless series with high-speed continuous shooting of up to 12 fps Mechanical shutter and up to 20 fps with Electronic "silent" shutter. The R6 does very well with movement. There's a new 5-axis In-Body Image Stabilizer allowing for up to 8-stops of shake correction possible with both non-stabilized and optically image-stabilized lenses.

Excellent frame rates of 4K 60P and Full HD 120P with the option of internally recorded 4:2:2 10-bit Canon Log or HDR-PQ recording. 

Features:

• High-speed continuous shooting up to 12 fps with Mechanical Shutter and up to 20 fps electronic (silent) shutter.

• High image quality featuring a new 20 Megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor.

• DIGIC X image processor with an ISO range of 100-102400; expandable to 204800.

• Dual Pixel CMOS AF covers approximately 100% area with 1,053 AF areas.

• Subject tracking of people and animals using deep learning technology.

• Video capture resolution: 4K UHD 2160p

Pros:

• It's a compact, mirrorless, full-frame

• Excellent ISO performance

• Excellent autofocus

• Good video specs (hybrid camera)

Cons:

• 20.2MP resolution isn't as good as some other cameras

• The camera can overheat when shooting 4k60p video.

Canon 90D 

The EOS 90D is a powerful, fully-equipped camera with interchangeable lenses. It shoots 10 frames per second continuous shooting with full autofocus tracking, which is excellent. It comes equipped with a 32.5MP APS-CCMOS sensor and can shoot 4K 30p and Full HD 120p movies.

Key Features:

• 32.5 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor

• DCI 4K UHD video recording with 30 fps and FHD with 120fps

• Dual pixel CMOS autofocus

• ISO range 100-25600 and auto option

• 41 all cross-type AF Points

• 3-inch vary angle LCD touch display

• Inbuilt wifi and Bluetooth

Pros:

• 10 fps continues shooting

• DIGIC 8 image processor

• EOS iTR AF

• Built-in GPS and wifi, NFC, and Bluetooth

• Mechanical shutter and electronic mix 1st curtain shutter offers a max speed of 1/8000 of a second

Cons:

• There's no built-in flash.

• There's only one card slot.

• This isn't a full-frame sensor (APS-C)

Nikon D750

The D750 was the first to offer a 24.3-megapixel full-frame sensor combined with a powerful processing engine. The result is excellent detail and image quality. It's 36.3mm optical FX-format sensor offers a high-resolution mode and an effective pixel count of 6.0 megapixels. This versatile camera is packed with features that work well for stills and videos. It offers great low-light performance, an expansive ISO range of 100-12800 (expandable to 32000), and a fast data readout. 

Key Features:

• 24.3 megapixel Full Frame 35mm Body

• ISO range 100-12800, expandable to 50-51200

• 51-point AF points with 15 cross-type sensors

• Tilting 3.2 inch LCD

• 1080p video recording with a maximum of 60fps and a minimum of 24fps.

Pros:

• 6.5 fps continues shooting

• Expeed 4 image processor

• Built-in wifi

Cons:

• A few issues were reported in freezing temperatures

Nikon D850

The Nikon D850 is a mid-range, full-frame DSLR camera that was the first DSLR to deliver 4K UHD video at 60 frames per second. It was also the first to offer extraordinary low-light performance and enhanced still-image speed. It features a 45.7MP backside-illuminated full-frame sensor without an optical low pass filter (OLPF), a new Expeed 5 image-processing engine, and an updated shutter with speeds as fast as 1/8000 sec, with a 180,000-cycle lifetime. If you need a high-performing camera, this won't disappoint.

Key Feature:

• 45.7 megapixel Full Frame Body

• ISO range 64 – 25,600 and extends up to 32 – 102,400

• 153 focus points, 99 cross-type AF Points

• Tilting screen LCD touch display

• 4K UHD video recording. 1080p slow-motion video with 120fps

Pros:

• 9 fps continues shooting

• Expeed 5 image processor

• Built-in NFC and wifi

Cons:

• There's no built-in flash.

• XQD and SD card slot

Sony a7III

This is a terrific hybrid camera for its price point. The Sony a7III has an advanced 24.2MP full-frame image sensor w/ 1.8X readout speed Advanced 24.2MP back-illuminated 35mm full-frame image sensor.  

Key Features:

• Advanced 24.2MP BSI full-frame Image Sensor w/ 1.8X readout speed

• 15-stop dynamic range, 14-bit uncompressed RAW, ISO 50 to 204,800.

• The camera can connect via Bluetooth with smartphones.

• Up to 10fps silent or mechanical shutter with AE/AF tracking.

• 693 phase-detection / 425 contrast AF points w/ 93 percent image coverage.

• Compatible with Sony E-mount lenses.

Pros:

• Excellent ISO low-light performance

• Excellent auto-focus

• Small and compact camera body

• A lot of features for its price

• Good menu navigation

• Improved battery performance

Cons:

• The touchscreen can be fussy.

Panasonic GH5 

The compact mirrorless GH5 is good for both stills and video, although it's considered more of a video-centric camera. 

Impressive features include 4K 60p (4:2:0 8 bit) and 30p (4:2:2 10 bit) in camera cinematic video, 5Ghz Wi Fi + Bluetooth for fast connection and image transfer.  

, 3.5mm microphone & headphone terminals and optional DMW XLR1 microphone adaptor. Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 5GHz Wi Fi is not available in some countries.

Key Features:

• Splash/Freeze Proof Design

• It has extremely fast DFD focusing

• 5-axis dual I.S 2.0 stabilization.

• 4K video capture: 60P/50P (QFHD 4K: 3840 x 2160/ MOV or MP4) video with internal 4: 2: 2 10 bit, 6K photo, and 4K post focus records photos up to 60Fps

• Connectivity & Ports: 3.5-millimeter audio port, connecting to devices with USB 3.0, an external monitor, or external recorder with a full-size HDMI port

• Available Twin SD card slots (UHS-II U3 Compatible)

Pros:

• Outstanding custom buttons and menu system

• Excellent image stabilization

• Good megapixel count

• Twin SD Card slots (UHS-II U3 Compatible)

• Excellent hybrid camera option

• Feels like a solidly built camera

• Great battery life

Cons:

• Small sensor (micro four thirds, smaller than APS-C

• Its small sensor offers limited low-light performance

• Auto-focus slows down with non-Panasonic lenses

Fujifilm X Pro 2

If you're looking for a mirrorless camera for weddings, this one is for you. The Fujifilm x-Pro2 is a mirrorless, APS-C sensor camera. When introduced in 2016, it was billed as the first camera to feature an APS-C sensor with phase detection autofocus for both stills and video recording. 

Key Features:

• 24.3-megapixel ASP-C sensor

• ISO range up to 51200, expandable to 50-204800.

• 1080p video recording

• Hybrid 273 AF point phase detection

• 3-inch LCD with 1620K dots

• 5-axis steady shot

Pros:

• 8 fps continuous shooting

• X-Trans CMOS III sensor

• 1/8000 sec shutter speed

• Dual memory card slot

Cons:

• It has an APS-C Sensor

• Reports of heating issues

• Its lens options are limited.

Conclusion

We hope that you've found this blog post helpful as you consider your options between DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

Aside from the differences between the two types of cameras, you'll have to consider your budget as well as the type of wedding photography you shoot. You'll have to weigh these different factors, which can help you select between DSLRs and a mirrorless.  

If you remain uncertain after weighing your options, consider renting both types of cameras before you commit to buying. This will allow you to use them and get a good feel for them before investing thousands of dollars!