It's difficult to shoot low light. If there's less light, it's more difficult for the camera to do its job. When buying a camera for low light photography, there are a few things you should look for.
Its ISO range shows its ability to ramp up light sensitivity. The higher the ISO, the better the camera will take pictures. A larger image sensor is preferred as it can take up more space and can capture more light.
Exposure can be enhanced and image noise can be eliminated with the help of post-processing software, which makes raw file shooting important.
When things don't go well, autofocusing can be hard. The lower the number, the better the camera will be at focusing in low light.
In-body image stabilization, which can steady stills photos and keep handheld exposures sharp without requiring a tripod, is one of the features. Finding a camera with a fast lens is one way to maximize light input through the image sensor. We have guides to the best zoom and Astro lens for you to choose from.
Size, weight, compatibility, and ergonomics are just some of the factors that affect the choice you make when buying a camera.
When shooting in low light, the ability to use focus is a problem. The Z6 II has one of the best exposure metering systems of any camera and can be used in the dark to focus.
The camera can use its eye-detection and animal detection to track focus on subjects without the need for a correction from the photographer. It's easier to get a sharp portrait of a pet when it's dark.
It has an impressive ISO handling and minimal image noise. The Z7 II uses the same image sensor as its more expensive pro model, but a drop in resolution, which can help alleviate noise. It's not the highest ISO range in its class, but it's more than capable of being used for any type of low light shooting thrown at it.
Longer shutter speeds are needed to get valuable light input for images and video. Up to five stops of stabilization can be provided by the Z6 II. Older F-mount lens that don't have stabilization with up to 3-axis stabilization for steadier shots can be used with the FTZ lens mount.
The Sony a7S III is a great camera for low light shooting. It's main goal is to please videographers and filmmakers who want a powerful, compact camera that records 4K video at 120 frames per second. It records simultaneously in-camera and has a 16-bit RawHDMI output.
It doesn't claim to be a stills-oriented camera, but it does capture low-resolution pictures that are incredibly low compared to the latest cameras. 5-axis in-body image stabilization that steadies frames up to a fantastic 5.5 stops for sharper handheld low light photos and smooth video recording is included.
The ISO range of 40-409,600 is amazing. It's perfect for low light shooting as users can ramp up the ISO sensitivity, making the most of the light available without having to change their shutter speed or aperture. You have a recipe for steady, sharp shots no matter how dark it gets if you combine this with the a7S III's hybrid system.
Thanks to the camera's wide 15-stop dynamic range, raw images and video can be pushed even further in post-production, capturing more detail and data in scenes with extreme contrast in brightness, for example, a dimly lit portrait on the street next to bright street lights.
The X-T4 is a great choice for low light shooting. The vari-angle screen makes it a lot easier to shoot a shot.
The overall look and feel of the camera, emulating a classic film camera, makes it stylish, but the body-mounted dial controls make it harder to use in the dark if you can't remember which dial controls what function. There is a wide choice of X mount lens that fit the X-T4s and the 26.1MPAPS-C sensor creates excellent image quality.
The Fuji X-T4 has a rating of 500 shots per charge. When shooting in the daytime, we found this can be much higher, but long night time exposures drain the battery much quicker. The only downside to the battery type is that you need to plug the whole camera in to charge so make sure you're fully charged before your shoot.
The X-T4 has excellent low light performance, a high-speed processing engine, and is ideal for action or sports photography.
A camera favored by professionals, the D850 is built to last in a variety of environments because it's fully weather sealed and made from a magnesium alloy which means it's lightweight butdurable. It is useful in the hands of an enthusiast and has an ISO range of up to 106,400. The EXPEED 5 image processor has the ability to process ISO noise. Take a peek at our review of the D850 camera.
Because it's a DSLR, there's no in-body image stabilization, but F-mount lens can offer up to 4.5 stops of stabilization, which is called Vibration Reduction. Choose from a series of stills when shooting in continuous burst mode that captures up to 9 frames per second, which may not sound like much, but when you consider each image is 45.7MP that's a serious amount of data capture. 4K30p video recording with zebra stripes helps identify areas of potential exposure issues, as it keeps up with the competition.
It's well equipped for low light video as it has a Multi-CAM 20K sensor module that can be used with a wide range of cameras. There is a hot shoe and PC sync connection on the body that can be used to link up with on and off camera lighting. The need to switch to manual for face-priority autofocus is eliminated.
Compact cameras are not good for low light photography because their image sensors are small and can't handle image noise. Canon stepped over this issue by issuing the PowerShot G1 X Mark III with a DSLR-likeAPS-C image sensor.
It's possible to shoot raw files which make it easier to style images in editing software. The only thing that keeps it up with modern DSLRs is that it shoots full HD. When you consider that this camera is aimed at beginners, it's more than enough to start making video content. The 5-axis Advanced Dynamic IS makes it easy to shoot movies that look good.
The fixed lens zooms from a wide 15mm to 45mm in focal length for 3x optical zoom. The ability to see in the dark with the electronic viewfinder makes it possible to see low light scenes with greater clarity. Four stops of image stabilization help the camera shoot in low light and at longer exposure times. You should have plenty of opportunities to choose from, because of the fast and reliable focusing that comes from the dual-camera system.
The Sony A7R IV is similar to the A7R III, with some enhancements, but it costs more.
Even in the dark, the Sony A7R IV can bring out the best in you. The camera shoots 4K max video resolution and is the highest resolution full- frame camera.
It's an excellent choice for photographers because of its low light handling. After pushing the ISO to ISO 6400, we found that noise began to come in. We used the rear screen to test Sony's claim of 670 shots. The battery still had 65% power after 2000 shots. We believe you would be able to get more than what Sony has to say.
The 7.5 cm screen is good, but it would be better if the screen was full.
The large image sizes make this camera unsuitable for sports or action photography. You can't go wrong with this camera for low light photography.
Billed as a premium compact camera, it houses a large micro four thirds image sensor to capture 17MP stills and 4K 30p videos, which makes it a great camera.
The micro four thirds sensor is a step up in low light ability compared to a standard compact camera's 1-inch sensor. The wide range of the lens allows the camera to drink in as much light as possible in order to keep the shutter speed shorter.
There's a lot of control over the images on this camera, with controls on the top of the camera similar to an SLR or rangefinder camera.
Post focus is one of the unique features of the LX 100 II. Post focus allows the photographer to pick the focus point in a photo after it has been taken. Manual focusing isn't ideal for low light photography since it's hard to see the subject. Even if the focus point is missed, the photographer can still move the camera after the fact.
Olympus has pushed their technology seemingly to the limits by boosting the image sensor detail and retaining an interchangeable lens system which favors beginners and enthusiasts that want the option to expand their kit when needed.
An equivalent of 4.5 stops of optical stabilization was provided by the in-body image stabilization when we reviewed the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV. A fast 8.7FPS burst speed is more than capable of capturing action as it unfolds, giving low light shooters who are sometimes disappointed with single shot mode shooting, plenty of extra chances to nail the shot.
The electronic viewfinder is big and bright with 2.36 million dots for a detailed display, and the rear screen is a tiltable 3-inch screen that allows for more awkward shooting angles without the photographer having to lay down. For selfies, it flips down 180 degrees.
Being an inexpensive MFT camera, it has its limits, but the ISO range is still impressive, topping out at 25,600, compared to the more expensive models on this list.
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