The 21 best cameras and lenses for Landscape Photography in 2021
We give you a run-down of the 21 best cameras and lenses for landscape photography to buy in 2021.
Landscape photography is a hugely popular pastime amongst photographers. Many people begin their photography journey through shooting pictures of the local landscape and many people fall in love with the sub-genre and stick to it their whole photographic life. It is a hugely rewarding style of photography, chasing the light at dawn and dusk, seeing your favourite spot change with the season and even more frequently with the weather! It also opens up the opportunity to travel, not just in our own country but all over the world with many different landscapes to find and explore.
Cameras
Choosing the right camera for landscape photography is crucial in enabling you to capture that shot the way you envisage it. The very best cameras will ‘get out of your way’ and make it a breeze to commit your vision to pixels and eventually, to print. Usually, the best cameras for landscape photography posses high pixel counts. This enables you to capture every single nuance of detail in your shot, every change of gradation in tone, every level of detail in shadows and highlights. Weight is also an important factor to consider. The best landscapes on offer are often only accessible by foot, so a light weight camera and lens combination in your backpack can make the difference between a great or miserable day out. Choice of lenses available for the mount of your chosen camera can also be a factor, but items like lens adaptors, that enable you to use another manufacturer’s lenses for a different mount on your camera, along with companies like Sigma that offer their excellent lenses in a range of different mounts, making this less of an important consideration.
In no particular order, here is our run-down of the 10 best cameras for landscape photography available in 2021 (all prices as of 15/12/20).
Perhaps the greatest mirrorless camera from Sony to date, the A7RIV is a full-frame mirrorless monster. With a 61 megapixel backside illuminated sensor that provides 15 stops of dynamic range, this camera will pick out the very darkest to the very lightest areas of a scene without difficulty, in great detail, sharpness and clarity, even in low-light conditions. There really are no compromises with this camera. Being a mirrorless model it is small in size, light in weight. It is weather sealed and even has Sony’s advanced Z-series battery meaning battery life isn’t an issue.
The leading powerhouse in high resolution DSLR cameras, Nikon’s D850 has been with us for a few years but still offers a cutting edge full frame sensor capable of delivering high resolution images with high dynamic range from its 45.7 megapixel sensor. It comes in one of Nikon’s most robust, weather sealed bodies, meaning it will take pretty much anything you throw at it and keep going. The only downside is that it is a traditional DSLR, it’s large size and weight are a factor here.
Sony A7RIII – Body Only: £2499
Before the A7RIV, there was the A7RIII. Offering most of the performance of the mkIV for £1000 less, this camera that is still readily available cannot be overlooked. With a 42.4 megapixel backside illuminated sensor this still offers an incredible amount of resolving power. It is fantastic in low light conditions and offers the same physical advantages in size and weight of it’s mirrorless rivals. It is weather sealed and has the Z series battery meaning lots of shots between charging. This camera is going to be all anyone but those looking for the very highest resolution, needs. A great camera.
Fujifilm X-T3 – Body Only: £899
The first non full-frame camera in our line up, the Fujifilm X-T3 is a long standing favourite among our customers. There is a newer version of this camera available, the X-T4, but the majority of the improved features are around video, autofocus and image stabilisation all of which are not necessarily required for landscape photography, so the X-T3 represents great value. It has a 26.1 megapixel backside illuminated APS-C sensor. This sensor is smaller than a full-frame sensor there is an image crop of around 1.5x, along with slightly less performance in terms of absolute sharpness and detail but you wouldn’t notice this unless you ‘pixel peeping’ or cropping your image heavily. Fujifilm cameras also offer the best JPEG colours of any manufacturer with their incredible film simulations, including every landscape photographer that used film’s favourite, Velvia. It also has a variable angle rear LCD screen enabling shooting from any angle.
Panasonic Lumix G9 – Body Only: £999
Taking the sensor size even smaller, the micro four thirds cameras from Panasonic are legendary in the mirrorless market. Their small form factor and lightweight has won many admirers over the years. In the past, sometimes hindered by their smaller sensor that offers a 2x crop over a full-frame sensor, the G9 represents over a decade of development from Panasonic in micro 4/3 sensor technology and it has an incredible sensor. 20.3 megapixel Live MOS with a Venus processor, it allows for super detail as well as low noise, fantastic colours and brightness. It also has a trick up its sleeve. It offers a High Resolution Mode that delivers 80 megapixel (equivalent) images in both JPEG and RAW - ideal for landscape photographers. Incredible detail and depth is rendered by combining 8 images taken while shifting the sensor - just make sure your subject stays still for the duration of the shot.
Panasonic Lumix S1R – Body Only £2799
Panasonic took their years of experience with mirrorless cameras and recently produced an incredible range of full-frame cameras which includes the S1R. The S1R is their high-megapixel monster, with a 47.3 megapixel sensor that offers incredible detail, sharpness and colour rendition. It is splash proof and rugged with great construction but it is on the larger and heavier end of the scale when it comes to mirrorless cameras. Like the G9, it also shares a party trick, a High Resolution mode that enables ultra-high precision photo shooting. Eight consecutive images are automatically shot while shifting the sensor using the Body I.S. mechanism and synthesised into a RAW image. This mode is ideal for taking natural landscapes or fine arts with delicate details.
Canon EOS R5 – Body Only: £4199
The R5 from Canon is hands down an incredible camera, untouchable in every area. It represents a shift in Canon, delivering range topping specifications that would embarrass any of their DSLR cameras into a mirrorless body. It features a 45 megapixel sensor which captures incredible sharpness, detail and colour like its competitors but it does this at 20 fps, the kind of speed and performance a sports photographer at the Olympics is used to. It also has the best videography features of any camera on the market. It manages all of this in a rugged, durable weather sealed body that is lightweight and of diminutive proportions, when compared to a range topping Canon DSLR. It comes with a hefty price tag, but if only the best will do and you have aspirations outside of landscape photography and want to dabble in wildlife, sports or videography then there is no better choice.
Canon EOS Ra – Body Only: £2579
Now for something a little different. The EOS Ra from Canon is a full-frame camera designed specifically for astrophotography. It has fantastic low-light performance thanks to its 30 megapixel sensor that also sports a modified IR filter that allows x4 more Hydrogen Alpha light to reach the sensor. This enables the camera to capture the distinct reddish colour of nebula which is impossible on a traditional camera where the UV/IR cut filters block the IR light that gives these nebulae their red colour. Combine this into your landscape photography and you suddenly have a powerful tool for capturing stunning starscapes and landscapes in the same shot.
Olympus E-M5 mkIII – Body Only: £1049
Physically the smallest camera on this list, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 mkIII is the perfect companion for the travelling photographer. Thanks to its micro 4/3 sensor design, the body weighs just 414g including its batteries. It is splash, dust and freeze resistant with a tough, durable build. It has a 20.4 megapixel sensor that also offers a high resolution mode, by combining several images into a 50 megapixel image. The Olympus lens range also shares this small design which makes a very portable, lightweight solution. The downsides are poor battery life compared to other cameras on this list and a sensor that won’t give you the same level of detail as its full-frame competitors.
Nikon D3500 with AF-P DX 18-55 VR lens – £449
Whilst the high performance full-frame mirrorless models do offer the very best performance for the landscape photographer, they can often be too expensive and too intimidating for beginner photographers. This is where the traditional entry level DSLR, the D3500 from Nikon steps in. For the price, you get a considerable bang for the buck. It features a 24.2 megapixel APS-C sensor, that delivers an overall high image quality with notable detail, dynamic range, colour accuracy, and low-light sensitivity to a native ISO 25600. Additionally, the sensor's design omits an optical low-pass filter in order to acquire the greatest sharpness and detail from subjects. It also includes a versatile beginner zoom lens, the AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR.
This is more than enough camera to get you up and running in landscape photography. There are downsides to consider though. There is no weather sealing, making this camera vulnerable to the elements, so care will need to be taken in bad weather conditions. It also won’t share the same level of detail and performance of it’s bigger sensored brothers on this list, and the lens provided, whilst being a good starter lens, isn't the last word in resolving power. Bearing these factors in mind, this is a great place for any aspiring landscape photographer to begin, with a view to upgrading in the future to gain higher performance once the basics of photography have been mastered.
Lenses
Now you have your camera sorted, the next point to consider is your choice of lens. The general consensus among photographers is that for landscape photography you need a good quality wide-angle focal length lens. Whilst this is true, it is also true that practically any lens can be used to take images of landscapes. One of our customers, former Landscape Photographer of the Year, Andy Farrer often uses a long focal length zoom lens, the Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 L IS II USM to take his award winning landscape photos. Using the longer lens compresses the background and foreground together, creating a much different photo to that achieved with a wide-angle lens.
Photo: Andy Farrer - Canon EOS 5DSR, EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L IS II USM
Other things to consider when choosing a lens, besides it’s focal length are its build quality and weather sealing properties. Damp, if allowed to settle-in, can be a killer for lenses. This promotes mold growth on the internal lens elements that will degrade the lens’s optical quality to a point when it will eventually render the lens unusable. Weight, physical size and autofocus motor speed are also key specifications that need to be considered.In no particular order, here is our run-down of the 10 best lenses for landscape photography available in 2021 (all prices as of 15/12/20).
Canon RF 15-35mm f2.8 L IS USM - £2329
Canon’s fastest ultra-wide-angle zoom lens and part of the ‘holy trinity’ of pro lenses, this is the ultimate lens for the ultimate camera, the EOS R5. Exceptional sharpness, edge to edge of the image at any focal length this lens is a masterpiece of optical engineering. Complete with a 5 stop image stabiliser for shake free images and high speed, quiet autofocus motors. This lens also features aspherical and UD elements for extreme sharpness, a continuous f2.8 aperture for excellent low-light performance and beautiful shallow depth-of-field. It is built like a tank, which is typical for a Canon lens with the ‘L’ designation. It is weather sealed and has fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements to protect against dust and water drops. Finally, users can Control settings via the Lens Control Ring and use it in a variety of situations including macro work, with focusing as close as 28mm.
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f4 R OIS WR – £899
Fujifilm’s premium wide-angle zoom lens features a fully weather sealed design, making it perfect for use in all weather conditions. It has a continuous aperture of f4, ensuring good light transmission and sharpness at all focal lengths. It also features a f-stop scale on its aperture ring, an auto-position lock and 3.5 stops of image stabilisation. It makes for the perfect partner to the X-T3.
Samyang 12mm f2.0 lens for Sony E, Fujifilm X and Micro 4/3 – from £299
This little lens from Samyang is a great wide-angle choice for photographers using an APS-C mirrorless or Micro 4/3 camera. It is very small and lightweight, and offers an incredibly wide 12mm focal length and a very fast aperture of f2 which lets in a lot of light. It is made for Sony E mount cameras, like the A6400, Fujifilm X mount cameras, such as the X-T3 and Micro 4/3 cameras from Panasonic Lumix and Olympus. This is a great choice for those wanting to explore astro photography alongside their landscape photography and allows for a very lightweight combo with a mirrorless camera in anyone’s kitbag making it ideal for the travelling photographer. However, there are downsides to consider with this lens. Unlike nearly all of the other lenses in this list, it is a manual-focus only lens. This might be a problem for some users, particularly those that are new to photography, however focus peaking on modern mirrorless cameras makes this a much easier proposition than with a DSLR. It is only available to use on crop lens models and it is also not quite at the optical quality of some other lenses on this list, but it is at a much lower price point. Don’t get us wrong though, being a prime lens, this still boasts some super sharp optics that would embarrass many more expensive zoom lenses.
Sony FE 12-24mm f2.8 GM – £2899
Matched only by recent RF L series lenses from Canon, the G Master range is a pure demonstration in optical superiority. Sony’s flagship ultra-wide-angle lens, the 12-24mm f2.8 G Master is an incredible lens. It offers a continuous aperture of f2.8, letting in lots of light and ensuring optimal image quality at all focal lengths. Three XA (extreme aspherical) elements ensure outstanding resolution, along with one aspherical element, two super ED and three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements that deliver high corner-to-corner resolution and beautiful bokeh. It also has a new Sony Nano AR Coating II that effectively eliminates light anomalies - such as flare and ghosting, making this an excellent full frame lens for landscapes and starscapes. This cutting edge lens is the perfect partner for the Sony A7RIV. Downsides to this lens are that it’s heavy compared to some, along with a hefty price tag.
Sigma 20mm f1.4 DG HSM ART – available for Nikon F, Canon EF, Sony FE and L Mount, from £699
Sigma ART lenses have in recent years provided photographers with a seriously viable alternative to the best lenses on offer from the big camera manufacturers. Their dedication to quality at an affordable price is second to none. The 20mm ART is an incredible wide-angle prime lens with a very fast aperture of f1.4. This lets in a huge amount of light making it superb for night photographers, and astro photographers, it also means superb image quality, especially when stopped down a couple of stops to f2.8, it will reward you with razor sharp images. Being a prime lens, this offers a fixed focal length of 20mm, making it superbly wide, but limited when compared to the best zoom lenses. Arguably the f1.4 aperture more than makes up for that. Although the build quality is high, there is no dedicated weather sealing to speak off, so care is needed when out in the elements.
Panasonic Lumix 10-25mm f1.7 Leica DG Vario ASPH – £1749
This Micro 4/3 dedicated lens from Panasonic is an incredible piece of engineering. Offering a continuous aperture across all focal lengths of f1.7, this lens is a low-light monster. Engineered with partners Leica, arguably one of the greatest lens manufacturers of all time, this lens is a serious proposition for photographers that are looking for the best possible performance from the smaller Micro 4/3 system from Panasonic and Olympus. Made up of17 elements in 12 groups, the lens features three aspherical lenses and four ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses that effectively suppress chromatic aberration. Spherical aberration and distortion are also corrected by the aspherical lenses for stunningly high resolution. The rugged dust/splash-resistant design can withstand use under harsh conditions to -10C. The only real downside to this lens is that it only works with Micro 4/3 cameras.
Panasonic Lumix S PRO 16-35mm f4 lens – £1499
Designed for the full-frame L mount, shared with Leica and Sigma, the Panasonic is a high performance wide-angle zoom lens designed to be paired with their excellent S1R. It is relatively diminutive in size for a full-frame lens, thanks to excellent optical design. With a tough and durable external build and excellent weather sealing, this lens can be used in harsh conditions without worry.
Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L IS II USM – £2199
Perhaps an unexpected inclusion in the best lenses for landscape photography, this lens more often used for wildlife and sports photography can be an excellent choice for landscape photographers looking to capture something a little different. Its long focal length allows compression of the background and foreground elements bringing everything the frame crashing together, creating a completely different take on landscape photography. Being a Canon ‘L’ series lens, the build quality and optical quality is impeccable and will likely outlive the photographer! For an example of what this lens can do for your landscape photography, checkout this image by customer, Tom Burn
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Canon EF TS-E 24mmf3.5L mkII – £1959
Once again, something a bit different from Canon. The TS-E 24mm is what is known as a ‘Tilt-Shift’ lens, meaning it has the ability for the user to manipulate the lens elements into different angles of view and height allowing for massively enhanced control over depth of field and convergence of vertical lines. It allows users to have a very shallow depth of field or infinite sharpness across a shot with just the twist of a dial. The optical quality is excellent as to be expected from a Canon ‘L’ series lens and it comes complete with weather sealing making it tough and durable. The only downsides are that this is a manual focus lens, which some users may find a challenge, along with the tilt and shift functionality which is something only experienced photographers may want to attempt.
Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 G ED – £1394
Built for the legendary Nikon F mount, this lens will most commonly be found attached to something like a D850. For years it reigned as the absolute best ultra-wide-angle zoom lens on the market and despite the advent of mirrorless cameras and lenses, it still remains one of the best lenses on the market today. A favourite amongst astro photographers and landscape photographers alike, a quick search on google will find thousands of jaw dropping images taken with this lens. A must for Nikon DSLR users and for mirrorless users (with the aid of an adaptor) this lens features nano-crystal coatings, an integrated lens hood to protect that extraordinary front element and SWM motors for fast, precise auto focus. A true legend.
Left Field Choice
All of the cameras featured so far are interchangeable lens models, both mirrorless and DSLR. Up until a few years ago, this was what you needed to buy if you wanted a great camera for landscape photography. Only these kinds of cameras had the lenses and sensors capable of producing those super sharp, detailed and colour accurate photos. Fortunately, that has changed with the introduction of advanced compact cameras. Offering unimaginable performance in a camera that you can slip into your pocket was the stuff of dreams until the introduction of the 1” sensor. That opened the floodgates for the production of these super compact cameras that come within touching distance of their interchangeable lens sporting cousins. The following is pick of the best of them:
Sony RX100 mkV – £799
The Sony RX100. An incredible concept. A professional quality compact camera, continuously refined to the now current mkVII version that features a ZEISS lens and market leading sensor in a body that will literally slip into a trouser pocket. The mark V version is a personal favourite of a number of members of staff at Castle Cameras. It features a 20.1 megapixel 1” type stacked sensor that offers performance at a level close to its own mirrorless models, with a very quality ZEISS 24-70mm (35mm equiv) lens with a fast aperture range of f1.8-2.8, which lets in a huge amount of light and enables pleasing background bokeh effects. This is a superb choice when you don’t want to carry around a big camera bag or you are on holiday or travelling, this camera goes with you anywhere and offers landscape photography results that are in touching distance of everything else on this list.
That concludes our round up of the 21 best cameras and lenses for landscape photography in 2021. All of the products mentioned in this story are available at Castle Cameras, along with independent, professional advice to help you get the very best out of your photography.
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Posted by Graham Fry
16th December 2020
