The best cameras for low light photography are an essential if you like to shoot at nighttime, in poorly-lit areas or if you're an astrophotographer. As the sun is setting earlier and earlier, now is a great time to invest in one of these cameras, not least because there are plenty of Black Friday deals to be found. Currently, the Sony A7R V is $500 off at Amazon.
Our team of expert reviewers has spent time testing a range of the best low-light cameras on the market, including top brands like Sony, Nikon, Canon, Panasonic and Fujifilm. In this guide, you'll find cameras covering a range of budgets, from high-end to more affordable cameras for beginners and enthusiasts.
For keen astrophotographers, coupling one of these cameras with one of the best lenses for astrophotography will allow you to take incredible images of the night sky. You might also find our round-up of the best cameras for astrophotography helpful.
If you're newer to photography, we've answered the most common questions in our low light cameras FAQ.
The quick list
Best all-rounder
The Nikon Z7 II shines as the overall best camera for low-light photography — but it's a fantastic all-rounder for almost every situation.
Best DSLR
Most manufacturers have eschewed DSLRs for mirrorless models, but the Nikon D850 still gives them a run for their money. It boasts fantastic resolution — but its mirrorless counterparts beat it in low light focusing.
Best hybrid model
This is a powerhouse of a camera, packed with a huge 61MP sensor. Along with excellent low-light performance, it can do just about everything a photographer could want, but its premium price will make it overkill for some.
Best for intermediates
The Nikon Z6 II has great ISO handling and we've found its autofocus to be sublimely accurate. It might not be feature-rich enough for professional photographers, but it's an excellent choice for intermediates.
Best for low light video
We can't recommend the Sony A7s for stills — its 12.1MP sensor is lacking compared to others on the market. But it performs fantastically at recording video in low light.
Best for beginners
The Fuji X-T4 packs in some fantastic technology but still manages to be easy to use — the perfect combination for a beginner.
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Best compact option
If you don't want to have to deal with interchangeable lenses and want a compact solution, the PowerShot G1 X is a great choice. Its wide focal length and built-in image stabilization make it great for new vloggers.
Best micro four thirds camera
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is only a mouthful in name: the camera itself is a small and neat little package that packs in excellent quality and usability. It's not advanced enough for experienced photographers but for beginners and enthusiasts this makes for a great travel companion.
Best budget option
The LX100 II performs valiantly despite its budget price. Its sensor isn't the most detailed but that doesn't stop it capturing great photos in low light conditions — largely thanks to its wide aperture lens.
Best crop sensor
If you've used a Sony A6000 series camera before you'll find the upgrades in the A6700 to be serious improvements. This little powerhouse can impress amateur and professional photographers alike.
Best cameras for low light photography 2024
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Best all rounder
✅ You shoot different styles: This camera excels at shooting many different styles of photography thanks to its detailed sensor and processing power.
❌ You're only shooting astro: The 45.7MP sensor would likely be too much if you only shoot astrophotography, and there are cheaper models out there that will be more suited.
🔎 Nikon Z7 II Combines power, speed and precision with a simple interface and organized button layout in an attempt to master all trades — although it would be overkill for just astrophotography. ★★★★½
The Nikon Z7 II's predecessor, the Z6 II, is an excellent camera — and indeed you'll find it a little further down our list of best cameras for low-light photography. But thanks to a few key benefits that we highlighted in our Nikon Z7 II review, like dual memory card slots, more megapixels and better image quality, we think the Nikon Z7 II is hands-down the best camera for low-light photography currently on the market.
We've found that the noise level in high ISO shots is excellent: In fact, we couldn't notice any until at least ISO2500. The camera's exposure preview, too, makes it incredibly easy to set up a shot in low light — it's one of the best we've used, in fact.
But it's not just these low-light features that make the Z7 II such a great camera. It's a fantastic piece of kit all-round, whatever type of photography you're shooting. Things like its two memory card slots is a big plus, for example, especially for pros. It lets you decide which card to store your photos on or you can set it to back up every shot automatically. This feature is a lifesaver in case, heaven forbid, one of your cards gets corrupted.
The Nikon Z7 II also sports almost double the megapixels as the Nikon Z6 II: its sensor packs in 45.7MP instead of 24.5MP. That's a mind-blowing resolution, perfect for photographers who are creating extra-large prints or want the ability to heavily crop in post-processing. For wildlife photographers in particular, it's a huge benefit.
- Read our full Nikon Z7 II review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Weather sealing protects it from the elements. |
| Performance | High ISO image noise is fantastic. |
| Functionality | Plenty of customization. |
Best DSLR
✅ You're a pro looking for a second camera: Produces high-resolution images without breaking the bank, and it's just about the best DSLR for professional use.
❌ You want something that's future-proofed: DSLRs are gradually being phased out, so there won't be any newer versions or lenses released as most companies are now focusing on mirrorless models.
🔎 Nikon D850 A 45.4MP beast, the Nikon D850 will capture every single star you can possibly see and then some, thanks to its wide ISO range — although DSLRs are being phased out in favor of mirrorless models. ★★★★½
Most cameras these days are mirrorless, but the Nikon D850, a DSLR camera, is still a fantastic choice if you're looking for one of the best cameras for low-light photography. In our Nikon D850 review we called it one of the best you can buy, and if shooting the stars is what you're wanting it for, it's an absolute master for astrophotography.
The Nikon D850 is a tough beast: it's built with a magnesium alloy body that can survive most knocks while still being lightweight. Its weather-sealing makes it impervious to most weather conditions too, so don't let shooting in the rain put you off. Its advanced features make it appealing to professionals, but even if you're more of an enthusiast, there's a lot to love about the D850. Its huge ISO range — going up to 102,400 — puts it at the top of its class, and its full-frame sensor and powerful EXPEED 5 processor handles noise very well.
If you're more interested in video than stills, this is a great choice for shooting video in low-light conditions too. It focuses excellently in dark environments (down to -4EV), making use of 153 focus points. A built-in feature called face-priority autofocus is wonderful if you're shooting portraits, practically eliminating the need to switch to manual focus. And its hot shoe and PC sync connector make hooking up external lighting solutions a cinch, if that's more your style.
The only downside to the D850 is that the camera itself doesn't have built-in image stabilization, something that you'll find in newer, similarly specced mirrorless cameras. It's not a total deal-breaker, though, as long as your lens has stabilization. And if you use an F-mount lens, you'll benefit from Nikon's Vibration Reduction feature, which stabilizes shots by up to 4.5 stops — something that's supremely helpful in low light, especially.
We do have to mention, however, that DSLR cameras are quickly being phased out in favor of mirrorless cameras, and this is one of only a handful still available on the market. If you're looking to purchase a Nikon camera for the first time, then, you might be better looking for a mirrorless model. But if you already have a collection of Nikon lenses and want an upgrade from, say, an entry level DSLR, the D850 is still worth considering: It may be a little old now, but it's still a very capable camera.
- Read our full Nikon D850 review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Back illuminated buttons to help see in the dark. |
| Performance | Good low light AF detection. |
| Functionality | Huge stills resolution. |
Best hybrid model
✅ You want insanely high resolution: Currently, this is the highest resolution full-frame camera thanks to its massive 61MP sensor.
✅ You want accurate autofocus: The AI-powered autofocus in this camera is nothing short of incredible.
❌ You're a beginner: Not because you wouldn't get on well with it, just because it would likely be overkill and you probably wouldn't need 61 megapixels.
❌ You only shoot astro: For practical reasons, we think the previous model, the Sony A7R IV, is slightly better for astro.
🔎 Sony A7R V: The Sony A7R V builds on the power of its predecessor with its higher resolution EVF and LCD screen, more stops of image stabilization and a new AI autofocus unit, it proves to be a fantastic contender for low-light photography. ★★★★½
The Sony A7R knocks most other cameras on this list out of the water when it comes to megapixel count: It boasts a huge 61MP resolution. That means it's capable of bringing out an incredible amount of detail, even darkly shadowed areas. It's not just great for stills-shooting, either — with the ability to shoot 8K video, it's an absolute beast of a camera whether you're a photographer or videographer.
Its predecessor, the Sony A7R IV, used to sit on this list, and while that's still a very capable camera (and often available notably cheaper), the upgrades made to the A7R V mean it's a much better purchase in just about every way. A prime example is image stabilization: In our Sony A7R V review, we found the improved image stabilization (8 stops, compared to the A7R IV's 5.5 stops), made a huge difference when shooting cityscapes in low light. We were able to shoot handheld at 1/3 of a second at ISO 100 to get light trails from cars, and the image was pin-sharp and in focus.
This, coupled with the newer AI-powered autofocus found in Sony's newer cameras (and not in the A7R IV), make it an absolute powerhouse for low-light photography — whether that be shooting indoors, low-light portraiture or nighttime cityscapes.
The LCD screen on the A7R V has also had a big facelift — they've made it much more functional and bigger (from 3-inches tilt-only to 3.2-inches tilting and fully articulating) and it's a lot more detailed, upping the resolution from 1.44M to 2.1M dots. The EVF has also been improved from 5.76M to a whopping 9.44M dots (the same resolution as the A1), which makes viewing and composing your shots in the dark much easier.
That said, for astro specifically, we'd still recommend the Sony A7R IV for more practical reasons, and it's still in our best cameras for astrophotography guide. The new AI autofocus in the A7R V is undoubtedly impressive, but not only is it not necessary if you're only shooting astro, but it also drains the battery quicker, which isn't ideal for anyone embarking on long nights of astro shooting. Astro shooters also won't need the additional stops of image stabilization, so for the sake of the same resolution and very similar handling, we'd advise you to save the extra few hundred dollars and opt for the A7R IV if you focus more on astro.
- Read our full Sony A7R V review
- Read our full Sony A7R IV review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | New design improvements make low light shooting easier. |
| Performance | Excellent in low light. |
| Functionality | 8 stops of image stabilization and new AI autofocus. |
Best for intermediates
✅ You're on a budget: While cameras in general are not cheap, this is certainly one of the more affordable options available.
✅ You're making the jump to mirrorless: This would be a great camera to choose if you're switching from a DSLR to a mirrorless setup.
❌ You already have the Z6: While there have been upgrades, they aren't substantial enough to warrant upgrading to if you already own the Z6.
🔎 Nikon Z6 II The Z6 II is the perfect camera for semi-pros or advanced amateurs looking to make the first leap to mirrorless and could also work well as a second camera for professionals. ★★★★
Autofocus is handy on modern cameras, but it can be tricky in low light. That's where the Nikon Z6 II shines. It tackles this challenge exceptionally well with one of the best autofocus and exposure metering systems we've seen, working effectively down to -6EV. This means it stays reliable and precise even in very dark conditions, making it ideal for nighttime photography.
In our full Nikon Z6 II review, we showered praise onto the camera's eye-detection and animal-detection autofocus. Essentially, it means the camera stays focused on your chosen subject, so you don't have to keep adjusting, even if they move slightly. It's a lifesaver if you're a wildlife photographer, but since it works very well in low light, it's great even when you're shooting at dawn or dusk.
In fact, the Nikon Z6 II is superb in just about any low light condition, and that's down to how well it handles ISO. It has range of up to 51,200, although that can be increased to 204,800, and while it's not the highest of all the cameras on this list, we've been impressed by how little noise it produces in images. It's down to the sensor in the camera: the Z6 II uses the same sensor in the more expensive Z7 II which you'll find higher on this list.
Another standout feature of the Nikon Z6 II is its 5-axis in-body image stabilization. This advanced feature can greatly enhance your shots, especially in low-light situations where you might need longer shutter speeds. While it's beneficial for newer lenses, it's particularly handy if you're using older lenses without stabilization, especially when paired with the FTZ mount adapter.
- Read our full Nikon Z6 II review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Durable feel and comfortable grip. |
| Performance | Subtle but impressive improvements over predecessor. |
| Functionality | Consistent and impressive. |
Best for low light video recording
✅ You shoot a lot of astro/low light: This camera has an insanely high expanded maximum ISO, making those low-light images much more achievable.
❌ You're on a budget: Full-frame cameras are rarely ever cheap, and this is no exception.
❌ You don't shoot video: This camera doesn't claim to be a still-only camera, so if you're only taking photos with it, it is quite expensive.
🔎 Sony a7S III This camera excels in low light situations, especially for video recording. Though it is fairly expensive if you don't shoot any video, and there are better cameras for less money ★★★★
Released in 2020, the Sony a7S III supersedes the Sony a7 III, packing in the same great features into a smaller, more compact body. This is a powerful camera for shooting stills, but it's video where it truly shines. It's capable of shooting 4K at 120FPS, making it ideal for super slow-motion shots. Additionally, its 16-bit RAW HDMI output makes it perfect for professional workflows.
In terms of its low light performance, the Sony a7S III knocks it out of the park with its expandable ISO range going all the way up to 409,600. Add to that the a7S III's hybrid autofocusing technology, which works all the way down to -6EV, makes focusing in even the darkest of situations possible.
One potential downside for photographers is the relatively low megapixel count: 12.1MP — although this won't be an issue if you shoot video. But if you plan to use this camera for still photography as well, it's something to keep in mind. Compared to competing cameras like the Sony a7S III, it has a lower resolution, so if you often crop heavily or print large photos, it may not be the best choice for you.
It's not all bad news, though. A low megapixel count means that your images will have less noise in them when you're using a high ISO, which means it's actually often helpful for astrophotographers in particular. In addition, the in-body image stabilization of the a7S III means your low-light shots will be sharper/
We do love the Sony a7S III's 15-stop dynamic range, which captures a fantastic amount of data and extreme contrasts in scenes, whether you're shooting images or video. It means you can push your work that bit more than usual in post-processing, and get some truly stunning results.
- Have a look at our Best mirrorless cameras guide for alternative mirrorless models