Introduction

There are so many options to choose from when looking for the best camera for wedding photography. Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fuji – and the list goes on! The options these manufacturers provide are endless and it can be stressful thinking about the best camera for your budget. As a Canon user myself, this article is going to be pretty biased, but I will explain my reasoning for the different camera bodies! All manufacturers will produce something similar for every option and price point, it really boils down to what system you get along with using the most. I’ve found the website Camera Decision to be really helpful in 1-1 camera comparisons, and so do put it to good use!

DSLR vs Mirrorless

Since Canon released the EOS R, the gap in professional quality between DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras has tightened. Photographers these days are leaning more towards mirrorless cameras as they are lighter, quieter, and have better technology. Even camera manufacturers themselves are slowly starting to wind down production of DSLRs and DSLR based lenses, to focus on the mirrorless counterparts! I agree wholeheartedly with this transition, as technology is moving away from cameras with clunky mirrors inside of them towards a sleeker build that is more convinient for everyone involved.

As the name suggests, the primary difference between a DSLR and a Mirrorless camera is the lack of a flipping mirror inside of the camera body. The purpose of the mirror in a DSLR is so you can view the scene through the viewfinder at the top, and to help with focussing. Mirrorless cameras utilise an electronic viewfinder instead – and this is particularly useful when photographing darker scenes as you can hardly see this through a DSLR analogue viewfinder! As mirrorless technology has progressed, Canon have even introduced eye tracking autofocus, in which you can focus on where you are looking at in the viewfinder! It’s clear that the way to go when looking for the best camera for wedding photography is to invest in a mirrorless camera, as these will stand the test of time as technology progresses. They’re also a lot quieter when photographing wedding ceremonies!!

Best Mirrorless Camera for Wedding Photography

For me, there is a clear answer to the question of ‘What is the best camera for wedding photography? For now at least, the answer is the Canon R6 Mark II (Full specs list found here). Now I’m sure that people will disagree with me and say that the R5 Mark II is a better choice, but in my opinion the cost of the camera body has to be a factor here not just the specs that you won’t use. Sure, the R5 series is a superior camera, with things such as 8K RAW footage etc, but as a wedding photographer, this isn’t something that I will be utilising – and so it is pointless. The R6 series is significantly cheaper, and the image quality produced from it is so intensely good!

The mark I has been a workhorse for me, I’ve put it through it’s paces during weddings, events, engagements, concerts, and sports – the Mark II simply turns it up a notch with improvements across the board. For £2000 (vs almost £4000 for the R5 Mark II!) at the time of writing this, it’s a no brainer for Wedding Photographers.

Best DSLR for Wedding Photography

If you’re the photographer that simply must have a DSLR because you’re clinging on to the past – only half joking here – then my opinion is that you need the best of the best. You cannot be buying second best like you can for mirrorless cameras! The Canon 5D Mark IV isn’t particularly new, and it isn’t too cheap either, but it is the best when it comes to Canon’s DSLR line for weddings. My recommendation is always going to be to spend this money on a mirrorless system as there are plenty of options out there and they will get the job done far more efficiently than a DSLR in 2024.

Best Low Budget Camera for Wedding Photography

Finding the best camera for wedding photography can become an expensive job, especially when paired with finding the best lenses too! The Canon R8 does a fantastic job at combining a budget friendly camera body, with the photographic powerhouse of the likes of the R6 & R5! The R8 is £1600 brand new from Canon, and they are selling for nearer the £1000 mark on Ebay. If you are looking to break into wedding photography with gear that doesn’t compromise quality, on a budget – get your hands on the R8.

To Conclude

To sum it all up, I must go with the Canon R6 Mark II as the best camera for wedding photography. It’s a clear winner when you take into account what it provides, and the price. The R5 is technically better, as is the R3 & R1, but they’re simply not necessary for a wedding photographer – overkill! I personally use the Canon R6 Mark I right now, as I don’t deem the Mark II enough of a direct upgrade to change over right now. This may change moving into next year however! If you are looking for a camera on a tighter budget – but you also want uncompromising quality – go with the EOS R8.

I’ve written a similar post about the best lens for wedding photography too, should you want to take a look at that! Take a look at my Wedding Photography, and the rest of My Website, to see how I put my camera to good use!