Even in dark places, the best low-light cameras can take pictures that are beautiful and of high quality. Some cameras are better than others because of things like the size of the sensor, how they are made, and how many pixels they have. You might have to give up on things like shutter speed or the ability to record videos, but if you do most of your photography in low light, you probably won’t need super-fast shutter speeds anyway.
Whether you want one of the best mirrorless cameras, best DSLRs, or best compact cameras, some cameras will be better for shooting in low light than others. In general, the bigger the sensor, the better it is for situations with low light. This is because it has more surface area and can therefore gather more light, but it’s not quite that simple.
Even though our guide has a lot of full-frame cameras, cameras with back-illuminated sensors tend to work best when there isn’t much light. You also need to think about the number of pixels. Cameras with fewer pixels have larger pixels, so they are better at gathering information about light. Below we mentioned the Best Low-Light Cameras.
Best Low-Light Cameras
Olympus Tough TG-6
Specifications
Sensor | 1/2.33-inch CMOS |
Megapixels | 12 |
Lens | 25-100mm (equivalent) f/2.0-4.9 AF Points: 25 |
AF type | Contrast Detection |
ISO range | 100-12800 |
This cute little compact camera is there for a very specific reason. If you like to take pictures underwater sometimes, you already know that there is less light the deeper you go. Currently, this is one of the Best Low-Light Cameras that you can buy right now.
Because of this, the TG-6 has good low-light credentials for an underwater camera, which makes it better than some of its direct competitors. It has a small sensor with a low resolution, and it comes with an f/2 lens that should let in a lot of light.
With a good ISO range of 100-12800, this camera does a great job in low-light situations. It can even shoot in raw format, which can help you bring back any lost details in your underwater photos.
Pros
- Tough
- Waterproof
- Wide aperture sensor
Cons
- Very small sensor
- Not suitable as an all-round camera
Canon G1X Mark III
Specifications
Megapixels | 24.2 |
Lens | 24-72mm (equivalent) f/2.8-5.6 AF Points: 49 |
AF type | Dual Pixel CMOS AF |
Stabilization | Lens-shift type |
ISO range | 100 – 12800 (25600 extended) |
If you want a great travel-friendly compact camera that takes better pictures in low light than your smartphone, the Canon G1X Mark III might be it. Still, this is one of the Best Low-Light Cameras that you can buy right now.
Canon did a great job of putting a DSLR-sized sensor in this (almost) pocketable device, so you have a nice big APS-C sized sensor that is ready to gather light in low light. The 3x optical zoom lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, which is too bad because it could have gone even further.
Since the Mark III, nothing has been done to improve the G1X range. It’s not likely to be anyone’s main camera, but it’s a strong contender if you want a small camera with a fair amount of flexibility.
Pros
- DSLR sized sensor in compact body
- Zoom lens
- Fully articulating screen
Cons
- Narrow maximum aperture
- An old model
- Limited battery life
Sony A9 II
Specifications
Sensor | Full-frame stacked CMOS |
ISO range | 100 – 25600 (50-204800 extended) |
Stabilization | 5-axis in-body sensor shift, 5.5 stops compensation |
AF sensitivity | -3EV |
AF type | Hybrid |
Megapixels | 24.2 AF Points: 693 (phase detection) |
A professional-level camera is probably going to be complete overkill for most enthusiast photographers, but if you want the best of the best and have the budget to spend, the Sony A9 II really is a fantastic option.
Arguably targeted primarily towards action and sports photographers, given that a lot of those subjects take place in dimly-lit environments, you can see why Sony has equipped the camera with decent low-light prowess.
It’s got a very well performing image stabilization system, while the modest pixel count on the full-frame sensor makes it good for capturing as much light as possible. The AF is incredible, and although it’s only sensitive down to -3EV, that should still be enough for most scenarios.
The major downside here is of course price. A professional camera commands a professional price tag. If you are keen to get in on the action, try looking at the camera’s predecessor (the Sony A9) for a hefty saving. For now, this is one of the Best Low-Light Cameras that you can buy right now.
Pros
- Superb autofocus
- Great image stabilization
- Well suited to lots of different subjects
Cons
- Very expensive
- Overkill for most
Nikon D850
Specifications
Sensor | Full-frame CMOS |
Megapixels | 45.7 AF Points: 153 (including 99 cross-type) |
AF type | Phase detection |
AF sensitivity | -4EV |
ISO range | 64 – 25600 (32-102400 extended) |
You could be forgiven for thinking that mirrorless cameras have completely taken over, but DSLRs still have a lot to offer. Nikon’s D850 used to be the best in its class, but its price has dropped a lot, making it a good deal compared to some of the other cameras here.
We have been saying all through this article that high resolution doesn’t help photography in low light, but here’s a camera that breaks that rule. Overall, this is one of the Best Low-Light Cameras that you can buy right now.
It is a good all-around camera because it has a sensor with a high resolution. It also does well in low light because it has a fast and sensitive AF system and a good ISO range that can be expanded.
Many people will find that DSLRs are easier to use than mirrorless cameras, and mirrorless cameras still don’t have as many lens options as DSLRs. The main problem with this camera is that it doesn’t have image stabilization built into the body. If you want to shoot handheld, you’ll have to use lenses with image stabilization.
Pros
- Traditional handling
- Fantastic all rounder
- Great autofocusing
Cons
- Older tech
- Big and bulky
- No image stabilization in body
Fujifilm X-T4
Specifications
Sensor | APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 |
ISO range | 160 – 12800 (80-51200 extended) |
Stabilization | 5-axis in-body sensor shift, 6.5 stops compensation |
Megapixels | 26.1 AF Points: 425 |
The Fujifilm X-T4 doesn’t have a lot of problems. This top-of-the-line model is a great choice for anyone who wants a good all-around camera and also shoots a lot in low light.
It would be easy to be turned off by the smaller than full-frame sensor, but Fujifilm uses APS-C to keep the body size down and find a good balance between image quality and ease of use. Also, the in-body stabilization system is so good that you can really push the sensor to get results that are easily on par with full-frame models with similar prices.
AF performance is good, and it’s sensitive down to -7EV, which is a big deal, but that’s only with the amazing Fujinon 50mm f/1.0 lens. If you don’t have that, it’s a more modest, but still respectable, -3EV. Currently, this is one of the Best Low-Light Cameras that you can buy right now.
Pros
- Good all-rounder
- Fantastic image stabilisation
- Excellent design
Cons
- Smaller sensor than others on list
Nikon Z6 II
Specifications
Sensor | Full-frame BSI CMOS |
Megapixels | 24.5MP AF Points: 273 |
AF type | Hybrid |
AF sensitivity | -4.5EV |
ISO range | 100-51200 (50-204800 extended) |
Stabilization | 5-axis in-body sensor shift |
Here’s another model that is a great all-arounder that works well in a variety of situations, even when there is not much light. The Nikon Z6 II has a sensor with a lower resolution than its more advanced sibling, the Nikon Z7 II. This makes it a good choice for shooting in low light. It also has a good autofocus system that works down to -4.5EV. That’s not as good as some of the other cameras on this list, but this one is also cheaper than some.
There is a wide range of ISO settings, and image stabilization is built into the body. This makes it easy to shoot handheld in low light. The camera also feels great to hold, and the screen and viewfinder work well together. Still, this is one of the Best Low-Light Cameras that you can buy right now.
The first is that it isn’t a huge improvement over its own predecessor. The second is that Nikon Z-mount lenses, especially wide aperture prime lenses, are still a little pricey. Still, if money is tight, you could save a decent amount of money by choosing the older model.
Pros
- Great all rounder
- Fantastic handling
- Good value for money
Cons
- Fairly light refresh of the predecessor
- Z lenses still fairly expensive
How we test Best Low-Light Cameras?
We put mirrorless and DSLR cameras through their paces both in the real world and in a carefully controlled lab. The resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio are all measured in our lab tests. Resolution is measured with ISO resolution charts, dynamic range is measured with DxO Analyzer, and noise is measured across the camera’s ISO range with DxO Analyzer as well. The comments we make in buying guides are based on these real-world tests and lab results.
What sensor size is good for low light photography?
First, when shopping for low-light cameras, think about how the size of the sensor and the number of megapixels work together. Lots of pixels are good for printing, but they can also cause more “noise” in your image, which are unwanted artefacts that make your picture look worse. When an image is exposed for a long time, each pixel (or photosite) can produce a certain amount of heat.
FAQs
What lens should you use with a low-light camera?
It’s important to think about what lenses a camera can use. You should try to find zooms or primes with a wide aperture or any lens with an aperture of f/2.8 or less. This lets as much light as possible hit the image sensor. If you choose a camera with interchangeable lenses, you can buy these. If you want a compact camera with a fixed lens, check its maximum aperture so you know what you are working with.
What ISO setting should you use in low light?
After the lens’s aperture rating, the ISO range of a camera probably makes the biggest difference in how well an image is exposed in low light. ISO is the number that shows how sensitive the image sensor is to light. It can be in the tens, hundreds, thousands, or even millions. When there is a lot of light, ISO 100 is the best setting because it makes the least amount of image noise.
What shutter speed should you use for low light?
In low light, you should try to use the slowest shutter speed possible to let as much light as possible hit the sensor. With Bulb mode and a stable camera support like a tripod, the shutter speeds you can use are practically unlimited. Just be aware that anything moving in front of the lens will be blurred so much that it will be hard to see.