While there may not be one perfect camera, I will show you how to choose the best camera for portraits in this article. You’d think portrait photographers would be a very specific market and, therefore, easy to please. It’s all about photographing people, right? Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that portrait photography is a term that covers a wide range of photographers who all have a unique set of requirements.
With camera manufacturers aiming to attract as many customers as possible, a single camera body that’s specifically aimed at portrait photographers doesn’t really exist. So, let’s look at some of the features that should be on your radar when upgrading your portrait camera.
How to Choose the Best Type of Camera for Portraits
For years, the DLSR camera has been the best choice for portrait photography. The technology was tried, trusted, and refined to the point that there wasn’t any need to even consider mirrorless cameras. The DSLR also has real advantages over mirrorless, especially for studio-based portrait photographers, and it all starts with the viewfinder. With nothing but air separating your eyes and the scene, a DSLR’s viewfinder will never suffer from being totally dark or super grainy when you turn the room lights down. Also, the mechanical sound of the mirror flipping up when you press the shutter lets your model know when a photo is taken, allowing them to switch poses.
However, as good as DSLRs are, almost all newly released cameras for the past few years have been mirrorless. You’ll find the latest and greatest tech in the newest mirrorless cameras, such as the Nikon Z8. Electronic viewfinders (or EVFs for short) have come a long way and are no longer dark and grainy. You also don’t need to use them. Shooting only with the rear LCD allows a portrait photographer to have far better communication with their models as they no longer have a camera blocking their faces.
Sensor Size
When deciding how to choose the best camera for portraits, you might start with sensor size. Ask most portrait photographers what sensor size is best for portrait photography, and they almost always say the same thing. Full-frame sensors are what you need. Technically, all sensors record the “full frame” regardless of their size, but does size make a difference? Well, yes and no.
Medium Format
At the top of the size scale is Medium Format. It’s the biggest sensor in physical size and potentially in price, too. Big sensors mean big camera bodies, big lenses, and big file sizes. It’s not a big issue in the studio, but it is something to consider if you work on location. Take the Hasselblad X2D 100C; it can record images at over 100 megapixels. If ultimate detail is your goal, here’s where to look.
Full Frame
The sensor size we all call “full frame” equates roughly to the old 35mm film size and is the sweet spot for many portrait photographers. There are dozens of full-frame cameras to choose from and a wide range of price points. You’ll also find many camera manufacturers use this sensor size in their flagship models, such as the Sony A9 III.
APS-C
The APS-C sensor is slightly smaller, but don’t let size fool you. The small sensor size can mean smaller camera bodies and potentially lighter lenses. One place an APC-C sensor doesn’t always lose is in pixel count. The Fujifilm X-T5 can capture 40 million pixel images, and if you shoot portraits with flash, the slightly higher ISO noise of a smaller sensor is irrelevant as the flash is super bright, so your ISO will stay low.
Micro FourThirds
Micro FourThirds is the smallest of the sensor sizes, but if you can look beyond the popular misconception that bigger is always better, you’ll be in for a treat. Lightweight bodies and lenses are great when you’re shooting all day. With images of around 20 million pixels, you won’t even have to invest in extra storage. The OM SYSTEM OM-1 is about as good as it gets in this sensor size.
Other Features
Sensor size is obviously important to portrait photographers, but it isn’t the most important thing. As I mentioned at the start, portrait photographers will each have a unique set of needs, and often, a feature other than pixel count makes a camera perfect.
In Body Image Stabilization (IBIS)
One innovation that came along with mirrorless cameras is the movable sensor. IBIS, short for In Body Image Stabilization, is a feature that reduces camera shake by moving the sensor. The advantage to portrait photographers is the same as for any other kind of photography because less camera shake means sharper photos. But what about photographers who use flash to freeze their subjects? They still win because IBIS works even when you don’t fully press the shutter, so you can frame up your shot shake-free.
ISO Performance
If you work with LED or natural light, then a camera’s ISO range and quality are going to be high on your list of essential info. The general rule is bigger sensors perform better at higher ISOs than smaller sensors. But look a little closer, and you’ll find it’s just a little more subtle than that. Cameras like the Canon EOS R6 Mark II have relatively low pixel counts, so those pixels are relatively large. The upshot of larger pixels is they’re able to gather more light. Look for low pixel density if high ISO performance is important to you.
Autofocus
As every portrait photographer knows, getting tack-sharp eyes is essential. Autofocus makes this a lot easier and is something you might take for granted, but should definitely be a factor in how you choose the best camera for your portraits. Not all autofocus systems are equal. A camera with phase detect AF is going to focus faster than a contrast-detect AF camera. Similarly, more AF points are good but double-check how much of the viewfinder they cover. Lastly, there’s face and eye tracking AF. This feature will quickly become an essential tool for any portrait photographer, especially for those really shallow depth-of-field portraits.
Buttons
Modern cameras are awash with buttons; some are essentially the same on all cameras, such as Menu, Playback, Delete, and the shutter button, whereas others’ buttons are much more unique. Sometimes, you might not need a particular button, so having the option to re-map unused buttons or, better still, having custom buttons is a real bonus. There’s also the risk of accidentally pressing a button mid-shoot, which messes with the camera functions; trust me, I’ve been there many times, so check if unwanted buttons can be permanently disabled.
Tethering
Tethered capture is a great way to review your portraits on a large screen and keep everyone on the set up to speed. If this is something you wish to do, then perhaps a camera with built-in wi-fi tethering is required. USB tethering is far more common, but not every camera supports this. Don’t assume a camera can tether just because it has a USB port. Then there’s the software. Does your old software support the latest and greatest camera? Actually, this doesn’t just apply to tethering; it also applies to RAW file conversion.
Conclusion
Choosing the perfect portrait camera is something that’s always going to be a very personal choice, but having a list of what’s important to your photography can really help narrow down the options. How you choose the best camera for portraits will be unique to your needs and style. The one thing you can be sure of is that your portrait photography will evolve over time, so don’t dismiss a camera that has features that you currently don’t need; you never know where your photography will take you next!
