Wildlife photography is a challenging yet very rewarding niche. Capturing moving animals or delicate plants on camera is an art and like every other art, practice, practice makes perfect.

To succeed as a wildlife photographer, the camera you choose must be easy to use and capable of capturing perfect shots in the spur of the moment. The Camera should be able to capture and deliver crisp, details-rich, and engaging images. That said, here are our five best picks of wildlife photography cameras of 2020/2021.

1. Nikon D500
Presently, this camera has been rated as the best for wildlife photography. Part of its appeal lies in the fact that it can deliver up to 200 shots in RAW mode and its ability to take up to 10 shots per second.

This means ample opportunity for you to capture that elusive shot, since you can generate lots of images within a short duration. In fact, of all the DX sensor cameras, the Nikon D500 has the fastest ever Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) rate.

Turning to lighting challenges, the Nikon D5OO is equipped with a wide ISO performance range, which can go as high as ISO 1,638,400; making it ideal for shooting in low-lit conditions.

The beauty does not end there- compared to its siblings in the Nikon fraternity, the Nikon D500 is much quieter, which is a plus for wildlife photographers looking to capture smaller creatures which might be easily spooked by random sounds.

As far as interaction with the environment goes, this camera is designed to withstand the harsh conditions that come with the outdoors; so that whether you use it in summer or winter, the Nikon D500 is built to last.



Photo: pixabay.com

2. Sony a77II
It is hard to think of advanced imaging and not think of Sony. Among its already impressive DSLR camera range, the Sony a77II has received much acclaim due to its fantastic sensor and image processor. This powerhouse can produce 24MP photographs at the rate of 14 frames per second (fps) and Full HD videos at 60fps.

The camera’s highest ISO stands at 25,600- not shabby, particularly for beginners looking to affordably progress into professional wildlife photography. The camera is a whizz when it comes to features that counter unwanted movement.

One such feature is the camera’s 5-axis image stabilization aspect, which counters five different kinds of (inadvertent) camera shake to ensure a sharper image.

Also, its High-performance fast hybrid feature is designed to ensure that when capturing a fast-moving object, the camera lens holds onto the object and renders it with crisp clarity. As for storage, the camera’s 14-bit uncompressed RAW format enables you to store an enormous amount of data at a time.



Cheetah on the move. Photo: pixabay.com

3. Nikon D850 FX
We all know that you cannot stage-manage wildlife photography. It is part of what makes it so exciting! But do you sometimes get exasperated when taking wildlife photos at awkward angles? Fret no more. With the Nikon D850 FX, you can enjoy the benefits of a tilting LCD touchscreen, which allows you to take perfect pictures even at odd angles!

Overall, this camera also ranks among the best globally for wildlife photography, due to its 45mp BSI (Back-Side Illuminated) image sensor.

In addition, it features a wide range of ISOs, so much so that the range has been conveniently split into two categories- native and expanded. Under the native ISO, you get to enjoy a range of 64- 24,000 while the expanded ISO runs from 32 all the way up to 120,400. This means superb pictures with no graininess even in dim light



A Hummingbird up-close. Photo: pixabay.com

4. Canon EOS 7D Mark II Digital SLR
For those incredibly tough fast-paced environments, then the Canon EOS 7D Mark II Digital SLR is your go to camera. With 20.2mp, coupled with APS-C CMOS sensor and Dual Digic 6 Image processing, you are assured of easy, clear captures, even with dramatic subjects.

Besides, its pathfinder allows you to adjust the settings without ever having to let go of your viewfinder. In other words, you can change your settings while keeping an eye on your target! How cool is that? As for frames, this sleek and minimalistic canon captures up to 10fps of quality images. The product is also good news for photographers who wish to capture their subjects in limited or challenging lighting, as it has an impressive ISO capability of upto 51500. You will also be happy to note that the Canon EOS 7D Mark II Digital SLR delivers picture- perfect Full HD video as well.



A view-find of a meditating Buddha. Photo: pixabay.com

5. Sony Alpha A7III
The titans of digital technology are at it again with the Sony Alpha a7III. One of the aspects that easily stand out with this product is the minimalistic design which belies the horde of features it carries! This small lightweight camera boasts of a 10fps frame rate, with the option of saving your images on 2SD cards.

It also carries one of the most technologically progressive features- Sony's Eye Auto Focus (or Eye AF) mode. What this feature does is it helps you ‘find’ and hold the eye of your subject, which is especially useful when shooting a moving subject at high frame rates. The Eye AF mode ensures that all your shots have the subject’s eye in focus- an achievement that may otherwise prove elusive when attempted manually in a high paced environment.



Perfect eye capture of an Owl. Photo: pixabay.com

As a bonus, the Sony Alpha A7III is a mirrorless compact camera, thus perfect for travel.

Whichever option you opt for and no matter your skill level, picking one of these cameras is as trustworthy as searching for the best betting app on BestAppBet. It is set to make your wildlife photography truly stand out!