Nowadays, cameras aren’t what they used to be 10 years ago. There have been significant improvements in the camera technologies whether it is the built in sensor, image processors, available set of lens or other improvements. So, the user now gets a lot more in a camera such as efficient photography, clearer image quality and most importantly, ability to capture images in low light conditions.
There is a separate category of high-end cameras that are specifically designed for low light conditions and will provide you with extraordinary results irrespective of the available natural light around you. But even if a camera has great performance in low light conditions, you still have to consider multiple aspects to get a perfect low light camera as follows.
- ISO Range: Along with each camera, you will notice a specific ISO range. This is the most crucial property considering low light photography. You will require significantly lower light for a great capture with a high ISO sensitivity supported camera.
- Sensor: The sensor of a camera is basically the part that captures the image and converts that into digital format. The sensor quality changes from camera to camera depending on factors like make and resolution.
- Lens and Lens Compatibility: The lenses are a highly important part of any professional camera. In most of these choices, you will find the option to replace the factory lens with the one that suits your photography style the most. Although, various brands of cameras support different ranges of lenses so you need to be mindful of that.
Similar to DSLR and other types of premium cameras, there is a wide range of options available for each budget, even when you are considering the best low-light camera. And each of the cameras comes with a range of specifications that must be properly acknowledged and understood before you decide to buy one. To help you with that, we are bringing you the best low-light cameras in the market right here. Along with detailed specifications and advantages of each choice, you will also find a “Buying Guide” for the best low-light cameras later in the article.
Best Low Light Cameras Table
Best Low Light Camera Reviews
1. Panasonic Low Light Camera
Panasonic Lumix FZ80 is a small and powerful camera made for taking photos and videos. Its skill in handling tough lighting proves its expertise in photography.
The Post Focus tool, which enables you to adjust your images even after they’ve been taken, is a notable feature. This feature gives you a level of artistic freedom that is uncommon in cameras.
The camera’s high-resolution viewfinder and intuitive user-friendly design further enhance the overall experience. Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just starting out design ensures that you can effortlessly capture shots with ease.
Best Features
- 60X Zoom
- 4K Video
- Low-Light Performance
- Post Focus
- High-Resolution Viewfinder
Pros
- Versatile Zoom
- Excellent Video Quality
- Good Low-Light Performance
- Creative Post Focus
- User-Friendly
Cons
- Bulkier Size
- Average Low-Light Performance
2. Sony Low Light Camera
Sony a7 III is a full-frame mirrorless camera suitable for photographers of all levels. Even in difficult low-light situations, its powerful 24.2MP sensor excels at capturing photographs in detail. Its lightning-fast and precise autofocus technology, which has 693 phase-detection points and 425 contrast-detection points, is one of its characteristics. This system ensures precise subject tracking, making it proficient in a variety of lighting situations.
It comes with image stabilization, 4K video, quiet shooting, two SD card slots, and a flexible touchscreen. These features make it easy for photographers to create good photos and videos.
The camera is designed with user-friendliness in mind, boasting an intuitive menu system and a comfortable grip. The tilting touchscreen helps you compose shots from different angles.
Best Features
- Powered by Sony’s BIONZ X image processor
- Full frame 35 mm images sensor
- 2 MP resolution
- ISO range 50 to 204800
- It comes with a 28 – 7 mm lens kit
- 10 fps capture speed
- 425 AF points
Pros
- Autofocus feature is great
- Premium grade camera
- ISO range is very high
Cons
- Lens kit could have been better
3. Nikon Low Light Camera
Nikon D7500 DSLR camera offers a 20.9MP APS-C sensor, it delivers image quality, characterized by sharp details, vibrant colors, and minimal noise, even in challenging low-light conditions.
With a 51-point autofocus technology, it can concurrently take eight pictures in one second while focusing on the right subject. Consequently, if you wish to capture images of moving objects.
Additionally, the 4K video recording capability at 30fps, along with Full HD video at 60fps, ensures it is equally adept at videography. This helps photographers take pictures more comfortably and frame their shots easily. It can take up to 950 pictures on just one charge. So, you can go out and take lots of photos without worrying about the battery running out.
Best Features
- Powered by EXPEED 5 image processor
- 5 mm x 15.7 mm images sensor
- 9 MP resolution
- ISO range 100 to 51200
- It comes with an 18 – 140 mm lens kit
- 8 fps capture speed
- Capable of 4K recording
Pros
- It is a professional DSLR camera
- Compatible with a range of Nikon F mount lenses
- Great lens kit provided on the camera
Cons
- Comparatively difficult to use for a beginner
4. Canon Low Light Camera
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera has a powerful 30.4MP sensor that takes photos, no matter the lighting. It excels in low light and produces images with clarity, rich detail, and vivid color.
Its 7.0 frames per second continuous shooting speed allows for the capture of Photos, making it as a choice for both professionals and enthusiasts. This Camera has something called Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which makes it good at focusing quickly and accurately.
This implies that every photo you take will be crisp and sharp. It’s like a camera that automatically changes its focus to get the best shots. Furthermore, networking and teamwork are facilitated by the presence of GPS and built-in Wi-Fi.
Best Features
- Powered by DIGIC 6 plus image processor
- 36 x 24 mm CMOS images sensor
- 4 MP resolution
- Normal ISO range 100 to 32000
- Extended ISO range 50 to 102400
- 7 fps capture speed
- The Dual Pixel autofocus system
Pros
- Unique AF system
- ISO range is great
- Powerful sensor
Cons
5. Fujifilm Low Light Camera
Fujifilm X-T3 mirrorless camera has a 26.1MP sensor, which means it takes photos, even in tricky lighting. The photos it takes are detailed, with vivid colours and a wide range of light and dark areas. It’s similar to having a camera that captures all the small details and colours in your photographs.
It has remarkable 4K video recording capability at 60 frames per second. This can take 30 pictures in just one second while keeping the focus and exposure just right.
The autofocus system, featuring 2.16 million phase detection pixels across the entire frame, is both swift and accurate, even when tracking fast-moving subjects. It is further complemented by a 3.69 million dot OLED colour viewfinder with 0.75x magnification, providing a precise and experience. Creativity knows no bounds with the X-T3, offering 16 film simulation modes for a myriad of artistic expressions.
Best Features
- Powered by X processor 4 image processor
- 5 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor
- 1 MP resolution sensor
- Efficient for 4K recording
- Supports 4K recording at 60p
- 16M phase detection
- Low light phase detection
Pros
- It has an OLED 3.69 million dots digital display
- The sensor is capable of great photography and videography
- 16 different film simulation modes
Cons
6. Nikon Z 6II Low Light Camera
Nikon Z 6II, a versatile mirrorless camera adapts to a multitude of shooting scenarios, making it a choice for those seeking a camera that can do it all.
This has a 24.5MP sensor means it is good at taking pictures, no matter how the lighting is. It captures photos with lots of sharp details and true-to-life colors. With dependable AF/AE tracking, it gives a 14 frames per second of continuous shooting.
Because it can capture 4K UHD video at 60 frames per second, this camera excels not only in photography but also in videography. has an advanced focus system that quickly and precisely keeps your subject in focus.
Best Features
- Powered by Nikon EXPEED image processor
- 9 x 23.9 mm CMOS sensor images sensor
- 5 MP resolution
- ISO range 100 to 51200
- It comes with a 24 – 70 mm lens kit
- 14 fps capture speed
- Compatible with NIKKOR Z lenses
Pros
- Versatile choices are available for the lens kit
- Powerful sensor and image processor
- Excellent low light performance
Cons
- Lens kit could have been better
7. OLYMPUS Low Light Camera
We have one more highly compact and portable option coming from OLYMPUS. Even though it is an affordable choice, it comes with a default lens kit which is appreciable.
Packed with a 20 MP MOS sensor, the OLYMPUS OM-D E-M10 Mark IV offers decent performance despite being a compact micro four-thirds sensor. The cameras also feature an interchangeable lens system with a 14 – 42 mm lens kit installed by default that can be replaced by any lens compatible with the micro four-thirds mount. The digital display on the OLYMPUS OM-D E-M10 Mark IV fully supports portrait mode as it can be flipped downwards to see the preview from the front of the camera.
The ISO range on the OLYMPUS OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is pretty attractive as you can manage it between 80 to 25600. It offers built-in 5 axis image stabilization and is capable of 4.5 shutter speed steps to compensate for the motion and produce a perfectly still image. There are 16 different art styles that you can choose from while taking the photo. As for the zooming capacity, you can enjoy 2x digital zoom without any quality loss and 3x optical zoom capacity.
Best Features
- 14 – 42 mm lens kit on the camera
- 20 MP MOS sensor
- Micro four-thirds sensor for the compact form factor
- Portrait mode supported
- 80 to 25600 ISO range
- 5 axis image stabilization
- 5 shutter speed steps
Pros
- Cheap, compact, and portable low light camera
- Great ISO range
- Great zooming capacity
Cons
- Image processor could be better
Buying Guide For The Best Low Light Camera
In our list of the best low light cameras, you can find a variety of premium cameras mentioned with all the necessary information that you need to know before buying your own unit. But, to make a perfect choice, you will have to thoroughly consider these factors and make sure that your choice features the best parameters regarding your preferred application.
To make that possible, we will strongly suggest you invest a little bit of time in our buying guide for the best low-light cameras provided here. This guide deals with all of these crucial factors such as ISO sensitivity range, sensor quality, image processor, lens type, etc., that you can study in brief. Once you go through our buying guide, we can assure you that you will have more knowledge about low-light cameras in general and will be able to make a perfect choice based on these standards.
1. The sensor of The Camera
The sensor of a camera is its most important part as it is the hardware that captures the data available on the scene and converts it into a digital image. The sensor sends raw data to the image sensor to further process the image.
Thus, the sensor of your camera has to be good so that it can produce high-quality images. It also affects the low light performance of the camera as the supported ISO range changes with the sensor. A large sensor is capable of intaking more data at once so that the image processor has more data to work with. This usually results in a more detailed output in comparison with a lower-sized sensor. Another important factor is the resolution of the sensor, which creates differences in the image in terms of color accuracy and sharpness.
2. Lens Mount and Included Lens Kit
All photography enthusiasts will be familiar with this parameter. The lens on a camera further improves the capabilities of the camera sensor and allows you to get the perfect shot in various conditions. Although, the factory lenses provided with the camera are weaker compared to the professional lens kits available in the market.
Therefore, a lot of brands also provide you with the option to only buy a camera body and apply the lens kit of your choice. So, if you already own a decent set of lens kits, it would be very profitable to get a camera body unit without a factory lens which will cost you quite a low investment. But, it would be only beneficial if the lens that you are going to apply is compatible with the camera. You Can check that by confirming the lens type and supported lens mount of the camera.
3. Autofocus Capability
The focus capabilities of a camera are also an important factor and especially affect the results in low lighting conditions. To study the focus capabilities of your camera, you will have to use the unit for a significant period of time and study its output in different environments. But, you can get an idea of how the camera is going to perform in terms of focusing by paying attention to the specifications provided by the manufacturer.
Before you get used to the manual focus of the camera, you can rely on the autofocus feature of the camera and get a decent shot in all conditions. The autofocus is different for different cameras as it is tuned in a different way by every manufacturer. The autofocus also helps while you are taking a video as it allows you to automatically track an object in the front without losing focus. The autofocus is usually great with premium DSLR and point-and-shoot cameras.
4. Image Processor
You should also consider the image processor powering the camera as it is solely responsible for converting the data captured from the sensor into a digital image. With decent information about the image processor, you can get a vague idea about how the camera will perform in different conditions. You will find exclusive image processors from each brand powering their low-light cameras.
Therefore, you will find that each option produces a unique result even if used for identical scenes. Hence, this parameter cannot be ignored while purchasing a new camera, especially for low light performance. The image processor is responsible for the digital properties of an image, such as contrast, saturation, color accuracy, and much more. In most cases, getting a better image processor-powered camera is more important than getting a higher resolution sensor.
5. ISO Range
Lastly, we will talk about the ISO range of the camera. In simpler words, ISO sensitivity defines the amount of light necessary to produce the image in the camera. The sensitivity is provided in the form of a range that you can manually adjust according to your requirements.
In real-time, the camera that supports a high ISP range is capable of better low light performance compared to the one that has a lower ISO range support. But, it also comes at a cost as the very high ISO range will produce significant noise in your images that are highly distasteful. Therefore, you need to make sure that the camera you are buying has a high ISO range so that you can manually adjust the settings to the perfect level that is necessary at the time of capturing the photo.
Conclusion
Photography has become more than just a hobby ever since the first lineup of DSLR cameras was unveiled. These premium cameras provided photography and videography enthusiasts with a perfect tool to convert their hobby into a full-fledged profession. Today, you can find thousands of different cameras that are designed to serve different types of purposes.
Even low light is not a problem anymore as there are dedicated cameras available that offer advanced low light performance. With such a camera, you can test your capabilities day or night and get a breathtaking capture with every click. If you need help while deciding which one to buy, simply refer to our buying guide for the best low-light camera given above. We will also provide you with some of our top recommendations right here.
- If you want a simple point-and-shoot camera on an affordable budget, the Panasonic Low Light Camera will be the best choice for you. It comes with a default 24 to 72 mm lens with built-in optical image stabilization. The ISO range for this camera ranges from 80 to 6400, which works perfectly for low light cameras paired with the 3 inches LCD display.
- The Sony Low Light Camera is a premium choice specifically designed for low light performance as it features an ISO range of 50 to 204800. It comes with a 28 – 70 mm lens provided on the unit that you can replace with one of your preferred choices from the E mount lens series. It also operates over the powerful Sony Bionz X image processor that is proven to create beautiful results.
- The Nikon low Light Camera is one of the most renowned chives from Nikon as it features a high quality 18 – 140 mm Lens, which is pretty decent in case you like taking long-distance shots. It is also capable of recording 4K UHD videos and 1080p videos with stereo sound compatibility. You will be getting an EXPEED 5 image processor with this low-light camera.