Best Beginner Camera For Wildlife Photography 2021

Photography is a passion for many people and it’s a wide field of interest. Passion, dedication, hard work, talent everything is required in this field. Wildlife photography is a very skill appreciating field in photography and as a beginner, you have to do a great amount of hard work and require a great camera which is the best beginner camera for wildlife photography to achieve the expertise level.

Shooting wildlife is a very tough job, you have to face unpredictable challenges as you are capturing wildlife in their natural habitat, i.e, an environment which will test you now and then, and you as well as your best beginner camera for wildlife photography must be prepared for any upcoming challenges.

As the wildlife is unpredictable and you have to prepare for everything earlier. So you must select a camera with the required features that will make your camera the best beginner camera for wildlife photography. So that you must never miss any shot due to lack of features in your camera.

And for selecting a great camera for wildlife photography you will have to do a huge amount of research. And we have done the research work for you.

In the following article about the best beginner camera for wildlife photography, we have selected the 10 best cameras as per your requirements. We selected the cameras on the basis of their size of the sensor, low light performance, ease of operation, shooting speed, and many other factors that a camera requires to perform best in the wildlife.

All you need is to go through our article and find your best beginner camera for wildlife photography. Just pick up one from our top 10 list and set out to the fascinating world of wildlife photography and follow your passion.

Our top picks of best beginner camera for wildlife photography

S. NoImageProductCurrent Price
1Sony Alpha 6400Sony Alpha 6400 View On Amazon
2FujiFilm X-T30FujiFilm X-T30 View On Amazon
3FujiFilm X-T30Canon EOS 90D View On Amazon
4Canon EOS rebel T7iCanon EOS Rebel T7i View On Amazon
5Sony RX100 VIISony RX100 VI View On Amazon
6Canon G5X Mark IICanon G5X Mark II View On Amazon
7Canon Eos7d Mark IICanon 7D Mark II View On Amazon
8Olympus OM-D E-M1X Olympus OM-D E-M1X View On Amazon
9Panasonic LUMIX DC-S1RPanasonic LUMIX DC-S1R View On Amazon
10Pentax K3 IIPentax K3 II View On Amazon

1. Sony Alpha 6400

Sony Alpha 6400

Sony Alpha 6400 is the first camera in this list with smart AI, highly customizability, and decent performance in dimmed lights which makes it one of the best beginner camera for wildlife photography. If you have a budget above the price of Alpha 6400 you might go for Alpha a6600. However, this camera still stands affordable yet powerful.

A6400 is good when you are intending to capture moving subjects like animals. Sony Alpha 6400 features a smart subject tracking system. Newly adopted AI-based subject recognition technology makes it efficient to focus and shoot moving animals or other objects.

Also, a large number of customization features in this camera will give you greater flexibility, and mapping how you want to use it. It has lots of features for a beginner to play with, well worth the money.

Besides it vibrant shots, smart AI, and controls, it also gives a decent low light performance which would be very useful in photography after sunset.

Sony Alpha 6400 -
  • Resolution: 24.2 megapixels
  • Video: 4k ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 11fps
  • Dimensions: 120 x 67 x 50 mm
  • Weight: 403g.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB 2.0
  • Battery: Up to 410 shots

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerSony
Model noILCE6400L/B
Dimensions6.2 x 9.2 x 4.55 inches
Weight1.7 pounds
Pros
  • Produce Crisp JPEG images with few sharpening artifacts at low ISOs.
  • DRO helps with high-contrast scenes
  • Electronic first curtain shutter option
  • Focus peaking and Zebra patterns
  • Tiling high-resolution LCD
  • Full HD videos at up to 60p with stereo audio.
  • Good control over settings in movie mode
  • Brilliant high ISO performance for a 24MP APS-C sensor
  • Very low shutter lag
  • Generous buffer depths
  • Compact kit lens
  • Dual media (SD/MS Duo) card slot
Cons
  • LCD is not touchscreen.
  • Standard microphone jack is not there
  • Sluggish startup
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2. FujiFilm X-T30– best beginner camera for wildlife photography

The second best beginner camera for wildlife photography  in our list is the Fujifilm X-T30.

Fujifilm cameras are popular. The FujiFilm X-T30 was launched in 2019 and has been popular for its all-purpose ability and a burst speed of amazingly 20 photos per second with no crop.

The X-T30 is compact, very lightweight, and handy. Its build and usability make it a perfect travel companion and one of the best all-purpose cameras under a thousand USD.

Besides its good performance, easy and playable controls, and being so handy, it has (comparatively) lesser battery life. Yet, it is one of the best cameras for traveling; you might like to buy extra batteries.

Cameras like FujiFilmX-T30 are best for people who know nothing about photography as well as for the professionals who want to try a mirrorless camera for the first time.

FujiFilm X-T30 -
  • Resolution: 26 megapixels
  • Video: 4k Ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 20 fps
  • Dimensions: 118 x 83 x 47 mm
  • Weight: 383g.
  • Connectivity: W-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB 3.1
  • Battery: Up to 380 shots

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerFujiFilm
Model noX-T30 XF18-55MM Kit Silver
Dimensions1.84 x 3.26 x 4.66 inches
Weight3.5 pounds
Pros
  • Decent battery for a mirrorless camera
  • Supports internal USB charging
  • External mic jack
  • Full HD up to 120p
  • Excellent high ISO performance for an APS-C camera
  • Very good dynamic range from raw files
  • Provides separate highlight and shadow contrast control
  • D-Range features work well to preserve highlights in JPEGs
  • Improved hybrid AF system with full image area coverage.
  • 30 fps bursts in 1.25x crop mode
  • Decent buffer depths and clearing times
  • Full-width DCI & UHD 4K video up to 30p
Cons
  • Not weather sealed
  • Single card slot
  • No IBIS
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3. Canon EOS 90D

Canon EOS 90D

Canon EOS 90D is the third in our list of best beginner camera for wildlife photography.

The Dual Pixel CMOS AutoFocus system is the worldโ€™s fastest AutoFocus at approx. 0.03 second and it is featured in the Canon EOS 90D.

Also, it is one of the cameras professionals have been suggesting to rookies stepping into photography. This camera will absolutely be a great choice if you want a greater steep in your learning curve.

And, the Canon EOS is a mid-range DSLR with a low range price. Excellent RAW quality and high ISO noise performance, finely detailed JPEG, and charming colors make this camera popular.

With such performance, quality, and reviews of the EOS 90D, we can conclude that it might be going to be one of the best cameras you will ever use.

Canon EOS 90D -
  • Resolution: 33 megapixel
  • Video: 4k Ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 11fps
  • Dimensions: 141 x 105 x 77 mm
  • Weight: 701g.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB for power delivery
  • Battery:  Up to 1300 shots per charge

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerCanon
Model no3616C009
Dimensions3 x 5.5 x 4.1 inches
Weight3.03 pounds
Pros
  • Excellent image quality, especially at low ISOs
  • C-RAW (compressed raw) saves space with very little observable quality loss
  • Excellent AF performance with both optical viewfinder & Live View
  • Face Detection AF with Viewfinder AF
  • Fast 10fps burst with C-AF
  • Electronic shutter option allows for faster 1/16000s shutter speed
  • Dust- and moisture-resistant construction
  • Improved ergonomics with deeper handgrip
  • Lots of physical controls with good user customization
  • 24p framerate lacking at release but added with the firmware update
  • Excellent battery life, especially with an optical viewfinder
Cons
  • Single card slot
  • Video not available with higher quality ALL-I format
  • Limited buffer capacity
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4. Canon EOS Rebel T7i

best beginner camera for wildlife photography

The EOS Rebel T7i camera has professional features in an easy-to-use and highly customizable package and all of its features make it a strong candidate in the list of best beginner camera for wildlife photography.

Earlier we have discussed the Dual Pixel CMOS AF. The fastest Dual Pixel CMOS AF system in Canon EOS Rebel T7 provides very fast and accurate autofocus.

The feature assistant is great for newcomers and inexperienced in photography. Although, you may switch it off after gaining some experience with the traditional user interface.

Prior to its predecessors the Rebel T7i features more shortcut buttons for Wi-Fi, brightness, focus change. So, it is so easy to access all functions when viewing through view-finder and not using its LCD screen.

Canon EOS Rebel T7i -
  • Resolution: 24 megapixels
  • Video: 4k ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 6 fps
  • Dimensions: 131 x 100 x 76 mm
  • Weight: 532g.
  • Connectivity: Wi-fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB 2.0
  • Battery: Up to 600 shots

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerCanon
Model no1894C002
Dimensions3 x 5.2 x 3.9 inches
Weight1.18 pounds
Pros
  • Dual Pixel autofocus is fast and accurate in live view
  • Excellent LCD screen with very nice colors
  • Kit lens is easy to use and is of high quality
Cons
  • Provides no way to change Auto ISO minimum shutter speed
  • Single SD card slot
  • Smaller viewfinder
  • No AF fine tune
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5. Sony RX100 VI or VII

Sony RX100 VII

Sony RX100 VI is yet another best beginner camera for wildlife photography  with all its features suiting the newbies to learn in a better way.

Burst mode is incredibly fast. Up to and more than 20 frames with continuous focus, so you can choose the right moment you want.

Good contrast, detailed and vibrant photos  are really good and hence appreciated by the users, almost as good as a DSLR. Unlike digital zoom which crops and stretches out the image, optical zooming is a built-in feature in point and shoot and bridge cameras. The RX100 gives 8.3x optical zooming which is good if your subject is distant and you want to shoot without disturbing them by reaching in front.

Additionally, the RX100 is small, compact but fully loaded with everything you will need including an electric viewfinder. It is also very customizable. To make it more convenient, you are given the option to assign shortcut buttons.

Moreover, the cameras of RX series are hugely appreciated by users moreover, many professional photographers and DSLR users have appreciated its performance and color capturing.

Sony RX100 VI -
  • Resolution: 20.1 megapixel
  • Video: 4k ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 20 fps
  • Dimensions: 102 x 58 x 43 mm
  • Weight: 302g.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, HDMI, USB for power
  • Battery: Up to 260 shots per charge

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerSony
Model noDSCRX100M6/B
Dimensions4 x 1.7 x 2.29 inches
Weight10.6 ounces
Pros
  • USB charging
  • Built in flash
  • Wi-Fi system is quick and simple
  • Excellent Autofocus
  • Shoot up to 24 fps, even with Raw capture and AF
  • Focus peaking
  • HLG support
  • Detailed 4k video
Cons
  • No mic socket
  • Low light performance is reduced
  • Limited battery life
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6. Canon G5X Mark II

best beginner camera for wildlife photography

The size of Canon G5X is super compact. The screen is bright, clear, can be tilted forwards 5x optical zoom lens is excellent with a great aperture range.

With the image stabilization integrated, even your shakiest hands are not going to degrade the image quality or blurring it out when taking a picture.

Viewfinder makes it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD screen. The built-in Electronic viewfinder in the G5X has coverage of 100%. It means that it will shoot the photographs of your objects exactly how you are seeing it on the viewfinder, it ensures accurate framing of the image and lesser need of cropping it out.

Besides these, the G5X delivers amazing autofocus and has a great macro reach, and 5x optical zooming ability which is good for shooting if the subject is in midrange distance and all of these features puts it in the list of best beginner camera for wildlife photography.

Canon G5X Mark II -
  • Resolution: 20 megapixel
  • Video: 4k ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 30fps
  • Dimensions: 111 x 61 x 46 mm
  • Weight: 340g.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB
  • Battery: Up to 230 shots

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerCanon
Model no3070C001
Dimensions1.8 x 4.4 x 2.4 inches
Weight1.76 ounces
Pros
  • Versatile wide-angle 4.2x zoom
  • Fast maximum aperture (f/1.8-2.8)
  • Very good image quality, particularly when shooting RAW
  • Good dynamic range in RAW files
  • RAW files slightly soft out-of-camera, but sharpen nicely in post
  • Good color and hue accuracy
  • Able to autofocus in very low light
  • Built-in Wi-Fi with NFC
  • Wi-Fi app allows focus and zoom adjustments, but no exposure changes
  • Front grip and plentiful controls help the G5X handle very well
  • Vari-angle touchscreen display is useful and responsive
Cons
  • Battery life not so impressive
  • No 4k or slow motion video features
  • No headphone or mic jacks
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7. Canon 7D Mark II

Canon Eos 7D Mark II

Canon 7D Mark II has 20.2 MP CMOS sensor and ISO of  100-16000 for quality focus shooting of photos and videos.

It has incredible  speed of  continuous shooting which can go through upto 10.0 fps Also, it has all new 65-point which are all cross-type AF-system for accurate focus subject.

And, it can record awesome Full HD video with manual Movie Servo AF mode  which can control speed and sensitivity. Also it has Dual Pixel CMOS AF which gives you the flexibility to shoot videos and photos like a camcorder and all of these incredible features makes it one of the best beginner camera for wildlife photography.

Canon 7D Mark II -
  • Resolution: 20. 2megapixels
  • Video: 4k ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 10fps
  • Dimensions: 149 x 112 x 78 mm
  • Weight: 910g.
  • Connectivity: HDMI, USB 3.0
  • Battery: Up to 670 shots

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerCanon
Model no9128B002
Dimensions5.87 x 3.07 x 4.41 inches
Weight2.01 pounds
Pros
  • Excellent image quality for an APS-C sensor
  • High ISO performance improved over the predecessor,
  • Superb hue accuracy when using manual white balance
  • Low prefocused shutter lag
  • Excellent burst speeds of up to 10fps
  • Built-in GPS
  • Dual memory card slots: CF & SD
  • Center AF point will autofocus at f/8
  • Headphone jack and external mic jack
  • 1080/60p video (MOV or MP4)
Cons
  • No built-in Wi-Fi
  • Rear LCD is not touchscreen or articulating
  • No Movie Servo AF at 1080/60p
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8. Olympus OM-D E-M1X

best beginner camera for wildlife photography

Olympus OM-D E-M1X has 20. 4 MP live MOS sensor with an excellent dual Tropic VIII image Processors which will give you smooth useability

It’s 5 Axis sync provides 7. 5 EV Stops of compensation, which is one of the world’s  best stabilization performance.

Also, its Live ND-feature can  provide you the effects of an ND filter by without using any filter which is an awesome feature for today’s generation.

Additionally, it has a Multi selector which is a kind of joystick on its both side of the vertical and horizontal shooting positions for faster  selection of the AF area.

You can record at  60 FPS and  18 fps nonstop  shooting with its  electronic Shutter which works very silently.

Moreover, it has 121 Point  sensor all are cross type  on chip Phase detection also it has contrast detection AF Which will enhance your picture quality.

Olympus OM-D E-M1X -
  • Resolution: 20.4megapixels
  • Video: 4k ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 10 fps
  • Dimensions: 149 x 112 x 78 mm
  • Weight: 910g.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB for power
  • Battery: Up to 870 shots

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerOlympus
Model noV207080BU000
Dimensions5.7 x 3 x 5.8 inches
Weight2.46 ounces
Pros
  • Very good dynamic range
  • The phenomenal 5-axis IBIS system
  • Tripod High Res Shot mode offers 50-megapixel JPEGs, 80-megapixel RAWs
  • Able to Autofocus in very low light
  • 15fps full-resolution burst mode with the mechanical shutter, 60fps with the electronic shutter
  • Faster RAW+JPEG buffer clearing with UHS-II cards
  • 4K video modes now work with image stabilization
  • Clean HDMI out with uncompressed 4:2:2 output
  • Rugged body, weather-seal, Dustproof, splashproof & freezeproof
  • Larger handgrips add more comfort & improved balance with longer lenses
  • Excellent battery life thanks to two batteries
Cons
  • Bulky
  • No top panel status LCD
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9. Panasonic LUMIX DC-S1Rbest beginner camera for wildlife photography

Panasonic LUMIX DC-S1R

Panasonic lumix adC-S1R has 47.3-Megapixel  with full-frame MOS-sensor that gives you  far Range for enhanced performance even at  large sensitivity (25600 its max sensitivity)

Lumix S camera lens are very simply usable with its 24-105mm standard focal macro zoom also it’s F4 l-mount for S Series of Lumix and full-frame L-mount digital all lumix Mirrorless cameras

You can record 4K Ultra HD video up to 4K 60P/50P recording and  6K PHOTO functions and HLG photo

Moreover, this camera is very durable in terms of dust, splash, freeze-resistant design. All of these things will help you in using the camera in extreme conditions with high mobility.

Additionally, the image File Format can be saved in JPEG and Raw and all of these features are the most required by beginners, thus making it one of the best beginner camera for wildlife photography.

Panasonic LUMIX DC-S1R -
  • Resolution: 47. 3megapixels
  • Video: 4k ultra HD
  • Max burst speed: 9 fps
  • Dimensions: 149 x 110 x 97 mm
  • Weight: 898g.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB
  • Battery: Up to 360 shots

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerPanasonic
Model noDC-S1RMK
Dimensions10 x 10 x 8 inches
Weight8 pounds
Pros
  • Extremely rugged and weather-sealed
  • Great image quality
  • backlit buttons and top-plate LCD
  • Great out of camera JPEG for quick uploading
  • In-camera raw processing
  • Wireless connectivity options
  • Dual card slots
  • Fast and accurate autofocus in most lighting conditions
  • Excellent low light performance
  • Fast 1/320th sec flash sync speed
  • Large grip good for large and fast aperture lenses
Cons
  • Lesser battery life
  • Bulky
  • High-res mode incompatible with strobes
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10. Pentax K3 II

best beginner camera for wildlife photography

Pentax K3 II is another camera in our list of best beginner camera for wildlife photography.

It has a 24 megapixel camera with APS-C sized CMOS sensor and ISO range of 100-51200 for better image processing during capture.

Also, it has in-built GPS with Astro Tracer Function mode for  ASTRO lovers and ASTRO photographers   with its  inbuilt compass function.

And, you can even shift Pixel  Resolution by shaking the body and it will  reduce function for razor sharp images and for this it will provide you  enhanced detail and color reproduction

Moreover, this camera has advanced connectivity technology with FLU, Eye-fi Wireless, and SDX-memory card compatibility for transferring photos or videos to mobile devices and other gadgets.

Pentax K3 II -
  • Resolution: 24 megapixels
  • Video: 1080p full HD at 60 fps
  • Max burst speed: 8.3 fps
  • Dimensions: 800g. 131 x 100 x 77 mm
  • Weight: 800g.
  • Connectivity: HDMI, USB 3.0 Battery: Up to 720 shots

Product descriptions-

ManufacturerPentax
Model noK-3II
Dimensions5.16 x 3.03 x 3.94 inches
Weight1.76 pounds
Pros
  • Excellent image quality with Pixel Shift Resolution enabled
  • Excellent high ISO performance for an APS-C sensor
  • Good dynamic range
  • Flexible and effective built-in lens corrections
  • Very flexible noise reduction options
  • Excellent ergonomics and handling
  • Useful Shadow and Highlight Correction options
  • Decent in-camera HDR mode
  • Supports two raw formats (DNG and PEF)
Cons
  • Slow buffer clearing
  • Warm Auto white balance during tungsten lighting
  • AE lock button is small
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Conclusion- Best beginner camera for wildlife photography

So we have come to the end of our article on the best beginner camera for wildlife photography  and we listed 10 best beginner wildlife photography camera on the basis of their features suiting wildlife photography and beginners as well. All the features along with their pros and cons are listed so that you can find everything about the camera along with their shortcomings in a single article.

You can also check Best Point And Shoot Camera For Birding.

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