The 5 Best Affordable Cameras for Landscape Photography Right Now
The OM System OM-5 - always ready for a landscape adventure!
Looking for the best camera for landscape photography in 2025?
Well guess what? You don’t need to spend a fortune to take amazing landscape photos in 2025.
This post covers five of the best budget cameras for landscape photography right now. All under £1000. All capable of stunning results.
Great if you're just getting started. Even better if you want an improved setup without breaking the bank.
These cameras keep it simple. They’re sharp, reliable, and packed with value.
Let’s dive in!
#1: Nikon Z7 Mark I
The Nikon Z7 Mark I came out in 2018. But even now, it's still one of the best cameras for landscape photography you can pick up for under £1000.
It packs a 45.7 megapixel full frame sensor with no low pass filter.
That means maximum detail and sharpness straight out of camera. Great if you want to crop in or make large prints.
Landscapes come out crisp, textured, and rich with depth.
The dynamic range is outstanding. You can recover blown skies or deep shadows with ease, especially in tricky lighting.
Think golden hour, stormy skies, snow. It holds detail where lesser cameras struggle.
If you're chasing perfect exposure in tough lighting conditions by the way, I’ve also got a guide on using the histogram that might help.
Autofocus is reliable and precise. The 493 phase detection points cover most of the frame. Face and eye detection help outside of landscape photography too.
Five axis in-body stabilisation gives you sharp shots handheld, even at slower shutter speeds. That’s ideal when you're hiking and don’t want to faff with a tripod every five minutes.
The build is rock solid. Magnesium alloy shell. Weather sealed. Rain, wind, snow – it’ll handle it all.
It feels professional. Tough. Like it was built for outdoor work.
The EVF is bright and detailed. You see exactly what your final image will look like and there’s also a tilting screen, which helps when composing from ground level or awkward angles.
You get 4K video, time lapse modes, focus peaking, and enough resolution to cover just about anything. It’s a proper all rounder with a serious bias toward image quality!
If you want the best budget camera for landscape photography and care most about resolution and reliability, the Z7 Mark I absolutely delivers.
You’ll find it used for around £999 from MPB (Check out current prices here: MPB UK | MPB US | MPB EU).
Key Specs:
45.7MP full frame sensor
493-point phase detect autofocus
No low pass filter
3.6M-dot OLED EVF
5 axis in body image stabilisation
Magnesium allow weather sealed body
Weight: 675g
See me using this camera on YouTube
Madeira sea stacks. Taken on the Nikon Z7 Mark I.
#2: Sony A7 III
If I had to pick one camera that balances price, performance, and flexibility, the Sony A7 III would be near the top of the list.
Like the Z7, it also came out in 2018, but in 2025, it’s still one of the best affordable cameras for landscape photography you can buy.
You can grab it used (MPB UK | MPB US | MPB EU) for around £889, and it’ll keep pace with cameras twice the price.
The 24.2MP full frame sensor is lovely. Not just for sharpness, but for dynamic range too.
You get rich shadows and balanced highlights. That means more control in post, especially when you're pulling detail from moody skies or bright white snow.
It’s got 693 phase detect autofocus points, covering 93 percent of the frame. That’s amazing.
Focus is quick and accurate, even in low light. The Real-time Eye AF works brilliantly for portraits and wildlife too, which is handy if you like to mix things up beyond landscapes.
There’s also dual card slots, weather sealing, silent shutter mode, and a battery that just keeps going. Seriously, the A7 III can shoot over 700 frames on a single charge. That’s a lot of golden hour!
It also shoots 4K video with full pixel readout and no crop. So if you want to dabble in video or record your photo adventures, it’s more than up to the task.
And here’s the thing. With cameras like this, you’ve got all the tools, BUT… sharpness still comes down to technique. The sensor’s good, but it's not magic. If you want to get the most out of your landscapes, download my free Sharpness Guide PDF. It’s full of real-world tips that help you get sharper photos, no matter what you shoot with.
Key Specs:
24.2MP full-frame sensor
693-point phase-detect autofocus
5-axis in-body image stabilisation (IBIS)
4K video recording with full pixel readout
Weight: 650g
Nikon D810
The Nikon D810 might be ‘old’. But it still packs a punch.
Launched in 2014, it quickly became a favourite for landscape photographers. And for good reason.
It has a 36.3 megapixel full frame sensor with no low pass filter. That means ultra-sharp detail and beautiful textures. Wonderful for pulling out every bit of character in your scene.
The dynamic range is superb. You can recover shadows, tame highlights, and keep things looking natural.
Colours are rich but realistic. And the RAW files are incredibly flexible. If you like to edit your landscapes, the D810 gives you the headroom to do it.
Autofocus? Solid. It has 51 points and 15 cross-type sensors. Not lightning fast by today’s standards, but responsive and accurate. Especially when you slow down like we so often do shooting landscapes.
It also just feels robust. The body is magnesium alloy. Fully weather sealed. Built to survive just about anything.
Battery life is brilliant. You can go a whole weekend without needing a charge. And because it’s a DSLR, you get a big bright optical viewfinder. No screen lag. Just the scene in front of you.
There’s no in-body stabilisation. No touchscreen. But it makes up for it with reliability and image quality.
And the price? Usually around £599 used on MPB (MPB UK | MPB US | MPB EU). That’s seriously good value.
If you want the best budget camera for landscape photography with sharp files and rugged build quality, the D810 is still one of the best in the game.
Key Specs:
36.3MP full frame sensor
No optical low pass filter
51-point autofocus (15 cross-type)
Dual card slots (SD and CF)
1080p HD video
Weather sealed body
Battery rated for 1200 shots
Weight: 980g
Rydal Water, The Lake District
Canon 5D Mark IV
The Canon 5D Mark IV is a classic in landscape photography for a reason.
It came out in 2016 but definitely still holds its ground in 2025 as one of the best cameras for landscape photography on a budget.
You can pick one up used for around £889, check out current prices here: (MPB UK | MPB US | MPB EU). And what you get for that price is pretty remarkable.
The 30.4MP full-frame sensor delivers stunning detail and rich, vibrant colours.
Canon’s colour science just works. It nails the tones and keeps things feeling natural, even in contrasty scenes.
Autofocus is snappy and accurate. The 61-point system locks on quickly and gives you that reliable sharpness you need when shooting fast-changing light or waiting for the wind to settle.
It shoots 4K video. It has dual card slots. The weather-sealed body is solid and reassuring.
Pair it with a few good lenses and you’re sorted!
Maybe even a filter or two if the conditions call for it. I’ve written more on that if you’re wondering if filters are actually worth the faff.
The Canon 5D Mark IV might not be the newest, but it’s dependable, rugged, and seriously capable. Ideal for landscape photographers who want something that just works.
Key Specs
30.4MP full-frame sensor
61-point autofocus system (41 cross-type)
4K video recording
Dual card slots (CFast 2.0 & SD)
Weight: 890g
An Teallach, Scotland
OM System OM-5
If you want a lightweight camera for hiking, travelling, or exploring, the OM System OM-5 is a brilliant choice. Especially if you want the best affordable camera for landscape photography that also happens to be tiny!
It launched in late 2022, and you can grab one used for around £665 (MPB UK | MPB US | MPB EU). That’s a lot of camera for the money.
It uses a 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds sensor. That might sound modest compared to full frame, but the image quality is still excellent.
It’s sharp, clean, and full of detail.
Colours are vibrant. Contrast looks natural. And because the sensor is smaller, the lenses stay small too.
But what really makes the OM-5 shine is the stabilisation.
It has one of the best in-body image stabilisation systems out there. You can shoot at slow shutter speeds and still get sharp results (we’re talking 4 seconds handheld!). That’s huge when you’re out on the hills without a tripod or just reacting to fast-moving light.
It’s also fully weather sealed and only weighs 414 grams. That makes it a dream for outdoor and nature photographers who want to travel light without worrying about their kit.
I’ve tested it in the field and shared all my thoughts in this full OM-5 review.
And it’s not just for stills. The OM-5 also shoots great video. Cinema 4K quality, solid stabilisation, and all the handy features you’d expect for creating content on the go.
This is a proper adventure camera.
You can sling it in a backpack, head into the mountains, and trust it to deliver.
For those looking for the best budget camera for landscape photography with real-world usability, the OM-5 is hard to beat.
Playa de Benijo, Tenerife. Taken with the OM System OM-5.
What Makes a Camera Great for Landscape Photography?
It’s not all about megapixels or specs on a sheet. What really makes a camera great for landscape photography is how it fits into your process.
Can you rely on it? Does it suit the way you shoot? Will it hold up when the light changes or the wind picks up in the mountains?
Every camera in this list has something special going for it. From the resolution of the Nikon Z7 to the portability of the OM-5. The key is finding one that matches how you like to work.
But even the best camera in the world won’t give you sharp results without the right technique.
That’s exactly why I created my free Sharpness Guide. It’s a practical, no-fluff PDF packed with the tips I rely on to get tack-sharp photos out in the field. It works no matter what camera you’re using. No spam, no catch. Just real advice that’ll help you get better images!
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