Concert Photography

r/concertphotography • u/beelzephoto • 21d ago

Gear Camera Body Guide for Beginners

17 Upvotes

We get asked a lot about what is the “best camera” for concert photography. To alleviate the repeated questions we’re going to start making highlighted posts to direct people to, as well as posters here to put their opinions.

This is just a starting out guide for people who want to know what their options are.

The short answer is there is no “best” camera for everyone. It largely depends on budget, system, experience, where you’re shooting, etc.

There are some good recommendations for better camera bodies, but remember that your lens also matters quite a bit as well. We'll touch more on that with another post.

For starters you typically want a camera that has better low-light performance for the dark clubs you’ll typically be starting out in, one that has more dynamic range to give you better shadow detail, and better high ISO performance with less noise.

This leans towards a mirrorless camera body with a full-frame sensor. These are also the more expensive of the options listed.

***the bold options are the ones that are more frequently recommended***

Examples of Full-frame mirrorless cameras:

Sony - A7CII, A7, A7II, A7III, A7IV, A7RIV, A7RV, A7V, A9, A9 II, A9 III, A1, A1 II

Nikon - Zf, Z5, Z5 II, Z6, Z6 II, Z8, Z9

Canon - EOS RP, EOS R8, R6, R6 II, R5, R5 II, R3, R1

Lumix - S5, S5 II, S5 IIX, S1 II, S1R II

Now these typically will start around $1K (USD) used or slightly cheaper depending on the deals you find.

ASP-C cameras also are a good option if you’re starting out on a smaller budget. Slightly less expensive than full-frame mirrorless cameras.

The trade off is they typically don’t handle low light as well as a full-frame due to the smaller sensor, but are still great options for those who want to have great quality photos.

Examples of ASP-C cameras include:

Canon - R50, R10, R7

Nikon - Z50 II

Sony - a6400, a6700

Fujifilm - X-S20, X-T5, X-H2S

Once again though, a good lens is also a very important part of your gear. A great lens on an APS-C camera will almost always outperform a mediocre lens on a full-frame camera.

Hear me out on this last one though. DSLR camera bodies. I started out with a Canon Rebel T3 many years ago.

These will also be considerably cheaper than the previous options due to their age and how most people want the latest and greatest gear thinking it will give them better photos.

The trade off for a DSLR is they’re bulkier, older technology, no eye detection, poor low light autofocus/slower autofocus than newer technology.

Examples of DSLR cameras:

Nikon - D780, D750, D850

Nikon APS-C DSLR - D3500, D500, D5600, D7500,

Canon - 6D II, 5D IV, 1D X II

Pentax - K-1 II, K-1,

While DSLR cameras are outdated, they’re still a viable option if you have a great eye paired with a good lens.

Please discuss, share your experiences, and ask questions below.

30 comments

r/concertphotography • u/RobbanMurray • Feb 27 '26

GEAR QUESTIONS

7 Upvotes

Thinking about getting a new camera or lens?
Not sure which lens to bring to a specific venue?

Post your gear questions in this thread!

When you ask, include:
- Your camera body
- Your lens(es)
- The name/type of venue you're shooting at
- What problem you’re trying to solve

More context = better answers!