Best cameras for sports photography on a budget in 2023 for every camera system
Intro
It’s fall in the northern hemisphere and that means (at least in Germany) a lot of sports start their season, professional and of course amateur leagues. Professional teams usually have their own photographers, amateur teams do not, but maybe they will after you’ve read our guide to the best sports cameras?
We’ll give you an overview over each camera system and give you the ultimate camera from each system for sports (just briefly, they do tend to be quite expensive) and then give you the best price-performance camera and the best budget option.
For lenses we have a guide in the link below (For indoor lenses of course also work for outdoor sports).
If you are not invested in a camera system yet, make sure you choose a camera system that fits your needs in terms of lenses. There really isn’t that much of a difference between sensors in cameras between the brands. On the other hand the usability, looks, handling and lenses, there are quite the differences.
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Sony
Ultimate Camera:
If you’re a Sony shooter and want the ultimate sports camera you have two choices: The Sony A1 or the Sony A9 II. The Sony A1 has a 50 megapixel full frame sensor and can shoot up to 30 frames per second, the Sony A9 II has a 24 megapixel sensor and shoots 20 frames per second. Both cameras have amazing autofocusing capabilities, especially with native lenses. Non-native lenses are reducing the speed of shooting to a still fast 15 frames per second.
Price-Performance King:
The price-performance crown in the Sony system is the Sony A7 III. It’s definitely not the newest model of camera (It was released in 2018) but the 24 megapixel sensor still delivers amazing images and the 10 frames per second of shooting are not exceeded but another Sony full frame camera, except our two ultimate cameras (and the first Sony A9). The autofocus is not as sophisticated as can be (Sony famous “real time tracking” is missing, meaning you’ll have to make do with actual autofocus points or areas, but those do hit their subject really well!) Pair the Sony A7 III with any full frame lens and it will shine when photographing sports.
Budget Option:
The best Sony budget option goes to the venerable Sony A6100! This little APS-C sensor camera lets loose at 11 frames per second at 24 megapixels while having all the cool autofocus features Sony is known for. The tracking features in this camera are working really well and won’t let you down in the field. If this camera is paired with a fast lens (remember our guide to indoor sports lenses?) you can take sports photos like a pro, even on a tight budget.
If you’re willing to make some more concessions in terms of build quality and autofocus comfort check out the Sony A6000! It also shoots at 11 frames per second and usually is half the price if you’re getting a good deal on it. You might also want to check the second hand market for this gem.
Nikon
Ultimate Camera:
Nikon has gotten really strong in the last couple of years in every facet of photography! Long gone are the days when Nikon was just a laggard in the space pandering to their loyal followers. Their mirrorless offerings are some of the best options you can get, especially for video and fast action like wildlife and sports photography. Their current flagship, the Nikon Z9 shoots 45 megapixel images at 20 or 30 frames per second, and even 11 megapixel images at 120 images per second. All of this with really excellent autofocus. Coming in at around $5500 it’s also one of the more affordable high-end options.
Price-Performance-King:
Nikons’ best value for money for sports is the Nikon Z6 II: Coming in with a price tag of less than $ 2000 it can shoot still images with a rate of 14 per second at 24 megapixels. The autofocus is also really good and a step up from its predecessor, the Nikon Z6 (which can easily be found for under $ 1000 used and at that price it’s one of the best deals around!). The Nikon Z6 II also shines in terms of ergonomics at it also boasts a really good lens selection - with the FTZ-Adapter you can use all newer F-mount lenses.
Budget Option:
If your budget is on the tighter side there unfortunately isn’t such an amazing bargain as the Sony A6000 (except maybe for the Nikon Z6, but that’s a different price bracket) but Nikon does offer the pretty amazing Nikon Z50: A 20 megapixel and 11 frames per second APS-C shooter with great autofocus and handling. The Nikon APS-C system around the Nikon Z50 might not be as fleshed out as the Sony system but third party manufacturers are making loads of affordable lenses for Nikon. Check out our guide to indoor sports lenses for a good overview of the best sports lenses!
Canon
Ultimate Camera:
The current flagship in the Canon lineup is the Canon EOS R3 that shoots 24 megapixel images at a blistering 30 frames a second with its electronic shutter or 12 frames a second with its mechanical shutter. It also features autofocus that you can control with your eyes in the viewfinder and also amazing tracking functionalities. This camera is as good as the Sony A1, the Sony A9 II or the Nikon Z9. It also clocks in at $ 5000, so it better be!
The Canon lens lineup for its mirrorless offerings isn’t quite where the other systems are, but with a mount adapter you get the goodness of the entire Canon ecosystem!
Price-Performance-King:
We are choosing the Canon EOS R6 as our price-performance king in the Canon system and just like the Sony A7 III its not the newest of its kind: There is a Sony A7 IV and there’s also a Canon EOS R6 II. But in both cases we are selecting the older cameras because they are already really good and the extra money will not buy significantly better sports images.
The Canon EOS R6 has a burst rate of 12 frames per second with a mechanical shutter and a blistering 20 frames per second with it’s electronic shutter. It also shoots 20 megapixel images, which is plenty for sports and also means a great ISO performance.
Budget Option:
Canon, just like Nikon is at a bit of a disadvantage compared to Sony: They haven’t been as long in the mirrorless game and therefor don’t have as many capable budget options and also lenses. The best way to go in the overall Canon system on a limited budget is the Canon EOS R10. Why didn’t we choose anything older? Well, the Canon EOS R10 is simply that much better than older and cheaper Canon cameras: Nothing comes even close to its 15 frames per second shooting with 24 megapixels. And with a mount adapter you can use any Canon APS-C lens to keep your budget on the low side.
