If you are an aficionado of the stars and enjoy shooting the night sky, to capture the beauty with the perfect astrophotography, you must also look out for the right camera to assist you in this venture. Cameras are worth the investment, but you do not want to drop your savings into something without knowing how useful it is for your purpose.
Be it investing on a beginner’s DSLR camera and lenses or a super fancy model, you need the choice to be relevant for the deep-sky astrophotography. You need the camera suited to nighttime photoshoots, Milky Way portraits etc. through your telescope.
Cameras for Astrophotography Buying Guide
Canon, Nikon and Sony are the top players when it comes to Astrophotography. However, as you may already be aware, these brands have several models and you need to check some important aspects before making up your mind for your new companion in the journey of Astrophotography.
Hence, before going straight to the curated list that we have compiled for you to pick the right camera for Astrophotography, let us take a look at all the important properties of the camera that you should consider during the quest.
Shutter Speed of the Camera
If you know a little about camera, you must be aware that the shutter speed is a crucial player in controlling how much light is able to enter your camera. When not engaging in photography, the shutter will stay closed to protect the sensors of the equipment from making accidental photographs.
A faster shutter is what you should ideally want to catch rapid actions. However, when it comes to astrophotography, you will be in search of slow celestial wonders which are million miles away from you.
Hence, you will require the shutter to stay open for long. You also need long exposure shots to capture the maximum detail of your target. A wide shutter speed range will make this possible.
ISO
This can be a bit difficult to comprehend if you are new to the world of camera. To help you out- it is what shows how sensitive the sensor of the camera is to bright things. When targeting the deep sky, you must increase the ISO value of the camera in the settings, to allow it to pickup the minute dots of the stars.
Megapixel Count of the Camera
This is the property of your camera which decides how clear your photos will look. Hence, it is often one of the biggest concerns of people when buying the camera.
For astrophotography, aspects like the aperture, focal length and the count of the megapixel will be crucial. With a higher number of megapixels, you can expect to produce HD photos. This also directly affects the size of your images and decides how they will turn out when printed.
Top 10 Cameras for Astrophotography in 2021
Considering the aspects discussed above, we have scoured the market to bring to you’re the top 10 picks for the cameras for Astrophotography.
Image | Product | Features | Price | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Canon EOS 6D Mark II Digital SLR Camera | Mirrorless DSLR Full Frame CMOS Sensor Megapixel: 25.2 MP Lens: Canon EOS Vari-Angle touchscreen available Can be connected to WiFi Max ISO: 40000 stock (can be further extended) | $1400-$1800 | |
 | Sony a7 III ILCE7SM3/B E-mount Camera | Mirrorless DSLR Full Frame CMOS Sensor Megapixel: 42.2 MP Lens: Sony- E 3” touchscreen (tiltable) Max Video resolution: 4K Ultra High-Definition at 30/ 24 fps Max burst speed: 10 fps | $2000-$2500 | |
 | Nikon D850 FX-Format Digital SLR Camera | High Speed Shooting Full Frame CMOS Sensor Megapixel: 45.7 MP Lens: Nikon F 3.2” touchscreen (tiltable) Max Video resolution: 4K Ultra High-Definition at 30/ 25/ 24 fps Max burst speed: 7 fps | $3000-$3500 | |
 | Nikon D7500 DX- Format Digital SLR Camera | Mirrorless DSLR Full Frame CMOS Sensor Megapixel: 20.9 MP Lens: Nikon F 3.2” touchscreen (tiltable) Wi-Fi Connectivity Included DX- format image sensor ISO range: 100 to 51200 Weather sealed built 51 point Auto Focus | $1000-$1400 | |
 | Fujifilm X-T4 Mirrorless Digital Camera | Mirrorless DSLR APS-C Sensor Megapixel: 26.1 MP Lens: Fujifilm X 3.0” vari-angle touchscreen Max Video resolution: C4K as well as Ultra High-Definition at 60/ 50/ 30/ 25/ 24 fps Max burst speed: 15 fps | $2500-$3000 | |
 | Canon EOS Ra Mirrorless Digital Camera | DSLR Camera Full Frame CMOS Sensor Megapixel: 30.3 MP Lens: Canon RF 3.15” vari-angle touchscreen Max Video resolution: 4K Ultra High-Definition at 30/ 25/ 24 fps Max burst speed: 8 fps | $2500-$3000 | |
 | Canon Digital EOS 90D Camera | Mirrorless DSLR CMOS (APS-C) Sensor Megapixel: 32.5 MP Digic 8 Image Processor 3.0” vari-angle touchscreen Max Video resolution: 4K Ultra High-Definition at 30 fps Max burst speed: 10 fps | $1400-1600 | |
 | Nikon D500 DX- Format Digital SLR Camera | DX Format CMOS Sensor Megapixel: 20.9 MP Lens: Nikon F 3.2” LCD touchscreen Max Video resolution: 4K Ultra High-Definition at 30 fps Max burst speed: 10 fps ISO: native- 51200, can be extended to 1640000 | $2500-$3000 | |
 | Sony a7 II ILCE7SM2/B E-mount Camera | Mirrorless DSLR Full Frame APS-C Sensor Megapixel: 24.3 MP Lens: Sony- E Viewfinder: OLED 5 axis image stabilization ISO range: 100-25600 | $1400-$1700 | |
 | Canon Digital EOS 80D Camera | CMOS (APS-C) Sensor Megapixel: 24.2 MP Dual Pixel CMOS Auto Focus Wireless connectivity available High ISO range: 100- 128000 Superb viewfinder | $2500-$3000 |
1. Canon EOS 6D Mark II Digital SLR Camera
This is one of the champions in the market of cameras for astrophotography given the flexibility it is equipped with. It makes use of the CMOS sensor to the fullest, thereby capturing the deepest detail and brightest light, just the way you need. It also comes with a large ISO. The built-in Bluetooth and wireless connectivity options make it our topper as well.
PROS:
CONS:
2. Sony A7 III ILCE7SM3/B E-mount Camera
This camera has one of the best features, given the full-frame CMOS sensor with extremely high ISO options. As an astrophotography enthusiast, you will love the fact that this camera is equipped with the 24.2 Megapixel camera comes with ISO 512000, that can be further extended to assist you in your celestial expeditions.
PROS:
CONS:
3. Nikon D850 FX-Format Digital SLR Camera
This is one of the best DSLRs in the market for astrophotography, equipped with amazing features like the full-frame 45.7 Megapixel sensor which can produce the best quality of images. It is able to shoot up to a range of 108400, with an ISO level of 25600. It also has a sturdy built.
PROS:
CONS:
4. Nikon D7500 DX- Format Digital SLR Camera
If we see this camera for astrophotography from the design perspective, it is pretty simple, yet efficiently built to ergonomically allow you convenient shooting experience. It is capable of taking good quality photos with splendid clarity. It also has a good ISO range and the tilt-able screen increases its convenience in shooting celestial bodies.
PROS:
CONS:
5. Fujifilm X-T4 Mirrorless Digital Camera
This is Fujifilm’s best, in competition with other champions from Canon, Nikon and Sony. This flagship camera is an all-rounder in brilliance, with a functional vari-angle touchscreen that facilitates the shooting processes. The 26.1 Megapixel camera also comes with a superb APS-C sensor, which works amazingly in making high quality shots.
PROS:
CONS:
6. Canon EOS Ra Mirrorless Digital Camera
This is one of the clear winners in the list of the best cameras for astrophotography, given that they are specially designed for the purpose. It comes with a high megapixel, full frame image sensor, serving as a key player in the world of astrophotography. It comes with a superb 30x zoom on both the rear displays and the viewfinder. It is also able to record high-quality videos.
PROS:
CONS:
7. Canon Digital EOS 90D Camera
It is one of the most powerful cameras out there for the purpose of astrophotography given its 32.5 MP CMOS Sensor which takes amazing images with the best of details even in the dark atmosphere. It is fast and versatile beast with a 45-point Auto focus system and dual pixel CMOS AF.
PROS:
CONS:
8. Nikon D500 DX- Format Digital SLR Camera
This camera is a perfection for the purpose of astrophotography given its strong abilities to shoot wide-angle images in every kind of setting, suited to the deep-sky atmosphere. The images produced are pretty clear and of HD quality.
PROS:
CONS:
9. Sony A7 II ILCE7SM2/B E-mount Camera
This model from Sony is another good investment for the people looking for the affordable names for astrophotography. It comes with extended flexibility, whilst having all that you need to shoot top quality photos. You will be impressed by its low light settings as well.
PROS:
CONS:
10. Canon Digital EOS 80D Camera
This camera, though the last in our list, is yet one of the most powerful in terms of abilities for astrophotography. It has the ability to capture the best photos in the low-light conditions with a wide and even more extendable ISO range, providing clear images. You are able to also adjust the exposure times as per your needs.
PROS:
CONS:
Using the right camera for astrophotography is indeed what enriches your photo shooting experience. With the list above, you can explore the different options and choose one that syncs best with your photography technique, and your other preferences.
You can also read The best way to Get into Pictures.