6 Best Nikon Cameras for Wildlife (…and 3 to avoid)

Tracking wildlife and capturing the perfect moment of action is one of the most exhilarating things in photography. But to do that, you need the right gear.

I took a look at the 13 DSLR and 11 mirrorless options by Nikon currently available and tested many of them out in the field and came to the conclusion that the Nikon Z8 is the best Nikon camera for wildlife photography.

The combination of image quality, resolution, shooting speed and low light performance is exactly what wildlife photographers need.

But keep reading to see my complete breakdown and some other Nikon cameras that might be a better fit for you.

This was one of the most anticipated cameras in the Nikon lineup in years and it didn’t disappoint. It takes all of the features from the flagship Z9 and puts them into a smaller body without giving up anything except a bit of battery performance (which makes sense given the lack of a vertical battery grip).

…and it does that for $1500 less.

That’s why it also made it to the top of my list of the best Nikon cameras this year.

There’s a lot to like about this camera, so let’s get into the specs…

The first thing we’ll talk about is the sensor. The Z8 has the same 45.7 MP “stacked” BSI CMOS type sensor and has a native sensitivity of ISO 64-256,000, with expansion to ISO 32-102,400.

The stacked sensor means there’s no blackout in the electronic viewfinder while shooting. So you can track animals without interruption and hold focus the entire time you’re shooting.

The 45.7 megapixel sensor is a huge benefit for shooting wildlife. Even if the animal is farther away then your lens can reach, you can still zoom in later on for a good composition.

This also makes it easier to track the action as you don’t have to be fully zoomed in on the athlete to end up with a nice tight shot that maintains a high resolution.

The Z8 also has excellent color fidelity that is comparable to the top full frame cameras at this price range such as the Sony A7RV.

When it comes to dynamic range, the Z8 similarly compares well with other cameras in this class. You’ll get about 14 stops of dynamic range at the base ISO of 64. It also has excellent performance at higher ISO settings which can be critical when shooting sports in low light venues line indoor arenas and gyms.

What really makes the Z8 stand out above all of the other competition is that it really doesn’t have any weaknesses.

Probably the only downside of the Z8 when compared to the Z9 is that the battery life isn’t as long as the larger Z9, so if you don’t mind using a larger, heavier, and more expensive body then check out the Z9 below.

The Nikon Z6II is Nikon’s improvement on an already great camera in the Z6. The 24 Megapixels may be less than the more expensive Nikon Z7II or the Z9 (more about this one below) but the Z6II hits all the important specs that you’ll need for wildlife photography.

With an increased buffer depth (meaning you can take more shots in continuous mode before the camera needs to stop) and faster continuous shooting rate, up to 14 fps with single-point AF or 12 fps shooting in other focusing modes. So this camera has plenty of speed.

Where the Z6II really shines is with its low-light performance. Often when shooting wildlife, you’ll find yourself shooting at sunset or sunrise when the animals are most active, so in order to get the higher shutter speeds necessary for freezing the action, you’ll need to use higher ISO settings. The Z6II will deliver clean-looking images even at quite high ISO settings.

There is a reason this camera made my Recommended Equipment for Photographers Guide.

24.2 MP | Crop (DX) Sensor | ISO 100 – 25,600 | 5 Frames/sec | Nikon F Mount | Weight: 12.9 oz.(365 g)

Nikon does a great job at producing high-quality entry-level cameras. The Nikon D3500 lacks some pro-level features and specs, but for the photographer that’s just getting started with wildlife shooting or wants to be a little budget-conscious, it is an excellent option.

Normally, I wouldn’t recommend anyone get a DSLR since Nikon is putting all their development into the Z Mount at this point, but if budget is a big concern, this is a great value.

Nikon DSLRs are all well built and ergonomically exceptional, and even their entry-level cameras are no exception. While it doesn’t have the front dial that other models have, you can program the exposure compensation button so that the back dial controls shutter speed on its own and controls aperture when the button is pressed. With that small tweak, you’ll have quick control of the two most important settings.

While not as exceptional as the Z6II in low light, for a lower-priced crop sensor camera, the D3500 does perform pretty well in low light. You can get pretty clean shots up to 800/1600 ISO with some noise becoming noticeable at 3200 ISO. But with a little post-processing, you can easily get good quality images shooting at 3200 ISO.

At the budget price point, you’ll have to sacrifice something and the 5 frames per second continuous shooting is the most noticeable aspect where this camera falls short of Nikon’s more expensive models.

However, you would be surprised how infrequently you use continuous shooting mode for wildlife and how often your best shots will be when they are standing still. So this is an area in which I wouldn’t be worried about compromising.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this is a DSLR camera, not a mirrorless, and uses Nikon’s F Mount rather than the newer Z mount. While Nikon continues to develop new lenses and DSLR cameras using the F mount…the Z mount will be where you’ll see all the most exciting innovations. If you can squeeze a little more out of your budget, I would recommend going for the Nikon Z50 instead (check out my description below) so that you can get started in the Z mount system from the beginning.

If maximum resolution is on your must-have list then I highly recommend the Nikon Z7II. It is a very popular camera for landscape and nature photographers that want to print big and need every bit of the 45.7 megapixels.