5 Best Nikon Cameras For Landscape Photography (…and 5 to avoid)

Shooting beautiful landscapes takes a knowledge of light, weather, and the ability to be in the right place at the right time when the landscape looks its best. But it also means having the right gear to capture every detail, highlight, and shadow in the landscape for that epic shot that you can hang on your wall.

That’s why my top pick for the best Nikon camera for landscape photography is the Nikon Z8. It has everything a landscape photographer needs (and it might just be the best overall camera on the market today.

But if you want to know why and see some additional options, then keep reading.

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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 battery performance.

…and it does that for $1500 less.

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. For most landscape photographers, this is the msot important consideration. 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.

I’ve found that the 45 megapixel size is a great balance between high resolution and manageable file sizes. There are cameras out there that give you over 60 megapixels and similar specs, but there’s not much noticeable gain when you go from 45 to 60.

The Z8 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.

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

Most of you probably use your camera for a number of things even if you mostly shoot landscapes and when it comes to versatility, it’s hard to beat the Z8.

It’s right up there with the best landscape cameras like the Sony A7RV but it also handles action wildlife shots as well as any full frame camera out there. So you can head out into the field to shoot landscapes and still have the ability to capture landscapes as well.

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 Z7II is a great option for those that want a high resolution sensor without the cost of a Z8 or Z9.

The Z7II gives you the high resolution and image quality of the Z8 but lacks the speed, video capabilities, and some other features that make the Z8 so versatile.

When it comes to dynamic range, the Z7II actually outperforms the Z8 just slightly at the lowest ISO settings and the Z8 catches back up around ISO 500 according to the testing done at Photons to Photos.

In fact, the Z7II stacks up favorably against the best full frame sensors on the market with a 14.7 stop dynamic range.

However, it doesn’t have the same versatility as the Z8 when it comes to shooting action, so what you’re getting is a camera that is perfect for landscapes, but just average when it comes to action. In exchange for giving up that versatility, you can save about $1000 compared to the Z8 above.

So if you want the highest resolution but the Z8 and Z9 are out of your budget, then the Z7II might be the perfect option for you.

The Z50 is a very capable mirrorless Z mount camera that is a great way to start building your landscape shooting kit of Nikon Z gear without breaking the bank on a body right away.

The Z50 is an affordable crop sensor camera from the Nikon mirrorless Z lineup but it has enough features to make it a decent camera for landscape photography.

So if you’re on a budget then go with the Z50 so you can get the lenses you need for shooting weddings.

The Nikon Z9 has all the features you’ll find in the top pick above but its bigger and because of the larger size contains a larger battery so you can shoot longer without changing it.

The main reason that the Z9 didn’t make the top spot in this list is because its bigger, heavier, and more expensive than the Z8. I wouldn’t want the Z9 in my bag for a long hike.

Another advantage the Z9 has over the Z8 is that it has dual XQD/CFexpress card slots instead of the 1 XQD/CFexpress and 1 UHS-II SD slot. This means that you can shoot to both cards simultaneously and still take advantage of the massive 1000+ image buffer of the Z9. With the Z8, you’d have to shoot only to the faster XQD/CFexpress slot to take advantage of the full buffer.

That being said, unless you shoot animals also during your landscape outings, this isn’t a major factor.

Either way, the Z9 is the flagship camera of the Nikon Z lineup so you’re going to get the best of everything (albeit in a bigger and heavier body) if you want to pay the higher price.

Another camera body that is a bit of a compromise compared to the Z8 above, the Z6II is still an excellent all around camera that works well for landscape shooters that are ok with the 24.5 megapixel sensor.

Full disclosure, this camera is sitting on my shelf as I type this. It’s a great camera and you can probably find a really good deal on one today.

The sensor gives you 45.7 megapixels, excellent dynamic range, and is built like a tank to stand up to any elements you want to take it out in.

Note: Buying a DSLR nowadays comes with the warning that you’re buying into a system that is no longer seeing any new lens or technology development. There’s a tremendous selection of Nikon F mount lenses out there but there’s not likely going to be any new ones coming out.

But don’t let the fact that its a DSLR make you think that the image quality isn’t as good as the mirrorless cameras above.

In fact, its dynamic range is identical to the best performer on this list (the Z7II) according to the testing done at Photons to Photos.

That makes the D850 one of the least expensive ways to get top of the line sensor performance for your landscape photography. Which is why it’s the only DSLR I would put on this list.

4 Cameras To Avoid

The digital camera world is fully bought into the changeover to mirrorless cameras. When it comes to shooting landscapes, you don’t necessarily need all the cutting edge autofocus technology in the mirrorless bodies, but I still wouldn’t recommend buying into a lens system that isn’t being updated.

I think the D850 is an exception because the image quality is so good. But as you can see, the ones below that I’m telling you to avoid are all DSLRs.

D750/D780

These are great cameras and perform very well. But they’re still part of the F-mount system, which means that you won’t get the benefit of the new technology that Nikon is rolling out.

The D750 is comparable to the D850 in terms of dynamic range, but it only has a 24 megapixel sensor, so I think you’ll be far better off with the Z6II at the same price range.

These are great if you already have a big collection of F lenses and can find a good price on a used body, but I wouldn’t spend the money to get these new anymore.

D500/D7500

Like the cameras above, these are two very popular cameras from the Nikon DSLR lineup but they are crop sensor cameras. You’ll generally get better image quality out of a full-frame camera. But if you want a crop sensor option, I would go with the Z50 above instead.

What To Look For When Choosing A Nikon Camera for Landscape Photography

Shooting landscapes that look great on your wall (or your Instagram feed) requires some specific characteristics you should look for when choosing a camera.

Here are the most important ones…

Dynamic Range

Dynamic range is the measure of the range of tones your camera is capable of capturing in one shot. The best cameras on the market can capture a range of about 14 stops in one shot.

This is extremely important to landscape photographers because it allows them to capture all the detail of an image even in high dynamic range situations like sunsets.

The ability to recover shadow and highlight detail in post processing requires RAW files that capture as much detail information as possible.

High Resolution

Most landscape photographers want as much resolution as possible. It allows them to capture more fine detail and also to print images as large as they want.

Having those extra megapixels to crop in on and still get a high resolution image is pretty important as well, especially if you didn’t quite get the composition that you wanted.

Weather Sealing and Durability

You don’t shoot the best landscape images in the comfort and safety of your photography studio. Landscape photographers put their cameras through a lot of abuse.

Wind, rain, sand, cold, and heat are pretty much expected if you’re out in the field seeking the best landscape compositions. So you are going to need a camera that is built for that.

Generally, the more expensive a camera is, the better its weather sealing will be. But the good news is that Nikon built decent weather sealing into all its mirrorless Z cameras (with the higher end cameras being built to withstand the elements more than the less expensive ones).