Full body cameras are recognized for 2 issues: their unbelievable efficiency and their excessive price ticket. I’ve just about all the time owned a full body digicam, however by no means paid full value for such a digicam. On this article, I’ll share some choices for these of us who need to go full body however don’t need to pay full value.
In case you are capturing full body, that instantly places you within the higher echelons of photographers—the cameras have traditionally been reserved for professionals with fairly a big finances obtainable only for a digicam or two. In 2025, that might not be farther from the reality. You’ll be able to afford to purchase a full body digicam and luxuriate in all the professional options for a fraction of the finances. The used market has by no means been higher for these of us who’re looking out for some budget-friendly full body cameras.
You would possibly want a full body digicam if you wish to get richer colour gradation, higher dynamic vary, or just produce cleaner photos at larger ISO speeds. The additional sensor actual property is helpful to simply about each photographer on the market. A full body digicam is irreplaceable for studio, panorama, and even occasion work. Speaking about these of us who prefer to shoot on quick lenses, the depth of subject can also be a lot better on full body cameras. Positive, it gained’t be as nice as a medium format digicam, however will probably be nonetheless miles higher than any choices from Micro 4 Thirds or APS-C. Learn on, and discover out which cameras I like to recommend.
I believe I advisable or talked about this legendary digicam in nearly each article I wrote that’s camera-related. They merely don’t make cameras that nice anymore. When it first got here out in 2008, it was $2,600 to buy, and it supplied issues that no different digicam might. For instance, a loopy quantity of decision, nice low mild efficiency, and every thing else. In 2025, it’s a digicam that’s largely outdated, and I might not recommend having it for any work that’s actually high-stakes. That mentioned, if you’re simply starting with images, the 5D Mark II will educate you to work across the constraints of it. It’s a glorified movie digicam. I prefer it as a result of it’s a digicam that may drive you to be intentional together with your photos and make you follow images versus merely placing ISO to the max and utilizing the 8 stops of picture stabilization which are widespread for contemporary cameras. The Canon 5D Mark II is loads for studio portrait work—in any case, you don’t want something past a digicam that may take photos—particularly if you’re utilizing flash. Set it to ISO 100, f/8, and 1/160 of a second, and let your topic and your lighting do the remainder of the work.
This can be a digicam that I personal to this present day and use to this present day as a backup. With a surprising decision of fifty.6 MP, that is the last word digicam for studio work that full-time execs use. In case you are doing vogue or magnificence work, be it editorial or marketing campaign, that is it. It hits the spot of being inexpensive in addition to delivering improbable picture high quality. In my view, there is no such thing as a higher digicam that Canon has made since—on the subject of colour and determination, after all. This can be a stills-only digicam, though you may shoot video on it. I, in actual fact, shot a video marketing campaign on it for social media utilization. That mentioned, I might’ve rented one thing higher had the finances been there. The construct high quality of the 5D collection can also be second to none. In case you are on the lookout for a workhorse studio digicam that gained’t allow you to down and have a bit extra finances than a 5D Mark II, the 5Ds is the way in which to go.
In case you are a Sony shooter and need the perfect bang-for-buck full body digicam, that is it. With a good 24.3 MP decision, it delivers loads of picture high quality and room to crop even in 2025. What’s extra, it has built-in stabilization, which means which you could shoot with slower shutter speeds. By way of dynamic vary, it’s first rate; nonetheless, I personally favor the way in which Canon does colour—that could be a matter of private choice although. What makes it higher than a few of the Canon cameras I advisable beforehand is that the Sony is way lighter—being a mirrorless digicam. By way of downsides, it has one actually: the autofocus can battle in low mild, and it has restricted video efficiency like within the 5Ds. That mentioned, I might relatively shoot video on the Sony than the Canon 5D Mark II or the 5Ds. The worth could be very good for what you get.
For these of us who’ve a bit of extra finances, I might suggest this legendary digicam from Sony. Nearly each Sony shooter has owned this digicam—and for good purpose. It was a revolutionary providing when it first got here out. The low mild efficiency remains to be fairly good, identical to the way it was when the digicam first got here out. Furthermore, the digicam has a lot improved autofocus efficiency with 693 factors and eye detection for people in addition to animals. It is ready to seize motion, with a burst price of 10 fps. Positive, will probably be a far cry from what the fashionable action-dedicated cameras can do, nevertheless it’s nonetheless one thing for those who ask me. By way of downsides, I might solely level out that the digicam doesn’t have a totally articulated LCD display screen (the Canon choices I discussed don’t have one to start with in any respect). Moreover, the menu programs are fairly sophisticated, making the digicam much less beginner-friendly.
In case you are totally set on stepping into the Canon RF collection, that is it. One of the simplest ways to make a begin on the RF system is with the Canon RP. It gained’t break the financial institution, however it can ship essentially the most trendy set of options for the least quantity of funding. The digicam is ready to supply 26.2 MP of decision, with Twin Pixel AF which means that you can be nailing focus in virtually any circumstances. Furthermore, the compact kind issue of this digicam allows it to be the perfect journey companion which you could want for. The menus are easy and intuitive, not being too totally different from some other Canon digicam actually—and with an adapter, it is possible for you to to make use of any Canon EF lens—that are additionally tremendous low cost to seek out on the used market. It’s the digicam that has seen essentially the most important value drop within the mirrorless world—it’s typically the most cost effective full body mirrorless digicam which you could purchase today.
Saving with MPB
I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t suggest shopping for these cameras used. Shopping for used makes economical sense, amongst different issues. Positive, you would purchase one thing on Fb Market or an alternate web site; nonetheless, you threat getting not precisely what was described, or overpaying, and even not getting something in any respect. The most secure and simplest way to purchase used gear is with MPB—as a result of they take the guesswork out of the acquisition. You merely have to seek out the merchandise you want, purchase it, and obtain it. If, for no matter purpose, what you obtain doesn’t match what you purchased, there will probably be a refund—which is mostly not the case with personal sellers. As such, by shopping for with MPB, you save each money and time. So far as shopping for tools goes, I might recommend MPB earlier than going wherever else.
