What's the best Nikon camera for you? That depends very much on what kind of camera you're looking for, but the classic camera manufacturer certainly has a huge range of options for all kinds of photographers and filmmakers.
Nikon is completely focused on developing some of the best mirrorless cameras in 2024 and the Nikon Z8 is one of the best cameras money can buy – a real all-rounder with sharp 45MP stills and 8K video. If it's looks you're after, then the Nikon Zf is an absolute stunner, with super impressive features to boot. If you're wallet can't stretch that far, the Nikon Z30 is an excellent bang for buck vlogging camera.
If you're primarily a photographer, don't discount Nikon's classic DSLRs – the leading models such as the pro D850 are still available in 2024, and the secondhand market is thriving, with plenty of bargains to be had. Whatever Nikon camera you're looking for, and whatever the limit of your budget, you can be sure of finding the best Nikon camera for you below – check our list to discover more.
Top 3 picks
The summary below will give you an instant overview of the best Nikon camera options for every type of photographer and filmmaker. When you find one that ticks the right boxes, you can follow the links beneath each entry to jump down to our full write-ups.
The best hybrid for pros
A smaller, cheaper version of the excellent Z9, the Nikon Z8 is one of the most capable hybrid cameras on the market right now.
The best retro
The Nikon Zf's retro appeal has won many admirers, but it's also packed with some incredibly powerful features, including Nikon's best ever stablization.
Nikon's best full-frame for most people
A surprisingly big if pricey upgrade from the Z6 II, the Z6 III has better autofocus, shooting speed and video performance.
Best by use-case
The best cheap full-frame
If you're wanting to start out with a new full-frame Nikon camera, then the Z5 is the cheapest option available with a solid set of features.
The best beginner vlogging camera
A user-friendly yet generously equipped camera for vloggers, the Nikon Z30 represents excellent value for beginner photographers, too.
The best for pro sports
Like Nikon's rugged pro DSLRs, the flagship Z9 is a high-performing mirrorless cameras for pros, now armed with 8K/30p video.
The best pro DSLR
Arguably Nikon's best-ever DSLR, the D850 combines impressive performance and 45MP stills with a bomb-proof build.
The best all-round DSLR for enthusiasts
One of Nikon's most popular DSLRs ever, the D7500 has ever impressive specs and an ever-decreasing price, which means you get excellent value.
The best DSLR for beginners
It's officially discontinued, but you can pick up the D3500 secondhand for a bargain. You get excellent still images, excellent handling and lovely swivel LCD.
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The best bridge camera overall
With a mega 83x optical zoom and maximum 2000m focal length, the Coolpix P950 is the all-purpose Nikon bridge compact, ideal for wildlife photography.
Tim is TechRadar's Cameras editor, with over 15 years in the photo and video industry, and most of those in the world of tech journalism with a Nikon camera in hand. Tim has developed a deeply technical knowledge and practical experience with all things camera related and has been using analog, DLSR and mirrorless Nikon cameras for personal and professional work throughout his entire career.
The best Nikon cameras in 2025
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Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best Nikon camera picks in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best hybrid mirrorless camera
Nikon Z8 sample images
✅ You're ready to switch from your Nikon D850
The Z8 is a natural mirrorless successor to the D850 DSLR with plenty of new tech to make the upgrade worthwhile.
✅ You want on camera that does it all: The Nikon Z8 is highly efficient in any scenario; landscape photography, wildlife videos, whatever you can think of.
❌ You shoot long video clips: The Z8's video record times are shorter than the Z9 in hot conditions.
❌ You want class-leading detail in your photos: 45MP is plenty enough for most people and most situations, but the rival Sony A7R V's 61MP resolution is better.
The Nikon Z8 is billed as the 'baby Z9' and there's very little that the flagship Z9 – which we awarded the camera of the year 2022 – can do that the Z8 can't. It's super impressive given that the Z8 is much smaller and cheaper version, and we reckon it's the sensible choice for most pros and one of the most capable mirrorless models from any brand that you can buy right now. We pushed the Z8 through its paces in a wide range of scenarios: landscape photography, sports, wildlife and video, and found the Z8 an exceptionally capable camera at all times. It produces pin-sharp stills courtesy of its 45.7MP full-frame sensor and fantastic 8K video to match.
It might not have best-in-class detail: that award goes to the Sony A7R V with its 61MP sensor, but the Nikon Z8 is twice as fast and a better all rounder. Like the Z9, the Z8 has no mechanical sensor but relies on an electronic sensor for extreme speed. Thanks to its stacked sensor, rolling shutter distortion is all but eliminated, and the reward is unlimited 20fps burst shooting and smooth video. If you're happy with an 11MP output, you can even shoot stills at a rate of 120fps. Battery life cannot match the mighty Z9, nor can its video record times, while there are better in-body image stabilization systems from rivals cameras. However, you'll struggle to find a better camera for the price – the Z8 is a real champion.
Read our in-depth Nikon Z8 review
The best retro Nikon camera
Nikon Z f sample images
✅ You love old school design
Taking its design cues from the Nikon FM2 film SLR camera, the Zf is the first proper Fujifilm alternative for retro lovers.
✅ You love black white photography: The only Nikon camera with a dedicated black and white setting, the Zf encourages shooting monochrome.
❌ You need a good grip: Unlike Nikon's DSLR-style cameras (including most other mirrorless models), the Zf doesn't really have a comfortable hand grip.
❌ You shoot sports and action: The Zf is a speedy camera, but it's not designed for action or to be used with long lenses.
For years and years Fujifilm has dominated the retro camera space with its X-series. Then came along the Nikon Zf: it's a beautiful camera, modelled on the Nikon FM2 from the 1980's. For lovers of the old school looks, you'll struggle to find a better mirrorless camera – it's got the exposure dials on the top and a rugged build quality, unlike the cheaper Nikon Zfc. We love the consideration for those adapting vintage lenses: the Zf is a perfect design match but it has neat subject detection manual focus features that make manual focusing easier than ever with old lenses. Sadly, there's not enough Z-mount retro lenses for the Zf so you'll have to look elsewhere, like Voigtlander.
Most people will be drawn to the Nikon Zf because of its looks – it won us over during our hands-on time with it – but the Zf is also a highly capable camera in the digital age. You get a proven full-frame 24.5MP image sensor with excellent high ISO performance like in the Nikon Z6 II, plus the Zf has Nikon's best-ever in-body image stabilization, up to 8 stops. And then there are the modern conveniences such as a vari-angle touchscreen (that can be folded away if you want to pretend you've got a film camera), and Nikon's superb subject detection autofocus. You'll probably want to consider an optional handgrip to improve handling, and we would have rather the higher-resolution Z7 II was used here, but make no mistake, the Nikon Zf is an absolute pleasure to shoot with and you'll want to pick it up again and again.
Read our in-depth Nikon Zf review
The best Nikon camera for most people
Nikon Z6 III sample images
✅ You're a hybrid shooter: The Z6 III is a highly capacble photo and video tool, especially video with its excellent handle on rolling shutter distortion and 6K up to 60fps video capture.
✅ You need a high-speed camera: The high-speed performance of the Z6 III outguns its rivals, with fast frames rates and snappy subject detection autofocus.
❌ You're mainly a photographer and don't shoot action: That Z6 III's 24MP partially stacked sensor is quicker for video and action photography, but you will get marginally better image quality by the Z6 II in low light.
❌ You're on a budget: New powerful features equals a price hike. The Z6 II is also discounted from its launch price, meaning, the price difference is pretty big.
Putting the beginner-friendly Z5 aside, the Z6 series is Nikon's mid-range choice for those that want a full-frame mirrorless camera with excellent build quality and handling. And its third generation model, the Z6 III, was a surprisingly significant upgrade from the Z6 II, which consequently saw Nikon leapfrog Canon and Sony in our best mirrorless cameras buying guide.
The mid-range model is a proper multi-purpose tool; its 24.5MP full-frame sensor is the same as the Z6 II's for detail and excellent in low light, but it's a partially stacked version with snappier performance and a better handle on rolling shutter distortion. The result is that this powerful camera can handle anything from fast moving action with high-frames rates and excellent subject detection autofocus (including animals and vehicles), to run-and-gun video recording, with a max output of 6K up to 60fps. Nikon didn't stop with the sensor. It also debuted its brightest-ever 5.76m-dot EVF – trust us, it's gorgeous.
We rank the Z6 III as the best Nikon camera for most people, but it's not perfect. The pricier Nikon Z8 has a 45MP sensor with better detail and is still more powerful (if larger and heavier), while the Z6 II is now a comparative bargain for stills-focused users who won't make the most of the Z6 III's new video and speed-focused features. However, if you regularly shoot photo and video, the Z6 III is arguably Nikon's camera that makes the most sense. It's seriously impressive.
Read our in-depth Nikon Z6 III review
