The purchase of a digital camera specifically for taking or digitizing photos of your artwork will prove to be an excellent purchase – particularly if you choose one that fits your needs. Here are the best cameras for artwork in 2022!
Here’s my top choice for the best camera to photograph your artwork in 2022 if you’re in a hurry. Keep reading for more information.
Leica SL2 47MP Mirrorless Full-Frame Camera (Body Only)
Digital camera best for photographing artwork
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH Lens
A full-frame mirrorless Leica SL2 camera is shown above
An excellent camera is never to be underestimated. You should invest in good images of your artwork if you wish to show it to clients or sell it online. You will discover that obtaining a great camera has many more advantages for a commercial artist, fine artist, art student or crafter!
- How Do You Take the Best Photographs of Your Artwork?
- How do you copy artwork with the best camera?
- Which camera do I need to digitize my art?
- How do I photograph art for prints with the best camera?
- Which Digital Camera Is Best for Taking Pictures of Artwork?
- What is the process of photographing artwork by professionals?
- What is better, scanning or photographing artwork?
A camera is one of the most inspiring and exciting tools an artist can have. Your new camera will increase your appreciation of your art and that of other artists alike, as it is often the best cameras for artists in general. You will find that there are endless possibilities, ideas, and creative avenues, and that you will love your new camera more than you previously did.
Let’s look at this buyer’s guide to see which are the best cameras to take pictures of artwork. These cameras are all excellent cameras for photographing and digitizing any art or craft piece, and they all work well!
What Are the Benefits of a Digital Camera?
I almost didn’t write about it at all since this seems like such an obvious choice – that every craftsperson or artist should own a good camera. It is possible that some readers are here not because they are already on the hunt for the best cameras, but rather because they haven’t made up their minds yet.
There is no way to compete with the quality and variety of images that digital cameras provide compared to smartphones. No offense intended, but there’s no comparison even if specifications are the same.
Considering this is a buyer’s guide for the best cameras, let’s take a look at some reasons why you may want to photograph your artwork:
- Portfolio Creation
- Demonstrating the quality of your work to potential clients or employers
- Competitions and contests
- A booth or an online store
- There are a lot of options when it comes to printing (from paper to canvas).
- Artworks or Installations in Multi-Media
- Creative Process: Editing, combining, or manipulating Art Work
The list goes on and on!
We are creative individuals, and it is evident that a good camera spurs our creativity, and for many of us, it leads to exploring photography as a creative pursuit. It seems well worth it to me to invest in anything that makes me even more creative, more expressive, and more engaged in my own creative energy.
It is uncertain whether scanning your artwork with a high quality flatbed scanner or photographing it will be more beneficial. For now, I would say they each have pros and cons, which you can read about in my article on the Best Art Scanner for Artworks in 2022. For many artists, cameras are the obvious choice since they offer much better picture quality and have a variety of other uses. While scanning works best and provides more consistent results (or, at least, can more easily be obtained), the setup and ensuring proper lighting, alignments, framing, and everything else will require more time and effort.
The Best Camera for Photographing Artwork: What Should You Look For?
The buyer’s guide I have written for the best cameras for digitizing art may look different than others on the web because of my own experience and work. From my own experience and knowledge, I can tell you exactly what you need in a great art camera.
What you should look for, as a beginner, are the following basic features:
- Ideally, you will use a tripod to shoot your art, so you’ll need a large, clear, and articulated screen that can be folded out, moved around, and can effectively be viewed from many angles.
- Rather than roll off the table if you put it down, I mean it will allow a lot of light to pass through. If you want to photograph your art in all kinds of lighting conditions, you’ll need a faster lens.
- A large sensor and good resolution – whether you are creating a stunning professional portfolio, printing large prints or making large screens, or editing your work further, is crucial.
- Accuracy – The cameras we recommend here are well known for their non-distortion from edge to edge in color reproduction, and also in geometric accuracy.
- It helps you achieve certain kinds of special effects and results, which might enhance and optimize the basic image, or offer new creative possibilities, when you’re using manual controls to adjust exposure and focus each time (which even the best cameras can’t always do in fully automatic mode), and it helps you achieve the perfect shot every time.
- Tripod Mount – This is a pretty basic feature, but not all cameras come with it, so you should consider getting it. To capture the best images of your own artwork, use a tripod even if you don’t need one.
Fine art and professional photographers need these features as well, ensuring that cameras are ideal not only for capturing and digitizing your work, but for all your creative experiments and explorations as well.
Why is a DSLR Camera Better for Art Photography?
Photographing your artwork can be done with three basic types of digital cameras:
DSLR Camera
The view through the lens of this type of camera is extremely precise for framing, and many users find aiming, framing and shooting are more natural and comfortable. They are almost always selected by top-level professional and art photographers, and they provide the best image and quality in general.
Mirrorless Camera
The camera looks like a DSLR but shows you a digital image instead when you look through the eyepiece. In addition, mirrorless cameras offer often excellent images and superior overall quality – almost as good as a DSLR, but at a much lower price.
The film format often appeals to younger photographers who haven’t used old film cameras. Even the best DSLRs can’t match some of them (see the Leica camera below).
Compact Camera
Compared to the two categories above, compact cameras offer greater value, easier controls, intuitive interfaces, and real usability, and are exceptionally affordable (though this isn’t always the case; the top compact camera we recommend is also one of the best digital cameras overall). Additionally, they can fit in a pocket that most DSLRs can’t even fit in!
Which Camera is Best for Photographing Your Artwork?
The prices and quality of cameras decrease as we move down the list. I am recommending all of these digital cameras because of the quality of their images, their great build quality, their durability and reliability, and their apparent simplicity and intuitiveness.
If you’re looking for the very best — highest image quality, maximum control, and maximum flexibility — then DSLR cameras are a great choice.
Although DSLR cameras usually offer the highest quality images, the most versatility and control, and some of the most advanced systems (such as lenses and accessories), they are usually the better choice for most people. For those who are fine or commercial artists digitizing extremely high-quality works, if they are looking for the most professional digital or print portfolio they can possibly imagine, or if they want to pursue their creativity entirely without limitations, you might want to consider either my Best Premium DSLR or Best Value DSLR.
It is a good choice if you are on a budget and you want to have the latest technology. However, they can also be quite expensive.
For artists on a budget who still want almost first-tier quality, the right mirrorless camera can offer you incredible quality, a host of options for enhancing the images (or allowing you to do whatever your creative heart desires), intuitive controls, and real usability. Even the best professional DSLRs can be beaten by a mirrorless camera like the Leica below.
If you are on a tight budget or if you need a highly portable camera to take pictures of your artwork on the go, a compact digital camera is an excellent choice.
You can also get beautiful results, and a camera that is gorgeous, if you find compact digital cameras intended for taking pictures of artwork. If you’re on a budget or are looking to buy a camera that is affordable, you should look into compact digital cameras designed for taking pictures of artwork.
A good compact camera can provide you with much better results than an expensive one if you practice, use creativity, and have an artistic eye. Although the image quality and build quality aren’t as high, you will be surprised by their quality!
A digital camera for photographing artwork will include the following seven basic recommendations:
- Best Digital Camera Overall for Photographing Artwork
- Best Premium DSLR Camera for Photographing Artwork
- Best Value DSLR Camera for Photographing Artwork
- Best Premium Mirrorless Camera for Photographing Artwork
- Best Value Mirrorless Camera for Photographing Artwork
- Best Premium Compact Camera for Photographing Artwork
- Best Value Compact Camera for Photographing Artwork
This section of this article includes a couple of great tripod options. However, let’s focus on what we believe to be the best digital cameras for artists in 2022!
Overview: Best Digital Camera for Photographing Artwork in 2022
DSLR Cameras
Nikon D780 w/AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR
Best Premium DSLR Camera for Artwork Photography
Canon EOS REBEL SL3 Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm Lens
Best Value DSLR for Photographing Artwork
This camera includes Wi-Fi and Dual Pixel CMOS AF, as well as a 3.0-inch vari-angle touchscreen
Mirrorless Cameras
Leica SL2 47MP Mirrorless Full-Frame Camera (Body Only)
Best Overall Digital Camera for Artwork Photography
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH Lens
In the above picture we have the Leica SL2 Mirrorless Full-Frame Camera with 47MP
Fujifilm X-T3 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/XF18-55mm Lens
Best Premium Mirrorless Camera for Photographing Artwork
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 IIR Lens
Best Value Mirrorless Camera for Photographing Artwork
Compact Cameras
Fuji X100V Digital Camera with Fujinon 23MM F2 Aspherical Lens
Best Premium Compact Camera for Photographing Artwork
Canon EOS M200 Compact Digital Camera with EF-M 15-45mm Lens
Best Value Compact Camera for Photographing Artwork
The EF-M 15-45mm lens can be used to take vertical and horizontal 4K videos, and the touchscreen LCD is 3.0 inches.
Best Overall Digital Camera for Artwork Photography
Leica SL2 47MP Mirrorless Full-Frame Camera (Body Only)
Best Overall Digital Camera for Artwork Photography
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH Lens
A review of the Leica SL2 47MP Mirrorless Full-Frame Camera is shown above
A friend of mine who is a professional photographer likes to say that artists generally own Leicas, while professionals prefer Nikon or Canon. It is regrettable that he did not pursue advertising, despite his gifts as an artist.
A camera and lens combination priced at 9,000 dollars may seem a bit surprising, but I am staying true to my category – the best of the best. Today, the Leica SL2 mirrorless full-frame digital camera is the best digital camera on the market.
If you look at what the Leica SL2 with the magnificent 24-70mm zoom lens can do, it is hard to imagine a better picture than what the Nikon D780 DSLR can produce. In looking at the images created by the Leica SL2 with a Summicron-S Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm zoom lens, there is nothing similar in terms of aesthetics, energy, depth, and realism.
The Leica SL2 meets all of these criteria, making it an ideal camera for digitizing art, as well as a great choice for photographers and artists alike. With perfect color fidelity, range and saturation, unparalleled actual resolution on the full-sized digital sensor, exceptional physical precision and lifetime usability, the best lenses ever, incredible manual control, and the most consistent results possible from fully automatic settings, these characteristics make the Leica SL2 an excellent choice for digitizing art, and it’s also the best choice for any photographer who focuses on fine art
Despite the fact that there are better cameras, I want to be completely honest. With a price over twice that of the SL2, the Leica S is a medium format camera without a lens. Then there’s Alpa, handcrafted Swiss cameras capable of running into six figures if you have a bit of associated kit.
It is certainly true that the SL2 is the best digital camera actually affordable (for some, at least), but the SL2 differs significantly from the superb Leica S. The Canon 5D Mark III is, without doubt, the best camera available for artists and for photographing artworks.
Best DSLR Cameras for Artwork Photography
Best Premium DSLR Camera
Nikon D780 w/AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR
Best Premium DSLR Camera for Artwork Photography
In light of all the praise the Leica SL2 has received, this may be perceived as a disappointment. The Nikon D780 is the finest DSLR in its price range and as good as it gets among mere mortals in the sub-Leica range.
It’s not the priciest DSLR, or the priciest Nikon, but the D780 offers not just top-of-the-line performance, but is very affordable as well.
The D780 seems to be designed specifically for digitizing artwork since it comes with a bright, clear, and accurate fully articulated LCD display, a user-friendly interface, manual control, and excellent results in fully automatic modes. However, the legendary Nikon lenses, the fully-fledged Nikon FX sensor, and the brilliant engineering create a camera that’s favored by everyone. Photographs of your art will be captured by the top professional photographers and artists.
As far as I am concerned, the Nikon D780 is the best camera in its category. A surprising number of people are able to afford it at a price of under 3,000 dollars. Aside from being the best DSLR for photographing artwork available today, it is a wonderful companion and creative partner for any artist.
Best Value DSLR Camera
Canon EOS REBEL SL3 Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm Lens
Best Value DSLR for Photographing Artwork
With Wi-Fi, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, and a 3.0 inch Vari-Angle Touchscreen
The Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is one of the most popular cameras on Amazon, and has excellent customer reviews (4.8 stars!). If you have used this camera or seen the pictures it can capture, this should be easy to understand.
As a small, light and incredibly easy-to-use digital single lens reflex camera with a large CMOS sensor, the SL3 is ideal for taking photos of / digitizing artwork. You can be sure that your art will be reproduced with maximum precision with the Canon zoom lens, and the EOS’s color fidelity and resolution are superb, especially at what this camera costs.
In terms of a drawback, I would have to say that the Canon lens isn’t as fast as some others, so it’s not ideal for hand-held photos of art in darker environments.
You will likely need a tripod if you want to get the best results, and you will usually work in well-lit studios. Furthermore, the camera’s sensor is extremely good at taking pictures in low light, so this isn’t a big problem.
The best camera for beginners on the market is this superb camera and lens combination, which not only produces near-perfect results but is also inexpensive. Among Canon’s widely popular and highly rated DSLR cameras, the EOS Rebel SL3 is a great affordable choice for photographing artwork, or for anything else you can think of, and is a joy to use!
Best Mirrorless Cameras for Artwork Photography
Best Premium Mirorless Camera
Fujifilm X-T3 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/XF18-55mm Lens
Best Premium Mirrorless Camera for Photographing Artwork
One of the first things you will notice about the Fuji X-T3 camera is its solid build, premium fit and finish, and whisper-quiet operation. Additionally, the sheer number of controls and dials is striking, since they appear as they might on an old film camera, though they are positioned and function in a logical manner. The overall user interface is simple and intuitive, as well.
There can be no question that the Fujifilm X-T3 is a wonderful camera, and it’s easy to use, but it’s also why it is so highly regarded, has won so many awards, and has won so much loyal support and devotion from owners, owing to the quality of the pictures it takes.
This beauty is not the result of any kind of electronic manipulation, but is the result of superb lenses from Fuji, a very large (APS-C) high-resolution sensor, and outstanding overall engineering.
Fujifilm’s X-T3 has all of these attributes that make it ideal for photographing artwork of any kind, and it features a bright and clear LCD screen, full manual controls as well as automatic mode, as well as low distortion and an aspherical lens that is remarkably fast. The best premium mirrorless camera for photographing artwork (besides the three-grand Leica above) in every respect.
Best Value Mirrorless Camera
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 IIR Lens
Best Value Mirrorless Camera for Photographing Artwork
In terms of design and layout, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs looks and feels like a vintage film camera (although it is quite small and light). While both cameras have great image quality, and both are of great quality, the Olympus costs about a third of what the Fuji does.
Yes, the Olympus is not as good as the expensive Fujifilm X-T3, but it offers outstanding color accuracy, light sensitivity, detail, and actual resolution, as well as extremely low distortion across the frame. The OM-D offers everything else we expect in an art camera, but it is the faithfulness and accuracy, and the life it brings to the art that really makes this camera special. The Olympus is a very usable and versatile camera, regardless of the type of photography you do.
It is easy to see why a camera like the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs is one of the most loved cameras on this list, even at its current price of around 600 dollars with the wonderful 14-42mm Olympus M.Zuiko lens. For photographing artwork, it is the best value mirrorless digital camera.
Best Compact Camera for Photographing Artwork
Best Premium Compact Camera
Fuji X100V Digital Camera with Fujinon 23MM F2 Aspherical Lens
Best Premium Compact Camera for Photographing Artwork
In terms of quality, there’s no comparison between the Fuji X100V and those more expensive cameras. The smaller, lighter, easier-to-use camera becomes their go-to tool and often produces even better images than the more complicated and bulkier gear they have.
However, the X100V is still about 1,400 dollars, making it one of the least expensive professional DSLRs. Yet anyone who has used it is stunned by its performance, which is astounding considering its small size, easy to use, and low cost, along with its large, high-resolution sensor (APS-C).
In particular, the images are notable for their intense colors, subtle and wide in range, and extremely accurate, for their detail and resolution, as well as for their life and energy. It has a cool hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder as well as an articulated LCD screen, which can be very useful for shooting artwork in a variety of situations.
While the lens is fixed focus (the camera has no zoom), it is such an excellent lens with extremely minimal distortion all over the frame that it is among the best features.
In the spirit of creative improvisation, the Fujifilm X100V is beyond doubt the best compact camera for taking photographs / digitizing your artwork, but since it is also capable of taking virtually any kind of picture or anywhere, I would say it’s also the best I’ve ever used for any kind of photography.
Best Value Compact Camera
Canon EOS M200 Compact Digital Camera with EF-M 15-45mm Lens
Best Value Compact Camera for Photographing Artwork
This compact camera features an EF-M 15-45mm lens, 3″ Touch Screen LCD, WiFi, Bluetooth, and vertical 4K video support.
You can get really professional quality photos of your artwork using the Canon EOS M200, which is about as cheap as you can get, allowing you to display your pieces in print and online and/or create a portfolio that will impress potential clients and investors.
The list of best digital cameras for artists does not contain any $200 cameras, but from my personal experience, and from feedback I receive from commercial and fine arts professionals, having an impressive portfolio or digital display piece is very important. It not only demonstrates your ability to create beautiful and captivating pieces, but it also showcases your commitment to quality. The quality of your portfolio or online presence speaks volumes about the level of your craft; is it professional and eye-catching enough?
Likewise, the Canon EOS M200 is able to capture your artwork in a truly accurate, beautiful and professional manner. In addition to being a great camera for daily use and vlogging, the M200 can also shoot HD video, and it does so easily and beautifully, producing images that are full of color and light, incredibly accurate and with little distortion, and have an impressive sense of energy.
An articulated LCD screen that is bright and accurate, and a low-light capability make Canon’s EOS M200 a very capable camera. In my experience, this camera is the best value digital camera I have found for photographing artwork, and a phenomenal performer for the price.
Bonus: Best Tripods for Photographing Your Artwork
Magnus VT-4000 Tripod System with Fluid Head
There are horizontally and vertically adjustable fluid heads on this tripod that are solid and stable
K&F Concept 62” DSLR Tripod
Aluminium tripod with 360° panorama ball head for travel or professional use that is lightweight and compact
The list could be long here, with tips on photographing artwork, a list of what you might need in terms of accessories, how to create a portfolio or present art to clients, as well as tips on digitally presenting artwork.
That will have to be a whole other article for tips, advice, and creative ideas. The rest can probably be figured out by us creative types.
You need only two things as far as gear is concerned: a fantastic camera and a TRIPOD. I did not capitalize that to shout at you, but in order to emphasize the necessity of a tripod when you are shooting any kind of artwork. This goes for any type of display, artwork installation, multi-media work, portfolios or promotional materials. Even with the most steady hand and the best camera, you will never be able to get the absolute accuracy that you can with a tripod – especially when it comes to focus and proper alignment.
This could be a whole new article and a buyer’s guide, but to close my article I just wanted to point out a couple of great tripods – one professional quality, one not so expensive, but both perfectly suitable for our needs.
Magnus VT-4000 Tripod System with Fluid Head – a sturdy tripod equipped with a fluid head that provides smooth vertical and horizontal adjustments, ensuring your camera doesn’t move once it has been put in place. There are many tripods that cost many times as much and are as good as this one!
K&F Concept 62” DSLR Tripod – A great value for such a solid, well-built tripod, with smooth, precise, and easy adjustments. This tripod is ideal for on-site work, but it can also be used at home or in the studio because it is lightweight and compact. Tripods that are less expensive can have a tendency to be unsteady and insecure, as well as ones that are more expensive do not necessarily offer more stability or precision.
