Best 35mm Film Cameras
| Last Updated: November 17, 2020
Instagram is one of the most creative social media platforms.
Whether you’re a professional influencer or a travel enthusiast, your page allows you to express your personality. Most people use their smartphone to take Insta pics, but a proper camera can take your content to the next level.
The best camera for Instagram photos in 2021 is the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. The sensor has a high pixel resolution and it has an extensive ISO for low-light photography. It also features superior autofocus and wireless connectivity. Overall, this camera is an excellent choice for photos and videos.
In this review guide, we look at the best cameras for Instagram photography. We consider the pros and cons so you can make the best choice for you. We also answer common questions about Instagram cameras. So, let’s get into it!
5 Best Cameras for Instagram Photos in 2021
1. Best Overall: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
- Camera Type: DSLR
- Sensor Size: Full-frame
- Sensor Resolution: 30.4 megapixels
- Lens Mount: Canon EF, EF-S
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Video Resolution: 2160p
- Weight: 1.8 pounds (816g)
What Makes This Instagram Camera Our Top Pick?
The EOS 5D Mark IV has the most impressive sensor resolution and can handle 30.4 megapixels from its full-frame sensor. It also records videos in 4K. This blows the other competition out of the water and makes for the most beautiful photos and videos.
It can easily handle low-light photography because of its 100-32,000 ISO range. If your focus is night photography or grabbing sunset cocktail pictures, you can’t go wrong with this camera.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Users love how soft and silent the shutter is. They also appreciate the superior facial tracking and autofocus. The camera is simple and user-friendly enough for beginners, with enough settings for experienced photographers to tweak their shots.
However, some users have complained about the included battery. It runs out of charge quickly and in some cases stops working completely. If you will be using the EOS 5D Mark IV for long photoshoots, we recommend bringing a backup.
Features and Considerations
It is the best DSLR camera for Instagram because of its superior focus. It has rapid autofocus from its Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus. It also has a 6+ Image Processor, which allows you to take photos at 7.0fps. This is essential if you are photographing anything that moves.
It has superior connectivity, with in-built WiFi, NFC, and GPS. This makes it easy to transfer photos directly to your device and upload them to Instagram.
2. Runner-Up: Sony A7 III ILCE7M3
- Camera Type: Mirrorless digital
- Sensor Size: Full-frame
- Sensor Resolution: 24.2 megapixels
- Lens Mount: FE 24-70mm
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Video Resolution: 2160p
- Weight: 1.4 pounds (635g)
What Makes This Camera for Instagram Our Runner-Up Option?
The Sony A7 III ILCE7M3 is a sophisticated mirrorless camera with high-quality image technology. It strikes the perfect balance between photos and videos, all from a lightweight unit with a full-frame sensor.
We particularly like the Eye Autofocus function, which highlights the eyes and face in portrait photography. This is invaluable if your Instagram focuses on yourself or other people. For this reason, it’s our pick for the best camera for close up Instagram pictures.
We also love the image stabilization and capacity for 4K movies. This allows smooth and visually stunning Instagram stories and video posts.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Users love the camera’s excellent performance and high color photography in all conditions, including low light. They also love how sophisticated the autofocus feature is, and that you can use the LED touchscreen to focus your photos.
However, they dislike that you can only use the touchscreen to focus photos. It is also difficult to find and adjust some of the more detailed photography settings. Therefore, it might not be a suitable choice for complete amateurs.
Features and Considerations
The Sony a7 III allows you to take multiple images in rapid succession, with 10fps shooting. It also has excellent wide coverage and focus. Therefore, it’s a great option if you want to shoot moving objects and choose the best shots later.
It has an extended ISO range up to 51,200. This is a significant improvement on comparable Instagram cameras and allows you to shoot the brightest and most beautiful shots in any location.
3. Sony Alpha A6600
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- Camera Type: Mirrorless digital
- Sensor Size: APS-C
- Sensor Resolution: 24.2 megapixels
- Lens Mount: E-mount
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Video Resolution: 2160p
- Weight: 1.2 pounds (544g)
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What Makes This Instagram Camera a Good Choice?
The Sony Alpha A6600 is our pick for the best camera for Instagram videos. It has 5-axis optical image stabilization and has Fast Hybrid Autofocus. This allows the camera to adjust quickly to videos and keep focus on your subject.
The autofocus is diverse and a huge draw of this camera. It can focus on the eyes of humans and animals, as well as transition between different points of focus. If you like to play around with different focus points in your Insta videos, you will love this feature.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Reviewers like the external microphone and headphone ports, which you can use to improve the audio quality of your videos. They also like the speed of the autofocus and the long battery life.
However, the camera has some drawbacks. Users don’t like some of the layout. You can’t use the touch screen for menu selections and the menu button is difficult to reach. There is also a discrepancy between the aspect ratio and the display screen, so there are black bars on the side.
Features and Considerations
The Sony Alpha A6600 has a rotating LED that you can use to take selfies. It allows you to see your poses and adjust accordingly, so you can get the best content for your Insta.
Overall, this model is the right choice if you’re looking for the best camera for making Instagram videos.
4. Canon EOS Rebel T7i
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- Camera Type: DSLR
- Sensor Size: APS-C
- Sensor Resolution: 24.2 megapixels
- Lens Mount: EF and EF-S
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Video Resolution: 1080p
- Weight: 1.2 pounds (544g)
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What Makes This Instagram Camera a Great Option?
The Canon EOS Rebel T7i is the best option if you like to shoot moving objects. It has the market´s fastest 45-point autofocus that can focus on your subject in the minimum amount of time.
It can also capture 6 frames per second, with each one perfectly in focus. If you like to show moving content like athletes, animals, or festivals, then you will love these features. You can easily pick from a variety of high-quality photos and upload your best content.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Reviewers love how small and lightweight the DSLR is. It allows you to take the camera on the go and shoot new content out in the world. They also like the rear-facing LCD that allows you to take selfies, film vlogs, and see photos from different angles.
However, they dislike that the mode dial doesn’t have a lock. This means you can accidentally change settings without realizing. Video-makers also dislike the quality of the image stabilization when compared to other models.
Features and Considerations
You can easily transfer your images to your device with the in-built WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC technology. This is true for both Android and iOS devices.
We also appreciate the feature assistant, which explains photography features on the screen. This makes it a great option if you’re a new photographer who is learning the ropes.
5. Panasonic LUMIX GX85
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- Camera Type: Mirrorless digital
- Sensor Size: Micro four thirds CMOS
- Sensor Resolution: 16 megapixels
- Lens Mount: MFT
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Video Resolution: 2160p
- Weight: 1.1 pounds (499g)
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What Makes This Camera for Instagram Special?
The Panasonic LUMIX GX85 is the best cheap camera for Instagram. We like its affordability, as well as its 4K video capabilities. It also comes equipped with two different lenses: 12-32mm and 45-150mm. The camera is great value for money if your priorities are Instagram stories and different styles of photography.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Reviewers love the quality of video that the camera shoots. They also appreciate the level of quality that you get for the size and price of the GX85. Photos have vivid detail that many cameras in this price bracket cannot achieve.
However, users dislike how small the electronic viewfinder is. This can make it difficult to use, especially if you have larger facial features. They also dislike that the LCD does not rotate a full 180 degrees. Therefore, you can’t easily use this camera to take Insta selfies.
Features and Considerations
The GX85 has Depth-from-Defocus Auto Focus, which allows the camera to quickly get focus even when the subject is moving at high speed. Combined with the 16MP Digital Live MOS Sensor, pictures are always vivid, colorful, and accurate.
You also have the option to add more than 27 different lenses. This makes the GX85 an excellent option if you like to play around with different distances and effects. Overall, it’s a versatile camera for Instagram photos and videos.
Camera for Instagram FAQ
Do I Want a DSLR or SLR for Instagram Photography?
Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) and single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras are both popular options for Instagram photography. While it is a matter of personal preference, most people prefer DSLR cameras for this purpose.
There are some key differences between DSLR and SLR cameras:
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- Technology
- Image sensor
- Interchangeable lenses
- Photo/video quality
- Price
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Both types of cameras use single-lens reflex technology, which is superior to point and shoot photography. It has a mirror inside the camera which lets you see images as the camera sees them. However, DSLRs often also include a live preview through the screen as well.
DSLRS are digital, so they use memory cards and can store thousands of photos. SLRs use traditional film, so you are restricted by the amount of images on the roll. This generally makes DSLRs a better option for Instagram because you can take multiple shots to edit later, without worrying about limits.
With film photos, you will also have to send them off to develop. Professional developers can convert the film into a digital format that you can use for your Insta feed. However, this is costly and takes more time than transferring images from a DSLR camera.
Both cameras are compatible with interchangeable lenses. This makes them both good options if you want to switch between close-range and long-distance photography for your Insta feed.
SLRs usually have a higher photo quality than SLRs. This is because the camera can pick up more details of photos, like contrast, color, and dynamic range. They also usually have higher pixel counts. This means that SLRs are the best choice if your number one priority is photo quality.
However, SLRs cannot take videos. Most DSLRs can, so they are a better choice if you want the option for video posts and Instagram stories. In this review guide, we have highlighted some choices that are the best video cameras for Instagram.
SLRs are less common than DSLRs. Therefore, they are usually more expensive. They are not a good budget-friendly option for Instagram. However, they might be suitable if you are a professional influencer who wants to invest in the technology.
What Are the Best Lens Mounts?
Lens mounts are the part of the camera that allow you to attach different lenses. They come with different mount sizes, throat sizes, mounting directions, locking mechanisms, and flange distances.
The best lens mounts have the largest throat size to shortest flange distance ratio. Examples of lens mounts with these characteristics include the Leica L, Nikon Z, and Canon RF mounts.
Large throat size is a beneficial feature for lens mounts because you can attach larger lenses. This is ideal because it provides more light to your camera’s sensor and thus improves the quality of photos.
The flange distance is the amount of space between the mounting flange and the film/sensor plane. Ideally, you want a small flange distance because it allows the camera to be thinner and more compact. This makes for cheaper, lighter, and more user-friendly cameras.
Cameras with shorter flange distances can also autofocus faster. You can also use a lens adaptor to attach other lenses that come from cameras with longer flange distances.
The relationship between the throat size and flange distance is also important. When you have a large throat size and a small flange distance, this determines the angle of incidence. Simply speaking, this angle is formed by light bouncing off a flat surface. When there is a bigger angle of incidence, the lens can perform at a higher level.
However, you should be aware of some drawbacks. Larger lens mounts are usually heavier and harder to handle. Small flange distances can also increase the vignette effect in the corners of your photos.
APS-C or Full-Frame Camera: What’s Better for Instagram?
APS-C and full-frame cameras have different sensor sizes. Both are good options for Instagram, but they have key differences between them. Beginners and intermediate photographers are better suited to APS-C cameras, while experts might prefer full-frame.
APS-C cameras are also called crop-sensor cameras. They have smaller image sensors than their full-frame counterparts. This means that they have a more narrow view angle in photos. These sensors are more affordable and you can find them in most budget and mid-range cameras.
There are key differences between the two kinds of sensors:
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- Image quality
- Effectiveness in low light
- Depth of field
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Generally speaking, full-frame cameras have a higher image quality. Because the sensor is larger, they show more accurate pictures of reality. However, this is not the case if you are shooting with low sensitivity settings. APS-C sensors can pick up on smaller details.
Therefore, if you want overall better image quality with minimal adjustments, you should pick a full-frame camera.
Full-frame cameras also shoot better photos in low light conditions. They have larger pixels which can absorb light and show more detail. If your Instagram is focused on night photography or sunset pictures, you will appreciate a full-frame sensor.
If you choose to transition from an APS-C camera to a full-frame camera, you will need to adjust to the depth of field. Areas that are not in focus will have more blur. If your Insta page is mostly landscape shots, then this isn’t a good idea. However, if you focus on selfies and portraits, then it will be to your advantage.
Both APS-C and full-frame cameras are good options for Instagram photography. You should consider all the factors before making your decision.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a lot of great options if you’re looking for the best camera for Instagram photos. These cameras have excellent photo quality and user-friendly features that serve well for both landscape and portrait shots.
Many of the cameras also support superior video format. If Insta stories are your priority, you should consider one with this design. However, for general photos, you should consider your experience level and budget before all else.
By reading the pros and cons of each option, we are confident that you will find the best camera for you. Good luck!
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