The best cameras for sports photography are those that are built for speed, plain and simple. Yes, you need a fast and precise AF system, and features like IBIS are useful for shooting sport. But the most essential element you should be looking for is a camera with a fast frame rate. A solid sports camera needs to be able to capture a lot of frames in rapid succession. This is because the action in most sports is happening so quickly.
Th best cameras for sports photography will not only have a high burst rate, but they’ll also have a high buffer. For those new to shooting sport and action, the buffer is how many shots your camera can take in succession before it needs to cool down.
So equally important to your camera’s frame rate is how fast it can process those files and move on to shoot the next one. Ensuring you purchase a camera with the latest iteration of that manufacturer’s image processing engine will mean you’re getting the most power.
Understanding continuous shooting and buffer capacity
When you’re looking at the maximum continuous frame rate that a camera offers, also check the buffer capacity. A high frame rate may be great, but if your camera locks up for ages after you’ve fired off a few images, it can mean missed shots. So a camera with a slower frame rate but a deeper burst depth may be a better choice.
As an example of what’s possible these days, we recently tested the OM System OM-1, which is down below on our list of the best cameras for sports photography. We were able to capture 50 frames consistently in one go when the number of frames was set to the default of 50. When the number of frames is uncapped, we were able to shoot just over 100 raw files, usually 102-105, in a single blast at 50fps in SH2 mode and 120fps in SH1 mode. At 50fps it takes just 2 seconds to fill the buffer and a little under half that at 120fps.
The best cameras for sports photography you can buy today
Given the cost and otherworldly performance of some of the pro-level cameras, we’ve split our list of the best cameras for sports photography into two with a list for professional models and more affordable options for enthusiasts. If you’re brand new to the genre, check out our guide to the best cameras for beginner sports photography. And don’t miss our extensive range of camera buying guides.
