Which is better for astrophotography? Sony, Canon or Nikon?

It can be a complex decision to choose the right camera brand for astrophotography. With new technology and an ever-increasing rate of camera development, the major photographic brands that we see regularly popping up, like Canon, Nikon, and Sony, each bring district strengths to the table. Telling these strengths apart and knowing what to pay attention to can sometimes be difficult. In astrophotography, key factors like low-light performance, high ISO capabilities, noise reduction, and any included specific astro-centric features are paramount. If you are in the market for a camera, it might be worth checking out these brands in our camera deals hub. In this article, we will discuss how the brands compare and answer common tech queries about each system.

Sony

Firstly, Sony recently broke ground with its cutting-edge sensor technology. Sony’s mirrorless systems, especially the full-frame options, excel in handling high ISO settings with minimal noise, making them popular for astrophotographers and people taking images in low-light environments. Their backside illuminated sensors (often referred to as BI sensors) allow more light to hit the pixel area, improving sensitivity and reducing noise, which is crucial for capturing faint celestial objects. Sony also has excellent real-time star tracking and pixel shift technology to provide clear, high-detail astro images, but much of this comes at a price, with good full-frame Sony options coming in at thousands of dollars.

Canon

Canon has long been a favorite for astrophotography thanks to its exceptional color science and sensor performance at higher ISO values, although they tend to produce slightly more noise than Sony’s comparable models. Canon’s strength lies in its wide range of compatible lenses and dedicated low-light features in select models such as the Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6. The affordability of many of their models mean that second-hand Canon options can often be purchased for a fraction of the price of many newer options.

Nikon

Nikon has recently stepped up its game with mirrorless Z-series cameras, like the Nikon Z6 and Z7. Nikon’s full-frame cameras boast excellent dynamic range and superb low-light performance, making them competitive for astrophotography. Like Sony, Nikon’s backside illumination sensor technology helps with reducing noise at high ISOs, though Nikon’s high ISO noise reduction isn’t always as aggressive as Sony’s. Nikon also offers specialized features such as ‘star-eater’ suppression, designed to maintain image quality during long exposures which will come in handy for photographers who are pointing towards the night sky.

Best entry-level cameras for astrophotography

If you are just getting started in astrophotography, you will want to look at setups that allow experimentation — a mixture of affordability and a wide range of lenses is important to look at. The Nikon D5600 is a good starting point — plenty of lens combinations are available and the 24.2 MP sensor has an ISO range of 100-25,600. It is also good at low light autofocus, which, although, as a budding astrophotographer, you’ll rarely use, it is good to have as an option if you are taking photos of a supermoon, for example.

We would also recommend something like the ultra-portable Sony Alpha a6400, which, although still an APS-C sensor, offers options for interchangeable lenses and features real-time tracking, where it uses AI behavior models to detect and capture objects in the distance automatically.

Best mid-range cameras for astrophotography