Looking for the best camera for blogging? Find out if you already have it and what other equipment you might need to start taking incredibly beautiful pictures to post into your blog.
PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT FOR FOOD BLOGGERS: THE BEST CAMERA FOR BLOGGING
Want to know what the best camera for blogging is? Me too. Provided you are using a DSLR camera (one where the lenses can be interchanged) of some sort, chances are good that you already have the best camera for blogging. Most DSLR cameras operate the same as one another. Sure, some have additional functions and features, but they are all designed for one purpose: to take beautiful pictures. My opinion is until you are ready to turn pro, the best camera for blogging is already in your hands. They key to unlocking its potential, however, can be learned with the great resources in Photographing Food.
Along with your DSLR, you are going to need some accessories and equipment to take great food blog pictures. The following list of equipment are exactly what I use to take photographs on my site. I've also given a brief description of each item, what I like about it and whether it is something you really need for food photography success...
Please also keep in mind that you can RENT incredible equipment from your local photography shop as well. The rates are typically very reasonable and the equipment is top-notch. I've rented lenses in the past for a week and was very surprised at how little it actually cost. Becoming friends with the pros at your local photography store is a good thing too- they will help you a lot!
*Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase.
Alta Pro 263 AT If you are really trying to improve your photography or are thinking about moving into video production, you will need a good tripod. I've been through several tripods over the years, but really love this one the most. Why? It is so easy to use and versatile. I love that it is infinitely adjustable. Just a quick turn of the knob and you're onto a new shot angle.
But more than that, it is the ability to use the arm for overhead shots. This is great for food photography as well as for creating videos. When I first bought this tripod I wasn't even thinking about videos, but now that I am creating them it is just awesome. Create those "Tasty Videos" really easily with this tripod.
JOBY Gorilla Pod This is perfect for shooting video with either your DSLR or your phone. It's small enough to not get in the way and completely flexible to work around anything in its way. I removed the head that came with this and used a Manfrotto Mini Ball Head which I had laying around. The ball head that comes with the JOBY is good, but if you can use Manfrotto, then why not?
I love that this tripod can also wrap around my Alta Pro tripod for two different camera angles from the exact same perspective. Really cool.
Ulanzi Tripod Mount This is the BEST tripod mount for an iPhone that I have seen. I purchased 3 prior to this and had to remove my case for every single one. This is SECURE and easily adjustable. It also comes with 2 mounting points to the tripod. It is really incredible and for under $10 it is completely worth it. I use it with my JOBY Gorilla Pod all the time. Perfect for food videos OR for keeping your phone mounted properly for FACEBOOK LIVE or INSTAGRAM LIVE videos. Really a great product.
Nikon D7000 16.2 Megapixel DSLR This camera is a true work horse. It has survived through hundreds of cooking classes and the general turmoil of a professional kitchen. When I first started food blogging, I was using a point-and-click camera. A DSLR will take your photography to the next level overnight. This camera provides exceptionally high-quality images which are wonderful for food photography. The best part is that this camera is not "cutting edge" anymore, so you still get an incredible camera for a lot less money!
Nikon 60mm f/2.8G I use this lens for most of my photography on I'd Rather Be a Chef. With a minimum focus distance of 8" it really allows you to get super close to capture the depth and texture of your dish. It produces wonderful bokeh (the blurred background part of the image) for both up-close pictures as well as pictures from overhead. It has a fixed focal length, meaning that it will not zoom. I would highly recommend getting a clear filter to attach to keep your glass clean!
This lens is fairly expensive, but will change your photography instantaneously.
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G Lens This little beauty is what I started out using on I'd Rather Be A Chef. Again, this is a fixed focal length lens, so it will not zoom. It is a perfect lens to get for more than just food blogging. It takes crisp images and will allow you to get up close to the food as well, but not with the detail that the 60MM lens provides. At about half the cost of the 60MM, this is a great starter lens.
Nikon 18-105mm VR This is my workhorse lens. I take it absolutely everywhere that I go. It is perfect for overhead shots and does a really nice job getting the "close up" work done. It's not the miracle worker that my 60mm has turned out to be, but really does a fantastic job for everything.
I've used this lens now for several years. I've noticed that it has developed what is called "zoom creep" when working on overhead shots. Basically the barrel of the lens fully extends. I've fixed this with a sturdy rubber band and it works great again!
Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8D Unless you really love photography and plan on sticking to it for a long time, this lens is just the cherry on top that a lot of people never miss. The beauty of the 17-35 are the wide angle shots. If you do a lot of overhead shots, then this might be the lens for you. I can't tell you the number of times I've been on my little step ladder trying to get everything in with the 60MM lens. You'll get incredible depth and crisp photos with this lens every time. Does not do a wonderful job on close-up shots however.
Aputure Amran Ring Flash Ever had such a hard time getting the food right in front of your lens to have enough light on it? I got tired of setting up little tiny white reflector blocks everywhere and ordered this ring flash. I've never used one before so I didn't know what to expect. It is AWESOME. I love that it is dimmable and allows you to choose the full ring or either half. This allows you to really just fill what you need in the image.
I bought a foot for the ring flash as well so I am able to set it up as an independent fill light when I am working with artificial lighting. Works really well! For about $50 it comes with the light and a bunch of lens adaptors. Works with every lens I have except the 17-35.
SanDisk Ultra 32GB Once you have a digital camera, you're going to need some decent memory to capture the big, beautiful pictures you'll be taking. I have four of these SD memory cards- they are really awesome for the price. Even if I am shooting a couple RAW shots right in a row, these cards can take the heat. Be careful not to completely cheap out on memory- there are a lot of cards out there which are not fast which can be a problem if you start wanting to create videos with your camera!
Eyefi Mobi Pro 32GB Okay. So this is the next level of storage card. It not only has storage on it (32 GB will last you a long time) it also has WiFi capability. I upgraded from a 16GB Eye-Fi Pro X2(the older model) to this awesome Mobi Pro. Here's how I use it: I take my shot and it gets sent via WiFi to my iPad. On the larger screen, I can see my lighting issues, composition etc. It's pretty sweet and will send to my phone, computer or tablet. I love this little SD card.
Seagate 1TB External Drive Like I said, I have four 32 GB memory cards and another EyeFi Mobi- that's a lot of storage... but I take a lot of pictures as well. I like to keep all my pictures backed up and the fastest, easiest way I have found to do this is with this Seagate External Drive. It takes about 10 minutes to clear an entire memory card, which I love. I tried to upload everything to Dropbox but the massive file size and terrible upload speeds that I have made this a frustrating process. I absolutely love my external drive. Please note that the link is to a drive that is compatible with MAC. If you have a PC, please check out this Seagate Drive.
**NOTE** As of 4/21/16 I have had my new Lowel light on backorder from B&H since January 8. Not sure what is happening with these lights, but nobody seems to have them currently.
They used to sell these awesome lights on Amazon, but now they don't for some reason. You can find them over at B&H Photo for a decent price. This is my "lighting story" in a nutshell: for years lighting was my food photography nightmare. Daylight was too strong, to weak or non-existent. All the other lights I tried just never worked well. Enter the Lowel Ego. Bam! Just like that, my lighting improved. For a hundred bucks, these are the real deal. Best part is that the plastic wipes off if you get splatter on it. Soft boxes just take a beating in the kitchen.
IMAGE EDITING SOFTWARE FOOD BLOGGERS NEED
Ready to check out some incredible software for Image Editing? Let's go!
Hey Scott,
I had a quick question you guys may be able to help me with. Im a recent college grad looking to do some part time photography and build my portfolio. I have been looking for a good camera with my graduation money, well part of it anyway. I was looking around the 1,000 to 1,500$ range. Anyway, I have read lots of reviews ect about different cameras and have taken a liking to the Canon EOS 5D Mark III It's a lot more then my price range new but used i could possibly buy one. Or this Sony a7R II which i saw on this list http://www.bestcamerahq.com/best-professional-cameras/ Do any of you have any experience with either of these or could recommend something that meet the above criteria?
Thanks for the help!
Hi Ben:
Although I have no experience with either camera you are looking at, I can tell you that you are on the right track looking potentially for a used camera. My suggestion if you are going to purchase a used camera is to do so through a proper photography shop rather than off ebay or craigslist. They will be able to tell you what's happening with the camera and ensure that it is cleaned and ready for use.
In the beginning, I bought WAYYY more camera than I actually needed. The same is true today even as my shots get better. If I could go back in time, I would have bought the biggest sensor I could in a camera that had easily accessible manual settings. My camera has so many features that I just 1) don't use. 2) don't need 3) will most likely never use or need. The better idea is to invest more in quality lenses rather than a super duper body. My prime 60MM macro lens is just incredible and made my photography improve although my skills did not.
Back to the question at hand- I have friends who are Canon junkies that proclaim deeper colors and other friends who are Sony followers stating that the huge sensors lend to incredible crispness in their shots. I've always liked the ease which Nikon offers and bulletproof dependability. Keep in mind that when you buy your camera, you will most likely be choosing your photography lineage simply because lenses don't work between DSL camera brands.
Anyhow- not sure if this helped or not. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
Take care-
Scott
I'm a retired photographer (State of North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction) and wanted to mention that the recommendation of the Micro 60 is a very good idea. It isn't simply that you can get as close as one would ever reasonably want to get, but micro/macro lenses have flat field performance, which is important in product photography. In my opinion one does not need any of the other lenses on your list. I'd recommend the 105 Nikon micro even more, as it flattens perspective and if the "best" images are the aim - for sure one should consider the Tilt shift lenses. They open up a whole new world of options by allowing the focus to be thrown as desired. They are pricey ... but life is short. Great site, btw.
Pavel, Thanks for the recommendation. My photography is self taught and I am learning everyday. I always appreciate good advice, especially from someone with your experience! Can I contact you directly? @ [email protected]? Glad you enjoy the site.