Choosing a Camera and Lens
I often get asked which camera is best for capturing beautiful images of florals, gardens, or products.
While there are plenty of great options out there, the truth is that most modern cameras will give you high-quality results—what matters more is choosing the right lens for your needs, and knowing how to use whatever equipment you have.
Whether you're shooting for social media, your website, or simply to showcase your work, having the right camera and lens setup (for you!) can make a big difference.
Below are some key tips to help you make the best choice. There are some terms that may seem a bit jargony but are good to know when you head into a shop!
Want to improve your photography skills with a camera or phone? I have two hands-on workshops this year—join me to sharpen your skills and capture stunning images!
Key Things to Consider:
Sharp, Stunning Shots – Since flowers/products aren’t moving subjects, you don’t need ultra-fast autofocus, high frames per second (FPS) or a massive buffer. So you can totally ignore these camera features which makes things a lot simpler! Instead, for this type of photography, lens quality and low-light performance are more important.
Great in Low Light – If you often shoot indoors or in soft lighting, look for a camera with good low-light performance and a wide ISO range to keep your images bright and clear.
Sensor Size - Full-frame cameras are fantastic but you likely won’t need that level of resolution. A crop-sensor camera (APS-C) is a more budget-friendly option—not only is the camera itself more affordable, but the lenses tend to be cheaper too! Plus, crop-sensor cameras still deliver excellent image quality, making them a great choice for capturing stunning shots without the extra cost.
Lens Choice – Although often a 50mm is a good all rounder for many professionals, this is when they are using a full frame sensor. It is likely that you will be looking at cameras that have crop-sensors (see above). If you're working in a tight space, a 50mm lens on a crop-sensor camera MIGHT feel too zoomed in, making a 35mm a more practical option if you are just going for one lens.
When testing out lenses in a shop, imagine the space you’ll be working in and look through the viewfinder to see how much of the scene fits in the frame. For example, if you're trying to photograph a sculpture or large flower arch indoors, you might find you can’t step back far enough to capture the whole structure. In this case, you’d need a wider lens—which, counterintuitively, means choosing a lower focal length (e.g., 24mm or 35mm instead of 50mm).
Also, pay attention to the aperture of the lens you’re considering (see below), as this will affect how much light the lens lets in and how much background blur (bokeh) you can achieve.
Soft, Dreamy Backgrounds – A lens with a wide aperture (like f/1.8 or f/2.8) will help create that gorgeous blurred background effect, making your subject stand out. These wide apertures also let in more light so are great for darker conditions such as indoors and wedding venues. However, this wide aperture feature is often more expensive so if you can’t stretch to that right now just go for the lowest you can (my main lens only goes down to f/4).
Go Macro for Close-Ups – To highlight petal textures, product features and other fine details, a macro lens (90mm or 100mm) could be a great choice for a second lens. But don’t choose this for your main lens!
Thinking About Buying? Visit a Camera Shop.
If you’re unsure which camera or lens is right for you, I’d definitely recommend visiting a camera shop and chatting with the staff. They can guide you based on your specific needs, and you’ll be able to try out different options. Also, if you're on a budget, second-hand cameras from reputable shops (not someone random on eBay!) can be a great option, as they’re usually tested, cleaned, and even come with a warranty. I have got nearly all my cameras second hand via online and on the high street camera shops. (Online shops I have used include MPB, Wex photo and London Camera Exchange).
So to summarise the above, if I was going into a camera shop I would say:
I don’t need a full frame camera - I am happy with a cropped-sensor camera
I would like a camera where I can change the lens
I would like a camera that performs well in low light conditions
I would like to try a 35mm prime lens on the camera
I would like the lens to have a wide aperture to let in a lot of light and to give the nice blurry background!
Do feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or come along to one of my workshops :)