One of the most frequently asked questions I get is “what kind of camera do you use?”. From blog readers asking what is the best camera for London photography to Instagram followers wondering what camera I use for social media, I get messages from a lot of people. Some of the information is on the FAQ page of my blog, but today I want to answer in more depth.

Best Camera for London Photography

Best Camera for London Photography

It’s worth mentioning that when I started the A Lady in London blog I had no photography experience whatsoever. But over the years I’ve not only developed a passion for it, but also gotten a lot of experience.

I’m mostly self-taught, and I’ve been amazed at the quantity and quality of resources available for learning photography both online and in print. If you feel intimidated, believe me when I say that if I’ve gotten to where I am now, so can you.

A Lady in London with Camera

Here’s a quick list you can use as a guide for the best camera for London photography—body, lenses, software, and all. I’ve gone into detail on each item below, so read on for more.

1. Canon EOS R5 (body)
2. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM (standard zoom lens)
3. SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO CFexpress Card (memory card)
4. SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Card Reader
5. Adobe Lightroom (editing software)
6. Seagate One Touch 2TB External Hard Drives (storage)
7. Learning Resources

Camera Body for London Photography

I take pictures with a Canon EOS R5. It’s an amazing professional camera to use for my London photography and travel photos.

It’s been all over the world with me, and it has allowed me to capture everything from the best views of London to the smallest details of destinations abroad. I can’t sing its praises enough. If you’re in the UK, you can get it here. If you’re in the US, you can get it here.

Canon EOS R5 Camera

Camera Lens for London Photography

The main lens I use with it is the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM (standard zoom).

This is my everyday lens, and it’s perfect for photographing London’s mews, facades, interiors, food, and all the other lovely things the city puts in my path. If you’re in the UK, you can get one here. If you’re in the US, you can get one here.

Sure, the body and lens are neither cheap nor featherweights. But they’ve been worth every penny, and everyone I know can attest that the quality of the images makes me more than willing to shoulder their weight wherever I go.

A Lady in London Blogger with Camera

Memory Card for London Photography

But it’s not just about having the best camera for London photography. I also rely on good memory cards.

The SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO CFexpress Card I use is fast, which means I can take a lot of photos quickly and capture movement well.

I was thankful for it recently when I happened to be by Buckingham Palace during the Changing the Guard ceremony. It allowed me to get great shots of the red coats while they were on the move.

There are faster and more expensive CF cards on the market, but this one has suited my London photography needs really well. You can get one on Amazon here.

Memory Card Reader for London Photography

I also have a memory card reader for uploading my photos from my camera to my laptop. I use a SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Card Reader, which is easy and quick. You can get one on Amazon here.

Canon EOS R5

Lightroom for London Photography

None of my shots would be as good as they appear on my blog and social media channels without Adobe Lightroom.

This editing software has helped me make my images pop, whether from color corrections and perspective changes or white balance fixes and clarity enhancements.

It’s an integral part of my photography process, and I couldn’t share the images I do without it.

Admittedly, it took a while to learn how to use Lightroom. It’s so powerful it can be overwhelming at first. But I got up to speed after a month, and now I adore it.

A Lady in London with Camera

External Hard Drives for London Photography

My photos take up a lot of space on my computer’s hard drive. As such, I have two Seagate One Touch 2TB External Hard Drives to help me manage the large file sizes.

I save all my photos to the primary external hard drive, then back them up to the secondary one (and to the Cloud for extra security).

It means my computer runs much faster and I always know my photos will be safe if anything happens to one of the places they’re saved.

Better yet, the drives’ small size means I can take them with me wherever I travel. If you’re in the UK, you can get one here. If you’re in the US, you can get one here.

Learning Resources for London Photography

I’ve learned so much about photography over the years that it’s hard to know where to start when recommending resources.

I read the Footprint guide to Travel Photography when I first started, and it gave me a great overview. You can get it here.

I also rely on photography blogs and websites whenever I Google something I’m struggling with. Canon has good tutorials on its website, and I’ve watched YouTube videos like my friend Sean Byrne’s to learn how to use Lightroom and improve my skills.

A Lady in London with Canon camera

I hope this guide will set you up to capture amazing memories during your time in London, whether you’re here for a visit or a lifetime.

How about you? What do you think is the best camera for London photography?

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Best Camera for London Photography

17 Comments on Lady’s 7 Things You Need for the Perfect London Photo

  1. These are all pretty pricey, can you recommend any below £1,000 (between £500-£1,000) UK for a new blogger? I’d be happy to invest in the future once my blog takes off. Thanks.

  2. This was such an interesting read! I’ve gotten really into photography lately and am so keen to make it better. I’m currently saving for the Canon 5D Mark III and I can’t wait to one day get it in my hands!

    I recently purchased Photoshop and Lightroom but haven’t tried the latter yet – it seems so overwhelming! Would you by any chance know any good tutorials? x

    Laura

  3. Thank you for the tips! I thought about trying out Lightroom for editing my pictures, but I think I will get myself a better camera first 🙂

  4. Love your blog, I’ve recently moved to London and your blog is such good inspiration! Just wondering if you use auto or manual focus on your camera when taking photos? I struggle with the auto focus picking up what I want ?

  5. I love your photographs and the way you develop them. The new photo on Insta is amazing! I was wondering if you still use this Canon camera or have you updated.
    Thank you for the blog

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