While the latest smartphones can take some pretty impressive portrait photos, the artificial background blur created by your phone’s ‘portrait mode’ can’t compare to the background separation you can achieve with a dedicated DSLR or mirrorless camera and a good lens. Fortunately, if you’re looking to start shooting high-quality portraits, there’s no shortage of great cameras to suit every budget and experience level. If you’re just starting out, you should know that lighting, lenses, and composition will be just as, if not more, important than the camera body you’re using. This means that the best camera for portrait photography will be the one that allows you to get out and exercise sooner, even if it’s an older or cheaper model.

While a full-frame camera will make it easier to achieve the background blur and bokeh that portrait photographers prefer, an APS-C or even Micro Four Thirds option with the right lens can still give you fantastic results. While a high megapixel count is great if you’re printing photos, don’t count too much on your camera’s megapixel count – most modern digital cameras offer more than enough to capture fine detail, especially for sharing online.

With all that said, we’ve bought and tested more than 100 cameras in our lab, and below we’ve narrowed down the best portrait cameras for most people. Alternatively, if you’re looking for more well-rounded options for different types of photography, check out our best cameras for wider photography. If you’re looking for a full-frame model, check out our list of the best full-frame mirrorless cameras. If this is your first camera, you might want to check out our best cameras for beginners.