Best Cheap Cameras

One of the downsides of photography is that it can get quite expensive.

Once you buy a camera, a couple of lenses, a good tripod, some filters, and other essentials, you can easily be into it for a couple of thousand of dollars.

On the other hand, a great thing about photography is that there is so much gear available.

The sheer quality and quantity of photography equipment is quite impressive, especially when you consider what you can get on a tight budget.

This applies to all segments of photography gear, including cameras.

And if you think that you can only pick up a compact camera or a point-and-shoot for a low price, think again...

There are plenty of DSLR and even mirrorless cameras on the market today that fall into the introductory segment of the market and can be found brand new for a price that doesn't break the bank.

With that in mind, let's explore some of the top camera options for photographers on a budget.

Mirrorless Cameras

Sony Alpha A7R

Essential Features:

• 36.4-megapixel full frame CMOS sensor
• Sony E-mount lens mount
• 4fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch articulating LCD with 1.23 million dots
• 1080p video

Hands down, the Sony Alpha A7R has the best sensor of any camera on this list.

Yes, you have to pay more for that kind of image detail, but if detail is what you want, this is the camera for you.

Since it's a mirrorless camera, the A7R is small and compact, giving you incredible power in a small body.

And since it's been refreshed with the newer A7R II, you can find great deals on the A7R, making it among the most affordable full frame mirrorless cameras out there.

Its autofocus system is notoriously slow, but if you don't need the camera for action shots and want to produce highly-detailed images, give the A7R a try.

Best Feature: The sensor

Worst Feature: The autofocus system

Sony Alpha A5000

Essential Features:

• 20.1-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• Sony E-mount lens mount
• 3.5fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch tilt-angle LCD with 460,000 dots
• 1080p video

The Sony Alpha A5000 isn't a new camera, but that doesn't mean that it isn't still a solid choice for photographers that want to venture into working with a mirrorless camera.

The A5000's claim to fame is it's impossibly small size, even with a lens attached.

The 20.1-megapixel sensor isn't the biggest of the mirrorless bunch but produces good images with nice detail and brightness.

The camera has a tilting screen, making tough angles easier to shoot, but with a resolution of just 460,000 dots, it's not the best screen to look at.

Nonetheless, as Sony's go, this one is among the easiest to use, making it a solid choice for beginners and intermediates as well.

Best Feature: Simple and easy to use

Worst Feature: Its age

Nikon 1 J5

Essential Features:

• 20.8-megapixel (1-inch)
• Nikon 1 lens mount
• 60fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch tilting LCD with 1.037 million dots
• 4k video

If fast action stills or video is what you're looking for, the Nikon 1 J5 is the best option for you on this list.

As a mirrorless camera, it's small, compact, and easy to carry around.

But it packs an incredible punch with a whopping 60fps continuous shooting for capturing even the fastest of moving subjects. The hybrid autofocus system helps in that endeavor with its fast acquisition of moving targets.

This camera's sensor is very small, though - much smaller than other mirrorless cameras on our list - so you won't be able to get the same resolution of photos.

However, if resolution isn't a big issue for you, the Nikon 1 J5 is a good-performing and inexpensive option.

Best Feature: 60fps continuous shooting

Worst Feature: Small sensor

DSLR Cameras

Canon EOS Rebel SL1

Essential Features:

• 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• Canon EF-S lens mount
• 4fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch touch screen with 1.04 million dots
• 1080p video

The Canon EOS Rebel SL1 is already about four years old, yet the novelty of just how small this camera is still hasn't worn off.

If you're in the market for a tiny, lightweight camera but want more functionality than a compact camera offers, the SL1 is among the best DSLRs for beginners.

With an 18-megapixel sensor, you can take photos with good details, though the sensor is showing its age compared to other DSLRs on this list.

With a touch screen interface, the SL1 is extremely easy to use and makes quick work of navigating menus.

The SL1 isn't going to blow you away with bells and whistles, but it's nonetheless an excellent option for beginners that want to get into the DSLR space without dumping a ton of money on a camera.

Best Feature: Small size for a DSLR

Worst Feature: Aging sensor

Canon EOS Rebel T6i

Essential Features:

• 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• Canon EF-S lens mount
• 5fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch articulating touch screen with 1.04 million dots
• 1080p video

With one of the best sensors among inexpensive DSLRs, the Canon EOS Rebel T6i is worth a good, long look for photographers that want the capability of creating highly detailed images on a budget.

Unlike other cameras in the same price range, the T6i offers tons of amenities, including an articulating touch screen LCD, Wi-Fi, and NFC.

With a capable autofocus system, you can even use the T6i for action shots that aren't too quick or wild.

All in all, this is an excellent all-around camera for beginners and enthusiasts that want modern features, a great sensor, and the ability to pair the camera with a wide range of lenses. It's a bit more expensive than other DSLRs on this list, but the sensor alone makes it worth the added price.

Best Feature: The sensor

Worst Feature: Short battery life

Nikon D3300

Essential Features:

• 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• Nikon DX lens mount
• 5fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch LCD with 921,000 dots
• 1080p video

The Nikon D3300 might lack modern amenities like Wi-Fi and a touch screen, but what it lacks there it more than makes up for in the sensor department.

The 24.2-megapixel sensor creates images that are sharp, bright, and detailed. In fact, in the detail department, it's tough for any entry-level DSLR to beat. That's due in part to the absence of an anti-aliasing filter, which improves sharpness.

For the beginner photographer, the D3300's guide mode is an especially nice feature.

Just enter guide mode, and you get explanations of the camera's features so you can learn how to use it's dials, modes, and buttons quickly and efficiently.

The LCD leaves a lot to be desired - it's fixed and isn't as high resolution as other models - but throw in a decent 18-55mm kit lens, and you have a great buy for a beginner photographer nonetheless.

Best Feature: The sensor

Worst Feature: The LCD

Nikon D5300

Essential Features:

• 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• Nikon DX lens mount
• 5fps continuous shooting
• 3.2-inch articulating LCD with 1.037 million dots
• 1080p video

Though there are now two newer versions of the Nikon D5300, it still offers plenty of features for beginner and enthusiast photographers.

The 24.2-megapixel sensor is excellent, with an ISO range up to 25600 that allows you to tackle low-light shooting in a way that many of the other cameras on this list simply won't allow you to do.

What's more, the D5300 has Nikon's EXPEED-4 image processor, which, although not Nikon's newest or fastest processor, still gives you plenty of processing power for fast performance.

Add in a well-performing 39-point autofocus system, built-in GPS, and a sensor that produces high-resolution images, and you have the makings for a solid camera for less than $500.

Best Feature: The sensor

Worst Feature: No touch screen

Compact Cameras

Canon PowerShot SX710 HS

Essential Features:

• 20.3-megapixel sensor (1/2.3-inches)
• Integrated 25-750mm f/3.2-6.9 lens
• 6fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch LCD with 922,000 dots
• 1080p videos

The Canon PowerShot SX710 HS might not be the best-looking camera on our list, but it has plenty of features that make it an excellent buy, particularly for beginner and intermediate photographers.

In addition to a 30x optical zoom that can get you an astonishing 750mm focal length equivalency, the PowerShot also has advanced shooting modes that give you more control over exposure.

That means you can be more creative with your shots (i.e. purposefully overexposing or underexposing your images). Of course, it comes with fully automatic shooting and scene modes for those times when you need a good shot quickly.

Like the other compacts on the list, this camera fits right into your pocket, making it a solid choice for beginner photographers that want a solid camera to take photos of friends and family, all the way to enthusiast photographers that need a lightweight camera to use as they travel.

Best Feature: 30x optical zoom

Worst Feature: No RAW shooting capabilities

Sony RX100

Essential Features:

• 20.2-megapixel sensor (1-inch)
• Integrated 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9 lens
• 2.5fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch LCD with 1.229 million dots
• 1080p video

As far as premium compact cameras go, the Sony RX100 might be a few years old, but it still packs quite a punch.

The 20.2-megapixel sensor alone warrants giving this little camera a good, hard look, as it produces images with quite a lot of detail.

The 28-100mm lens gives you an excellent focal range that moves quickly, efficiently, and quietly as well.

The RX100's tiny size is also a worthy feature, particularly if you're interested in something you can carry with you in your pocket without sacrificing image quality.

Best Feature: The sensor

Worst Feature: It's age

Sony WX220

Essential Features:

• 18.2-megapixel sensor (1/2.3-inches)
• Integrated 25-250mm f/3.3-5.9 lens
• 1.5fps continuous shooting
• 2.7-inch LCD with 460,000 dots
• 1080p video

If you're looking for a camera that allows you to get decent photos for sharing online, the Sony WX220 is a great choice.

It has a large 18.2-megapixel sensor that creates images that are bright and colorful, albeit with less detail than the other compact cameras on our list.

With built-in Wi-Fi, you can quickly and easily share your snaps, too.

Another nice feature of this camera is that it's even more compact than its competitors, making it a top choice if you want something that's truly small and lightweight.

Of course, that small size means sacrificing a larger LCD screen, but if small size is your top priority, it's tough to beat this camera.

Best Feature: The sensor

Worst Feature: Relative lack of features

Panasonic Lumix ZS50

Essential Features:

• 12.1-megapixel sensor (1/2.3-inches)
• Integrated 24-720mm f/3.3-6.4 lens
• 10fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch LCD with 1,040 million dots
• Electronic viewfinder
• 1080p video

If you're a beginner, I'm not sure there's a better compact camera for a budget price than the Panasonic Lumix ZS50.

Though it doesn't have as big of a sensor as other compact cameras on our list, the Panasonic offers some neat features that will help you get better photos and encourage you to learn more about photography.

That includes being able to shoot RAW images, which gives you more leeway in terms of how you can post-process your images, and you can also take it out of auto mode so you can determine shutter speed and aperture on your own.

Another nice touch is the camera's 30x zoom, which for a camera this small is fairly uncommon.

That means the camera is small enough that you can drop the camera in your pocket but still has the focal length to get you close-up telephoto shots.

Granted, the image quality when zoomed in isn't going to compete with a larger camera with a telephoto lens, but having the capability of shooting wide to telephoto is still nice.

Add in NFC and Wi-Fi, and you've got a good recipe for an excellent daily or travel camera.

Best Feature: Advanced controls, including a 30x zoom and manual shooting

Worst Feature: No touch screen

Panasonic Lumix FZ70

Essential Features:

• 16.1-megapixel sensor (1/2.3-inch)
• Integrated 20-1200mm f/2.8-5.9 lens
• 9fps continuous shooting
• 3-inch LCD with 460,000 dots
• 1080p video

The Panasonic Lumix FZ70 is a bridge compact camera that has some advanced features more common to DSLRs.

In this case, one of those advanced features is the 60x zoom lens, which gets you a staggering focal range of 20mm to 1200mm.

Whether you want wide-angle views of a landscape or extreme close-ups of distant wildlife, this camera can do it.

What's more, you also get RAW shooting capabilities and full manual shooting controls, yet more DSLR features that are handy to have.

If you want more control over the images you take but aren't quite ready to jump into the DSLR or mirrorless market, this might be the camera for you.

Best Feature: 60x zoom

Worst Feature: No Wi-Fi

With that, you've got 12 solid options for entry-level cameras, no matter if you're looking for a compact, a DSLR, or a mirrorless. Though these cameras don't pack the features of higher-end models, they still have plenty of features for beginner and enthusiast photographers.