10 Best Cheap Cameras in 2024: Finest Budget Picks

Cheap cameras aren't just for beginners. They can be a lifesaver for professional photographers. They serve as reliable backup bodies for those moments when our main camera isn't working. This is especially important for wedding photographers who need to shoot all day long and anything can happen during the shoot.

Also it is a good variant for novices who can’t afford buying a pro-grade device at the beginning of their way in photography. Such cameras are affordable and easy to use, making them the perfect starting point for budding photographers.

On average, cheap high-quality cameras can cost about $500. However, if you can’t afford to pay that sum, examine the market in more detail as there are decent options with a $100-$300 price tag. They can completely satisfy the needs of beginner photographers.

Type: DSLR | Resolution: 18 MP | Screen type: LCD | Optical Zoom: 3x | Max continuous shooting speed: 3 fps

Canon EOS 4000D (Rebel T100) is a DSLR camera that brags about an accurate focus regardless of shooting conditions. If you like taking images in scarce lighting, you’ll definitely appreciate its capability to keep graininess low even at high ISO levels.

The image quality is on point and all colors in photos are lifelike. The only thing that can cause doubts is a plastic construction without weather protection.

This Canon camera can’t interest users with such frills as 4K recording and FHD shooting options, but this isn’t strange judging by the price. In fact, it is advertised as a photography camera, with AF doing wonders when capturing stills. This is one of the best budget camera for photography which accurately track subjects and can even focus on faces.

Type: Mirrorless | Resolution: 20 MP | Screen type: LCD | Optical Zoom: 10x | Max continuous shooting speed: 10 fps

OLYMPUS E-M10 Mark IV boasts a 20MP sensor, which is pretty impressive for a budget camera for photography in this price range. It also offers fast 15fps continuous shooting and 4K video recording, which is great for capturing action and high-quality footage. Another plus is the in-body image stabilization, which helps to reduce camera shake and produce sharper images.

Photographers also appreciate the handy time-lapse feature that allows you to take 99 frames and automatically create a movie. The LCD screen is another standout feature of this Olympus camera, as it tilts up to 90 degrees and flips down 180 degrees. This makes it perfect for taking selfies and vlogging, allowing you to easily frame yourself in the shot.

Type: Action | Resolution: 20 MP | Screen type: Touch Screen Advanced EIS | Optical Zoom: 5x | Max continuous shooting speed: 60 fps

AKASO Brave 4 Pro is an action camera under $100 if you want a model that supports 4K and 1080p recording. It has a small size and is fitted with a protective case.

Thus, you can use it for shooting in rainy weather and even submerge under water down to 131 ft/40m. However, don’t confuse this model with waterproof cameras. Only if you put it inside a case, it is protected from outer influence.

This budget photography camera also has a capacious battery and great stabilization. Unfortunately, the frame rates are limited – you can only get 30fps in 4K and 30fps or 60fps in 1080p. Thus, it can’t be called the best cheap camera for recording super slow-motion videos. Anyway, if you want a reliable budget-friendly and intuitive camera, this device will fully satisfy you.

Type: DSLR | Resolution: 24.2 MP | Screen type: LCD | Optical Zoom: 5x | Max continuous shooting speed: 6 fps

One of the standout features of Pentax K-70 cheap camera is its 24MP sensor, which allows for big, detailed images that can be easily cropped. The absence of an optical low-pass filter preserves detail, and the camera's high ISO capabilities make it suitable for low-light shooting.

Additionally, the sensor-shift Shake Reduction mechanism improves image quality in challenging lighting conditions.

The K-70 also offers a wide range of manual controls, making it a great choice for experienced portrait photographers. It even includes twin control dials, providing easy access to exposure settings.

The large swivel LCD monitor is useful for checking composition and focusing. Another noteworthy feature is its comprehensive dust and moisture-resistant construction, which is not typically found in entry-level DSLRs at this price point.

Type: Mirrorless | Resolution: 24.1-megapixel APS-C sensor | Screen type: 3'' Vari-Angle Touchscreen | Optical Zoom: 3x | Max continuous shooting speed: 10 fps

Canon EOS M50 is among the best cheap cameras for photography with 3-inch Vari-Angle Touchscreen. This touchscreen is incredibly responsive and offers a high level of usability. It allows you to navigate through the camera's settings and menu options with ease. Additionally, it displays helpful features such as a live histogram, leveling gauge, and alignment grids.

Another advantage of this cheap Canon camera is its improved autofocus system. With 143 selectable focus points, it provides reliable and fast autofocus, even in low-light conditions. also offers the ability to shoot 4K videos, which is a welcome addition.

Type: Point and shoot | Resolution: 20.1 MP | Screen type: LCD | Optical Zoom: 10x | Max continuous shooting speed: 10 fps

Usually, such budget cameras for photography are equipped with small matrices, but the ZS100 is an exception to the rule. By making a sensor smaller, manufacturers increase the focal length, and, what is more important, create pocket-friendly cameras.

Besides, devices with small sensors are usually very compact. However, larger matrices are at an advantage over their smaller counterparts. They are capable of producing better images in low light conditions and have less noise at high ISOs.

This Panasonic camera has a good aperture. The largest aperture is f/2.8. At maximum zoom, the aperture shrinks down to f/5.9. Thanks to a large sensor, you can beautifully blur the background, especially if you zoom out to the maximum and open the aperture. This makes it a good camera for portraits.

Type: Mirrorless | Resolution: 24.2 MP | Screen type: Tilting LCD screen | Optical Zoom: 3x | Max continuous shooting speed: Up to 11 frames per second

Sony a6100is specifically designed as a mirrorless camera for beginners and is an entry-level APS-C device which can be also used as an efficient backup camera for experienced photographers. It comes with a hot shoe for accessories, a pop-up flash, and a tilting LCD screen, which makes it easier to frame shots from different angles.

One of the biggest advantages of this cheap high quality camera is that it uses the same 24-megapixel sensor as its predecessor, allowing it to produce high-quality images. Additionally, it can be used with any E-mount lenses designed for the same APS-C crop sensor, giving you more options for lens choices.

Type: Mirrorless | Resolution: 26.2 MP | Screen type: Vari-angle touchscreen | Optical Zoom: 12x | Max continuous shooting speed: 5 fps

If you want a camera under $1000 with a big sensor, Canon EOS RP is worth checking out. It has a proprietary Digic 8 processor and reliable AF, so your shooting experience will be enjoyable. With a continuous focus, burst rates can drop to 4f/s but autofocus does an amazing job at locking it on.

Though this cheap digital camera has a large 26.2MP full-frame sensor, its dimensions are impressively small. Besides, the body is well-made. Similar to EOS R, it has an RF mount. Though the range of native lenses is limited, you can use a bundled adapter to connect existing EF glass options.

Type: Point and shoot | Resolution: 16 MP | Screen type: LCD | Optical Zoom: 4x | Max continuous shooting speed: 11 fps

If you are looking for the best cheap camera for photography at an affordable price and with decent photo quality, then pay attention to this 16-megapixel camera from Kodak. PIXPRO FZ43 doesn’t take up much space and allows you to get great, detailed images that you can share online or in print. The maximum resolution of images is 4608x3456. In addition, you can shoot using a wide range of ISO, from 80 to 1600.

Many photographers call it the best cheap camera for its type of power supply: you simply need two AA batteries. This type of battery is super convenient; you can buy AA batteries anywhere, so this point and shoot camera under $100 is perfect for those who like hiking or traveling on business.

Type: Instant | Resolution: 16 MP | Screen type: LCD | Optical Zoom: No | Max continuous shooting speed: 1/64 to 1/200 s

Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 cheap camera is a budget-friendly option that allows you to capture special moments without breaking the bank. The prints it produces are 2.4 times larger than other Instax camera prints, which is great for showcasing details and bringing out natural skin tones. The color accuracy and high-definition images are impressive, making your photos pop with vivid colors.

Plus, this instant camera offers a flash setting and exposure compensation, allowing you to set the right mood for your shots. Another cool feature is the ability to take close-up shots with the included close-up lens attachment. One drawback is the limited exposure control. You don't have full control over the settings, which can be a bit frustrating for more advanced photographers.

Shopping for the best cheap camera for photography, you may feel confused considering the variety of offers.

Price – maximum $500. First of all, you need to define how much you are ready to spend on a camera. The concept of a “cheap camera” is rather vague as some people are OK with buying devices that cost 500 dollars and more affordable cameras under $500, moreover, others don’t feel like spending more than 200 bucks. I decided to study the niche of affordable cameras in more detail and listed the key criteria to keep in mind while choosing a device.

Type of camera – DSLR, mirrorless or point-and-shoot. Opt for DSLR budget camera for photography if you treat photography as a serious hobby or as a money-bringing activity. Such cameras usually consist of a body and a lens attached to it. Using this type of camera, you can take high-quality photos with the possibility to print them out in large sizes. Currently, you can find a decent DSLR camera for $500.

If you are looking for the best cheap camera with space-saving dimensions, you should examine the range of mirrorless cameras. Usually, they are smaller than DSLRs because of a different internal system, mainly, the absence of light-bouncing mirrors. Another argument in favor of such cameras is their interchangeable lenses, so you can easily change the lens when the shooting conditions require. You need to shell out $300-$400 to get a mirrorless camera.

Photographers with limited funds and poor shooting experience, should definitely favor point-and-shoot cameras. The shooting process, in this case, boils down to pointing a camera at an object, zooming in/out, and pressing the release button.

These cameras for beginners are very easy to use. The focusing and adjusting to lighting conditions are performed automatically. In any case, you will definitely find a good point and shoot camera under $500. You'll most likely spend about $100 on such a model.

Frequency of use. Are you going to take images every day? Or you want a travel camera for your trips to capture the beauty of new cities. Photographers typically prefer DSLRs and mirrorless cameras to point-n-shoot counterparts. Of source, the features integrated into a camera largely affect the quality of your images.

Context of using. Do you need a camera for indoor shooting in a professional studio? Are you looking for the best affordable camera for photography capable of withstanding stormy weather? Want to purchase a device that can track and capture fast-moving objects? A good rule of thumb is to buy larger cameras with attached lenses for studio shooting, and choose more compact devices for snapping photos on the go.

Contrast - 10000:1. A projector’s contrast ratio helps you better estimate the difference between the brightest and darkest picture areas. If you want a rich, colorful, and clear image, you need a high contrast ratio. The perfect ratio is about 10000:1 with most industry experts suggesting to never go below 5000:1 if you expect excellent clarity.

Battery life - minimum 200 shots. Last but not least is the time your cheap high quality camera can work without recharging. Of course, you need a device that won’t let you down in the most inappropriate moment, e.g., a wedding photo session. Of course, the longer the battery life, the better.

On average, cheap cameras for photography may offer anywhere from 200 to 500 shots per battery charge, depending on the factors mentioned above. However, this estimate can vary significantly, and some cameras may provide fewer shots or even more if used conservatively.