In this guide we’re counting off the and that can be a trickier ask than you might expect. Cheap cameras aren’t as common as they used to be, the market having been somewhat decimated by the rise of the smartphone, and people’s expectations for a camera at this price have changed accordingly. Now, in order for a camera to justify a cost of 500/£500, it has to offer something a smartphone doesn’t, whether that’s superior image quality, a broad lens range, or extra physical features like waterproofing.
As such, we’re not just counting off cheapo bargain cameras here – we’re looking at some of the you can buy, and even a few excellent interchangeable-lens models. Generally, the trick to getting a great camera for a cheap price is to look on the second-hand market, and many of the models we’ve included on this list are a good few years old and are mostly available used. We’ve taken our extensive testing and reviewing experience and have applied it to this list to determine which cameras are actually worth your money.
This Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera from Panasonic may date back to 2015, but it’s still available new with a 14-42mm lens for less than $500 / £500 all-in. This makes it one of the best-value buys for those who prefer to avoid the second-hand market, and you get a hell of a lot of camera for your money. The Lumix G7 was released in the early days of Panasonic’s exploration of 4K (in our review in the AP magazine at the time, we adorabl.