The new gear keeps motivating us. If you ask me, having a new camera is among the top in that list. However, we all know that cameras are not cheap to get. With a budget under $500, we have handpicked branded cameras with great quality to boost your daily shooting. Bring one of these DSLR Camera Below $500 on your next trip or to your favorite singer’s live concert, you’ll fall in love with it!
Canon and Nikon are considered best for photography but they lag far behind when it comes to videos. Sony has emerged as a gold standard for 4K Videos, with Panasonic as a strong competitor. So if your focus is photography does not look far from Canon or Nikon, but if you want something for Vlogging and 4K videos, check Sony, Panasonic or Olympus.
- Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Digital Camera
Slim and sleek, reviewers like this M10 Mark II from Olympus for its superior image quality, robust outer shell, and versatility. The OM-D E-M10 is a mirrorless digital camera that delivers hi-res 16MP photos and full HD 1080p recordings. The in-camera 5-axis image stabilization not only smoothes out any camera shake, but it’ll detect lighting conditions to adjust for optimal shooting conditions. Olympus’ FAST AF system (yes, that’s the actual name and relax, it stands for “autofocus”) uses 81 contrast-detection areas for quick, accurate tracking. Unlike other cameras, this one features face and eye detection, to pick out people, and blur out unnecessary details.
- Canon EOS M200
Canon’s EOS M200 is an approachable camera that is capable of excellent image quality and will just about fit in your pocket. The EF-M lens lineup offered by Canon and Sigma isn’t terribly varied, but there are good options available for most users. The controls are well-judged, and the touchscreen interface is polished and responsive. For a camera whose price hovers around the $500 mark (with a lens), the M200 provides a lot of bang for your buck.
- Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera
Next on our list of the best beginner cameras under $500 is the Sony a6000. This camera boasts the best photo quality on our list with a 24.3 MP APS-C sensor. While it doesn’t match the T-100’s 4K video, its full HD 1080p is certainly nothing to overlook. We recommend the a6000 to those looking for a sleek, powerful, pocket-sized mirrorless camera with a lot of potentials (and the included 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens doesn’t hurt either).
- Nikon COOLPIX B500
For a starter digital camera, you can’t go wrong with this bundle from Nikon. Reviewers love Nikon’s best-selling COOLPIX series for its easy set-up right out of the box, and this set includes a camera, two 16GB SDHC memory cards, carrying case, camera strap, and cleaning kit. The camera itself is compact enough for travel but comfortable enough for you to get a solid grip. It features a 16MP sensor, 40x optical zoom (which lets you shoot everything from wide-angle to telephoto images), and a flip-up LCD screen for easy viewing. Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity let you transfer images easily. While this camera can shoot up to 1080p full HD video, users say it’s better suited to still images. If you’re looking for a true photo/video digital camera, you may want to consider other options on this list.
- Panasonic LUMIX G7 Mirrorless Camera
Last but not least on our list of the 5 best beginner cameras under $500 is the Panasonic LUMIX G7. While this camera may not have the highest quality sensor for photos (16 MP) it does boast 4K video! This is a major perk for anyone looking for an affordable, entry-level vlogging camera. We recommend this bundle for anyone interested in graduating from a smartphone to something more powerful and adaptable.