9 Best Cameras under $1500 dollars [December 2023]
- By Sebastiaan van 't Hoog
- Updated 7 december 2023
We all know that cameras can be expensive, most professionals shoot with cameras that can cost thousands of dollars. We don’t want to spend that much money because, with a camera under $1500, you can also take beautiful photos.
With years of experience as a professional photographer, I have owned countless cameras. Therefore, I know exactly what you should pay attention to if you want to buy a camera under 1500 dollars.
In this article, I will tell you exactly what the best mirrorless camera under 1500 dollars is, and not only that, I will also show you the best price. This way you can take photos with your new camera as quickly as possible.
The best cameras listed
- Canon R8 | Mirrorless
- Nikon Z5 | Full-frame
- Canon R50 | Beginner
- Fujifilm X-S20 | Video
- Nikon D7500 | DSLR
- Canon R10 | Canon
- Sony A6700 | Sony
- Nikon P1000 | Bridge
- Sony RX100 VII | Compact
**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. You can support me without any additional fees. I used some of the products mentioned, not all.
What is the best camera under 1500 dollars?
I know better than anyone that choosing a camera is difficult, especially if you are on a budget. A while ago I didn’t know at all what to look for, but with years of experience, I now know.
My goal is for you to buy the best camera under 1500, which does not necessarily mean the most expensive or newest camera. I don’t want you to buy a camera with unnecessary features when someone tells you to buy it.
I looked at various aspects, of which resolution and sensor are the most important. A resolution of at least 24 MP is often enough. Other aspects also caught my attention, here you can see what I paid attention to.
Everyone knows that you can’t get far with just a camera, you also need a good lens. I also recommend a few good affordable lenses for each camera, so you can find everything here.
Let’s get straight to the first camera!
Best mirrorless camera under $1500
Canon R8
Sebas' take
We’re going to talk about the best cameras under 1500 dollars, and as mirrorless is the way to go in 2023, I thought I would begin with the Canon R8. It’s a fantastic camera for its price, I think it’s the best.
With a 24 MP sensor, the same as the R6 II, you have great image quality. It’s not too big and feels great in my hand. I do have a few downsides, so read on carefully!
All in all, the Canon R8 is the best mirrorless camera under $1500.
Holidays: Get $200 off your Canon R8!
Outstanding features
- 24MP sensor
- 40 fps burst mode
- 4K60p oversampled video
- FHD180p slow motion
- Deep learning autofocus
What I like/dislike about the Canon R8
Like
- With a camera like the R8, I can talk forever about the great aspects. I would like to begin with the image quality, which is incredible. With its full-frame sensor, the dynamic range is incomparable to the other cameras on the list.
- The sensor is from the R6 II, which is a much more expensive camera. The rolling shutter is minimal, so if you’re shooting with the electronic shutter or shooting video, this is a huge plus.
- I was surprised about the size and weight of the R8, for a camera under 1500 I wouldn’t expect this. It’s small, in fact, it’s the smallest full-frame Canon body on the market. The R8 is comfortable to hold and the buttons are well-placed.
Dislike
- There is one downside that I would like to address, which is the fact that the grip is too small for my hands. My pinky doesn’t hold the body, which makes it uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time. I used it with a 24-70mm, a heavy lens, and I wasn’t too satisfied.
The best Canon lenses under $750 dollars
Now that I showed you the best camera under 1500 dollars, you should get a proper lens with that. I have chosen the best Canon lenses under 750 dollars, as I think that’s pretty affordable.
Canon RF 50mm F/1.8 – A lens that is perfect for portrait photography. You get a blurry background and you can always take it with you because of the weight.
Canon RF 100-400mm – A zoom lens made specifically for wildlife photography. With a lightweight and compact size, this is the best budget telephoto lens.
Canon RF 15-30mm – A lens for landscape photography should be wide, and this one is just right for that. Like the other lenses, this one is light and compact!
Want to know more? Read the review! – Canon EOS R8 Review, Tests & Comparisons
Today's best deal
Best full-frame camera under 1500 dollars
Nikon Z5
Sebas' take
I just told you that the Canon R8 is the best mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z5 is also a very capable camera. With a full-frame sensor, you have great image quality and this time, you have in-body stabilization.
A quite rare specification of a camera under 1500 but I used it, and honestly, it’s awesome. Add the fact that you have countless lenses for the Z-mount, which makes the Nikon Z5 the best full-frame camera under 1500 dollars.
Holidays: Get $400 off your Nikon Z5!
Outstanding features
- 24MP sensor
- 4K30p video (1.7x crop)
- 4.5 fps burst mode
- Built-in stabilization
- Deep learning autofocus
What I like/dislike about the Nikon Z5
Like
- So the full-frame sensors are superior to smaller sensors, it is no different with the Z5. It provides excellent quality, even in dark situations. The colors seem to be vibrant and the dynamic range isn’t bad.
- I said that I didn’t like the grip on the R8 as it was too small. On the Z5, I like it a lot better. The grip is a bit bigger, which makes it more comfortable than the R8. It feels more professional to me.
- Surprisingly for a camera under 1500, the Z5 has in-body stabilization. It works great and helps tremendously when you’re shooting with longer shutter speeds or making videos.
Dislike
- There is one major drawback about the Z5, which is the fact that 4K video is almost not usable. It has a crop of 1.5x and the rolling shutter is notable. I don’t think you should use the Z5 for any video work, the R8 is a much better choice for that.
The best Nikon lenses under $750 dollars
Now that I have recommended the Nikon Z5 as the best full-frame camera under $1500, you should get some great full-frame lenses. These are the best Nikon lenses under $750 dollars.
Nikon Z 85mm F/1.8 – Perfect for portrait photography with a blurred background.
Nikon Z 24-240mm – When you want to get close to the subject, for wildlife photography for example.
Nikon Z 16-50mm – A wide angle for landscape photography or astrophotography, also a good all-round lens.
Best camera under 1500 for beginners
Canon R50
Sebas' take
Now, onto a different kind of camera. Yes, the Canon R50 is still a mirrorless camera but this one is solely made for beginners. With a user interface that is simple to use and great specs, this would be my choice.
It has a 24 MP sensor and great video specs, better than the Nikon Z5, which wasn’t so good in video. Autofocus is the most outstanding from the R50, which makes the R50 the best camera under 1500 for beginners.
Holidays: Get $100 off your Canon R50!
Outstanding features
- 24MP sensor
- 4K30p video
- Deep learning autofocus
- 15 fps burst mode
- Smallest RF camera
What I like/dislike about the Canon R50
Like
- I would like to start with the sensor and quality, as this is an APS-C sensor. It’s smaller than the previous cameras, so the quality won’t be as good, but it’s still great for the price. The colors are vibrant and the dynamic range isn’t bad.
- You have a smart-auto mode, which determines the scene you’re in and changes settings accordingly. I haven’t seen this before, but it looks like you don’t need that much knowledge to take beautiful images. You can, of course, use the manual mode to learn more.
- I said the autofocus was the most outstanding, and it is. With practically the same autofocus as the R8 and R6 II, it focuses quickly. The R50 can recognize subjects like eyes (people and animals), cars, airplanes, and so forth. For the best camera under 1500 for beginners, this is unbeatable.
Dislike
- One downside which I didn’t like is the fact that it is incredibly small. You miss some buttons and my hand can’t hold the R50 well enough for my linkings. I prefer a bigger body, but if you have small hands, the R50 is perfect.
The best Canon lenses under $750 dollars
Of course, a camera should have lenses and ideally, you don’t want to have to sell limbs to pay for them. That’s why I’ve made a list of the best lenses under $750 dollars, especially for Canon cameras.
Canon RF 50mm F/1.8 – A lens that is perfect for portrait photography. You get a blurry background and you can always take it with you because of the weight.
Canon RF 100-400mm – A zoom lens made specifically for wildlife photography. With a lightweight and compact size, this is the best budget telephoto lens.
Canon RF 15-30mm – A lens for landscape photography should be wide, and this one is just right for that. Like the other lenses, this one is light and compact!
Want to know more? Read the review! – Canon EOS R50 Review, Tests & Comparisons
Today's best deal
Best video camera under 1500 dollars
Fujifilm XS20
Sebas' take
The cameras I mentioned before are great at video, with the exception of the Z5, but they’re not exceptional like the Fujifilm XS20. This is the best hybrid camera, as it’s good at shooting both photos and videos.
The 26 MP sensor allows for 6.2K video recording, which is the most exceptional resolution on the entire list. The autofocus is also great, with AI features like recognizing faces and such.
All in all, the Fuji XS20 is the best video camera under 1500 dollars.
Holidays: Get $200 off your Fujifilm X-S20!
Outstanding features
- 26MP sensor
- 6K30p video
- FHD240p slow motion
- 30 fps burst mode (1.25x crop)
- Deep learning autofocus
- Built-in stabilization
What I like/dislike about the Fujifilm X-S20
Like
- As this camera is more focused on the video and photo side, it’s a completely different camera than the others. Most cameras under 1500 are focused on photographers, but with the 6.2K video, the XS20 is excellent.
- Fujifilm is quite unique in camera design, as it’s more focused on street photographers. It has a kind of retro design, which I like a lot. With film simulations, you don’t have to edit the photos and you can post them straight on Instagram.
- If I haven’t mentioned it before, the XS20 does shoot F-Log internally, which is a log profile for the most dynamic range. It’s great to work with and the dynamic range isn’t bad, considering it has an APS-C sensor.
Dislike
- I don’t think there are a lot of bad things to say about the XS20, Fujifilm really did provide us with an award-winning camera here. One thing worth mentioning is the overheating, almost every camera overheats. If you’re shooting for long hours of video, the XS20 can stop recoding due to heat.
The best Fujifilm lenses under $750 dollars
Fujifilm has a lot less available lenses than, for example, Canon. This made the search a lot more difficult, but I found the best Fujifilm lenses under $750 dollars.
Fujifilm 35mm F/1.4 – Perfect for portrait photography, the F/1.4 will give you a blurred background.
Fujifilm 55-200mm – The best budget telephoto lens for nature photography, for example, with a wide zoom range to get close to the action.
Fujifilm 16-80mm – The perfect landscape lens, with a wide angle you can capture a lot of surroundings.
Today's best deal
Best Nikon DSLR under $1500
Nikon D7500
Sebas' take
DSLRs are old technology, that is the common thought that comes to mind, but I think it’s not. The Nikon D7500 is the best DSLR under 1500 dollars, as it is basically a Z50. Both cameras are great, but I might prefer an older camera in certain situations.
With a 21 MP sensor and 4K video capabilities it performs well amongst many situations. It does have the old school DSLR feel, something that I miss with the new mirrorless cameras.
All in all, the Nikon D7500 is one of the best Nikon DSLRs under $1500.
Outstanding features
- 21MP sensor
- 11 fps burst mode
- 4K30p video
- Deep learning autofocus
- Lightweight and compact design
What I like/dislike about the Nikon D7500
Like
- First of all, the Nikon D7500 feels much more professional than the other cameras on the list. It is made of high quality and even has weather sealing. The grip is much larger, which I like more than the smaller bodies on the list.
- As it’s a DSLR camera, the D7500 has an optical viewfinder that doesn’t show any lag and you’re not bothered by the quality of the viewfinder. It also has a top screen, which only the high-end mirrorless cameras have.
- Next up, the battery life is great. You can take bout 900 shots with one single charge, compared to 300 shots on average with mirrorless cameras.
- Last but not least, the D7500 has a much wider range of lenses without you having to use a Nikon FTZ adapter, which costs an extra $250.
Dislike
- It is a lot heavier than the Z50, which is basically the same camera bit smaller and lighter, allowing you to mount newer class onto the body. It also has a crop on the 4K video, which the Z50 does not have.
The best Nikon lenses under $750 dollars
Nikon has made a lot of good affordable lenses lately for which we don’t have to sell our belongings to buy. These are the best Nikon lenses under $750 dollars.
Nikon 85mm F/1.8 – Perfect for portrait photography with a blurred background.
Nikon 70-300mm – When you want to get close to the subject, for wildlife photography for example.
Nikon 10-20mm – A wide angle for landscape photography or astrophotography, also a good all-round lens.
Today's best deal
Best Canon camera under $1500 dollars
Canon R10
Sebas' take
I’ve already covered a few Canon cameras, but I haven’t had the best APS-C camera from Canon under 1500 dollars. It’s the Canon R10, which is quite similar to the R50. Not entirely, of course, it has a faster burst mode and some other features.
With a 24 MP sensor and even 4K60p video, it might as well be a great hybrid camera. It is bigger than the R50 but smaller than the R8.
All in all, the R10 is the best Canon camera under 1500 dollars.
Holidays: Get $100 off your Canon R10!
Outstanding feature
- 24MP sensor
- 4K30p oversampled
- 4K60p (crop)
- 23 fps burst mode
- Deep learning autofocus
What I like/dislike about the Canon R10
Like
- Let’s talk about one of the great aspects of the R10, which is the image quality. With a 24 MP sensor, it’s roughly the same as the R50. The dynamic range is good, you can push the highlights and shadows to the limits with the R10.
- In terms of autofocus, it’s also the same as the R8 and R50, the Dual Pixel AF II is incredibly fast and accurate, just like we can expect from Canon. I think it’s the market leader in terms of AF, but that’s just my two cents.
- I like the R10 more than the R50, due to the fact that it is bigger. It’s not as big as the R6, for example, but it fits into my bag flawlessly. I appreciate the grip a lot more, and you have some extra buttons for handling.
- It’s much better for wildlife photography than the R50 because the buffer is larger and the speed (burst) is higher. You can shoot 23fps and, while shooting JPEG, can shoot for a long time.
Dislike
- I have one downside to the R10, that is the fact that the buffer for RAW images isn’t big, if you’re shooting JPEG it’s more than fine.
The best Canon lenses under $750 dollars
Of course, a camera should have lenses and ideally, you don’t want to have to sell limbs to pay for them. That’s why I’ve made a list of the best lenses under $750 dollars, especially for Canon cameras.
Canon RF 50mm F/1.8 – A lens that is perfect for portrait photography. You get a blurry background and you can always take it with you because of the weight.
Canon RF 100-400mm – A zoom lens made specifically for wildlife photography. With a lightweight and compact size, this is the best budget telephoto lens.
Canon RF 15-30mm – A lens for landscape photography should be wide, and this one is just right for that. Like the other lenses, this one is light and compact!
Best Sony camera under 1500 dollars
Sony A6700
Sebas' take
Sony has released a camera that doesn’t cost a whole lot of money but is extremely good in both video and photo aspects. I’m of course talking about the Sony A6700, their new flagship APS-C camera.
It has a 26 MP sensor, just like the XS20, but can record 4K120p video, which is the same as the Sony FX30. Now, the FX30 is much more costly and the A6700 is a budget option.
All in all, the A6700 is the best Sony camera under 1500 dollars.
Holidays: Get $200 off your Sony A6700!
Outstanding features
- 26MP sensor
- 4K120p video
- 11 fps burst mode
- Built-in stabilization
- Deep learning autofocus
What I like/dislike about the Sony A6700
Like
- As the A6700 is so similar to the XS20, there are many specs that are overlapping. One of those is the 26 MP sensor which is of high quality. It’s the best APS-C sensor Sony has created to date, for such an affordable price.
- Autofocus-wise, the A6700 is better than the XS20. Although the XS20 is great, Sony is a market leader (with Canon) on this part. It can recognize many subjects but is just much more accurate than the XS20.
- Let’s talk about video because this is a hybrid camera, perhaps the best hybrid camera under 1500. It doesn’t shoot 6.2K, like the XS20, but can record 4K120p in S-Log3. 4K60p are of course downsampled, the quality is just so good.
- Last but not least, it’s a small camera. Personally, I like bigger grips, but the A6700 is a fine and compact camera. It fits into your bag without any hassle, you can even take a lens or two with you.
Dislike
- I have one downside, which is the crop at 4K120p. It doesn’t shoot that format with the entire sensor, you have a 1.19x crop. It’s not much, but worth mentioning for me.
The best Sony lenses under $750 dollars
Sony has a lot of lenses for every camera, but they are often very expensive. That is why these are the best Sony lenses under $750 dollars.
Sony 85mm F/1.8 – The best budget lens for portraits, with the F/1.8 you get a blurred background.
Sony 55-210mm – With the large zoom range you get closer to the action, such as birds or other animals.
Sony 11mm F/1.8 – This is the best lens for landscape or astrophotography. With the 11mm focal length, you get everything in the picture.
Best bridge camera under 1500 dollars
Nikon P1000
Sebas' take
I’ve covered almost all kinds of cameras, there are just 2 cameras missing on the list. The first one missing is the Nikon P1000. It’s a bridge camera with a superzoom lens, you can basically zoom in from 24mm to 3000mm.
It does have a 16 MP sensor, which might not sound exiting, but it’s more than enough for most kinds of photography. You can also shoot 4K30p video with it, quite impressive isn’t it?
All in all, the Nikon P1000 is the best bridge camera under $1500.
Outstanding features
- 16 MP sensor
- 4K30p video
- 7fps burst mode
- Stabilization
- 24-3000mm lens
What I like/dislike about the Nikon P1000
Like
- So let me take you through the good things about the P1000, starting off with the image quality. It’s great at 24mm with plenty of sharpness and colors. At 3000mm, your sharpness decreases, but that’s something to be expected of a camera like the P1000.
- Next, the zoom range. It’s a 24-3000mm lens, which is one of the most telephoto lenses on a camera ever. I don’t think there are many other cameras as significant as the P1000, especially for a camera under 1500 dollars.
- The P1000 has every button you need, it’s big and that’s something I like. The grip feels comfortable and more like a professional camera. It has two ways of zooming, one at the shutter button which zooms fast, and one at the lens, which is a slower zoom.
Dislike
- I have a few points I dislike. First, the sensor is small, about as big as a good smartphone sensor. Low-light performance isn’t the best as your ISO increases and it’s not too sharp at 3000mm.
- You need a tripod if you’re shooting at 3000mm, every breeze of wind makes a big difference, so I don’t recommend shooting handheld.
Today's best deal
Best compact camera under $1500 dollars
Sony RX100 VII
Sebas' take
The last camera I am going to recommend is the Sony RX100 VII, a compact camera. That means is a lot smaller than the other cameras on the list, especially smaller than the P1000. The image quality is also better.
With a 20 MP sensor, its resolution is not too low and not too high. The image quality is great, and the lens is quite bright, which means you can take photos with a blurry background.
All in all, the Sony RX100 VII is the best compact camera under 1500 dollars.
Outstanding features
- 20 MP sensor
- 4K30p video
- Internal ND-filter
- Fast autofocus
- 24-200mm lens
What I like/dislike about the Sony RX100 VII
Like
- I’ve got a lot of good things, but I have to choose a few. First, the RX100 VII is so small, that it can practically fit into your pocket without any problem. The lens gets smaller as you turn it off, and get bigger if you turn it on.
- The lens is a bright aperture of F2.8-4. If you’re shooting at 24mm, you won’t have a problem in darker conditions. If you’re shooting at 200mm, you can get a shallow depth of field, but you have to be far away.
- Sony is great at autofocus and the autofocus mechanism in the RX100 VII is the best of any compact camera. It can recognize eyes and tracks faces accurately.
Dislike
- One thing I don’t like is that the aperture at the telephoto range is not bright, at F4 you will have some problems on overcast days or in dark conditions. The noise will be much more apparent, meaning it’s a less sharp photo.
What should you look for in a camera under $1500?
Image quality
Image quality is perhaps the most important point to look out for when purchasing a camera. For example, two cameras on the list have a full-frame sensor, that is the Canon R8 and Nikon Z5. The full-frame sensor provides more detail, a wider dynamic range, and better ISO performance.
APS-C sensors are generally cheaper and also have fantastic quality, but that doesn’t change the fact that the full-frame sensors are better.
The resolution is also important, a higher resolution ensures that you can zoom digitally without much loss of quality. A resolution of 24 MP or more is sufficient for many photographers.
Finally, the choice of lens is not unimportant, because this is the quality of the glass for the sensor. More expensive lenses are generally of better quality. For example, a 24-70mm (expensive) is often of better quality than a 24-240mm (less expensive) lens.
Autofocus
The autofocus is also important for many types of photography. If you are looking for a camera up to $1500 dollars, then you should look at this. Most new cameras often have deep learning techniques that can recognize subjects.
For example, the Canon R50 can recognize people, animals, and cars. Older cameras often do not have this. Of course, the lens is also important for focusing, a manual lens is often not very useful for action photography, for example.
Build quality & Weather resistance
A point that is often underestimated is the build quality of a camera, not only the materials but also the weather resistance. The more expensive cameras, such as the Canon R8 and Nikon Z5, are weather-proof, so they can withstand rain.
The Nikon Z50 and Canon R50, for example, are not of such high build quality and you really have to be careful with them when the weather is bad.
Burst mode & Buffer
This point is very important if you shoot a lot of photos in a row. A high burst mode is often required for action photography, such as wildlife photography or sports photography.
The buffer should not be small either, the cheaper cameras (Canon R100/Nikon Z50) often have a small buffer, so you can only use the burst mode for 2 seconds.
If the buffer is full, you’ll have to wait until it’s empty before you can take photos again, so factor this into your choice for a camera under $1500.
Video features
Many photographers also want to make videos at some point. If you then have a camera that is not good at this or cannot do it at all, it will be made very difficult.
Most new system cameras have good video specifications, but the Nikon Z5 has a 1.7x crop at 4K video. These are aspects that are often forgotten, but make the images in this resolution almost unusable.
So pay close attention to the video specifications when choosing a camera.
Stabilization
Finally, this can be an important feature. Not many cameras under $1500 have built-in image stabilization, but the Nikon Z5 does. This way you can use slower shutter speeds when shooting by hand.
Built-in stabilization is also very useful with large telephoto lenses because the difference is really noticeable. When you film videos, this is also a function that you want anyway, because you always have unexpected movements that can be absorbed.
Best camera under 1500 FAQ
Which camera is best for photography in budget?
The best budget camera is the Canon EOS R50, in my opinion. It has a 24 MP sensor and shoots 4K video. Canon puts their best autofocus mechanism in their cheapest body, as the only camera manufacturer.
It’s perfect for a beginner and costs just over 700 dollars, which might seem like a lot, but for the price there is no better camera on a budget.
Should I buy an expensive camera as a beginner?
I don’t think you should buy an expensive camera as a beginner unless you can afford it. More expensive cameras tend to be much more complicated than cheaper cameras. Often these cheaper cameras are aimed at beginners and the user interface is designed so you understand the settings better.
Do you need an expensive camera to be a good photographer?
You don’t need an expensive camera to be a good photographer. I have photographed for years with cameras under $500, the Canon EOS 70D for example, that’s one I used for a long time.
Expensive cameras have more options, like more megapixels, faster burst mode, faster autofocus, and larger sensors. Those settings can change an image on the technical side, but you are the one taking the photos.
Do more expensive cameras take better pictures?
More expensive cameras allow you to shoot in more versatile scenarios, like fast-moving action like sports photography or wildlife photography, but you are the one taking the photos.
A more expensive camera has better autofocus, more megapixels, and feels more robust, but those factors don’t massively change the outcome of the photo. Aspects that do change the outcome are dynamic range and color depth.
You can take beautiful images using a much cheaper camera, all cameras mentioned above will be able to shoot great photos, as long as you can too.
Conclusion
Now it’s your turn to make the choice. There are many cameras for under $1500 that you can choose from. Now that you know the pros and cons of each camera, you can make your choice.
Don’t you want to take professional photos? Then you can get started with a semi-professional beginner’s camera. If you do want to shoot professionally, the professional cameras are perfect for you.
Who is Sebastiaan?
Hi! I am Sebastiaan, the writer of this blog. With years of experience as a professional photographer, I want to share my expertise with you. From recommending cameras and lenses to giving tips that make a world of difference, that’s what I enjoy doing most.
There are tons of different cameras you can buy for under $1000. APS-C cameras from Canon and Nikon, as well as mirrorless cameras from Sony and Panasonic, are among the preferred options of budding photographers...