For beginner photographers and aspiring content creators, the best cameras under $500 are a great place to start. This is a reasonable amount of money to spend on your first camera, and you might be surprised by how much it gets you. When putting this list together, I've managed to find room for a mirrorless camera, a DSLR, several action cameras, compacts and 360-degree cameras – all while keeping to a $500 budget.
I've only included cameras that have been tested and reviewed by the DCW team, and have scored well enough that I can actually feel comfortable recommending them. I've included a mix of newer and older cameras here, as sometimes the older versions of cameras can provide better value for money. While prices can and do fluctuate, everything here should be available for around $500 or less – I keep this piece updated and check prices regularly.
If you're on an even smaller budget than $500, you do still have options – check out our additional guides to the best cameras under $200 and the best cameras under $100. Still, I think that for most beginners, $500 is the best amount to spend to get something that's actually decent – so let's take a look at the options.
For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since the film days. He's Digital Camera World's Ecommerce editor, which means he's our foremost expert when it comes to hunting down incredible bargains on camera gear.
The quick list
If you're just dipping your toes into photo or video, the mirrorless R100's guided menus make it easy to use. It has 24MP APS-C image quality, 4K video and cutting-edge RF-mount lenses – and is our favorite beginner camera overall.
Offering better value than the newer Hero 13 Black, GoPro's Hero 12 Black is packed with new video features and is still top dog of the action camera world for those who are trying to stick to a budget.
A capable tough compact with a 5x zoom lens that can be bought comfortably under our $500 budget, the Pentax WG-8 is an ideal vacation camera, equally at home on the beach or at the top of a mountain.
This clever camera is perfect for point-and-shoot vloggers who don't want anything too complex – in a form factor that lends itself much more readily to vlogging than a conventional camera design.
With 8K video and Leica-made optics, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 punches above its weight for an action camera in terms of image quality. It's a little bulkier than a GoPro, but boasts an impressive feature set and excellent operability.
The GoPro MAX 2 is a hugely versatile camera for capturing unique content, shooting 8K video in 360 degrees. It's ruggedly built and the app interface works extremely smoothly, making for an all-round good time at a tempting price.
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The Panasonic Lumix FZ80D is a new bridge camera that resurrects the best of Panasonic's big-zoom compacts. For an all-in-one travel photography solution, it's ideal.
Well-apportioned for beginners, the Canon EOS Rebel T7 is a great DSLR for learning the ropes, and there are plenty of affordable EF-S lenses with which to supplement it.
Best cameras under $500
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Best beginner camera
The EOS R100 is for beginners – and it is about the most affordable interchangeable lens camera that you can buy today, meaning with optional lenses you can use it to shoot any subject you care to name.
It uses the same Dual Pixel autofocus system found on more professional Canon cameras and has a very respectable 24-megapixel APS-C sensor. Images are punchy and well-exposed, with pleasing color in all different lighting conditions. The camera does consistently well on auto mode, but also includes all the standard manual control options once you get a feel for how it works.
The main issue here is cost – while the camera itself comes in at under $500, that is body-only, so you will need extra budget for a lens. Currently, we're seeing decent discounts on the kit lens bundle with the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM, which pushes it to $549. Not bad!
It also has the benefit of being compatible (via an adapter) with the best Canon DSLR lenses, which are highly affordable secondhand, though bear in mind that you will have to stump up for the cost of the EF-EOS R adapter. The official one is $139 new, though there are cheaper third-party ones for around $90. Once you're set up with it, you'll have access to an enormous catalogue of cheap EF lenses.
Read our full Canon EOS R100 review
Best action camera
The Hero 12 Black is not the newest GoPro Hero model on the docket – that honor belongs to the Hero 13 Black. So why haven't we picked the newer version? Well, the key upgrade to the Hero 13 Black was its ability to use new modular lenses, allowing you to alter your perspective and expand your shooting options. The thing is, all these new lenses and accessories cost money, and kitting out the Hero 13 Black would very swiftly blow our $500 budget. The 12 Black is cheaper, and has much same internals and features, making it a sounder buy for budget-conscious shooters.
What are those internals and features, I hear you ask? The Hero 12 Black sports 8:7 sensor that allows for easy shooting in different aspect ratios. Many of its features are largely geared towards serious video creators, those who want their content to look and feel ultra-polished. To that end, the GoPro Hero 12 Black comes sporting a tripod thread, dual-channel audio and Bluetooth mic support – all of which is great news for serious vloggers, and probably take-or-leave for casual holiday shooters.
Also falling into that category is the new addition of Log shooting. This is a dedicated color profile designed to drop the contrast and boost dynamic range, providing the maximum amount of information in order to make footage that's most responsive to color grading.
Read our full GoPro Hero 12 Black review for more on this camera.
GoPro Subscription explained: what you get, and is it worth it
Best tough camera
A waterproof tough compact is the ideal choice for vacation shooting or a day at the beach – able to handle drops and bumps and even be fully submerged in water without issue. With a $500 budget, you can easily get hold of the Pentax WG-8, which offers a capable feature-set inside a hard, everything-proof shell.
As a compact camera, the WG-8 is completely self-contained and ready to shoot from the moment you open the box. Its 20MP sensor is paired with a 28-135mm (full-frame equivalent) f/3.5-5.5 lens – that's a 5x zoom range, giving you plenty of flexibility when it comes to composing your shots. The lens is also surrounded by a ring of six LED lamps, providing an extra burst of illumination that's great for close-up and underwater photography (and video, too – the WG-8 shoots 4K at 30p).
Like many affordable compacts, the WG-8 is limited by its small sensor size; the 1/2.3" BSI CMOS doesn't produce image quality that's a huge upgrade over a smartphone, as Matthew noted in our full review. Still, your smartphone doesn't shoot at depths of 20m underwater, does it?
Read our full Pentax WG-8 review for more details
Best for vlogging
One of the first things you'll likely notice about the Canon PowerShot V10 is that it doesn't look anything like what we've come to think of as vlogging cameras – and as far as we're concerned, this is all to the good. The V10 is a radical rethinking of the vlogging camera, one that arguably deserves to catch on more than it has.
First up, with a slim build, it's much more comfortable to hold for self-recording than a conventional camera – a form factor that, if we're honest with ourselves, doesn't work particularly well for that purpose. If you don't want to hold it then that's no problem – the V10 has a built-in stand that means you can easily place it down on any flat surface and start shooting. Hey presto, you just saved the cost of a tripod.
Capturing good-looking 4K video at up to 30p, the V10 sports a 1-inch sensor that does reasonably well in a range of light conditions, and a 19mm equivalent lens that provides an expansive field of view. It's not a camera for anyone who likes to change lenses or cares about LUTs or anything like that – it's a vlogging camera that excels at producing good-looking video from a point-and-shoot interface. Quietly, it's a very clever release from Canon, and at less than $400, it's also quite the bargain.
Read our full Canon PowerShot V10 review for more details
Best GoPro alternative
If you like the idea of a GoPro but would like to explore alternative options, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is a great camera to consider. With the capacity to shoot 8K video, it knocks the stuffing out of GoPro's latest in resolution stakes, and unlike DJI action cameras, it isn't burdened by tariff disputes that would make it difficult to get hold of in the US.
Its image sensor is fairly large for an action camera and its optics are part-developed with Leica – all of which results in pretty impressive image quality for such a small camera. While it is a little bigger and bulkier than your standard GoPro, features like the flip-out screen are really genuinely useful, and in our review, Adam appreciated how well laid-out the menus were. Everything on this camera is easy to find and easy to use.
With solid night-shooting options and a range of slow-mo modes, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is an ideal all-rounder for GoPro-style shooting, and is available for a tempting price. Its price has actually come down a little in the couple of years since its launch – which reminds me, any chance of an Ace Pro 3 soon, Insta360?
Read our full Insta360 Ace Pro 2 review
Best 360º camera under $500
The 360-degree camera market has become a very competitive place lately; but GoPro, after a long absence, has come rocketing back with the Max 2. This camera squeaks in under our $500 budget even at its full RRP – which its chief rival, the DJI Osmo 360, does not – and in our hands-on review, it performed brilliantly.
The headline specs are impressive, with 8K video available in 10-bit quality and the GoPro Max 2 quickly proves itself worth the hype. Image and video quality are crisp and punchy, and the process of pulling together 360-degree imagery feels seamless and intuitive, once you've got the Quik app connected. This is a mandatory part of the setup process, but is at least quick and painless, and the editing feature is nicely polished.
While the 360-degree imager looks excellent, it's worth noting you can also capture more conventional content, with dedicated single-lens capture modes, and the Quik app also being a very slick way to re-frame images into standard aspect ratios. The build is pleasingly rugged (though you'd expect nothing less from GoPro, would you?), and there's AI subject tracking available in the app. A triumph from GoPro, and an excellent buy at this price.
Read our full GoPro Max 2 review
Best for zoom
A new bridge camera in 2024?! Indeed it is so, and after years of Panasonic's popular big-zoom compacts being increasingly hard to find, the firm comes out with a refreshed version that's available brand new for a great price. The Panasonic Lumix FZ80D (or FZ82D in Europe and other territories) sports a lens with an incredible equivalent zoom range of 20-1200mm. A useful new feature is the Zoom Compose Assist button, making this range easier to use by allowing you to quickly zoom out with the tap of a button — handy if you lose your subject.
Lightweight and travel-ready, the Lumix FZ80D has a smaller sensor than other cameras, which can impact image quality, low-light performance and dynamic range. However, its sheer versatility makes it a brilliant choice for under $500.
See our full Panasonic Lumix FZ80D / FZ82D review
Best DSLR
An impressively specced beginner's DSLR and one of the long-awaited successors to the entry-level EOS Rebel XS, the Canon EOS Rebel T7 is a great choice for any stating-out or aspiring photographer looking to try out their first DSLR. Also sold in some countries as the EOS 2000D, it doesn't do anything, particularly flash but does manage everything you need it to a 9-point autofocus system, 3fps burst shooting, Full HD video, and of course, the Canon EF-S mount that gives the user access to a huge catalog of fantastic lenses. Friendly to the novice user, but offering room to grow, the EOS Rebel SL7 represents a fantastic bargain.
Read our Canon EOS Rebel T7 review for more details
How to choose the best camera under $500
When choosing a camera for under $500, it's best to be realistic about your expectations. Depending on what tickles your fancy, you should be able to pick up a fairly advanced compact camera, an enthusiast-focused mirrorless camera, or a decent entry-level DSLR.
With each new release, cameras have more advanced features, and the price of older models drops. Features that you once would've only seen on the best DSLRs or the best mirrorless cameras are now common features in more basic compact systems. This means that things like raw photos, Wi-Fi, and 4K video are now available in even budget cameras.
Another reason why cheaper cameras have become so good in recent years is that many manufacturers keep their older models on the market for quite a while. This means that consumers can pick up an absolute bargain if they're not too worried about having the newest camera on the market.
It's worth noting that as camera prices fluctuate, you may find a camera on our list that creeps a little over budget (or plunges far below!). However, every camera model on this list has been chosen because it balances fantastic features with an affordable price point, so we will definitely get you in the right ballpark.
Cameras aren't a one-size-fits-all product, so the best camera under $500 for you will depend on what you want to use it for.
How we test cameras
We test mirrorless and DSLR cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions. Our lab tests measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio. Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts, dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range. We use these real-world testing and lab results to inform our comments in buying guides. For compact cameras, we judge real-world handling and photographic results alone.
Read more:
The best cameras for under $200
The best cameras for under $100
Best cheap cameras
Best beginner cameras
The best point-and-shoot cameras
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