I’m a Nikon fanboy but it's the Canon EOS R100 that's the best budget mirrorless camera for beginners this Cyber Monday

Canon EOS R100 on blue background next to money bag and drooling face emojis, with 'Great Price' roundel

The Canon EOS R100 is easy-to-use, extremely affordable and a great all-round workhorse (Image credit: Canon / Digital Camera World)

I’m a Nikon camera expert and I know that buying your first serious camera can be a hugely overwhelming experience. This is why – if you’re a beginner photographer on a budget – I’m going to recommend the Canon EOS R100 as the best Cyber Monday camera deal for you.

Now, you might be wondering why a massive Nikon fan is bypassing the best Nikon Cyber Monday deals and telling you to take advantage of one of the best Canon Cyber Monday deals. Well, it’s quite simply the best camera for beginners available within its price range.

Honestly, nothing else compares. Let me explain...

US Canon EOS R100 Cyber Monday deals

UK Canon EOS R100 Cyber Monday deals

Nikon doesn't have a Canon EOS R100 alternative...

When Nikon discontinued (in my mind) the best entry-level camera of all time, the Nikon D3500, I was pretty excited. I was convinced a Nikon Z3000, or some such camera, was just around the corner. After all, Nikon’s D3XXX series is legendary. If you got into photography from 2009 onwards, you either had – or wished you had – a D3XXX camera.

You could pick up one of these miniature budget DSLRs in Walmart and Best Buy. They bridged the gap between point-and-shoot devices and enthusiast- or pro-grade cameras. Photography students throughout the globe proudly brandished these capable little cameras, complete with iconic Nikon-yellow camera straps around their necks.

But when Digital Camera World reported on the D3500's discontinuation, a Nikon spokesperson said: "Nikon has focused its R&D efforts into mid to high-end cameras and lenses, targeted at professional and hobbyist photographers.” Suddenly, it seemed like a direct successor to the D3500 wasn’t a priority.

Man holding the Nikon Z fc camera up to his face — Nikon's beginner-friendly Z-Series cameras like the Nikon Zfc are gorgeous – they just don't fit the truly affordable bill... (Image credit: Future)

Now, that’s not to suggest Nikon abandoned the entry-level market completely. The Nikon Z30, Nikon Z50, Nikon Zfc and most recently Nikon Z50 II (review pending), are all fantastic, beginner-friendly cameras. However, they’re also pricier than the D3XXX. And while the cheapest of the bunch, the Z30, can be found for an absolute steal, it doesn’t have a viewfinder and is a more video-centric device.

And yet, Nikon’s decision not to produce a mirrorless D3500 didn’t seem particularly egregious, considering that Canon – the other major manufacturer known for its budget beginner line-up – hadn’t brought out anything to succeed the Canon EOS Rebel T100 / EOS 4000D or Canon EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D.

Why I love the Canon EOS R100...

Canon EOS R100 sample image — Even now, looking at the Canon EOS R100 takes me right back to the 2010s, during the entry-level DSLR’s heyday (Image credit: James Artaius)

Well, all that changed in May 2023 when – to my surprise – Canon announced the Canon EOS R100, a direct mirrorless follow-up to the Canon 2000D. It launched (body only) at just $479.99 in the US and the kit with the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM cost just $599.99 / £669.99 / AU$1,099.

And now, thanks to Cyber Monday, you can pick up the twin-lens kit (with the 18-45mm and Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM) for just $499 at B&H Photo, or with the 18-45mm for just $349 at Walmart. Those are insanely good prices for an interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera in 2024!

The fact of the matter is, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to beginner-friendly cameras in 2024. If you’re into vlogging, you can pick up the Nikon Z30 or Sony ZV-1F. If you’re into retro cameras you can pick up the Nikon Zfc or Fujifilm X-T30 II. If you want a high-end beginner compact camera you can pick up the Fujifilm X100VI (if you can find one). Although I prefer the Fujifilm X-T50.

But, if you’re looking for a true beginner camera that harkens back to the golden age of the D3XXX and Canon Rebel. A device that’s entry-level in both price and features, but still delivers great image quality. That’s simple enough for you to start shooting with out of the box, yet capable enough to grow with you as a photographer. That has a lens mount that delivers access to a near-bottomless pit of lens options.

There really is only one interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera on the market in 2024 that ticks all of those boxes and it’s the Canon EOS R100.

If you're looking to make the most of your hard-earned this festive season, I scoured the best camera retailers' price-match policies this Black Friday so you don’t have to.

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Mike is Digital Camera World's How To Editor. He has over a decade of experience, writing for some of the biggest specialist publications including Digital Camera, Digital Photographer and PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine. Prior to DCW, Mike was Deputy Editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine and Production Editor at Wex Photo Video, where he sharpened his skills in both the stills and videography spheres. While he's an avid motorsport photographer, his skills extend to every genre of photography – making him one of Digital Camera World's top tutors for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters and other imaging equipment – as well as sharing his expertise on shooting everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...