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The Best Mid-Range and Budget Cameras Going Into 2023
The Best Mid-Range and Budget Cameras Going Into 2023
by Keenan Hursh
Last week we released an article discussing some of the best high-end and high-performance cameras currently on the market. Or at least a sample of the ones we’re especially excited about here at Backcountry Journeys. This week we’re discussing some really great cameras that won’t break the bank.
At the end of the day, there is a lot of truth to the saying “you get what you pay for” and this applies to cameras for the most part. If you spend more money, you will most likely get better features, technology, and performance. This is a non-linear line, however, meaning that as you spend more and more money the increase in performance gets smaller and smaller. This is pretty much the case with all technology.
Despite this trend, there are always pockets of opportunity where manufacturers can release cameras that compete with much more expensive options. This is especially true when it comes to the mid-range cameras we will be discussing today. These are cameras between the $1,000-$3,500 price point. Some of the cameras towards the top of this price range give the high-end cameras a run for their money.
In addition, we have some great budget options listed as well. Not everyone needs professional-grade equipment. Some of us are just getting started on our photography journeys, or view photography as more of a part-time hobby and don’t feel the need to heavily invest in equipment. After all, it’s more about the photographer than the camera.
At the end of the day, there is a lot of truth to the saying “you get what you pay for” and this applies to cameras for the most part. If you spend more money, you will most likely get better features, technology, and performance. This is a non-linear line, however, meaning that as you spend more and more money the increase in performance gets smaller and smaller. This is pretty much the case with all technology.
Despite this trend, there are always pockets of opportunity where manufacturers can release cameras that compete with much more expensive options. This is especially true when it comes to the mid-range cameras we will be discussing today. These are cameras between the $1,000-$3,500 price point. Some of the cameras towards the top of this price range give the high-end cameras a run for their money.
In addition, we have some great budget options listed as well. Not everyone needs professional-grade equipment. Some of us are just getting started on our photography journeys, or view photography as more of a part-time hobby and don’t feel the need to heavily invest in equipment. After all, it’s more about the photographer than the camera.
Best Mid-Range Cameras ($1,000 - $3,500)
So, let’s get into it already! In today’s article, we’ll discuss some great mid-range options. These are still very capable and powerful cameras that can accomplish great results but won’t cost you quite as much as the highest-performing options we discussed last week. Maybe they have slightly fewer megapixels, or they can’t shoot 4k video at 120 fps but there are still some awesome cameras in here and I think many of us will be surprised at just how capable these cameras really are.
Here are some awesome mid-range cameras currently on the market as we roll into 2023.
So, let’s get into it already! In today’s article, we’ll discuss some great mid-range options. These are still very capable and powerful cameras that can accomplish great results but won’t cost you quite as much as the highest-performing options we discussed last week. Maybe they have slightly fewer megapixels, or they can’t shoot 4k video at 120 fps but there are still some awesome cameras in here and I think many of us will be surprised at just how capable these cameras really are.
Here are some awesome mid-range cameras currently on the market as we roll into 2023.
Canon EOS R6 ii ($2,500 USD)
This thing is absolutely incredible! Once again, there’s a reason it’s the first camera in our list of mid-range options. Granted this is definitely upper mid-range, but a great deal compared to the R5 or R3. The R6 mark ii is a beast with 6K video capabilities, insanely fast burst modes that rival the R3 (canons flagship camera), and very powerful AI autofocus capabilities. For this price point, the R6 ii is probably the best mid-range camera you can buy on the market and it even rivals the R5 in many ways apart from having fewer megapixels. This thing is nice!
Specs:
24.4 Megapixel Sensor
6K oversampled HDMI or 4K 60 fps
12 fps mechanical shutter or 40 fps electronic
This thing is absolutely incredible! Once again, there’s a reason it’s the first camera in our list of mid-range options. Granted this is definitely upper mid-range, but a great deal compared to the R5 or R3. The R6 mark ii is a beast with 6K video capabilities, insanely fast burst modes that rival the R3 (canons flagship camera), and very powerful AI autofocus capabilities. For this price point, the R6 ii is probably the best mid-range camera you can buy on the market and it even rivals the R5 in many ways apart from having fewer megapixels. This thing is nice!
Specs:
24.4 Megapixel Sensor
6K oversampled HDMI or 4K 60 fps
12 fps mechanical shutter or 40 fps electronic
Panasonic Lumix GH6 ($1,900 (USD)
A powerful mid-range beast! Once again this is an upper-mid-range camera when it comes to price, but this thing is awesome, especially for those who shoot a lot of videos! For the price point, this camera is packed with some unreal features including amazing video capabilities that outperform many cinema-specific cameras like 5.8K recording at 30 fps or 4K at 120 fps (wow). It also has insanely high burst rates both with its mechanical and electronic shutters. Perhaps the micro-four-thirds sensor is a letdown for some readers but this thing still produces amazing image quality and with the fast burst and great video capabilities, I think it’s a great camera!
Specs:
25.2 MP Micro-Four-Thirds Sensor
5.8K 30 fps or 4K 120 fps
14 fps mechanical shutter or 75 fps electronic
A powerful mid-range beast! Once again this is an upper-mid-range camera when it comes to price, but this thing is awesome, especially for those who shoot a lot of videos! For the price point, this camera is packed with some unreal features including amazing video capabilities that outperform many cinema-specific cameras like 5.8K recording at 30 fps or 4K at 120 fps (wow). It also has insanely high burst rates both with its mechanical and electronic shutters. Perhaps the micro-four-thirds sensor is a letdown for some readers but this thing still produces amazing image quality and with the fast burst and great video capabilities, I think it’s a great camera!
Specs:
25.2 MP Micro-Four-Thirds Sensor
5.8K 30 fps or 4K 120 fps
14 fps mechanical shutter or 75 fps electronic
Fujifilm X-H2 ($2,000 USD)
This camera is incredibly capable for the price! Perhaps it is an APS-C sensor, and some Full Frame fanatics might be turned away, but this thing is powerful and can take on some high-performance cameras that are double the price. The X-H2 surpasses many full-frame options in its number of megapixels and can also shoot impressive 8K video at 30 fps which has never before been achieved with the APS-C format. This camera has incredibly high resolution and is contrasted nicely by its sister the X-H2S which has fewer megapixels but is even faster, not that a 15 fps mechanical shutter is slow in any regard.Specs:
40 MP APS-C Sensor
8K 30 fps or 4K 60 fps
15 fps mechanical shutter or 20 fps electronic
Sony a7 IV ($2,500 USD)
A great camera and a logical step up from its predecessor the a7 III. The a7 IV is a great option for stills with a 33-megapixel processor, advanced autofocus system updates, and a fast mechanical burst mode of 10 frames per second. When it comes to video this thing isn’t slacking either. The a7 IV can capture 4K video at 60 fps while adding 10-bit capture to increase processing flexibility. This is an all-around great camera, and you get a lot of bang for your buck! It still holds up well to the competition considering it was released in 2021.
Specs:
33 MP Full Frame Sensor
4K 60 fps
10 fps mechanical shutter in RAW
A great camera and a logical step up from its predecessor the a7 III. The a7 IV is a great option for stills with a 33-megapixel processor, advanced autofocus system updates, and a fast mechanical burst mode of 10 frames per second. When it comes to video this thing isn’t slacking either. The a7 IV can capture 4K video at 60 fps while adding 10-bit capture to increase processing flexibility. This is an all-around great camera, and you get a lot of bang for your buck! It still holds up well to the competition considering it was released in 2021.
Specs:
33 MP Full Frame Sensor
4K 60 fps
10 fps mechanical shutter in RAW
Fujifilm X-T4 ($1,600 USD)
A great camera and the perfect upgrade from the X-T3! The Fujifilm X-T4 is yet another very capable, all-around workhorse. Perhaps this camera won’t catch the attention of full-frame fanatics but to be honest APS-C sensors can offer almost the same image quality these days and this thing has 26.1 megapixels which put it above many full-frame options. Between this, the great video capabilities at 4K 60 fps, and really fast burst modes in mechanical and electronic this is one of the best mirrorless cameras on the market today! Fujifilm did a great job with this one!
Specs:
26.1 MP APS-C Sensor
4K 60 fps
15 fps mechanical shutter or 30 fps electronic
A great camera and the perfect upgrade from the X-T3! The Fujifilm X-T4 is yet another very capable, all-around workhorse. Perhaps this camera won’t catch the attention of full-frame fanatics but to be honest APS-C sensors can offer almost the same image quality these days and this thing has 26.1 megapixels which put it above many full-frame options. Between this, the great video capabilities at 4K 60 fps, and really fast burst modes in mechanical and electronic this is one of the best mirrorless cameras on the market today! Fujifilm did a great job with this one!
Specs:
26.1 MP APS-C Sensor
4K 60 fps
15 fps mechanical shutter or 30 fps electronic
Nikon Z6 II ($2,000 USD)
For its price point, this is an excellent camera! Perhaps it has slightly lower specs or fewer features than cameras from rival systems but it’s also more affordable. This is still a very powerful camera that can capture great stills, especially with a 14 fps mechanical burst mode that’s excellent for action and wildlife photography. The Z6 II also has great video capabilities with full readout $k at 30 fps and 4K at 60 fps with a 1.5x crop. Overall, this is a solid camera!
Specs:
24.5 MP Full Frame Sensor
4K 60 fps (cropped) or 4K 30 fps
14 fps mechanica
For its price point, this is an excellent camera! Perhaps it has slightly lower specs or fewer features than cameras from rival systems but it’s also more affordable. This is still a very powerful camera that can capture great stills, especially with a 14 fps mechanical burst mode that’s excellent for action and wildlife photography. The Z6 II also has great video capabilities with full readout $k at 30 fps and 4K at 60 fps with a 1.5x crop. Overall, this is a solid camera!
Specs:
24.5 MP Full Frame Sensor
4K 60 fps (cropped) or 4K 30 fps
14 fps mechanica
Panasonic Lumix S5 II ($2,000 USD)
A great, well-rounded camera with awesome photo and video capabilities! Between the 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor, the 10-bit 4K at 60 fps internal recording, a very wide 14-stop dynamic range, solid AI integrated autofocus, and updated in-body-image-stabilization this thing is an awesome camera for its price. The S5 II is a very logical step up from its predecessor the S5 and Panasonic really did a great job with this camera.
Specs:
24.2 MP Full-Frame Sensor
6K 30 fps or 4K 60 fps
9 fps mechanical shutter or 30 fps electronic
A great, well-rounded camera with awesome photo and video capabilities! Between the 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor, the 10-bit 4K at 60 fps internal recording, a very wide 14-stop dynamic range, solid AI integrated autofocus, and updated in-body-image-stabilization this thing is an awesome camera for its price. The S5 II is a very logical step up from its predecessor the S5 and Panasonic really did a great job with this camera.
Specs:
24.2 MP Full-Frame Sensor
6K 30 fps or 4K 60 fps
9 fps mechanical shutter or 30 fps electronic
Best Budget Cameras (At or Below $1,000)
For those of us that are relatively new to photography or looking to save some money on your gear, I’ve compiled some awesome budget options. All the following cameras sit at or below the $1,000 USD price point.
Perhaps some of these might not have full-frame sensors, electronic viewfinders, or 4k video options but at the end of the day it’s more about the photographer than the camera and these options are all amazing for their respective class.
Here are some great budget options currently on the market.
For those of us that are relatively new to photography or looking to save some money on your gear, I’ve compiled some awesome budget options. All the following cameras sit at or below the $1,000 USD price point.
Perhaps some of these might not have full-frame sensors, electronic viewfinders, or 4k video options but at the end of the day it’s more about the photographer than the camera and these options are all amazing for their respective class.
Here are some great budget options currently on the market.
Sony a6400 ($900 USD)
A good upgrade to the most popular mirrorless camera of all time. The grandparent of this camera, the Sony a6000, was a truly revolutionary camera when it was released and still stacks up well today (8 years later). The a6400 took everything the a6000 did right and added some new features like 4K video and a screen that flips 180 degrees, faster autofocus, and weather sealing. This is a great all-around camera that excels at taking high-quality images and videos all on an affordable APS-C sensor.
Specs:
24.2 MP APS-C Sensor
4k 30 fps
11 fps max burst
A good upgrade to the most popular mirrorless camera of all time. The grandparent of this camera, the Sony a6000, was a truly revolutionary camera when it was released and still stacks up well today (8 years later). The a6400 took everything the a6000 did right and added some new features like 4K video and a screen that flips 180 degrees, faster autofocus, and weather sealing. This is a great all-around camera that excels at taking high-quality images and videos all on an affordable APS-C sensor.
Specs:
24.2 MP APS-C Sensor
4k 30 fps
11 fps max burst
Canon EOS RP ($1,000 USD)
A great, compact, and affordable full-frame camera! Canon is offering a very unique camera with the RP. This thing is bringing a full-frame sensor to consumers in a bite-sized and affordable package. The RP is lighter, smaller, and cheaper than almost anything competitors are offering that’s remotely comparable. This is a great entry-level full-frame camera. If you’ve been wanting to make the leap into the full-frame world but the cost has been your biggest restraint, then worry no more!
Specs:
26.2 MP Full-Frame Sensor
4K 25 fps or 1080p 50 fps
5 fps max burst
A great, compact, and affordable full-frame camera! Canon is offering a very unique camera with the RP. This thing is bringing a full-frame sensor to consumers in a bite-sized and affordable package. The RP is lighter, smaller, and cheaper than almost anything competitors are offering that’s remotely comparable. This is a great entry-level full-frame camera. If you’ve been wanting to make the leap into the full-frame world but the cost has been your biggest restraint, then worry no more!
Specs:
26.2 MP Full-Frame Sensor
4K 25 fps or 1080p 50 fps
5 fps max burst
Fujifilm X-S10 ($1,000 USD)
This camera packs a punch! The X-S10 will appeal to a broad audience and offers possibly the best performance and value for an APS-C mirrorless camera on the market today. This camera has a top-notch build quality, excellent IBIS, superb phase-detect AF capabilities, and un-cropped 4K video. A very solid all-around workhorse at a great price!
Specs:
26.1 MP APS-C Sensor
4K 30 fps (un-cropped)
8 fps mechanical shutter or 20 fps electronic
This camera packs a punch! The X-S10 will appeal to a broad audience and offers possibly the best performance and value for an APS-C mirrorless camera on the market today. This camera has a top-notch build quality, excellent IBIS, superb phase-detect AF capabilities, and un-cropped 4K video. A very solid all-around workhorse at a great price!
Specs:
26.1 MP APS-C Sensor
4K 30 fps (un-cropped)
8 fps mechanical shutter or 20 fps electronic
Canon EOS M50 II ($600 USD)
A great everyday camera that gets the job done in a compact body. Perhaps this camera isn’t as much of an upgrade from the original M50 as we’d like to see but it’s still a very capable little machine that’s great for shooting stills, traveling, vlogging, and content creation. This isn’t the ideal camera if you’re looking to constantly shoot 4K video but apart from that I like it for the price point. With a great electronic viewfinder, a very capable 24.1-megapixel sensor, a great max burst speed, and solid video capabilities this thing gets the job done at just $600 bucks!
Specs:
24.1 MP APS-C Sensor
4K 25 fps (with 1.6x crop) or 1080p 60 fps
10 fps max burst
A great everyday camera that gets the job done in a compact body. Perhaps this camera isn’t as much of an upgrade from the original M50 as we’d like to see but it’s still a very capable little machine that’s great for shooting stills, traveling, vlogging, and content creation. This isn’t the ideal camera if you’re looking to constantly shoot 4K video but apart from that I like it for the price point. With a great electronic viewfinder, a very capable 24.1-megapixel sensor, a great max burst speed, and solid video capabilities this thing gets the job done at just $600 bucks!
Specs:
24.1 MP APS-C Sensor
4K 25 fps (with 1.6x crop) or 1080p 60 fps
10 fps max burst
Nikon Z50 ($860 USD)
A great mirrorless camera for the masses, especially at this price point! This little camera brings Nikons modern mirrorless technology to the enthusiast/hobbyist market. Apart from the limited number of native lenses currently available, this camera is great! With a great APS-C sensor, awesome video capabilities, and the ability to capture high-quality stills this camera is hard to beat at this price point. In addition, you can use all of the Nikon Z mount lenses on this body. The Z50 is a great entry-level camera for those looking to go mirrorless.
Specs:
20.9 APS-C Sensor
4K 30 fps or 1080p 120 fps
11 fps max burst
A great mirrorless camera for the masses, especially at this price point! This little camera brings Nikons modern mirrorless technology to the enthusiast/hobbyist market. Apart from the limited number of native lenses currently available, this camera is great! With a great APS-C sensor, awesome video capabilities, and the ability to capture high-quality stills this camera is hard to beat at this price point. In addition, you can use all of the Nikon Z mount lenses on this body. The Z50 is a great entry-level camera for those looking to go mirrorless.
Specs:
20.9 APS-C Sensor
4K 30 fps or 1080p 120 fps
11 fps max burst
Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV ($700 USD)
A great-looking, well-designed, and high-performing entry-level camera to do it all! This is one of the best travel cameras out there with its lightweight design, great in-body-image-stabilization, updated autofocus system, 4k video, and a nice sensor. If you want a smaller camera that’s also incredibly capable all at a price of $800 then look no further than the OM-D E-M10 IV.
Specs:
20.3 MP 4/3” Sensor
4K 30 fps or 1080p 60 fps
8.7 fps max burst
A great-looking, well-designed, and high-performing entry-level camera to do it all! This is one of the best travel cameras out there with its lightweight design, great in-body-image-stabilization, updated autofocus system, 4k video, and a nice sensor. If you want a smaller camera that’s also incredibly capable all at a price of $800 then look no further than the OM-D E-M10 IV.
Specs:
20.3 MP 4/3” Sensor
4K 30 fps or 1080p 60 fps
8.7 fps max burst
Well, these are some of the best cameras on the market today that won't cost you an arm and a leg. If you missed my article from last week discussing the best high-perfomance cameras then definitely give that one a read as well! I sincerely hope this article was informative and painted a clear picture of what modern day cameras are capable of. As always, good shooting and enjoy your photography journeys!
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AUTHOR
AUTHOR
Keenan Hursh is a Photographer, visual designer, and creative story teller based out of Bozeman, Montana. He draws inspiration from his frequent excursions into the natural world and always brings his camera along to capture whatever adventures he finds himself in. Keenan is passionate about documenting and sharing fleeting moments from the natural world and focuses primarily on wildlife, landscape, and adventure photography.
When it comes to gear, he primarily shoots digital with his Canon EOS R5 and EOS 6D mark ii but also has several 35mm film cameras that get out every now and then.
At a very young age, Keenan started bringing a camera along on his excursions and immediately fell in love with the art of photography. He started out with his parent’s cheap point and shoot and has continuously improved his craft and gear refining his shooting style and producing more compelling and intriguing images.
Growing up in the foothills of Boulder, Colorado, surrounded by mountains and wilderness, Keenan has developed a deep passion for many outdoor activities. When he’s not out on a shoot or using his camera, Keenan enjoys skiing, climbing, hiking, backpacking, cycling, whitewater rafting, and paragliding. If he’s outside, away from the distractions of society and civilization, he’s in his happy place.
Keenan studied Emergent Digital Practices at the University of Denver while minoring in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Since earning his degree in 2019 he was worked with a wide range of clients, companies, and organizations throughout his career. Apart from photography he specializes in content creation, writing, brand development, and graphic design.
You can view Keenan’s portfolio on his website at www.keenanhurshphoto.com
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"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
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