Looking for a new camera but not bothered about it being the latest model in the catalogue? Have a look at these great camera bargains.

New cameras entering the market means that the older ones reduce in price.

Just because a camera isn’t the latest and greatest, it doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of consideration – which is good news for your wallet. We’ve rounded up some tempting online bargains here, covering all kinds of different cameras from compacts up to full-frame DSLRs.

Let us know if you spot a great deal!

Best bargain cameras 2016

Panasonic FT30

£104

panasonic_ft30

There’s one place that your average smartphone can’t compete with a traditional camera – and that’s at the beach, in the pool, in the bath, or even in the hands of a clumsy toddler.

Tough cameras have been around on the market for quite a while now, and you can pick up some great bargains.

One such tempting offer is the Panasonic FT30. It has a 16 million pixel sensor and a 4x optical zoom, but it’s also waterproof down to 8 metres, shockproof from a height of 1.5m, dustproof and freeze proof down to -10 degrees celsius.

It’s the ideal camera for (literally) throwing into your bag for a beach or family holiday – and for just over £100 and all those tough credentials, you shouldn’t have to worry about it surviving the trip.

Key Specs

Sensor: 16MP CCD sensor (1/2.3inch)
Lens: 4x (25-100mm)
Display: 2.7in, 230k-dot
ISO range: 100-6400
Burst Mode: 8fps
Dimensions: 103.7×58.3×19.7mm
Weight: 144g

Sony HX60

£163

Sony HX60V product shot 12

If you’re looking for a superzoom camera to take on your travels, but are on a tight budget, the Sony HX60 is great value.

For under £200 you get a huge 30x optical zoom, a 20.4 million pixel sensor and inbuilt Wi-Fi. It’s also pretty pocket-friendly if you’re worried about being laden down with a heavy or large camera.

Key Specs

Sensor: 20.4MP CMOS (1/2.3inch)
Lens: 30x (24-720mm)
Display: 3in, 920k-dot
ISO range: 80-12800
Burst Mode: 10fps

Dimensions: 108.1×63.6×38.3mm
Weight: 272g

Canon EOS 1200D

£256

Canon EOS 1200D

If you’re in the market for your first ever DSLR, or perhaps you want to buy one as a generous present – the Canon EOS 1200D represents extraordinary value right now.

You can pick one up with a kit lens for just over £250 – a great bargain. For your cash you get an 18 million pixel APS-C sized sensor, and what’s more there’s a companion (free) app to help walk you through using the camera.


Furthermore, you’ll be buying into the great Canon ecosystem, ready to expand to further lenses, or upgrade to a more advanced body, as your photography progresses.

Key Specs

Sensor: 18MP CMOS (APS-C)
Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens
Display: 3in, 460k-dots
ISO range: 100-6400
Burst Mode: 3fps
Dimensions: 129.6×99.7×77.9mm
Weight: 480g

Sony A5000

£249

Sony A5000 product shot 18

There’s a lot of great features about the Sony A5000, which at under £250 is a great entrance into the compact system camera world.

You get a 20.1MP APS-C sized sensor, plus a 16-50mm kit lens thrown in for that price. There’s also a tilting LCD screen, inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC. You’ll be able to grow with the camera as your photography gets better as the lenses are interchangeable – there’s lots available for the Sony E-mount now.

Key specs

Sensor: 20.1MP CMOS (APS-C)
Lens: 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens
Display: 3in, 460k-dots
ISO Range: 100-16000
Burst mode: 3.5fps
Dimensions: 109.6×62.8×35.7mm
Weight: 269g

Nikon J5

£339

nikon_j5

Although Nikon CSCs only feature a one-inch sensor, they still boast great image quality and make a good back-up for your DSLR. You’ll probably find the J5 especially tempting if you’re already a Nikon owner – it’ll be easy to get to grips with how the camera works.

If you’ve got Nikon lenses, you can use them with the J5, but it’s via an option extra adaptor, but at least it’s possible.

Also for your cash, you get a 20.8MP sensor, a 10-30mm lens kit, 4K video shooting and a beautiful body design.

Key specs

Sensor: 20.8MP CMOS (CX – one-inch)
Lens: 10-30mm f/4.5-5.6 kit lens
Display: 3in, 1037k-dots
ISO Range: 200-12800
Burst mode: 60fps
Dimensions: 98.3×59.7×31.5mm
Weight: 265g

Fuji X30

£283

Fuji X30 for WDC web

Fuji X30 for WDC web

If you’re looking for a premium compact camera which has the added bonus of oozing retro cool, then you can’t go far wrong with the Fuji X30, which is now available for under £300.

You get raw format shooting, manual control, an electronic viewfinder and a 12 million pixel X-Trans CMOS sensor. Although the sensor is smaller than some other premium compacts on the market, it’s still very capable of producing some excellent shots.

Key specs

Sensor: 12MP X-Trans CMOS II (2/3 inch)
Lens: 4x (28-112mm)
Display: 3in, 920k-dots
ISO Range: 100-12800
Burst mode: 12fps
Dimensions: 118.7×71.6×60.3mm
Weight: 423g

Nikon D7100

£580 (body only)

Nikon D7100

Nikon replaced the D7100 with the D7200 last year, but the D7100 is still a very good camera. It features a 24.1 million pixel sensor, a 51-point AF system, dual SD card slots and a host of other fantastic features.

You can pick one up for less than £600, which is significantly cheaper than the latest model, leaving you some money left over to invest in extra lenses. The D7100 is a great stepping stone between an entry level DSLR and a full-frame model, such as the below D610.

Key specs:

Sensor: 24.1MP CMOS (APS-C)
Lens: n/a
Display: 3.2in, 1229k-dot
ISO Range: 100 – 25600
Burst mode: 6fps
Dimensions: 135.5×106.5x76mm
Weight: 765g

Nikon D610

£929 (body only)

Nikon D610 product shot 13

If you want to buy your first full-frame DSLR, but don’t want to fork out too much money, then the D610 is a fantastic option.

For under £1000, you’ll be equipped with a 24.3 million pixel full-frame sensor, along with all the high-end controls you might expect from a pro-level camera.

As well as being a tempting option for somebody who currently owns one of Nikon’s mid-range enthusiast DSLRs (such as the D7000), the D610 is also a great backup for something higher up in Nikon’s range, such as the D810.


Key Specs

Sensor: 24.3MP CMOS (FX – full frame)
Lens: N/A
Display: 3.2in, 921k-dot
ISO range: 100-6400
Burst mode: 6fps
Dimensions: 141x113x82mm
Weight: 850g