Find the right camera for your budget in our round up of the best cameras under £250.

You can get some fantastic deals if you don’t have a huge budget to spend right now. We’ve taken a quick look at some of the best cameras under £250, including one DSLR, a CSC and a couple of compact cameras.

Panasonic TZ70

Panasonic Lumix TZ70 product shot 10

Price: £240
Type: High zoom compact camera
Sensor: 12.1MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS
ISO: 100-6400
Display: 1,040k-dot 3-inch, fixed
Viewfinder: 1,166k-dot, 0.2-inch Live Viewfinder
Zoom range: 30x (24-720mm)

Despite not being the most recent version of Panasonic’s incredibly popular travel zoom camera, the TZ70 is a great camera for holidaying and travel photographers. It features an incredibly versatile 30x optical zoom, and has a range of shooting modes which includes manual, aperture priority and shutter priority for advanced and enthusiast-level photographers. It can also shoot in raw format, for working on your images in post-production. Beginners are also well catered for with iAuto mode and a range of scene modes. There’s also inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC so you can share your travel shots quickly.

Read our Panasonic TZ70 Review

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Sony a5000 (with 16-50mm kit lens)

Sony A5000 product shot 17

Price: £240
Type: Compact system camera
Sensor: 20.1MP APS-C sized CMOS
ISO: 100 – 16000
Display: 3-inch, 460k-dot 180-degree tilting LCD
Viewfinder: N/A

If you want a compact system camera but you’re on a budget, then you can do a lot worse than the Sony A5000. For under £250 you get a fully functioning set up as the price also includes a 16-50mm kit lens. The 20.1MP APS-C sized sensor is the same as you’ll find in many DSLRs, with image quality that is just as good. A full complement of shooting modes includes manual, and semi-automatic modes, as well as the ability to shoot in raw format. There’s a fantastic range of compatible lenses for Sony’s E-Mount these days, and although the company has newer cameras on the market than the A5000, for an entry-level camera, the quality is fantastic. The only drawback being that there’s no viewfinder, but on the plus side, the screen does tilt for selfies.

Read our Sony a5000 Review

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Nikon D3300 (body only)

Nikon-D3300

Price: £245
Type: DSLR
Sensor: 24.2MP DX-format (APS-C) CMOS
ISO: 100 – 25,600
Display: 3-inch, 920,000-dot LCD
Viewfinder: Optical 95% viewfinder

If you’re looking for your first DSLR, the Nikon D3300 offers incredible value for money. Granted you don’t get a lens for under £250, but it’s incredible to think what you can buy these days for what used to cost hundreds and hundreds of pounds. The D3300 has a 24.2 million pixel sensor, which is missing an anti-aliasing filter for increased detail resolution. It also has a really helpful Guide Mode to walk beginners through the basics of using their camera and to learn techniques.

Read our Nikon D3300 Review

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Fuji XQ2

Fujifilm XQ2_Silver_Front_Left_Wide

Price: £220
Type: Premium compact
Sensor: 12MP 2/3 inch
ISO: 100 – 12800
Display: 920k-dot, 3-inch fixed screen
Viewfinder: N/A
Zoom range: 4x (25-100mm)

Fuji has experienced a bit of a renaissance in the past few years, introducing a series of premium “X” branded cameras. The XQ2 is a pocket-friendly version of those cameras. It features a 2/3-inch sensor, which is larger than found in many compact cameras, and offers a 4x optical zoom. That may not sound like much, but it’s longer than the classic 28-70mm many photographers are happy to work with. You get full manual control, as well as the ability to shoot in raw format, and what’s more you get something pretty attractive too. This could be an ideal compact camera for those looking for something pocket friendly which is capable of high image quality without breaking the bank.