The Best Cameras under $200 You Should Buy

By Alice Ross | GADGETS & TECH

Apr 24
best cameras under $200

Digital cameras today are a lot cheaper than when they were released the first time, however, the price comes with a lot more new features.

When shopping for a camera, there's no better than finding one that is affordable but comes with a lot of features. The most multipurpose cameras are the ones that cost mid-range to high-end. But don't overlook cheaper cameras as there are many of them that also offer impressive features that you can take advantage when shooting photographs.

More...

**Below, you'll find more detailed reviews, but you can also click links above to check current prices and read customer's reviews on Amazon.

There are many types of camera available today, this include underwater camera, wildlife camera, and camera specific for hiking, but what's getting popular today is a point-and-shoot camera. There are cameras that cost under $200. Normally, you should not expect these cameras to offer similar features as good as the expensive ones, however, you can expect for them to offer beautiful quality features.

The best cameras under $200 can have numerous shooting modes which include portrait, automatic, underwater, indoor, and a lot of others. Nevertheless, the quality they offer will be inferior to expensive cameras, and they normally have lower memory storage.

hold camera

However, you have to remember that even though a higher resolution allows you to take sharper pictures, a camera with 5-megapixel or 6-megapixel is more than enough to take high-quality images. Anyway, unless you would like to blow up your pictures to poster size, you do not need a camera with 12 MP.

Before you choose a camera, you have to know what features you would like to have in your camera. This will help you choose the best cameras under 200 with the good resolution, shooting modes, zoom capability, and other important features that you might want. Below is the guide when choosing a camera.

Guide to Choosing the Best Cameras under $200

camera

Before learning every corner of photography, we tend to be puzzled with a list of cameras that were suggested to us by professional photographers we know. It is always extremely recommended that you do research comprehensively on photography, or attend photography classes before you're prepared to choose your choice of camera.

For people who have been to photography classes or are familiar with some fundamentals of photography, seeking the best cameras under 200 is essential for your work. Below are the things you must consider when buying a camera.

olympus camera
  • Brand: The brand is possibly the main factor you consider in a camera. Unless you can shop for cameras at an actual store, the best way to know which the better brand among all the brands is online is to read reviews. When choosing the brand, make sure you are comfortable with the interface of the camera. It's important to select a brand for extremely practical reasons. Every camera brand has its own strong point and limitations. As system cameras, digital cameras rapidly obtain a host of dependent accessories which make changing brands a lot more expensive as time goes by.
camera bokeh
  • Model: As much as possible, resist yourself from going with the newest or technically innovative ones. Go for affordable ones. It's because the more affordable ones are normally more user-friendly to beginners than the progressive ones. You have to learn the fundamentals of using a camera first before going for an innovative full frame camera.
  • Price: Of course, the price is a big consideration. The first cameras are constantly the victim of reckless scratches or hitting. In a lot of cases, people purchase their first camera to know their real skills and interest in photography. So, try not to buy exclusive and expensive units just yet, because, who knows, you might not like this hobby eventually? When you see your real passion and see that you're doing well at it, and then go for more expensive ones.
lens
  • Features: This is extremely important to look for. Every latest feature is added to make your photography experience a lot more fun, but it's essential that the features aren't soothing too much that you may not learn good photography. In the most progressive and costly cameras, there are normally fewer features and options than the cheap DSLR cameras. So, think a lot about it and prioritize only to the ones that are important.
  • Lens: I know how the big white lenses make you feel every time you see them. Those lenses are for advanced photographers and using them requires skills and knowledge. As a beginner, you don't need them, and the fact is that they are normally a lot more expensive.
digital camera
  • Size and Portability: These two characteristics are important considerations particularly when you're looking for cheap cameras. Compact digital cameras are good for beginners and travelers. You can simply slip them into your jacket or handbag when you're not using them and take them out when you need to take some shots. On the other hands, DSLR cameras are normally bigger and you'll not normally be able to put them in your pocket unless your pocket is extremely big. Bridge cameras fall in between; however, they are usually closer to the large design of DSLR.
  • Resolution: For some, this is the first thing they look into when shopping for the best cameras under $200. The truth, however, is that any budget should expanse to a total minimum of 10MP and when you get overhead this number, you are unlikely to be able to see the difference in photo quality if it's the only difference in the camera that you select.
camera film
  • Stabilization: No matter what type of picture you're planning to take, image stabilization is another thing to consider. This will fix shaky hands and it means that you wouldn't lose out on the perfect photo op as you were running out of breath or you're riding a vehicle.
  • Zoom: When it comes to zoom, optical zoom is normally known to be better. This depends on a devoted lens and it offers a much more precise and better quality photo, however, it normally is more expensive, bulky, and more complicated to use. The best cameras under $200 may still give you an impressive output.
camera glasses
  • Storage: This is another thing you have to consider. A lot of cameras under $200 don't have a lot of built-in memory but they offer an option of expanding by using micro SD card. Know the compatibility, storage capacity, and keep in mind that higher resolution photos could take up a lot of space even on some of the bigger memory cards you can get, so be ready to spend a bit extra on this.

Top 5 Best Cameras under $200

The best cameras under $200 actually compete with the professional models in image quality, and they are particularly user-friendly for beginners. When searching for the best cameras under $200, you'll be amazed at how you can easily use them. You are able to set your dial on auto or manual then start shooting. When you get used to using them, you can then start producing beautiful photos.

Many of us do not need a camera unit for professional photography. We'd rather have something that's not difficult to use and takes a high-quality photo. By now, you probably have some idea of what you should look for in a camera, and now, your job is to find one that suits your budget. Today, finding an 8-megapixel camera under $200 shouldn't be a problem.

With the spread of cheap high-quality cameras today, it's hard to choose which camera will cater your needs and preference. The dedicated functions, better sensor quality, and even the weight and feel of the camera make it a more than valuable investment. Below are 5 of the best cameras under $200 you can find in the market today.

best-camera-for-wildlife-photography

Via Amazon.com

Canon PowerShot ELPH 180 is a point-and-shoot camera that was just released on January of 2016. This compact camera utilizes a 28 – 224 mm (8x) F3.2 – F6.9 lens that's fixed on a mount.With its very affordable price, Canon aims beginners searching for an all-rounded camera. The body of Canon PowerShot ELPH 180 makes uses of a 20MP 1/2.3″ CCD sensor.To check out the quality of image, the picture is shown on a 2.7'' Fixed Type 230,000 resolution screen. If you are looking for speed and accuracy, PowerShot ELPH 180 offers none autofocus points and 8fps burst rate.

98
/100

Editor's Rating: 98/100

Price On Amazon: from $119.00


Pros

  • Image Stabilizer
  • Face Detection autofocus
  • High Resolution Sensor of 20.0MP
  • Fast Continuous Shooting

Cons

  • No Wi-Fi
  • No External Flash Shoe
  • No Articulating Screen
  • No Built-in Viewfinder
  • Max Sensitivity only ISO 1.600
  • Small LCD Screen
best-camera-for-wildlife-photography

Via Amazon.com

Nikon has placed the lens with lens-shift shaking reduction to lower the effects of camera vibration. The 20.2MP CCD sensor of this camera can provide you with a maximum sensitivity of ISO1600.You will also be pleased with its HD 1280×720 video recording. A problem worth mentioning here is that it can't capture resolution of 1080p. But this is common to low budget cameras.On top of its a scene-detecting automatic mode and six special effect modes, the another great feature of this is Nikon's Smart Portrait mode that will flatter images of anyone you will shoot by warning you if a person blinks and making their skin smoother.

97
/100

Editor's Rating: 97/100

Price On Amazon: from $221.78


Pros

  • Superb color reproduction and brightness on LCD
  • Long battery life that allows you to take 370 shots

Cons

  • Can't shoot videos at 1080p
  • Limited viewing angles of the monitor
best-camera-for-wildlife-photography

Via Amazon.com

The Sony DSCW830 digital camera is a user-friendly, low-cost camera that offers beautiful picture outcomes.If you're looking for the best cameras under 200 that offer beautiful imaging, then this camera will not disappoint.Aside from being easy to use, it also comes with a beautiful set of features that make it extremely multipurpose.

You get impressive imaging below a range of different conditions and it even comes with an Auto mode where the camera can detect a range of different factors to choose the ideal settings for the shot.You also have settings for other settings such as night, portraits fireworks, and more. HD movies come out looking good and they're easy to shoot and this unit even offers panoramic photos for lovely wide shots that can go up to 360-degrees.Along with that, this camera is small enough to suits in your pocket and it starts up fast to get shots quickly.

95
/100

Editor's Rating: 9/100

Price On Amazon: from $113.97


Pros

  • Image Stabilization
  • Wide Angle Lens
  • Face Detection Focusing
  • 1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolutions
  • Environmental Sealing

Cons

  • No Articulating Screen
  • No Wireless Connection
  • No External Flash Shoe
  • No RAW Shooting
  • Low Screen Resolution
  • Low Battery Life
  • No Manual Focusing
  • No Manual Exposure
best-camera-for-wildlife-photography

Via Amazon.com

The Nikon Coolpix S33 is another affordable and easy-to-use camera. Aside from capturing beautiful photos of landscapes and portraits, this camera also is waterproof. It offers simple appearance and functionality. Nikon claims the S33 could handle underwater depths of 33 feet and is able to handle a drop from 5 feet.At first look, it doesn't look that impressive but doesn't be fooled as this camera offers more than what meet the eyes. The camera is generally white and contains a smooth plastic exterior. It is very easy to navigate and set to whatever you want. Its simplicity is the best feature of this camera.

93
/100

Editor's Rating: 93/100

Price On Amazon: from $179.99


Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Image Stabilization
  • Face Detection Focusing
  • 1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolutions
  • Environmental Sealing

Cons

  • No Articulating Screen
  • No Wireless Connection
  • No External Flash Shoe
  • No RAW Shooting
  • Low Screen Resolution
  • Low Battery Life
  • No Manual Focusing
  • No Manual Exposure
best-camera-for-wildlife-photography

Via Amazon.com

Another affordable one that makes it to our list of the best cameras under 200 is Canon PowerShot ELPH 170 IS.This impressive camera has a slim, compact design which keeps things simple and affordable by leaving out Wi-Fi connectivity and choosing a 20-megapixel CCD sensor over a better CMOS chip.Via amazon.comWhile the features of this camera remain the same as the previous model, the new ELPH 170 gets a better lens. The 12x zoom lens is better than the 10x version of the preceding model to now offering a healthy 25-300mm the same focal length reach.This camera has a visual image stabilization system to help keep everything steady and free from blur, particularly when zoomed throughout into 300mm where the maximum aperture is just f/7.0, and the Intelligent IS of the camera will let the camera to automatically enhance image stabilization.

90
/100

Editor's Rating: 90/100

Price On Amazon: from $179.00


Pros

  • It is made of hard-wearing canvas and crazy horse leather
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Quick startup and focus
  • Stabilized lens
  • Offers help mode

Cons

  • Low-res rear display
  • Lacks Wi-Fi
  • Video limited to 720p
  • Omits Canon Creative Shot

Summary

The first thoughts most of us make when talking about digital cameras would be that they are extremely expensive. I'm not saying that is totally wrong, it's true, if you would like to have a good quality camera, you have got to pay the price.

However, it's totally not impossible to find the best cameras under $200 that will do the job for you. Hopefully, this article helped you decide which one you should get.

Do you know any other cameras under $200 that we did not add to the list? Make sure to tell us in the comment below!

Rating: 4.8 (5 votes)

Follow

About the Author

Hi, I’m Alice Ross, a long-term traveler who left the corporate world to travel the world. I chose to live life on my own phase and live day by day while immersing myself in new experiences, new knowledge, and new people in a different walk of life I met along the way.

Leave a Comment:

Leave a Comment: