Wednesday 7 October 2020

5 Inexpensive Full Frame Cameras for 2020

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to buy a new full frame camera, then this list of inexpensive full frame cameras is for you.

While these five cheap full frame cameras are some personal favorite of the PhotographyTalk editors, it is definitely not an exhaustive list. Although a bit expensive, its worth to mention about Nikon D3500 because its a perfect entry level DSLR camera used by many professional photographers. 

5 Inexpensive Full Frame Cameras for 2020 image

Photo by Arun Clarke on Unsplash

Sony A7

sony a7 image

Sony A7 Specs: 

  • Type: Mirrorless
  • Megapixels: 24.3
  • Screen: 3” tiltable LCD
  • 5fps burst mode 
  • 1080p video resolution 

sony a7 2 image

The Sony A7 features one of the best autofocus systems out of all mirrorless cameras, despite the fact that it has been almost completely overshadowed by its newer versions, the Sony A7 II and Sony A7 III (which both expanded on this incredible autofocus system). 

The Sony A7 is light and travel-friendly, while maintaining a full frame sensor.

Additionally, the Sony A7 has a wide range of compatible lenses, despite the fact that the Sony A7 has been discontinued. 

The Sony A7 also allowed beginners to break into the mirrorless camera game when it dropped because it provided almost all of the features of more expensive mirrorless cameras like the Nikon D610 or the Canon EOS 6D. 

sony a7 3 image

Since the Sony A7 has been discontinued, you can no longer buy it new anywhere online. So, MPB will be your best option with a used version starting at $560. 

There is also a “like new” Sony A7 for $660.

 Canon EOS RP 

canon eos rp  image

Canon EOS RP Specs: 

Type: Mirrorless

  • Megapixels: 26.2
  • Screen: 3” fully articulating touchscreen LCD
  • 5fps burst mode
  • 4K video resolution

canon eos rp 2 image

The Canon EOS RP is surprisingly small and light, even more so than the Sony A7, but that doesn’t mean it lacks any features as compared to the other best full frame cameras on this list.

When the Canon EOS RP dropped it was the least expensive full-frame camera to ever hit the market. 

It can shoot 4K video, which isn’t true of many other inexpensive full frame cameras, and it is reminiscent of other Canon cameras, so it’s a fan favorite of brand-loyal photographers.

While the photo quality is excellent, the 4K video quality is not as compared to other full frames on the market, so videographers should keep this in mind before springing for this camera.

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The Canon EOS RP is available on Amazon for $1,000, or you can look for a used version starting at $900. 

Nikon D750

nikon d750 image

Nikon D750 Specs:

  • Type: DSLR
  • Megapixels: 24.3
  • Screen: 3” tilting touchscreen LCD
  • 6.5fps burst mode
  • 1080p video resolution

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The Nikon D750 offers the fastest burst mode of any of the inexpensive full frame cameras on our list, which makes it an excellent choice for sports or wildlife photographers.

But, my favorite quality to this camera is that it features a tiltable screen, unlike its sister versions, the Nikon D810 and the Nikon D610. 

It doesn’t shoot 4K video, but it does feature powered aperture control, “flat” picture control modes, and overexposure warnings. 

It’s autofocus system is also advanced for a camera of this era, with 51-points. 

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The Nikon D750 is on sale on Amazon right now for $1,500. Or, you can save over $600 and shop MPB where there are a ton of Nikon D750s listed at just $850. 

Canon EOS 6D Mark II 

Canon EOS 6D Mark II image

Canon EOS 6D Mark II Specs: 

  • Type: DSLR
  • Megapixels: 26.2
  • Screen: 3” vari-angle touchscreen LCD
  • 6.5fps burst mode
  • 1080p video resolution

Canon EOS 6D Mark II 2 image

Of all these inexpensive full frame cameras, this one is not for beginners. 

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II features many of the same incredible features of the Nikon D750, like a good screen, a fast AF system, and excellent handling due to its size, but it isn’t as intuitive. So you shouldn’t expect to pick it up and have all of the controls figured out within a few days.

This Canon’s AF system works so well that you can even use it efficiently in Live View mode, which some current cameras can’t even offer. 

It’s also got really good low-light capabilities since it features an ISO range of 100-40,000. 

You can’t shoot 4K video with the Canon EOS 6D Mark II, but you can shoot full HD at 1080p for up to 60fps. 

Canon EOS 6D Mark II 3 image  

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II is available for $1,400 on Amazon, or you can buy a used version off of MPB starting at $1,065. 

Nikon D810

nikon d810 image

Nikon D810 Specs:

  • Type: DSLR
  • Megapixels: 36.3
  • Screen: 3.2”  TFT-LCD screen
  • 5fps burst mode
  • 1080p video resolution

nikon d810 2 image

The Nikon D810 is the big sister to the Nikon D750.  

Whereas the Nikon D750 featured a 24.3MP sensor, the Nikon D810 features a super impressive 36.3MP sensor. While this won’t affect your everyday photographer, it’s a huge bonus for the pros. 

The Nikon D810 also features a wider ISO range, which begins at 64. Unsurprisingly, it performs very well in low light. 

The Nikon D810 is heavier and bulkier thanks to its pro-spec build. If you’re after something smaller, the D750 might be for you. 

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The Nikon D810 rounds out our list of best full frame cameras as the most expensive one on the list at $3,000. However, if you’re looking to save some money on your full frame cameras for 2020, make sure to check out MPB where you can find the Nikon D810 starting at $850.

This blog post about "5 Inexpensive Full Frame Cameras for 2020" was first published on our website here https://www.photographytalk.com/5-inexpensive-full-frame-cameras-for-2020