I was so forlorn and depressed about the idea that cameras would soon be priced out of reach from all but photographers in the 1% that I was compelled to do a bit of research. What I found shocked me!!!

From a used Nikon D700 I bought for $400. 

12 megapixels and no frills. 

workable.

 Newsflash!!!

All the major camera makers have top of the line cameras that are very (relatively) expensive. They do miraculous things and operate very quickly but all four of the majors have models that are priced at $5000 and up. So.... according to some pundits, this signals the end as we know it of our wonderful hobby, passion, entry level runway for new professionals, etc. From what I've read recently only doctors, lawyers and hedge fund managers will be able to buy decent cameras. 

Another leitmotif in this conversation is the idea that while the new, Luxe (and luxe priced) camera bodies are wonderful they are all chocked full of features most enthusiasts don't need or want. Too many ways to set up the cameras are getting in the way of many peoples' enjoyment of photography and many are suspicious that the wildly inflated prices of the new cameras are partially caused by this horrific menu and feature creep. 

I was floored. This wasn't the camera industry I knew from a few years ago. Or....were a series of Chicken Littles busy prognosticating the collapse of the sky? Were fears of constricted choices and ever higher prices being overblown? I felt duty bound to find out. 

I wondered if it was still possible to get a decent camera for less than $2,000. How about under $1,000? And stretching a little bit... could I find a decent, workable camera for less than $500?

In the old days I remember buying a Nikon D3200 camera which came bundled with a small, 18-55mm kit lens for around $400. The lens was quite good enough to make great photos while out walking through the streets in daylight and the 24 megapixel APS-C sensor was amazingly detailed and quite good in low light. Basically, all one needs to make great photographs; especially if our final targets are small prints (11x14 inches?) and various uses on the web. But do cameras like this still exist or must we all drain our 401Ks and stand in a long line to await our shot at getting an elusive Nikon Z8 or Sony Alpha One? 

Well, rejoice my friends!!! For I have found many good cameras out in the retail space, all of which are capable of taking great images for you without banishing you into eternal poverty. 

None of these choices are grey market. None of them are used. None of the ones I've listed are backordered. You can go and buy these today. Someone might even be able to ship one to you by tomorrow. And none of the choices I found in my extensive 20 minute research crack the $2,000 ceiling I've set. 

I compiled this list of cameras (and sometimes cameras bundled with kit lenses, just to sweeten the pot) from a scroll through the offerings from B&H but I am sure the same basic choices are available elsewhere. Let's get started. 

Canon can offer you a full frame, mirrorless RP camera for $999. Yes. Full frame. 20+ megapixels. 4K video, etc for only $999. You say you need a wide-ranging lens to use with that camera body? How about a kit with the RP and the 24-105mm lens for about $1,299? Would that work?

Canon makes an R6 camera with a 20+ megapixel FF sensor for $1,999 that's supposed to be very good. It gets a majority of five star reviews and should be a good, basic picture taking tool for anyone needing Canon colors and a full frame sensor. 

If you don't exactly need a full frame sensor you could opt for any of a number of APS-C sensored cameras from Canon, including the 32.5 megapixel R7 which is fast and has good AF for about $1,399. Or the EOS M50 mk2, an APS-C camera with a 24 megapixel sensor and a 15-45mm kit zoom lens for the whopping price of $599? Or, if you want to stick with R series cameras how about an R10 with a 24+ megapixel sensor and an 18-150mm kit lens, brand spanking new for $1,379. Lots of focusing squares, lots of features. If you'd like to choose different lenses you can have the R10 body, solo, for $979. Yes, it has 4K video but you can always ignore that if you want.

But we could also circle back to the full frame cameras and look at the current R8 full frame camera for only $1,499. Sure, the battery life is a bit iffy but since you are saving thousands and thousands of dollars over the premium offerings I'm betting the cost of a few batteries is hardly a rounding error. Yes, that's full frame. 

If you need a bunch of lens range and you are okay with the Canon R series cameras you might consider the R100 kit which gives you a 24 megapixel APS-C  sensor in a compact body (one not overburdened with complex menus and unnecessary features) bundled with both an 18-45mm zoom and a 55-210mm zoom all for the low price of $829.99?

But you say you'd sooner fly economy class than ever having to buy a Canon camera? Okay. Well, how about looking at what Nikon can do for you in a camera for under $2,000? Sound good? Let's look. 

I'll start out at the ceiling because, from what I've heard, this is a pretty stellar camera. It's the Z6ii with a full frame BSI 24 megapixel sensor and lots of video goodies for $1996. Sure, it's not the 45+ megapixels of the $4,000 Z8 but I'm betting when you get your images up on Instagram no one will ever be able to tell the difference. This camera is a low light champ and focuses like a bat out of hell. No one really "needs" more....

But let's go downrange for a bit.

How about the Nikon Z50? It's an APS-C camera but a really good one with a 24 megapixel sensor and you can pick up the body only for about $856. Need a lens with that but shopping with a limited budget? Well how about we drop a 16-50mm Nikon Z zoom lens on the front of that camera and hold the price to $996.45? Or maybe we could outfit a whole system for travel and street photography. We can add a 50 to 250mm Nikon zoom to that 16-50mm lens and hold the price down to $1,246.99. Wow. think about the difference between this very modern offering and something like the old Nikon D2x at $6000. That one came with a pretty shitty 12 megapixel sensor and not much else. Sure, it was weather proofed but after a while you just prayed it would get struck by lightning. It was a dismal top-of-the-line offering. This set is complete with lenses ranging from 16-250, double the resolution and probably infinity between at high ISOs and it's less than a quarter of the price. Amazing. Right?

Need a wacky, retro  styled Nikon mirrorless to sport about and take to the pickle ball court for some nice (slow moving) sports shots? They have you covered with an APS-C, 20+ megapixel Nikon Zfc. It's got dials and buttons and stuff on the body and it kinda looks like that Nikon FM film camera you loved so much. It's also under $1,000 at $956.

Want a real camera but even the ones I've listed about will make your wallet bleed out? Let's dig down some more. Just about any of these cameras I could press into use for portraits and other assignments. I'm a sucker for the bigger bling but I could make any of these work. Honest.

Cycling back to Canon. How about the Rebel T2? A 24 megapixel APS-C camera WITH an 18-55mm zoom lens for the parsimonious price of $399? Sure, it's not a solid stainless steal and titanium body but thousands of parent with small children can attest that these cameras are surprisingly durable. And solid performers. But, if you need an additional 75-300mm lens for Sally's soccer game you can buy a two lens kit for $549. 

Too rich for your blood? (that's what my doctor tells me about bacon....). Then let's consider the Canon EOS T100 with the same kit lens as just above, with an 18 megapixel APS-C sensor for $379. Buy one and take it to Europe on vacation. If it gets swiped you'll cry less than Manny Ortiz who apparently took his eyes off the prize (the prize being his camera bag) and got relieved of over $10,000 in camera gear over in Venice recently. $379. That's some people's dinner budget. And it's for a camera that's completely capable of capturing 95% of all the photography you see on the web. Gonna print murals instead? You might need to match your budget to your expectations. I can't really do that for you. 

Able to spend a bit more over in Canon land? How about a Canon Rebel T8i? It's also APS-C with 24 megapixels of good resolution, it's pretty fast at shooting and focuses well with PD-AF, delivers 4K video, and you can pick one up for $749. Need a lens? You can pick up the 18-55mm lens bundled with the body for $899.

At this point you might have thrown up your hands and exclaimed, "None of this is relevant to me because I won't be caught dead shooting anything but Sony cameras. They are the best!!!" 

Well, we even have you covered there. Budget bargain Sony time: A Sony A7ii, a camera I personally owned and made good advertising work with, 24 megapixels and bundled with a 28-70mm Sony lens for ....... wait for it......only $998. You'll get hours of enjoyment just working your way through the menus.

But you are too advanced to use a 24 megapixel camera in 2023? Hmmmm. I see. Going for Instagram Platinum? Yeah. You'll want the Sony A7Riii. It's got the 42 megapixel sensor. Of course it's also full frame and the sensor features BSI (which stands for "bat shit insane" resolution) and it will still keep you under the magic $2,000 mark. How cool is that? 

I would also like to make you aware that Sony has a  bunch of APS-C cameras they can sell you that are all well under the $2,000 mark and many of them are sub-$1,000. I just lost interest in writing each model number down as this was only meant to be an opening salvo against the mindset that everything is getting too expensive. Not my fault if a new Honda Accord isn't good enough for a few trips around the block. You want a Bentley? You'll almost certainly have to pay more for it. 

But my point is that if all you care about is the image quality of the photographs you shoot, and you don't (for any reason) want to spend a lot of money on cameras and stuff, you still have plenty of great options for fractions of the prices of Sony Alpha Ones, Nikon Z9s and Leica Anythings. You do. 

So, the next time someone suggests that cameras are becoming insanely unattainable be sure to give them this list right after you tell them just how wrong they are. Well, unless we're talking about Fuji cameras. Those are unattainable. Just ask anyone who has been trying to get their hands on an X100V for the last year or so. 

Budget needn't be an impediment to taking great photographs. It never has been. People who can afford to buy expensive cameras aren't necessarily making any better photos than the people who are working with ten year old Canon Rebels or a five year old iPhone. They can just afford to waste more money...

Same as it ever was...