Best cheap camera: 10 for under £200

Best cheap camera: 10 for under £200

Buying Guide: Budget digital cameras worth your money



What's the best cheap digital camera? Find out here


We've compiled a list of the ten best cheap cameras available from the major brands on the market today: all of which can be purchased for less than £200.

With manufacturers cramming more and more high-end technology into their beginner-friendly compacts, it's easier than ever to pick up a decent entry-level compact on a tight budget, and here's the proof.

When shopping for a cheap compact camera, you don't necessarily have to compromise on style or functionality: learn what to look out for and you can pick up a real bargain.

Decide what it is that you enjoy or would like to photograph the most. If it's people, you want a model that offers a Face Detection system, decent flash and a range of portrait modes; whereas beginners looking for a wallet-friendly travel companion will value a bigger optical zoom lens for example.

At this price point, around 4-5x optical zoom is the standard, but - as the list on the next page proves - you can pick up the odd budget compact with a more generous focal range.



ATTRACTIVE: Look out for stand-out features such as the 10x optical zoom the Olympus VR-310 has to offer







Fujifilm Finepix Z900 EXR
Price: £199.99


The perfect blend of style and performance, the Z900 EXR sports a 16mp back-illuminated (BSI) EXR-CMOS sensor, which is capable of producing superb images with low noise. Throw in a 3.5" touch-screen, 1920 x 1080 HD movies and sensor-shift image stabilisation and you can see why we're recommending this one!



Key specs: 16mp, 3fps continuous shooting, 5x optical zoom (28-140mm), 3.5" TFT Touch Screen LCD with 460,000-dot resolution, 1920 x 1080 HD movies.








Nikon Coolpix S3100

RRP: £129.99


A decent all-rounder with a feature-set that includes 14mp sensor, 5x optical zoom lens and 720p HS movie mode, all in a slim line body that boasts plenty of aesthetic appeal.


Key specs: 14mp, 0.7fps continuous shooting, 5x optical zoom (26-130mm), 2.7" LCD with 230,000-dot resolution, 1280 x 720 HD movies.











Olympus VR-310

RRP: £116.99


This budget-friendly compact can be snapped up online for far less than the RRP and the number of features it has to offer - including a big 10x optical zoom lens, Dual Image Stabilisation, 720p HD Movie mode and 14mp sensor - really adds to the VR-310's appeal in terms of value-for-money.


Key specs: 14mp, 0.6fps continuous shooting, 10x optical zoom (24-240mm), 3" LCD with 230,400-dot resolution, 1280 x 720 HD movies.







Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W570

RRP: £149.99


This camera is all about delivering a fuss-free user experience. Simple controls and a stylish slim line body are combined with a 16.1mp sensor that's capable of producing very good images, 720p HD movies, Sweep Panorama mode and 5x optical zoom lens, making this an ideal option as an everyday point-and-shoot.


Key specs: 16.1mp, 1fps continuous shooting, 5x optical zoom (25-125mm), 2.7" LCD with 230,000-dot resolution, 1280 x 720 HD movies.







Ricoh PX

RRP: £179.99


Aimed at intrepid outdoor shooters and holidaymakers who want added peace-of-mind, the colourful PX is a rugged beginner-friendly compact that boasts a 16mp image-stabilised sensor, 720p HD video and a 5x optical zoom - all in a water-, dust- and shock-resistant body for a very reasonable price.


Key specs: 16mp, 1fps continuous shooting, 5x optical zoom (28-140mm), 2.7" LCD with 230,000-dot resolution, 1280 x 720 HD movies.












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