The cheapest full frame camera doesn't necessarily mean you have to skimp on features. Some of the cameras in this list were the best you could buy when they were released but now they're a few of years old, and prices have been discounted.
If you're looking to upgrade your kit but don't want to invest in one of the best full-frame mirrorless cameras, you'll be impressed by how much you can get for your money.
A full-frame camera contains the same size sensor as you would find in a traditional 35mm single-lens reflect camera. Dimensions of a full-frame camera sensor are roughly 36 x 24mm and are often the go-to choice for amateurs and professionals looking for excellent low-light performance. As the sensor is twice as big as APS-C sensors, it's able to detect more light over a larger surface area. The downside to full-frame cameras is they tend to be bigger and more expensive than cropped system cameras.
Full-frame DSLR cameras have traditionally been very expensive, and popular with professionals, but out of reach for most amateurs and enthusiasts. However, the hyper-competitive market and consistent arrival of newer models have caused prices to fall to the point that puts full-frame DSLRs within the reach of enthusiasts. In fact, right now you're spoiled for choice if you're looking for the best cheap cameras.
This applies right across the board so that although most of the full-frame bargains are for mirrorless cameras, you can still get a cheap full-frame DSLR too. We think the best full-frame Canon DSLR right now is the EOS 6D Mark II, and for Pentax full-frame camera fans, the Pentax K-1 II is a great cost-conscious choice.
And what's more, some of the best full-frame camera deals are on mirrorless cameras. We've got Sony to thank for a lot of that, because of its strategy of keeping older models on the market for a long time. The best Sony cameras might be expensive, but older versions of the latest models can be had for exceptional value, and these are still fantastic cameras out there even if they don't have all the latest features.
Cheapest full-frame cameras: our top picks
Best for content creators
Despite its compact size, the Lumix S5 shares the impressive 24MP CMOS sensor housed in the Lumix S1, but with improved AF. It also has a tough weather-resistant body and delivers up to 6.5-stops of image stabilization with compatible lenses. Its standout features include class-leading dynamic range and 4K video recording, as well as 96MP high-resolution RAW+JPEG capture.
Most affordable option
The Sony A7 II was the first camera in the Sony Alpha mirrorless camera range to include sensor-shift image stabilization. Now that it's a few years old, you can pick one up really cheaply and it offers a pretty big upgrade on the original Sony A7. It's compatible with a range of Sony lenses as well as from third-party companies such as Sigma or Tamron.
Best all-rounder
The Canon EOS RP was the second camera in Canon's new RF full-frame mirrorless system and was designed to give you a low price of entry into this new family of cameras and its all-new lens mount. It was designed to be cheap and prices have fallen still further, so this is the cheapest of all Canon full-frame cameras!
The cheapest full frame cameras in 2023
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Despite its compact size, the Lumix S5 shares the impressive 24MP CMOS sensor housed in the Lumix S1, but with improved AF. It also has a tough weather-resistant body and delivers up to 6.5-stops of image stabilization with compatible lenses. Its standout features include class-leading dynamic range and 4K video recording, as well as 96MP high-resolution RAW+JPEG capture.
It’s tough to beat in this category. The Lumix S5 is smaller than the Lumix S1 and S1R before it, and cheaper too. It is also substantially cheaper than its updates, the Lumix S5 II and S5 IIX. What a camera!
Read our full Panasonic Lumix S5 review for more details
The Sony A7 II was the first camera in the Sony Alpha mirrorless camera range to include sensor-shift image stabilization. Now that it's a few years old, you can pick one up pretty cheap and it offers a pretty big upgrade on the original Sony A7. It's compatible with a range of Sony lenses as well as third-party companies such as Sigma or Tamron.
An updated processor means it is a much faster camera, it has a 117-point phase-detect autofocus system and 25-point contrast-detect AF ensuring sharpness no matter where the subject is in the frame. It hasn't got the highest-resolution sensor but 24 megapixels is more than enough to print images as big as A1. For anyone looking to upgrade to full-frame, this is one of the cheapest options.
Read our full Sony A7 II review for more details, or Best Sony cameras
The Canon EOS RP was the second camera in Canon's new RF full-frame mirrorless system and was designed to give you a low price of entry into this new family of cameras and its all-new lens mount. It was designed to be cheap and prices have fallen still further, so this is the cheapest of all Canon full-frame cameras!
To make things easier for those upgrading, the EOS RP body is sold with a converter that allows you to use your existing Canon EOS D-SLR EF-mount lenses. Given that the existing RF lenses are rather esoteric and expensive for that shopping on a budget, this converter is a godsend.
In terms of features, it is worth thinking of this as a mirrorless Canon EOS 6D Mark II – but with the advantage of an electronic viewfinder and 4K video shooting. The body is very small, but not too badly overbalanced by larger lenses, and while it doesn't have the heavyweight presence of more pro-orientated cameras.
It's light, nice to use, and has up-to-date tech. It's not the most advanced full-frame camera on the market by any means, but with its compact, easy-to-use body and vari-angle screen, it's a brilliant buy at current prices.
Read our full Canon EOS RP review for more details, or Best Canon cameras
The Z5 is Nikon's cheapest full-frame mirrorless camera, making it perfect for this list - and it has become a better option in the last year, as it is now widely available body only, or in a kit with a choice of different lenses, so you can pick the option that works best for you.
The 4.5fps burst shooting and cropped 4K video are a bit disappointing, but the Z5 handles really nicely, has a magnesium alloy body and weatherproofing, and we like the twin SD UHS-II card slots too. What's really caught our eye, though, is the price drops we're seeing right now. This is a chance to get a brand new camera design at 'old camera' prices.
Read our full Nikon Z5 review for more details, or Best Nikon cameras
The Canon EOS 6D Mark II arrived five years after the original Canon EOS 6D, and brought some major updates that made it feel very current and fresh – and it still does. The original EOS 6D was a bit of an old plodder, but the EOS 6D Mark II is a very different proposition.
As well as a step up in resolution – from 20.2MP to 26.2MP – it features Canon’s latest DIGIC 7 processing engine, a touch-sensitive, vari-angle display, and 5-axis digital stabilization for handheld video recording (which tops out at 1080p – no 4K option here, alas).
The autofocus system gets a healthy boost in the shape of 45 cross-type points – although the AF point array is weighted towards the centre of the frame. The system is sensitive down to -3EV and benefits from Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel CMOS AF in Live View and movies too. It’s a great camera to shoot with, and the EOS 6D Mark II's combination of features, flexibility, and value make it one of the best Canon cameras of all.
Read our full Canon EOS 6D Mark II review for more details
Pentax seems to soldier along in its own little bubble, seemingly unaffected by outside events, so the Pentax K-1 Mark II is typically solid but unadventurous in its specifications. It does have a tough, weather-sealed construction, and a highly effective sensor-shift image stabilization system that works with any attached lens, unlike competing Canon and Nikon DSLRs, which do not have in-body stabilization.
Better still, the 5-axis stabilizer can work in trick modes to deliver anti-aliasing correction, an increase in fine detail and texture based on Pixel Shift through multiple exposures, and even an Astrotracer mode to avoid stars appearing to streak through the sky.
With a 36MP full-frame image sensor, the K-1 Mark II certainly gives you a lot of megapixels for the money, though the 33-point autofocus system does feel dated, and Live View autofocus is poor. For DSLR fans who want a big, solid, premium-quality, and traditional camera, though, it still has strong appeal.
Read our full Pentax K-1 Mark II review for more details, or Best Pentax cameras
The EOS R was launched back in 2018 and was Canon's first full-frame mirrorless camera. While both the EOS R5 and R6 have the edge, thanks to some welcome firmware improvements and a significant price drop since its launch, it's now a more compelling camera than it was when it initially arrived.
The 30.3MP sensor is a match for the excellent EOS 5D Mark IV, while Canon's also managed to squeeze a staggering 5,655 focus positions onto the sensor, which cover 88% of the frame horizontally and 100% vertically.
The 3.69 million-dot electronic viewfinder is very good, while the 3.15-inch articulating touchscreen is still one of the largest around. That's not forgetting Canon's polished touchscreen interface, though the less said about the M-Fn multi-function touch bar the better.
There's no in-body image stabilization either, but pair it with some IS lenses and you'll still be able to get up to 5 stops of image shake compensation. It's not without its limitations then, but the EOS R shouldn't be dismissed at this price.
Read our full Canon EOS R review for more details
It's easy to fall in love with the miniature size of the Sigma fp and its utilitarian, industrial design. Sigma has always dared to be different with its cameras, and given that there are now so many different full-frame mirrorless systems, this is great to see.
This is a camera that is designed to be a start of a system, however, which is where opinions might divide. Stills photographers might find the Sigma fp a bit irritating to handle without its optional screw-on grip and ergonomically challenged even then. Videographers will see it differently.
Here, the camera is simply a central component in a modular shooting 'rig', and Sigma's small size and multiple attachment points are big advantages. In the end, it does feel as if the Sigma fp is no more than an interesting alternative in the stills market, but a much more serious and fascinating option for videographers. It's also a rather good value, now that the higher-resolution Sigma fp L has been launched.
Read our Sigma fp review for more details, or Best cameras for filmmaking
How we test cameras
We test DSLR and mirrorless cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully-controlled lab conditions. Our lab tests measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio. Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts, dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range. We use both real-world testing and lab results to inform our comments in buying guides.
Read more: How we test and review
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