Budding photographer on a tight budget? These are the 9 cameras I'd buy with my own money – and they're all under AU$1,000

I've been a photographer for over a decade and, in that time, I've upgraded my gear a couple of times. Each time I've questioned if I truly need a camera that costs thousands of dollars; not to mention the additional cost of lenses when I changed systems from Canon to Nikon a couple of years ago.

While professional photographers know exactly what kit they want when they upgrade, many a beginner, hobbyist or budding content creator usually needs a helping hand in figuring out which camera would suit them best. And while it's true that spending a premium means you'll get top-of-the-line snappers and lenses, you don't actually need a high-end camera to get excellent results.

If you're looking to capture some of those fun moments that life throws our way, you can get creative without spending a four-figure sum. And creativity means you can opt for a camera that suits you best – whether that be a digital compact that shoots like it was a film camera or a drone to get a bird's-eye perspective.

You can even get a rugged camera that will happily snap away under water or get yourself a DSLR-like bridge camera with a massive zoom to take on safari. Prefer to hold a print as soon as you take a photo? There are instant cameras too.

I've scoured Amazon Australia's ongoing Big Smile Sale for all these and more. The good news is they're all discounted, so you can use your savings towards something else you might need – an SD card, perhaps.