The point-and-shoot has returned with a vengeance – but as with any trendy product, prices of the portable camera format have skyrocketed. As a photographer with two mirrorless cameras already in my bag, I have a hard time justifying spending found figures on a compact camera with a large sensor hidden inside. The next best thing? Twisting a tiny pancake lens on a mirrorless instead.
A pancake lens gets its name from a size so small that it resembles the (delicious) breakfast food. These tiny lenses don’t pack in as much pro-level features, but they make a mirrorless body much more portable. Pancake lenses are a great compact camera alternative for photographers who don’t want to give up a big sensor or fork over the luxury prices of high-end point-and-shoots like the Fujifilm X100VI, the Ricoh GR IV, or the Sony RX1R III.
Meanwhile, many of the best pancake lenses are only a few hundred dollars – and some even come in at under $100 if you don’t mind a narrower aperture. I’ve scoured the spring deals to find the top tiny lenses for less.
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For more inspiration, browse the best pancake lenses, or the best Amazon Spring Sale camera deals.
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