The best camera under £1000 in 2024: get the most features for the least cash

Man holding the Nikon Z fc camera up to his face
(Image credit: Future)

Looking for the best camera under £1000? While prices change constantly and new releases are always arriving, it remains a constant fact that if you want an excellent camera system for less than a grand, you can get it. Whether you want a DSLR, a mirrorless camera, or a fixed-lens compact, there are plenty of options out there that'll cover your bases.

We've rounded up the best cameras we've tested that fit this budget. We've made sure that everything on our list can be bought with a lens and still stay under £1000 (or close to; as we said, prices do fluctuate), so you don't need to worry about being caught out by needing to budget for a lens. While you won't get the absolute best mirrorless cameras or best DSLRs on this budget, you will get an excellent camera that our expert team can vouch for.

On a lower budget? We also have guides to the best cameras under £500 and the best cameras under £200. Our guide to the best cameras for beginners is a good place to start if you're looking for bargains. 

Scroll to the bottom of this page for some advice on how to choose a camera on a budget — and read on to find out which models we picked. 

Jon Stapley
Jon Stapley

Jon is one of our go-to specialists when it comes to all aspects of photography, from cameras and action cameras to lenses and memory cards, flash diffusers and triggers, batteries and memory cards, selfie sticks and gimbals, and much more besides.  

The quick list

Best camera under £1000 in 2024

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

Best overall

(Image credit: Alis Volat)
With pro-grade features this might be the ultimate enthusiast camera

Specifications

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 24.2MP
Screen: Articulating touchscreen, 1.04m dots
Viewfinder: 2.36m dot, 120fps
Lens: Canon RF
Continuous shooting speed: 25fps (with electronic shutter)
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Intermediate/Enthusiast

Reasons to buy

+
Pro-grade features
+
4K video

Reasons to avoid

-
No weather sealing
-
No in-body stabilization

When Canon announced the R10, it sounded too good to be true, but it really is the ultimate enthusiast camera. In terms of value for money, it's pretty unbeatable with its 24.2MP APS-C sensor, burst rates of up to 23fps when using the electronic shutter and the incredible Dual Pixel CMOS AF II that features in the high-end R3, R5 and R6 bodies. It has full subject tracking for humans, animals and vehicles which is very effective, it can shoot 4K 60p (albeit it is cropped) but considering how much it costs - it's incredible value and a versatile all-rounder. 

Weighing just 429g, it's incredibly small and lightweight and paired with the new Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM you've got a powerful setup for under 550g - perfect for budding street photographers. It might not be as robust as some of the higher-end models but it delivers sharp images, has a user-friendly layout and has a very desirable price point.

Best for style

(Image credit: Future)
One of the best looking cameras in this guide comes in six bright colors

Specifications

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: APS-C CMOS
Megapixels: 20.9MP
Monitor: 3-in vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04m dots
Continuous shooting speed: 11fps
Viewfinder: EVF, 2.36m dots
Max video resolution: 4K UHD at 30p
User level: Beginner/enthusiast

Reasons to buy

+
Good value from the start
+
Compact body and kit lens
+
4K video and 11fps shooting

Reasons to avoid

-
No in-body stabilization

The Nikon Z fc combines the features of the Nikon Z50 into a body that looks more like a Nikon FM2 - only in bright colors. The Z fc is much smaller than Nikon's full-frame systems such as the Z6 II and Z7 II which make it an ideal choice for travel or street photography. Whether you want it for photos, videos or both, it's capable of recording 4K 30p, can shoot up to 11fps in burst mode and has accurate and fast autofocus and Eye AF. You can also transfer images on the go via WiFi using the Nikon app or you can use it as a wireless remote. 

It uses the Nikon Z mount which means you can use any of the full-frame lenses available. Nikon and other third-party brands are starting to bring out more APS-C specific lenses and you can also use the FTZ adapter if you want to shoot with F mount lenses. This camera is a little over budget (depending on where you buy it from) but it's such a good bit of kit we still think it deserves a place on the list.  For just over the £1,000 you can also get the Nikon Z fc in a kit with the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR.

Read more: Nikon Z fc review

Best for beginners

(Image credit: Future)
Don't let the fact its Micro Four Thirds put you off - the crop factor can be a big advantage

Specifications

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: Micro Four Thirds
Megapixels: 20.3MP
Screen: 3-inch tiltable touchscreen, 1,037K dots
Viewfinder: Electronic 2,360K dots
Lens: Micro Four Thirds
Continuous shooting speed: 15fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Intermediate/Enthusiast

Reasons to buy

+
Updated 20MP sensor
+
Flip-down monitor

Reasons to avoid

-
Plastic build
-
No mic port for vloggers

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV's predecessor, the Mark III, was a great camera with plenty to offer. However, its aging 16MP sensor and contrast AF left room for improvement. Luckily the Mark IV is a great update, with the same 20.3MP sensor as the PEN-F and improved Continuous Autofocus. While some improvements are incremental, the Mark IV brings some interesting new offerings to the table including a zippy 15fps continuous burst mode. We're also a fan of the extra-tiltable screen, which is capable of flipping 180° down to create the perfect selfie screen. And Olympus has thankfully returned silent shooting to manual mode! Make sure you get this with the EZ 14-42mm pancake lens for the ultimate pocket-size travel camera.

Read more: Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV review

Best mid-range

(Image credit: Digital Camera World)
A mid range APS-C camera that perfectly balances size, price and features

Specifications

Type: CSC
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 24.2MP
Screen: 3in tilting screen, 921k dots
Viewfinder: Electronic 1,440k
Lens mount: Sony E
Continuous shooting speed: 11fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Enthusiast

Reasons to buy

+
Conveniently compact build
+
Fast autofocus is good for tracking
+
Great vlogging camera

Reasons to avoid

-
Lacks in body stabilization
-
Some Sony lenses are large compared with the body

Small but with a comfortable and natural feel, thanks to generously proportioned grip areas, the Sony A6400 is a mid-range model fitting somewhere between the bargain A6000 and the new flagship A6600. The A6400 just squeezes in under budget with a zoom, and is a particular great choice for those who want to shoot video as well as stills, as this mirrorless model was built with vloggers in mind. The 16-50mm PZ (Power Zoom) kit lens is a good match for the body, although some of Sony’s other E-mount lenses can seem comparatively large on such a slimline camera. The 16-50mm lens also features optical image stabilization. That’s good news, because unlike the top-end Sony A6600, the A6400 has no sensor-shift stabilizer.

Best for stabilization

(Image credit: Panasonic)
With DSLR style handling, 4K video and a high-res viewer you get a lot for your money

Specifications

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: Micro Four Thirds
Megapixels: 20.3MP
Screen: 3.0-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 2.1m dots
Viewfinder: Electronic 2,360k
Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds
Continuous shooting speed: 9fps (6fps with AF)
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Enthusiast

Reasons to buy

+
Very good build quality and handling
+
Clear, high-res electronic viewfinder
+
Fully pivoting touchscreen

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite big for a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera

The Lumix DC-G95 benefits from a chunky handgrip and large viewfinder that make it feel like a serious camera. Its handling and built quality is very good plus it's splashproof and dustproof. It has 5-axis sensor-shift stabilization which can be used alongside OIS (optical image stabilization) found on lenses for ultra-smooth video. You can shoot up to 9fps in continuous burst mode or up to 30fps when using the 4K photo mode. Talking of 4K, you can also shoot 4K video making this features packed camera a great all-rounder. The viewfinder is super sharp, it has a fully articulated screen which also makes it great for vlogging and an easy-to-navigate menu system. If it wasn't for the smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor, it would appear higher up in the list. 

Best DSLR

(Image credit: Rod Lawton)
If you're after something lightweight and easy to use, the Rebel SL3 ticks both those boxes

Specifications

Type: DSLR
Sensor: APS-C
Lens mount: Canon EF-S
Screen: 3in vari-angle touchscreen, 1,040,000 dots
Max burst speed: 5fps
Max video resolution: 4K UHD at 25p

Reasons to buy

+
A lightweight, intuitive DSLR
+
Superb Live View shooting

Reasons to avoid

-
Larger than mirrorless rivals
-
Relatively few AF points

The pint-sized Canon Rebel SL3 has been around for a while now but it's still one of our favorites. Its 24.1MP APS-C sensor delivers excellent image quality, and Live View shooting with the LCD screen so easy and intuitive, with such good Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus, that we’d actually say this is one of the only DSLRs where composing shots with the screen is as easy as with a mirrorless camera. Canon also packs in 4K video, and wraps everything up in an ergonomically designed DSLR body that's just about the smallest on the market. The new EOS Rebel T8i is a lot more expensive but only marginally more desirable. With an EF-S 18-55mm kit lens the Rebel SL3 is well below our £1,000 budget limit, and it's worth looking out for twin-lens kits that add a telephoto zoom – and still for less than £1,000.

Read more: Canon EOS Rebel SL3 review

Best for travel

(Image credit: James Artaius)
A pocket-friendly mirrorless wonder with vlogging-friendly features

Specifications

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: APS-C
Lens mount: Canon RF-S
Screen: 3in vari-angle touchscreen, 1,620k dots
Max burst speed: 15fps
Max video resolution: 4K

Reasons to buy

+
Incredibly small and light
+
Intuitive guided UI
+
Full-sensor-width 4K

Reasons to avoid

-
Too small for bigger RF lenses
-
Only one control dial

Replacing the popular EOS M50 Mark II, this is one of the lightest cameras in the EOS R lineup. The EOS R50 is something of a jack-of-all-trades for beginners and experienced shooters alike — it's got ultra-fast autofocus and superb burst speeds for the photographers, while vloggers get to enjoy shooting 4K video using the full width of the sensor. There's none of that nasty cropping that plagued the EOS M cameras.

Even when bought with an RF-S 18-45mm lens, this camera comes in well under our £1000 budget. In fact, you can even buy it with a full suite of vlogging accessories as part of the Content Creator Kit, netting yourself an external microphone with windshield and a Canon Tripod Grip as well as the RF-S 18-45mm lens, and still stay comfortably within budget at £899.

Read more: Canon EOS R50 review

Best full-frame

One of the best value full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market by far

Specifications

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: Full frame CMOS
Megapixels: 26.2MP
Monitor: 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1,040k dots
Continuous shooting speed: 5fps
Viewfinder: EVF, 2.36 million dots
Max video resolution: 4K UHD
User level: Enthusiast

Reasons to buy

+
Size, weight and low cost
+
Fully articulating screen

Reasons to avoid

-
1.6x crop and no Dual Pixel AF in 4K
-
Weak battery life

The EOS RP is currently available for around £899 body-only. Throw in one of Canon's affordable lenses like the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM (£129), and you've got yourself a full-frame setup for around £1000! The EOS RP was Canon's second full frame mirrorless camera, and it's smaller, lighter and a lot cheaper than all of the others. It's designed to be a compact, affordable and easy to use entry point into Canon's full frame mirrorless system, and it succeeds brilliantly. Its small dimensions mean it can sometimes feel overbalanced by larger lenses, though, and the 4K video mode comes with some caveats – the image frame is cropped by a factor of 1.6 and you can't use Canon's speedy Dual Pixel CMOS AF system unless you drop the resolution to full HD. 

On the upside, the pictures are clear and sharp, the vari-angle touchscreen display is a real advantage for both stills and video, and the inclusion of an EF lens adaptor means you can use existing Canon DSLR lenses alongside the new but growing RF lens system. 

Read more: Canon EOS RP review

Best compact

(Image credit: Future)
A premium compact camera with a high-quality lens and pop-up EVF

Specifications

Type: Compact
Sensor size: 1-inch
Megapixels: 20.9MP
Lens: 24-70mm, f/1.8-2.8 (equiv.)
LCD: 3in tilting, 1,228k dots
Viewfinder: Pop-up EVF, 2,360k dots
Continuous shooting: 24fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Enthusiast

Reasons to buy

+
Snappy autofocus and burst mode
+
Pocketable form factor
+
1-inch sensor and sharp lens

Reasons to avoid

-
Still no touchscreen
-
Quite pricey for a compact

If you're looking for an all-in-one shooting solution, rather than mucking about with interchangeable lenses, there are plenty of high-quality compacts that come in under our £1000 budget. The Sony RX100 VA is one such premium point-and-shoot. It's called the VA because it's a very minor refresh of the original RX100 V, the key differences being an upgraded imaging processor. This brings in a few small but welcome upgrades, like the improved shot buffer of 233 frames allowing you to take better advantage of the super-fast burst rate of up to 24fps, with full autofocusing and metering.

Still, the fundamental combination of the 1-inch sensor and 24-70mm equivalent lens is unchanged from when it first impressed us in our full review. If you're looking for a camera under a grand that does everything you need it to in a single package, the Sony RX100 VA might just be it.

Read more: Sony RX100 V review

How to choose the best camera under £1000

You don't need to spend loads, though, to get a camera that offers a high level of performance. Even the cheaper cameras on our list are capable of producing amazing images. 

The best thing to do when buying a camera with a fixed budget is figure out which features are most important, and prioritize them. If, for instance, you want to do wildlife photography, it will be a good idea to look for cameras with fast burst rates and reliable autofocus systems. If you want to shoot video as well as stills, look for a camera that has 4K capabilities. 

Also, bear in mind that if you invest in a full camera system, you'll need to budget for a lens as well as the camera body itself. All the cameras we've featured in the above list can be bought with a lens without breaking (or in some cases only just breaking) our £1,000 budget. Many cameras can be bought bundled with lenses, and this is a good way to save.

You may want to sidestep this issue by opting for a fixed-lens compact camera — however, these are less numerous than they once were, and many of the popular remaining compacts, like the Fujifilm X100VI, cost a good deal more than £1,000. We have included a compact suggestion in our guide, however.

How we test cameras

We test mirrorless and DSLR cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions. We take sample images in a range of lighting conditions and of a range of subjects so we are able to put features such as autofocus, eye tracking and image stabilization. 

Using the cameras in real-world environments also gives us the opportunity to get our heads around the menu system and decide whether the button layout is intuitive. A camera might perform well but if it doesn't fit in your hand or is difficult to operate it might affect where we include it in the list. 

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 these real-world testing and lab results to inform our comments in buying guides. 

Jon Stapley

Jon spent years at IPC Media writing features, news, reviews and other photography content for publications such as Amateur Photographer and What Digital Camera in both print and digital form. With his additional experience for outlets like Photomonitor, this makes Jon one of our go-to specialists when it comes to all aspects of photography, from cameras and action cameras to lenses and memory cards, flash diffusers and triggers, batteries and memory cards, selfie sticks and gimbals, and much more besides.  

An NCTJ-qualified journalist, he has also contributed to Shortlist, The Skinny, ThreeWeeks Edinburgh, The Guardian, Trusted Reviews, CreativeBLOQ, and probably quite a few others I’ve forgotten.