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Second-hand DSLR lenses: ultimate 2024 buying guide

Audley Jarvis — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:40:26 +0000

Audley Jarvis and the AP team head to the used photo gear markets to hunt down the best second-hand DSLR lenses to buy in 2024.

The best second-hand DSLR lenses enable you to upgrade your camera system without spending a fortune. New DSLR lenses may be a rare thing these days, but these systems have been around a long time, and there are decades-worth of fantastic lenses available on the second-hand market. Many can be picked up for a fraction of what you would have originally paid for them on release. It’s just a matter of finding the good ones.

We’ve done that work for you, and collated our results in this comprehensive buying guide that includes a huge selection of lenses. We’ve got optics for all the major DSLR systems, including Canon, Nikon, Pentax and even Sony’s A-mount. We’ve also made sure to include lenses for every photographic discipline, from landscape to street to wildlife and everything else. So you’ll find zooms, prime, wide-angles, telephotos, macros and more. Side note: if you already have your system picked out and want options for a specific mount, our guides to the best Canon EF lenses and the best Nikon F lenses may come in handy.

First though, if you haven’t bought used photo gear before, it pays to do your research and have an idea where to look. So let’s quickly take a look at where to find the best second-hand DSLR lenses, and run through some tips on how to pick them out…

How to buy the best second-hand DSLR lenses

Buying via a camera specialist is a great idea, as long as you stick with a reputable firm. Here is our recommended list of companies we would buy second-hand from:

While these are not exhaustive lists, you should be very careful and research customer reviews for any business before giving them your money. Don’t assume a business is on the up-and-up just because they have a professional-looking website!

The advantages of buying used gear from a camera specialist include the fact that they will check it over before listing it, giving you some peace of mind that it’s in working order. They will also generally offer a warranty on their used products, normally around 3-6 months, though some may offer longer. You can usually extend this, albeit for a fee. Check what kind of warranty you’re getting before you buy.

Bear in mind (and this goes for all second-hand shopping) that specialist retailers will list items in varying conditions. At the highest prices, you should expect lenses in excellent or near-mint conditions, but some will also be sold much cheaper because they are damaged or defective. Some may not even work at all – it’s quite common for camera tinkerers and enthusiasts to buy non-working lenses and strip them for parts, but you probably aren’t looking for that. Check the condition of a lens before buying – if it’s listed for an incredibly cheap price, there’s probably a reason!

Buying privately

You may decide to buy privately. If so, check over the lens in person before handing over any money. Minor cosmetic scratches and dings aren’t an issue, but serious dents to the front filter holder, excessive wear to the mount or damage to the front or rear elements should all be cause for concern. Has the lens been fitted with a protective filter? Do the rings turn as they should? Are there any signs of fungus or haze inside? Take a camera to take some test photos if possible. The seller may not be deliberately trying to rip you off – if the lens wasn’t originally theirs, they just may not have known how to store it correctly.

Buying online – via eBay and others

Looking for the best second-hand DSLR lenses online via eBay and similar sites can be risky, but is also a chance to nab yourself a bargain. Take any sensible precautionary steps you can think of – checking the seller’s ratings from previous buyers is a good start. Prepare a list of questions to ask, and check over the photos provided. You can always ask for more, and any seller should be happy to oblige. Steer clear of sellers that use generic product images rather than their own photos; this is a big red flag. Read the description to get an idea of the lens’ condition – most sellers are very up front about defects. If the description of the lens is vague and doesn’t give you a good sense of its condition, you should probably avoid that listing.

Check out our rundown of the best second-hand cameras and if you’re looking for a complete setup with camera and lens, we have a useful guide to the best second-hand camera setups for under £1,000/$1,000.

Our picks of the best second-hand DSLR lenses:

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is an ideal, inexpensive portrait lens.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF
Minimum focus distance 85cm
Weight 425g
Filter thread 58mm
Guide price $380-450 / £180-269

For quite some time, Canon offered two 85mm primes for EF mount: the professional-grade EF 85mm f/1.2L (£1,730) and the more affordable EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. In 2017, these were joined by the 85mm f/1.4L IS USM (£1,380), which brought image stabilisation to the table. While the EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lacks the ‘L’ designation of its more expensive peers, it remains a fantastically capable lens that produces dreamy bokeh, making it especially well suited to portraiture.

Originally released in 1992, the EF 85mm f/1.8 can still be purchased new for around £415, but it’s possible to source a well-looked after second-hand model for around half this price. While some users have noted that the 85mm f/1.8 can lack a bit of sharpness in the centre of the frame when used wide open, stopping down to f/2 or f/2.8 quickly fixes this.

Pros:

Excellent bokeh quality
Perfect portraiture length
Excellent value

Cons:

Lacking sharpness wide open
No modern features (e.g. stabilisation)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM can be picked up cheaper than the Mark II version.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF
Minimum focus distance 45cm
Weight 670g
Filter thread 77mm
Guide price $550-640 / £244-349

Released in 2005 and designed for use with full-frame DSLRs, the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM has since been succeeded by an IS II version that came out in 2016. The main advantage of the newer zoom is that it benefits from more up-to-date image stabilisation technology. In terms of image quality, though, there is little to choose from between the two; the newer version is slightly sharper at the telephoto end and also produces images with slightly less distortion and vignetting. In everyday real-world use, however, the differences are minimal, with the original 24-105mm f/4L remaining a highly versatile lens that’s capable of pin-sharp results at all focal lengths. Better still, good second-hand examples of the original 24-105mm f/4L IS are available for less than half the price of the newer version, netting you a tidy saving of around £600.

Pros:

Excellent sharpness
Delivers throughout focal range
Big savings compared to successor

Cons:

No stabilisation
Newer version controls vignetting better

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM

The Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM is a versatile sports lens.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF
Minimum focus distance 180cm
Weight 1,380g
Filter thread 77mm
Guide price $730-830 / £500-650

Introduced in 1998 the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM established itself as a staple lens for professional wildlife and sports photographers thanks to its combination of optical excellence and tank-like build quality. In 2016 Canon released its successor: the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM. While the newer zoom brings an all-new optical design and numerous upgrades to the table, they come at around a £1,400 premium.

If that’s too much for your wallet to bear, then rest assured that the original 100-400mm is more than capable a performer. Constructed from 17 elements in 14 groups, the design includes the use of fluorite and Super UD-glass elements for greater control over chromatic aberrations, and while the lens’s built-in IS technology is a little dated compared to modern examples, it still offers up to two stops of shutter speed compensation. Externally, the lens features a push-pull zoom control with friction adjustment, and is partially weather sealed. For Canon users looking for a longer telephoto zoom on a budget the 100-400mm is hard to beat.

Pros:

Solidly built
Excellent image quality
Great handling

Cons:

Only partially weather-sealed
Limited stabilisation system

Nikon Micro-Nikkor AF-S 105mm f/2.8G VR IF ED

The Nikon Micro-Nikkor AF-S 105mm f/2.8G VR IF ED delivers close-ups from 31cm distances.

At a glance:

Mounts Nikon F
Minimum focus distance 31.4cm
Weight 750g
Filter thread 62mm
Guide price $600-670 / £350-420

Released in 2006 and still available to buy new for around £849, the 105mm f/2.8 G VR IF-ED is a medium telephoto prime lens designed for macro enthusiasts. To this end it can be used to capture super-sharp life-sized images when set to its minimum focus distance of 31cm. Nikon’s own Vibration Reduction image stabilisation technology enables the lens to compensate for up to four stops of shutter speed at distances of three metres or more. Optically constructed from 14 elements in 12 groups, the lens benefits from an extra low-dispersion (ED) element to combat chromatic aberrations along with Nikon’s Nano Crystal coating to reduce flare.

While the 105mm f/2.8 G VR IF-ED is primarily offered as a macro lens, it’s also a useful portrait lens when mounted on a full-frame camera. If you’re a Nikon user looking to get into macro photography on a budget then seeking out a decent second-hand example will not only secure you a great lens, but also save you a lot of money in the process.

Pros:

Controls well for aberrations
Close focuses at short distances
Doubles up as a portrait lens

Cons:

Newer lenses focus even closer
On the heavy side

Nikon Nikkor AF-S 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR DX

This is a lens designed for Nikon’s APS-C DSLRs such as the Nikon D5600.

At a glance:

Mounts Nikon F (DX)
Minimum focus distance 38cm
Weight 485g
Filter thread 67mm
Guide price $200-240 / £100-180

Released in 2008, the 18-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX is a standard zoom for everyday use that offers the 35mm focal length equivalent of 24-127.5mm when mounted on a Nikon APS-C DSLR. This gives it a bit of extra wideangle spread over the standard 18-55mm kit zooms, as well as quite a bit of extra telephoto reach for more faraway subjects.

Internally, the lens is constructed from 17 elements in 11 groups, including two ED glass elements and three aspherical elements. In terms of features, the lens employs a Silent Wave motor for fast, accurate and super-quiet focusing, while Nikon’s second-generation VR image stabilisation technology provides up to four stops of shutter speed compensation. A decent 16-85mm second-hand example can be picked up for less than £200, making it an ideal upgrade for those who find their 18-55mm kit zoom a bit restrictive.

It’s also worth keeping an eye out for the slightly brighter Nikon Nikkor AF-S 16-80mm f/2.8-4.0E ED VR lens, although expect prices to be higher.

Pros:

Price has come way down
Focusing fast and accurate
High-quality glass optics

Cons:

APS-C only
Max aperture a little restrictive

Nikon Nikkor AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) technology makes this lens more useable hand-held.

At a glance:

Mounts Nikon F
Minimum focus distance 175cm
Weight 1,570g
Filter thread 77mm
Guide price $1000-2000 / £550-650

Released in 2013 the AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR updates Nikon’s original 80-400mm zoom that came out in 2001. Designed primarily for use with full-frame DSLRs, the 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR benefits from numerous improvements over the old zoom, most notably a Silent Wave motor that greatly speeds up focus performance (a notable bugbear of the original 80-400mm) while providing instant manual override. Nikon’s VR technology is also on hand, providing up to four stops of shutter speed compensation for handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds.

Internally, the lens is constructed from 20 elements in 12 groups including one Super ED and four ED glass elements, along with Nikon’s anti-flare Nano Crystal coating. Externally, there are separate controls for MF/AF mode, VR on/off, VR mode (Normal/Active), a focus limiter (Full or infinity-8m), and a locking mechanism that locks the lens at its smallest length for safe transport. For sports and wildlife enthusiasts looking for a versatile telephoto zoom, the 80-400mm is undoubtedly a great lens. Better still, it’s possible to save well over £1,000 by hunting down a decent second-hand example.

Pros:

Four-stop vibration compensation
Easy to transport
Versatile focal length

Cons:

Pricier in the US
Sometimes hard to find

Pentax HD PENTAX DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR

For Pentax users, this is an optimal walk-around lens.

At a glance:

Mounts Pentax K
Minimum focus distance 35cm
Weight 488g
Filter thread 72mm
Guide price $390-430 / £500-560

This all-rounder Pentax lens can generally be picked up for a good price on the second-hand market, and is a solid choice for equipping your K-mount DSLR. It generally produces excellent image sharpness, even when used wide open, and like many Pentax cameras and lenses, it is comprehensively weather-sealed for outdoor shooting. It’s light enough to work well as a walk-around lens, and while the 72mm filters will be on the expensive side, the lens produces very good results in all kinds of different shooting situations.

Pros:

Good sharpness throughout apertures
Excellent weather sealing
Not too heavy

Cons:

72mm thread requires pricier filters
Only f/3.5 wide open

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM is available for multiple DSLR mounts.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF-S, Nikon F (DX), Pentax K, Sony A, Sigma SA
Minimum focus distance 40cm
Weight 430g
Filter thread 62mm
Guide price $200-240 / £120-200

In early 2013 it was replaced by an all-new model in Sigma’s ‘Art’ line, but the original 30mm f/1.4 is still a very fine lens. It uses a hypersonic motor for silent autofocus, with full-time manual override available at any time. As usual for Sigma’s EX lenses, build quality is very good, and the lens is available for all SLR systems. The 30mm is the only third-party fast ‘normal’ prime for APS-C SLRs, offering a 45mm equivalent angle of view. This gives a very natural perspective for everyday shooting, and the fast aperture is ideal for low-light and shallow depth-of-field shooting.

Pros:

Unique third-party lens for DSLRs
Great to have f/1.4
Full-time manual focus override

Cons:

Not as sharp as ‘Art’ lenses
No stabilisation

Tokina SD 12-24mm f/4 (IF) DX AT-X Pro

The Tokina SD 12-24mm f/4 (IF) DX AT-X Pro is a capable APS-C zoom.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF-S, Nikon F (DX)
Minimum focus distance 30cm
Weight 570g
Filter thread 77mm
Guide price $120-150 / £100-115

Tokina’s 12-24mm f/4 was one of the earliest wideangle zooms for APS-C DSLRs, and offers an 18-36mm equivalent angle of view (19-38mm on Canon SLRs). It’s an extremely solidly made lens that features a focus clutch mechanism, whereby pulling the focus ring towards the camera engages manual mode. Nikon owners should note that only the later ‘II’ version has a built-in autofocus motor. Tokina has a strong reputation for making wideangle zooms, and the 12-24mm is impressively sharp at all settings. Its main weakness is quite strong chromatic aberration that’s visible across much of the frame, but can be substantially removed in post-processing.

Pros:

Solid build quality
Generally good value for money
Good sharpness throughout zoom

Cons:

Pronounced chromatic aberration
Nikon version lacks AF motor

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro

The Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro has an ultra-close focusing distance.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma SA, Pentax K, Sony A
Minimum focus distance 20cm
Weight 455g
Filter thread 72mm
Guide price $300-400 / £100-150

If you’re looking for a more versatile replacement for an 18-55mm kit zoom, the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC may just be the ticket. With a useful 26-105mm equivalent zoom range, the lens offers an unusually fast maximum aperture for its type. The minimum focusing distance is just 20cm through the entire zoom range, allowing close-up shooting. Current prices, in the UK at least, make this lens an absolute bargain. A later iteration of this lens adds image stabilisation and a built-in hypersonic autofocus motor for even greater versatility, but obviously this comes at a higher price. Both models are available in all SLR mounts.

Pros:

Loads of mount options
Useful zoom range
Fast f/2.8 at wide end

Cons:

More expensive in USA
No stabilisation or hypersonic AF motor

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro

Sigma’s 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro still offers value if you can live without stabilisation.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma SA
Minimum focus distance 31.2cm
Weight 725g
Filter thread 62mm
Guide price $220-320 / £100-250

Now replaced with an optically stabilised version, the older Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro lens is still one of the best macro lenses that you can buy, and one that we have used in the AP studio to test cameras for a number of years. The Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro consists of 11 elements in 10 groups, and its 460g body has a solid feel. Its minimum focusing distance of 31cm provides a true 1:1 macro magnification, and a good working distance for any budding macro photographer. While the optical stabilisation of the new lens is useful, and at £330 it is really good value, if you get lucky you can find the previous 105mm f/2.8 Macro lens for as little as half that price. In our tests we’ve found that at the aperture settings most commonly used for macro images, there is very little difference in sharpness between the old and new Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro lenses.

Pros:

‘True’ 1:1 macro ratio
Excellent sharpness
Solid but lightweight

Cons:

No stabilisation

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF)

Mounts Canon EF-S, Nikon F (DX), Pentax K, Sony A
Minimum focus distance 27cm
Weight 430g
Filter thread 82mm
Guide price $200-380 / £90-150

Tamron’s classic fast normal zoom has now been replaced by an image-stabilised version (at least in Canon and Nikon mounts), but it’s still a great choice for APS-C SLR owners looking for high-quality optics. The fast maximum aperture makes it especially useful for indoor shooting or when there is low light. The 17-50mm f/2.8 was always a popular lens, and this means it’s in plentiful supply on the second-hand market, which in turn helps to keep prices low. Nikon users should note that old models of the lens don’t have a built-in autofocus motor, which was added only in the 2008 version (model A16NII).

Pros:

Constant f/2.8 aperture
Relatively easy to get hold of
Fantastic value for money

Cons:

Some older versions lack AF motor
APS-C only

Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD

Tamron’s 18-270mm makes for a versatile travel lens.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF-S, Nikon F (DX), Sony A
Minimum focus distance 49cm
Weight 450g
Filter thread 62mm
Guide price $160-295 / £90-160

Although superzoom lenses can receive negative press for being jacks of all trades but masters of none, this shouldn’t really be the case. While the image quality may not be able to match a shorter zoom, and definitely won’t be as good as a fixed focal length lens, the convenience of having one tucked in your camera bag makes them ideal for travelling. With an impressive 15x zoom, the Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD is designed for APS-C sensor DSLR cameras, giving the equivalent of a 27-400mm on full frame. With such a huge range, it can cover the vast majority of images that you would wish to take. Tamron’s Vibration Control IS is particularly impressive, and is needed when shooting at telephoto settings. For a general-purpose all-round lens, it’s a good and affordable option, particularly for travelling.

Pros:

Broad zoom range
Vibration Control stabilisation
Very portable

Cons:

Some inevitable sharpness compromise
APS-C only

Tokina AT-X Pro 50-135mm f/2.8 DX

The Tokina AT-X Pro 50-135mm f/2.8 DX benefits from a constant f/2.8 aperture.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF-S, Nikon F (DX)
Minimum focus distance 100cm
Weight 845g
Filter thread 67mm
Guide price $350-390 / £200-240

The 50-135mm f/2.8 DX is a fast telephoto zoom for SLRs with APS-C sensors, and offers a 75-200mm equivalent range. Like the similar Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM, it was designed to complement a fast normal zoom of the 16-50mm type, giving a much more portable alternative to a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom. It combines good image quality with Tokina’s usual bombproof build, and was made in Canon and Nikon mounts, with the latter lacking a built-in focus motor. The Pentax DA 50-135mm f/2.8 SDM is essentially the same design. Perhaps surprisingly this type of lens never really took off, despite its attractions, with photographers still preferring to buy 70-200mm optics. This means it’s relatively scarce on the used market, and prices are still quite strong.

Pros:

Constant f/2.8 aperture
Very tough construction
Reasonably portable for a tele zoom

Cons:

Hard to find
Holding its price

Sigma APO 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 EX DG OS HSM

Sigma’s beefy zoom requires a strong pair of hands to wield.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A, Sigma SA
Minimum focus distance 50cm
Weight 1,960g
Filter thread 95mm
Guide price $750-990 / £200-560

Now replaced with an optically stabilised version, the original Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 lens is a favourite among wildlife photographers. Like a superzoom lens, the 10x zoom lens may not produce images that can match the sharpness of a 300mm or a 70-200mm lens. But what it does provide is a lens that can cover most focal lengths that wildlife and sports photographers will want, especially if it is used on a DSLR with an APS-C format sensor. With 20 elements in 16 groups, and weighing a hefty 1.84kg, the lens has rightly earned the nickname ‘The Bigma’, and it has attained cult status among enthusiast wildlife photographers. Although the later version with optical stabilisation has obvious advantages, the original version can be found at bargain prices; however demand for the different Sigma, Nikon, Canon, Sony and Pentax mounts means that prices can vary quite a lot.

Pros:

Useful focal range
Works well on full-fame and APS-C

Cons:

Very bulky and heavy
No stabilisation

Tamron 200-500mm f/4.5-6.3 SP AF Di (IF)

Tamron’s 200-500mm f/4.5-6.3 SP AF Di (IF) works on full-frame and APS-C.

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony A
Minimum focus distance 250cm
Weight 1,237g
Filter thread 86mm
Guide price $410-430 / £200-500

If you don’t fancy the huge range of the Sigma 50-500mm lens, the Tamron 200-500mm f/4.5-6.3 is a good alternative. Like the Sigma 50-500mm lens lacks image stabilisation, though its simpler design means it weights a little less at 1.24kg. Another great choice for wildlife and sports photographers on a budget, the Tamron 200-500mm lens is available in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony mounts. Although the lens is designed for full-frame sensors, it will work on cameras with APS-C sensors, where it offers the equivalent of a 350-750mm lens. It is worth noting that due to the lack of a built-in focusing motor in the Nikon version, it will only work in manual focus mode on entry-level Nikon DSLRs.

Pros:

Lighter than Sigma alternative
Works on full-frame and APS-C

Cons:

Nikon version lacks AF motor
Can be tricky to find

Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro

At a glance:

Mounts Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A
Minimum focus distance 29cm
Weight 405g
Filter thread 55mm
Guide price $340-370 / £120-200

Another lens that has now been updated with optical stabilisation is Tamron’s 90mm f/2.8 Macro. However, the older Di version (Model 272E) is still considered something of a classic. In the Di version the lens is a redesign of the classic 90mm macro lens produced by Tamron, featuring new optical coating to make the lens produce sharper images with digital camera sensors. With excellent image sharpness and the equivalent field of view of 145mm on a DSLR with APS-C sensor, it is one of the best macro lenses you can buy, and is available at a bargain price second-hand.

Pros:

Exceptional second-hand prices
Sharp images
Prices are consistently good

Cons:

No stabilisation

Text by Audley Jarvis, with contributions from Jon Stapley and Joshua Waller.

Further reading

If you’re looking for more lenses, or want to find a bargain on a second hand camera, then have a look at some of our other guides:

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The post Second-hand DSLR lenses: ultimate 2024 buying guide appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Best used smartphones to buy right now

Amy Davies — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:00:47 +0000

The best camera phones are far from cheap any more, even if you pay via a monthly contract. The latest and greatest technology demands over a grand for the flagship models. Smartphones generally also have a much swifter release cycle than cameras, meaning that top-line models usually only stay current for around 12 months.

The good news is that if you’re prepared to wait and pick up last year’s phone (or even the year before that), then you’ll often get a much better deal, without too much of a compromise on hardware specifications and features.

The refurbished or second-hand route can save you even more money. On occasion, you’ll even find this year’s top-line options already available like this, saving a tidy sum for those prepared to shop around.

Buying second-hand keeps tech in use, too, rather than lingering in a drawer, or worse, ending up in landfill. Statistics show that 1.43 billion smartphones were sold worldwide in 2021. Food for thought. Keeping older models in circulation can only be a good thing. And you won’t be alone – the UK re-commerce market (buying and selling used gear) is now worth £5.5 billion, with phones and other consumer electronics making up a big chunk of this.

To this end, you might have some old models at home that you can trade in for cash to put towards another model, or whatever else. Private sellers on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree etc. deal in used smartphones, as do manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple, directly. Then there are second-hand specialists like Mazuma or Envirofone, and the usual Amazon and other retailers that platform the lot.

Second-hand or refurbished: what’s the difference?

It’s important to note that second-hand and refurbished aren’t interchangeable terms. Second-hand generally means buying directly from the previous owner, via online auction websites like eBay. While you can sometimes find great deals doing this, the risk is greater as you won’t be covered by additional warranties, nor the same legal guarantees as when buying from a reputable firm.

Refurbished phones are still second-hand, but are bought from a manufacturer, retailer or official reseller. These phones will usually have been assessed by an expert before sale, given a condition rating (for example ‘like new’) and often come with an extended warranty. Some refurbished models are restored to the point that you’d never know it had a previous owner. You should also expect to have all the correct accessories supplied with a refurbished phone.

The trade-off for this is – usually – a higher price. But, as a rule, we’d suggest spending a little more for a high-quality product. Refurbished phones purchased from a retailer are covered (in the UK) by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. This allows 30 days to return the phone if it turns out to be of unsatisfactory quality. On top of that, if the phone develops a fault within six months, the retailer must prove it wasn’t there when it was bought. In the USA a range of federal and state law offer consumer protection.

Buying second-hand from private sellers (i.e. individuals on eBay) doesn’t carry the same protection. A listing can’t be misleading (for example claiming the phone will switch on when it doesn’t) – but you don’t have the six-month ‘fault’ window. In either case, the manufacturer warranty (usually 12-24 months) may still apply if the device you have bought is younger than that.

iPhone 12 Pro Max

Price at launch: $1,099 / £1,099
Typical used prices: $445

– $800 / £470-779

Some hefty savings can be made on a refurbished iPhone. They tend to hold their value much better than Android equivalents, so going back two or more generations is where you’ll find the best savings.

The last model now selling like this is the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and while the previous model, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, is also a good option – it’s the iPhone 12 Pro we’d recommend for those on a strict budget.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a triple-lens set-up: an ultra-wide lens, a standard lens and a short telephoto. The smaller iPhone 12 Pro also has a triple-lens array, but the telephoto lens is slightly shorter, and the sensor behind the main lens a little smaller. It’s still a good option as a phone of more manageable size.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max produces good results in a variety of conditions

The native camera app includes features such as Night mode and Portrait mode, but there’s not much in the way of manual control. Luckily there are dozens of apps you can download if that’s something you really want. The cheapest prices for the iPhone 12 Pro Max come from devices found in ‘fair’ condition, rising up to around $859 / £780 if you pick one up directly from Apple and get a full 12-month refurbished warranty. That’s still a whopper of a saving compared to the latest model, which will set you back $ 999 / £1,199.

Also consider

iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 12

Samsung S22 Ultra

Price at launch: $1,199 / £1,149
Typical used prices: $600-$900 / £500-800

Samsung S22 Ultra rear.

The Samsung S22 Ultra was among the best smartphones released in 2022, if not the best. However, with prices starting at $1,199 / £1149, it was an expensive buy. But it has recently seen a price drop following the Samsung S23 Ultra and can be bought for prices starting at half its original price.

In our Samsung S23 Ultra vs Samsung S22 Ultra comparison article found that the S22 Ultra still holds its ground against the larger, newer phone, despite the S23 Ultra’s 200MP main sensor and 10x zoom. The S22 Ultra has an excellent quad camera setup that includes a 108MP main camera, an ultra wide camera and telephoto camera but despite a well-featured native camera app, doesn’t have a macro mode. Video-wise, this smartphone can shoot up to 8K video.

S22 Ultra night mode, 1/10s, f/1.8, ISO2500, 6mm/23mm equivalent

Also consider

Samsung S22

Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review.

Samsung S21 Ultra

Price at launch: $1,199 / £1,149
Typical used prices: $400 – $600 / £390-490

The S21 Ultra is now two generations old. The S23 Ultra is now available, which goes some way to explaining the bargain prices you can find this one-time flagship model for.

We are big fans of the Samsung S series range, and the S21 Ultra impressed us hugely when it first appeared on the market. It features a four-camera set-up, giving you a range of lenses from 13mm up to 240mm in equivalent focal length. It also boasts a 108-megapixel main sensor, and has a well-featured native camera app.

The Samsung S21 Ultra was the smartphone to beat not so long ago

Being able to pick up a once class-leading smartphone such as this for under $600 / £500 is a fantastic deal, especially if you can find one which comes with a retailer warranty.

Also consider

Samsung Note 20 Ultra

Read our original review of the Samsung S21 Ultra

Google Pixel 6 Pro

Price at launch: $899 / £849
Typical used prices: $300-400 / £350-500

Google’s Pixel phones always impress with high-quality imagery and a straightforward and easy-to-use app (although we’d like to see some kind of manual mode, please). You only have to go back one generation with the Pixel range to pick up something at an excellent price, with 2021’s Pixel 6 Pro available for as little as $300 / £350.

The low-light performance of the Pixel 6 Pro is impressive

For your money, you get a triple-lens set-up, which includes a 50-megapixel main camera, as well as super-wide and telephoto (4x zoom) options. The 6 Pro delivers excellent pictures in a range of situations, particularly excelling in low light. Although it’s now been surpassed by the Pixel 7 Pro, most average users are unlikely to be able to spot too much of a difference between the two, making the saving even more tempting. Look for the standard Pixel 6 if your budget is even tighter.

Also consider

Google Pixel 6
Google Pixel 5

Read our original review of the Google Pixel 6 Pro

Google Pixel 6a

Price at launch: $314/£299
Typical used prices: $250-300/£200-250

Google Pixel 6a, Grey, Photo: Joshua Waller

If you don’t need all the power of the Google Pro range, this is an excellent used budget choice – we named it one of our best budget smartphones after all.

Shop around and you can find it for around $250/$200 which makes the Pixel 6a something of a bargain. The phone has been superseded by the Google Pixel 7a, but Google is keeping it onsale (in which case you might just decide to pay the extra for the peace of mind of buying new).

Key specifications include a 12MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.2, 17mm equivalent, a 12MP wide camera, f/1.7, with optical image stabilisation, 27mm equivalent, and a 6.1inch OLED screen (2400×1080 pixels). So if you can live without the Pixel 6’s 48MP camera with larger sensor, and additional AI “motion” mode, the Pixel 6a is a very sound choice.

After all, most of the key photography features and image-processing algorithms remain the same for both models, with the Pixel 6a also coming with intelligent AI features including a ‘magic eraser’. This makes it a lot easier to remove unwanted objects from images, without having to faff about in Photoshop or a similar image-editing package.

A sample taken using the Google Pixel 6a’s ultra-wide lens. Photo credit: Joshua Waller

Picture quality is very good considering the price, and although low-light performance isn’t as good as the Pixel 6 owing to the smaller sensor, it should be perfectly acceptable for many situations unless you are a compulsive pixel peeper.

You can also record video up to 4K resolution, and up to 60fps, with effective image stabilisation and decent low-light performance. There are also time-lapse, and slow-motion video options, with up to 4x and 8x slow-motion available, albeit at a reduced resolution. All in all, a powerful package considering the price and ‘budget’ classification.

Google Pixel 5
Oppo Find X3 Pro

Read our original review of the Google Pixel 6a

OnePlus 9 Pro

Price at launch: $829 / £829
Typical used prices: $300 – $800 / £350-700

OnePlus has been creating impressive, (relatively) affordable flagship models for a number of years now. The OnePlus 11 has recently been announced, but if you skip back a couple of generations you can get a great deal while still enjoying some great features.

With the 9 Pro you get a triple-lens set-up, with an additional sensor/camera for capturing monochrome images. Interestingly, the cameras have been developed in collaboration with Hasselblad. The phone is capable of producing excellent results in a variety of situations, and although it doesn’t quite match up to the even better standard of more recent models, the price saving more than makes up for that. It also has a comprehensive native camera app that is intuitive to use and includes a Pro mode for settings control and raw shooting.

The OnePlus 9 Pro’s cameras are made in collaboration with Hasselblad

While the OnePlus 9 Pro is not quite as good as the iPhone or Samsung listed here, it’s also available at a better price, making it well suited to those on a stricter budget. Look for the 10 Pro if you want something newer.

Also consider

OnePlus 8 Pro
OnePlus 10 Pro

Oppo Find X3 Pro

Price at launch: $1,374 / £1,099
Typical used prices: $400-700 / £360 -500

Another manufacturer that has been making waves lately is Oppo. The Find X3 Pro had a very high price-tag at launch, but it can now be picked up a couple of years later for as little as a third of the price, making it a bit of a bargain for the quality it provides.

The rear of the camera sees a triple-lens set-up, with one being a ‘standard’ lens, another being ultra-wide and finally a telephoto option. There’s a macro/close-up lens for picking out details in the admittedly slightly strange ‘microscope’ mode – you can place the phone on top of your subject to record it.

The Find X3 Pro offers a good variety of shooting options

Overall, image quality is very good, with Night mode putting in a great performance. The native app has a range of functions, including an ‘Expert’ mode, which allows you to record in raw format and alter settings.

Also consider

Oppo Reno 7 Pro
Oppo Find X2 Pro

Huawei P30 Pro

Price at launch: $899 / £899
Typical used prices: $200-500 / £185-450

At one time, Huawei was the manufacturer to beat when it came to excellent cameras on smartphones. Its demise at the hands of a ban on newer devices accessing the Google Play store means that you’ll need to go older if you want to pick up something that’ll work in the way you expect it to.

The P30 Pro was the last of Huawei’s models to be able to access the Play store, and equally as importantly, it was capable of producing excellent photos and videos, meaning it still stands up very well today. It has a triple-lens array on the back, including a standard, ultrawide and a telephoto lens.

The Huawei P30 Pro is an absolute bargain second-hand

Night mode is excellent, while the native camera app is very well-featured. Considering you can pick one up for around $200 / £200 if you shop around, it’s an absolute bargain and it still gives the latest models a run for their money.

Also consider

Huawei P20 Pro
Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Tips for buying used smartphones

Supported: make sure the model you’re buying is still supported by the manufacturer. Older smartphones stop being supported eventually, which can leave you prone to security problems – an issue if you want to use your phone as, well, a phone, and not just a camera. The manufacturer’s website should give a list of all currently supported models.
Unlocked: look for ‘unlocked’ models that aren’t tied to a particular network provider. This will mean you can use it with your existing phone contract/SIM. You can sometimes find cheaper options which are locked to a particular network – fine if it’s the same one you’re on (or you’re prepared to switch).
Battery: older models which have been heavily used are likely to have batteries which don’t last well. Try to find out if the battery has been replaced, or if it’s possible to replace it yourself should you find that it doesn’t hold charge well. From online marketplaces:
Payment method: avoid handing over large sums of cash for a second-hand device, especially to strangers. Use PayPal or your credit card for added protection from potentially dubious sellers online.
Private seller: if buying from a private seller – be vigilant. Check the seller rating, examine the listing thoroughly for details about condition, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re not sure about something.
Images: sheck a listing’s pictures. If the seller is using ‘generic’ press shots of a device, then this is something to be wary of, as it could indicate a problem with the device on sale (if it exists at all). Look for listings which seem to use genuine pictures of a used product, and which show it working (the screen switched on).
Information: Ask the seller for clear information about cosmetic damage, particularly if it’s something that could be detrimental to usage, such as a scratch on a camera lens.
Compare the price with other similar-condition smartphones. If a listing is significantly cheaper than other listings, but it’s not obvious why (such as damage of some kind), then be cautious.
Check to see if the original warranty is still in date. Ask the seller if any repairs or replacements have been carried out to the device while in their possession.

Buying from retailers

Pay attention to the condition rating of a device – go for the best you can afford, but consider something with cosmetic damage if it has no impact on camera quality. Consider those with defective batteries if they can be easily/cheaply replaced. Also, check to see if the retailer offers an additional guarantee or warranty. Check to see if the original manufacturer’s warranty is still in date.

Best used DSLRs in 2024

Jon Stapley — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:25:37 +0000

The best used DSLRs can prove a real bargain as more and more users trade them in for newer mirrorless models. Jon Stapley reveals the best used DSLR bargains that deliver real photographic quality at a knock down price.

A used DSLR that’s a few years old might well provide better value for money than a brand-new mid-range camera for the same price. But rapid advances in technology make it tough for new users to distinguish between real cut-price classics and dead-end dinosaurs when weighing up these factors. We’ve done the hard work for you by picking out the DSLRs that provide the best value on the second-hand market right now.

For each camera, we’ve given a rough guide to the price you can expect to pay for one in ‘Good’ condition or better. As a rule, this is a good level to stick to. Cameras listed as ‘Well-used’ or ‘Heavily Used’ can be had for less, of course, but this is risky.

The big names in the DSLR world are, of course, Canon and Nikon. Don’t forget that Pentax has also made some great DSLRs, and is in fact still making them. Meanwhile, it’s easy to forget that Sony for a while had its own DSLR range, though its Alpha SLTs (Single Lens Translucent mirror cameras) were more of a DSLR/mirrorless crossover – though still had that classic DSLR design and handling.

Should you go for a full frame or an APS-C model? APS-C DSLRs can take great images, but on the used market the price gap has narrowed, and you may be able to step up to the higher quality of a full frame DSLR without spending too much more cash.

With some DSLRs it’s possible to check the number shutter actuations (i.e. how many times the shutter has been fired) – most DSLRs are rated for a life of somewhere between 150,000 and 300,000 actuations. While the vast majority can and will keep shooting long after they’ve passed their actuations rating, it’s still worth thinking twice before buying a camera with a high actuation count.

One more thing to be aware of – while our listings are accurate at the time of writing, the second-hand market is a fast-moving place, so things change quickly! Be prepared to act quickly and decisively. Snooze and you lose, as we say.

We’ve roughly ordered our guide from cheaper cameras to the most expensive, to make it easier to locate something to your budget. It’s also worth noting that all our listed prices are body-only – so you’ll need to factor in lens prices if you’re starting afresh.

Cheapest Nikon DSLR: Nikon D5100 – from $250, £99

Photo: Nikon

At a glance:

16.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Nikon F lens mount (APS-C)
4fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-6400 (exp. 25,600

Upon its release in 2011, the Nikon D5100 was an upper entry-level DSLR for those seeking something more advanced than the more basic D3100. While its core hardware undoubtedly shows its age now, the D5100 remains a practical and easy-to-use camera that’s capable of great image quality.

The D5100 is built around a 16.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor and Nikon’s EXPEED 2 image processor – the same components found inside the much more advanced (and proportionally more expensive) D7000, also released in 2011. So, while the D5100’s 16MP resolution doesn’t compare with that of the 24MP APS-C sensors common to many contemporary DSLRs (including the D5100’s direct descendant – the D5600), overall image quality is still very good.

Better still, while the D5100 and 18-55mm kit lens package would have cost around £750 at the time of its launch, we’ve found that second-hand camera bodies in ‘good’ condition can be picked up for around £164 from MPB.com. That’s quite a saving, and gives you scope to shop for used lenses and stay within a £250-300 budget.

Read our original review of the Nikon D5100

Cheapest Canon DSLR: EOS 600D/EOS Rebel T3i – from $219, £130

Photo: Canon

At a glance:

18MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Canon EF-S lens mount
3.7fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-6400 (exp. 12,800)

The Canon EOS 600D, originally released in 2011, is now excellent value for money second-hand. Benefiting from a vari-angle rear LCD display, the EOS 600D makes light work of shooting from awkward angles, while the 9-point AF system is fast and accurate; if a little basic compared to modern cameras.

Video capabilities extend to a respectable 1080p Full HD at 30fps, while the pop-up flash doubles up as a wireless commander unit should you want to get creative with off-camera flash. Alternatively, there is the beginner-friendly Basic+ mode that takes control of key settings.

If you’re looking for a rough equivalent to the Nikon D5100 but would prefer to invest in the Canon lens system, the EOS 600D is a great starting point. Even though some of its features have aged, the image quality generated by the sensor is excellent.

The EOS 600D commands roughly the same second-hand price as the D5100, though reaches a slightly higher maximum price for the best-condition models.

Using the Canon EF-mount, there is a massive choice of Canon EF mount lenses.

Read our original review of the Canon EOS 600D

Best budget Canon All-Rounder: Canon EOS 1200D / Rebel T5 –
from $90, £100

Photo: Canon

At a glance:

18MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Canon EF-S lens mount
3fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-6400 (exp. 12,800)

Beginner photographers can pick up a hell of a bargain if willing to shop second-hand – case in point, the excellent EOS 1200D. Going for about a third of its original asking price, the EOS 1200D has retained a reputation as a solid, do-everything DSLR for beginners.

While you only get a burst mode of 3fps, the autofocus system is fast and accurate in a way that punches above its weight, and the low-light performance impresses. Canon rates the battery of the EOS 1200D to last around 500 shots, which should be fine for general day-to-day shooting. You can pick up a spare LP-E10 if you’re worried, though be aware this will cost around £50.

The EOS 1200D was launched into a crowded market, but the passage of time has been kind to it, and the prices you’ll find it listed at make it an excellent choice of first camera – a great gift for someone who’s starting a photography course, perhaps. A 1200D in excellent condition can be easily found for around £150, and you won’t have trouble finding a good Canon prime for less than £80.

Read our original review of the Canon EOS 1200D.

Cheapest Pentax DSLR: Pentax K-50 – from $149, £150

Photo: Pentax

At a glance:

16.28MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Pentax K lens mount
6fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-51,200

Pentax’s reduced market share and brand recognition in the DSLR world means its cameras can often be picked up for a good deal less than their Canon and Nikon equivalents. Enter the Pentax K-50, a highly capable enthusiast’s DSLR that’s often listed in ‘good’ condition or better for as little as £144. With Pentax’s impressive weatherproofing that features 81 weather seals, this is a great DSLR for splashing about in the mud and the wet.

Pentax has lots of weather-sealed lenses too – though it’s worth double-checking. Look for ‘AW’ or ‘WR’ in the lens name to be sure. Another thing that Pentax proved an early adopter of was image stabilisation, and even though the K-50 came out in 2013, it still sports an effective sensor-shift image stabilisation system.

This system also powers other cool functions, like the horizon-correction feature that keeps your horizontals straight, and the AstroTracer for astrophotography – though be aware this requires a Pentax GPS UNIT O-GPS1 or O-GPS2. The former can be picked up second-hand for about £60.

Read our original review of the Pentax K-50

Cheapest Full-Frame DSLR: Canon EOS 5D – from $220, £200

Photo: Canon

At a glance:

12.8MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Canon EF lens mount
3fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-1600 (exp. 50-3200)

Released in 2005, Canon’s original EOS 5D is credited with being the first affordable full-frame DSLR to hit the market. While a brand new 5D body cost around £2,500 at the time of its launch, these days it’s possible to source a second-hand example in good condition for around £210.

Given its age it should come as no great surprise to find that many of the 5D’s core specs – such as its 9-point AF module and 2.5in/233k-dot LCD display – look fairly out-of-date by modern DSLR standards.

That said, the 5D’s 12.8MP sensor is still capable of great image quality. It’s probably not one for beginners, or for people shooting challenging moving subjects, but if you have some shooting experience and want full-frame on a budget, this is a compelling choice.

Bear in mind though that the 5D does not shoot video – this feature would arrive on EOS SLRs with the revolutionary 5D Mark II. A good-condition Canon EOS 5D should be priced for £199 or less. They aren’t super-common, but do appear.

Using the Canon EF-mount, there is a massive choice of Canon EF mount lenses.

Cheapest Full-Frame Nikon DSLR: Nikon D700 – from $300, £230-300

Photo: Nikon

At a glance:

12.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Nikon F lens mount
5fps continuous shooting
ISO 200-6400 (exp. 100-25,600)

Announced in 2008, the D700 was essentially Nikon’s answer to the phenomenally popular Canon EOS 5D. Built around the same 12.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor used in the then-flagship Nikon D3 DSLR, the D700 further benefits from a 51-point AF system, a pop-up flash that can be used as a commander off-camera Creative Lighting System, and weather-sealed magnesium alloy construction.

Two things to note are that the D700 doesn’t provide any video recording functionality, and only comes with a single CF-type card slot, which means it cannot take regular SDXC cards. Otherwise, the D700 remains an exceptionally capable camera. Image quality is generally very good, especially at low ISOs. It produces decent results even up to ISO 12,800.

A rarity for cameras of its time! If you want to stick above ‘good’ condition, the minimum you’ll currently be paying is around £230, and the prices top out at about £300.

Using the Nikon F mount there is a massive choice of Nikon F lenses

Read our ‘Second Hand Classic’ review of the Nikon D700

Cheapest fast APS-C DSLR: Canon EOS 70D – from $360, £180-220

Photo: Canon

At a glance:

20.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Canon EF-S lens mount
7fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-12,800 (exp. 25,600)

From the EOS 50D to the more recent 90D, the double-digit line of Canon DSLRs for enthusiasts has retained a reputation for providing great value for money. The EOS 70D is not only great for stills, but also punches above its weight for video – this and the EOS 80D and 90D that succeeded it all proved a hit with YouTubers.

It was the first DSLR to showcase Canon’s revolutionary Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology. The small jump in resolution from the 60D went virtually unnoticed as all attention was drawn to the way it could perform on-sensor phase-detection focusing when using live view and shooting video to improve focus acquisition and response.

The 70D’s sensor and DIGIC 5+ processor combine to offer a sensitivity range of ISO 100-12,800 (extendable to ISO 25,600), meanwhile it can shoot continuously at up to 7fps.

The AF system is borrowed from Canon’s original EOS 7D and consists of 19 points, all of which are the sensitive cross-type. It doesn’t provide a joystick to easily nudge the AF point around the frame like the newer EOS 90D, but users do get a dedicated button on the camera’s top plate to toggle through the AF modes.

The 70D’s 3in, 1.04m-dot articulated touchscreen is particularly useful when it comes to creative framing and above it is a pentaprism-style optical viewfinder that can display a small level indicator to avoid skewed shots. As is usually the case with more-advanced DSLRs, the 70D sports a small LCD display on the top of the camera providing a quick reference point to key camera settings.

With regard to exposure modes, the 70D is served by the usual quartet of PASM modes, along with a fully automatic Auto mode and a range of specific Scene modes for less-experienced users. The EOS 70D can be picked up very reasonably indeed at a variety of outlets.

Read our original review of the Canon EOS 70D

Cheapest fast, high-resolution DSLR: Sony A77 II – from $650, £319

Photo: Sony

At a glance:

24.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Sony A lens mount
12fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-25,600 (exp. 50)

The Sony A77 II was introduced as the ‘king of APS-C’ back in 2014, a time when Sony was pretending it was still committed to the future of A-mount cameras and lenses. With that said, the fact that most DSLR lines are now winding down makes the A-mount feel like less of an ignominiously dead end than it did a few years ago, and realistically you won’t have trouble finding a decent set of A-mount lenses second-hand – probably for more reasonable prices than Canon EF or Nikon F.

The Sony A77 II is not technically a DSLR. It’s an SLT (single lens translucent) camera with a translucent mirror and an electronic viewfinder. But it looks and feels like a DSLR in the same way a duck quacks like a duck, so we’re counting it.

And frankly, it’s a pretty impressive camera at the average used price of up to £344 or so – 12fps continuous shooting is one of the fastest burst rates in this entire guide, and that generous resolution of 24.3MP is great for printing images. A-mount may be dead, but there’s life yet in the A77 II.

Read our original review of the Sony A77 II

Cheapest higher-end Pentax: Pentax K-3 – from $385, £280

Photo: Pentax

At a glance:

23.35MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Pentax K lens mount
8.3fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-51,200

The Pentax K-3 isn’t as flashy as many recent DSLRs, but it’s a rugged and highly capable camera that does a good job in most conditions. Its high-quality 23.25MP APS-C sensor uses no anti-aliasing filter and can resolve an impressive level of detail.

You get a solid 100-51,200 ISO range for low-light work, and a continuous shooting rate of 8.3fps, which really is punching for a camera at this price point. Pentax was an early adopter of weather-sealing, and this DSLR will stand up to the worst a British winter has to offer and come out smiling. This does make it a little heavier than you might expect for a crop-sensor camera, but Pentax does offer a fair few lightweight prime lenses to help keep your set-up slim.

Other features include sensor-shift stabilisation, as well as dual SD card slots. Subsequent Mark II and Mark III versions have helped drive down the second-hand price of this model, and you can find ‘like new’ models for less than £400 at reputable used dealers.

Have a look at the best Pentax K-Mount lenses

Read our original review of the Pentax K-3

Cheapest sportier Canon DSLR: Canon EOS 7D Mark II – from $476, £428

Photo: Canon

At a glance:

20.2 APS-C CMOS sensor
Canon EF lens mount
10fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-16,000 (exp. 51,200)

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II was introduced in 2014. It’s a nippy camera, inheriting features from Canon’s sports range. Canon’s renowned Dual Pixel sensor delivers good Live View AF, and there are 65 cross-type AF points for viewfinder AF with Intelligent Tracking and Recognition (iTR) to give improved subject tracking. Its drive can rattle along at 10fps, and when shooting raw you’ll get around 30 shots before buffering.

Weather-sealing is also quite robust, and having dual SD slots is no bad thing. They are also CompactFlash slots, on the off-chance you still have one of those knocking about. As is common with second-hand buying, the age of this camera does mean it’s missing a few features that these days are considered standard.

There’s no built-in Wi-Fi and the rear LCD is both fixed in place and lacking touch-sensitivity. The 7D Mark II was £1,599 on launch, and now you can nab one for up to £520. Lots are available in top-tier condition from reputable suppliers.

Read our original review of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Cheapest pro-spec full-frame DSLR: Nikon D3 – from $575, £279

Photo: Nikon

At a glance:

12MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Nikon F lens mount
9fps continuous shooting (11fps cropped)
ISO 200-6400 (exp. 100-25,600)

The Nikon D3 was a milestone – the first full-frame Nikon DSLR. Nikon called its new sensor ‘FX-format’, a name that would live on into its mirrorless Z cameras. Pitched at professionals, the D3 used the new EXPEED processor to deliver 9fps continuous shooting. Another first for the D3 was live view mode, allowing photographers to see what the camera was seeing in real time via the rear LCD screen.

It was pitched as a workhorse camera, with a focus on speed – even at the time, the 12MP resolution was considered a little on the low side, but it helped the processor keep up with the action. The D3’s magnesium-alloy body is rated for an impressive 300,000 shutter actuations, so you can be more forgiving when assessing whether a used body is offering good value for money.

Examples with considerably fewer actuations can be found for around £359. Frankly, long in the tooth as it may be, the Nikon D3 is a hell of a camera to pick up for less than four hundred quid.

Fast, budget APS-C workhorse: Nikon D7200 – from $588, £429

Photo: Nikon

At a glance:

24.2MP APS-C sensor
Nikon F lens mount (APS-C)
6fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-25,600 (exp. 102,400)

When the Nikon D7200 was launched in 2015, it was the natural successor to the D7100. It slotted in between Nikon’s upper entry-level DSLR, the D5500 and the company’s full-frame DSLR, the D750. Though it wasn’t a radical upgrade on its predecessor, it became popular with enthusiasts who wanted a reliable workhorse that could compete against other impressive APS-C DSLRs, such as the Canon EOS 7D Mark II.

The D7200 is built around a 24.2MP CMOS sensor and EXPEED 4 image processor. This combination provides a sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600. It can be expanded to ISO 51,200 and ISO 102,000, however these settings record in black & white only. Whereas the D7100 had a measly buffer performance, the D7200’s is much improved, capable of recording 18 14-bit lossless compressed raw files and over 100 JPEGs at its maximum 6fps burst rate.

The D7200 is a common sight on the second-hand market so you shouldn’t struggle too hard to find a decent example.

Read our original review of the Nikon D7200

Cheapest Nikon full-frame DSLR with advanced video: Nikon D600 –
from $429, £272

Photo: Nikon

At a glance:

24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Nikon F lens mount
5.5fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-6400 (50-25,600)

At the end of 2012, the D600 was the cheapest full-frame DSLR in Nikon’s range, slotting in just below the semi-professional D800. The 24.3MP full-frame sensor is capable of excellent image quality, while the 39-point phase-detection AF system is reliable.

For getting creative with off-camera flash, the D600’s built-in flash can be used as a command unit via Nikon’s Creative Lighting System. In terms of size and build quality the D600 remains one of the smaller full-frame DSLRs available and also benefits from magnesium alloy top and back panels alongside dust- and water-sealing.

The D600 is also decent for video, shooting Full HD video at 30p, uncompressed via HDMI. It’s got mic and headphone ports for monitoring and recording audio – a lot of these features were borrowed from the more expensive D800.

AP’s inside guide to shooting video is here

Read our original review of the Nikon D600

Canon EOS 6D -l from $454, £250-450 – (cheaper alternative to EOS 5D Mark III)

Photo: Canon

At a glance:

20.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Canon EF lens mount
4.5fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-25,600 (exp. 50-102,800)

Announced at Photokina 2012 and released a couple of months later, the EOS 6D was marketed as a smaller and more affordable alternative to the hugely popular EOS 5D Mark III. Fulfilling this brief, the 6D borrows hardware from the 5D Mark III while also bringing some of its own to the table. For example, while the 5D Mark III was built around a 22.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor, the 6D instead employs a 20.2MP chip.

However, both cameras share the same DIGIC 5+ image processor, and both provide a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600 that can be expanded to the equivalent of ISO 50-102,800. It was released with a body-only price of £1,680 and it’s now possible to source a second-hand 6D in ‘excellent’ condition with a shutter count of less than 9,000 for just over £400.

That gives you £80 to spend on a lens (enough for a decent-condition EF 50mm f/1.8 II), and voila, a full-frame DSLR starter kit is yours for less than £500. That’s much better bang for your buck than buying a new mid-range camera off the shelf.

Read our ‘Second Hand Classics’ review of the Canon EOS 6D

Cheapest high-resolution full-frame DSLR: Nikon D800 – from $679, £344

Photo: Nikon

At a glance:

- 36.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor

Nikon F lens mount
4fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-6400 (exp. 50-25,600)

The big draw of the D800 upon its release in 2012 was its 36.3MP full-frame sensor. At the time this was the highest resolution of any full-frame camera on the market. While that’s obviously no longer the case these days, the D800 remains a powerful camera with well above average resolution – more than enough for large-format printing.

For those seeking a high-resolution, full-frame DSLR without the associated high costs, a decent used D800 could well make for a solid and more affordable investment than the Nikon D810 or D850.

If you don’t need all those pixels, the D800 also offers a DX crop mode, shooting instead at a still-respectable 15.3MP. The autofocus system, borrowed from the sporty D4, has 51 points, 15 of which are cross-type, so it’ll do well with fast action. It launched with a body-only price of £2,599, but second-hand it can be found for as little as £420 in ‘good’ condition or better – or under £400 if you’re lucky.

Read our original review of the Nikon D800

Fast APS-C workhorse with powerful AF: Nikon D7500 – from $850, £840

Photo: Nikon

At a glance:

20.9MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Nikon F lens mount (APS-C)
8fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-51,200 (exp. 50-1,640,000)

The Nikon D7500 has an impressive array of specs that includes shooting speeds up to 8 frames per second and a 51-point autofocus system that’s perfect for locking on to moving subjects. In terms of movies, the D7500 offers the options of 4K/UHD shooting at 30p or Full HD 1080p video at up to 60p.

The D7500 inherited its DX image quality from Nikon’s nominally more expensive D500 camera (see page 51), so it’s worth comparing prices of the two. One thing to note is that the D7500, for whatever reason, only arrived sporting one card slot, even though previous entries in the D7000 series had two.

This particular blind spot of Nikon’s would return to mar the otherwise successful launch of the full-frame Z mirrorless line, the first of which inexplicably sported a single XQD card slot apiece.

Read our original review of the Nikon D7500

High-resolution Pentax DSLR: Pentax K-1, from $945, £785

Photo: Pentax

At a glance:

36.4MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Pentax K lens mount
4.4fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-204,800

The K-1 is a tremendously compelling purchase for less than £900. Its 36MP full-frame sensor delivers high levels of sharp detail, bolstered by the lack of an anti-aliasing filter. Where there is a risk of aliasing artefacts, the anti-aliasing filter simulator can be called upon – a feature that is present thanks to sensor stabilisation.

Elsewhere the K-1 also benefits from Pentax’s Pixel Shift technology that’s designed to improve the resolving power of the sensor, along with built-in Shake Reduction image-stabilisation technology. This system is rated to provide 5 effective stops of compensation, meaning it’s easier to get blur-free shots when shooting handheld.

The LCD screen, meanwhile, is built on an unusual ‘Cross-Tilt’ system, meaning it can be set to all sorts of unusual angles. With a big ISO range and a rugged, weatherproof body, this truly is a DSLR for all conditions, and there are few DSLRs as capable as the K-1 at this price point.

Read our original view of the Pentax K-1

Full-frame EOS Powerhouse: Canon EOS 5D Mark III – from $1499, £559

At a glance:

22MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Canon EF lens mount
6fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-25,600 (exp. 50-102,800)

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is an excellent full-frame camera that has thoroughly proven itself since its introduction in 2012. The 5D Mark III features a 22.3MP sensor and Digic 5+ processor, which together enable a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600. In addition, there’s a 61-point autofocus system with 41 cross-type points (5 of which are diagonally sensitive) and maximum continuous shooting rate of 6 frames per second.

That’s a nice combination for portrait photography because it means you can target your subject’s eyes precisely and capture some movement if you wish to, rather than having to opt for static poses.

This camera was the first Canon DSLR capable of High Dynamic Range shooting, where three bracketed exposures are made and merged in-camera. And its Full HD video is excellent, continuing the tradition of the EOS 5D Mark II, which kick-started the DSLR revolution in professional video.

In terms of construction and build quality, the 5D Mark III is housed within a weather-sealed magnesium alloy shell and feels very much like a professional-grade DSLR should – a little weighty but incredibly solid.

Despite this the 5D Mark III sits nicely in the hand thanks to its deep handgrip. Buttons are plentiful too, but also well-spaced and clearly labelled. Meanwhile, the in-camera menu offers plenty of advanced tools and customisation options that allow you to set the camera up exactly as you want it. The ergonomics on the EOS 5D Mark III are excellent across the board.

Second-hand prices do vary significantly. While £700 is at the upper end of what you might expect to pay for this camera, once you drop beneath this threshold, shutter actuations of used models tend to increase dramatically – you start seeing shutter counts of around 70,000 (the EOS 5D Mark III is rated to 150,000 actuations). If you plan to use the camera for a long time, it’s probably worth biting the bullet and paying for one with a lower count.

Read our original review of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Cheapest Nikon pro-spec APS-C DSLR: Nikon D500 – from $879, £500

Photo: Nikon

At a glance:

20.9MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Nikon F lens mount (APS-C)
10fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-25,600 (exp. 50-1,640,000)

While this pro-quality APS-C camera from 2016 is no longer cutting edge, it’s still remarkably well-featured. It can achieve an extended ISO range of 50-1,640,000, though noise performance is only tolerable up to around 51,200; it can shoot at 10fps and keep going for at least 30 frames in raw format, and 90 or more in JPEG mode with an SD card.

Put an XQD card in the second slot, and it’ll keep shooting full-speed for 200 raw frames. One of the most exciting features of the D500 for sports and wildlife photographers is that it has the same 153-point Multi-CAM 20K autofocus module as the D5 – a camera aimed at photographers who shoot sports events professionally.

This means that amongst the D500’s 153 AF points there are 99 cross-type AF sensors with the central one being sensitive down to -4EV and the other points are sensitive down to -3EV. The D500 is quite a common sight on the second-hand market, so it’s worth shopping around for a good deal.

Read our original review of the Nikon D500

Highest resolution Canon DSLR: Canon EOS 5DS R – from $1200, £799

Photo: Canon

At a glance:

50.6MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Canon EF lens mount
5fps continuous shooting
ISO 100-6400 (exp. 50-12,800)

The Canon EOS 5DS R is the priciest pick in our round-up, but when you consider that it launched with an RRP of £3,200, that second-hand price starts to look quite tasty. Launched as a pair with the Canon EOS 5DS in 2015, the EOS 5DS R represented a new frontier of DSLR resolution, boasting a sensor with a whopping 50.6MP at its disposal.

That’s still at the upper-end of full-frame resolutions today, and makes the EOS 5DS R a seriously tempting prospect for landscape photographers. Constructed to meet the needs of professional photographers, the Canon EOS 5DS R is built like a tank.

It’s designed in every way to make the most of all that detail, with a spring-less mirror assembly that minimises vibrations (which really do matter at 50MP), a reinforced tripod mount, and a USB 3.0 connection for fast image transfer.

For high-resolution photography, this is one of the savviest second-hand buys you can make.

Read our original review of the Canon EOS 5DS R

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The post Best used DSLRs in 2024 appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Best second-hand full-frame mirrorless cameras in 2024

AP Staff — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 15:55:30 +0000

Serious savings can be had for the best second-hand full-frame mirrorless cameras. We offer a few recommendations.

Full-frame mirrorless cameras have been around long enough that there is now a great second hand market for yesterday’s professional models – at realistic prices for the enthusiast. Whether you’re looking for top-end resolution, super-charged burst rates, next-level autofocus or whatever else, there will be a full-frame mirrorless camera for you.

As you know, navigating the seas of second-hand cameras can seem overwhelming for the sheer volume of them – hence we have compiled a list of those from the full-frame mirrorless corner of the camera world. We’ve selected examples recent enough to offer a modern shooting experience, but have been out long enough to have undergone a big price drop. Many on the list can be bought in excellent condition at prices that are around half of what they would have cost at launch – or even less.

We’ve focused on full-frame mirrorless cameras specifically here, as this is where we expect photographers and videographers to find the most value. If you’re interested in other types of sensor and camera, find out more in our exhaustive guides to APS-C vs full frame and DSLRs vs mirrorless.

All the cameras on the following list are ones we’ve tested, reviewed and geeked out over extensively, so you can be sure that when we recommend something, it is objective and sincere. (We never try to convince anyone to buy a camera we don’t think is worth its asking price.)

How to choose the best second-hand full-frame mirrorless cameras

When picking a full-frame mirrorless camera on the second-hand market, consider first which features and specs are most important to you. Some cameras specialise in resolution above all else, making full use of the luxurious sensor size to produce images of dazzling detail. Other users will be more interested in a fast burst rate for capturing action, or a high ISO ceiling for shooting in low light.

Much will depend on which lenses you are going to use. This is particularly relevant if you’re jumping onto full-frame mirrorless from another system like DSLRs, as you likely already have some lenses that you would rather keep.

If you’re using Canon or Nikon DSLRs, your path is easy, as both firms sell lens adapters for their full-frame mirrorless systems (Canon EOS R and Nikon Z). These adapters don’t just let you physically fit the lenses, but also allow for full functionality with autofocus and stabilisation on the vast majority of them. This allows the migration from one system to the other to be gentle and gradual, rather than immediate and expensive.

However, Canon and Nikon are annoyingly precious about keeping their RF and Z mounts to themselves, so there isn’t much of a third-party lens market out there (options exist, but they’re manual focus only). Sony, by contrast, has been very generous with licensing its full-frame E-mount to third-party manufacturers like Tamron, Sigma and Zeiss. So, if you pick up one of the Sony Alpha full-frame cameras, you’ll have a huge suite of optics to choose from. Even if you stick with Sony-made lenses, there are loads, as Sony gained a head-start of several years on the competition. The L-mount that’s used on Panasonic full-frame cameras, meanwhile, is part of an alliance with Sigma and Leica, so there’s plenty of choice there.

Let’s see what’s on offer!

Panasonic Lumix S1R

The Panasonic Lumix S1R is a hugely capable high-resolution camera. Photo credit: Michael Topham

At a glance

47.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor
ISO 50-51,200 (expanded)
9fps continuous shooting
5.76m dot EVF with 0.83x magnification
3.2in, 2.1-million dot triaxial tilt LCD touchscreen
around £1,400 / $1,849 second-hand

Originally released in 2019 for a list price of £3,400 / $3,600, the Panasonic Lumix S1R can these days be picked up on the second-hand market for around £1,400 (roughly equivalent $1,800). That’s a pretty significant four-figure saving on a camera that, in the grand scheme of things, really isn’t that old. And given that the L-mount lens range has spent the past four years steadily growing, the Lumix S1R has an advantage now that it did not have when it was new.

With a 45.7MP sensor, the Lumix S1R isn’t technically the highest-resolution camera on the block, but it’s still very much in the conversation – and that’s still a lot of pixels. Like many contemporary cameras, it also offers a super-high resolution composite mode, which uses the in-body image stabilisation system to craft images with a whopping 187MP resolution. Elsewhere you’ve got solid specs across the board, with 9fps continuous shooting and a respectable ISO range that retains decent image detail up to 12,800.

The image quality achieved by the Lumix S1R impressed us then, and impresses us now. It does without an anti-aliasing filter in order to maximise image sharpness. Dynamic range is generally excellent – we did a close inspection of RAW files in our review and the amount of recoverable detail in the deepest shadows of images was very good indeed.

The autofocus system on the Lumix S1R is Panasonic’s tried and tested contrast-based Depth from Defocus, which is generally fine – as long as you’re in good light. Start shooting in a gloomy setting with less than ideal conditions, and you can expect the focus system to start hunting, and the bright orange AF assist beam will draw the wrong kind of attention in the room.

The Lumix S1R produces vivid images with bags of detail (see our review linked below for full-res samples). Photo credit: Michael Topham

Bigger = better?

The Panasonic Lumix S1R is no one’s idea of a small camera. With the camera body already weighing a substantial 1,020g, if you connect a full-frame lens like the Lumix S Pro 50mm f/1.4 (weighing in at 955g), you’ll have your hands full. Why so large, Panasonic? Perhaps it was an overcorrection to the perceived inferiority of the Micro Four Thirds Lumix G cameras, however unjustified that perception may have been. Regardless, Panasonic did start to rein it in a little after that, and the Lumix S5 (which you’ll meet later on) and its successor the Lumix S5 II were a little less bulky.

Still, if you don’t mind a big-bodied camera, it does confer a few advantages. The Lumix S1R has space for lots of nice big buttons and dials, the top-plate houses a mini LCD display, and there’s room inside for a 3050mAh battery. Stick the S1R on power-saving LVF mode and it’s rated to for at least 1,100 shots. That’s much better than a lot of mirrorless contemporaries.

A beautiful view(finder)

It would be remiss of us not to mention one of the S1R’s most attractive features – its big, beautiful viewfinder. At the time of review, we described it as one of the most impressive we’d ever tested, and it’s still up there with the best. It was the world’s first 5.76-million-dot OLED EVF, with a 10.000:1 contrast ratio and practically non-existent lag time of 0.005secs. There’s also no viewfinder blackout after the first frame, helping with tracking tricky moving subjects, and the default magnification can be reduced to make things easier for users with glasses. It is simply a delight to use, and a top-notch addition to what was already a very impressive camera. If you don’t mind a big system, the Lumix S1R is an excellent second-hand choice.

Read our full Panasonic Lumix S1R review.

Canon EOS RP

On full test and review, the EOS RP left us impressed. Photo credit: Andy Westlake

At a glance

26.2MP full-frame dual-pixel CMOS sensor
ISO 50-102,400 (extended)
5 frames per second shooting
2.36m-dot EVF, 0.7x magnification
3-in, 1.04m-dot fully articulated touchscreen
around £1050 / around $1000

The EOS RP was Canon’s second full-frame mirrorless camera after the original EOS R and remains the entry-level offering in the firm’s line-up. Weighing in at less than 500g (body-only), it’s one of the most compact full-frame cameras available. At the time of its launch, Canon made a great play of the fact that it was smaller and lighter than the EOS 800D APS-C DSLR.

Shop around and you should be able to find one in good second-hand condition for around £850, representing a healthy £200 saving over its current new price. If you’re a Canon DSLR user interested in buying into full-frame mirrorless while using your existing lenses, it’s by far the most affordable option.

Canon built the RP around the same 26.2MP full-frame sensor as its EOS 6D Mark II DSLR, with the firm’s unique Dual Pixel AF enabling rapid and accurate autofocus across the entire image area. Its standard sensitivity range covers ISO 100-40,000, expandable to ISO 50-102,400, and the camera is capable of shooting at five frames per second. 4K/25p video recording is available, but with a significant 1.6x crop. Full HD is also available covering the full width of the frame.

You get a 2.36m-dot electronic viewfinder for composing your images, with a reasonable 0.7x magnification, which also provides an accurate preview of colour and exposure. It’s complemented by a fully articulated touchscreen that facilitates shooting at unusual angles in both landscape and portrait formats. Every aspect of the camera’s operation can be controlled by touch, which helps to make up for a relatively limited set of physical controls.

The EOS RP works nicely with EF-mount DSLR lenses. Canon EOS RP, EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, 1/160sec at f/11, ISO 100. Image: Andy Westlake

Lightweight RF lenses

When the EOS RP was originally launched, it didn’t seem to make much sense, as Canon only made one RF lens that matched its compact frame and price point. But since then, the firm has produced a set of optics that place it an entirely new light. Now, you can match it up with an array of lightweight and reasonably affordable RF lenses, including the 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM (£479), 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM (£699), 50mm F1.8 STM (£219) and 85mm F2 IS Macro STM (£649).

For those who’d like an all-in-one travel zoom, there’s also the 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM (£959); while for nature lovers Canon makes a pair of unusually small ultra-telephotos, the 600mm F11 IS STM (£859) and 800mm F11 IS STM (£1,100). With these lenses now available, the EOS RP becomes a much more interesting proposition, as the basis of a lightweight full-frame kit.

EF adaptor

Canon DSLR owners can continue to use all their existing EF-mount lenses with full functionality, including image stabilisation and autofocus, via the Mount Adaptor EF-EOS R (£119). This is such a popular approach that Canon has struggled to keep up with demand, with the adaptor’s availability being notoriously patchy; it’s often out of stock for months. However, cheaper alternatives are also available from the likes of Viltrox that appear to work perfectly well.

Read our Canon EOS RP review

Nikon Z 7

The Nikon Z 7 on test. Photo credit: Andy Westlake

At a glance

45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor
ISO 32-102,400 (extended)
9 frames per second shooting
3.69m-dot EVF, 08x magnification
2.1m-dot, 3.2in tilting touchscreen
£1,500-£1,700 / $1,800-2,000 second-hand

Nikon launched its full-frame mirrorless Z system with a pair of cameras that used the same body design but different sensors: the Z 6 and Z 7. The latter was the more sophisticated of the two, and these days it provides a relatively affordable route into high-resolution shooting.

Built around a 45.7MP full-frame back-illuminated sensor, the Z 7 is capable of delivering the same image quality as the D850 – arguably Nikon’s best-ever DSLR – in a much more portable package. But with five-axis in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) built in that works with every lens, it also allows photographers to gain the full benefit of all those pixels more easily when shooting hand-held.

Like the D850, the Z 7 is an impressive all-rounder, being capable of shooting at up to 9 frames per second at full resolution. On-chip phase detection supports 493 focus points arranged across 90% of the frame, and the standard ISO 64-25,600 range can be extended to ISO 32-102,400.

Nikon equipped the Z 7 with a superb electronic viewfinder that’s still one of the best you’ll find. It’s large and detailed, with 3.69m-dot resolution, 0.8x magnification, and a wonderfully clear live view feed that’s great for judging focus and depth-of-field. The LCD screen is a similarly excellent 3.2in unit and employs a dual-tilt design for high or low angle shooting, at least in landscape format.

The Z 7 delivers truly superb image quality. Nikon Z 7, 24-70mm f/4 at 41mm, 1.3secs at f/8, ISO 50. Image: Andy Westlake

Lens options

To make the most of the Z system’s compact size and weight, Nikon adopted a slightly different approach to building up its lens range compared to its F-mount DSLR line-up. Premium optics are given the ‘S’ designation, and include both f/2.8 and f/4 zooms, along with a set of fine f/1.8 primes ranging from 20mm to 85mm. There’s also a small but developing range of affordable non-S optics.

Existing Nikon DSLR owners can also use their F-mount lenses via Nikon’s FTZ or FTZ2 adapters (the main difference being that the latter does without a tripod foot). Autofocus is available with AF-S and AF-P lenses that have built-in focus motors, but older AF D-type lenses require focusing manually. But this is easy enough, thanks to the excellent viewfinder. Crucially, the in-body stabilisation works with every single lens and operates in tandem with those that include optical VR.

Media

Possibly the Z 7’s most controversial feature at launch was its reliance on a single card slot accepting XQD media, with no support for conventional SD cards. That’s been remedied in its successor with the addition of an SD slot, while a firmware update has added CFexpress Type B support to the Z 7. But chances are you’ll have to budget for a new memory card and reader, with both XQD and CFexpress being expensive; expect to pay at least £100 for a card.

Read our Nikon Z 7 review

Nikon Z 6

Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm f/4 lens. Photo credit: Michael Topham

At a glance

24.5MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor
ISO 50-204,800 extended
12 frames per second shooting
3.68m-dot OLED EVF
2.1m-dot tilting touchscreen LCD
Around £1,000 / $1,199 second hand

The all-rounder to the Z 7’s high-resolution specialist, the Nikon Z 6 is a speedy camera that can these days be picked up for around a flat £1,000 or $1,200 – around half the original ticket price. In our humble opinion, that’s a really good deal, and it’s a great entry point to the Z system if a second-hand Z 7 is a little beyond your means. Although it’s worth mentioning that this is not simply an inferior version of the Z 7, and actually nudges past it in certain specs, most notably its faster burst rate, which can go as high as 12fps.

Full-frame mirrorless cameras are often quite specialised, and we think the Z 6 is still one of the best general-purpose full-frame mirrorless cameras around. It goes toe to toe with the Sony A7 series in that respect, and it outstrips that camera on several levels, largely thanks to its superior build quality. It just feels like a better-made camera than the contemporaneous Sony A7 III, with better handling and ergonomics.

Impressive high-ISO performance

The fact that the Z 6 has fewer photosites crammed onto its full-frame sensor means that it can achieve better high-ISO performance compared to its sibling, the Z 7. It can take its ISO performance as high as 51,200 natively, and as high as 204,800 in the expanded settings. Granted, the top-end of ISO settings don’t tend to actually get used by many people for serious shooting, but a rising tide lifts all boats, and the Z 6’s ISO performance is accordingly very impressive throughout the range.

The sensor has a back-illuminated structure, which further improves the low-light performance. Also, in another breakaway from the Z 7, it has an optical low-pass filter to help deal with unwanted moiré patterning. Having 5-axis optical stabilisation is helpful in low light, too. It corrects not just for pitch and yaw, but also for rotation around the lens axis, which is a boon for shooting handheld video.

The card slot thing, again

Unfortunately, Nikon’s single-XQD-slot mistake was not confined to the Z 7, and the Z 6 has the same requirement for recording and storing media. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s definitely irritating, especially since the XQD card you’ll have to buy for it will likely never be used again the instant you upgrade to another camera. That’s really our only strike against this excellent full-frame mirrorless camera.

Read our Nikon Z 6 review.

Panasonic Lumix S5

Panasonic Lumix S5 – 24MP full-frame camera tested by our technical team. Photo credit: Michael Topham

At a glance

24.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor
ISO 50-204,800 (extended)
7 frames per second shooting
2.36m-dot EVF, 0.74x magnification
3in, 1.84m-dot fully articulated touchscreen
£1,050-£1,150 / $1,300-1,600 second-hand

Released towards the end of 2020, Panasonic’s mass-market full-frame mirrorless model is aimed at those who enjoy shooting moving images just as much as stills. It’s a nicely designed camera that manages to be smaller than the firm’s popular Micro Four Thirds GH5, despite having a sensor four times the size. It employs the L mount originally developed by Leica, which means it’s compatible with a good range of lenses from Panasonic, Leica and Sigma. It has since seen an upgrade in the form of the Panasonic Lumix S5 II, which should mean the price of this model comes down still further on the second-hand market.

Like many of its peers, the S5 is based on a 24MP full-frame sensor. It offers a standard ISO range of 100-51,200, expandable to 50-204,800, and is capable of shooting at 5 frames per second with continuous autofocus, or 7fps with focus fixed. In addition, 5-axis in-body stabilisation is built in to keep images sharp and video footage steady.

Below the 2.36m-dot EVF there’s a fully articulated screen, which represents a welcome advance over the tilt-only screens used by many of its competitors. Not only does it aid with shooting at high and low angles for both horizontal and vertical formats, but it can also face forwards for vlogging.

On that note, the S5 boasts impressive video credentials. It’s capable of recording in 4K at 60fps with 4:2:0 10-bit colour using an APS-C crop, or at 30fps with 4:2:2 10-bit colour from the full width of the sensor. There’s no time limit when recording 4K 30p/25p 4:2:0 8-bit internally, while 4K 60p 4:2:2 10-bit output is available via HDMI. Plenty of advanced video features are on hand, too, including V-log pre-installed, 4K HDR, and raw output over HDMI at 5.9K 50p.

Panasonic’s unique kit zoom offers an unusually wide view. Panasonic Lumix S5, 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 at 20mm, 1/10sec at f/5.6, ISO 2000. Image: Michael Topham

Photo friendly, too

While there’s certainly a perception that Panasonic is now focused mostly on video, the S5 offers an awful lot for stills photographers too. It handles very nicely, with all the key controls placed at your fingertips, and a huge amount of user-customisation is available. As a result, it’s a very enjoyable camera to use.

You get crisp, detailed images at low ISO settings, with file remaining perfectly usable up to ISO 12,800 at least. One particularly notable feature is the 96MP high-resolution multi-shot mode, which is unique on a full-frame camera at this price point. The in-camera processing is speedy and does a good job of detecting and suppressing blur when it detects slight movement in the scene.

Unique kit zoom

One of the most interesting aspects of Panasonic’s approach to the S5 is its unique kit zoom, the Lumix S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6. While its unusually wide view is undoubtedly aimed at vloggers recording themselves at arm’s length, it should also appeal to photographers shooting architecture and landscapes.

At £619.99, it’s much more affordable than adding a specialist wideangle zoom to your kit. Paired with the Lumix S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Macro OIS (£1259), it should also make an excellent lightweight travel kit. Panasonic also offers a range of small and relatively affordable f/1.8 primes.

Read our Panasonic Lumix S5 review

Sigma fp

You can see from our review shots how small the Sigma fp is. Photo credit: Andy Westlake

At a glance

24MP full-frame CMOS sensor
ISO 6-102,400 (extended)
18 frames per second shooting
Optional bolt-on EVF-11 viewfinder
3.1in, 2.1m-dot fixed touchscreen
£950-£1,050 / $1,000-1,100 second-hand

The Sigma fp is a camera unlike any other. By stripping out all but the bare essentials, the firm has made the smallest full-frame model currently available. What it’s ended up with is a long way off the mainstream and comes with some significant compromises. But nothing else can offer full-frame image quality and interchangeable lenses in such a portable package.

In essence, the Sigma fp is a rectangular box measuring 113 x 70 x 45.3mm that houses a 24MP full frame sensor, with an L mount at the front and fixed 3.2in touchscreen on the back. There’s no built-in viewfinder, no mechanical shutter, and not even a handgrip. But the design is modular, so you can bolt a handgrip on one side and the optional EVF-11 on the other, if you like. I’d certainly recommend the small HG-11 grip.

The fp offers a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600 that’s expandable to ISO 102,400 at the top end. But in one of several unique ideas, expanded low sensitivities down to ISO 6 are also available, using a multi-frame approach that adds together multiple ISO 100 exposures. This ideally needs a tripod and is prone to ghosting effects when moving subjects are in the frame, but when everything works out, you can get fantastic results.

With no mechanical shutter, exposure time is set entirely electronically. While there’s some risk of rolling shutter distortion with fast-moving subjects, for the most part this works fine, and much better than on the camera’s high-resolution sibling, the Sigma fp L. There’s no in-body stabilisation, though, and only a few L-mount lenses include optical stabilisation.

The Sigma fp is nicely complemented by the firm’s small i-series prime lenses. Sigma fp, 45mm f/2.8, 1/100sec at f/2.8 , ISO 400. Image: Andy Westlake

Little camera, big results

What you can’t argue about is the image quality that the fp can provide. With no optical low-pass filter, the sensor records plenty of detail, and at low ISO it’s possible to pull up three or four extra stops of detail from shadow regions without noise being a problem. When light levels drop, it’ll deliver eminently usable results up to ISO 12,800 at least.

Ultimately, the Sigma fp has an undeniable charm as a small camera that works nicely with compact lenses and is a lot of fun to shoot with. This makes it an intriguing alternative to its larger SLR-shaped rivals for those seeking full-frame quality in the smallest possible package.

Sigma i-series lenses

While you can use the fp with any L-mount lens, it’s arguably best suited for use with the firm’s compact i-series primes, which boast premium metal construction complete with analogue aperture rings. The 45mm f/2.8 is the perfect companion for everyday shooting, complemented by the 24mm f/3.5 wideangle and 90mm f/2.8 telephoto.

For those who prefer larger apertures, 24mm, 35mm and 65mm f/2 optics are also available. Meanwhile, if you can’t live without a zoom, Sigma makes the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN that’s considerably smaller and lighter than its 24-70mm sibling.

Read our Sigma fp review

Sony Alpha 7 II

The Sony A7 II can be picked up for a bargain price these days. Photo credit: Andy Westlake

At a glance

24MP full-frame CMOS sensor
ISO 50-25,600 (extended)
5 frames per second shooting
2.36m-dot EVF, 0.71x magnification
1.23m-dot tilting LCD
£600-£750 / $799-899 second-hand

Sony’s Alpha 7 range is the longest-running full-frame mirrorless line-up of all, which means that there’s a bewildering array of models available second-hand across a wide range of price points. The high-resolution A7R range is of particular interest to studio and landscape shooters, while the 12MP A7S models are prized by videographers. In between, the ‘basic’ Alpha 7 line represents all-rounders aimed at enthusiast photographers.

While the original Alpha 7 from 2013 has a certain charm to it, and can often be found used for under £500, we’ve chosen to highlight its successor that appeared just 13 months later. The Sony Alpha 7 II brought major improvements in handling, including improved control dials and a larger, more conventional handgrip, while also introducing 5-axis in-body image stabilisation to Sony’s mirrorless line-up.

It’s only recently been officially discontinued, and you can pick up used models in excellent condition for under £750 from reputable retailers. This is £600 less than its much-feted successor, the A7 III.

While its spec may look a little dated by modern standards, the A7 II still has plenty to offer. Its 24MP sensor offers excellent image quality at low ISO settings, with particularly impressive dynamic range, while providing a sensitivity range up to ISO 25,600. Continuous shooting runs at 5 frames per second and there are 117 autofocus points to choose from covering almost the entirety of the image area.

However, only the central region provides faster phase detection AF. The 2.36m-dot viewfinder is joined by a 3in screen that tilts up and down, but doesn’t offer touch functionality. Typically for its vintage, only Full HD video recording is available.

Vintage manual focus lenses can easily be used via mount adapters. Sony Alpha 7 II, Tamron 90mm f/2.5 Macro, 1/30sec at f/11, ISO 200. Image: Andy Westlake

Small and light

While the A7 II isn’t quite as lightweight as either its predecessor or the Canon EOS RP, mainly due the addition of IBIS, it’s still pretty petite in full-frame terms. It’s noticeably lighter than later models, too, although in part this is due to the small and rather underpowered NP-FW50 battery. I’d budget on acquiring a few spares; thankfully third-party options are cheap and easy to find.

Overall, the Sony A7 II brings a lot to the table for photographers at a very attractive price. It certainly has its foibles, but given its excellent raw image quality and compact size, they’re easily forgiven.

Any lens you like

Like all E-mount cameras, the A7 II can make use of a vast array of lenses. Not only is Sony’s FE range larger than rival line-ups, plenty of third-party options are also available, from small, affordable Samyang primes through to sublime offerings from Zeiss. In between, Sigma and Tamron both make excellent optics at competitive prices.

It’s even possible to get electronic adapters for Canon EF-mount lenses, although they don’t work as well as on Canon’s EOS R cameras. Last but not least, the A7 II is an excellent vehicle for shooting with vintage manual optics from old 35mm film cameras via mount adapters.

Read our Sony Alpha 7 II review

Retailers to have a look at to find full-frame mirrorless cameras:

You’ll find even more used kit bargains in our buying guides, or in our second-hand section.

The best second-hand full-frame camera bargains

Amy Davies — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 23:00:52 +0000

Buying second-hand / used is a great way to save on cameras. Here’s our guide to second-hand, full-frame camera bargains.

If you’ve always wanted to use a full-frame camera but have been put off by the price, then you’re in luck! In this guide, we reveal the best best used and second-hand full-frame camera bargains on the market. Whether you want a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, these are the models that will give you incredible value for money, and a pro-like experience for a fraction of the retail price.

New versions of cameras come out roughly every year or two, and the little secret that a lot of manufacturers don’t like to disclose is that cameras have been very, very good for some time now. Unless you’re a professional looking to shoot the next Olympic Games, you really don’t need the latest cutting-edge autofocus and resolution technology from the likes of the Nikon Z8 or Canon EOS R3.

But that also doesn’t mean you have to settle for a smaller-sensor cameras – simply choose a second-hand model, and use the same cameras professionals were buying four or five years ago. You may or may not have noticed, but they were still capturing fantastic images then, too!

Why use full-frame at all?

The larger sensor size carries a number of advantages, and has been popular with professionals and high-end enthusiasts ever since the arrival of the Canon EOS 5D in 2005. A large full-frame sensor can give you greater dynamic range as the individual photosites that make up the pixels are generally larger than those found in smaller sensors. This means cleaner images with less noise, even at high ISOs, which means better low-light performance.

Full-frame sensors are also better for creating shallow depth of field in images, which is perfect for portraits. For a complete run-down of the advantages (and disadvantages) of full-frame see our full guide to full-frame vs APS-C.

How to find the best second-hand full-frame camera bargains

Buying second-hand is a great way to save some cash, but it pays to do it right. Reputable second-hand dealers such as Park Cameras, Wex, Ffordes, LCE, CameraWorld, and MPB (or Adorama, B&H Photo Video, and MPB in the USA) will offer decent warranties on used gear, meaning that you’ve got some cover for any faults in the camera that may develop.

We’ve included both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras on this list – some people prefer the rugged build and optical viewfinders of DSLRs, while others like the lightweight agility and super-fast focusing of mirrorless.

If you go for a DSLR, make sure you check the shutter actuation count, which should be listed on the dealer’s website. We would recommend you think carefully before getting a pro body with more than 50,000 shutter actuations, or a non-pro body with more than 20,000. For that, the price had better be really good.

We’ve taken a hard look at the best DSLR and mirrorless second-hand full-frame bargains you can find right now. These are all cameras we reviewed on first release, and many of them we have also returned to since, so everything here is something we can fully recommend.

Second-hand full-frame DSLR camera bargains

Nikon D750

Nikon D750 DSLR, press image

At a glance:

Price around $750 / £560 (in excellent condition)
Sensor 24.3MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity ISO 100-12,800 (ISO 50-51,200 extended)
Continuous shooting 6.5fps
Video 1080p Full HD at 60fps
Rear display Tilting 3.2-inch/1.2m-dot LCD
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 100% coverage at 0.7x

Released towards the end of 2014, the Nikon D750 is a solidly built and highly customisable full-frame DSLR aimed at the enthusiast and semi-pro market. At the time of its launch a new D750 body would have set you back £1,800, a figure that has since fallen dramatically. It is now possible to pick-up a used camera body for roughly a third of that price, depending on its condition and shutter count.

So what do you get for your money? The D750 is built around a 24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor and a Nikon Expeed 4 image processor. While this chip isn’t as powerful as the Expeed 6 used in the D750’s successor – the more recent Nikon D780 – it’s nonetheless highly capable; facilitating a maximum continuous shooting speed of 6.5fps, a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-12,800, plus expanded settings up to the equivalent of ISO 51,200.

A sample image taken with the Nikon D750. Photo credit: Callum McInerney-Riley.

Movie capture, meanwhile, extends to a maximum of 1080p Full HD at 60fps with external microphone and headphone inputs provided for enhanced audio capture and real-time monitoring.

Autofocus through the D750’s optical viewfinder is taken care of via Nikon’s Multi-CAM 3500 II phase-detection module. This provides 51 individual AF points in the centre of the viewfinder. While coverage doesn’t extend to the boundaries of the frame, performance is nonetheless speedy and accurate with the 3D tracking mode exceptionally good at capturing moving subjects.

Switching to live view, the D750 employs on-sensor contrast-detect AF with coverage across the entire frame. Performance is again relatively speedy, although not quite as fast as many mirrorless cameras – or indeed those Canon DSLRs equipped with Dual Pixel AF technology.

Elsewhere, the D750 also comes equipped with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, twin SDXC (UHS-I) card slots, a 3-inch/1.2m-dot tilting rear LCD display and a large and bright pentaprism viewfinder that provides 100% coverage.

While it might be several years old now, image quality from the D750 remains nothing short of excellent. Indeed, while more modern Nikon DSLRs might provide greater speed and performance benefits, you’ll be hard pressed to see much difference in critical image quality at the same resolution. In addition to 12-bit and 14-bit uncompressed raw capture, the D750 provides a generous array of JPEG image processing tools and picture control modes that can be employed to get the look you want straight from camera.

You’ll also benefit from a wide-range of Nikon F-mount lenses.

Build quality

Regarding build quality, the D750 is fully weather-sealed and also benefits from magnesium alloy construction. This provides excellent protection from everyday knocks, while giving the camera a very professional feel in the hand. Buttons are well spaced and clearly labelled, and for anyone coming from another Nikon DSLR the layout should feel instantly familiar.

While the Nikon D750 might be starting to show its age a bit, especially when compared directly to the D780, it nonetheless remains an excellent DSLR for both enthusiasts looking to go full-frame on a budget, as well as seasoned pros looking for a solid backup body.

The release of the D780 also means that there should be good availability of Nikon D750s on the second-hand and used market as people upgrade. If you’re in the market for a second-hand full-frame DSLR that’s capable of fantastic image quality, with extensive customisation options and tank-like build quality, the Nikon D750 comes highly recommended and is well worth considering.

For more Nikon options, have a look at the best Nikon DSLRs.

Read our Nikon D750 Review

Cheapest full-frame DSLR: Canon EOS 5D

Canon EOS 5D DSLR

At a glance:

Price around $190 / £150 (in good/excellent condition)
Sensor 12.8MP CMOS full-frame
Sensitivity ISO 100-1600 (ISO 50-3200 extended)
Continuous shooting 3fps (17 frame raw buffer depth)
Video Not available
Rear display 2.5-inch, 230k-dot fixed LCD screen
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 96% coverage at 0.71x

Released in 2005, Canon’s original EOS 5D is credited as the first affordable full-frame DSLR to hit the market. While a brand new 5D body cost around $3,299 / £2,500 at the time of its launch, these days it’s possible to source a second-hand example in good condition for around 10x less or more!

Given its age, it is no surprise to find that many of the 5D’s core specs – such as its nine-point AF module and 2.5-inch/233k-dot LCD display – look out-of-date by modern DSLR standards. That said, the 5D’s 12.8MP sensor is still capable of great image quality in the right hands.

To get the most out of the camera, you’ll most likely need to shoot at lower ISO speeds, or be prepared to process the raw files yourself. But if you’ve got the time to do this, it’s likely you’ll benefit from the latest raw processing technology found in new photo editing software.

Another nice thing about the Canon EOS 5D is that you can pair it with a 50mm prime lens, which can be found for bargain prices!

Read our second-hand classic: Canon EOS 5D feature

Cheapest full-frame Nikon DSLR: Nikon D700

Nikon D700, AP image

At a glance:

Price around $350 / £300 (in good condition)
Sensor 12.1MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity ISO 200-6400 (ISO 100-25,600 extended)
Continuous shooting 5fps (8fps with MB-D10 battery pack)
Video Not available
Rear display 3-inch/921k-dot LCD
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 95% coverage at 0.72x

Released in 2008, the Nikon D700 was essentially Nikon’s answer to the phenomenally popular Canon EOS 5D. Built around the same 12.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor used in the then-flagship Nikon D3 DSLR, the D700 further benefits from a 51-point AF system, a pop-up flash that can be used as a commander off-camera Creative Lighting System, and weather-sealed magnesium alloy construction.

Two things to note are that the D700 doesn’t provide any video recording functionality, and only comes with a single CF-type card slot, which means it cannot take regular SD cards. Other than that, the D700 remains an exceptionally capable camera.

The Nikon D700 is rated as having a shutter-life of 150,000 actuations (or shots), so the smaller the shutter count on the camera you’re buying, the more potential it has for lasting longer. The camera has excellent build quality, and 1000 shot battery life making it a camera you can rely on. As with other old digital cameras, you’ll benefit from processing the raw files to get the best out of this camera, particularly if shooting at higher ISO speeds.

Read our second-hand classic: Nikon D700 feature

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

AP’s Michael Topham in action with an 85mm f/1.4 coupled to his Canon EOS 5D Mark III

At a glance:

Price around $700 / £480 (in excellent/good condition)
Sensor 22.3MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity 100-25,600 (ISO 50-102,800 extended)
Continuous shooting 6fps
Video 1080p Full HD at 60fps
Rear display 3.2-inch/1.040m-dots
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 100% coverage at 0.71x

At the time of its release in 2012 a brand new 5D Mark III body sold for around $3,499 / £2,250 (body only). However, it’s now possible to find second-hand bodies in excellent condition with under 40K shutter actuations for around $750.

Built around a 22.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor and Canon’s DIGIC 5+ image processor, the 5D Mark III is a highly versatile DSLR that provides an advanced feature set and plenty of customisation options. The camera gives impressive noise performance, with a vastly improved ISO range compared to the first 5D.

There are a wide range of Canon EF-mount lenses available, with budget options, all the way up to premium tilt-shift lenses. Canon’s L-series lenses are amongst some of the best Canon EF-mount lenses.

While Canon’s ground-breaking Dual Pixel AF technology wasn’t introduced to the 5D range until the 5D Mark IV, the 5D Mark III nonetheless inherits a range of high-end specs from the EOS-1D X, including a 61-point AF system, alongside customisable tracking options.

For more options have a look at the best Canon DSLRs.

Read our Canon EOS 5D Mark III Review

Pentax K-1

Pentax K-1, full-frame Pentax DSLR, AP image

At a glance:

Price around $1,100 / £680 (in excellent condition)
Sensor 36.4MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity ISO 100-204,800
Continuous shooting 4.4fps
Video 1080p Full HD at 30fps
Rear display Tilting 3.2-inch/1.037m-dots
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 100% coverage at 0.7x

Released back in 2016, the Pentax K-1 is a professional-grade, full-frame DSLR that’s built around a 36.4MP CMOS sensor. While the K-1’s low-pass filter has been removed for additional sharpness, the camera is equipped with an anti-aliasing filter simulator to guard against the unsightly effects of moiré.

Elsewhere the K-1 also benefits from Pentax’s Pixel Shift technology that’s designed to improve the resolving power of the sensor, along with built-in Shake Reduction image stabilisation technology.

Launched with a body-only price of $1,799 / £1,999 in 2016 it’s now possible to pick up a second-hand K-1 body for roughly half that price depending on its general condition and shutter count. It’s also worth looking on eBay.

Have a look at lens options in our guide to the best Pentax K-mount lenses.

Read our Pentax K-1 Review

Best high-resolution full-frame DSLR: Canon EOS 5DS R

Canon EOS 5DS R, AP Image

At a glance:

Price around $1,200 / £1,200 (in excellent/good condition)
Sensor 50.6MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity ISO 100-6400 (ISO 50-12,800 expanded)
Continuous shooting 5fps
Video 1080p Full HD at 30fps
Rear display 3.2-inch/1.04m-dots
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 0.71x magnification

The Canon EOS 5DS R is among the most expensive of our full-frame bargains picks, but when you consider that it launched with an RRP of $3,899 / £3,200, that second-hand price of almost 3x less starts to look quite tasty.

Launched as a pair with the Canon EOS 5DS in 2015, the EOS 5DS R represented a new frontier of DSLR resolution, boasting a sensor with a whopping 50.6MP at its disposal. That’s still at the upper-end of full-frame resolutions today, and makes the EOS 5DS R a seriously tempting prospect for landscape photography.

Constructed to meet the needs of professional photographers, the Canon EOS 5DS R is built like a tank. It’s designed in every way to make the most of all that detail, with a spring-less mirror assembly that minimises vibrations (which really do matter at 50MP), a reinforced tripod mount, and a USB 3.0 connection for fast image transfer. For high-resolution photography, this is one of the savviest, smartest second-hand buys you can make.

As mentioned, the EOS 5DS R was launched in a pair with the EOS 5DS. The main difference between the two is that the EOS 5DS R cancels out the effect of its low-pass cancellation filter, enabling higher resolution at the cost of a slightly increased risk of moiré patterning occurring in images. If you see the EOS 5DS for a good price, it’s also well worth snapping up.

Read our Canon EOS 5DS R review

Second-hand full-frame mirrorless camera bargains

Sony Alpha A7R

Sony Alpha 7R, AP image

At a glance:

Price around $579 / £540 (in excellent/good condition)
Sensor 36.4MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity ISO 50-25,600
Continuous shooting 4fps
Video 1080p Full HD at 60fps
Rear display Tiltable, 3-inch, 921k-dot LCD
Viewfinder 2.35m-dot EVF

In much the same way that the original Canon 5D brought full-frame DSLR technology into the realm of relative affordability, the Sony A7 and A7R performed much the same feat for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Indeed, at the time of their release in 2013, the only similarly small full-frame option on the market was the Leica M9, which, at nearly $5000/£5000, was almost triple the price of the A7R body-only launch price.

Fast-forward ten years and the A7 series is now in its fifth generation, with the latest A7R V model sporting a 61MP back-illuminated full-frame sensor, albeit at a cost of nearly $4000 body-only.

For those looking to reap the benefits of Sony’s A7 series without breaking the bank, the original A7R can now be picked up very cheaply second-hand. This might require some patience in order to secure a good example as the first-generation A7R doesn’t appear in the second-hand market as often as many more recent models.

While the 24.3MP A7 was positioned as an enthusiast-grade all-rounder, the A7R comes equipped with a 36.4MP sensor, marking it out as an ideal choice for those prioritising resolution. In keeping with this, the A7R does without a low-pass filter in order to enhance the resolution of fine detail. The A7R’s 36.4MP full-frame CMOS sensor is paired with a Sony BIONZ X image processor that facilitates a sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600 (expandable to ISO 50) and a maximum continuous shooting speed of 4fps.

Unlike the standard A7 with its hybrid (phase and contrast detect) AF module, the A7R’s 25-point AF system employs only contrast detect technology to ascertain focus. As a result, it’s a little slower than its A7 sibling. That said, the A7R isn’t really designed to be an action or sports camera and all but the most demanding users should find its AF performance perfectly speedy in all but the dimmest of conditions, where most other cameras that rely solely on contrast-detect tend to struggle too.

While the ability to record 4K movies wasn’t introduced until the A7R Mark II, the A7R does provide 1080p Full HD video capture at up to 60fps and also sports microphone and headphone jacks on the side.

Build quality

Constructed from magnesium alloy, the A7R feels solidly built in the hand and is designed to be resistant to dust and moisture. That said, its plastic port covers at the side are a bit flimsy and have since been improved on the A7R IV.

Image quality from the A7R remains very good even by today’s standards, especially when the camera is used at lower sensitivity settings. While some noise does begin to creep into images at ISO 800, the camera generally does a very good job of keeping the unwanted side-effects of noise at bay.

Dynamic range, while not quite on a par with the A7, is also impressive given the camera’s high-resolution sensor, while automatic white balance can be relied upon to deliver consistently true-to-life colour. It offers extremely good image quality for the price, and there is a wide-range of Sony E-mount lenses available.

Read our Sony Alpha 7R Review

Cheapest full-frame mirrorless camera: Sony Alpha A7

Sony Alpha A7, the original full-frame mirrorless camera from Sony.

At a glance:

Price $500 / £414 (in excellent condition)
Sensor 24.3MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity ISO 100-25,600 (ISO 50 expanded)
Continuous shooting 5fps
Video 1080p Full HD at 60fps
Rear display 3in/1.22m-dot LCD
Viewfinder 2.4m-dot EVF

Sony has long offered three distinct models within its Alpha 7 range, each of which caters to a slightly different target audience. Whereas A7R models are designed for maximum resolution and A7S models prioritise video and low-light shooting performance, the regular A7 has always been about providing an all-round package.

Released in 2013, alongside the A7R that we’ve already covered within this round-up, the A7 was notable for being the first affordable full-frame mirrorless camera to hit the market.

The good news is that used Sony A7 cameras can easily be picked up for under $500 / £500 these days, although you may need to shop around as stock levels have dropped. While subsequent models in the A7 range have undoubtedly added useful new features and come equipped with more up-to-date hardware, the A7 remains an extremely capable camera, and the cheapest full-frame Sony.

Built around a 24.3MP full-frame sensor and Sony’s BIONZ X processor, the A7 further benefits from hybrid AF technology that combines 117 on-sensor phase-detection pixels with a further 25 contrast-detect points for frame-wide coverage.

Worth noting is that the Sony A7 II and Sony A7R II introduced 5-axis in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), as well as improved handling, so this is something to be aware of, particularly if you have the budget to spend a bit more.

Read our Sony Alpha 7 Review

Canon EOS RP

Canon EOS RP, photo Andy Westlake / AP

At a glance:

Price $714 / £714 (in excellent condition)
Sensor 26.2MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity ISO 100-40,000 (ISO 50-102,400 extended)
Continuous shooting 5fps
Video 4K at 25fps
Rear display Vari-angle 3-inch/1.04m-dot LCD touchscreen
Viewfinder 2.36m-dot EVF

The Canon RP is an entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera that’s designed to appeal to those looking to go full-frame on a budget. Released in 2019 with a body-only price of $1300 / £1,400, used RP bodies can now be picked up for almost half this in ‘excellent’ condition.

For the money, you get a super compact full-frame camera that’s actually lighter than Canon’s 800D APS-C DSLR. While controls and features have been stripped back in order to increase the RP’s appeal to novice users, the camera does come with Canon’s Dual Pixel AF technology and 4K video recording abilities – albeit at a rather limiting 25fps.

Designed to be used with RF-mount mirrorless lenses, the RP was sold with an EF lens mount adapter in the box.

Read our Canon EOS RP Review

Best second-hand full-frame camera with IBIS: Sony Alpha A7 II

Sony Alpha A7 II

At a glance:

Price $624 / £614 (in excellent condition)
Sensor 24.3MP full-frame CMOS
Sensitivity ISO 100-25,600 (ISO 50-102,400 extended)
Continuous shooting 5fps
Video 1080p Full HD at 50fps
Rear display Fixed 3-inch/1.23m- dot LCD
Viewfinder 2.36M dot OLED

Seven years old but still a strong contender, this was the first full-frame mirrorless camera to feature 5-axis in-body image stabilisation – something that quickly became a must-have feature in mirrorless cameras. It also inherits the excellent OLED electronic viewfinder from the Alpha 7 and a redesigned handgrip and control layout enhances operation and handling.

The biggest drawbacks are the relatively loud shutter and the fiddly rear control wheel – so it’s maybe not the best choice if you photograph shy wildlife or go in for candid street photography. Otherwise, the the A7 II is a very solid performer, and benefits from the wide-range of Sony E-mount lenses.

Read our Sony Alpha 7 II Review

Want more choice? Check out our general guide to the best second-hand cameras, which includes APS-C models as well as full-frame, and we have a guide to how to build a complete second-hand system for under $1,000/£1,000. We also have some tips on how to get the best prices for used cameras and lenses.

Disclaimer: the prices and retailers of all the cameras mentioned in this article were chosen based on those who had stocks of the specific cameras at the exact time of writing this article. The availability of stocks and exactly who has certain cameras available will vary over time, so please don’t forget to check all the latest stockists and prices before making any camera purchase.

Vote for your favourite kit in the MPB Hall of Fame

Geoff Harris — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:39:06 +0000

Leading used camera and lens retailer, MPB, has announced the 2023 leg of its longstanding Photo and Video Kit Hall of Fame – where you can vote for your all-time favourite mirrorless camera, DSLR, lenses, drones, video equipment and more.

It’s the fourth annual Hall of Fame organised by MPB, which is now the world’s largest online platform for used kit.

Over the past three years, photographers from around the world have cast hundreds of thousands of votes. In addition, everyone who votes gets entered into a prize draw to win a used Sony A7 III from MPB, worth £1,200.

‘Our purpose is to open up the world of visual storytelling in a way that’s good for people and the planet,’ said MPB founder and CEO, Matt Barker. ‘It’s a unique opportunity for photographers and videographers around the world to make their mark in choosing which kit will go down in history.

We’re thrilled to be providing a Sony A7 III to a lucky voter, so I would encourage people to get voting now. I can’t wait to see which kit comes out on top!’

MPB Photo and Video Kit Hall of Fame categories

This year’s categories and nominees are as follows, with links to our original reviews, buyers guides and insights from professional users. The category descriptions are from MPB.

Classic: ‘the gold standard of photo and video kit, Classics have stood the test of time for pros and amateurs alike.’

Game Changer: ‘Game Changers disrupted the fields of photography and videography by ushering in new technology, expanding product capabilities or making quality more accessible.’

Trendsetter: ‘leading the way we look at photography and videography, Trendsetters are beloved for their style as well as the way they shoot.’

Iconic: ‘the crème de la crème of photo and video kit, Iconic cameras and lenses are the ones you idolise.’

Roadtested: ‘the workhorses of kit, Road Tested nominees are the tried-and-true gear you reach for when you absolutely have to get the shot.’

The 25 nominees were put together by a panel of industry experts, including regular AP contributor, Angela Nicholson, founder of SheClicks. Voting is free, and is open to anyone aged 18 and resident in the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) only.

The closing date for your votes is 4:59 PM on 4 August 2023 (see here for full terms and conditions). You can cast your vote here.

MPB will announce the five Inductees on World Photography Day, Saturday 19th August 2023. The competition winners will be announced shortly thereafter.

Further reading
Best Canon DSLR
Best Canon mirrorless cameras
Best Nikon DSLR
Best Nikon mirrorless cameras
Best Sony cameras
Best Fujifilm cameras
Best Olympus cameras

The post Vote for your favourite kit in the MPB Hall of Fame appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

The best vintage lenses to get the retro look

Tracy Calder — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 08:00:12 +0000

Push your creativity to the limit with a vintage lens. Tracy Calder speaks with three photographers who have embraced and mastered the vintage look by using vintage lenses on modern cameras, plus we give some recommendations for the best vintage lenses.

Top five of the best vintage lenses to try

Mathieu Stern (otherwise known as the weird lens guru) has a wealth of knowledge about rare and vintage lenses and he shares his wisdom via The Weird Lens Museum at www.mathieustern.com. Here are five excellent optics from his cabinet of curiosities.

Jupiter 11 135mm f/4

Jupiter 11 135mm f/4 – Image Mathieu Stern

It looks like a rocket ship, but the Jupiter 11 135mm f/4 is certainly not a novelty lens – it offers amazing image quality, super sharpness and lovely warm colours. It’s also a great lens for video because the aperture ring doesn’t make a clicking sound.

Helios 40 85mm f/1.5

Helios 40 85mm f/1.5 – Image Mathieu Stern

Mathieu describes the Helios 40 85mm f/1.5 as the ‘legendary swirly bokeh king’ and it’s easy to see why. When used wide open this lens will create a swirly effect around your subject that will give your images an attractive dreamlike quality. It’s a great lens for portraits.

Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 SSC

Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 SSC – Image Mathieu Stern

The contrast and colours produced by the FD series are a big draw, but the Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 SSC deserves a special mention. You’ll get some spectacular flare when shooting towards the sun with this lens, but the results can be pleasingly cinematic.

Minolta 50mm f/1.4

Minolta 50mm f/1.4 – Image Mathieu Stern

The Minolta 50mm f/1.4 is a cinematic lens, which makes it easy for you to isolate your main subject from the background. It has been described as ‘Minolta’s sharpest prime lens’ and doesn’t disappoint on that front. Its resolution and contrast are exceptional and the bokeh is beautiful.

Pentax Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4

Pentax Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 – Image Mathieu Stern

You’ll find several versions of the Pentax Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 on the market (some of which are radioactive due to the thorium glass used in their construction). It’s a fast, high-quality lens with sharpness maintained well throughout the aperture range.

Read on to see the amazing photographs these and other vintage lenses can make:

How to use a vintage lens for beautiful photographs

Photographer Annemarie Farley

Over the years Annemarie has won numerous awards and regularly appears as a judge and mentor for the British Institute of Professional Photography. Annemarie recently started experimenting with cyanotypes on glass (see Instagram: @cyan_on_glass). www.flowerfoto.com and @flowerfotofineart.

There is something magical about the bokeh that vintage lenses produce. Many people don’t notice the background of an image, but to me it’s just as important as the foreground. Anamorphic vintage lenses create oval bokeh. It’s a subtle effect but it gives a cinematic feel with a sinister undertone. The Helios 44M 58mm produces swirly bokeh, leading to fantastical, ethereal images.

Trioplan and Pentacon lenses add a soap bubble effect, which brings a playful look. Each lens has a different personality, and each lens has its own ‘flaws’. When the light hits the optics to create an image it produces blur and flare that changes the intensity of the colour and tone.

Green Echinacea Green Jewel. Nikon D800E, Helios 40 85mm f/1.5 (modified front element reversed), 1/500sec at f/2.9, ISO 125

I started using vintage lenses about three years ago after reading an article about creative bokeh. My first purchase was a Helios 44M 58mm from eBay (the Oxfam shop online is also a great place to buy rare and unusual lenses). I was already a fan of the Lensbaby range due to the dream-like effects they produce, but after seeing the swirly bokeh of the Helios I just had to have one! Since then, vintage lenses have become quite an obsession and I now have a sizeable collection.

My Helios 44M is the one I use most often, but I actually have three Helios lenses. I have a 44M 58mm in original condition and a 44mm and 85mm, both of which I have modified by reversing the front glass element. By doing this, I get an impressionistic swirl that generates depth and distortion – it’s a painterly effect. My anamorphic lens (a Sankor 16C) stretches the image and delivers an oval-shape bokeh that makes everything look strange and confusing. My Trioplan 50mm has soap bubble bokeh that is sharp and playful.

I also have a Pentacon 105mm that produces soap-like bokeh, but it’s a bit softer than the Trioplan. Others in my collection include a Jupiter 11 135mm, Industar-69 28mm and Dallmeyer 12 inch f/6 Popular Telephoto. My favourite camera/lens combination is a modified Helios with my Nikon D800E (although the Helios also works well on my Fujifilm X-T2.)

Serruria Blushing Bride. Nikon D800E, Meyer-optic Gorlitz 50mm with 10mm extension tube, 1/160sec at f/2.9, ISO 50

If you’re looking to buy a vintage lens, do your research – lots of advice is available via vintage lens groups on Facebook (I run a group called Modified Camera Lenses), but in short you want a lens with minimal (or preferably no) scratching and fungus. If you’re buying online don’t be afraid to ask to see more pictures of the lens or ask for details of where it might have been stored.

Mounting a vintage lens to your camera is simple, with the help of an adapter you can use them on countless brands and bodies. Be aware, though, that some lenses don’t work on full-frame cameras. Adapters are relatively cheap, but if you decide to mount a projection lens on your camera you might need a focusing helicoid adapter – this is a metal lens-like device that has no glass inside and extends to two or three times its own length.

Ribes Sanguineum. Nikon D800E, Helios 44M f/2 58mm (modified front element reversed) with 16mm extension tube, 1/200sec at f/2, ISO 100

When you shoot with vintage lenses you need to focus manually, which can be challenging. What’s more, if you modify lenses like I do, you need to throw everything you know about focusing out of the window! To get the best bokeh you have to set the lens to a wide aperture. Throw an inverted lens into the mix and you soon learn that the only focus spot is in the centre of the lens.

To get around this take two shots: one with the lens at f/2 and one at f/8 or f/12 and combine them later. It would be easy to say vintage lenses would be better if they had autofocus and the aperture could be controlled via the camera, but it’s all part of their charm. If your camera offers focus peaking and focus magnification, this is a massive help as it gives you a better idea of what to focus on.

Vintage lenses are fantastic at communicating a feeling, atmosphere or emotion. They have flaws and quirky focusing and they create flare that most photographers would freak out about – but that’s what I like. I don’t want perfectly sharp images; I want to create something more. Vintage lenses help with this as they tap into my imagination.

Weird Lens Guru Mathieu Stern

Mathieu Stern is a professional photographer and filmmaker. His passion for experimenting with vintage lenses has resulted in the nickname ‘weird lens guru’ on the internet. He hosts a YouTube channel and is a photography and Photoshop teacher in three Parisian design schools. www.mathieustern.com, Instagram: @mathieustern, YouTube: Mathieu Stern.

There’s something unique about most lenses made before 1900. Swirly bokeh, crazy colours and flare all add a charm to your images that modern lenses lack in their bid to produce a clinical, perfect image. The first vintage lens I owned was the one my father gave me with his 35mm camera. It was a 50mm f/2.8 from an unknown brand. Now, of course, I know it was a pretty bad lens, but it was my first step towards discovering something magical.

The result of experimenting with digital medium format and projector lenses. Sony A7III, Kipronar 105mm f1.9, 1/300sec at f/1.9, ISO 400

At the last count I had more than 200 vintage and experimental lenses, so it’s hard to say which are my favourites. I do, however, have certain brands and lenses that I like more than others: Konica, Canon FD, Minolta and Pentax Takumar are all on this list. Most of my lenses come from eBay, yard sales or recommendations from family and friends, but now that I’ve got a large YouTube following I also get sent lenses to review.

If you’re in the market for a vintage or experimental lens be aware that fungus can be cleaned, dirt and grease can be removed, but scratches or a bent helicoid are much bigger problems and would be a big no-no for me. On the plus side, I’ve bought many lenses showing signs of fungus for a fraction of the price and cleaned them up in less than ten minutes.

Playing with a modified vintage lens to create explosive bokeh. Sony A7II, Mir 1B 37mm f2.8, 1/50sec at f/2.8, ISO 1000

I shoot all of my experiments for YouTube on a Sony A7 III and A7 II. I have almost every adapter ever made for the Sony E-mount, which means that I can attach almost any lens from any era to one of my cameras. If you like a brand, it’s a good idea to have a full set of lenses from the same era – that way you can maintain the same quality across all of your images.

I’ve tried many unusual bits of kit over the years – I own lenses designed for X-ray machines and medical cameras, for instance, but one of the most unusual lenses I’ve tested was designed to be installed on a camera on board a space shuttle!

When it comes to buying adapters, avoid super-cheap ones – these can break quickly and even damage the sensor on your camera. A fair price for an adapter would be around the £20 mark. Before attaching a vintage lens to your camera be aware of any potential weight issues – a very heavy or long lens can damage the mount on your digital camera, so in this instance it’s a good idea to use a lens collar and tripod.

A vintage-looking portrait created with trial and error Sony A7II, Canon FD 85mm f/1.8, 1/100sec at f/1.8, ISO 100

Some people worry that there might be a steep learning curve when using vintage lenses, but like any lens they are made of metal and glass – there is nothing magical or extra-difficult to understand. If you know how to focus manually then you can use a vintage lens! Having said that, using a camera with focus peaking is very important and image stabilisation is also good when you’re shooting videos with vintage lenses.

I like to shoot portraits, but you can shoot pretty much anything with a vintage lens – there are plenty of focal lengths to choose from. One of the greatest challenges is finding vintage and experimental lenses at a fair price: I started collecting when no one really cared about them and I was picking them up for less than £10, but they are now becoming more expensive.

Experiment with digital processes to create a wet plate look Sony A7II, Canon FD 85mm f/1.8, 1/100sec at f/2, ISO 100

I don’t own any modern lenses and I don’t feel like I’m missing out. Vintage lenses encourage me to be more experimental – I love the way they bend light, create crazy bokeh and produce truly unique images.

Videographer and Filmmaker Marc Sirisi

Marc Sirisi is a videographer/filmmaker for RV Films – a film production company based in Barcelona, which he set up with a colleague. Marc loves to experiment and has been using vintage lenses since the beginning of his journey with photography and now shoots commercial projects with them. Visit www.rvfilms.cat and Instagram: @marcsirisi.

It’s hard to describe what I like about vintage lenses, but when I shoot with them I get the feeling that the pictures will be special in some way. Each lens offers something different: sometimes it’s unusual bokeh, sometimes it’s interesting colour tones, flare or contrast. Basically, it’s the joy of imperfection. As a portrait photographer, I feel that vintage lenses play a significant role in capturing the essence of a person. There is also a certain romance when you consider that you’re using a lens that is 30 years old or more and will have captured many moments and experiences over the years.

My passion for photography only began a few years ago, but I was instantly drawn to the retro/film look – especially the bokeh. I was so used to seeing digital images that when I first saw the swirly bokeh and low contrast created by the Helios 44M 58mm it shocked me!
I knew I had to have one.

The original picture was zoomed about 90% and cropped Fujifilm GFX 50 R, Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 L, 1/1000sec at f/1.2, ISO 200

The Helios was my first vintage lens. I now have eight more:

Minolta MD Rokkor 45mm – lots of contrast and nervous bokeh
Minolta MC Rokkor 55mm – very sharp, even wide open
Minolta MC Rokkor-PG 58mm – optically very good with an almost creamy bokeh
Minolta MC Tele Rokkor 135mm – sharp with good contrast
Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 SSC – this was given to me by a relative and I think it has some haze inside because the final image is too soft so I’m saving it for a possible future project
Canon FD 50mm – without haze! I like the contrast and colours of the FD series
Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 L – my favourite
Leica Macro Elmarit 60mm f/2.8 – which I bought a few days ago

The Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 L is attached to my camera most of the time – I love the IQ, sharpness, bokeh, colours, contrast and tones. My favourite combination of camera and lens is the Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 L with a Fujifilm GFX 50R.

I love the IQ, sharpness, bokeh, colours, contrast and tones achieved with this lens. Fujifilm GFX 50 R, Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 L, 1/250sec at f/2, ISO 160

I buy most of my vintage lenses online from sites such as eBay and Wallapop. I like eBay because it’s reliable and you can find some rare lenses for sale. I like Wallapop because you can meet the owner and test the lens. Where possible, I like to visit flea markets to get some good deals. When you’re buying a vintage lens, check that the aperture blades work properly and look for fungus, haze and scratches, as well as checking the overall body condition.

Some old lenses are known to contain radioactive components, but I don’t have any of those. I have heard some people say the level of radioactivity is so small that it doesn’t pose a problem, and others who sound very alarmed by it. When you’re buying an adapter read the reviews and make sure that it’s compatible with your camera. I bought a cheap adapter a while ago and I had to keep tightening the screws – one day the lens almost fell on the floor.

For me, vintage lenses play a significant role in capturing the essence of a person. Fujifilm GFX 50 R, Minolta MC Rokkor-PG 58mm f/1.2, 1/125sec at f/2, ISO 100

If you’re not used to shooting in manual, then using a vintage lens can be a challenge to start with. You have to accept (and embrace) imperfections. Vintage lenses encourage you to explore and when I shoot I’m not looking for a perfect image; my goal is to create a shot that gets the viewer’s attention and expresses an emotion.

Further reading

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If I had $1000/£1000 I’d buy these DSLRs

Geoff Harris — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 15:51:34 +0000

While buying a new or used DSLR might make you feel behind the curve these days – a bit like boasting to your streaming-loving friends that you’ve just bought some new Hi-Fi or a DVD player – there is still a lot to like about mirrored cameras.

To summarise: bright clear optical viewfinders, decent battery life, sturdy build, simpler menus, and, of course, a huge range of legacy lenses. With mirrorless cameras all the rage, you can pick up some great DSLR buys at the moment.

Earning my crust as a photography scribe means I don’t have a lot of spare cash to throw around, sadly, but imagine the lottery gods or a tax rebate suddenly blessed me with a $1000 / £1000 windfall. What DSLR would I buy with this magic grand burning a hole in my back pocket – and why?

Canon 5D Mark III

22MP full frame DSLR with 61 point AF system and 6fps continuous shooting
Typical used price: $600 / £400 (good condition)

While the resolution is largely unchanged in the 5D Mark III compared to the 5D Mark II, the sensor’s low-light performance is noticeably better. For the money, the AF performance is still impressive and there is a huge choice of Canon EF lenses. Video options are limited to Full HD however, but that won’t be a major nuisance for many. I could put the change from my grand towards a quality lens, too.

See our original review here.

Nikon D750

24.3MP full frame DSLR with 51 point AF system and 6.5 fps continuous shooting
Typical used price: $700 / £650 (excellent condition)

Never write off this 2014 camera as a mirrored Methusalah. The D750 served me well as a wedding photographer and stood up stoutly to the demands of the job. The 24.3MP sensor delivers plenty of resolution without the storage demands of the D850, and it won’t show every tiny flaw in your focussing.

The Nikon D750 does show its age in terms of ISO performance, but the AF performance is still solid – also, in live view the contrast detection AF does a good job of finding focus reasonably quickly.

The camera is well designed, fits well in the hand, has built-in WiFi and the full HD video features might still be all you need. A winner, and again, there is a massive choice of lenses.

See our original review here.

Canon EOS 90D

32.5MP APS-C DSLR with 45 point AF system and 11fps continuous shooting
Typical price: $1,119 / £1040 (new), $880 / £930 used (like new)

Yes it’s not full-frame, but this would be another strong contender for my money, offering plenty of resolution and excellent metering. Although dated by today’s standards, the AF is reasonably fast and reliable, too.

The fast burst rate makes the EOS 90D well suited to wildlife and action photography, and you can shoot uncropped 4k video. Pay a bit more than a grand and you can get the EOS 90D brand new.

See our original review here

Nikon D7500

20.9MP APS-C DSLR with 51 point AF system and 8fps continuous shooting
Typical price: $995 / £1050 (new), $850 / £720 (excellent condition)

Another strong APS-C contender, the D7500 still delivers punchy and vibrant images despite its relatively low resolution. ISO performance is strong – you can push it to 6400 before noise becomes an issue – and you can record 4k video, with electronic image stabilisation when switching to Full HD. Viewfinder focus is fast and effective in low light, too.

See our original review here.

Pentax K-1

36.4MP full-frame DSLR with 33 point AF system and 4.4fps continuous shooting
Typical used price: $950 / £880 (excellent condition)

Despite coming out in 2016, the K-1 still has lot of appeal for fans of old-school DSLRs. I’m talking about a 36-million-pixel full frame sensor, with built-in 5-axis image stabilisation to help keep pictures sharp. Even better, this stabilisation works with a huge range of K-mount lenses made since 1975, which is a major selling point.

Yes, the AF is as you’d expect from a 2016 camera and won’t keep up with modern devices, but it still copes well with non-extreme types of photography, and yes, the video is only Full HD, but these are certainly not deal-breakers – this Pentax will give me a lot of bang for my 1000 bucks. The K-1 is weather-sealed too, with sturdy build quality, so ideal for my travels.

Further reading
The best Canon DSLR
The best Nikon DSLR
The best cheap full-frame cameras
The best used DSLR lenses
Here’s why the DSLR will always be in demand

The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk

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Fujifilm X100F Field Test

Nigel Atherton — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:09:49 +0000

AP Editor Nigel Atherton recently took a second-hand Fujifilm X100F on holiday. As he explains, it’s suddenly become a sought-after camera, but beyond the social media hype, how well does it work for travel photography?

Ever heard of Kylie Katich? I’m going to guess that’s a no. She’s a young American mother based in Utah, and a content creator on TikTok with 654,000 followers and 47.7 million likes for her short videos that cover everything from domestic life and parenting to photography.

Until last November I had never heard of her either. But then I decided to get a Fujifilm X100V to take on my holiday to South Africa, and was shocked to discover that the line had become the focus of a buying frenzy. It seemed virtually impossible to find one anywhere, unless I was prepared to pay silly money. For example, I saw a used X100V on Amazon for about $2,800 / £2,300, but that’s easily a grand more than it cost brand new when it was released in 2020.

If you can’t find the X100V or X100F have a look at these Fujifilm X100 alternatives!

Colourful houses in the Bo’Kaap district of Cape Town: 1/1000sec at f/8, ISO 200

So what does this have to do with Ms Katich? Well this sudden surge in demand can apparently be traced back to her, and a series of videos she did on TikTok a few months back about her X100V, where she talked about how it looks like a really cool film camera but produces fantastic-looking JPEGs which you can ping to your phone and share with the world in seconds.

Fellow content creators went crazy. Those who couldn’t afford the X100V went back a generation or two till they found a model they could afford, and the prices of all models skyrocketed to the point where you’d need a grand even for the original X100 – which let’s not forget is a 12MP camera that came out in 2010. Prices for the series have now returned to a more realistic level, but still high, because social media is now full of influencers extolling the virtues of the X100V, and Fujifilm is unable to keep up with the demand for new ones.

Public art work at V&A Waterfront, the shopping and entertainment hub of Cape Town: 1/950sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

The thing is, much as I enjoy eye-rolling at even the concept of TikTok influencers, they are not wrong on this occasion.

What is so special about the Fujifilm X100F?

The X100V is indeed a stunning camera, which is why I wanted one in the first place. I had promised my wife that this was a holiday and not a photographic expedition so I knew it would be the perfect camera for carrying around Cape Town – small, unobtrusive, fun to use and great picture quality. Fortunately I managed to track down a sole, slightly tatty-looking, but fully functional, Fujifilm X100F at MPB days before we were due to fly.

Staff member at steampunk-themed Truth Coffee, named the world’s best coffee shop by The Daily Telegraph: 1/60sec at f/2.8, ISO 1600

There are certain features that all X100s have in common: that lovely retro styling, the fixed 35mm equivalent f/2.0 lens, the hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder, and Fujifilm’s beloved film simulation modes. But each successive iteration improved upon its predecessor in different ways. The X100S (S for ‘second’) upgraded the original sensor from a 12MP Bayer to a 16MP X-Trans and squeezed a million extra dots into the EVF. The X100T (T for ‘third’) improved the viewfinder and LCD screen and added an electronic shutter.

The X100F (‘fourth’) took the sensor up to 24MP and added a joystick, a front command dial and a digital teleconverter, while the current X100V (V for five) gave it a 26MP BSI CMOS sensor, a 3.69m-dot OLED EVF, a tilting touchscreen and an improved lens.

The South African National Gallery: 1/1600sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

In a perfect world I would have taken the X100V, for the tilt screen and OLED EVF, but I have Kylie to thank for that not being possible. But nevertheless the X100F is a fine consolation prize. It was perfect to slip into a pocket or my small messenger bag for those occasions where I didn’t want to carry a camera bag, especially in the city, where I had been warned about street crime and was cautious about brandishing anything that looked expensive.

Such fears proved unfounded – Cape Town’s streets were heavily patrolled by law enforcement, and our two weeks passed completely without incident. Indeed we were struck by the friendliness of the locals and by the justifiable pride they had in their city. Cape Town is a sun-kissed jewel nestled at the foot of one of the great natural wonders of the world. I really didn’t want to leave.

Had I been travelling alone, I would have done a lot more street photography, and the X100F would have been the perfect camera to do that. But it was also perfect as the camera to take when photography is not the main purpose of a trip and you don’t want your camera to get in the way. It’s the kind of camera every photographer should own – although Kylie Katich has made that a bit more difficult these days.

At a glance: Fujifilm X100F key features

$1,300 / £1200 (approx used price)
24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor
ISO 100-12,800 (standard)
8fps shooting
Fixed 23mm f/2 lens
Hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder
3in, 1.04m-dot fixed LCD

Join AP Editor Nigel Atherton and conservation photographer Tom Svensson on a memorable photography trip to South Africa. More details here.

Further reading

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Vintage digital cameras you should actually buy

Joshua Waller — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 10:30:16 +0000

There’s been a recent trend where people have been seeking out vintage digital cameras for a more creative look to their images. Here Joshua Waller rounds up some of his favourite early digital cameras.

Why are people so interested in vintage digital cameras?

For the unique photographic experience – Thanks to early digital cameras often struggling in ways modern digital cameras and smartphones don’t, it can give people a somewhat unique photography experience. Some older cameras are more likely to feature an optical viewfinder, a rarity on today’s compact cameras. There’s also nostalgia, and if you once owned one of these cameras, buying it again can bring back a flood of nostalgia.

Older cameras often struggle with low-light, sometimes struggling with focus, with massively lower dynamic range to boot, giving some photos the look of film photography. In fact, many early digital cameras, sometimes referred to as “Y2K digicam“, are downright terrible compared to modern cameras and smartphones.

By not being as truly perfect as modern cameras and smartphones, they have become the obvious choice to some people for creative and fun photography. The icing on the cake being that you can sometimes find them for a bargain price.

Here we run through some of the more interesting highlights from the history of compact digital cameras, although be warned, some of these are now quite sought after, and can command premium prices, becoming collectors items in their own right. Also, whilst some of these may have been very good at the time, they don’t always stack up anymore (although this could make them even more appealing).

Find more great retro looking cameras in our guide to Fujifilm X100V alternatives.

Another issue to be aware of is having to try and find working cameras, as many old digital cameras simply stop working, so pay close attention to what you’re buying.

If you do go for a budget model, this may free you up to stop caring about carrying around an expensive camera, meaning you can take your camera to places you wouldn’t normally want to risk it, and the compact size could make it more suitable for street photography.

CCD vs CMOS sensor in digital cameras?

People might tell you that you want an early digital camera with CCD sensor, for a more “film like” image rendering, however, what you’ll most likely find is that with any older digital camera noise is worse, and dynamic range is much lower than modern cameras, and therefore correct exposure becomes all the more important.

Early digital cameras mostly used CCD sensors, and it was only the cheaper models that used CMOS sensors. Often CMOS sensors were seen as the low-quality choice, but all that changed with the introduction of high-speed CMOS sensors in some cameras, and then with the introduction of BSI CMOS sensor (backside-illuminated), image quality took a big step forward in giving better noise performance.

Older digital cameras often used a CCD sensor, rather than a CMOS sensor, so if you’re looking for the best compact cameras with a CCD sensor, then this list is a great starting point:

Quick List:

Fujifilm F10 (and subsequent 6MP models)
Ricoh GR Digital (and subsequent) – non-APS-C version
Olympus C-750 / C-765
Canon Powershot S90/S95
Sigma DP1/DP1s/DP1x
Sony Cyber-shot R1
Olympus PEN E-P1
Leica Digilux 2
Casio Exilim S100
Contax i4r
Lego Camera

In no particular order…

Fujifilm F10 (6MP, 2005) / F30 / F31fd (2006)

Vintage digital camera, the Fujifilm F31fd. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

E-M10 Mark III · f/6.3 · 1/80s · 45mm · ISO1250

Alternatives: Fujifilm F11 (6MP, 2005), F30 (6MP, 2006), F31fd (6MP, 2006)

The first Fujifilm Finepix F10 was somewhat magic back in the day, it made a massive leap forward in low-light performance, and the ability to deal with noise, meaning that for the first time ever you could use high ISO speeds in a compact camera, without recoiling in horror!

“The Fujifilm F31fd is perhaps the crème-de-la-crème of old vintage digital cameras.” – Joshua Waller

This line of cameras was continued with the F11, F30, F31fd, using the same impressive 6MP sensor. Things were never really the same when the following F40fd / F45fd which came out with an 8MP sensor, and then when Fujifilm jumped to a 12MP sensor, some of the magic was gone, leaving these early 6MP digital cameras still sought after today.

Taken with the Fujifilm F31fd, colour has always been a strong point of Fujifilm cameras (cropped). 1/125s, f/5, ISO200. Photo: Joshua Waller.

Worth noting: These cameras use XD memory cards, which are available in sizes up to 2GB. There was also a budget version, the Fujifilm F20 (2006).

Price from $60+, £50+

Ricoh GR Digital (8MP, 2005)

Vintage digital camera: The Ricoh GR Digital III looks a lot like the Ricoh GR film camera. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

Alternatives: Ricoh GR Digital II (10MP, 2007), Ricoh GR Digital III (10MP, 2009), Ricoh GR Digital IV (10MP, 2011)

No, not the new APS-C versions, but the original compact cameras with a compact sensor to match. These cameras challenged the status quo by giving you no zoom, instead a 28mm equivalent fixed focal length lens, with auto-focus. If you wanted to change the focal length, you would have to buy the optional wide-angle or telephoto adapters, or crop the image.

The macro performance of this camera was quite good, but focus was also slow and not the most reliable thing in the world. Snap focus was available for street photography, and speed, but with pre-set focus you may not always get perfect focus. Perhaps this was part of the charm, and combined with the compact size, this was a fun camera to use, even if the results weren’t always reliable. I spent a lot of time shooting with the Ricoh GR Digital III, and remember it being an enjoyable camera to use (despite the sometimes unreliable results).

Ricoh GR Digital III, this 2.5 second exposure has resulted in a great photo, where blur adds to the photo. 2.5s, f/1.9, ISO154. Photo: Joshua Waller

You could look out for the Ricoh GR Digital, GR Digital II, or GR Digital III, or even newer versions (GR Digital IV, 2011), if you’re struggling to find one.

Highlights: Smaller than your average 35mm film compact, an optional optical viewfinder could be added, if your battery went flat you could use 2x AAA batteries instead. Uses SD memory cards. The GR Digital IV adds sensor-shift image stabilisation.

Price from $175+, £150

Read our Ricoh GR Digital IV review.

Olympus C-750 (2003) / C-765 (2004)

The Olympus C-765 is a surprisingly compact camera. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

Some of the first true ultra-zoom cameras – these were incredibly well made for a “compact camera” with lovely metal bodies. It wasn’t until 2006 when Panasonic released a similar camera with the 10x optical zoom Panasonic Lumix TZ1.

The Olympus C-765 was an improvement over the C-750, with a new camera body it was the “World’s smallest” 10x zoom digital camera, and features a 4MP CCD sensor. The lens went from a 38mm equivalent to 380mm – and whilst that’s not very wide-angle, at the time it was fairly normal for the wide-angle end of a compact camera to not be very wide at all.

Image quality is definitely something that pales in comparison to modern cameras, and without any form of image stabilisation, you’ll need to pay attention to light levels, or use the built-in pop-up flash. A super macro mode lets you focus on objects that are 3cm away, and this camera features a VGA video mode, but with just 15fps you might not want to use this feature (unless you want to recreate the Super 8 look).

When released it was $499 / £399, making it an expensive camera, and one I used to dream of buying. This makes the $25 / £25+ price on eBay practically a bargain!

Olympus C-765, with a 4MP sensor, noise can be a problem in the darker areas of the image. 1/800s, f/4.5, ISO64, 17mm. Photo: Joshua Waller

Highlights: Uses XD memory cards, metal bodied camera, exposure compensation is adjusted using the left and right arrows on the back

Price from $25+, £20+

Canon Powershot S90 (2009) /S95 (2010)

The Canon Powershot S90 looks almost identical to the S95. Photo: CC: WIKIMEDIA / FLICKR

This was amazing for the size – and perfectly capable of being used for events, as long as you were going to use the images online. In fact, the inclusion of this camera is one up for debate, as the camera delivers great results, and may not stand out as particularly interesting. However, we recommend using exposure compensation set to -0.3EV and select vivid colour, and you’ll get some memorable shots.

The Canon Powershot S90 and S95 feature a CCD sensor, and from the S100 onwards Canon switched to a BSI CMOS sensor. There’s not a lot of difference between the S90 and S95, but Canon did start adding features to improve dynamic range with the S95, with an HDR mode and dynamic range options.

The compact Canon Powershot S95 makes it a great pocket camera. 1/1000s, f/5, ISO80, 11mm. Photo: Joshua Waller

Highlights: Uses SD memory cards, shoots RAW

Also worth noting, that there’s the Canon Powershot S200 which also features a CCD sensor and was available for a bargain price, but is missing some key features such as raw shooting.

Price from $50-99+, £40-90+

Sigma DP1 (2008) / DP1s (2009) / DP1x (2010)

Sigma DP1 Photo: Yuki Shimazu from Tokyo Japan (CC: Wikimedia)

This is a unique vintage digital camera, with not only an APS-C sized sensor, but features what some consider the holy grail of sensors the FOVEON X3 sensor no less. It was incredibly small for a compact APS-C camera at the time, and has a lovely metal body, with simplistic styling and design.

Designed to give you “film” like results, the camera was so poor at higher ISO speeds, you had to use ISO50 or ISO100 only, and with an f/4 lens, this meant using it on sunny days or forever using a tripod or solid surface when taking photos.

The key to the Foveon sensor was true R,G,B colour information for every pixel, but the rapid increase in megapixels over the years made this matter less and less, as without interpolation, the Sigma DP1 series output 4.69megapixel images.

The other thing you needed to do was shoot RAW images for the best results, and this made this camera a real pain to use as the earliest models didn’t give you the option to shoot raw and JPEG at the same time!

Did we mention that to process the raw files, you had to use Sigma Photo Pro? An incredibly slow piece of software. Luckily these days, Photoshop can cope with this cameras raw files.

Fairly rare and now fairly expensive, the DP1 cameras can be found from around $200, and it wasn’t that they gave particularly good images (some may disagree), but the camera is unique in being one of very few cameras with a Foveon sensor.

Be warned though, time has not been kind to this camera, and you’ll find this quite a slow camera to use.

The small size of the original Sigma DP1 series makes it easy to take anywhere, but the low ISO speeds and slow lens means you often need to use it on solid surfaces. Sigma DP1s, 1/15s, f/4, ISO200, 28mm equivalent. Photo: Joshua Waller

Highlights: Foveon sensor, metal body, uses SD memory cards (max size 2GB)

Side note: The Sigma DP2 cameras use a different lens with an f2.8, 41mm equivalent lens, with the DP2s (2010), DP2x (2011), and the only other compact camera, outside of Sigma’s cameras, to feature a Foveon sensor was the Polaroid x530, an extremely rare camera, for a variety of reasons.

Price from $180+, £150+

Cheapest APS-C camera: Sony Cyber-shot R1 (2005)

This vintage Sony Cyber-shot R1 has seen better days. This is not a pretty camera, and when seen from any other angle, you realise how bizarre this camera is. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

How does a 10MP APS-C CMOS sensor, crazy DSLR-like styling, an LCD screen on the top, and a 5x optical zoom lens sound? Need we say more? Well, yes, there’s plenty to say about this camera, with a Carl Zeiss branded f/2.8-4.8 aperture zoom lens with manual zoom ring, giving 24-120mm equivalent, the camera covers all the bases.

It’s difficult to find one in good condition, as the plastic build quality of the camera doesn’t particularly stand up to the ravages of time. But as long as you get a working camera with a clean lens you should still be able to use it, even if it is beat up a bit. With both raw and JPEG shooting, you can take some lovely images, and benefit from modern image processing, that is much better at dealing with noise in comparison to the camera’s own noise processing.

Like most Sony cameras, and particularly for older cameras, you’ll get nicer colours from processing the raw file yourself and adjusting to your own preferences. 1/125s, f/4, ISO160, 32mm. Photo: Joshua Waller

Highlights: CompactFlash or Sony Memory Sticks are supported, 10MP APS-C CMOS sensor

Price from $130+, £110+

Olympus PEN E-P1 (2009, 12MP)

This vintage Olympus PEN E-P1 has been customised. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

This retro styled digital camera now looks truly vintage again, the first Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus, this camera is capable of producing beautiful colours with great saturation. Paired with a pancake lens such as the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5, Olympus 17mm f/2.8, or Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 (shown above), focus may not be very quick, in fact it’ll seem downright slow compared to today’s cameras, but it should provide a lovely pocketable camera with a “real camera” feel.

The camera body is solidly made with a metal shell, and this gives it a real heftiness. Keep an eye out for the follow up model, the Olympus PEN E-P2, which is just as good. As this is getting older, it is also getting rarer, which is pushing up the price of this camera.

Olympus PEN E-P1, processed RAW file. 1/2000s, f/6.3, ISO200, 20mm. Photo: Joshua Waller

Highlights: Uses SDHC memory cards, with support for cards up to 32GB, metal build

Price from $120+, £100+

There is a massive range of affordable Micro Four Thirds lenses available.

Leica Digilux 2 (2003)

The vintage Leica Digilux 2 is an attractive camera, but large and delicate. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

A rather special collaboration between Leica and Panasonic, the Leica Digilux 2 is plagued by issues that mean it’s rare to find a working camera these days, unless it was lucky enough to be repaired by Leica.

Not only was the camera affected by the batch of faulty 5MP Sony sensors (dealt with by Leica’s recall / repair policy), it was also a rather complicated camera. The gorgeously large zoom lens (28-90mm equivalent) makes the camera more similar in size to a large mirrorless camera, rather than a “compact camera”. If you can find one of these that works, you be rewarded with lovely looking images.

Leica Digilux 2, converted from raw. 1/40s, f/2.4, ISO100, 22mm. Photo: Joshua Waller

Sadly, these days, you’re going to be very lucky to find a working model for a reasonable price, as you’ll need to find one that’s been repaired. This can easily push the price to well over $400.

Highlights: Uses SD cards, but with a maximum size of 2GB.

Why the Leica Digilux 2 is the first classic digital camera

Price from $360+, £300+

Casio EXILIM S100 (3.2MP, 2004)

The Casio Exilim S100 was the world’s camera with a ceramic lens. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

Any Casio Exilim digital camera would be a great choice, but in particular the Casio Exilim S100 is the camera of choice – ultra-compact, ultra-stylish, and another camera with a metal body.

This was the world’s first compact camera with a ceramic lens. The camera has a 3MP sensor, and a 2.8x optical zoom lens. It’s also got a fun split photo mode, letting you stick together two different people’s heads for creative fun!

The Casio Exilim S100, like a lot of compact digital cameras from the time, originally came with a docking station so that when you wanted to transfer images or charge the battery you would simply put the camera onto the docking station. So for the true classic compact camera experience, make sure you look for a camera with all the accessories!

Like many early digital cameras noise was often a problem for the Casio Exilim S100, particularly in low-light photography. 1/40s, f/6.6, 102mm equivalent. Photo: Joshua Waller

Highlights: Uses SD memory cards. Try and get one with the docking station, for the true experience of vintage digital cameras.

Price from $25+, £20+

Most expensive: Contax i4r (4MP, 2004)

The stylish and rare Contax i4r is far from a traditional camera. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

Why is the Contax i4r so expensive?

Well, have you seen it? It looks like a luxurious bottle of perfume rather than a digital camera. There’s also the fact that Contax (Kyocera) were never really a mainstream brand in the world of digital cameras, so that makes these cameras increasingly rare.

This camera has a fixed focal length f/2.8 Zeiss lens with AF, and it’s worth noting that any other digital camera with a fixed focal length lens, rather than a zoom lens, is going to give you a unique look and experience compared to often slower zoom lenses.

Whilst this camera is very rare and quite good, but it’s debateable as to whether it’s really worth the very high prices being asked for these now, unless you are seriously in love with the style.

Using the Contax i4r for gig photography could result in some good results. Slow-sync flash options are always worth looking for with compact cameras. 1/30s, f/2.8, ISO200, Flash fired. Photo: Joshua Waller.

Highlights: Uses SD memory cards, available in silver, black, or red.

Price: Over $450-800, £400-650+ – if you want a similar camera, simply go for Canon Digital IXUS i or i5.

For fun: Lego Camera by Digital Blue – (3MP, 2009)

The rare, but incredibly fun Lego camera. Photo: (C) Joshua Waller

A true toy camera this was an officially licenced Lego product, meaning you could build extra Lego onto the camera, although unfortunately you can’t take it apart. This camera produces low quality 3MP images, but has the benefit of a true Xenon flash, giving you the potential for over-exposed photos synonymous with disposable film cameras. It’ll also make you the envy of the party if you show up with this camera!

This camera has 128MB of built-in memory good for a reasonable amount of photos, but if you have any problems connecting the camera to your computer, then you may find you’re unable to get the photos off the camera! Released in 2009, this camera is recognised by a Windows XP PC, but not one running Windows 10.

The xenon flash on the Lego camera can give bright results in dark conditions, great for parties. 1/20s, f/3, 7mm. Photo: Joshua Waller

Highlights: 128MB of internal memory. Real Lego pieces can be attached to the camera. Real Xenon flash included.

Rare but they sometimes pop-up on that well-known auction site, from $50 to $110+, £40 to £80+.

Other fun / stylish vintage digital cameras: #digitalcamera

Canon Powershot SD40 / Canon Digital IXUS i7 Zoom (and earlier version)
Sony Cyber-shot L1 (rare)
Olympus Mju Mini Digital (Sylus Verve) / Mju Mini S
Fujifilm Digital Q1 (2MP, 2003) (Rare)
Fujifilm V10 – digital camera with built-in games
Canon Powershot G2 / G3

If you’re looking for more inspiration, have a look at our guide to retro Fujifilm X100V alternatives, or our guide to the worst digital cameras, or why not have a look at more second-hand options.

Related reading:

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Second hand Archives - Amateur Photographer

Second-hand DSLR lenses: ultimate 2024 buying guide

How to buy the best second-hand DSLR lenses

Buying privately

Buying online – via eBay and others

Our picks of the best second-hand DSLR lenses:

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM

Nikon Micro-Nikkor AF-S 105mm f/2.8G VR IF ED

Nikon Nikkor AF-S 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR DX

Nikon Nikkor AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

Pentax HD PENTAX DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM

Tokina SD 12-24mm f/4 (IF) DX AT-X Pro

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF)

Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD

Tokina AT-X Pro 50-135mm f/2.8 DX

Sigma APO 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 EX DG OS HSM

Tamron 200-500mm f/4.5-6.3 SP AF Di (IF)

Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro

Best used smartphones to buy right now

Second-hand or refurbished: what’s the difference?

iPhone 12 Pro Max

Samsung S22 Ultra

Samsung S21 Ultra

Google Pixel 6 Pro

Google Pixel 6a

OnePlus 9 Pro

Oppo Find X3 Pro

Huawei P30 Pro

Tips for buying used smartphones

Buying from retailers

More reading:

Best used DSLRs in 2024

Cheapest Nikon DSLR: Nikon D5100 – from $250, £99

Cheapest Canon DSLR: EOS 600D/EOS Rebel T3i – from $219, £130

Best budget Canon All-Rounder: Canon EOS 1200D / Rebel T5 – from $90, £100

Cheapest Pentax DSLR: Pentax K-50 – from $149, £150

Cheapest Full-Frame DSLR: Canon EOS 5D – from $220, £200

Cheapest Full-Frame Nikon DSLR: Nikon D700 – from $300, £230-300

Cheapest fast APS-C DSLR: Canon EOS 70D – from $360, £180-220

Cheapest fast, high-resolution DSLR: Sony A77 II – from $650, £319

Cheapest higher-end Pentax: Pentax K-3 – from $385, £280

Cheapest sportier Canon DSLR: Canon EOS 7D Mark II – from $476, £428

Cheapest pro-spec full-frame DSLR: Nikon D3 – from $575, £279

Fast, budget APS-C workhorse: Nikon D7200 – from $588, £429

Cheapest Nikon full-frame DSLR with advanced video: Nikon D600 – from $429, £272

Canon EOS 6D -l from $454, £250-450 – (cheaper alternative to EOS 5D Mark III)

Cheapest high-resolution full-frame DSLR: Nikon D800 – from $679, £344

Fast APS-C workhorse with powerful AF: Nikon D7500 – from $850, £840

High-resolution Pentax DSLR: Pentax K-1, from $945, £785

Full-frame EOS Powerhouse: Canon EOS 5D Mark III – from $1499, £559

Cheapest Nikon pro-spec APS-C DSLR: Nikon D500 – from $879, £500

Highest resolution Canon DSLR: Canon EOS 5DS R – from $1200, £799

Best second-hand full-frame mirrorless cameras in 2024

How to choose the best second-hand full-frame mirrorless cameras

Panasonic Lumix S1R

Bigger = better?

A beautiful view(finder)

Canon EOS RP

Lightweight RF lenses

EF adaptor

Nikon Z 7

Lens options

Media

Nikon Z 6

Impressive high-ISO performance

The card slot thing, again

Panasonic Lumix S5

Photo friendly, too

Unique kit zoom

Sigma fp

Little camera, big results

Sigma i-series lenses

Sony Alpha 7 II

Small and light

Any lens you like

Best budget Canon All-Rounder: Canon EOS 1200D / Rebel T5 –
from $90, £100

Cheapest Nikon full-frame DSLR with advanced video: Nikon D600 –
from $429, £272