To capture a perfect moment and retain all the aspects and beauty of the scene in a picture is no easy task. To obtain such qualitative precision, you need to understand the elements of exposure, background lighting, sharpness, and resolution to name a few.
However, no matter how skilled you are, a good quality camera will always improve your work. Professional cameras are usually quite expensive, which is why many people avoid buying high-quality gear. But the market also has many cheap professional cameras that are much more affordable.
These cameras contain all the features you’ll need to enhance your photos. They are reliable and can capture a wide range of scenes, from vast grasslands to miniature objects in dim light. Here are some of the best cheap professional cameras available today.
1. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II
It’s hard to find a mirrorless camera at such a humble price. The Olympus OM-ED camera is the perfect choice for photographers on a tight budget. It boasts a built-in 5-axis image stabilization system, which reduces the blur and shifts to multiple angle rotations effortlessly. It has full HD video capabilities, which gives a distinct movie recording experience.
A high-resolution 16.1MP 4/3 Live MOS sensor pairs with a top ISO of 25600 to eliminate unnecessary grain. With low noise in pictures, you can obtain detailed, refined images even in dim-light conditions. The TruePic VII image processor facilitates up to 8.5 fps shooting, which makes the Olympus OM-ED camera the perfect viable option for outdoor photography.
The 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder lens maximum control over playback and the 3.0″ 1.04m-dot tilting touchscreen allows you to shoot photos from varying angles. The Olympus OM-ED camera also has a variety of shooting modes to choose from. With a rapid shutter speed of up to 1/16,000 seconds, you can capture a perfect photograph.
2. Nikon D7500
Nikon is another company that enjoys broad distribution sales. Unsurprisingly, the Nikon D7500 is one of the best DSLR cameras on the market. It has one of the largest ISO ranges, of 100 to 51,200 (expandable to ISO 1,640,000), which gives sharpness to images captured in low-light. It offers a CMOS image sensor of a standard 20.9 megapixels.
The Nikon D7500 camera has up to eight frames per second (fps) continuous shooting with a 51 point autofocus system, which produces crisp details in images. The D7500 lets you record up to 29:59 minted in 4K UHD/30p as well as Full HD. With noise-canceling powerful aperture control, you can change the aperture quietly without disturbing the focus.
The camera employs 180k-pixel RGB sensor, which enhances the features in the photo. With powerful Expeed 5 image-processing quality, you can record 4K UHD video recording at 30p with ease.
3. Canon EOS 6D Mark II
The Canon EOS 6D camera is a remarkable choice for a cheap professional camera. This budget camera comes with a 26.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor. The impressive optical viewfinder, with a 45 point all cross-type AF system delivers rapid focus. With fast autofocus, the device captures all the details of a scene and gives sharp results.
The Canon EOS 6D camera is compatible with Canon EF lenses, but not EF/S and EF/M lenses. The large ISO range of 100 to 40000 allows effortless shooting in any dim light.
The camera also features a brilliant dual pixel focus for crisp live view shooting. It comes with a vari-angle touch screen, which allows you to zoom, compose, and review photos with ease. The DIGIC 7 Image Processor gives powerful sharpness and detailed accuracy in all backgrounds.
4. Sony a7
The Sony a7 is a cheap professional camera that has a variety of excellent features. It comes with a full-frame CMOS sensor of 24.3 megapixels. With 117 focus points and up to 4fps continuous shooting, you can get in-depth quality in your photos with just a single click. The wide-range ISO of 100-25600 gives sharply illuminated photos in dim light settings.
Sony a7 mirrorless camera is compatible with multiple Sony lenses like Sony E-mount full-frame lenses and Minolta/Konica Minolta Maxxum A-mount lenses, so you have a whole selection to choose from. With the Flexible Spot AF area setting, you can select different sized autofocus to match your subject.
With 100% frame coverage and 1024×768 resolution, the camera gives stunning bokeh effects. The 3″ tilting LCD, with 921,600 dots, allows you to tilt your focus at any angle without worrying about the blurry mistakes.
5. Nikon D610 (Overall Winner)
The Nikon D610 offers a professional level performance. The compact body size of the camera can be misleading, but it comes with a full-frame 24.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, which gives dazzling details and lively color reproduction. The flexible ISO range of 100 to 25600 can be expanded down to 50 and up to 25,600 for extreme situations.
It has manual control for shutter speed and autofocus and complies extensively with all types of video angles and frames. The 3.2 inch LCD, with 921,000 dots, narrows down the details with in-depth resolution and expels any noise and grain. With a 39 point AF system (nine cross-type), you can easily lock focus at any angle.
You can shoot full 1080p HD videos with selectable frame rates of 30p, 25p or 24p, and MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression. Along with a sharp focus, the six frames per second continuous shooting, and 100% viewfinder coverage, you are able to seize any motion in this cheap professional camera.
6. Canon EOS 77D
The Canon EOS 77D has a variety of features. It comes with a 24.2 megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, which gives vibrant details and never fails to capture every tone and color of a scene. The DIGIC 7 image processor, accompanied by an enormous ISO range of 100-25600, gives flexibility in capturing images and removes excess noise and grain, which clutters the image.
The built-in Wi-fi and Bluetooth makes it easier to transfer and store photos. Its fast shutter speed allows the camera to capture up to six frames per second, which keeps the scene locked in while you shift focus.
The EOS 77D comes with a vari-angle touch screen 3.0-inch Clear View LCD II monitor, so you can move the camera into any position and capture a variety of angles. The camera also boasts the world’s fastest autofocusing speed at 0.03 seconds.
Final Words on Cheap Professional Cameras
Having professional photography gear doesn’t have to mean emptying your bank account. Even though many professional cameras cost a lot, there are still many cheap professional cameras out there that are affordable. With these options, you can fully experience the joy of taking photographs without any worry about price and quality.
