Street photography is one of the most accessible types of photography. Anyone can head into their local village, town, or city, and take photos of the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is a great type of photography for beginners, too. This is because it teaches important skills about composition, lighting, and subject framing.
If you’d like to get started capturing spontaneous shots on the street, then read on to discover the 10 best budget street photography cameras!
Best Street Photography Cameras on a Budget:
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1. Nikon Z50
The Nikon Z50 is a versatile mirrorless camera that excels at street photography due to the high-resolution sensor and powerful image processor.
Our pick for the best budget street photography camera is the Nikon Z50. This mirrorless APS-C camera was one of Nikon’s first Z-series releases, yet it remains popular for beginners. This is due to its features, high quality, and versatility.
The camera has a 20.9 MP sensor, and you can expect excellent images when combined with amazing Nikon Z lenses. This camera also offers impressive low-light performance, and you can expect minimum noise in your photos.
We also like the Z50’s connectivity. If you want to share your photos as you snap, you can use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and you can easily transfer photos to your smartphone. The Nikon Z50 is also small and lightweight, plus it’s highly portable even with a Nikon Z lens.
2. Canon EOS M50 Mark II
The Canon EOS M50 Mark II is an excellent choice for portrait street photography due to its fast AF system.
Our top Canon pick is the Canon EOS M50 Mark II. This is an excellent camera for street photography and offers a little more than typical beginner cameras. It’s great for those who are starting out in photography but who also want to progress to more advanced techniques.
The Canon EOS M50 Mark II packs a 24 MP APS-C sensor. You can easily take high-quality photos, especially given your access to the EF-M mount, which gives you access to the full range of EF-M lenses as well as Canon’s EF lenses (via a mount adapter).
The M50 Mark II has an excellent autofocus system for capturing fast-moving street action. You should easily be able to focus on moving subjects as you walk through the streets.
3. Sony a6000
The Sony a6000 is a great mid-tier camera that offers access to Sony’s impressive E-mount lenses.
The best budget street photography camera from Sony is arguably the a6000. This is an older camera, but it is still a popular choice due to its impressive features and lens compatibility.
The Sony a6000 has a 24.2 MP APS-C sensor and a great ISO range from 100 to 25,600. It excels in pretty much any street situation and even produces great images in low light. We also love the hybrid AF system, which features 179 phase-detection points and 25 contrast-detect points. You can use the a6000 to capture candid street portraits or to capture the wider action as it unfolds.
We also like the compact design of this camera. It almost looks like a point-and-shoot model, and it’s easy to hold and carry. There is an EVF, too, and a tilting LCD touchscreen. The Sony a6000 is compatible with Sony E-mount lenses, which means you can use Sony’s full range of pro-level glass.
4. Canon EOS M200
The Canon EOS M200 is a perfect budget pick for those just starting out with street photography.
If you don’t want to pay for the Canon EOS M50 Mark II, the Canon EOS M200 is a fantastic alternative. This is an incredibly similar camera and offers great image quality at an even better price.
Like the M50 Mark II, the Canon EOS M200 has a 24.1 MP APS-C sensor, which should give consistent image quality with great colors and contrast. The main difference between these cameras is the method of composing: The Canon EOS M200 does not have a viewfinder, while the M50 Mark II does. As a result, you must use the LCD touchscreen; some people may not like this, but it is handy for beginners.
This camera offers an EF-M lens mount, which means that users can access both EF-M and EF lenses. You can also buy the M200 with a kit lens, the EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens. This is an amazing lens and one of the best EF-M lenses for street photography.
5. Fujifilm X-S10
The Fujifilm X-S10 has in-body image stabilization and a good AF system for action shooting.
Fujifilm has some great mirrorless cameras that are geared toward more serious shooters yet feature very reasonable price tags. One prominent option is the Fujifilm X-S10.
This camera has a brilliant 26.1 MP BSI sensor. It has a great dynamic range and allows you to capture images with beautiful colors and contrast.
To help you reduce camera shake when shooting in low light, the Fujifilm X-S10 has five-axis in-body image stabilization. This means that you should be able to capture dimly lit street scenes in sharp detail.
The Fujifilm X-S10 offers access to the full range of Fujifilm X-mount lenses, many of which are great for street photography. The design of this camera is also fantastic. It boasts a minimalistic exterior and a high-quality LCD touchscreen that can be fully rotated and flipped outward.
6. Ricoh GR III
The fixed 28mm prime lens of the Ricoh GR III makes it a great choice for wider and scenic street shots.
The Ricoh GR III is the best budget street photography camera for those who don’t need an interchangeable lens mount. This high-quality compact camera has a fixed lens and some solid features that allow you to take high-quality street photos.
The lens is a prime lens with a fixed 28mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/2.8. The 28mm focal length is great for street photography especially if you’d like to photograph movement and split-second interactions. The camera also has a 20 MP sensor and in-body image stabilization.
The lightweight design together with the fixed focal length makes the GR III ideal for city exploration. The hybrid autofocus system is also excellent and will allow you to focus quickly on moving subjects.
This ultra-compact camera also has wireless connectivity, and you can quickly connect it to your smartphone to transfer images and upload them to social media. Although the Ricoh GR III does have its limitations, it truly is a top-notch budget street photography camera.
7. Sony RX100 III
The Sony RX100 III has everything you need to immediately jump-start your street photography adventures!
The Sony RX100 III is an older camera, but it is a great budget choice for photographers in need of a compact, inconspicuous model. This point-and-shoot camera is highly portable and the perfect companion on those travel adventures where you want to explore the streets of some far-off city.
This isn’t the latest version of the RX100; the Sony RX100 VII is the latest model. However, the Sony RX100 III is a perfectly adequate camera and great for beginners. It has a 20.9 MP sensor, which will produce sharp, contrasty files.
It also has a high-quality 24-70mm lens. The focal length is perfect for street photography and allows you to capture many types of shots, while the Zeiss elements help eliminate optical flaws.
You can easily transfer your street shots to your smartphone using the built-in Wi-Fi connection, which includes a one-touch sharing function. Overall, the RX100 III is an excellent no-fuss camera that allows you to jump right into street photography.
8. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is a top-notch Micro Four Thirds camera that has a great image sensor, a retro design, and in-body image stabilization.
If you prefer a more retro-style camera and are happy with the Micro Four Thirds system, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is definitely worth a look.
This camera offers excellent image quality at a reasonable price, and you can buy a starter kit that includes the camera and a great kit lens (one that’s perfect for street photography and has both wide-angle and portrait capabilities).
The OM-D E-M10 Mark IV has a 20 MP sensor, which offers great image quality. It’s also easy to get sharp shots in low light thanks to the in-body image stabilization.
This camera looks great and is available in either black or silver. Both designs boast a retro feel, yet the E-M10 Mark IV still has modern features such as an LCD touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity.
9. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 has a versatile fixed Leica lens that allows you to take a great range of street photography images.
Panasonic has a range of fixed-lens cameras that are great for a variety of situations, including the excellent Lumix DMC-FZ2500. This compact, fixed-lens camera has some amazing features that make it ideal for street photography.
The lens has an effective focal length of 24-70mm, which allows you to shoot everything from wide-angle shots to portrait-style photos. The lens also has a smooth zoom and simple controls on the lens barrel. And we like that the lens has a built-in ND filter that helps you control image exposure.
The Lumix DMC-FZ2500 boasts a 20.1 MP sensor that performs well at a range of ISO levels. This camera is an older model and was originally released in 2018, but for those who want a powerful fixed-lens camera for their street shooting, the FZ2500 is still a top option.
10. Sony ZV-1
The Sony ZV-1 is the perfect compact camera for those who want to do vlogging and street photography.
Our last pick is a great camera for street photography and vlogging. The Sony ZV-1 is primarily marketed as a vlogging camera, but it’s a top choice for those who want to pursue both creative avenues. You can use the ZV-1 to take high-quality street photography snaps and to document your travels.
The Sony ZV-1 is incredibly compact, and it weighs only 0.65 lb/290 g. This makes it one of the lightest compact cameras available and an excellent travel companion.
The Sony ZV-1 packs a 20.1 MP sensor and an impressive autofocus system; put these together, and you have a potent camera capable of taking a variety of shots even in chaotic city locations.
The lens is an impressive 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 model. The lens elements and glass are of excellent quality, and you can expect consistently sharp shots. For street photography and street vlogging, this is the best option available on a budget.
Pick the Perfect Camera and Hit the Streets!
If you are just beginning your photographic journey and want to develop your skills, street photography is a great place to start. It teaches you the importance of movement, action, and interaction. Plus, you can develop your compositional skills and learn how natural lighting affects different scenes. But which budget street photography camera should you buy?
If you want a camera that can be used for street photography but also has an interchangeable lens mount, models like the Nikon Z50 and the Canon EOS M50 Mark II are versatile picks.
Alternatively, if you prefer a fixed-lens camera, something like the Ricoh GR III, the Sony ZV-1, or the Sony RX100 III is a fantastic option.
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