We spend a lot of our time here at PhotographyREVIEW.com fantasizing about cameras that weigh ten pounds and cost thousands of dollars. But not everyone needs or even wants the latest Canikon Super-Pro 500X-S Extra-Full-Frame DSLR (yeah, I made that camera up), or the second mortgage required to buy one. Maybe you just want a decent digital camera that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. To that end, we researched the highest-rated, best-selling current digital cameras that cost less than $200 and picked what we consider the top five. Looking at all the sub-$200 cameras showed how far digital cameras have come in the past few years. Even inexpensive digital cameras are pretty impressive now. They all have HD video (720p or 1080p), most zoom lenses are 5x or longer, and image quality and low light performance have improved considerably.
Rather than ranking our top five and selecting a winner, we picked five cameras with different strengths and feature sets, to match the needs of different photographers. There’s a DSLR-style bridge camera with a huge zoom and lots of manual controls (Fujifilm FinePix S4200), a pocket camera with a 10x zoom lens that sells for less than $100 (Panasonic Lumix SZ1), a rugged waterproof point-and-shoot (Fujifilm FinePix XP50) and a couple of pocket cameras with state-of-the-art CMOS sensors and 1080p full HD video. I believe there’s a camera here to match almost anyone’s needs and budget. Even if you’re looking at more expensive cameras, you should take a look at this top five. You might be surprised.
Best Digital Cameras Under $200
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There are a lot of digital cameras for under $200 now and, as mentioned, quite a few of them are very good. If you feel we missed something or you just have your own favorite, please tell us about it in the comments section at the bottom of any page. Your comments will make this article more useful for everyone.
Great guide.
Happy you liked it, Patia
So is the 110HS better than the 320HS ($194)? Canon numbering is very confusing, I have a 310HS I bought less than a year ago (also under $200), fantastic little camera but the 110 would seem to have better specs.
I had to look them both up and compare features, Bob. The main difference, as best I can tell, is the 320 HS has a slightly larger (3.2-inch) touchscreen LCD display. Other than that, I think they’re pretty much the same. The MSRP on the 320 HS is also $20 more than the 110 HS’ $229 MSRP. Where did you find it for under $200? I didn’t notice it in my research, which began by searching Amazon’s top sellers. So either I just plain missed it, or it wasn’t on that list. But if it’s selling for under $200 for reputable dealers then it’s a solid option for people who would prefer a camera with a touchscreen LCD.
Amazon has it for $194
I want a less-than-$200, preferably outdoor compact. I was really set on the Fujifilm Finepix XP-100, but have been reading bad reviews, saying it’s a crappy camera in a nice exterior. What you think or suggest?