Which are the best Cheapest full-frame Cameras? Full-frame digital cameras were once the prerogative of the wealthiest professionals and enthusiasts. But as competition increases (and the accumulation of outdated models with the release of new models) prices have dropped to a point where they are accessible to many aficionados.
We’re not saying manufacturers are giving away full-frame cameras, but there are actually quite a few bargains out there. If you don’t mind buying an older camera or sacrificing some performance in exchange for the typical look offered by the larger sensor.
Cheapest Full Frame Camera 2022
Table of Contents
We’ve put together this list of the 9 cheapest full-frame cameras you can find on the market. From low-res options designed for low-light photography to high-resolution cameras capable of capturing large, detailed files.
Whether you’re looking for an upgrade from your APS-C sensor or something that can rival the best mirrorless around. Or whether you’re just thinking of completely changing gear, this roundup will guide you through the best full-frame cameras available.
Cheapest Full Frame Camera | Comparison Table 2022
| Image | Title | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony Alpha 7R IV Full Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera w/High Resolution 61MP Sensor, up to 10FPS with Continuous AF/AE Tracking | Sony | Check Price | |
| Nikon Z6 Full Frame Mirrorless Camera Body | Nikon | Check Price | |
| Panasonic LUMIX S5 Full Frame Mirrorless Camera, 4K 60P Video Recording with Flip Screen & WiFi, LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 Lens, L-Mount, 5-Axis Dual I.S, DC-S5KK (Black) | Panasonic | Check Price | |
| Pentax K-1 Mark II w/ D-FA 28-105 WR Lens: 36.4MP Full Frame High Resolution Digital Camera 5 Axis, 5 Steps Shake Reduction II Weather-resistant Construction Dustproof Flexible Tilt-Type LCD Monitor | Pentax | Check Price | |
| Sony Alpha 1 Full-frame Interchangeable Lens Mirrorless Camera | Sony | Check Price | |
| Canon EOS R5 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera with 8K Video, 45 Megapixel Full-Frame CMOS Sensor, DIGIC X Image Processor, Dual Memory Card Slots, and Up to 12 fps Mechnical Shutter, Body Only | Canon | Check Price | |
| Sony Alpha a7 IIK E-mount interchangeable lens mirrorless camera with full frame sensor with 28-70mm Lens | Sony | Check Price | |
| Canon EOS RP Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera + RF24-105mm Lens F4-7.1 IS STM Lens Kit-- Compact and Lightweight for Traveling and Vlogging, Black (3380C132) | Canon | Check Price | |
| Sony Alpha 7C Full-Frame Compact Mirrorless Camera Kit - Black (ILCE7CL/B) | Sony | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Cheapest Full Frame Camera | 2022 Reviews
1. Sony Alpha 7R IV
- World’s first 61MP full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R sensor
- 15-stop dynamic range, 14-bit uncompressed RAW, ISO 50 to 102,400
- Up to 10fps continuous shooting at 61MP with AE/AF tracking
- Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for human, animal and movie
- 5.76 million dot UXGA OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder
- Advanced subject recognition: real-time tracking and real-time eye AF for humans, animals and movies
- Moving to an even higher resolution realm, the Sony Alpha 7R IV continues the noteworthy series of highly capable full-frame cameras, characterized by impressive stills and video performance and versatility
2. Nikon Z6 Full Frame
- Large, full frame Z mount for Revolutionary optical performance
- Nikon-designed 24. 5MP backside illuminated image sensor
- 273-Point on-sensor Phase detect AF system
- Up to 12 fps; 4K Ultra-HD video; 6K time-lapse; 1080P/120Fps slow motion
- Adaptability. It’s about remaining fluid, open. Preparing for nothing, but being ready for anything. Thriving in whatever situation comes along. The Z 6 is perhaps the most adaptable camera we’ve ever created. It’s at the sweet spot of speed, resolution and low-light performance.
- Compatible with NIKKOR Z lenses, over 360 F-mount NIKKOR lenses
3. Panasonic LUMIX S5
- A LIGHTWEIGHT, POWERFUL HYBRID CAMERA FOR VIBRANT STILL PHOTOGRAPHY AND CINEMATIC VIDEO: Realize your creative vision with extraordinary 4K 60p, 10-bit video, FHD 180fps Slow Motion option as well as 4:3 Anamorphic support.
- DETAILED PHOTO AND VIDEO THAT WILL DELIGHT ENTHUSIASTS AND EXPERTS ALIKE: Capture content in impressive high quality with 96MP High Resolution mode, Dual Native ISO to minimize noise in high sensitivity and V-Log/V-Gamut with 14-plus stop dynamic range.
- IMPROVED, HIGH-PRECISION AUTOFOCUS AND POWERFUL IMAGE STABILIZATION: Improved autofocus includes detection of the head as well as eyes, face and body, to capture subjects with ease and precision. 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 enables 6.5-stop slower shutter speed.
- EXPANDED FEATURES OFFER NEW LEVELS OF CREATIVITY: Use Live View Composite mode to instantly create a stunning image out of several live shots to capture fireworks or a starry sky
4. Pentax K-1 Mark II
- High resolution Images: 36.4 effective megapixels ensures that details are shown clearly, delivering outstanding quality images
- Optical Viewfinder with nearly 100% field of view: assuring a clear view of the subject and ease of focus
- Top sensitivity of ISO819200: state-of-the-art imaging processing system, greatly improves image quality, even in low light situations
- PIXEL SHIFT RESOLUTION SYSTEM II: PENTAX technology that produces high-quality images beyond the power of traditional image capture
- The new-generation shake reduction II: 5-axis, 5 shutter step camera shake compensation
- DUSTPROOF, WEATHER-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION: A combination of the K-1 Mark IIs 87 weather seals and the optional D-BG6 Battery Grips watertight design prevents the intrusion of water and dust.
- Dust removal II mechanism: This effectively removes all dust particles from the image sensor surface, and prevents unwanted spots from appearing on the captured image.
- Dual card slot: large-volume image data filing on 2 SD memory Cards
- Flexible Tilt-type LCD monitor: innovative mechanism to tilt the monitor to any desired angle along the optical axis
- ASTROTRACER: By making full use of its GPS module, Electronic Compass and SR II mechanism, the K-1 Mark II simplifies astronomical photography of celestial bodies, without the need for an equatorial mount.
5. Sony Alpha 1 Full-frame
- 50.1MP* full-frame stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor w/ integral memory
- 8x more powerful*, next generation BIONZ XR image processing engine
- Blackout-free shooting up to 30fps from fast sensor readout speed
- World’s first 240 fps refresh rate, 9.44M dot 0.64” QXGA OLED EVF
- World’s first anti-flicker mechanical and electronic shutter
- A flagship in the truest sense, the Sony Alpha 1 is the one camera designed to do it all.
- Built without compromise, this full-frame mirrorless offers high-resolution for stills shooting, impressive 8K video recording, speed and sensitivity, and connectivity for the most demanding professional workflows.
6. Canon EOS R5 Full-Frame
- High Image Quality featuring a New 45 Megapixel Full-frame CMOS Sensor.
- DIGIC X Image Processor with an ISO range of 100-51200; Expandable to 102400x1.
- High-speed continuous shooting of up to 12 fps with Mechanical Shutter and up to 20 fps electronic (silent) shutter.
- Dual pixel CMOS AF covering approx. 100% area with 1,053 AF areas.
- Subject tracking of people and animals using deep learning technology.
7. Sony Alpha a7 IIK E-mount
- World’s first 5 axis in body image stabilization in a full frame camera
- Use your favorite lenses without blur from camera shake; High 50 Mbps bit rate XAVC S21 format recording of Full HD movies
- Capture stunning images with full frame, 24.3MP resolution. Lens Compensation: Peripheral shading, chromatic aberration, distortion
- Fast hybrid AF with phase detection: 30 percent faster than a7
- Compatible with Sony’s E mount lenses, and others with adaptors
8. Canon EOS RP Full-frame
- Compact, Lightweight and High-Quality RF Lens with a Versatile Zoom Range of 24-105mm
- Optical Image Stabilization at up to 5 Stops of Shake Correction
- Maximum Magnification of 0.4x and Minimum Focusing Distance of 0.66 feet in Auto Focus
- Maximum Magnification of 0.5x and Minimum Focusing Distance of 0.43 feet when using Center Focus Macro
- Use the EOS Utility Webcam Beta Software (Mac and Windows) to turn your Canon Camera into a high-quality webcam, or do the same using a clean HDMI output
- Video Capture Resolution: 4K UHD 2160p
9. Sony Alpha 7C Full-Frame
- World’s smallest and lightest1 full-frame camera with worlds smallest and lightest full-frame standard zoom lens
- Advanced 24.2MP2 Back-Illuminated 35mm Full-frame Image Sensor
- 4K Movie3 w/ full pixel readout, no pixel binning or crop and HDR4
- 15-stop5 dynamic range, 14-bit uncompressed RAW, ISO6 50 to 204,800
- 693 phase-detection/425 contrast AF points w/ 93% image coverage
- Max focal length: 35.0 millimeters
- Video capture resolution: 2160p
How to choose the Cheapest full-frame camera in 2022? Ultimate Guide
Choosing a full-frame camera is never easy, whether you want to switch from one model to another or if you are buying a camera for the first time. In fact, there are so many things to know and among all this information it is easy to get lost and wonder: which could be the best for me?
Let’s see together what are the most important aspects to consider and why one camera could do more for you than another.
Reflex full-frame o mirrorless full-frame
The first big and substantial difference between the various cameras lies in these two terms: full-frame reflex or full-frame mirrorless? The main difference between these two types of systems is the presence of a mirror between the lens and the sensor. In the case of reflex cameras, find the complete guide here, this is present, while in mirrorless (mirror-less) this is absent. To learn more about mirrorless here is the specific guide.
From this detail then arise a whole series of other differences such as the size and weight of the camera body reduced in mirrorless compared to reflex cameras, due precisely to the absence of the mirror, the wider lenses of reflex cameras, and the generally more affordable price for mirrorless cameras.
So which of the two is better? In reality, in terms of quality, the two types are now almost equal. We could say that full-frame reflex cameras are more professional machines, ideal for those who work with photography even if full-frame mirrorless cameras can easily have their say in terms of image definition.
Number of megapixels and resolution
We must dispel a false myth right away: a higher number of megapixels does not necessarily ensure higher quality. In fact, you must consider that any full-frame camera, having a full format, guarantees a higher image quality than machines with different formats. The number of megapixels is a fact that, however, does not have all this influence on the quality, otherwise, it would not be explained how compact cameras, with an exorbitant number of megapixels, make photographs far worse than any other SLR.
What a full-frame can certainly guarantee is a high resolution of the images. This, however, as mentioned, is guaranteed more by the size of the full-frame sensor than by the simple number of megapixels. This is an aspect to take into account when purchasing.
Autofocus
Fundamental information is instead that relating to the Autofocus. This is nothing more than the system that allows you to obtain and maintain focus on the subject of your photograph. The best models have multiple sensors that allow you to adjust the focus on the various points of the image so you can take the shot the way you want. In addition, modern full-frame cameras and more are rarely able to use AF to adjust the light.
In short, this is an indispensable feature, especially for professional cameras.
Goals
The lenses represent another very important point for choosing a full-frame. The thing to evaluate is the possibility of interchanging the objectives that you are going to buy over time. Changing a lens means having various possibilities of approaches to photography when choosing a subject. In general, all the best models of full-frame cameras designed for professional use have this possibility.
In addition, it must be considered that lenses can often be very expensive and, for this reason, it is possible to try that same lens perhaps on a different machine.
Autonomy
As we have seen in the ranking, the various cameras can have a different autonomy dictated both by the size of the battery and by the type of camera itself. In general, good autonomy is essential as it allows you to be able to perform even long sessions without having to worry about recharging or even changing the battery.
In principle, then the reflex has greater autonomy than mirrorless as to shoot they do not necessarily have to rely on an LCD screen or an electronic viewfinder, components that inevitably consume more energy.
Camera body
The camera body is what, materially, you will have in your hands when you go to shoot. It, therefore, represents the bulk of your camera and it is important that it has certain characteristics. First of all, take a look at ergonomics, a peculiarity that must never be missing. To take good pictures it is essential to have a certain feeling about the car and that it is as comfortable as possible. Having an uncomfortable camera will lead you not only to tire more quickly but also to have much worse results.
The same goes for the dimensions and weight of the camera body. Make sure you have a camera that has a balanced weight and size so that it can withstand even long photo sessions without any problems.
An important plus for the machine body is represented by its resistance to water, humidity, and dust.
Mark
As anticipated, there are very few brands of full-frame cameras and they can be counted on the fingers of one hand. This certainly makes the choice much easier and allows you to narrow the field only to some brands. Nikon and Canon are the two historical brands that have marked the history of photography, specializing in particular in the creation of high-quality reflex cameras.
Over time, however, there are also other brands that have established themselves such as Sony, Panasonic, and also Olympus and Fujifilm that have been able to hold up well with the other two brands by churning out excellent quality devices.
Price
How much do you have to spend on a full-frame camera? The question regarding the price arises spontaneously but the answer is not as obvious as it would seem. Naturally professional cameras of a certain quality have very high costs that can often easily exceed several thousand euros. These are devices that however guarantee exceptional performance from all points of view.
A good camera, however suitable for experts, costs between $ 1500 and $ 2000, with truly amazing results in terms of image quality. Finally, there are the cameras indicated mainly for beginners which cost less than $ 1000.
In conclusion, the advice we give you is to first evaluate your level of experience and, later, choose the right camera also based on the cost.
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