Even if you have a tight budget of just $100, there’s a diverse variety of cameras available in the market to choose from. These include point-and-shoot snappers such as Kodak’s PixPro FZ53, instant cameras with integrated printers like Polaroid’s Mint, and even compact action cameras like Canon’s Ivy Rec. That said, having these many choices can (and often does) get confusing, which is why we’ve rounded up some of the best digital cameras under $100 you can buy. Read all about them, and take your pick. You get numerous shooting modes (e.g. Auto, Image Stabilization, and Panorama), as well as a plethora of scene presets such as Landscape, Fireworks, Glass, Indoor, and Night Portrait. The PixPro FZ53 uses digital image stabilization technology to reduce blur, and its 2.7-inch LCD monitor allows for effortless composition/viewing of pictures. You can also capture 720p HD videos at 30fps with the simple touch of a button, and shoot up to 200 images with the camera’s battery fully charged. Some other features worth noting are SD card support (up to 32GB), an ISO range of 80-1600, and macro shooting. A 2-inch IPS LCD screen makes it easy to preview/compose photos and videos, and there’s also a smaller display on the front that can show important information such as battery level and recording time. Akaso Brave 4 comes with a transparent case that makes it waterproof up to 30m (100ft), and there’s even a dedicated “diving mode” for filming all your underwater adventures. For connectivity and I/O, there’s Wi-Fi and HDMI included in the mix. In addition to other accessories, the camera’s bundled with two batteries (each having a capacity of 1050mAh) that provide a total recording time of up to 180 minutes. A motor-driven mechanism allows for easy switching between different focus ranges, as needed for the camera’s shooting modes (e.g. Normal, Macro, and Landscape). The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 is powered by two lithium batteries that are good for shooting/developing up to 300 photos. Some other features worth mentioning are a self-timer, automatic brightness control, and a “Double Exposure” mode that makes for some really artistic images. The pictures (having a size of 2 x 3 inches) are printed using “ZINK” (Zero Ink) technology, on a special sticky-back paper that allows them to be stuck anywhere. You even get a dedicated “reprint” button for printing copies with little to no effort. Canon Ivy Cliq is ridiculously easy to use, thanks to an optical viewfinder that makes for uncomplicated framing of shots. It also comes with a MicroSD card slot, as well as a MicroUSB port for connecting it to a PC (both Windows and macOS systems are supported) for transferring/viewing saved images. The camera’s 700mAh battery takes around 90 minutes to charge completely. The more important factors are photo and video quality, including optical zoom capability. We test these by taking sample shots and video, both indoors and outdoors, in a variety of environments, modes, and lightning conditions. Then we look at the resulting images and video on a monitor. Finally, we take a look at the price and competition to evaluate how much value the digital camera offers and make our final judgement. All of the digital cameras we test are purchased by Lifewire; none are provided by manufacturers.
About Our Trusted Experts
As a technology writer and editor with close to seven years (and counting) of experience, Rajat Sharma has tested/reviewed dozens of cameras (among other gadgets) over the course of his career so far. Before joining Lifewire, he has worked as a senior technology journalist with two of India’s biggest media houses - The Times Group and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited.
What to Look for When Buying Digital Cameras Under $100
Optical zoom - When searching for a compact point-and-shoot camera, take into consideration the optical zoom abilities advertised. If you want to capture images that are more than a few arms’ lengths away, you’ll want something with at least 4X optical zoom. Connectivity - Having fun living in a connected digital world? If you want to quickly upload your favorite photos to Facebook and Instagram, ensure that your camera of choice offers digital connectivity options, such as Bluetooth or WiFi, to connect with your smartphone. Video abilities - Not all compact cameras are excellent at video recording. If you’re looking for a camera to capture videos of the kids or your latest vacation, look for a solution that offers a minimum of 720p HD video. If you are able to find an option with stabilized video, it will help to remove any shakiness caused by your hand.
