If you've been online this week, you've probably seen at least one creator complaining that their phone photos look flat, lifeless, or just... samey. There's a reason for that. Smartphone camera development has hit a point of diminishing returns, where computational tricks and AI upscaling are doing most of the heavy lifting. The gap between a flagship phone and a dedicated camera has narrowed in some areas, but for anyone who wants real creative control, a proper camera still wins.
The good news? You don't need to spend anywhere near what you might expect. As Engadget reports, there are solid camera options available for less than the price of a budget smartphone, at roughly AU$750 or under (adjusting for local pricing and currency), that offer genuinely impressive features for creators and photographers alike.
The Sales Numbers Tell the Story
Let's be real: the market has already voted. The best-selling interchangeable lens mirrorless camera of 2025 by actual sales volume was the Canon EOS R50, an entry-level APS-C mirrorless camera that launched in early 2023. Right behind it, in second place was the vlogging-oriented Sony ZV-E10 II, a camera launched in mid-2024 that delivers a significant upgrade over its predecessor. These are not enthusiast cameras or professional tools. They are accessible, affordable, and clearly resonating with a new generation of shooters.
It isn't just that APS-C cameras are cheaper; the best-selling interchangeable lens mirrorless camera of 2025 was the Canon EOS R50, an entry-level APS-C model. Photographers are actively choosing these cameras on merit, not just price.
What You're Actually Choosing Between
Before pulling the trigger, the most important question is what you actually want to shoot. Engadget's roundup breaks it down cleanly, and the logic holds. If your priority is capturing extreme sports, skiing, or fast-moving outdoor adventures, an action camera from GoPro, DJI, or Insta360 is the obvious answer. You then just need to decide between flat video and 360-degree capture, and whether you need a compact or standard-sized body.
For travel photography, sports shooting, or vlogging, the choice gets more layered. Here you're choosing between a compact camera with a fixed lens or a mirrorless body that accepts interchangeable lenses. Compact cameras offer genuine portability: most slip into a large jacket pocket. The trade-off is a smaller sensor and lenses that, while capable, can't match the optical quality of dedicated glass.
Mirrorless cameras, by contrast, offer a larger sensor that produces the kind of blurred background separation (that bokeh look so popular in portrait and product photography) that compact cameras struggle to replicate. Lenses are sharper, and the collection can grow over time as skills and budgets allow. The downside is bulk and the added cost of glass.
The Standout Models Right Now
For still photography and action bursts, the Canon EOS R50 is hard to argue with. The model is a strong choice for photographers thanks to its 15 fps maximum burst speeds and Canon's Dual Pixel autofocus, and it includes a fully articulating display along with an electronic viewfinder, which is rare at this price point. It also supports 4K 10-bit video at up to 30p with supersampling and no crop, though the main drawback is a lack of in-body stabilisation.
For creators leaning toward vlogging, Sony's ZV-E10 line continues to be a dominant force. The ZV-E10 II features a large APS-C 26-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, the latest BIONZ XR image processing engine, dedicated vlog settings, and interchangeable lenses. The camera got even better recently with a free firmware upgrade that added 4K 120p recording. That kind of post-purchase improvement through software is increasingly common and genuinely valuable.
The price gap between the two brands is significant. Both the Canon EOS R50 V and the Sony ZV-E10 II are capable of 4K60p 4:2:2 10-bit video, feature APS-C sensors (24MP for the Canon, 26MP for the Sony), and offer similar ISO ranges and connectivity options. The Sony ZV-E10 II retails for US$999 body-only, while Canon's EOS R50 V is priced at US$649 body-only — a US$350 difference for remarkably similar cameras. For Australian buyers, currency conversion and local retail margins will shift those numbers, but the relative gap holds.
The Case for Going Old-School (Kind Of)
Here's what nobody's talking about: the strong argument for compact cameras in 2026. Yes, mirrorless bodies offer better image quality. But for a large portion of creators, especially those building a travel or lifestyle channel, the friction of carrying extra lenses, worrying about dust on sensors, and managing a larger kit is a genuine deterrent to actually shooting. At the entry price point, options include entry-level interchangeable lens cameras or larger-sensor compact cameras with built-in lenses, and compacts offer more control than a phone and a greater zoom range.
For action-focused buyers, the Insta360 X5 made a significant leap in 360-degree image quality thanks to a much bigger 1/1.28-inch sensor, and introduced a new PureVideo mode with AI noise reduction for cleaner low-light footage, as well as up to 8K 360-degree video capture. That said, some action camera buyers may balk at the steep US$550 price tag.
For vloggers who want the simplest possible solo shooting setup, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, which carries a 1-inch sensor and a large swivelling touchscreen, excels through its follow modes combined with face tracking: set it up and it rotates and tilts to follow you around, even during walk-and-talk vlogging, so you don't have to worry about focus or pointing it at yourself.
The Honest Take for Australian Buyers
For Australian creators, the catch is pricing. US tariffs have pushed camera costs up in that market, as Engadget acknowledges, but Australian retail prices have always carried their own premium on top of currency conversion. The best cameras under AU$1,000 include some genuine bargains, and from action cameras to compacts and even a few mirrorless models, a AU$1,000 budget gets you surprisingly far in the world of cameras.
The honest answer to the question of which camera to buy is unsatisfying but true: it depends entirely on what you want to shoot. A mirrorless body for a vlogger who never leaves the house is overkill. An action camera for someone who mostly shoots portraits is the wrong tool entirely. The first and most important step is getting clear on your use case, then matching the technology to it.
The camera market in 2026 is genuinely competitive at the affordable end. Manufacturers are fighting hard for the entry-level buyer, and the result is that features once reserved for professional bodies, including fast burst rates, AI subject tracking, and high-bitrate video, are now available at prices that make a dedicated camera a reasonable investment for almost anyone serious about their content. Your phone is still great. But if you want more, you don't have to spend a fortune to get it.