Looking for mirrorless camera that are budget friendly? If you are a beginner searching for a cheap mirrorless cameras then you’re in the right place. As I will be walking you through the best inexpensive mirrorless camera that are available and are best suited for beginners in 2022.
Cheap means price wise and not because that these mirrorless cameras that I will be discussing are with cheap quality. These models are stacked with excellent features yet affordable that every beginner would love to have.
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Best Cheap Mirrorless Cameras (Update List)
| # | Overview | Product | Rating/Level |
| 1 |  | Panasonic LUMIX G100, 12-32mm Lens, Black | Best for Vlogging |
| 2 |  | Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II with 14-42mm, R Lens, Silver | Best for Beginner |
| 3 |  | Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black | Best All Around |
Why You Should Get Cheap Mirrorless Cameras As Your First MILC
As a beginner it is better to start with a simple mirrorless camera. Simple in the sense that controls and functions are easy to understand and the mirrorless camera in general is easy to use.
Most often than not, cheap mirrorless cameras comes with simplified design. Mostly relying on auto menus and settings which is what the manufacturers always considers when targeting beginners.
It would just be a waste of money if you buy a very high-end mirrorless camera but you could not utilize the full potential. Thus, it would be a smart and ideal choice to get a much simpler one first. Learn and familiarize with the basics of photography and when you are ready then you can always upgrade.
It’s the same like buying your new car as a new driver. I’m sure you would not risk and buy a Ferrari as your first car after passing and getting your drivers license. Normally, you would even consider a second hand car.
Righfully so and it’s the same case with owning a mirrorless camera. Used or second hand mirrorless camera is always an option because it is way cheaper than the brand new one. But still target the design that fits well for beginners.
What To Look When Buying Cheap Mirrorless Cameras
Everyone has preferences on what is most important or not when deciding on a cheap mirrorless cameras. But I want to offer my opinion on the most important things to watch when buying cheap mirrorless camera.
Is it a “USED” unit?
“USED” are normally being offered cheaper. And cheap mirrorless cameras are being sold online as well as offline. Always check the price you are paying if it is for brand new or used unit.
If buying online and both commodities are available you would always see two different prices. The cheaper price being the used unit, so be mindful.
Is it a “RENEWED” unit?
“RENEWED” unit are units that could have been used very slightly then returned to the manufacturer to be refurbished as new. Renewed mirrorless cameras are also sold at a cheaper price. Same way always check the price you are paying if it is for brand new or renewed unit.
Best Cheap Mirrorless Cameras Product Reviews
1. Panasonic LUMIX G100, 12-32mm Lens, Black (Best For Vlogging)
This model was launched in June 2020 targeting vloggers and enthusiasts. However, Lumix DC-G100 is also a good option for beginners especially those who wants to venture into vlogging.
Featured key specs:
| Type | Mirrorless (with support for interchangeable lens) | WiFi | Yes (built-in) |
| Lens Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Bluetooth | Yes |
| Sensor | Micro Four Thirds (CMOS sensor) | HDMI port | Yes (micro-HDMI) |
| Image Processor | Venus engine | USB port | Yes |
| Effective Pixel | 20.3MP | Mic port | Yes |
| ISO sensitivity | 200-25600 steps 1/3 (Expanded:100-25600) | Headphone port | No |
| Burst speed | 10.0fps | Flash | Built-in (support external flash via hot shoe) |
| Still Image format | JPEG, RAW | Storage media | SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I compatible) |
| Video | 4K, FHD, HD | Battery | DMW-BLG10E Lithium-ion (rechargeable) |
| Video format | MPEG-4, H.264 | Battery life | 270 shots (CIPA) |
| LCD/TFT Monitor | 3.0” vari-angle Touchscreen (1.84M dots) | Approx. dimension | 115.6 x 82.5 x 54.2 mm |
| View Finder | OLED EVF (3.68M dots) | Approx. weight | 352g (including battery, card) |
| Pros | Cons |
| > Good quality video and JPEG image captures | > Cropped 4K video capture |
| > Good AF. Excellent audio recording and tracking of subject | > No headphone terminal |
2. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II with 14-42mm, R Lens, Silver
Targeted for beginners, launched in Sept.2015. Olympus OM-D E-M10 II is a compact mirrorless camera with excellent image stabilization, EVF and also comes with WiFi.
Featured key specs:
| Type | Mirrorless (with support for interchangeable lens) | WiFi | Yes (built-in) |
| Lens Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Bluetooth | Yes |
| Sensor | Micro Four Thirds (Live MOS sensor) | HDMI port | Yes (micro-HDMI) |
| Image Processor | TruePic VII | USB port | Yes |
| Effective Pixel | 16.0MP | Mic port | No |
| ISO sensitivity | 200-25600 steps 1/3 or 1 EV (Expanded: 100-25600) | Headphone port | No |
| Burst speed | 8.5fps (H mode) | Flash | Built-in (support external flash via hot shoe) |
| Still Image format | JPEG, RAW | Storage media | SD, SDHC, SDXC, (UHS-I/II compatible) |
| Video | FHD, HD, 4K Timelapse | Battery | BLS-50 Lithium-ion (rechargeable) |
| Video format | MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG | Battery life | 320 shots (CIPA) |
| LCD/TFT Monitor | 3.0” Tilting Touchscreen (1.04M dots) | Approx. dimension | 119.5 x 83.1 x 46.7 mm |
| View Finder | OLED EVF (2.36M dots) | Approx. weight | 399g (including battery, card) |
| Pros | Cons |
| > Very good image quality | > AF not the best for moving subject and low light |
| > Compact, lightweight and easy to use | > ORF files need to convert to DNG if to use CS6 for editing |
| > Affordablility |
3. Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm STM Kit Black
Targeted for vloggers launched in Feb. 2018. Canon EOS M50 Mark II’s live streaming and webcam capabilities makes it an easy choice as the best canon mirrorless camera for vlogging. Besides it also possesses a great out of camera images that makes up for a good content.
Featured key specs:
| Type | Mirrorless (with support for interchangeable lens) | WiFi | Yes (built-in) |
| Lens Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Bluetooth | Yes |
| Sensor | APS-C (CMOS, supporting Dual Pixel CMOS AF) | HDMI port | Yes (micro-HDMI) |
| Image Processor | DIGIC 8 | USB port | Yes |
| Effective Pixel | 24.1MP | Mic port | Yes |
| ISO sensitivity | 100-25600 steps 1/3 or 1 EV (Expanded: 51200) | Headphone port | No |
| Burst speed | 10.0fps | Flash | Built-in (support external flash via hot shoe) |
| Still Image format | JPEG, RAW, C-RAW | Storage media | SD, SDHC, SDXC, (UHS-I compatible) |
| Video | 4K, FHD, HD | Battery | LP-E12 Lithium-ion (rechargeable) |
| Video format | MPEG-4, H.264, | Battery life | 305 shots (CIPA) |
| LCD/TFT Monitor | 3.0” vari-angle Touchscreen (1.04M dots) | Approx. dimension | 116.3 x 88.1 x 58.7 mm |
| View Finder | OLED EVF (2.36M dots) | Approx. weight | 387g (including battery, card) |
| Pros | Cons |
| > Good out of camera image quality | > 4K video not the best |
| > Compact, lightweight and easy to use | > Streaming limitations (at least 1000 followers in Youtube) |
| > Support external mic |
Best Cheap Mirrorless Cameras FAQ’s
Does it have a headphone jack?
As shown in the key featured specs all these three models don’t have headphone jack.
Is there a 30 minute limit on time recording?
Yes it has 30 minute video recording limit. It is more of a regulatory limitation for video recording device.
Does the mirrorless camera comes with lens?
Yes, as included in the description it comes with a kit lens. Besides, you can also add or buy a separate lens.
Conclusion
So that concludes our list of some of the best inexpensive mirrorless cameras for beginners on the market today.
All these three models are with affordable prices. And a much lower selling price for used and renewed units.
Personally, either of these three are a good choice. I own and currently using Canon EOS M5, it’s a 2016 model yet have a much higher price compared to those three models I listed above.
So there you have it folks, once again thank you for reading. If you find this article helpful or you have some questions please leave a comment. I will try to answer them to the best of my knowledge.