What are the best cameras today under P40,000?

Whether you’re shooting photos or videos, looking for your next imaging equipment in the sea of available cameras can be overwhelming—more so if you’re limited by budget. For this list, we’ve compiled some of the best options for different kinds of users under P40K.

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Adventure junkie

Fujifilm X-A3 (P31,491) | Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 (P35,639)

Fujifilm’s X-A3 is a capable shooter that would fare well as your travel buddy. It’s got a 180-degree tilting LCD so selfies with your friends are easier to pull off during your adventures, a Super Intelligent flash that effectively lights up your shots, and a hip, retro design which easily goes together with your #OOTDs.

If you’re the kind of user that not only captures photos but shoots video to document your travels, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 already records up to 4K video at 30fps. Another special characteristic would be its Leica DC Vario-Summilux f/1.7-2.8 lens which, if you’re not familiar with the high-end German company, has been in the industry since 1849 and specializes in imaging.

Portrait photographer

Canon EOS M3 (P34,498)

For users who find themselves shooting portraits most of the time—whether it’s for Instagram posts you curate or simply as a casual hobby—the Canon EOS M3 might just fit your needs. This digital single-lens non-reflex camera has approximately 24.2-megapixel resolution with Hybrid CMOS AF III and 49 autofocus points that should help in keeping the subject focused even when it’s moving. It comes bundled with an EF-M 15-45mm lens that works well with portraits.

Professionals on-the-go

Sony RX100 III (P37,999) | Canon PowerShot G5 X (P36,998) | Sony a6000 (P39,999)

Built to easily slip inside a pocket, the Sony RX100 III features a slim profile and boasts a 1.0-type Exmor R CMOS sensor with 20.1-megapixel resolution. It has a 2.9x optical zoom and is equipped with a 180-degree tilting display for flexibility of angles. If you prefer looking through a viewfinder, there’s an OLED EVF that pops out of its body.

Meanwhile, Canon also has its own offering in the form of PowerShot G5 X. At a slightly cheaper asking price, you still get a fairly compact housing with an almost identical 1-inch type 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor. One advantage it has over the RX100 III is its optical zoom rated at 4.2x.

Promising an ultra-fast auto-focus speed of 0.06 seconds, the Sony a6000 boasts what they call 4D FOCUS that considers the height, width, depth, and time to predict the tracking of the subject. It also carries an APS-C size sensor that is a cut above the rest of its competition. With this, you get a 24.3-megapixel resolution, BIONZ X image processor, up to ISO 25600, and a 16-50mm Power Zoom lens.

Serious starters

Canon EOS 760D (P31,498) | Nikon D5600 (P40,388)

For some, touting a DSLR is the way to go as they prefer feeling that solid, chunky body of the camera. This is what the Canon EOS 760D offers as it sports a 24.2-megapixel shooter with an APS-C CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 6 image processor. The camera also shoots Full HD videos at 30fps and has a hybrid CMOS AF III for a more accurate lock on the subject. It is available with a sub-P32K price for the body only.

If you have cash to spare, the Nikon D5600 goes beyond our P40K limit by just a little but already has a 24.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor, EXPEED 4 image processor, and up to ISO 25600. Making things convenient for the user is a 3.2-inch vari-angle touchscreen, Wi-Fi and NFC for wireless transfers, and a time-lapse movie recording mode to help achieve that professional style in videos wherever you go.