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Cameras sure do feel pretty pricey in 2025, which is partly due to premium models trending over beginner-friendly snappers. However, there’s still excellent value to be found if you look in the right places, and this list gives you that steer.
Of course, value can be pretty subjective – it doesn’t reflect price alone. An expensive camera can still be excellent value, while a cheap one could in reality be a false economy. I’ve picked out 10 leading camera brands and ranked them from worst to best for value, which was no mean feat. Ultimately, value is about getting the most camera for your money, and a surprising brand is emerging as the best bang for your buck.
Just to flag before we get started – I haven’t included action camera brands DJI, Insta360, GoPro and Akaso, because they’re a whole category unto themselves. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
10. Leica
With its astronomical prices, it’ll come as no surprise that Leica ranks bottom of the pile for value. Take the M11-D (above) – it’s a stripped-back, screen-less digital rangefinder with full-frame 61MP sensor, which costs $9,395 / £8,100 / AU$15,990 body only. The price for Leica lenses starts in the thousands, too. Ouch.
That said, Leica is the Rolls-Royce of the camera world, manufacturing superb cameras that could last a lifetime, especially its M-series of analog and digital rangefinders (metal bodies, all made in low numbers in Germany). Plus, there’s its Q-series of digital compacts such as the divine Q3.
In one sense, Leica can feel like decent value when you consider the quality of craftsmanship. But you’re looking more than $20,000 / £16,000 / AU$30,000 for a Leica M camera plus a couple of lenses, while its more ‘affordable’ models like the D-Lux 8 compact are still twice the price of rivals – the reality is that Leica is an exclusive brand.
9. Hasselblad
A close run with Leica, Hasselblad is another legendary name in the camera world that’s still producing new models in 2025, the latest of which are the X2D 100C (see above) and 907X CFV 100C.
Both of those mirrorless cameras are premium models commanding Leica-like prices. However, I’m placing Hasselblad as slightly better value than Leica based on the technology inside its latest digital cameras, which includes a larger, stabilized ‘medium-format’ 100MP sensor (sized 44 x 33mm), 1TB built-in SSD, and more.
Hasselblad’s lenses cost a pretty penny too, but possibly a fraction less than Leica overall. And the quality of Hasselblad gear is jaw-droppingly good – the X2D tops my winning lottery ticket shopping list.
8. Sony
Now that we’ve got two premium brands out of the way, we’re getting into the mainstream. And all things considered, from its flagship mirrorless models such as the A1 II, to vlogging compacts and lenses, I think Sony is a pricey pick.
Again, quality is superb, so if you can afford Sony, it’s a top choice. I especially appreciate its latest lenses, such as the incredible 50-150mm F2 GM, which is my favorite lens this year and practically worth switching systems for.
That said, I get to enjoy using Sony camera gear through my job; I’m not spending my own money on it. The A1 II is almost double the price of some rivals, even those which offer 90-95% of the same features, and its premium lenses cost in the thousands too.
The saving grace for Sony cameras is the large number of low-cost third-party lenses from the likes of Viltrox, who tend to make lenses for Sony cameras first, and sometimes exclusively. Sony’s quality and performance are unquestioned, but its prices are getting hard to swallow.
7. Canon
Like Sony, there’s no doubting the quality of Canon camera gear. Its EOS R5 Mark II (above) scooped TechRadar’s camera of the year 2024 award, and the brand has been busy rolling out a string of superb hybrid lenses for photo and video shooters this year. But, like Sony, there’s a premium for Canon’s full-frame cameras, such as the EOS R1, plus many of its RF lenses.
Where I think Canon fares better versus its rivals, especially Sony, is in producing low-cost beginner-friendly cameras, such as the EOS R100. It’s Canon’s entry-level mirrorless camera, and quite possibly the only sub-$500 / £550 mirrorless camera from any brand. There’s a reason – from some of the dated tech inside and its basic fixed rear screen, which isn’t even touch-sensitive. However, with a 24MP APS-C sensor and decent autofocus, it’s still a decent starter camera.
Canon has also launched decent vlogging cameras in 2025, which are fairly well-priced. However, Canon only recently opened its lens mount to third parties to make lenses for its APS-C cameras (and there’s still none for full-frame), so most of your choices are pricey Canon optics. Overall, Canon is a mixed bag when it comes to pricing and value.
6. Fujifilm
Fujifilm has nailed down the retro camera market with a string of excellent cameras, such as the X100VI and, most recently, the X-E5. It has long been seen as a low-cost Leica alternative, and that’s still true. However, I’ve observed the premium path that Fujifilm has been taking following the launch of the X-E5, which was twice the price of its predecessor, the X-E4. Fujifilm is also cashing in on its popular X100 series.
Personally, I think it makes sense for Fujifilm to up the build quality of its cameras and therefore its prices – the metal top plate of the X-E5 is lovely and worth the extra outlay. Fujifilm’s days as a good value brand, it seems, are limited.
Still, there are excellent value options in its X-series line up if you look hard enough, not least of which is the X-M5, which is a tiny 6K powerhouse that I’ve personally recommended to a number of vloggers looking for their first came. The X-S20 is a decent all-rounder too, while if you want a medium-format monster, Fujifilm is the value brand to go for because it costs much less than Hasselblad.
5. Sigma
Sigma is better known for its lens making skills, delivering premium optics typically for half the price of proprietary alternatives. And boy are its lenses good – available in L-mount and many more including Sony, Fujifilm, Nikon and now Canon.
The prices for its lenses are all the more impressive when you consider that Sigma is a family-owned business since 1961 that runs its entire production from its HQ in Japan.
As for cameras, Sigma occasionally forays into the market. Take the Sigma BF, which is probably the most talked about camera for 2025. It’s uncharacteristically pricey for Sigma, but with good reason – the entire chassis is made from a single ingot of aluminum. So, while not cheap, it certainly is premium. With Sigma lenses, you’re guaranteed excellent quality at affordable prices. As for its cameras, expect the unexpected.
4. Blackmagic
If you’re a certain type of filmmaker, then you’ll struggle to find better value than Blackmagic. Its Pyxis 6K and Cinema Camera 6K models deliver some of the best 6K footage you’ll see, with a streamlined workflow to Blackmagic’s own Davinci Resolve editing software – which is one of the best out there and comes free with a Blackmagic camera.
Blackmagic cameras use the L-mount too, for which there is a wide choice of lenses covering all budgets. That said, Blackmagic’s cameras are truly video focused rather than hybrid, which will work for some and not others. For example, you’ll get video connectivity and audio features not available with hybrid models, but equally they’re less suitable for photography. With a lack of image stabilization and basic autofocus performance, they’re also less suitable for run-and-gun filmmaking.
However, if you simply want the best video quality, then Blackmagic cameras top the list at their respective price points.
3. OM System
OK, so OM System cameras aren’t exactly pushing the boat out in terms of upgrades, but a solid foundation was already laid by Olympus (before it was acquired by OM Digital Solutions).
Today’s OM System cameras, such as the OM-3 (above), are a wonderful blend of portability, rugged quality, retro looks and cutting-edge computational smarts. They’re fun to shoot with, and enjoy a huge range of lenses. Some may scoff at the Micro Four Thirds format which is half the size of full-frame, but it’s perfectly suited for many genres of photography, especially when you consider the powerful features the smaller format unleashes – the OM-3 is the cheapest camera with a stacked sensor.
In 2025, OM System has been bucking a rising prices trend, namely when it launched the OM System OM-5 II with a lower list price than the three-year-old OM-5. I’m not sure you’ll find a better value camera.
2. Panasonic
Panasonic has long been a leading light for value, especially with its video-focused mirrorless cameras, such as the Lumix GH series, the most recent model being the Lumix GH7. When I was looking for a versatile and portable video camera on a shoestring years back, it was the Lumix GH5 that made the most sense.
That same value extends across most of the line, from its bridge cameras to new compacts like the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 and other mirrorless models – the Lumix S5 II is another perfectly pitched full-frame hybrid.
Recently, however, new Lumix models have felt uncharacteristically pricey, such as the Lumix S1 II and Lumix S1R II. They still offer plenty of bang for your buck, again if you shoot video as much as stills. However, in my book, there’s another brand rising through the value ranks that has stolen Panasonic’s top spot.
1. Nikon
I’m as surprised as anyone that Nikon takes top spot in this list. After all, it has been one of the leading camera brands for decades, from its analog SLR roots to DSLRs and then mirrorless.
If you look across its entire range, virtually every model costs less than its rivals, especially with seemingly permanent discounts at leading retailers. The Nikon Z8 stands shoulder to shoulder with the Canon EOS R5 II and Sony A1 II, but it’s as comparative snip.
We rank the Nikon Z6 III as the best mirrorless camera overall, and again it’s cheaper than Sony / Canon rivals despite being the newer, better model. The Nikon Z5 II raised the bar for entry-level full-frame cameras, the Z50 II is a well-equipped APS-C model, while the Z30 is one of the cheapest vlogging mirrorless models available, not forgetting the retro-styled Nikon Zf and Zfc.
Every model takes its respective top spot for value. The only strike against Nikon is there’s no true beginner camera in its lineup, and some of its lenses are fairly pricey. Otherwise, Nikon is the undisputed best value camera brand in 2025.
