These Fun and Capable Digital Cameras are Easy on the Budget

Action Camera

AKASO Brave 4

$100 $68 at Amazon

Arguably one of the best action cameras available, Akaso's Brave 4 offers many features for less than $100. Its 20MP Sony sensor lets you record crisp 4K footage at 24fps and full-HD videos at 60fps. You can also shoot 20MP still images with up to 5x zoom.

The camera includes adjustable viewing angles (e.g., 70 degrees, 140 degrees), and its built-in smart gyroscope results in super-smooth videos with enhanced stabilization.

A 2-inch IPS LCD screen makes it easy to preview/compose photos and videos, and a smaller display on the front 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.

Wi-Fi and HDMI are included for connectivity and I/O. In addition to other accessories, the camera comes with two batteries (each 1050mAh) that provide a total recording time of up to 180 minutes.

Cool Design

Lomography Konstruktor F

$39 at Adorama $39 at B&H Photo Video

Lomography's cameras are renowned for having some of the most fantastic designs, and the Konstruktor F is no exception. However, there's a lot more to it than just good looks. This is an old-school 35mm film camera you must first "build" to use. Yep, you read that right!

It comes in a DIY (Do It Yourself) kit with all the essential components and detailed assembly instructions. Although the 50mm fixed aperture lens can't match the advanced optics of today's digital cameras, the resulting photos have a timeless retro charm that's simply incomparable.

Interestingly, the camera also includes a PC socket that lets you connect a flash accessory (available for purchase separately), resulting in better low-light pictures. Lomography Konstruktor F uses a twin-lens reflex viewfinder and basic manual controls for adjusting exposure and focus. Oh, and it doesn't need a battery to work. How awesome is that!

Instant Camera

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6

$240 $220 at Amazon

Are you looking for a feature-laden instant camera that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Our vote goes to Fujifilm's Instax Square SQ6. Boasting a stylish two-tone design, it lets you shoot beautiful square photos. The pictures (2.4 x 2.4 inches) are then printed on a special film paper, with each shot taking as little as 90 seconds to develop.

The camera features a retractable front lens, a "selfie mirror," and a built-in LED flash. Three colored filters (Orange, Purple, and Green) can be attached to the flash, giving your photos a unique tinted appearance.

A motor-driven mechanism allows 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 can shoot and develop 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 artistic images.