There are still many who believe that full-frame cameras are the holy grail in the photography world. Whether that’s entirely true or not, is debatable, but before going into the detail, we thought it’d be worth sharing the amazing prices on full-frame Canon and Nikon DSLRs…
Not all full-frame sensors are equal
Camera age and technology plays a massive role in final image quality, for example, early digital cameras tend to struggle with noise a lot more than newer cameras, and even a full-frame sensor can’t avoid that if it’s old technology. However, there are ways around that, and modern software does a hell of an impressive job processing noise in raw files, compared to how well these early cameras process noise.
This means that shooting JPEG images with these early cameras is likely to give noisy images at higher ISO speeds, but it also means that you can breathe new life into these old cameras if you’re prepared to process the raw files.
If you’ve ever been put off by the cost of full-frame cameras, then the second-hand DSLR is a great place to look. Here’s what we found when looking for the cheapest full-frame DSLR cameras:
Canon EOS 5D – 12MP DSLR
Canon EOS 5D
- only $189 body only, only £120 body only (both in good condition)
The 12MP full-frame Canon EOS 5D DSLR has an ISO range from ISO100 to ISO1600, which can be expanded down to ISO50 and up to ISO3200, showing you how far we’ve come since 2005. But if you can live with this you’ll find a solidly built DSLR. If you need a lens, then the 50mm f1.8 will give good background blur and portraits, plus there’s a range of Canon EF lenses available on the new and second-hand market.
Nikon D700 – 12MP DSLR
Nikon D700 DSLR
- only $249 body only (well used), from £224 body only (good)
The 12MP full-frame Nikon D700 DSLR, released in 2008, has an ISO range from ISO200 to ISO6400, which can be expanded down to ISO100 and up to ISO25600. This solidly made DSLR can use any Nikon F-mount lens, however, they’re often a little bit more expensive than some of the budget Canon lenses. Have a look at our guide to the best Nikon F-mount lenses.
If you’ve got a bigger budget, check out our guide to the cheapest full-frame cameras.
Related reading:
- APS-C vs full-frame – which sensor size is best?
- The best second-hand full-frame camera bargains
- Best Canon DSLRs
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