Best DSLR Camera and Accessories Deals under $1000

The biggest hindrance for most aspiring photographers while pursuing their dreams is the sheer cost of photography equipment. Yes, it’s a no brainer that professional level equipment, regardless of the field is expensive. A budding photographer might not need everything a professional has but even getting a decent camera and lens, which happen to be the bare minimum, can be a costly process.

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To help future photographers among you with their first purchase, I’ve decided to compile a list of the best camera and accessory deals on Amazon that prove to be the best bang for your buck. All the deals will cost under $1000, which seems to be the ideal cost of getting an enthusiast-level camera. Without further ado, let’s have a look at the list.

1. Nikon D5600 (18-140mm)

24.2 Megapixels.
APS-C Sensor.
100-25,600 ISO Range.
1/4000 Max Shutter Speed.
18-140mm Lens with Image Stabilization.
f/3.5-5.6 Variable Aperture.
3.2″ Vari-Angle Touch LCD.
Price: $759.00

Starting off the list, we have the Nikon D5600 with the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. It is quite a popular combination among enthusiasts who want to make their way into the world of photography. The camera offers decent specs, which are capable of giving you professional-looking photos.

The 18-140 focal range of this particular lens is the most versatile. It can do everything the 18-55mm kit lens can do plus a whole lot more. Shooting at 140mm with the aperture at f/5.6 will give you quite a decent bokeh that’s even good enough for portraits. However, you will have to stand quite far away and it will come at the expense of image sharpness.

Since this is an Amazon deal, you get, along with this, a 50″ tripod stand, a 67mm Tulip Threaded Lens Hood, 67mm UV, CPL, FLD Filters, Wireless shutter remote, SanDisk 32GB Class 10 SD card, 58mm wide-angle and telephoto auxiliary lenses. You get all this and a whole lot more for just $759.00, which is nothing short of a bargain.

2. Sony Alpha A7 II (28-70mm)

24.3 Megapixels.
Full Frame Sensor.
5-Axis in-body Image Stabilization.
50-25,600 ISO Range.
1/8000 Max Shutter Speed.
28-70mm Lens with Image Stabilization.
f/3.5-5.6 Variable Aperture.
3.0″ Tilting Touch LCD with OLED viewfinder.
Price: $998.00

The Sony Alpha A7 II is the only full-frame camera in this list which might amaze you, considering that it costs under $1000. Well, Amazon deals can be amazing and so is this. This may not be the latest A7 but it’s definitely no slouch. It can perform as well as, and even better than, most cameras in this list along with the added benefit of the larger sensor.

The Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is one of the better kit lenses out there. It may not have the widest focal range like or a fixed aperture but that’s a compromise you’ll have to make when you’re getting such a good camera for under $1000. For general purpose photography, this is a good lens. It won’t give you the best bokeh for portraits so better lower your expectations for that.

However, things aren’t all that bad as you get quite a lot of goodies with this incredible purchase. Along with the camera and the lens, you get a SanDisk 32GB Class 10 SD card, 55mm UV, CPL, ND2 Filters, a cleaning kit, memory wallet and, best of all, a 1-year official Sony warranty. I don’t know about you but for me, all of this for $998.00 is a steal.

3. Fujifilm X-T30 (15-45mm)

26.1 Megapixels.
APS-C Sensor.
80-51,200 ISO Range.
1/32000 Max Shutter Speed.
15-45mm Lens with Image Stabilization.
f/3.5-5.6 Variable Aperture.
3.0″ Tilting Touch LCD with LCD viewfinder.
Price: $999.99

Personally, I love the design of the Fujifilm X-T30. On the outside, you have a camera that looks old fashioned enough to become an antique. However, on the inside, it is quite the opposite. Using high-tech mirrorless technology, this camera has one of the best specs in this list with the highest shutter speed and largest ISO range.

On the other hand, the lens you get with this isn’t the most sought after. It is a FUJIFILM XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ kit lens that is only meant for general-purpose photography. I personally wish we could get a bit more focal range with this. However, the minimum focal length at 15mm may prove to be quite handy for wide-angle landscape photography.

Paying $999.99 for this might seem to be just touching the limit of our budget. Thankfully, you do get some stuff along with it that brings up the value. You get a Transcend 32GB SDHC card, 52mm UV glass filter, FlexPod tripod, Vivitar SF-3000 Slave Flash and a complete cleaning kit.

4. Canon EOS 77D (18-135mm)

24.2 Megapixels.
APS-C Sensor.
5-Axis in-body digital stabilization.
100-51,200 ISO Range.
1/4000 Max Shutter Speed.
18-135mm Lens with Image Stabilization.
f/3.5-5.6 Variable Aperture.
3.0″ Vari-Angle Touch TFT.
Price: $872.79

I’ve personally owned the Canon EOS 77D and I can vouch for it being a great camera to start your photographic journey. It has everything an entry-level camera should have and a lot more features that are found on the much more expensive professional cameras. My favorite feature of this camera is the Dual-Pixel CMOS autofocus in Live View. It is literally the best autofocus technology out there and it will put a lot of flagship cameras from other brands to shame.

The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is a great and versatile lens to have as a photographer who’s starting out. It offers almost the same focal range as the one from Nikon we saw earlier. Since it is a kit lens, however, the aperture is variable and you won’t be able to shoot wide open at higher focal lengths. I particularly liked the super silent or “Ultrasonic” autofocus motor that makes focusing a treat.

Along with the body and lens, you get a 16GB SDHC card, a Gorilla Pod, a 67mm UV filter and a cleaning kit. This is all available for just $872.79 which, if you ask me, is a great deal for such a capable camera.

5. Sony Alpha A6300 (16-50mm)

24.2 Megapixels.
APS-C Sensor.
100-51,200 ISO Range.
1/4000 Max Shutter Speed.
16-50mm Lens with Image Stabilization.
f/3.5-5.6 Variable Aperture.
3.0″ Tilting Touch LCD with OLED viewfinder.
Price: $848.00

The Sony Alpha A6300 is the second product and the third mirrorless camera in this list. Unlike it’s bigger brother, however, it neither has a large full-frame sensor nor the extreme specs. In fact, specs-wise, this is awfully similar to the Canon EOS 77D. While the Canon clearly wins in terms of battery life, you can’t deny the portability factor of a mirrorless camera so it’s all about your priorities.

The Sony E PZ 16–50 mm F3.5–5.6 OSS lens is not as versatile as the one we see on the Canon and Nikon. However, it does offer some wide-angle capabilities, especially at 16mm focal length. That can be useful for landscape photography but otherwise, don’t expect great portraits with incredible bokeh from this.

The $848.00 bundle with this camera and lens includes a Lexar 16GB SDHC card, a 40.5mm filter kit with 3 filters, a cleaning kit and an official 1-year warranty from Sony. For the specs of this device paired with the stuff you get with it, this is an incredible deal and you should look into it if you’re interested.

6. Pentax K-70 (18-135mm)

24.0 Megapixels.
APS-C Sensor.
100-102,400 ISO Range.
1/6000 Max Shutter Speed.
18-135mm Lens with Image Stabilization.
f/3.5-5.6 Variable Aperture.
3.0″ Fully Articulating LCD screen.
Price: $849.99

How can we talk about photography cameras without mentioning Pentax? This lesser-known brand is responsible for making some of the most capable cameras and the K-70 is just another example of that. It has the best in class ISO range along with a slightly higher maximum shutter speed than most cameras in this price point. This allows this beast of a machine to taken continuous shots at 6 frames per second.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, the 18-135mm is the best kit lens you can get with a sub $1000 price tag. It offers the most versatility by giving you a wide-angle at 18mm and a good telephoto zoom at 135mm. The quality of the Pentax 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL IF DC WR is nowhere near the one that we saw on the Canon. However, it’s loads better than the 18-140mm that we saw on the Nikon. Not to mention that I love the green ring towards the front element.

Along with this camera and lens, you get a Transcend 64GB SDXC U3 Card, a Precision Design DSLR350 flash, a PD Flex Tripod & Ball Head, 62mm UV, CPL, ND8 Filters, a PD wireless shutter remote, and a full cleaning kit. For $849.99, that’s a lot of stuff coming with a camera and lens of this caliber. This is probably the best deal on this list, you just have to deal with owning a not so popular brand.

7. Canon EOS M5 (18-150mm)

24.2 Megapixels.
APS-C Sensor.
5-Axis in-body stabilization.
100-25,600 ISO Range.
1/4000 Max Shutter Speed.
18-150mm Lens with Image Stabilization.
f/3.5-6.3 Variable Aperture.
3.2″ Tilting touch LCD with an OLED viewfinder.
Price: $919.00

The Canon EOS M5 is the second Canon camera and the last entry in this list. Unlike the EOS 77D, which was a DSLR, this is mirrorless, which means it immediately benefits from having an overall smaller package and weighing a lot less. This makes it ultra-portable and easy to take along in adventures. What takes away that portability is the battery life as the OLED electronic viewfinder makes sure that the sensor is continuously being used. The specs are same between the two so it’s just a matter of personal preference at the end.

The Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM might offer a lot more focal range than its 18-135mm sibling. However, it does suffer from having a smaller aperture at high focal lengths. If you choose to shoot at 150mm, you’ll be stuck with an f/6.3 aperture, which will take away some of the bokeh. Regardless, you’ll still be able to take decent portraits from this, at the cost of some sharpness.

The goodies that you get with this include a SanDisk 32GB Class 10 SDXC card, a 3-piece 55mm filter kit, a slave flash, a full-sized Tripod, telephoto/wide-angle lens set, a wireless remote and a full cleaning kit. $919.00 is a bit expensive for a camera like this, even with all this stuff. However, that’s what you need to expect from a high-tech mirrorless camera plus you won’t be disappointed by the Canon quality.