• Categories
• Tips & Inspiration
• Reviews
• News
• Events
• Features
• Buying Guides
• Competitions

Budget-Friendly Used Camera and Lens Kits

If you’re just getting started with photography, the price of a brand-new flagship camera like the Sony A1 II or the latest Canon mirrorless body, can be enough to put you off before you’ve even taken a shot! While flagship cameras often steal the spotlight, the good news is you definitely don’t need a big budget to start enjoying photography more seriously.

In this post we explore several second-hand cameras, including DSLR and mirrorless lens kits that prove you can get great image quality and an enjoyable shooting experience without breaking the bank.

Whether you’ve got £500 to spend or you’re stretching to around £1,000, we highlight some APS-C and full-frame camera bodies with compatible second-hand lenses that offer fantastic value, or, as our friends across the pond might say, some serious bang for your buck.

As we discussed in our recent post Is the Nikon D850 Still Worth Buying?, older cameras can still deliver exceptional performance. So if you’re a student, a beginner, or just someone who doesn’t want the most expensive gear, join us in this camera buying guide as we discover the best budget-friendly used camera and lens kits from Nikon, Canon, Sony and Fujifilm for this inspiring hobby.

Firstly let’s take stock of why going second-hand can make such good sense.

Why Buy Second-Hand Camera gear?

There’s a lot to be said for buying a used camera, especially if you’re just starting out or want to get more from a smaller budget. The most obvious advantage is of course price, as buying second-hand often means access to higher-end gear for considerably less than buying new.

Buying second-hand is also a more sustainable option. On the whole, cameras are built to last, and by choosing used camera equipment you’re reducing waste and extending the life of gear that’s still perfectly capable of producing great results.

It’s easy to assume that only the latest tech can produce sharp high-quality photos but that’s far from the truth. Cameras from five, ten, even decades ago can still deliver image quality that will impress your audience, and are often good enough for wall prints and of course, social media posts.

If you want more insight into why buying used makes sense, check our post should you buy used camera equipment, which has a lot more detail than we go into here.

Next up let’s explore some options for a lower budget.

Budget used DSLR – Nikon D3200 Plus Two Lenses From £339!

• Used Nikon D3200 DSLR Starting from around £100.00

The Nikon D3200 was released in 2012 and is still a capable camera, especially for anyone just starting out. With a 24.2MP DX-format (APS-C) sensor and user-friendly controls, it’s ideal for learning the fundamentals of content creation while still being able to capture superb shots.

It’s a lightweight camera, and it includes Nikon’s Guide Mode to help beginners understand settings as they go, and the 11-point autofocus system is accurate for most everyday subjects you’ll encounter.

The camera bursts at 4fps for capturing action, and offers Full HD 1080p video recording with manual control. At just over 500g, it’s light enough for all day use, with a simple layout that’s a great introduction to the Nikon ecosystem.

Key Features:

• 24.2MP DX-format CMOS sensor
• ISO 100-6400, expandable to 12800
• 11-point AF system with 3D tracking
• 4fps continuous shooting
• Full HD 1080p video at 30fps
• 3.0-inch, 921k-dot display
• Approximately 505g with battery and SD card

Next let’s look at the two lenses you could get to go with the body, all for under £500.00.

• Used Nikon 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6G VR Lens from only £69.00

The 18-55mm zoom lens covers a ‘standard’ range, which is perfect for day-to-day use, while you’re capturing anything from landscapes to portraits. Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) helps reduce blur if you shoot in lower light, and the focus delivers competent, near-silent autofocus for stills and video, making a great first lens to explore new subjects.

• Used Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Macro Lens from £189

This 40mm macro lens adds some nice creative potential to your kit, with 1:1 life-size shots and a wide f/2.8 aperture for low light and portrait shots. It’s sharp, quiet to focus, and delivers a natural field of view (60mm full-frame equivalent), which is ideal as a versatile second lens to develop your skills with.

Why Choose The Nikon DSLR Kit?

This second hand Nikon camera setup has everything you need to start capturing high-quality stills on a budget. You’ll get a zoom lens for general use, and a sharp prime for portraits and macro for under £500. If you’re not sure what you enjoy shooting yet, it’s the perfect way to experiment before upgrading to a more serious kit.

Looking to spend a little more? Let’s see what a DSLR kit around £1,000 looks like…

Canon EOS 6D Mark II + EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM From £908

• Used Canon EOS 6D Mark II From £629

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II was released in 2017 and is a DSLR that offers a compelling entry into full-frame photography. It features a 26.2MP CMOS sensor, which is paired with Canon’s DIGIC 7 processor, delivering high-resolution images with excellent colour reproduction and good low-light performance.

Key specifications include a 45-point all cross-type autofocus system, 6.5fps continuous shooting and a native ISO range of 100-40,000. The 6D II camera also boasts a fully articulating 3.0-inch touchscreen LCD, which is useful for creative shooting angles and for recording video.

Key Features:

• 26.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor
• DIGIC 7 image processor
• 45-point all cross-type autofocus system
• ISO 100-40,000 (expandable to 102,400)
• 6.5fps continuous shooting
• Full HD 1080p video at 60fps
• Vari-angle 3.0” touchscreen LCD
• Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS
• Weather-sealed body

While it lacks 4K, the 6D Mark II does capture Full HD 1080p at up to 60fps, so you can start learning the craft of making videos. It also has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPSl which are all nice features to have.

Let’s see which lens can you add while sticking under £1,000?

• Used Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM From £279

The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens is a versatile standard zoom lens that complements the 6D Mark II perfectly. It covers a wide-angle to short telephoto range and is suitable for a variety of subjects, including landscapes, portraits, and events.

This L-series lens features a constant f/4 aperture, which allows you to maintain a consistent exposure throughout the range. An Image Stabilisation system provides up to three stops of shake compensation, which is ideal for handheld shooting. The lens also has a ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM) for fast and quiet autofocus, with full-time manual focus override.

Why Choose The Canon Kit?

For beginner and slightly more advanced photographers looking to explore full-frame photography this Canon camera is a great starting point. It has a great sensor with excellent image quality, while the lens’s zoom range covers a lot of everyday subjects and shooting situations.

This kit is particularly suitable for those interested in travel, portraits, and family photography, or any subject where versatility and image quality are key benefits. An investment in this second-hand Canon camera kit offers top-notch performance at a fraction of the cost of the latest new gear. Our guide to the best used camera gear for popular genres provides more insights into selecting cost-effective equipment which is suitable for various photography genres.

Fujifilm X-T1 and a fixed Prime Lens From Just £388!

• Used Fujifilm X-T1 From £339

The Fujifilm X-T1 was first introduced in 2014, and it marked a significant point in Fujifilm’s mirrorless development. This first-generation camera has all of the dials-and-whistles, while featuring a very compact DSLR-style body with advanced features for its time. At launch it was even the fastest focusing camera of its era, with a 0.08 seconds AF response time.

It boasts a 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor, which is still known for capturing sharp images with minimal moiré, thanks to its unique colour filter array. Other key features include an advanced EXR Processor II, ISO sensitivity from 200 to 6400 (expandable to 51200), and a continuous shooting speed of up to 8 fps, which is pretty fast even by todays standards. The camera’s OLED electronic viewfinder has a 2.36 million dot resolution, for a clear and responsive shooting experience.

A used X-T1 makes an excellent entry point for anyone interested in exploring the Fujifilm X system, and it is of course compatible with a huge variety of compact X-mount lenses. Speaking of which, up next is a 7Artisans lens, which is a characterful option that costs less than £50!

Sample image Fujifilm X-T1 with XF 14mm f/2.8 R lens. Camera settings: 1/180 sec. f/13. ISO 250

• Used 7Artisans 25mm f/1.8 From £49

The 7Artisans 25mm f/1.8 lens is a compact, manual focus prime for APS-C mirrorless cameras, with a 37.5mm equivalent focal length when mounted on the Fujifilm X-T1. 37.5mm is very similar to human vision, and when combined with Its wide f/1.8 aperture the lens offers excellent low-light performance and a shallow depth of field, making it suitable for portraits, street and everyday photography.

Despite its affordability, the 7Artisans 25mm lens has an all-metal body, and features a 12-blade diaphragm, which creates smooth bokeh and soft out-of-focus areas in your images. Its manual focus design encourages a deliberate shooting style, which can be beneficial for newcomers who are refining their photography skills.

Why This Fujifilm Kit?

Combining the second-hand X-T1 with a 7Artisans 25mm f/1.8 lens makes a versatile and really affordable entry into Fujifilm’s mirrorless ecosystem. The camera has enough features for any level of phodrogapher and the lens’s fast aperture is ideal for various genres, including street, portrait, and travel photography.

This kit highlights how investing in second hand camera equipment can yield high-quality results without a big initial outlay and is definitely a solid foundation to build on.

Sony A7R II (or an A7R) With a Zoom Lens From Just £1,078!

• Used Sony A7R II From £504

The Sony A7R II is a full-frame mirrorless camera with a whopping 42.4MP that marked a significant leap for the Sony Alpha series when it launched back in 2015. It features the world’s first back-illuminated full-frame sensor that is the business even by today’s standards, which renders exceptional image quality with wide dynamic range.  

Key features include its sensor, a 5-axis in-body image stabilisation, ISO sensitivity up to 102,400, and 4K video. The camera’s 399-point phase-detection autofocus system provides accurate AF, making this one of the best value high-res. cameras on the market for shooting all sorts of content.

For those who want a slightly more budget-friendly option, there’s the original used Sony A7R, which was released in 2013, and has a 36.4MP full-frame sensor. While it lacks in-body stabilisation and 4K video, it still delivers excellent image quality for still photography. Just be sure to budget for some extra NP-FW50 batteries as this is a power-hungry beast.

Sample image Sony A7R II with Sonnar T* 55mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1/160 sec. f/11. ISO 100

• Used Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS From £639

The Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens is a really handy zoom for full-frame E-mount, which provides a classic zoom range for various subjects, from landscapes to portraits and everyday shooting.

Key features include a constant f/4 aperture, Optical SteadyShot, and a weather-resistant design. The lens’s advanced optical construction still provides very sharp results with minimal aberrations.

Why Choose The Sony Kit?

Combining the Sony A7R II or original A7R with the FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens is a great value full-frame mirrorless system. The kit provides high-resolution imaging, versatile focal lengths, and high-end features at a far lower cost than new Sony equipment.

What to Look for in Used Kit

When buying a second hand digital camera or lens, it’s worth checking the condition rating and shutter count to understand how much use the item has had. At Park Cameras, every product is inspected, cleaned, and graded, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Make sure any lenses you’re buying are compatible with your chosen body, and confirm whether key accessories like batteries and chargers are included.

Our post journey of used product discusses what happens to products in the second-hand lifecycle so that our customers can better understand the care we take with equipment at each step of the way.

Whether you’re shopping for your first camera or upgrading from a phone, there’s real value in buying used equipment. You can put together a really capable kit for far less than new, with options for every type of system, from second hand DSLR cameras to full-frame mirrorless systems.

Check out our full range of second hand stock, or pop in-store and speak to one of our experts. We’re always happy to help customers choose the best second hand camera for their needs, and recommend a full kit to match any budget.

Share this post:

By Nick Dautlich on 14/05/2025

Nick Dautlich

Senior Content Writer and Product Reviewer

Nick Dautlich is the Senior Content Writer and Product Reviewer at Park Cameras, with over 15 years of photography experience. A Sony Imaging Professional and expert reviewer, Nick has worked with major brands such as Canon, Sony and Nikon. His work is also featured on Vanguard World UK’s website, Capture Landscapes, and Shutter Evolve. Nick’s photography includes National Trust projects and magazine covers and he is passionate about landscapes and storytelling. Nick also enjoys hiking and teaching his children about nature. Learn more on his profile page.