I’m headed out on my dream vacation on a European cruise. I have always wanted to trek around Europe, but a cruise is a great way to see it all. If you are young, you may prefer to hike around Europe. Before I go on my trip I need to find the best travel camera under 500 because I paid a hefty price for my cruise vacation.
Does this sound familiar? Do you need to know where to start looking? I have researched the best travel camera under $500 and came up with 3 affordable cameras to capture all of your memories and mine. Not to mention each one is friendly on the budget.
Let’s dive right in to find the best travel camera under 500.
Quick Overview Of The Best Travel Camera Under 500 (Updated List)
| # | Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 |   | OLYMPUS Tough TG-6 Waterproof Camera, Red (Most Rugged Best Travel Camera Under 500) | More Details |
| 4.7 |  | Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Camera (Best Travel Camera Under 500 Top Pick For Clear Videos) | More Details |
| 4.3 |  | PANASONIC LUMIX ZS80 20.3MP Digital Camera (Top Pick For A Pocket Sized Camera, Best Travel Camera Under 500) | More Details |
Why Do You Need The Best Travel Camera Under 500?
For your upcoming travel plans, a crystal clear camera is essential to take photos and, if you choose, videos while traveling.
Building memories of your life is a must to remember the good times later, although some people like to use their phone as a point-and-shoot camera.
Today a cell phone will capture pictures for fun gatherings or social media, but an affordable travel camera with high megapixels will showcase how vivid your travels are.
Have you ever sat down to look at pictures with a friend and quickly became bored? The photos didn’t do justice to the trip that person took. You see it in their mind, but they weren’t there. But a camera made to take photos with vivid color and capture memories as you experience them is necessary.
The best travel camera under 500, will take close-up pictures of your loved ones and zoom out to capture that incredible vista view.
What Makes The Best Travel Camera Under 500 TSA Compliant?
TSA compliance means that the Transportation Security Administration has regulations on how you can fly with a camera. You are in luck because TSA states that a camera can go in your checked or carry on luggage.
If you have your camera in a camera bag and carry it onto a plane as a carry on, it must fit in the overhead bin. If you take it as your personal item, it must be a compliant size to fit under the seat in front of you
The carry on luggage size is 22in x 14in x 9in. A personal item is 18in x 14in x 8in.
We recommend taking your camera as a carry on for protection. All film or undeveloped film is best in a carry on because the cargo hold may have extreme temperatures.
Also, lithium-ion batteries from your camera must go in your checked luggage.
The Best Travel Camera Under 500 Product Reviews
Without further delay, here are the reviews of the Best Travel Camera Under 500.
Red (Most Rugged Best Travel Camera Under 500)
The Olympus TG-6 is the perfect camera for hiking, canoeing, and ocean trips. It is the most rugged pocket-size camera for any adventure, and you don’t need to be a professional photographer. Actually, this would be the best camera for a cruise vacation.
The TG-6 camera is waterproof up to 50 feet, shockproof to a 7-foot drop, and can withstand 220 lbs of pressure. In addition, it will not freeze in temperatures down to 14 degrees F.
This beauty has physical controls on top for the aperture, allowing more or less light to pass through the lens. The manual controls on top allow for zoom, an on and off toggle button, and a shutter button.
It has an F2.0 lens with a 12-megapixel resolution and 8x zoom range while allowing for up to 1 cm magnified shooting. Which means you can get sharp images on zoom or up close.
It has five underwater shooting modes, including a microscope. Olympus has an anti-reflective coating on the image sensor to reduce glare or ghosting, which comes in handy while shooting underwater. In addition, underwater, you get attention to detail and image stabilization.
It also has video capability to record at a high shutter speed or a slower shutter speed with the 4K video. You can choose a manual focus and change it during your video shoot.
The battery life is around 50 minutes but extends to 110 minutes when you don’t use some advanced features or zoom. The battery will last to take up to 340 images. The recording time is about 29 minutes which is not too shabby if you ask me.
To charge, you can use the same cord you use for your iPhone, and you can use the camera while you charge it. It will also connect to your smartphone to download your photos.
It has GPS and built-in WIFI.
Benefits
- Rugged pocket-size camera
- 12-megapixel resolution with 8x zoom
- Waterproof up to 50 feet
- Shockproof to a 7-foot drop
- Will not freeze in temperatures down to 14 degrees F
- Top manual zoom controls
- Five underwater shooting modes
- Anti-reflective coating on the image sensor
- Video capability in and out of the water
- Can change focus during a video shoot
- WIFI built-in
- Can charge it while you use it
- Battery 50 minutes or 340 images with an increase to 110 min if you don’t use extras features
- 29 min video battery life
Drawbacks
- 50 minutes of battery life will not last all-day
(Best Travel Camera Under 500 Top Pick For Clear Videos)
With its 24.1 megapixels, the Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Camera lets you shoot crisp photos at up to 12800 ISO sensitivity. Which means you can take clearer pictures with low light. It has an APS-C size CMOS sensor, so you get better high-quality images than you would with full-frame cameras. And because it uses a smaller sensor, it’s easier to carry around.
The Cannon is Best Travel Luggage top pick for crystal clear videos and excellent image control. In fact, it is the best camera for traveling abroad.
With its built-in Wi-fi®, NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, and 95% view coverage with the Optical Viewfinder, the Canon EOS Rebel T7 makes it easy to take high-quality pictures and videos. It has several useful features, including an autofocusing system and full HD video recording.
The Artificial Intelligence Servo Automatic Focusing with a 9-Point Auto Focus system will focus your photo based on the main focal point.
The NFC versus Bluetooth is an excellent choice for a camera you take on vacation. When you are in busy places (large cities), the range it operates on is shorter to promote a more stable connection.
Not only can you take amazing high-resolution videos, but the Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Camera can double as a webcam on a Mac and Windows.
You will need to use an LC-E10 external charger to recharge the battery. The battery life is long and will shoot up to 600 pictures.
Benefits
- High megapixels of 24.1 for very clear images
- Video capability with 95% view coverage
- Optical Viewfinder and the high megapixels, the
- Takes exceptional videos
- APS-C size CMOS sensor
- Stable NFC connection
- Doubles as a webcam on a Mac and Windows
- Built-in WIFI, NFC smartphone connect ability
- Long battery life
- Shoots up to 600 images.
Drawbacks
- It is not waterproof to take pictures underwater.
(Top Pick For A Pocket Sized Camera, Best Travel Camera Under 500)
With its compact size and impressive image quality, the Panasonic Lumix DC- ZS80 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a versatile travel companion. It is the Best Travel Luggage top pick for a pocket-size camera under $500.
You can choose a ZS60K, ZS70K, ZS80K, ZS70S, or ZS80S.
In addition, it has a 2330-dot live viewfinder and 0.53 magnification; you will see intricate details of your shot. The viewfinder turns on automatically when you bring it to your eye.
It has a powerful 20.3 MP 1/2.3″ Live MOS sensor capable of capturing high-quality photos, even in less than optimal lighting.
Its advanced imaging sensor can shoot continuous photos up to 10 fps (single-shot AF) at 30fps (4k photo) and UHD 4k video at 30p. It will combine rapid shot frames to produce one single frame.
The LEICA optical zoom lens ranges from 24mm to 720mm to capture all images, whether close or far.
If you love selfies, you will love the DC ZS80’s ability to tilt and still produce a 180-panoramic view. And it is Bluetooth and WIFI compatible to download those selfies to your smartphone.
You can recharge the battery with a smartphone cord. The battery life is long for a small compact camera and will shoot up to 380 pictures.
Benefits
- Best Travel Luggage top pick for a pocket-size camera under $500
- It has 20.3 megapixels with a 1/2.3″ Live MOS sensor.
- 2330-dot live viewfinder
- 0.53 magnification
- UHD 4k video at 30p
- DC ZS80’s ability to tilt
- Viewfinder turns on automatically
- Will combine rapid shot frames to produce one single frame
- Bluetooth and WIFI compatible to download to your smartphone
- You can recharge the battery with a smartphone cord.
- Battery life is long for a small compact camera
- Will shoot up to 380 pictures.
Drawbacks
- It is best to charge the battery while not in the camera.
What To Look For When Buying The Best Travel Camera Under 500
When choosing the best travel camera under 500 for your next adventure, here are some things to consider:
Megapixel Count
This number tells you how many pixels the camera has. A higher number means better quality images. A cell phone has 8MP, but for a camera, you will want at least 12MP and even as high as 24MP.
Video recording
Look for a camera with good video quality to fully capture your adventure. Many cameras have video recording capabilities.
WiFi Connectivity
If you plan to upload your photos online or to your smartphone, you’ll need a camera with Bluetooth or WiFi capabilities, which allows you to download your pictures and videos.
Battery Life
How soon will you need to recharge, and how many photos can you take? Can you get through an entire day without charging? These two factors determine whether you can capture every moment of your trip.
FAQs About The Best Travel Camera Under 500
Here are some commonly asked questions about the best travel camera Under 500.
Which camera is best for travel videos?
If taking videos is the most important feature of a camera, then one with high megapixels of up to 24, full HDL, and complete autofocus is best for travel videos.
What is a good camera to buy for vacation?
Your choice of camera is dependent on the type of vacation you plan. Do you need a rugged camera, one that takes the best videos, or a more compact camera? Make your choice based on your type of vacation.
Are cameras better than iPhones?
Most phones have an 8-megapixel resolution, whereas cameras usually have 12 to 24 megapixels. If you want clearer, more vivid photos, a camera is a better option.
Additional Resources
If you are looking for more tutorials, walkthroughs, and troubleshooting on Accessories, here are some additional posts about Accessories:
Best Travel Camera Under 500 – Conclusion
So that concludes our list of the best travel camera under 500. We reviewed 3 very different cameras, and depending on your choice of vacation, one of these will be the perfect match. Please let me know if you have questions or need assistance.
Happy travels, my friends.
