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Best used full-frame cameras under $1,000
Several early full-frame mirrorless bodies from Canon, Nikon and Sony have since been replaced, and plenty of them now turn up used. We picked seven whose used dealer asking prices started under $1,000 in our October 15, 2026 check. For each one we give its launch price, what it does well, what to watch for, a link to our full article where we have one, and a Check price link.
How we picked: each body had to be full-frame and mirrorless, and the low end of its used dealer asking range had to be under $1,000 in our October 15, 2026 check. Used prices move every week and vary with condition, so we no longer list them; use Check price for current listings. Picks are listed in order of announcement, oldest first; the numbers are not a ranking.
Photo: HellcatSRT via Wikimedia Commons, CC0
1. Sony a7 III: the all-rounder
Launched at $2,000 in 2018 (Sony, body only).
Check price: Sony a7 III (new) at Amazon
Why: Announced on February 26, 2018. A 24.2MP back-illuminated sensor, 693-point phase-detection AF, 5-axis in-body stabilization rated at 5.0 stops, 10 fps bursts, and an NP-FZ100 battery rated for about 610 viewfinder shots (CIPA).
Watch for: 8-bit 4K/30p video and a 921k-dot tilting screen.
Source: Sony specs, as cited in our a7 III article.
Photo: Phiarc via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
2. Nikon Z6: in-body stabilization and 12 fps
Launched at $1,999.95 in 2018 (Nikon Inc. US SRP, body only).
Check price: Nikon Z6 (Renewed) at Amazon
Why: Announced on August 23, 2018. A 24.5MP backside-illuminated sensor, 5-axis in-body VR rated at about 5.0 stops, 12 fps in Continuous H (extended) and full-width 4K UHD up to 30p. Eye-Detection AF came with Nikon's firmware 2.0.
Watch for: A single XQD/CFexpress Type B slot with no SD, and a CIPA rating of about 310 viewfinder shots.
Source: Nikon launch and firmware releases, as cited in our Z6 article.
Photo: Tycho via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (resized)
3. Canon EOS R: 30.3MP and Dual Pixel AF
Launched at $2,299 in 2018 (Canon U.S.A., body only).
Check price: Canon EOS R (new) at Amazon
Why: Canon U.S.A. announced it on September 5, 2018. It has a 30.3MP sensor with DIGIC 8, Dual Pixel CMOS AF with 5,655 selectable points and low-light AF down to EV −6 (with f/1.2 lenses), bursts up to 8 fps, 4K UHD up to 30 fps, Canon Log, a 3.69M-dot EVF, a vari-angle touchscreen and dust and weather resistance.
Watch for: A single UHS-II SD slot.
Photo: Matthias Süßen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
4. Canon EOS RP: a small, simple full-frame body
Launched at $1,299 in 2019 (Canon U.S.A., body only).
Check price: Canon EOS RP (new) at Amazon
Why: Announced on February 13, 2019. A 26.2MP full-frame sensor with Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Eye Detection, down to EV −5) and a vari-angle touchscreen, in a body Canon puts at about 440 g.
Watch for: No in-body stabilization in Canon's spec sheet, bursts of about 5 fps, and a CIPA rating of about 250 shots per battery.
Source: Canon U.S.A. specs, as cited in our EOS RP article.
Photo: Alex 'Florstein' Fedorov via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
5. Nikon Z5: dual SD slots and in-body VR on the basic Z full-frame body
Launched at $1,399.95 in 2020 (Nikon Inc. US SRP, body only).
Check price: Nikon Z5 (new) at Amazon
Why: Nikon announced it on July 21, 2020 as its basic full-frame Z model. It has a 24.3MP sensor with EXPEED 6, ISO 100–51200, 5-axis in-body VR rated at 5.0 stops, 273-point hybrid AF with Eye and Animal Detection, a 3,690k-dot EVF, a 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen and dust and drip resistance. Its two UHS-II SD slots were a first for Nikon mirrorless.
Watch for: It's Nikon's basic model: check the burst and video specs against what you shoot.
Source: Nikon specs, as cited in our Z5 article.
Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized).jpg){kind=link}
6. Sony a7C: full frame in a compact body
Launched at $1,799.99 in 2020 (Sony Electronics' US price at announcement, Sep 14, 2020, body only).
Check price: Sony a7C (new) at Amazon
Why: Announced on September 14, 2020. It shares the a7 III's headline numbers (24.2MP back-illuminated sensor, 693 phase-detection points, 5-stop IBIS, 10 fps) in a body of about 509 g, and adds a fully articulating screen and Real-time Eye AF.
Watch for: A small 0.39-inch EVF at about 0.59x, one SD slot and a 1/4000 s mechanical shutter.
Source: Sony specs, as cited in our a7C article.
Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized).jpg){kind=link}
7. Nikon Z6 II: the Z6 with a second card slot and faster bursts
Launched at $1,999.95 in 2020 (Nikon Inc. US SRP, body only).
Check price: Nikon Z6 II (new) at Amazon
Why: Announced on October 14, 2020. It keeps the Z6's 24.5MP sensor and adds a second EXPEED 6 processor, bursts of about 14 fps, Eye and Animal Detection AF for stills and video, and one CFexpress/XQD slot plus one UHS-II SD slot.
Watch for: CFexpress or XQD cards for the first slot.
Source: Nikon, October 14, 2020 release, as cited in our Z6 II article.
Buying tips
- Plan for cards and batteries. The Z6 uses XQD or CFexpress Type B cards, not SD, so an older body can mean buying new cards. Check each pick's battery rating in our articles too.
- Check what the seller's warranty covers. Used dealers and refurbished listings set their own terms, so read them before you buy.
- Ask for the shutter count and photos of the sensor and mount. Some used listings include them. Bodies with complete accessories and a clear return window are the safer buy.
- Price the lenses before you choose a body. All seven picks are mirrorless, so check what the lenses you want cost before picking a brand. Canon RF bodies take EF lenses through Canon's adapters (per Canon). The other systems have their own adapter options, which we don't cover here.
Sources: used dealer listings (checked October 15, 2026); Canon U.S.A. EOS R release (Sept. 5, 2018); our EOS RP, Z5, Z6, Z6 II, a7 III and a7C articles for the specs they cite. More guides: all guides. Side-by-side specs: all comparisons.
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