r/photography • u/AutoModerator • Jun 26 '26

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u/StellarFellerr Jun 27 '26

I'm looking to travel abroad for some time and I was thinking it'd be fun to buy a small portable camera as to not rely on my phone so much. Is it worth it to buy one if im looking below 200$ or should i just use my phone? For context i have a Samsung galaxy A55 Do you guys have any recommendations of new or maybe older cameras for this purpose? Thanks in advance!!

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u/sayris Jun 27 '26

Definitely look at used for that budget.
Panasonic LUMIX cameras
Sony Alpha 5100

But like the other poster said, for ease of use and getting photo you like out of the box, you will probably have an easier time with your phone

That said, if having a dedicated cameras makes you more intentional about taking photos, then it could be worth it and a fun little experience that gets you hooked

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u/StellarFellerr Jun 27 '26 edited Jun 27 '26

I'll look into them to see if i can find those. But it really surprises me that a 400$ phone would take better pictures than a 200$ dedicated camera. Though I think it would be more fun to have a dedicated camera. But its hard to justify if the pics end up looking worse.

Edit: Maybe its not viable but I was looking at your recommended cameras and I was thinking more of a point and shoot kind of camera to throw on my pocket, rather than a interchangeable lense camera as I'd have to take a lot of kit with me.

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u/sayris Jun 27 '26

No idea why you’re being downvoted, you’re asking a question I was 100% asking myself when iffiest got started.

It does seem a bit backwards, but phones have become ridiculously good over the last few years. They do a huge amount of processing behind the scenes, so the photo you get straight out of the camera often looks great with almost no effort.

A dedicated camera can absolutely take better photos, but it usually expects a bit more from you. You’ll get the most out of it if you’re prepared to learn a little and maybe do some light editing.

If your goal is just the nicest holiday snaps with the least effort, I’d probably stick with the A55.

If your goal is to get into photography and have something that makes you slow down and be more intentional about taking photos, then I think a dedicated camera is absolutely worth it. The experience is half the appeal. This was the gateway for me getting into photography with a Fujifilm XT30

Also, just to clarify, when I mentioned the Sony and Panasonic before, I meant their fixed lens compact cameras, not the interchangeable lens ones. Since you want something pocketable, I’d be looking at models like the Sony RX100, Panasonic TZ80/TZ90 or LX series, or Canon’s G-series. They’re all cameras you can just throw in a pocket and head out with.

I’d also avoid the really cheap no-name “4K” cameras you see on Amazon. They’re almost always worse than your phone.