Photography On a Budget
An older DSLR that still delivers — affordable, solid, and more than capable for everyday photography.
Can you really do photography on a budget and still get good images? Whether you’re a beginner just stepping into the world of photography and don’t want to spend a fortune to get started, or maybe you’re hesitant because watching YouTube has convinced you that you need this, that, and everything else — and suddenly you’re staring at a £2,000–£3,000 setup — well, let’s see what happens when we take things right back to basics. My camera of choice? A £110 Sony A-350 from 2008. Yes, that’s right — camera, lens, three batteries, and two memory cards, all in good condition, for £110. You can’t get much cheaper than that for a fully working DSLR setup. So, Photography on a Budget — let’s dive into it.
It’s Not About the Megapixels
The A-350 has a 14.2-megapixel CCD sensor — and that’s more than enough for just about everything most of us need. A lot of modern cameras boast 50 megapixels or more, but unless you’re printing billboard-sized posters, or doing massive crops, you’re not gaining much. For social media, YouTube thumbnails, or your website, even a 6–10MP image is easily enough. A 14MP file from an older DSLR like this will comfortably print at A3 size (16x12 inches). It’s worth remembering: resolution isn’t the same as quality — and good light, composition, and timing will always matter more than pixel count.
An old barn on the edge of a field, Black and White Jpeg, taken with the A-350.
What Do You Miss Out On?
Let’s be honest — a £110 camera isn’t going to compete with a modern mirrorless in terms of speed, autofocus, or fancy features. There’s no eye detection, no 4K video, and no touchscreen, for starters. But if you’re out walking, composing thoughtfully, and taking your time, you really don’t need any of that. What the older cameras lack in automation, they make up for in simplicity. You might press an extra button or two to change your settings, but that slower pace often leads to better results. You’re thinking, adjusting, and learning — not just letting the camera do everything for you.
Why It Still Works
The A-350 is built like a tank. It might not have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but it has everything you need for photography: manual control, a solid optical viewfinder, and a genuinely pleasing image from that CCD sensor. There’s something about the colour and tonality of these older sensors that feels a little more organic — and for black-and-white work, they can produce lovely, film-like results straight out of camera.
Most older DSLRs use CompactFlash (CF) cards — before SD became the norm — and you can still find them easily and cheaply online. Sony also dabbled with their own Memory Stick format for some models, but the A-350 sticks with CF. These older cards may be slower, but they’re reliable. Batteries are also no issue; third-party replacements are everywhere, usually around £10–£15, and often perform just as well as the originals.
No touchscreens, no video — just a handful of buttons that do exactly what you need.
Lenses and Compatibility
If you’re going down the budget route, lens mounts are worth understanding. The A-mount used by Sony (inherited from Minolta) is a real hidden gem for used glass. There’s a huge range of affordable Minolta lenses from the 1980s and 90s that fit straight on — no adapters, no hassle. You can pick up a 50mm f/1.7 for around £40 or a 28–85mm zoom for well under £50. Similar bargains exist in Canon EF, Nikon F, and Pentax K mounts too — all with decades of used lenses to choose from.
And that’s one of the big perks of older systems: you’re not locked into expensive, proprietary modern lenses. A whole world of quality glass is waiting for you, and half the fun is discovering which combinations give you that unique look.
JPEG or RAW?
Even older cameras give you both options. JPEG keeps things quick and simple, ideal if you don’t want to spend time editing. RAW gives you more control later but takes up more space and needs software. I stick to JPEG-only black and white — it suits how I work and keeps everything straightforward.
A simple moment — a single droplet caught on a thorn after rain.
Where to Buy
If you’re tempted to try photography on a budget, buying used is the obvious choice. You can find real bargains on eBay, or Facebook Market Place but if you’d prefer some peace of mind, try a dedicated used camera store like MPB or Wex, to name a couple. You’ll pay a little more than a private sale, but you’ll also get a short warranty and the reassurance that it’s been checked and cleaned.
Old vs. New — Real World Results
The truth is, once you resize your images for social media or web use, you’d struggle to tell whether they came from a 2008 DSLR or a brand-new mirrorless camera. A modern sensor might offer better dynamic range and low-light performance, but for most daylight walking and landscape shots, the differences are minimal. What really shines through is how you see, not what you shoot with.
So yes — you can absolutely do photography on a budget and still produce beautiful looking images. You might spend a little extra time pressing buttons or working around a few limitations, but in return, you get to focus on what really matters: light, composition, and enjoying the process.
All of the images in this post were taken with the Sony A-350 on a recent photowalk through Buckinghamshire. The weather wasn’t perfect, the gear certainly wasn’t new, but that’s the whole point — it’s proof that great photography isn’t about chasing the latest equipment, it’s about being out there, slowing down, and seeing what’s right in front of you.
So, if you’ve been thinking about picking up a camera but don’t want to empty your wallet, go for it. There’s a whole world of used gear out there waiting to be rediscovered — and you might just find that the limitations of an older camera help you focus more on the craft, and less on the tech.
One from a morning dog walk near home.