Camera lovers, rejoice! World Photography Day is this Wednesday, August 19, and it honours the art, craft, science and history of photography.
If we're being technical — the day actually celebrates the invention of the daguerreotype, which was the first practical and commercially successful photographic process developed in 1837. Since then, the world of photography has exploded, with photos (and videos) being a widely used medium of personal expression.
While everyone now has a decent camera in their hands, courtesy of their smartphone, opting for a dedicated device will give your shots better quality, depth, low-light performance, and hands-on controls for creative adjustments. Even flagship handsets with the best smartphone cameras still pale in comparison to images taken by some of the best cameras.
Even so, point-and-shoots and mini action cameras are consistently garnering popularity, with content creators and photography professionals using physical cameras and sharing their results on social media — rather than relying on the convenience of their smartphones.
Now, that's not to say you need to be a professional photographer or content creator to enjoy the day. As someone who loves a fun camera (or two), I'll be out and about on Wednesday, snapping all the best shots I can with my Kodak Charmera, and I'll even be partaking in Fujifilm's Colour Hunt this weekend in Sydney.
To get you in a snap-happy mood, I've gathered 18 beginner-friendly affordable cameras. These cams exist in the fun-but-not-serious photography category and come from brands like Kodak, Fujifilm, Insta360 and Polaroid. Combining a mix of instant prints, disposable film and digital snaps, the picks below come with Tom's Guide's tick of approval — and are all available on Amazon. Happy World Photography Day! 📸
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