The cheapest E-mount camera with kit lens you can buy just got a lot cheaper! You get it for $245 at Amazon US (Click here). And it’s now again ruling the mirrorless salea at Amazon (ranking here).
Refurbished deals Reminder:
Sony A6000 with 18-55mm and 55-210mm lens for $619 at Amazon (Click here) and [shoplink 38748 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sony 24-70mm FE lens for $799 at Amazon (Click here) and [shoplink 38750 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sony A5100 with 16-50mm and 55-210mm lens for $469 at Amazon (Click here).
Sony A5000 with 16-50mm and 55-210mm lens for $349 at Amazon (Click here) and [shoplink 38749 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sony A6000 with 16-50mm and 55-210mm lens for $619 at [shoplink 38747 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sony A7r for $1299 at Amazon (Click here) and [shoplink 38751 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sony A7 for $829 at Amazon (Click here) and [shoplink 38752 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sony A7s for $1899 at [shoplink 38754 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Tamron A-Mount lens deals:
[shoplink 38704 ebay]$120 off on the Tamron 70-200mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38705 ebay]$80 off on the Tamron 150-600mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38706 ebay]$100 off on the Tamron 24-70mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38707 ebay]$120 off on the Tamron 70-200mm macro lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38708 ebay]$60 off on the Tamron 16-300mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38711 ebay]$210 off on the Tamron 90mm macro lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38713 ebay]$120 off on the Tamron 10-24mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38714 ebay]$130 off on the Open Box Tamron 10-24mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38715 ebay]$140 off on the Tamron 28-75mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38716 ebay]$100 off on the Tamron 18-270mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38717 ebay]$130 off on the Tamron 70-300mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38718 ebay]$210 off on the Tamron 90mm macro lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 38719 ebay]$220 off on the Tamron 17-50mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink]
33 Responses
Let’s be honest, it’s a crappy camera. But at that price, might be the best camera on the market under $300. How many sub-$300 cameras have APS-C sensors and viewfinders?!?!?!
Yeah, I still don’t think I could bring myself to buy it. It’s got a good sensor in it and can produce some fine images, but the EVF is absolutely horrible and the ergonomics suck.
It would never ever be my main camera…. But for people looking at P&S.. Or as a back-up body… or a camera for a kid.
This is how Sony will win people over. That kid with the A3000 will grow and get a better body and better lenses and go pro.
I was literally that kid. Grew up, got a job, and I’ve dedicated a lot of my money on E-Mount accessories (lenses, bodies, etc.). Good tactic, Sony!
It’s the same strategy Eastman used to push the Kodak Brownie. Therefore nothing new in town .
History is repeating itself again and again.
So the sentence should sound more like “Good tactic, Eastman Kodak!”
Yeah, might make a good kid camera.
Canon T5?
That’s almost double the price, for an inferior sensor. It’s a $400 kit, vs $250.
At this point though, the competition is used. Like with the ol’ NEX cameras.
Under $300 – not much. Just above $300 – some deals to be found. But if your heart is set on aps-c and under $300 – this is pretty much the only game in town.
I ordered a Sony 600mm lens at a low price on Amazon recently.
Despite being given a delivery date Amazon cancelled my order.
I personally would not consider the a3000 a bargain at any price, but, based on my experience, if this is indeed a bargain I would not be certain Amazon will honor it.
Sony doesn’t make a 600mm.
Sony makes a 600mm lens?
Fixed
If more of the Emount cameras had the smooth modern Amount ergonomics, like this a3000, I might respect them more.
The current fashion of blocking vintage retro designs is clever marketing, but it abandons decades of aesthetic evolutions that were won for a good reason. Humans are curvy creatures. The best tools are those which fit our organic nature.
Return to the sleek and modern design, and develop it further along to even greater levels. Create Emount body with full vertical grip controls, and shutter placed lower at viewfinder level. The current a7 series forces vertical grip controls atop, which prevents both elbows from resting on chest. Very uncomfortable to hold, especially with that bitingly thin grip design. Current Emount vertical grip fires the shutter button in palm of my hand while in horizontal mode. It’s always accidentally being turned on and off. It has limited control compared to those on camera body. It’s hard to reach center control dial on camera. Sure it looks nice in marketing photos. But it’s a terrible thing to use in the field.
Amount style vertical grip provides identical function to those on camera body. A real dream to use for portraits and magazine verticals. No Emount can compare.
The a5000 is cheaper on Amazon UK. Of the 2, I know which one I’d take…
Good price. Too bad it’s an a3000
Oh it’s hot alright…it’s hot sh….
The real competition is, what can you get used in APS for that price?
Canon T5
Uh maybe I would buy the A3000 at $45. But not even considering it at $245. It might be the worst camera of the past 3 years (except maybe that pentax POS last year).
why? The sensor is good…
Mostly because I can get a refurb D3300 for about the same price. And that camera has just about everything better than this one.
that’s true…
A3000 owners: looks aside, why is this getting slammed? The price is amazing
The EVF isn’t very useful for manual focus. Very good for other stuff though. The sensor itself is really good… The dial and the controls in general leave a bit to be desired though.
Thanks for the info. How’s the auto focus? I would not expect A6000 speeds but is it reasonably good?
You’re getting off getting a used 1st gen RX100.
AF speed is comparable to a point and shoot. Not good. It uses contrast detect auto focus over the a6000’s phase detect auto focus. I’ve personally played around with the a3000. It was unpleasant. In order to use the EVF, you have to press a button on the side to switch. EVF is unsatisfactory, only 200k dots (vs a6000’s 1400k dot EVF) and using the EVF was an unpleasant experience, the screen was small, dim and felt “stuffy”.
There is a serious lack of custom buttons, so if you do decide to go further with your photography. the a3000 will be leave a lot to be desired. It has the size and aesthetics of a DLSR with the performance and customization of a point and shoot.
In summery, the a3000 is a glorified point and shoot. If you just want to use it as a point and shoot so be it, but don’t expect any more from it.
Thanks! Sounds like a disaster to avoid.
As the other guy said, used options become competitive. As for AF, I only played with it a little bit. It was not very good, but not terrible either. It works in good conditions.
Looks like the bulky DSLR-like form factor is a dead article – only sold at a dumping price
Looks like it’s because the camera is cheap to produce.