Gear Gauge

Best Micro Four Thirds cameras under $500

MFT bodies at entry-budget pricing. The smaller sensor format means smaller cameras and smaller lenses, so a complete kit can land for the price of a single full-frame body.

25 models match the filter. Default rank: current price as a percentage of MSRP, so the camera at the steepest discount sits at #1. How we compute this.

  1. #1
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix GH · MFT · MFT · 2009
    discontinued 1 source · 2 listings
    Lowest now
    $154
    $1,499 MSRP
    10% MSRP
  2. #2
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix G · MFT · MFT · 2010
    discontinued 1 source · 1 listing · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $123
    $799 MSRP
    15% MSRP
  3. #3
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix G · MFT · MFT · 2011
    discontinued 1 source · 2 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $123
    $699 MSRP
    18% MSRP
  4. #4
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix GH · MFT · MFT · 2012
    discontinued 1 source · 2 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $234
    $1,299 MSRP
    18% MSRP
  5. #5
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix GH · MFT · MFT · 2010
    discontinued 1 source · 4 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $164
    $900 MSRP
    18% MSRP
  6. #6
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix GH · MFT · MFT · 2014
    discontinued 1 source · 15 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $329
    $1,700 MSRP
    19% MSRP
  7. #7
    Olympus PEN E-PL1
    Olympus · Olympus PEN · MFT · MFT · 2010
    discontinued 1 source · 6 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $126
    $599 MSRP
    21% MSRP
  8. #8
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3
    Panasonic · Panasonic · MFT · MFT · 2011
    discontinued 1 source · 1 listing · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $128
    $599 MSRP
    21% MSRP
  9. #9
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix G · MFT · MFT · 2012
    discontinued 1 source · 1 listing · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $174
    $799 MSRP
    22% MSRP
  10. #10
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1
    Panasonic · Panasonic · MFT · MFT · 2009
    discontinued 1 source · 2 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $164
    $749 MSRP
    22% MSRP
  11. #11
    Olympus PEN E-P3
    Olympus · Olympus PEN · MFT · MFT · 2011
    discontinued 1 source · 4 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $204
    $899 MSRP
    23% MSRP
  12. #12
    Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
    Olympus · Olympus OM-D · MFT · MFT · 2016
    discontinued 1 source · 24 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $499
    $1,999 MSRP
    25% MSRP
  13. #13
    Olympus PEN E-PL2
    Olympus · Olympus PEN · MFT · MFT · 2011
    discontinued 1 source · 8 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $159
    $599 MSRP
    27% MSRP
  14. #14
    Olympus PEN E-P1
    Olympus · Olympus PEN · MFT · MFT · 2009
    discontinued 1 source · 2 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $204
    $749 MSRP
    27% MSRP
  15. #15
    Olympus OM-D E-M5
    Olympus · Olympus OM-D · MFT · MFT · 2012
    discontinued 1 source · 16 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $274
    $999 MSRP
    27% MSRP
  16. #16
    Panasonic Lumix GX1
    Panasonic · Panasonic · MFT · MFT · 2011
    discontinued 1 source · 3 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $194
    $699 MSRP
    28% MSRP
  17. #17
    Olympus PEN E-PL3
    Olympus · Olympus PEN · MFT · MFT · 2011
    discontinued 1 source · 5 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $169
    $599 MSRP
    28% MSRP
  18. #18
    Olympus PEN E-PL5
    Olympus · Olympus PEN · MFT · MFT · 2012
    discontinued 1 source · 6 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $199
    $699 MSRP
    28% MSRP
  19. #19
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2
    Panasonic · Panasonic · MFT · MFT · 2010
    discontinued 1 source · 1 listing · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $144
    $500 MSRP
    29% MSRP
  20. #20
    Panasonic Lumix G9
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix G · MFT · MFT · 2017
    discontinued 1 source · 31 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $499
    $1,699 MSRP
    29% MSRP
  21. #21
    Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1
    Olympus · Olympus PEN · MFT · MFT · 2011
    discontinued 1 source · 1 listing · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $149
    $499 MSRP
    30% MSRP
  22. #22
    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
    Olympus · Olympus OM-D · MFT · 2015
    discontinued 1 source · 9 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $329
    $1,099 MSRP
    30% MSRP
  23. #23
    Panasonic Lumix G7
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix G · MFT · MFT · 2015
    discontinued 1 source · 36 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $244
    $799 MSRP
    31% MSRP
  24. #24
    Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2
    Olympus · Olympus PEN · MFT · MFT · 2012
    discontinued 1 source · 2 listings · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $189
    $599 MSRP
    32% MSRP
  25. #25
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6
    Panasonic · Panasonic Lumix G · MFT · MFT · 2013
    discontinued 1 source · 1 listing · vs the #1 pick →
    Lowest now
    $259
    $749 MSRP
    35% MSRP

How we built this list

Gear Gauge tracks used prices across the major used-gear sites. This list filters the catalog to cameras that match the criteria above, then ranks by deal score, so the camera at the steepest discount from its launch MSRP comes first. Prices and rankings refresh daily.

See the methodology page for how prices are sourced, how seller conditions are normalized, and what the deal score does and doesn't measure.

Other best lists: full-frame cameras under $1,000 , full-frame cameras under $1,500 , full-frame cameras under $2,000 , full-frame cameras under $3,000 , full-frame mirrorless cameras under $1,500 , full-frame mirrorless cameras under $2,000 . See all.