The point-and-shoot has returned with a vengeance – but as with any trendy product, prices of the portable camera format have skyrocketed. As a photographer with two mirrorless cameras already in my bag, I have a hard time justifying spending found figures on a compact camera with a large sensor hidden inside. The next best thing? Twisting a tiny pancake lens on a mirrorless instead.
A pancake lens gets its name from a size so small that it resembles the (delicious) breakfast food. These tiny lenses don’t pack in as much pro-level features, but they make a mirrorless body much more portable. Pancake lenses are a great compact camera alternative for photographers who don’t want to give up a big sensor or fork over the luxury prices of high-end point-and-shoots like the Fujifilm X100VI, the Ricoh GR IV, or the Sony RX1R III.
Meanwhile, many of the best pancake lenses are only a few hundred dollars – and some even come in at under $100 if you don’t mind a narrower aperture. I’ve scoured the spring deals to find the top tiny lenses for less.
You may also like
For more inspiration, browse the best pancake lenses, or the best Amazon Spring Sale camera deals.
