When I think of having a camera to take everywhere, my iPhone is my first thought, but I realize as a photographer I really want one of the best travel cameras instead.
How many times have you been out and about and you see something that you wish you had a better camera to take a photo of? We all want, including me, a compact camera that isn’t cumbersome, heavy, travels well, and has amazing Image Quality (IQ). Well, luckily camera manufacturers are listening to the photographer and over the past few years have released some of the best companion cameras ever made.
While some of these models are quite pricey, many photographers consider them a staple to carry with them just like their wallet, sunglasses, keys, or even a hat, before they even think about leaving the house. These are the kind of photographers who demand the very best optics, performance, and image quality, among other criteria, and the market is being properly served with some of the best high-end compact cameras that can fit right into your pocket.
I have compiled a top 10 list of the best travel cameras available to in 2016. Many of them are new and exciting, while others are older, but tried and tested and have great user reviews.
Here they are grouped together by manufacturer, in no particular order:
If I missed a camera, tweet me @MomentPrecise.
1. Fujifilm X100T
Made with the classic rangefinder style, the Fujifilm X100T is a companion camera with some powerful specs. The X100T is a fan favorite of Fujifilm fanboys (myself included) and has a robust 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans sensor, and one of the easiest cameras to carry.
The IQ of the X-Trans sensor has great color reproduction quality that can also be found in other Fujifilm mirrorless cameras and is used by professional photographers like Zack Arias (http://beam.zackarias.com/) extensively.
Specs
- 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II Sensor
- Fujinon 23mm f/2 Fixed Focal Length Lens
- Hybrid Optical and Electronic Viewfinder
- Parallax-Correct Electronic Rangefinder
- ISO 51200, Continuous Shooting to 6 fps
- Electronic Shutter & Built-In ND Filter
Buy the Fujifilm X100T 16 MP Digital Camera (Silver) here.
2. Fujifilm X70
Just announced last month, the Fujifilm X70, will certainly become a force to reckon with. I am excited to see what this camera can do because of its small size, great price, and the same 16.3MP APC-C X-Trans image sensor found on the X100T. While not many have had the chance to play around with the X70 yet, most cameras released today by Fujifilm are nothing less than excellent.
One of the cooler functions of the camera, which lacks a hybrid EVF viewfinder, is its 3-inch tilting touchscreen LCD. Difficult angles or overhead shots will hardly be a problem for photographers with the X70, and I’m sure this camera will be one of the best standout travel cameras in 2016.
Specs
- 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II Sensor
- Fujinon 18.5mm f/2.8 Lens (28mm Equiv.)
- 3-in. Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- ISO 51200 and 8 fps Continuous Shooting
- 77-Point AF System
- Interval Recording & Electronic Shutter
Buy the Fujifilm X70 Digital Camera (Silver) here.
3. Ricoh GR II
The Ricoh GR II is a popular model and upgrade to the original GR, and many photographers swear by it as the ultimate street photographers’ choice. One of the most interesting features of the GR II is its anti-aliasing filter-less design that purportedly gives you higher-sensitivity images and professional quality images with a high IQ.
With the wide lens, many users of the GR II love to use this camera for street and travel photography, but there have been reports that the high ISO range of 3200 and up is not that usable.
Specs
- 16.2 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
- Ricoh GR f/2.8 Fixed Lens, 18.3mm (35mm equivalent: 28mm)
- High-Speed AF & Wireless Flash Control
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
- ISO 25600 and 4 fps Continuous Shooting
Buy the Ricoh GR II Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Black) here.
4. Sony DSC-RX1R II
A compact doesn’t get much more advanced than the Sony DSC-RX1R II, which features and incredible full-frame (35mm) 42MP CMOS sensor with a fast f/2 35mm fixed lens. The RX1R II is on back order on some sites these days, and its by no means cheap (over $3,000). The reviews are glowing by users who have said that the camera is on par with the Sony A7R II output.
A fast lens and a huge sensor from a manufacturer who has redefined low-light shooting with their impressive image sensors, the RX1R II is a professional camera you can bring instead of your A7R II.
I suspect this will force the advance/larger sensor compact camera market to consider putting full-frame sensors into their high-end compacts.
Specs
- 42MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
- Variable Optical Low-Pass Filter
- Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 Lens
- 399 Phase-Detect AF Points & 5 fps Burst
- 3-in. 1,228.8k-Dot Tilting LCD Monitor
- ISO 102400 & Uncompressed 14-Bit RAW
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
Buy the Sony Cyber-shot DSCRX1RM2/B Premium Digital Still Camera here.
5. Sony DSC-RX100 IV
The Sony DSC-RX100 IV certainly doesn’t have the same power as the RX1R II, but it is a compact camera with some great specs and amazing Image Quality. The RX100V shoots 4K video, has a 1-inch 20.1MP image sensor, and a fast f/1.8-2.8 24-70mm zoom lens.
The 4K video capture is a nice feature for photographers who want ultra high-resolution footage and the IQ sony is known for. The RX1—100 IV is one of the best deals you can get for under $1,000, and one of the most portable options from Sony.
Specs
- 20.1 MP 1″ Exmor RS BSI CMOS Sensor
- Internal UHD 4K Video & S-Log2 Gamma
- Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* f/1.8-2.8 Lens; 24-70mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Slow Motion Video at 960 fps
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
- ISO 12800 and 16 fps Continuous Shooting
Buy the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV 20.1 MP Digital Still Camera here.
6. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Want a Micro 4/3 image sensor, with a fixed lens, and 4K video? Panasonic has just what you need with the Lumix DMC-LX100, which has all three. Panasonic developed the first Micro 4/3rds camera with Olympus back in the day — the G1. Panasonic was a pioneer in mirrorless cameras but now has put their sensor technology into the LX100 so that we photographers could have a fast fixed lens (f/1.7-2.8) and a micro four thirds sensor in a small camera.
The LX100 is quite pocketable and has a Leica lens, and many users tout the great IQ, fast AF, image stabilization, and low-light performance.
Specs
- 12.8MP 4/3″ Type Multi-Aspect MOS Sensor
- Leica DC Vario-Summilux f/1.7-2.8 Lens; 24-75mm (35mm Equivalent)
- 4K Ultra HD Video at 30/24 fps in MP4; Full HD Video at 60fps in MP4 or AVCHD
- Manual Control Rings and Dials
- Built-in Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
Buy the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100S 4K, Point and Shoot Camera with Leica DC Lens (Silver) here.
7. Leica D-LUX
Finally, an affordable digital Leica, which pretty much sums up the Leica D-LUX. Just over a $1,000, the D-LUX is an advanced compact camera with a micro 4/3rds sensor with a fixed f/1.7-2.8 24-7mm wide lens. Many photographers fawn over Leica because of its precision optics, second-to-none IQ, superior construction, and because many iconic photographers have used them (Henri Cartier-Bresson).
The D-LUX is a street, travel, or outdoor photographers dream, especially if the Leica label means everything. Owners of the D-LUX laud its IQ in low light performance, as well as the overall IQ, compact nature, 4K video, and it’s fast shutter speed of 1/16000.
Specs
- 12.8MP 4/3″ MOS Sensor
- 3.1x Zoom, f/1.7-2.8 Leica Lens; 24-75mm (35mm Equivalent)
- UHD 4K Video at 30p, Full HD at 60p
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
- Optical Image Stabilization
Buy the Leica D-Lux (Type 109) 12.8 Megapixel Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) (18471) here.
8. Hasselblad Stellar Special Edition Digital Camera
“Hassy” or “Blad” fans love the Hasselblad Stellar Special Edition Digital Camera for its sleek design and the IQ that comes with a traditional Hasselblad. The Stellar Special Edition has a smaller 1-inch sensor Zeiss lens, which is smaller than some of the cameras mentioned above, but owners of the camera say it’s a powerhouse that picks up crisp details.
Photographers obsessed with Hasselblad’s, much like those with an affinity for Leicas, find the Stellar Special Edition worthy of purchasing as their take anywhere camera. The design of the wooden camera box and grip, and the leather wrist and shoulder straps that come with it, make this Hasselblad the Ferrari of the advanced compact camera market.
Specs
- 20.2MP 1″ Exmor CMOS Sensor
- Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* f/1.8-4.9 Lens; 28-100mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization
- ISO 6400 and 10 fps Continuous Shooting
- Manual Control Ring and PASM Settings
- Wooden Camera Box
- Italian Leather Wrist & Shoulder Straps
Buy the Hasselblad Stellar Camera – Silver/Olive Wood here.
9. Canon PowerShot G16
The Canon PowerShot G16 is one of the best, and most affordable, advanced compacts on the market today. Its form factor, image quality, good AF performance, and ability to capture great images in low-light makes this a Canon shooters ultimate pocket camera.
It has moderate advances in terms of specs with a 12.1MP 1/1.7-in. sensor with a fixed 28-140mm zoom lens, and a maximum aperture of f/1.8-2.8. You get Canon glass and sensor technology, which many pros rely on, in a very pocketable camera with complete manual control.
Over the years, I have been using their “G” cameras and have always considered them among the best compacts ever made.
Specs
- 12.1 Megapixel 1/1.7″ CMOS Sensor
- Canon f/1.8-2.8 lens (28-140mm)
- Full HD 1080/60p Video
- Continuous Shooting at 9.3 fps
- Intelligent IS Image Stabilization
- ISO 12800
Buy the Canon PowerShot G16 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 1080p Full-HD Video Wi-Fi Enabled here.
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
The best, and most powerful Canon compact, is the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. It rounds out the list here of compacts with some fantastic specs like a 1.5-inch CMOS sensor, fast 24-120mm zoom with a maximum aperture of f/2-3.9, high-speed AF with 5.2 fps, and 14-bit RAW files right out of the camera.
Many photographers do not want to lug around a DSLR, but they also want the same IQ they get with one. The G1 X Mark II is a great travel camera that is built like a tank and has some of the best IQ you can get. It also features a touchscreen and EVF and control rings you can use for manual shooting.
Specs
- 12.8MP High-Sensitivity 1.5″ CMOS Sensor
- Canon 5x Optical Zoom Lens; 24-120mm f/2-3.9 (35mm Equivalent)
- 3.0″ 1,040k-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
- High Speed AF and 5.2 fps Shooting
- Optical Image Stabilizer
- Dual Control Rings and 14-Bit RAW
Buy the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Digital Camera – Wi-Fi Enabled here.
The Wrap Up…
The camera market is moving into a golden age, where we are seeing travel compacts with nearly the same specs as mirrorless or DSLR cameras. It seems very comparable to the variety of affordable film cameras you could purchase back in the day. You could still get a 35mm camera that was affordable and could capture an image just as good as a flagship model.
The advances in image sensor sensitivity, as well as the small form factor of these cameras, will hopefully forge a new niche market that camera manufacturers lost with the downfall of the point-and-shoot market.
If you’re considering purchasing one of the advanced compact cameras featured here, consider purchasing through our Amazon Affiliate links below the cameras to help support Precise Moment.
Rik Stavale says
I’m using the Panasonic LUMIX LX7 which, except for the brand, is essentially the same camera as the
Leica D-Lux. These days the LX7 can be had for around $300 from B&H or Amazon which is a steal. I also bought the Panasonic DMW/LVF2 live viewfinder which is small enough to leave on the camera and provides additional functionality for shooting on sunny days or low perspective photos.
Adam says
Thank you, Rik! How’s the IQ with the sensor on the LX7, and how’s the EVF lag with the LVF2? I used to have an old Panasonic LX back in 2006, but I forget which model it was. It was a great little camera! And with all the 4K video capabilities coming out on Panasonic cameras, I am taking a closer look.
Rik Stavale says
The IQ is very good but it does have limitations, it’s not a DSLR right? :).
It has the same f1.7 -2.8 lens as the Leica so it easily shoots in low light at 1000 ISO without difficulty. I’ve shot at 1600 in dim light and it’s still good with minor adjustments in post with LR for example.
As for EVF lag, not an issue. Initially I only used it when it was bright but since I started using it for low perspective shots (it flips up) I leave it on all the time.
Also, the video with this camera is very good.
Lastly, while we don’t buy cameras for their looks, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you the white body Lx7 is really sharp.