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Top 10 Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras for Stunning Photos in 2023

top rated point and shoot camera

Have you ever got frustrated with a big mirrorless or DSLR camera just because of the sheer size and weight of it? Well, you are not alone.

In my early days of image and video photography, I always read and looked for the latest trending news and wished for a video camera that fits in my pocket easily and is just as powerful. Back then it was a far cry to even think of something like that. But now it has become a reality.

Manufacturers are forced to put more advanced features in their best pocket-sized point-and-shoot camera models thanks to today's best ever-improving smartphone cameras.

This has made life for us quick snappers a breeze. We now have the power to take Digital SLR quality photos at the palms of our hand aside from our smartphone.

However, finding what fits your needs the “Best,” can be a bit tricky. Especially considering how every company releases latest breaking news and claims that it produces today's best pocket-sized compact and lightweight cameras. That’s where these excellent latest little reviews of mine come into play.

In these reviews or guides (whatever you decide to call it), I’ll give you top 10 best point and shoot cameras in the market as of current research and latest trending news. Let’s take a deeper dive into the world of point-and-shoot cameras, shall we?

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FEATURES

PRICE

Sony RX100 VII Premium Compact Camera with 1.0-type stacked CMOS sensor (DSCRX100M7)

Sony RX100 VII

Top Pick

Megapixels: 20.1 MP
Lens: 24-200mm, ƒ/2.8-4.5
Viewfinder Type: EVF
4K Video: Yes
Weight: 302g

Fujifilm X100V Digital Camera - Silver

Fujifilm X100V

STREET SHOOTER

Megapixels: 26 MP
Lens: 35mm, ƒ/2.0
Viewfinder Type: Hybrid/LCD
4K Video: Yes
Weight: 478g

Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II Digital Camera w/ 1 Inch Sensor, Wi-Fi & NFC Enabled, Black

Canon G5X Mark II

ALL-ROUNDER

Megapixels: 20.1 MP
Lens: 24–120mm, ƒ/1.8-2.8
Viewfinder Type: EVF
4K Video: Yes
Weight: 340g

Sony ZV-1 Camera for Content Creators, Vlogging and YouTube with Flip Screen and Microphone

Sony ZV-1

BEST FOR VLOGGING

Megapixels: 20.1 MP
Lens: 24-70mm, ƒ/1.8-2.8
Viewfinder Type: None
4K Video: Yes
Weight: 294g

Canon PowerShot Vlogging Camera [G7X Mark III] 4K Video Streaming Camera, Vertical 4K Video Support with Wi-Fi, NFC and 3.0-inch Touch Tilt LCD, Silver

Canon G7X Mark III

BUDGET PICK

Megapixels: 20.1 MP
Lens: 24–100mm, ƒ/1.8-2.8
Viewfinder Type: None
4K Video: Yes
Weight: 304g

For this review piece, I’ve compiled a list of 10 today’s best point and shoot digital cameras that I believe are the best and related for everyone’s needs. Keep in mind all of them were chosen based on the features and capabilities they have (and also a bit of my personal opinion).

There you go, the aforementioned are the best price deals and on top rated compact digital cameras pocketable like smartphones you can buy that we will take a look at. Without any further ado, let’s get right into it.

1. Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII


Sensor: 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) | Megapixels: 20.1 MP | Lens: 24-200mm, ƒ/2.8-4.5 | Display: 3.0 inch, 921k dots | Viewfinder: EVF | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: Yes | Touch Screen: Yes | Maximum continuous shooting: 20fps | 4K Video: Yes | Weight (inc. batteries): 302g | Battery Life: Approx. 260 shots

The Sony RX100 VII is a great and impressive pocket-sized type of compact video camera that can be trusted for its consistent performance and fixed durability. The super lightweight 302-gram rugged type beast boasts that it delivers a consistent performance no matter what condition you use it in. The size of this pocket-sized type of compact camera also plays an important role in making it the compact thing that it is. Get these impressive compacts at a cheap price that is worth your money!

One if its great advantages is that it has a fixed type of ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* Lens, which is limited to 15 elements in 12 groups (8 aspheric elements including AA lens). The ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* Lens is known for its effectiveness in reducing "Ghost & Flare" on an image as named by Carl Zeiss, the inventor of the technology.

Basically, it has a fixed coating that blocks out the reflections on the long zoom lens surface.

The long zoom lens provides a maximum aperture of F2.8 (W)-4.5(T). This type of lenses, along with the sensor’s limited number of active dots that is 20.1 Megapixels larger sensor, works actively in producing high-quality, high resolution, bright and sharp raw pictures, and enabling the creation of sensitive and precise images even when it zooms on a different level. Additionally, Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII supports resolution-4K video.

It is believed that you can never capture a raw image on a pocket-sized compact camera that you can actually see or imagine. On the downside, you are limited to get as close to it as your device allows you. Thanks to the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII compact camera because it is determined to literally bring you closer to your target on a different level even if you are several feet away with its 8.0x optical zoom and a wide-angle focal length of as wide as F2.8 (W)-4.5 (T) like a telephoto lens.

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII optical zoom range works for both image and video, but still it also has an option for activating digital zoom for both the purposes as well. And I must admit, even though I’m not a fan of the digital zoom (more like a hater), the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII is surprisingly better than most other type of digital zooms and one of the best price deals that is worth your money, within your budget you can ever find.

The 7.5 cm raw image and video display plus a touch panel is also adjustable, tilting up to 180 degrees up and tilting 90 degrees down. This is perfect for a selfie, family pictures, or vlogging a travel. Thanks to the touchscreen technology which allows you to use the panel for setting, controls, and focus point adjustments for your image depending on your choice.

Do you like having your fun with light like I do? You know, fooling around with excellent shutter speed and the image exposure settings a bit to create long exposure images of stars, comets, or just speeding vehicles that do not go gentle into that good night? Then this Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII pocket-sized compact camera may be the perfect tool for you.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII has a flash speed and shutter speed range of 1/4000 to 30 Seconds on default and a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400. The electronic shutters allow continuous shooting or shooting speed in burst mode plus a range of 1/8—1/32000. Although the ISO sensitivity needs to be lower than ISO 3200 if you want to set the shutter speed to lower than ¼ sec.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII also has a wide range of shooting speed modes. I mean, seriously. This is reason enough for me to put this onto my list of best image quality point-and-shoot cameras.

AUTOMATIC (Intelligent Auto/Superior Auto), Program Automatic, Apertures Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, Manual Exposure, MR (Memory Recall), Movie Mode (Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, (Manual Exposure), Manual Exposure), Panorama, Scene Selection...You name it, it has it.

With the RX100, you can also expect and get school-girly with it and add filters to your raw images from the wide array of Picture Effects that include Toy camera, Pop Color, Posterization, Retro Photo, Richtone Monochrome, and so on. Similar effects such as retro, pop color, richtone monochrome and more are available for video as well. That takes away a lot of hassle from image post-processing, doesn’t it?

You can also add your own personalized picture profiles to it that you can use, enough to quicken post-processing of your raw images while you’re in a hurry. You can copy these image profiles and add to any still you like, and also reset it if you change your mind.

2. Fujifilm X100V


Sensor: APS-C (23.6 x 15.6 mm) | Megapixels: 26 MP | Lens: 35mm, ƒ/2.0 | Display: 3.0 inch, 1,620k dots | Viewfinder: Hybrid / LCD | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: Yes | Touch Screen: Yes | Maximum continuous shooting: 11fps | 4K Video: Yes | Weight (inc. batteries): 478g | Battery Life: Approx. 420 shots

Years ago and up to now, Fujifilm is a brand much-adored by photographers for their well-built cameras and offers lots of great price deals you can buy within your budget. One can expect that Fuji cameras are sturdy and durable on one hand, plus packed with fixed features and on the other. The superb stylish yet decent X100V is no exception in this regard, you can get these great compacts at a cheap price that is really worth your money though it costs $100 more than its predecessor.

First things first, the slightly rugged premium Fujifilm X100V compact camera features a fixed APS-C sensor format 26.1 Mega pixel X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor. Relatively high compared to the Fujifilm X P90 with 16.4MP. Imagine, 16.4MP compared to 26.1MP. Fujifilm X100V has a back-illuminated style that is crafted for smooth tonal rendering. The Fujifilm X100V wide native sensitivity range of ISO 160-12800 ensures an improved performance in low-light location.

The makers of this Fujifilm X100V video camera got rid of an optical low-pass filter so that the image quality and sharpness of the camera increases to a noticeable degree. Instead, Fujifilm X100V utilizes a randomized pixel array that impacts the video and image quality and sharpness to a great extent.

Aside from the APS-C sensor, the X-Trans sensor of the Fujifilm X100V compact camera includes an expanded image face-detection autofocus system that has a wide array of 425 selectable points. Though not a larger sensor and limited, these sensors are pretty much enough to cover the entire focus area.

When it comes to speed, expect that the Fujifilm X100V AF system delivers faster than most other video cameras with an increased level of accuracy in focus performance even in lighting situations as low as -5 EV which is one of its advantages.

To compliment the versatile imaging and focus capabilities of this pocket-sized type of compact camera, there’s also an updated X-Processor 4. These image and video processors have a quad-core type of CPU that delivers a faster, more responsive performance throughout the entire system of the camera.

The durable Fujifilm X100V body can be made weather-resistant as well if you get and pair it with the optional AR-X100 Adapter Ring and the optional protection ring for weather sealing. The Fujifilm X100V body only weighs around 478g even if you add the weight of the batteries plus the memory stick.

Along with compactness, the little beast also promises minimal body weight pocketable like smartphones (in compact camera standards).

Apart from the build, the whole package of this Fujifilm X100V video camera is phenomenal. You will also get a 3.0 inch 1.62m-dots tilting type of hybrid LCD touchscreen. The tilting touchscreen gives you the comfort of intuitive operation plus playback, while the tilting LCD model gives you that extra freedom to shoot a video or image from any angle no matter how high or low, perfect for selfie and beach travel.

If you’re thinking whether the tilting LCD model affects the accessibility to the camera controls, then let me tell you that it does, but in a good way. The tilting LCD models’ features a set of soft locking round dials and levers on the top plate of the little and small compact camera that make image exposure and shutter speed adjustment super quick and easy.

Along with the Fujifilm X100V soft shutter speed dial, there’s also the ISO dial if you want to confirm the sensitivity setting without having to turn the device on.

The image exposure compensation dial makes room for adjusting +/- 3 EV in 1/3 steps. The Fujifilm X100V round dial also includes a C position that can afford a better and expanded +/- 5 EV range when working with the command dials.

Fujifilm X100V has a push function integrated in the front and rear dials that makes working with the settings selection menu much easier. Added with the benefits of the Fujifilm X100V push function is the joystick in the rear. The Fujifilm X100V has a joystick if you want intuitive selection and switching between AF points. The joystick models lets you navigate across the menu and playback settings.

There is a little surprise. The Fujifilm X100V models come with integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. At this point, you might’ve already assumed where I’m getting at. Yep, you’ve guessed it right. Get it at a cheap price that is really worth your money!

The Fujifilm X100V Bluetooth and the Wi-Fi connectivity if you want you to share and export raw images and video from this small and little compact camera to other mobile devices. Not just that, if you download the in-house application developed by Fujifilm onto your smartphones, you’ll be able to adjust your camera remotely using your mobile device. 

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3. Canon PowerShot G5X II


Sensor: 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) | Megapixels: 20 MP | Lens: 24–120mm, ƒ/1.8-2.8 | Display: 3.0 inch, 1,040k dots | Viewfinder: EVF | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: Yes | Touch Screen: Yes | Maximum continuous shooting: 30fps | 4K Video: Yes | Weight (inc. batteries): 340g | Battery Life: Approx. 230 shots

Not a long time ago, a close competitor of Fujifilm in making pocket cameras is Canon. And the body of this tiny little slightly rugged type monster by Canon weighs only 340g even with the batteries and the memory card included.

I won’t be exaggerating if I say that the Canon PowerShot G5X II can take on any other point and shoot cameras and even phones in terms of mobility. Making it one of the best and cheap price deals you can buy depending on your budget for point-and-shoot cameras within this range. This Canon camera is one of the breaking news in the world of photography during its release.

The Canon’s fixed frosted black type of body exterior adds up to the camera’s aesthetics while making sure that it doesn’t slip from the hands when you use it for sports or beach travel. The ergonomic capabilities with handle-shaped thumb rest models on one side makes it easier to grip, adding to the convenience of carrying it around.

Apart from the body ergonomics, I was really impressed by the Canon’s positioning of the dials and rings that are incorporated on the video camera’s body for settings and controls. They are positioned in such a way that makes them easily accessible yet not easily exposed to accidental touches.

Along with physical adjustment rings and dials, there’s also an additional exposure compensation dial incorporated. Together, they give you direct power over the wide array of image settings and image modes that the small and little compact camera offers.

Something else about this Canon’s video camera impressed me a lot. It boasts in-camera batteries charging enabled. You can literally charge it like a cellphone using a USB cable with anything, may it be from a power bank or car batteries. No hassle of taking out batteries and finding an adapter every time you need to charge it.

This video camera is synonymous to convenience due to its 2.36m-dots LCD viewfinder (EVF) models. The popup 2.36m-dots LCD viewfinder (EVF) makes sure that you have a clear eye-level view from all shooting angles. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) also features a 2.36m-dots resolution: 4K so that you get a sharp and crisp preview of your images or video.

Even after providing you with all these software and privileges, the 2.36m-dots image viewfinder (EVF) retracts without bothering the camera’s sleek format when the camera’s not in use.

Despite adding a super-efficient 2.36m-dots LCD viewfinder (EVF), Canon went one step ahead and added a 3.0 inch 1.04m-dots rear touchscreen that opens up new windows for monitoring and reviewing the imagery. These compacts are one of the best and cheap price deals people can buy on a tight budget a company could offer.

The touchscreen also works as a panel for Touch & Drag AF controls that makes selecting focus point super easy.

Sensor models of this video camera are 20.1 mega pixel 1 inch stacked CMOS sensors. This large sensor like GPS that can read the positioning of an object, along with the DIGIC 8 image processors, makes shooting speed in-motion objects at max speed possible or burst mode with surprisingly low noise and aberration on your image. It was like manufacturers perfectly made it for sports.

With these great sensors, shooters tend to get quick focus speed from 10fps as high as up to 20-fps continuous shooting speed, a 30-fps Raw Burst mode, UHD 4K video resolution 30p, and Full HD 120p video quality...*gasps for breath*. All of this in a single package, thanks to its amazing pairing of the dual stacked large sensor and the DIGIC 8 processors which photographers want.

If you’re a vlogger or a videographer, you have to capture video with as much accuracy and high resolution like when you capture photos. This is where the big 5x optical zoom lens comes in handy. The versatile 5x zoom lens models of this Canon compact camera zooms and covers a wide-angle focal length range that’s equivalent to 24-120mm short telephoto.

The 5x optical zoom lens models also feature an f/1.8-2.8 maximum aperture with image stabilization and autofocus. The 5x zoom lens zooms if you want to shoot an image better in handheld mode even under poorly or highly-lit conditions and still capable of having a clear image if the subject is several feet away.

Also, as a bonus to the lenses, the high aperture count grants shooters an even greater control over depth of field when working with selective focus points. Bear in mind, the greater the aperture for you, the faster the lens would be when you open up the lens.

Remember how I called this thing an equivalent to phones for photography? Well, it is. This Canon camera type has a fixed built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi software like your expensive and pricey phones.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection of this superb simple tiny stylish decent high-end camera gives shooters another level of the freedom and versatility to share and export photos and video directly from your Canon compact camera to your mobile devices without having to transfer it to a computer first and without compromising quality. Cool, isn’t it?

4. Sony ZV-1


Sensor: 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) | Megapixels: 20.1 MP | Lens: 24-70mm, ƒ/1.8-2.8 | Display: 3.0 inch, 922k dots | Viewfinder: None | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: No | Touch Screen: Yes | Maximum continuous shooting: 24fps | 4K Video: Yes | Weight (inc. batteries): 294g | Battery Life: Approx. 260 shots

It would be blasphemous to talk about point-and-shoot cameras and not mention Sony. A long time ago and up to today, Sony tend to make all type of creative video cameras since the very beginning of their journey, and Sony didn’t back off when the point-and-shoot cameras emerged. The Sony ZV-1 is a solid proof of how good the brand is with the best point-and-shoot cameras.

The first thing that you’d notice when you take the video camera in your hand is its weight. Or should I say the lack of it. Weighing only about 294 grams, the thing literally weighs like a feather along with being compact, pocketable like smartphones. Even its size is exceptionally pocket-friendly. You don’t need an extra pouch to carry it.

The compact and lightweight format of the Sony camera ensures that you get the optimum portability and ease of single-handed operation while you’re on the go.

The easily accessible large fixed REC button with quick recognition makes shooting speed with one hand all the more efficient and effortless for you. The front tally lamp works as an indicator for when a video record is taking place.

Sony boasts about their touchscreen type. There is a touchscreen mirror (an LCD screen) on the rear that flip and pop open with just the prey of a finger, letting you take selfies or film yourself in a much more natural and intuitive manner. The touchscreen mirror can be closed in the same way without any effort.

Since the LCD screen flips out from the side, the top is redesigned to incorporate a directional 3-capsule mic. The mic is specifically designed for forward-directional audio record.

To add more comfort to your experience, the makers of this bad boy installed a windscreen for mic so that your recordings are crystal clear and noiseless.

There is also an additional 3.5mm microphone port. The 3.5mm port can be used to mount any lavalier or shotgun mic of your choice in case you’re not completely satisfied with the sound quality that the built-in microphone produces. Aside from the 3.5mm port, there is also a multi-interface shoe for accessory compatibility.

The versatile integrated ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* The prime lens is capable of shooting in a wide range of situations and conditions. Even though it is a small pocket compact camera like phones, the prime lens surprisingly retains a bright f/1.8-2.8 maximum aperture range if you want to work easily in low-lit conditions. Relatively, it has a maximum continuous shooting of 24 fps.

In line with the optical format of this prime lens, it incorporates a series of specialized image elements that work actively to reduce aberrations and distortions on your image or video. These lenses also make focus more accurate by isolating subject matter using shallow depth of field techniques. Additionally, the HX90V of Sony has 10x to 30x Optical Zoom if you are looking for a larger zoom span where you are free to get a clear view even if several feet away.

Point & shoot cameras often lose their charm after a while of use. That’s because the user tends to notice chromatic aberrations and distractions on the LCD screen around the edges of the focus area. This compact camera makes a contrast to this stereotype thanks to its ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* prime lens.

The most annoying thing a user or a photographer faces while shooting an HD video or image in unevenly-lit conditions is lens glare and reflections ruining their frames. Keeping this in mind, the makers of this compact camera have introduced the ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating that actively suppresses reflections and glare providing you with an improved contrast and color fidelity for your image quality.

To add more accuracy to your image and video in handheld mode under low-lighting conditions, there is the Optical SteadyShot image stabilization that may minimize the blurriness caused by camera shake while shooting in handheld mode. The SteadyShot image stabilization also works wonders with an HD video, even when the user shoots handheld while walking. Though you are using optical zoom range, video and image quality will never be compromised even if several feet away.

You can now get rid of your slow and lagging camera. The mighty 20.1MP 1 inch Exmor RS CMOS 1-inch sensor of this video camera is capable of delivering outstanding video and image quality. The CMOS 1-inch sensor can give within any ISO range between 100-12800, while maintaining an incredibly fast speed.

5. Canon PowerShot G7X III


Sensor: 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) | Megapixels: 20 MP | Lens: 24–100mm, ƒ/1.8-2.8 | Display: 3.0 inch, 1,040k dots | Viewfinder: None | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: Yes | Touch Screen: No | Maximum continuous shooting: 30fps | 4K Video: Yes | Weight (inc. batteries): 304g | Battery Life: Approx. 235 shots

Not a long time ago after the G5X II, another addition to the array of point-and-shoot cameras by Canon is the PowerShot G7X Mark III. It has one of the best prices if looking for an affordable camera. It features a superb simple stylish large 20.1 mega pixel stacked CMOS 1-inch sensor that allows you to shoot an image or video in high-speed with almost zero unnecessary sound. Aside from the CMOS 1-inch sensor, there’s also the DIGIC 8 image processors making the job even easier for you.

Might wonder if you may run slow during your travel? Powered with the CMOS 1-inch sensor and DIGIC 8 image technologies, the little Speedy Gonzales gives you the supreme level capability to read and focus real fast (from 10fps up to 20 fps) on any subject with sharp precision whether it’s steady or in-motion. Thanks to the stacked CMOS 1-inch sensor format which allows you to film a video in UHD 4K video resolution (4K, that is a big plus!) 30p with Full HD 120p quality.

Speaking of a video record, this small compact camera has a unique video feature. It supports vertical video record along with video live streaming through YouTube. To use this feature, you may need to have a Canon iMAGE GATEWAY account. The account will enable vloggers to stream their game or travel directly from your camera if you have a Wi-Fi connection.

Which brings us to the next feature of this camera; the built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. It permits you to transfer images and video to any mobile device or computer wirelessly.

You don’t need a cable or anything. Your device is enough. Just click images or shoot videos, and send them in directly for editing and post-processing to your laptop or mobile device by just using the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi of this classic simple tiny stylish camera.

The built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity also lets you control the camera remotely with your mobile device if you have the Canon Camera Connect app installed.

The connectivity further makes room for you to use an external microphone via the clean HDMI output enhancing the recording quality to a noticeable amount.

Build and design-wise, this small compact camera is pretty much like any other point & shoot camera. I mean, it has a decent build and weighs only about 304 grams including the batteries and the memory card. The exterior has a frosted matte finish with a grip on one side for easy handling. The style is pretty basic in my opinion.

The design and the positioning of the dials and controls of this small compact camera are pretty similar to that of the G5X II. It has intuitive touch raw support if you want to Touch and Drag the LCD monitor autofocus controls and adjust it depending on your choice. Although this one has an additional 180° upward tilting LCD design for vlogging, taking a selfie, or family picture during travel.

There are a few changes here and there. For example, this model has silver metallic borders around the top and surrounding the prime lens, giving it a fancier look. This model is also slightly lighter in comparison with the previous one.

The batteries’ capacity of this camera is also almost the same as the G5X II. It supports charging from any batteries or power bank via a USB cable. Although the same problem of having an inadequate batteries’ duration persists with this model as well.

You might need to keep a few extra batteries in hand when you’re out for a long day of outdoor shooting to level up your game.

Like the previous model, the G5X III also has a built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity that lets you share and export files to mobile smartphones wirelessly and control the camera remotely via the Canon Camera Connect app. Vloggers can have more versatility in transferring crisp images during their travel instantly to post updates to their family, sub, or fans.

Are you afraid of a slow focusing camera that you’ll miss to shoot important memories? It has the stacked 1-inch sensor design and the DIGIC 8 processor if you want a super-fast focusing depending on your choice. The fast-maximum aperture adds more dimensions (literally) to your focal point by affording a greater control over depth of field while working with selective image focal point.

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6. Panasonic LUMIX ZS200


Sensor: 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) | Megapixels: 20.1 MP | Lens: 24–360mm, ƒ/3.3–6.4 | Display: 3.0 inch, 1,240k dots | Viewfinder: EVF | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: No | Touch Screen: Yes | Maximum continuous shooting: 10fps | 4K Video: Yes | Weight (inc. batteries): 340g | Battery Life: Approx. 370 shots

I’m someone who is always on the move. While traveling I like to snap quick photos as a journal of my journey. This camera was a perfect fit for me. So, if you are looking for the best point-and-shoot camera for traveling (with a big zoom and large sensor), the LUMIX ZS200 might be the one you should go for.

As it comes with 15X zoom, it was just perfect for my wildlife adventures. I managed to snap some of the best bird photos I’ve ever taken. And I believe 15X zoom is way more than one could ever need.

One positive side about this camera is that photos still contain a decent amount of details, even when fully zoomed in (thanks to the 20.1 MP sensor).

It comes with a large 20.1 MP 1-inch sensor. We all know how good large sensors are for great color accuracy and overall brightness. This one is no different either. Photos and videos produced by this compact and lightweight camera are as good as it gets.

This camera has few other tricks up its sleeve as well. There are a bunch of different modes for different scenarios. This gives you so much creative control over everything.

Scene modes and filter modes allow you to have finer control over things. Aperture and shutter priority modes give you all the traditional options as well.

This one is one of the few cameras in this list that can shoot native 4K videos at 30 FPS. This is great for those who plan on creating a career of off YouTube. With this, you don’t need to break your bank to set up your studio.

It also comes with a Wi-fi module. With this, you can easily transfer your photos to your mobile or tab and send them to others via email (or whatever app suits you best).

It also gives you the ability to snap photos while you are away from the camera via remote control (using your cellphone). Again, this is just perfect for wildlife photography stuff.

You know what’s even more amazing? The in-camera editing option.

With this, you can now edit photos right from the camera and get the final product without ever having to edit it on a PC. Although the options are very limited as of now, I believe this is still a great start.

The battery of this camera is also great. With a full charge, I was able to use it for an entire day (around 350 photos were taken). However, as the battery is charged while it’s inside the camera, an extra battery might be a wise choice in the long run.

7. Leica Q2


Sensor: Full frame (36 x 24 mm) | Megapixels: 47 MP | Lens: Fixed 28mm, ƒ/1.7 | Display: 3.0 inch, 1,040k dots | Viewfinder: EVF | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: No | Touch Screen: Yes | Maximum continuous shooting: 20fps | 4K Video: Yes | Weight (inc. batteries): 718g | Battery Life: Approx. 370 shots

Leica is a brand that only those who are truly passionate about photography dare to afford. To be very honest, when I first found out that they made a professional point-and-shoot, I could not believe it because Leica only makes cameras that are meant for serious business.

 So, I knew at that instance they were not fooling around.  Let me elaborate why I’m saying so.

The reason behind the popularity of the Q-series is the incorporation of a fixed Summilux 28mm f/1.7 wide-angle prime lens. Yes, a prime lens in a point-and-shoot camera. That’s how serious these guys are. The prime lens also has three aspherical elements for minimizing distortion and spherical aberrations.

Not just that, the camera has a fast f/1.7 maximum aperture that allows you to shoot in low-light without worrying about noise. The aperture also offers a greater control over depth of field, something you rarely get with point and shoot cameras.

At this point, I bet you’re pretty impressed. But wait for it, there’s more.  This versatile little beast has a dedicated macro focusing position. Yep, you read that right. Macro. You can literally shoot subjects as close as 6.7” away in this mode. I wasn’t joking when I said it’s more than just a point-and-shoot camera.

The problem we all face while zooming in to a subject especially in handheld mode is that the slightest maneuver of your arm can cause the sensor to shake so much that the entire image gets blurry.

On the Q-2, that’s taken care of by the optical image stabilization. It literally cushions out all the accidental shake and bumps for a clearer, sharper image.

Not just clarity and accuracy, this thing also offers outstanding speed. The mechanical shutter can afford flash speeds up to 1/500 sec. And on top of that, the lens also features a 49mm filter thread diameter that allows you to attach additional filters.

Despite all the funky features and functions, the camera is surprisingly easy to operate. It follows the footsteps of the M10 and CL-series cameras, emphasizing on a simpler interface that consists of a single-stage on/Off button, a thumb-wheel dial that incorporates a programmable button, and a push-button for diopter adjustment.

In terms of size, weight, design, and dimensions, Leica is pretty distinctive from other brands. And they didn’t shy away from giving this camera a classic Leica look as well. The Q-2 weighs a hefty 718g, just like most other Leica cameras. But size and dimension-wise the makers compensated for the weight.

It follows the typical compact camera design but with an additional thumb grip on the shutter side. This along with the frosted exterior will ensure that the camera is easy to hold.

The magnesium alloy body doesn’t slip off from your hand even if it’s sweaty. The exterior is also dust and moisture sealed (IP52-rated) so you can use it in harsh environmental conditions.

The Q-2 incorporates a high-resolution 47.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor that teams up with the updated Maestro II image processor to ensure a more flexible image creation.

It also makes room for a smooth color and tonal rendering. The broad 13-stop dynamic range along with the ISO 50-50000 range actively minimizes noise under low-light conditions.

Unlike many other point-and-shoot cameras, the Q-2 features both a unique viewfinder and a monitor. The high-resolution 3.68MP (1280 x 960) OLED electronic viewfinder makes a clear and realistic eye-level viewing possible.

On the other hand, the rear 3.0” 1.04m-dot LCD touchscreen monitor allows intuitive navigation and playback and touchscreen focus. No wonder it’s one of the best full frame high quality point-and-shoot cameras on this list.

8. Olympus Stylus Tough TG-6


Sensor: 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) | Megapixels: 12 MP | Lens: 25-100mm ƒ/2.0-4.9 | Display: 3.0 inch, 1,040k dots | Viewfinder: None | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: No | Touch Screen: No | Maximum continuous shooting: 20fps | 4K Video: Yes | Weight (inc. batteries): 253g | Battery Life: Approx. 340 shots

Bamboozled already seeing so many professional compact size point-and-shoot cameras? Don’t worry; I’ve got a handful of stuff for complete beginners as well. A good example of a basic small point-and-shoot camera to begin with is the Olympus Tough TG-6. It’s one of the most commonly used ones out there, and for good reason.

It’s got a super lightweight body weighing only 253 grams. Not just that, its size is also efficiently handy and loyal to the sole purpose of being called a ‘compact’ camera. Along with the flashy red exterior and handy ergonomics, this camera is a beast disguised as a beauty.

The TG-6 has got ‘Tough’ in its name and let me assure you, they meant it when they named it. It’s designed to withstand literally all sorts of conditions, starting from extreme weather conditions to accidental drops and scratches. 

I mean seriously, it’s waterproof, freezeproof, shockproof, dustproof, crushproof, probably even bulletproof (just kidding); cameras are meant to be shot with, not shot at). On top of that, the lens is sealed with a double-pane glass making it ideal for using in foggy and condensed outdoor environments.

Just because the camera is designed to be exposed directly to freezing and burning conditions, doesn’t mean you are too. Keeping the obvious constructional fragility of the human anatomy in mind, the camera has been configured to permit direct operation while wearing any kind of gloves.

It has a huge zoom lever, accessory lock button, and convenient dial control that you can use with ease even if you have big hands.

The lens covers wide-angle telephoto focal lengths while the 4x optical zoom brings your subjects efficiently closer to you. The lens covers a 25-100mm equivalent range that should be adequate for regular portrait or landscape shots. It also has a bright f/2 maximum aperture which will make shooting at night a delight.

In addition, the optical image stabilization is there to make sure you get crisp and clear images even if your hands shake while you’re shooting, whether it’s out of fatigue or cold, or from the bumps of a moving vehicle. You can even shoot videos on it while walking without having to worry about aberrations.

The TG-6 utilizes a 12MP BSI CMOS sensor along with a TruePic VIII image processor. Together, they offer a speed and sensitivity for both photo and videos.

The BSI design of the sensor affords cleaner image quality at higher sensitivities, while the ISO 12800 makes it an ideal tool for shooting under low-light conditions.

The double-pane cover glass of the sensor also has an anti-reflective coating that prevents flare and ghosting when you’re shooting in too bright conditions While the processor helps to reduce noise and expand the dynamic range, you won’t have to worry about the image output.

In addition to that, the processor also avails a 20-fps continuous shooting rate in raw mode. And when it comes to shooting videos, it does so in 4K30p with a high-speed (up to 120 fps) Full HD 1080p quality. Ideal for travel bloggers and vloggers.

Let me blow your mind a bit. When I said this camera is waterproof, you probably thought it can endure light drizzle and accidental splashes, right? Well, you’re in for a treat. The TG-6 not only can shoot underwater, but it also has a bunch of different modes including the Underwater Wide, Underwater Macro, Underwater HDR, Underwater Snapshot, and Underwater Microscope for that.

You may also like:  10 Best Cameras For Filming Miniatures in 2023

9. Ricoh GR III


Sensor: APS-C (23.6 x 15.6 mm) | Megapixels: 24 MP | Lens: Fixed 28mm, ƒ/2.8 | Display: 3.0 inch, 1,037k dots | Viewfinder: None | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: No | Touch Screen: Yes | Maximum continuous shooting: 9fps | 4K Video: No | Weight (inc. batteries): 257g | Battery Life: Approx. 200 shots

The looks of this camera attracted me at first glance. It’s got a metallic body coated with a matte leatherette finish, giving the entire thing a classy look. A stealthy and sturdy tool ideal for outdoor photography in all weather conditions.

The body of this camera is literally rather light, weighing just about 257g including battery and dedicated SD card. And the size? It’s barely as big as your smartphone, only being a teensy bit thicker. Suits perfectly with handheld mode while you’re on the run.

A futuristic addition to the design of the camera is the touchscreen display. You don’t have to peep in through the tiny viewfinder anymore to see what you’re shooting.  The display also replaces all the confusing knobs and dials by making them appear virtually.

Another treat for you is the performance of the sensor. Even though it’s a compact camera, the Ricoh GR III has got a stabilized 24MP APS-C sensor. This is especially useful because the lens of the camera is only 18.3mm. The sensor compensates for it with great efficiency.

Accompanying the touchscreen is the super-easy user-friendly interface. Even a complete noob can use this camera with confidence.  Hold on, that’s not all. There is also the nine-blade F2.8 rounded aperture making sure that you get a sharp image with an awesome autofocus every time.

The 18.3mm lens may not look like much, but it does deliver a solid macro performance with subjects as close as 10cm WITHOUT the macro mode activated. After activating the mode, it can go as far as 6cm. You won’t miss a single detail regardless of how tiny it is.

If you’re a videographer, then you’ll get some extra special treatment from this camera. There’s a dedicated video button on the side of it. You can just switch to video mode or switch back to shooting stills at any moment without having to lose precious moments toggling the settings.

Curious about the video quality? It delivers a solid 1080p at 60FPS. Not just that, you can customize this button to activate any function of your choice by going through the settings menu if you’re not that much of a video person.

In street photography where compact cameras are mostly used, light plays a huge role. And by that I don’t mean just the lighting conditions, but also the source of the light can become a great element for decorating your shots. Yes, I’m talking about bokeh. The art of aesthetically blurring the light source out.

To give you the best of bokeh, this bad boy has a snap focus feature that gives you the power to push the background farther away from your subject increasing the distance between them. This will blur out all the light sources in the background adding more dynamics to your shots creating a beautiful bokeh.

Although the lens lacks manual focus, the camera makes up for it with a much larger frame area. The 28mm focal length literally works as a large canvas making you the next Picasso of photography.

The battery performance of this camera is only a little above satisfactory. But the makers of it have compensated for it with in-camera charging. Although the battery performance varies slightly depending on usage conditions, but still I’d say it could’ve been better.

10. Canon PowerShot G9 X II


Sensor: 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) | Megapixels: 20 MP | Lens: 28–84mm, ƒ/2-4.9 | Display: 3.0 inch, 1,040k dots | Viewfinder: None | Wi-Fi: Yes | Flip/Tilt Screen: No | Touch Screen: Yes | Maximum continuous shooting: 8fps | 4K Video: No | Weight (inc. batteries): 206g | Battery Life: Approx. 235 shots

When they say ‘compact’, it generally means everything stacked up efficiently into one body that you can carry around with you at all places. The Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II is a fine specimen of that.

It’s literally pocket-sized and the shape is also ideal for carrying it around in your pocket. And the weight? Just about 206 grams! This is something I love in my contenders for the best small and lightweight point-and-shoot cameras.

Equipped with the Canon HS SYSTEM, this camera offers an expanded sensitivity range thanks to its large 20.1MP 1” High-Sensitivity BSI CMOS sensor and DIGIC 7 image processor. It supports up to ISO 12800 that reduces image noise when shooting under poorly lit conditions.

The sensor and the processor also enable the camera to have a fast shutter speed that apart from reducing blur additionally avails quick performance throughout the camera system. The result is an 8.2 fps continuous shooting rate and quick autofocus with subject tracking.

Not just for photography, this camera is equally solid when it comes to shooting videos as well. For a start, it offers a full HD 1080p video recording at 60 fps, with the large sensor contributing to the rich image quality making each shot well-suited to printing and sharing.

It’s got a versatile 3x optical zoom that coves a wide-angle to portrait-length that is equivalent to a 28-84mm focal length range. It also boasts of an f/2-4.9 maximum aperture with Intelligent IS and Dual Sensing IS image stabilization technologies.

The union of these two ensures a better handheld shooting experience even under poorly lit conditions. The Dynamic IS can be used for stabilizing videos and minimize the appearance of shake when recording while walking.

Not just in low-light, the there is also a three-stop neutral density filter that makes shooting with large apertures in bright light much more fun. You can even engage the ND filter manually or set it to auto so the camera can employ it by itself when necessary.

If you like adding a little dramatic effect to your videos, there are Time-Lapse Movie functions for you that let you record a series of stills over a set time period, and later it automatically merges the stills into a video so that you get a seamless playback.

Speaking of effects, it also has in-camera raw conversion that lets you apply a range of creative adjustments to your raw files. You can adjust the lighting using the Auto Light Optimizer and even add different filters to your shots with Picture Style adjustments. Then you can export them directly from the camera as ready-to-use JPEGs.

Even though time and tide are known for not stopping for anyone, it’s the photographer’s job to freeze the moments and create memories that last forever. But to do that, you’ll need a fast shooting speed. And that’s where this camera comes in handy.

To make this feature even more useful, the improved object tracking performance detects what you’re capturing automatically, and ensures that they stay clear and in focus in every single shot you take, regardless of whether what you’re shooting is static or in motion.

The camera also offers a handful of fancy shooting modes and effects for decorating your photos such as Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, and three User Defined settings.

How to Choose the Best Point and Shoot Cameras Out There?

So, you’ve read the review and you want to know based on what I chose these cameras? Or perhaps you want to buy one yourself but don’t know which one to choose. That’s where this guide comes in. If you follow this guide you are more likely to land a killer camera than not.

So, without any further ado, let’s get in.

Pay Attention to the Size of the Sensor

Camera Sensor Size

This is perhaps the most important factor of any camera. The sensor of a camera is directly equivalent to old day films. This is where all the magic happens. The size of a sensor dictates how good the photos taken will be. Typically, the bigger the sensor the better it is.

Before 2012, small sized sensors were much popular as people mainly bought compact cameras as a hobby piece.

However, as compact cameras are getting better and better day by day big sensors are now more popular. Currently, the industry standard for a sensor is 1-inch. Anything less than that is considered subpar.

Check with the Aperture Rating

Aperture is equally important as the sensor size. As mentioned earlier, the aperture is basically the size of the hole inside the lens. Through this hole, the light comes in. Aperture is actually denoted like FX.X. where X implies numeric values.

Here, F is the focal length of the lens. Focal length is disproportional to the aperture. That means small F values imply a bigger aperture. Bigger aperture means more light and vice versa. Ideally, you’d want something that is right in between.

Almost every camera mentioned in this review had a variable aperture. So, if you choose one of those, you are all set to go.

Build Quality is Super Important

Compact cameras are one of the most abused pieces of tech you can find. You carry them in your pocket without any protection. So, naturally, they are prone to breakage. That’s why you should buy a camera that has strong build quality.

Image Stabilization is Crucial as Well

Have you ever felt the output of your camera is a bit off? It is always blurry and videos have way too much shakiness? Especially, when the video was shot zoomed in? Well, you are not alone. The main culprit is the lack of image stabilization.

I don’t know about you, but it’s literally impossible for me to hold the camera super still while I’m shooting. Unfortunately, the tiny motion created by moving hands can cause blurry photos and jittery videos pretty easily. That’s why having some sort of OIS or EIS is paramount.

Luckily for you, all the cameras mentioned in this list have some form of image stabilizer.

Optical Zoom for Distant Photographs?

This perhaps is one of the main reasons why travelers still choose compact cameras over smartphone cameras. In case you did not know, optical zoom signifies the difference between most zoomed out and in settings.

For an instance, if you optically zoom in on an object at 10X zoom, it will look 10 times bigger than its original size. This comes really handy in wildlife photography and when you are far away from the object.

I’d suggest you find a camera with at least 8-10X optical zoom.

How Good is the Manual Control?

Although most people leave DSLR life because they don’t want to deal with all the complicated settings, it’s still good to have manual control over everything.

Point-and-shoot is great. But every once in a while, you’ll find yourself in a situation where I’d wish for manual control (trust me this happens). That’s why having a backup manual control is a good thing.

Moreover, with manual control, you can do a little bit of processing before you shoot the image. That, in my opinion, is pure convenience.

4K Video Support will be Handy

In 2019 a camera without 4K video recording is not a complete package. Sure, you might have a different use case scenario. But having 4K video recording ability is something you never knew you needed until you actually use it.

Battery Life is Super Important

Battery life is also very much important. You would not want your camera dying on you right before you get the chance to shoot the tiny little bee you’ve grooming for the past 2 hours. Trust me, nothing is more frustrating than this.

That’s why whichever camera you buy, make sure it has enough juice to go full day. Typically, you would not be shooting more than 350 pictures. Just keep that in mind before you make the buying decision.

Extra Features and Peripherals

This is a bit of a luxury in my opinion. But I think you should also consider extra features like Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, different shooting modes, etc. before you decide on a camera.

Another important factor is peripheral support. Try to avoid cameras that come with a proprietary peripheral set. They are hard to repair/ find in case an emergency occurs. Stick to something that is industry approved and easily repairable.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it. This brings us to an end to our review of best deals and best prices of compact and lightweight cameras pocketable like a phone. Point-and-shoot cameras are part of future photography and have taken the world by a storm years ago. The main reason behind that is convenience.

Doesn't matter if you are a casual photographer or an expert, once you get the taste of a compact point-and-shoot camera, pocketable like smartphones, you’ll never go back. I believe it is high time you guys gave a point-and-shoot camera a chance. Especially if you are a traveler.

Who knows!? You might end up with the best point-and-shoot camera for travel. Nonetheless, I’d very much like to hear your opinions and suggestions.

So, don’t forget to drop your thoughts in the comment section below. Also, feel free to share the best photo captured by you.

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