digital camera with viewfinder and lcd screen quotation

The fact of the matter is that many small cameras go far beyond your standard point-and-shoot model. They offer stunning image and video quality. Plus, they take up less space than their bulkier and pricier siblings, and they often weigh less, too.

Compact cameras are generally more expensive than they used to be, but if you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive compact camera with a viewfinder, the Panasonic LUMIX DC ZS70K may be the perfect model for you.

Panasonic is one of the strong players in the compact camera arena, and the LUMIX range is very well regarded. The ZS70K packs a 20.3 MP MOS sensor and a Leica DC VARIO ELMAR zoom lens. So despite its lower price, you’re still getting a really great product!

Beginners and casual users will be able to use this camera with ease thanks to its user-friendly interface and automatic shooting modes. But this camera also caters to advanced users, offering manual exposure and RAW-format shooting along with manual focus and focus-stacking options.

For video shooters, there is 4K (UHD) video with a high video bit rate of 100 Mbps and an articulating touchscreen LCD. You can also capture some stunning timelapse footage with this camera.

The built-in electronic viewfinder is quite small but does its job in a more than adequate way. All in all, this is a great camera that has something to offer for photographers and videographers who don’t want to spend a ton of money on their cameras.

It’s not the smallest of point-and-shoot cameras out there, but it’s relatively inexpensive. It also features a whopping 67X optical zoom and is styled to look like a mini DSLR camera.

Optical stabilization technology helps keep photos sharp when a camera shake is detected. It’s got beginner-friendly features like face, smile, and blink detection, and it boasts a variety of scene modes, including Night, Portrait, Panorama, and Sunset.

There is an electronic viewfinder as well as a 3-inch (7.62cm) articulating LCD screen so you can evaluate what you’re doing. The viewfinder features an amplified signal from the sensor to give you a brighter image – this makes it easier to see the preview. The viewfinder also has an adjustable diopter, which you can change to suit your vision.

Other features include built-in Wi-Fi, optical image stabilization, and 27 intelligent shooting modes to cover a variety of shooting scenarios. This makes it perfect for the beginner or casual photographer.

The wide-angle lens lets you capture pretty much anything, from landscapes, group shots, and street photos to wildlife and nature shots. It’s the perfect companion to take on vacation or to a party.

In the age of digital compact cameras, this Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 may seem a bit ancient, but there’s something special about the nature of instant photos you can hold in your hand (just like the old Polaroids).

The Instax Wide 300 produces some of the most consistently good-quality prints with spot-on exposure, color saturation, and clarity. While many other instant film cameras have headed toward the smaller Instax Mini film format, the Instax Wide is the better choice as the photos are similar in size to classic Polaroids.

The Instax Wide 300 can create images 2.4 x 3.9 in (9.91 x 6.1 cm) in size on a 3.4 x 4.3 in (10.92 x 8.64 cm) piece of film. It also features a retractable 95mm f/14 lens with a two-range focus zone setting. This is great for making sure your images are sharp. It also sports a 0.37x optical viewfinder with a target spot to help you compose images.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III is small enough to fit in a pocket, yet it boasts a high-quality 20 MP sensor. It’s not the newest compact camera with a viewfinder in the Sony RX100 line, but it still offers a lot for the price.

The RX100 III boasts an impressive ISO range of 125-12,800, with a 25,600 ISO available in the multi-frame noise reduction mode. The large maximum aperture throughout the zoom range makes this a good camera for shooting in low light.

Images can be captured in JPEG or RAW format (or in both formats simultaneously). There are advanced manual controls like Shutter and Aperture Priority as well as Manual mode. There are also options for those who are less experienced.

The RX100 III has a 5-axis image stabilization system and a manual-focus assist option. It features a zebra highlight clipping warning. Video fans will enjoy the 4K output, and there is Wi-Fi connectivity and an NFC chip.

Sony has a seemingly endless array of compact cameras, and another excellent option with a viewfinder is the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99. This portable camera has some fantastic features, including its sensor, zoom lens, display screen, and image processor. If you are looking for a versatile device that can take great-quality images, this is a top option.

The viewfinder uses a pop-up design that some people may not like. However, the design ensures that the camera retains its compact shape and that you can use the large touchscreen for composing if needed. The viewfinder is positioned on the left-hand side of the camera for improved convenience.

Aside from the adaptability of the screen and EVF, the Sony HX99 also has an excellent 18.2 MP sensor and uses the BIONZ X image processor (one of the latest processors from Sony).

We like the Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, which provides an equivalent focal range of 24-720mm. This gives you the flexibility to capture wide-angle landscape photos, close-up wildlife shots, and everything in between. The lens has a control ring, which is usually a feature reserved for pro cameras and lenses. This makes quick settings changes a breeze as you can program the ring to adjust different functions like shutter speed, aperture, and exposure compensation.

Canon has a solid range of compact cameras – although most of the PowerShot range do not have viewfinders. That’s where the Canon PowerShot G5 X excels. It is a high-quality device that has an EVF, which is centrally located and has a great resolution of 2.36 million dots. It also offers edge-to-edge clarity and 100% image coverage.

The camera has a 20.2 MP sensor and uses the DIGIC 6 image processor. It’s an older image processor and other Canon cameras utilize better technology; however, it still does a decent job.

The PowerShot G5 X has a zoom lens with an 8.8-36.8mm equivalent range. This may not offer telephoto capabilities, but the lens has an excellent maximum aperture range of f/1.8 to f/2.8, which makes it ideal for capturing beautiful bokeh.

Another useful feature is the beautiful 1.04M-dot multi-angle LCD touchscreen. And if you want to use the camera for recording, it can capture HD footage at 60p. It offers decent connectivity, too (with both Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities). This means you can download photos and video directly to an external device like a smartphone or laptop after shooting.

The RX100 range of cameras continues to feature some of the best compact cameras with viewfinders, including the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII. This is the latest model in Sony’s RX100 series and has some incredible features for photography and video recording. For instance, the viewfinder pops up and provides you with a high-resolution real-time display.

So that you can take different types of photos, this camera has a Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm zoom lens. Although it doesn’t have the same zoom capabilities as the DSC-HX99, at 200mm you still get very nice reach. Additionally, it has a fantastic maximum aperture range of f/2.8 to f/4.5.

You can expect superior image quality due to the 20.1 MP sensor. Pair this with the BIONZ X image processor, and you have a potent point-and-shoot camera capable of taking professional-grade photos. We like that it has an ultra-fast (20 FPS) burst mode with no display blackout.

The AF uses AI technology that helps improve tracking. The autofocus has an eye-AF mode for humans and animals, which makes it a great portrait and pet photography camera.

If you’re considering upgrading your kit, downsizing your kit, or want a second camera, then a compact camera with a viewfinder will fit the bill. Technology moves fast and newer models are coming out frequently, but the Panasonic LUMIX DC ZS70K will still serve you well, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III is a great higher-end alternative.

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Framing and shooting through a viewfinder allows the photographer to stabilize the camera and reduce the shake since it is closer to the body. Besides, Viewfinders come handy under bright sun light where LCD screens are very hard to read under bright sunlight. With the electronic viewfinders, you can also preview your photos without taking your eye off the camera.

Here we have listed the Cheapest 20 Cameras with Viewfinder sorted by price. Fujifilm S9800 is at the top of our list with a Selling Price of $ 159.99, followed by Panasonic ZS60 and Panasonic ZS50.

An articulating or vari-angle LCD – commonly called a flip screen – is a useful addition to a camera. The screen is mounted on a swivel, allowing you to flip the screen away from the camera body and rotate the LCD 360 degrees.

Flip screens have traditionally been useful for taking photos at unusual angles. For instance, framing a bug’s-eye view from ground level used to mean setting your camera down low and awkwardly trying to see through the optical viewfinder. There was usually a lot of guesswork involved.

With a vari-angle, or flip screen, you can now set the camera up at ground level and angle the articulating LCD up towards you and frame the scene in live view.

Likewise, a flip screen allows you to shoot overhead by swivelling the screen down. Street photographers might also appreciate a swivel screen because it can let you shoot more discreetly. Shooting from the hip is a lot easier with a flip screen and gives you more control. Hold the camera against your body and angle the swivel screen upwards so you can frame your shot, then shoot discreetly.

Despite all these advantages for shooting stills, it’s probably the rise of vlogging that has seen the popularity of cameras with flip screens soar. Like shooting self-portraiture, vlogging requires placing yourself on the other side of the camera, and before flip screens were a thing this required a lot of careful setup and trial and error.

But swivel LCD touchscreens mean you can now place your camera in front of you, frame your shot accordingly and simply tap the screen to take a picture or start recording. If you have even modest ambitions to post videos on YouTube, a camera with an articulating screen will undoubtedly be the best option for you. In this guide we’ll round up the best cameras with flip screens.

Metering: 384-zone metering with Evaluative metering (linked to All AF points), Partial metering (approx. 6.1% of viewfinder at centre), Spot metering: Centre spot metering (approx. 3.1% viewfinder at centre), Centre weighted average metering

Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Advanced Animal AF (recognising dogs, cats and birds) supported in all video modes with 100% coverage and up to 1053 "AF segments"

The Canon EOS R5 leaves little doubt that Canon is now serious about the mirrorless camera market. It has phenomenal specification with features like a 45Mp full-frame sensor, phase detection autofocusing that covers the whole frame, eye AF for humans and animals that works in video and stills mode and a class-leading viewfinder paired with a vari-angle touchscreen.

The Canon EOS R5 is built to a similar standard to the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and has a magnesium alloy construction along with weatherproof seals. Its handling is also similar, but the control arrangement has changed to accommodate the vari-angle screen.

It’s great to have a vari-angle screen on the EOS R5. It makes it much easier to shoot video from above or below head-height while keeping the kit size and weight down. Also, as the screen is touch-sensitive you can control the camera with a few taps.

Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Advanced Animal AF (recognising dogs, cats and birds) supported in all video modes with 100% coverage and up to 1053 "AF segments"

While the R6’s viewfinder is the same size as the R5’s (it’s a 0.5-inch type), its resolution is lower at 3.69million dots instead of 5.76million. That’s the same as in the EOS R and on par with the electronic viewfinders in the Sony A9 and Nikon Z7. It’s a great EVF specification for a camera of this level.

There’s also a 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen with 1.62million dots. We’re a fan of vari-angle screens because they make shooting portrait or landscape format images from above or below head-height much easier than a fixed screen. And a tilting screen is only of help with landscape format images.

Both the viewfinder and the screen provide an accurate preview of the image as it will be captured. Overall, Canon’s control arrangement on the R6 and use of touch control is excellent and the vari-angle screen is a real asset.

Autofocus system: Hybrid AF with 759 phase detection points and 425 contrast detection points, Still images: Human (Right/Left Eye Select) / Animal (Right/Left Eye Select) / Bird, Movie: Human (Right/Left Eye Select), sensitive down to -4EV

After we reviewed the Sony A7 III, a flip-out touchscreen was at the top of our wishlist for improvements we’d like to see on the next iteration of Sony’s full-frame all-rounder. Sure enough, Sony has given the A7 IV a vari-angle screen that can be flipped face forward or be angled to help compose low- or high-level shots in either landscape of portrait orientation.

What’s more, the A7 IV’s 3-inch 1,036,800-dot screen is touch-sensitive and users can now navigate the menus and settings with a tap. In previous Sony touchscreen LCDs, you were limited to setting the AF point via touch.

Sony has also carefully thought through the design, as well, placing the A7 IV’s mic port just above the screen on the side of the camera so it can still move freely when an external mic is plugged in.

OM System has given the OM-1 a very bright 1.62-million dot vari-angle touchscreen. It’s a 3-inch screen and like on the OM-D E-M1 III and OM-D E-M1X and it’s mounted on a vari-angle hinge. This vari-angle hinge means the screen can be angled for clear visibility whether you’re shooting in landscape or portrait orientation.

Like the screens on existing Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras, the OM-1’s screen is touch sensitive. It responds quickly to a tap and it’s a shame that OM System’s hasn’t extended the touch control to the new main menu.

In overcast conditions and indoors, the OM-1’s screen gives an excellent view it also performs well in brighter conditions. my toughest test for this was when skiing on a bright sunny day trying to video my companions ahead of me. Keeping them framed as we all moved over the piste was challenging, but thankfully, I was able to see them on the screen.

Key video specifications: 4K (3840x2160) 4:2:2 10-bit LongGOP H.264 29.97/23.98p/25p and 150Mbps for up to 30mins, 4K (3840x2160) 4:2:0 8-bit LongGOP H.264 29.97/23.98p/25p and 100Mbps unlimited, Full HD (1920x1080) 4:2:2 10-bit LongGOP H.264 59.94/29.97/23.98p/50/25p and 100Mbps unlimited

Although Panasonic Lumix S5 is smaller than the GH5, it has a well-proportioned and ergonomically shaped grip. A rubber-like coating also ensures that the camera feels secure in your hand. It’s also weather-sealed so you don’t need to worry if the weather changes when you’re out on a shoot.

Despite the shrinkage in size and weight, the Panasonic Lumix s5 has both a 3-inch 1,840,000-dot vari-angle touchscreen and a 2,360,000-dot OLED electronic viewfinder built-in.

The Panasonic GH5 has a vari-angle screen and it was high on the request list for the S-series camera when their development announcement was made. However, the S1 and S1R have 3-way tilting screens. These are useful if you’re shooting in landscape and portrait format images, but they’re not as intuitive or flexible to use as a vari-angle screen and they can’t be seen from in front of the camera.

Happily, the Lumix S5’s screen delivers what many were hoping for and it can be flipped around to face forwards. It means that the S5 could also be a good full-frame vlogging camera.

Further good news is that, like the viewfinder, the S5’s screen provides an excellent preview of the image. If you’re shooting outdoors in bright conditions it’s worth activating the Live View Boost to brighten screen to make the scene easier to see. The screen is also very responsive to touch.

Sensitivity range: Stills (normal): ISO 100-25600 (expandable to ISO 50-25600), (V-Log) ISO 250-12800 (expandable to ISO 125-12800), Video: (Normal) Dynamic Range Boost OFF (Base ISO 100): Auto / 50 (Extended ISO) / 100-12800 Dynamic Range Boost ON (Creative Video Mode) (Base ISO 800): Auto / 800-12800 (V-Log) Dynamic Range Boost OFF (Base ISO 250): Auto / 125 (Extended ISO) / 250-12800 Dynamic Range Boost ON (Creative Video Mode) (Base ISO 2000): Auto / 2000-12800 (Hybrid Log Gamma) Dynamic Range Boost OFF (Base ISO 250): Auto / 250-12800 Dynamic Range Boost ON (Creative Video Mode) (Base ISO 2000): Auto / 2000-12800

Maximum stills continuous shooting rate: Mechanical shutter: H: 14 frames/sec (AFS/MF), 8 frames/sec (AFC) (with Live View) M: 6 frames/sec (AFS/MF) (with Live View), 5 frames/sec (AFC) (with Live View) L: 2 frames/sec (AFS/MF/AFC) (with Live View) Electronic shutter: SH75: 75 frames/sec (AFS/MF) SH60: 60 frames/sec (AFS/MF) SH20: 20 frames/sec (AFS/MF) H: 14 frames/sec (AFS/MF), 7 frames/sec (AFC) (with Live View) M: 6 frames/sec (AFS/MF) (with Live View), 5 frames/sec (AFC) (with Live View) L: 2 frames/sec (AFS/MF/AFC) (with Live View)

The Panasonic GH6 has a 3.0-inch 1,840K-dot tilt and free-angle touchscreen with an aspect ratio of 3:2 on its rear. The tilting aspect of the screen isn’t immediately obvious, but pressing the button underneath the monitor’s bottom left corner releases the mechanism so the screen can be tilted up from the bottom.

There are two stop points in the screen’s tilt movement. The first one is at the right point to enable the screen to be flipped out to the side of the camera without catching on the viewfinder while the second one at about 45° gives a more comfortable viewing able when shooting at waist-height.

To the uninitiated, the tilt and free-angle combination may seem a bit over the top but it means that the screen can be flipped out and twisted to face forwards, up or down, without fouling on any of the cables that may be connected to the ports on the left side of the camera (mic, USB-C and full-size HDMI).

With 1.84-million dots, the 3-inch screen gives a good view of the scene and doesn’t suffer to badly from reflections even in sunny conditions (at least not in March in the UK). However, even when shooting video, there are times when it’s preferable to use the 3,680k-dot 0.76x OLED viewfinder. This has a contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and gives a sharp, accurate preview of the scene.

The GH5 is Panasonic’s flagship compact system or mirrorless camera and it has a mini-DSLR design, featuring a high-quality electronic viewfinder and vari-angle touch-screen. As a Micro Four Thirds camera it’s compatible with an extensive collection of Micro Four Thirds mount lenses from Panasonic and Olympus as well as third-party manufacturers.

While its viewfinder is still a 21mm OLED device, its resolution has been bumped up from 2,360,000 dots to 3,680,000 dots from the GH4 and the magnification is 0.76x rather than 0.67x. It provides a very clear and detailed view of the scene.

Panasonic has also upgraded the rear screen and it now measures 3.2-inches across the diagonal and has 1,620,000 dots. It’s still a vari-angle unit but instead of an OLED screen it’s an RGBW LCD. It provides a nice sharp view and the revised menu, which has fewer pages but more lines, is clear. The screen also responds quickly to tap of your finger.

The GH5 is a complex camera and it will take some getting to know, but all the main controls that you want on a shot-by-shot basis, for example to adjust exposure and white balance or to set the AF point are within easy reach. There are also plenty of customisable buttons to help you get it working as you want.

Sensitivity: Video: ISO 80-102,400 expandable ISO 40-409,600. ISO base in S-Log is ISO 640 but it can be expanded down to ISO 160. Stills: ISO 80-102,400 expandable 40-409,600

Autofocus system: Hybrid with 759 phase detection points and 425 contrast detection points, Real Time Eye AF (Human and Animal for stills, Human for video)

Slow and Quick (S&Q) mode options: NTSC: 1fps,2fps,4fps,8fps,15fps,30fps,60fps,120fps, 240fps4, PAL: 1fps,2fps,3fps,6fps,12fps,25fps,50fps,100fps, 200fps

Maximum continuous shooting rate: 10fps with mechanical or electronic shutter for up to 1000 uncompressed raw files when a CFexpress Type 1 card is used

Like previous A7S models, the Sony A7S III has a full-frame sensor with 12.1 million effective pixels. Keeping the resolution down benefits its low-light capability by keeping noise levels down.

As well as a host of improvements to its video specification, the Sony A7S III introduces the highest-resolution electronic viewfinder we’ve seen to date and it’s the first Sony A7-series camera to feature a vari-angle screen.

According to Sony, the 3-inch vari-angle screen wasn’t a request for the A7S III, it was a demand. It’s certainly something I’ve mentioned on many occasions.

In the past, the argument against one has been that a vari-angle hinge is less robust than a fixed screen and that ‘most dedicated videographers use an external monitor’. Those two points may still be true, but one of the key benefits of using a camera like the A7S III is its small size. If you start having to add an external monitor it makes it bigger and heavier.

Sony is also at pains to point out that the A7S III is for new videographers as well as experienced shooters and many of those people are unlikely to want to also lash out on a monitor.

It’s good to see that there’s an option to show a red outline around the on-screen image when the camera is recording. There are times when this is more useful than the usual flashing red dot.

After the 8K-capabilities of the Canon EOS R5, the Sony A7S III might seem a bit of an anti-climax. We’re sure some videographers were hoping for a big jump in resolution from the 12mp A7S II. However, Sony already has the 61Mp A7R IV and the 24Mp A7 III, so sticking with 12Mp means that the A7S III has even better low-light capability than its predecessor but with a much better autofocus system, a vari-angle screen and the highest-resolution viewfinder around.

As with Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, including the flagship Canon EOS R3, the R7 has a vari-angle touchscreen. This is great for composing low- and high-level shots in landscape or portrait orientation. Because Canon has embraced full-touch control, it’s also useful for changing camera settings with a tap.

Overall, Canon’s new flagship APS-C mirrorless camera has a layout and design all of its own, yet it retains some of those signature Canon design marks that will help people quickly adapt to using it.

Although the 0.39-inch 2.36million-dot electric viewfinder on the Canon EOS RP doesn’t match those in recent high-end mirrorless cameras for resolution, it still provides a decent preview of images. And let’s not forget, the RP is much more affordable than other new full-frame mirrorless cameras.

With Exposure Simulation activated, you get an accurate view of the final image’s brightness as well as the colour. However, if you want to see the depth of field, you’ll need to customise one of the camera’s buttons to that purpose. Or of course, you can take a quick shot. That could be avoided, however, if Canon showed the preview with the selected aperture applied.

Like the EVF, the 3-inch screen’s 1.04-million-dot resolution doesn’t really wow these days, but the fact that it’s mounted on a vari-angle hinge is great. That means you can twist it around to give you a clear view whichever angle you’re shooting from. And unlike a tilting screen, it’s useful if you’re shooting in portrait or landscape orientation.

We love that Canon has enabled the RP’s touchscreen to be used for browsing the Quick and main menu, selecting settings and browsing through images as well as setting the AF point. It really speeds using the camera and makes it more intuitive. It’s also good that this isn’t at the expense of physical buttons and dials.

Autofocus system: Intelligent Hybrid with up to 425 points plus subject detection for humans, animals, birds, automobiles, motorcycles, aeroplanes and trains

Viewfinder: 0.5 inch 5.76 million-dot OLED Color Viewfinder with 100% coverage Eyepoint: approx. 24mm Diopter adjustment: -5~+3m-1 Magnification: 0.8× with 50mm lens

Among the many improvements Fujifilm put into the X-H2S over the X-H1 is an upgrade of the LCD screen. Instead of the 3-way tilting screen of the X-H1, the X-H2S has a vari-angle screen that can be flipped out and rotated to face forward for vlogging. This means it’s useful when the camera is above or below head-height in landscape or portrait orientation.

There are a number of handling changes in the X-H2S in comparison with the X-H1, and anyone looking at the camera with fresh eyes cannot fail to be impressed by its build and capability.

The X-T3 was a great camera, but one of our few complaints about it was that its screen has a dual-tilt mechanism that is a little more fiddly and less intuitive than a normal vari-angle screen.

It also solves another issue with the X-T3 when shooting with the camera below eye-level, the viewfinder blocks the view of part of the screen, even when it’s tilted. With the X-T4, you just need to swing the screen out the the side and angle it for a clear view.

I love the convenience of having a pocket camera, ready to capture a high-quality image of anything I come across. I also find myself using them more at home, around the kids.

Whether that’s the ability to shoot in RAW, longer zooms, faster operation, better low-light capabilities, or simply better ergonomics, there are still plenty of good reasons to invest in one of the best compact cameras on this list.

To keep things simple, we’ve chosen 5 amazing fixed-lens compact cameras (as opposed to those with interchangeable lenses, which tend to be bulkier), that will help you get stunning photos in all conditions.

All the options are over $500 – spending less isn’t recommended if you want better images than your current phone can take. That said, we include one budget compact camera in our recommendations too.

This small digital camera is the one that started my craze for fixed-lens compact cameras… and I’m guessing that’s true for a lot of photographers out there.

As with past iterations of the X100 series, the X100V fixed 23mm f/2 makes an excellent travel lens, and thanks to a broad range of improvements, its capabilities put it up there with the Fuji flagship models.

For those of you who still haven’t heard about this remarkable X-Series camera, let’s have a closer look at why it’s still my favourite pocket camera of the year.

Image quality should be top of the list when researching cameras. If the final image doesn’t look notably better than a photo taken with your smartphone, there’s little point in wasting your money on a dedicated camera.

Thankfully the images out of the Fujifilm X100V are nothing short of incredible, regardless of if you are shooting RAW or JPEG. The X100V is the most aesthetically beautiful camera I’ve ever used – it pains me to say it, but if you can’t afford a Leica and want something just as beautiful, get one of these…

I’ve shot many different cameras over my years as a photographer, but the ones that really resonate with me are the ones that produce images with a certain something else – that ‘X’ factor (pun not intended!)

With the Fujifilm X100V, a combination of Fujifilm’s legendary imaging know-how, the unique and new f/2 23mm version 2 (35mm equivalent) lens, and the latest 26.1MP X-Trans sensor deliver rich, contrasty images with excellent skin-tones.

When shot wide open at f/2, bokeh is beautiful, with subject separation normally only reserved for cameras with much larger sensors (and lenses) – the sensor in this camera is APS-C, but you’d be forgiven for assuming you’re shooting full frame – the image quality really is that impressive.

Thanks to the 17 Fuji film simulations, as well as new colour chrome and colour chrome blue effects, you can create punchy, contrasty images that look like they’ve been taken on your favourite Fujifilm film stock with a 35mm film camera.

The film simulations are all way better than any other small camera system on the market. Fujifilm’s film stock know-how has clearly come into play here, with film simulation that’s simply unrivalled… and a whole lot of fun.

If you’re tired of having to edit countless RAW images in front of your computer, the X100V is like a breath of fresh air – simply shoot regular JPEGs or choose one of the film simulations… and you’re done!

As an additional time-saving workflow hack, you can mark your favourite images during playback, and have them automatically transfer, wirelessly, when you next pair your smartphone or tablet – all via the free Fujifilm app.

As for shooting RAW, it’s nice to know that the RAWs contain enough data to push/pull every spare pixel and really get the most out of the dynamic range.

Aside from its gorgeous retro design which begs to be picked up, the manual dials and minimal layout encourage fast muscle memory – you quickly develop a kinship with this camera.

Further to this, it drives a love of photography and being able to control every aspect of your photographic experience. The hybrid optical + electronic viewfinder really is unique, and a whole lot of fun to use.

The tactile, silky smooth click-click of every knob, dial and button on the Fujifilm X100V adds to the whole experience too – I love customising the rear dial to exposure compensation and leaving the rest to the camera (with auto ISO, auto WB and aperture priority taking care of it all).

I owned previous models of the X100 series and will be the first to admit that AF performance was terrible, even for an expensive point and shoot camera.

The Fujifilm X100V digital compact camera, however, now delivers exceptionally fast autofocus performance combined with the coveted, flagship-standard eye and face detect feature.

Another nice update is the LCD tilting touch screen, which allows you to compose low angle shots without bending down, and take over-head shots with ease.

The tilting touchscreen implementation is excellent and much better than any Sony cyber-shot camera that exists. You can flick through photos during playback, pinch/double-tap to zoom, and even focus and shoot using any of the AF modes.

Using face/eye-detect, there’s really no need to use the new joystick AF point selector at all – you simply point the camera at your scene, and let it recognise any people, or just tap on the screen wherever you want it to focus and/or shoot.

I would have loved it if Fujifilm had taken a leaf out of Leica’s book with their rubberised fronts – the look would remain the same, but the camera would be much easier to grip one-handed.

Of course, to amp up the retro style and look you can pair it with the Fujifilm half leather case that provides a significant amount of extra grip – see my article on the best accessories for Fuji cameras.

A key change in this model is the movie performance as it now supports 4k video at 30p. While this will never be a video camera, it does have a surprisingly good output which is more than enough for capturing your holidays.

In fact, it now shoots 4k video in both DCI (4,096 x 2,160) and Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) resolutions at 24 or 30fps, with a bit rate of 200 megabits per second. It can even output 10-bit 4:2:2 video over HDMI into an external recorder!

The hugely popular Canon Powershot series attracts many photographers of all standards, due mainly to the promise of great image quality, those fabled Canon colours, and useful features trickled down from their pro-line, all for at attractive prices.

With the Canon Powershot G7X Mark II, Canon has made a big improvement over the first iteration, with a host of great features, and still managed to keep the price nice and low – that’s why it’s still our choice as the best budget compact camera of the year.

The design remains largely unchanged from its predecessor, with the most notable addition (at least for me, with my large hands and clumsy fingers!), is the new grip, which is moulded, tactile and perfectly placed on the front and rear of the body.

Due to the pocketable dimensions of the Canon G7X Mark II, the grip is a welcome addition and makes for a comfortable shooting experience, not to mention a lot more security when holding it with one hand for long periods.

The LCD screen can now also be articulated downward by a full 45 degrees, allowing you to hold the camera above your head and compose for an interesting viewpoint.

The screen still faces the front and does so in one quick and simple action which you can perform with one hand. Face detection does a fine job for the all-important selfie!

The touchscreen itself is a joy to use – responsive, fast and full-featured – far better than the crippled Sony touchscreen offering. Being able to tap any menu item seems logical in 2022, and is an enjoyable way to navigate the camera.

This allows for a practical and enjoyable shooting experience, with one hand controlling the shutter button and the other left to support the camera and adjust the lens ring.

Image quality is excellent, as we have come to expect from the world leader in camera imaging technology. Colour rendition is excellent, with skin tones having that warm, slightly-reddish tone to them, typical of Canon files.

When the light begins to drop, you have two options with the Canon G7X Mark II – use the pop-up flash, or crank up that ISO dial (which is either within the menu or assigned to the lens ring).

Thankfully, there’s still a decent amount of image data in the RAWs, so if you know what you’re doing with post-production, it’s pretty easy to salvage even a noisy image – the one below was taken at ISO10,000, but with a quick tweak in Lightroom using the ‘Texture’ slider, the black & white edit looks fine!

Autofocus performance is good, with face-tracking working ok during testing. Don’t underestimate the importance of this feature – trying to chase a subject around the screen with a single AF point is a painful experience!

A couple of caveats here, though – tracking doesn’t seem to work while using burst mode, and it takes a while for the buffer to clear, during which time the camera’s playback or settings mode is frozen.

It should be remembered, however, that the maximum aperture of f/1.8 can only be used before zooming the lens (i.e. at 24mm) – this is the sacrifice with most zoom lenses found on small digital cameras, with the plus side being just how small the camera can be when the lens is retracted – the Canon G7X Mark II is the smallest camera on the test, and only marginally heavier than the next smallest option from Ricoh.

Controlling the camera with the Canon Camera Connect App was painless, and worked well for controlling the camera from a distance, or simply transferring JPEGs to my iPhone.

Overall, I found the G7X Mark II enjoyable and intuitive to shoot, with the biggest pluses for me being its overall responsiveness and the impressive image quality.

It’s the kind of camera that packs enough performance to warrant using it over your smartphone but still retains the dimensions to ensure it’s always in your pocket.

As such, it’s a camera you can slip into a coat pocket that offers unrivalled image quality – beautifully creamy shallow depth of field, great dynamic range for expanded latitude when post-processing, great high ISO performance… basically amazing image quality that’s superior to 99% of other cameras in its size class.

You do pay a pretty price for the Sony RX1 RII, though. Squeezing a big sensor into a small camera body evidently still costs a lot for manufacturers, and due to the nature of the sensor size, the lens needs to be a certain size to accommodate – while small, this isn’t a camera for your jeans pocket.

You can buy a more feature-rich, versatile full-frame interchangeable lens camera like the Sony a7III for the price of the RX1 RII, and still have some change in your pocket for a new lens… so why would you invest in this one?

After spending a few weeks road testing the Sony RX1 RII, it was clear to me that this is a very unique camera. Sure, you could buy something more versatile and with better value for money, but that would be missing the point. The Sony RX1 RII is by far the most enjoyable, most involved, and most tactile Sony mirrorless camera I’ve ever used. It’s more like… dare I say it… a Fujifilm than a Sony!

Investing this much money into the RX1 RII is like trying to explain why to buy a Ferrari over a Tesla S – both get you from A to B really fast, but ask any Ferrari driver how it feels to drive. The same can be said for this camera.

With a fixed 35mm Carl Zeiss Sonnar f/2 lens, this camera is arguably all you’d ever need as an everyday camera – this is why it’s perfect for professionals, who are no doubt sick and tired of carrying multiple lenses with their ‘work’ mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

The Sony RX1 RII offers most of the functions of a high-end Sony camera that you’d expect – tilting LCD screen (though no touchscreen), good WiFi/NFC connectivity, decent electronic viewfinder (that retracts into the body when not in use), customisable dials/buttons and a dedicated exposure compensation dial.

Everything feels amazing – the build is great, and the manual controls are reassuring solid-feeling The on/off switch is reminiscent of an old range-finder, and far more satisfying than pushing a button, which is the usual way to fire up most cameras.

Start-up time is a little sluggish though, as is usability in general. Zooming in 1:1 is a painful experience, but then there are 42.4 Mega Pixels, so that’s understandable. Buttons feel slightly mushy and unresponsive at times too.

Auto Focus is good and includes Sony’s enviable Eye AF, which is akin to black magic at finding the eye of your subject (though not nearly as good as the latest Sony a7/a9 series cameras).

I shot the Sony RX1 RII on auto white balance, and skin tones looked great. I actually prefer the colours to other high-end Sony MILCs – this might be something to do with its amazing low pass filter, which helps deliver such stellar image quality.

I love being able to control the aperture on the lens ring like a rangefinder, and the macro mode is similarly located. The lens in general just feels great – the movement of the rings is reassuring and fun to operate. I’d go as far to say that this is the first Sony I’ve ever used that doesn’t feel like a mini-computer, and for that, I love it! It feels like an old-fashioned camera body, despite housing some incredible, modern technology.

The Sony RX1 RII doesn’t make much sense on paper, nor when you try and explain it to your peers after splurging so much on something when there are many better value options… but it’s still an endearing camera that will bring you joy every time you pick it up, not to mention whenever you view the gorgeous high-resolution files on your computer screen.

In summary, I’d confidently recommend the Sony RX1 RII to any professional photographer, no matter what brand they usually shoot with. It’s a Sony camera like no other Sony camera – truly unique in the lineup.

If you’re in a line-up of one of the most popular compact camera series of all time, you have a lot to live up to… fortunately, the Sony RX100 VII doesn’t disappoint.

I spent a few weeks shooting this powerful little camera for a full Sony RX100 VII review, and have decided to name it the top compact camera for travel.

I also love the fact that LCD displays the optical zoom focal length as you’re zooming, so you can set it to 35mm for example, and leave it there if that’s your preference when shooting primes – this is what I found myself doing since I rarely shoot at 24mm.

There are a confusing amount of AF options and modes, but after you find the one you want and set up a button to control Eye AF, it’s pretty hard to actually miss a moment.

Taking photos of our fast-moving kids is a cinch – just point the Sony RX100 VII in their general direction, hold down the Eye AF button for one of the 357 phase and 425 contrast AF points to lock onto the nearest face, and fire away – at a frankly ridiculous 90fps, nothing can escape your shutter! This is a huge step up from the Sony RX100 VI which had 315 phase AF points, 25 contrast AF points and a maximum burst mode of 24fps.

I actually switched the mode from high to medium, as found I was taking too many photos! Sony’s Real Time Eye AF means the Sony RX100 VII is constantly tracking faces and eyes, even before you press the shutter button – it makes capturing a subject almost too easy…

Image quality is great, whether shooting JPEG or RAW. The lens is sharp across its frame, and dynamic range is decent too – shooting at low ISOs and underexposing the image allows you to bring back a good amount of shadow data later in Lightroom.

High ISO performance is decent, with clean images up to 1600, then quickly degrading after 2000 – as is expected on a camera with a 1-inch CMOS sensor.

Start-up time is fast, as is the zoom speed. I also love the ability to set the lens ring up as a custom function – I had mine as exposure compensation, so shooting in Aperture Priority was intuitive and fun.

The Sony RX100 VII offers a tilting touchscreen, albeit a limited one. You’re able to touch to change AF points, focus, and then shoot – is a really handy feature for capturing candid travel moments, especially when combined with the tilting display. On the VI the tilt is 90 degrees down and 180 degrees up, making it perfect for vlogging.

The VII also offers fast AF, a new 4K video HDR mode, 4 -stop image stabilisation, Active Steady Shot for video recording and a larger buffer – 233 vs the V’s already impressive 150.

The shot below was one of about 30 in quick succession – my son was actually sprinting along the rope bridge, and the RX100 VII didn’t miss a beat with the focus.

It really is incredible having such range at your disposal, and as long as you’re in decent light, shooting at 200mm (and f/4.5) yields some great bokeh. Image stabilization also helps a lot too.

I’m not even a big fan of zoom lenses, preferring normally to ‘zoom with my feet, but I found myself constantly zooming in and out with this fun little camera, often just to see ‘how far I could see’! It’s convenient being able to zoom in to 200mm on some distant action before your subject has noticed your presence, and having such range on a compact camera is a huge plus while traveling, since it’s not always possible to physically move closer.

Why on earth Sony would design such an incredible camera and make it have all the ergonomics of a pane of glass is beyond me! The first thing I’d recommend you do is purchase this grip – at least it’s cheap!

Then there’s the battery life, which is pretty poor at around 260 shots or 30 minutes 4k video per charge. On the plus side, you can charge the camera via micro-USB, and spare batteries are affordable.

The pop-up LCD is good in bright sunlight and I’m glad they included it, but I didn’t find myself using it much otherwise – it’s a little cramped, as is to be expected on a camera of this size.

Whether you’re a fan of video or not, the 960fps incredible High Frame Rate mode will leave your jaw on the floor, and make you want to film everything to see how it looks when played back slowly.

Overall, the Sony RX100 VII is a helluva lot of pocket camera squeezed into something the size of a deck of playing cards. The zoom range is astounding, auto-focus performance mind-boggling, and frame rate is something that none of the other best compact cameras on this list can match.

If you’re looking for a feature-packed compact camera for travel with incredible stills and 4k video performance, that’s so small that you can have it in your pocket every day and not even notice it’s there, look no further. This is it.

I feel a little bit sorry for Ricoh’s photography division. Despite Ricoh being a large, successful company, their cameras are still relatively unheard of… at least, to the uninitiated.

Ask any street photographer worth their salt to name two camera brands synonymous with capturing some up-close pavement action, and their answers will include: one expensive German brand… and Ricoh. Not Ricoh in general, either, but the Ricoh GR series.

A few years ago I tried a previous generation of this camera. I was quite impressed by the image quality coming out of this little compact but the sluggish auto-focus annoyed me a bit too much to invest in it. The Ricoh GRIII Ricoh is much improved and things are much snappier.

Speaking of ‘snap’, there’s a focus option on the GRIII (and other Ricohs) called ‘Snap Focus’, which basically forces the camera to immediately focus on a specified distance, increasing in 50cm increments from 1m to 5m, then to infinity.

You can set up the camera to ‘snap’ to the pre-defined focal distance when you fully press the shutter (as opposed to half-pressing it, which would engage the regular focusing).

This is one of the features that make the Ricoh GRIII so well-suited to street photography. Sure, you can ‘zone focus’ using any camera, but with this one, you essentially have a zone-focusing system and a regular auto-focusing system in one shutter button – ingenious!

The autofocus isn’t the only improvement over the GRII. The Ricoh GRIII boosts just about every critical feature. The sensor is now up to 24MP, the lens much sharper and now with macro capabilities, and the battery life is much improved. There’s even image stabilisation and a touchscreen.

The 3-axis sensor stabilisation is a welcome addition – in practice, I was able to blur motion without the use of a tripod with shots as slow as 1/2 second. See Kai Wong’s video above for an example of how this could be used in the street.

The touchscreen on the Ricoh GRIII is snappy and responsive, with that all-important tap-to-focus-and-shoot function, allowing for the most inconspicuous photos – perfect for incognito street photography.

I keep mentioning how this is the best small digital camera for street photography, but the reality is, I didn’t actually get to test it out on ‘the street’!

Image quality is fantastic for a compact of this size, especially the Jpegs. I shot in Vivid with the contrast increased for some additional punch, but there are plenty of nice-looking B&W filters to choose from too – another nod to classic street portraiture, with contrasty, gritty B&W options aplenty!

Raw image quality is also quite impressive, with a decent amount of dynamic range from the GRIII’s new APS-C sensor. It’s definitely a step up from the GRII, as the 8 additional megapixels not only make the images sharper, they give you additional cropping ability as well.

The lens width remains the same – 18.3mm (28mm equivalent), and I’m happy about that. A 28mm focal length is fun and easy to shoot. It gives you a unique perspective that immerses the viewer into the shot, without overdoing it and becoming too wide or adding in too much distortion.

As for the design and ergonomics, I love that the Ricoh GRIII is the most ‘stealth’ camera I’ve ever come across. The exterior has minimal branding, the rubberized grip conforms perfectly to the hand, and the buttons blend nicely into the camera body.

It’s not easy to be one of the smallest and lightest digital cameras out there while maintaining excellent ergonomics, but the Ricoh GRIII manages to pull it off.

It’s grippy enough to be used one-handed all day long and can slide inside a shirt pocket. Yes, you read that right, shirtpocket. This is truly a miniature marvel of a camera.

So what don’t I like about it? Well, the battery life could be better (I got 280 shots per charge), and I do wish the touchscreen flipped… but then again, that would probably ruin the overall design.

It’s also not the best at focusing in low light, and the LCD, despite being beautifully sharp, tends to reflect a lot in bright sunlight – since there’s no viewfinder, this can sometimes be annoying. There’s also no pop-up flash, but no one needs one of those for street photography anyway.

Also, the camera seems to take a split second to render images on the LCD during playback – it’s barely perceptible at first, but once you see it, it’s hard not to notice it again.

All in all, though, I’m struggling to find bigger reasons not to love this camera. Trust me, the Ricoh GRIII is a truly unique compact that deserves a lot more attention than it’s been receiving. It’s well worth checking it out, and if you have a bigger budget, look more to the newer GR IIIx.

I was in two minds about whether to include the Leica Q2 in this list – not because of its price (we’ll come to that in a minute), but because it’s not exactly ‘compact’ in its dimensions. It does, however, have a fixed lens, so let’s run with it…

Jokes aside, after shooting portraits and landscapes solidly with the Q2 for a week, I’ve now had a taste of that delicious Leica Koolaid, and have decided that this camera-come-work-of-art is actually worth the money. Yep, I know – crazy, right?!

The coldness and heft of the solid metal body, the reassuringly solid feedback of the dials and buttons, the ingenious rubber grip that blends into the facade, even the curiously addictive electronic shutter sound… all this adds up to an experience that’s unlike any other camera I’ve ever used.

Other unique design details include a diopter adjustment dial which retracts when not in use; lens measurements that appear and disappear with macro mode; a perfectly-sized thumb-grip indent; a solid-metal memory card door; a contrasting silver battery release lever… even the way that the battery has no cover and needs to be tapped to be released – this is master craftsmanship that you simply can’t find elsewhere. Describing the minute design details of the Lecia Q2 may sound insignificant and fanciful on paper, but in use it’s practical, elegant and utterly sublime, with huge RAW files that show every detail in your landscape photos.

I don’t think I’ve written so many paragraphs on how a camera looks and feels before, so I’ll move on… how does the Q2 perform when you actually switch it on?!

Well, as you’d expect from a 47.3MP full-frame sensor combined with a 28mm f/1.7 Summilux stabilised lens, the image quality is nothing short of mind-blowing.

In the image above when viewed on my 27″ monitor, I could zoom in even further than 100% and make out the faces of all the people in the reflection of the sunglasses, with everything remaining sharp.

Stopped down, the lens continues its reign of tack sharpness, although it’s way too tempting to try and shoot this thing wide open all day long – I found myself taking photos of random objects, just to see how amazing they’d look at f/1.7!

Macro mode is easily accessed with a firm twist and satisfying click of the lens ring, as is manual mode, which is engaged in a similar way, with focusing aided via peaking and magnification – every movement on the camera seems meaningful and engaging. It all adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable handling experience.

It’s wrong to try and compare the Sony RX1 RII with the Leica Q2, just because they’re both small-ish full-frame cameras. They’re completely different beasts.

‘X factor’ image quality aside, the Leica Q2 is a reassuringly powerful camera to shoot with. 10fps may not sound so impressive next to the other cameras in this article, but considering the Maestro II image processor is pushing such enormous 47.3MP files around, this is no mean feat.

Autofocus is apparently better than the original Q, but it definitely can’t keep up with the Sonys of this world. Whether you’ll be wanting this camera to shoot fast-moving action, though, is unlikely.

I also found continuous AF to constantly ‘flutter’ back and forth (annoying, but apparently all digital Leicas do this until the subject actually moves), and in really low light, the AF occasionally struggled to lock on to subjects.

High ISO performance is acceptable for a full-frame sensor – not amazing, but no slouch either. I’d be comfortable shooting it up to ISO3200, and any higher than that, I’m not too bothered about the noise creeping in, since the files look great with a sneaky black and white edit.

Dynamic range is fine too – nothing outstanding for a full-frame sensor, but enough latitude to underexpose by 4 stops and return a clean file at lower ISOs. Shooting landscapes in low light with this camera results in beautiful files – the compressed JPEG below doesn’t really do it justice.

The LCD touchscreen is amazing – sharp and responsive with a matte finish – I wish all cameras offered this. The EVF is similarly excellent – one of the best I’ve used. Startup time is great too.

One unique feature of the Leica Q2 is the in-camera frame cropping options, which allows you to shoot with a 35mm, 50mm and 75mm frame ‘outline’, which results in 30, 14,7 and 6.6MP images respectively.

If you shot a whole succession of in-camera crops, it could get rather annoying during post-production with all the ‘duplicates’, but I guess this feature is intended for the ‘odd shot’, rather than regular use.

I also found it a little odd trying to compose with the cropped frame outline within the original 28mm viewfinder – I definitely prefer the APS-C crop mode implementation on other mirrorless cameras, which zooms the actual viewfinder display.

I also wasn’t a fan of the placement of the rear dial, which seemed a bit too close to the edge of the camera for my liking. I’m sure I’d get used to it, though.

I was, however, a big fan of the placement of the macro mode dial, and how you engage manual focus via an indented knob on the lens ring – this combined with focus peaking and viewfinder magnification makes manual focusing simple and a lot of fun.

To conclude, I’ve decided to call the Leica Q2 excels for any type of photography, but the style encourages you to slow down, making it perfect for shooting landscapes.

Why don’t I recommend it as the top compact camera for professionals? Well, even though pros will be looking for the best image quality out of a camera of this size, I think they’d also be looking for a slight size/weight saving on their main ‘workhorse’ body… and the Leica Q2 is of comparable dimensions to most full frame MILCs.

Then, of course, there’s the question of whether the average pro would be comfortable carrying a camera that’s probably more expensive than their main camera, just as an everyday/holiday camera. I know I wouldn’t, despite thoroughly enjoying my time with the Q2.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time shooting all the cameras used in this guide. There’s something about having a camera that’s small/light enough to have on you every day that I find endearing – I love the feeling of having a capable device to capture all of life’s precious moments.

Buying a compact camera is an investment, but rightfully so – without spending appropriately, you’ll only be left with something that’s as good as, or potentially worse at capturing an image than your smartphone.

All the cameras in this guide are able to produce stellar images. A larger sensor will yield more pleasing bokeh and low light performance, but the flip side is usually a larger camera body too.

Decide what’s most important for you – do you need something pocketable with lightning-fast auto-focus? Or are you able to neglect those features in favour of the absolute best image quality and bokeh that can rival a much larger camera?

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