Travel can expose you to once-in-a-lifetime sights and experiences, and a good camera can be the perfect way to preserve those memories. We’ve looked at a range of models that offer great image quality, good autofocus and excellent video, so you’ll be prepared to capture whatever you run into.
We’ve also tried to select relatively small cameras so they don’t interfere with your trip, though it’s worth touching briefly on lens size. If you choose a system with a Four Thirds or APS-C sensor, you’ll be able to use lenses that are lighter and more compact than their full-frame counterparts. Full-frame sensors, however, offer the potential for even better image quality, so it’s worth considering whether portability or image quality matters more to you and doing some research on what types of lenses you’d like to use and how big the full-frame versions are.
Our recommendations
- Portable full-frame: Sony a7CR
- All-round compact capability: Sony a6700
- The great travel kit: Fujifilm X-T50 with 16-50mm F2.8-4.8
- The ready-for-anything option: OM System OM-3
- The stylish travel companion: Nikon Zf
- Best pocketable travel camera: Ricoh GR IV
- The classic choice: Fujifilm X100VI
- The best video camera for travel: DJI Osmo Pocket 3
Portable full-frame: Sony a7CR
61MP BSI CMOS sensor | 4K/60p video with 10-bit color | Dedicated ‘AI’ processor for AF system
 |
| Photo: Richard Butler |
What we like:
- Big camera features in a small body
- Outstanding AF performance
- Auto Framing video mode
What we don’t:
- Small, low-res viewfinder
- No joystick control
- No fully mechanical shutter
The Sony a7CR is a relatively compact full-frame camera with an image-stabilized 61MP CMOS sensor. You sacrifice the convenience of an AF joystick and get a pretty small and basic viewfinder to keep the camera’s size down, but there’s little else that delivers this much image quality in such a compact package.
You’ll need to pick your lenses carefully to keep the camera portable but the a7CR’s autofocus means it can respond rapidly to just about anything you encounter on your travels.
Read our full Sony a7CR Review
See the Sony a7CR studio scene
All-round compact capability: Sony a6700
26MP BSI CMOS sensor | 4K/60p video capture | Fully articulating screen
 |
| Photo: Richard Butler |
What we like:
- Front and rear command dials
- Excellent AF in stills and video
- 4K/120p capture (with crop)
What we don’t:
- No AF joystick
- JPEG sharpening can be aggressive
The Sony a6700 is built around a 26MP APS-C-sized sensor. Its excellent autofocus performance means it excels at both stills and video capture. There’s a good choice of relatively compact lenses available, too. We’d suggest avoiding the really small 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 though: it’s not the lens to get the most out of this camera.
Fast, dependable autofocus with a selection of subject recognition modes means the a6700 will help maximize your chances of capturing the unexpected moments on a trip.
Read our full Sony a6700 review
See the Sony a6700 studio scene
The great travel kit: Fujifilm X-T50 w/ 16-50mm F2.8-4.8
40MP APS-C BSI CMOS sensor | In-body image stabilization rated to 7EV | 6.2K 10-bit video recording
 |
| Photo: Richard Butler |
What we like:
- Great JPEG colors with a profile control dial
- Full-featured auto mode
- Compact and light
What we don’t:
- Autofocus tracking can struggle to keep up
- Tiny viewfinder
- Small battery
The X-T50 can be purchased with Fujifilm’s excellent 16-50mm F2.8-4.8 kit lens, which provides a versatile focal length for travel and should be able to keep up in darker environments. Fujifilm also sells a wide variety of relatively fast, compact primes.
Read our full Fujifilm X-T50 review
See the Fujifilm X-T50 studio scene
The other APS-C options
If you’re looking for an APS-C camera that’s even smaller than the X-T50, the Fujifilm X-M5 may be worth considering. It’s substantially cheaper, though it’s easy to see where the company has saved money: it uses a lower-resolution 26MP sensor, which isn’t stabilized, and there’s no EVF. It does have the same film simulation dial and autofocus subject recognition modes, though, so those tradeoffs may be worth it if size or price are your top priority.
The Nikon Z50II is also a strong all-around contender, but its lens selection isn’t as strong as Sony or Fujifilm’s, nor does it have a stabilized sensor. However, it does have solid autofocus performance, a viewfinder, and a sub-$1000 price point.
The ready-for-anything mirrorless: OM System OM-3
20MP Four Thirds Stacked CMOS sensor | 2.36M dot EVF 0.69x magnification | IP53-rated weather sealing
 |
| Photo: Mitchell Clark |
What we like:
- Very fast shooting with low rolling shutter
- Controls put best features front-and-center
- Excellent battery life
What we don’t:
- Small, low-res EVF
- Subject detection separate from tracking AF
- 8-bit 4K footage softer than Log option
The OM-3 is well-suited to traveling, as the Micro Four Thirds system lets you use especially compact lenses, and its Stacked sensor gives it fast autofocus, incredible burst rates for shooting even the fastest subjects, and the ability to use computational modes to adapt to a wide variety of situations. It also sports an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance, so you won’t have to worry if it starts raining.
Read our OM System OM-3 review
See the OM System OM-3 studio scene
The other Micro Four Thirds options
OM System’s OM-5 is substantially cheaper than the OM-3, though you give up the speed, USB-C port and advanced subject recognition autofocus, as well as a few of the computational modes. It is, however, slightly more compact if space is at a premium in your pack.
The Panasonic Lumix G9 II has similar capabilities as the OM-3, but in a significantly larger body. That bulk does come with dual card slots and more video features, but the weather sealing likely won’t be as good as OM System’s.
The stylish travel companion: Nikon Zf
24MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor | Full-width 4K/30 video, cropped 4K/60 | Stabilization rated to 8EV
 |
| Photo: Richard Butler |
What we like:
- Distinctive design with direct controls
- Effective subject recognition
- Strong stills and video features
What we don’t:
- Weight and minimal grip can become uncomfortable
- Slow MicroSD second slot
- Few custom buttons
The Nikon Zf is a classically styled full-frame camera built around a 24MP full-frame sensor that’s used by many of its peers. The angular 80s-style body isn’t the most comfortable to hold in your hand for extended periods, but the lack of stick-out grip makes it smaller than many of its rivals, making it a tempting travel companion. However, like with the a7CR, many of the full-frame lenses available for it will greatly increase its size and weight.
At least in its all-black form, there’s a chance of it being mistaken for a film camera, which may help avoid the wrong kind of attention when you’re out and about in an unfamiliar setting.
Read our review of the Nikon Zf
Best pocketable travel camera: Ricoh GR IV
26MP APS-C sensor | 28mm equiv F2.8 lens | 5-axis image stabilization
 |
|
The Ricoh is a pocketable compact with a large APS-C sensor. Photo: Richard Butler |
What we like:
- Great image quality
- Well-considered controls
- 53GB of built-in storage is extremely convenient
What we don’t:
- Dated autofocus performance
- Pricey (even more with flash)
- Battery life is just okay
The Ricoh GR IV is the latest entry in the company’s series of classic compact cameras with large APS-C sensors and a 28mm equivalent lens. It’s not the most flexible camera, but it has engaging controls and is one of the most pocketable models with a large sensor, which is probably why the GR series has built up a dedicated following of photographers who find it a joy to shoot with.
Our one concern with using the GR IV for travel is that some users of the previous generation model reported dust getting into the lens. Ricoh has said it’s made a few changes that should help prevent that, but still doesn’t make any claims of weather sealing, so it may be worth keeping it in protective bag and putting it away in particularly unpleasant weather.
There’s also the GR IIIx, which has the previous generation sensor and processor, but with a longer, 40mm equivalent lens. This may be a little tight for documenting your travels, but it’s historically a popular focal length. Ricoh also sells a GR IV Monochrome, though a camera that only shoots black and white probably wouldn’t be our first pick for travel photograph.
See the Ricoh GR IV studio scene
Other compacts
Canon has recently announced that it plans to increase its production of compact cameras, citing an increasing number of orders for the PowerShot G7 X III, which has a 24 – 100mm (equiv.) zoom lens, providing a solid range for travel photography. Its autofocus isn’t
The Leica D-Lux 8 features a larger sensor than the G7 X III – it uses up to up to 83% of the area of a Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor, while the G7 X III has a Type-1 (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor – and has a photo-focued interface that we particularly like. However, its slow zoom, only decent image quality and substantial price tag make it hard to recommend to all but the most Leica-faithful.
The classic choice: Fujifilm X100VI
40MP BSI CMOS APS-C X-Trans sensor | 35mm equiv F2 lens | Hybrid viewfinder
 |
|
The Fujifilm X100VI is a refinement of everything that made the X100V great, but it’s still difficult to buy. Photo: Richard Butler |
What we don’t:
- Lens not especially fast to focus
- Hard to find in stock
Like the Fujifilm X100V before it, the Fujifilm X100VI is a classically styled fixed lens camera with a 35mm equivalent F2 lens. Updated with in-body image stabilization rated at up to 6EV of correction and a 40MP BSI CMOS APS-C X-Trans sensor, the X100VI is a significant upgrade over its predecessor despite looking virtually identical. And those improvements in part explain the X100VI’s $200 increase in list price to $1,600.
It’s not smallest or most inconspicuous camera, but its fixed focal length means you develop an ‘eye’ for the photos it’ll take, essentially making it a better quality, more engaging alternative to snapping away with your phone.
The addition of subject-detection autofocus has given the X100VI the ability to recognize animals, birds, automobiles, motorcycles and bikes, airplanes, and trains though human (face/eye) detection is a separate mode. However, the lens the X100VI shares with the X100V is not the fastest to autofocus, prioritizing sharpness over speed.
The X100VI brings a level of polish you would expect from a sixth iteration of a camera. Fujifilm has done a great job keeping the X100-series up to date without messing with the formula that’s made it so popular. No surprise, this is the best X100 yet.
Unfortunately, despite ramped-up production, demand for the X100VI seems to have outstripped supply with the camera already on backorder at virtually all dealers.
Read our Fujifilm X100VI review
The best video camera for travel: DJI Osmo Pocket 3
 |
| Photo: Richard Butler |
DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 is a stabilized handheld vlogging camera, designed for on-the-move vlogging. It’s built around a type 1 (13.2 x 8.8mm) sensor mounted on a tiny gimbal, meaning it can deliver stabilized footage with smoother motion than any conventional camera or phone.
When you’re traveling in an unfamiliar place, there are a million things to focus on; the Pocket 3 lets you capture it all, without requiring much effort on your part. It can also natively film in horizontal or vertical, which can be useful if you’re looking to share footage from your travels on social media.
Its small sensor means the Pocket 3 works better in well-lit situations, though a reasonably bright F2.0 lens means it’s usable indoors, too.
It can shoot 4K 16:9 video or, by rotating the screen into the upright position, 3K vertical 9:16 footage. A small joystick lets you control the camera’s movement, and tapping the joystick button flips between the camera pointing toward you or away from you.
Its reliance on contrast-detection autofocus means its focus can be prone to hunting, though its face-detection mode works well enough that this is rarely a problem when talking to the camera.
The video quality isn’t always the highest, and the autofocus can occasionally lead to frustration, but overall the quality and convenience of the Pocket 3 as a package is really hard to beat.
Read our hands-on impressions of the Osmo Pocket 3
Why you should trust us
This buying guide is based on cameras used and tested by DPReview’s editorial team. We don’t select a camera until we’ve used it enough to be confident in recommending it, usually after our extensive review process. The selections are purely a reflection of which cameras we believe to be best: there are no financial incentives for us to select one model or brand over another.