Best Compact Camera 2019: The 11 best smartphone upgrades
Best compact camera: we test and compare the best compact cameras from Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Canon, Fujifilm, Leica and more.
Smartphone cameras might be improving rapidly, but there’s still very much a place for the dedicated compact camera.
The latest models bring long zoom lenses that are very handy for holiday snapping, along with large sensors that help produce better dynamic range and low light performance than your smartphone.
If that’s (understandably) too expensive, or you just want something for holiday snaps, then the Panasonic Lumix TZ100 is the best-value compact camera money can buy.
If you’re in the market for a specific style of camera, head to one of our more specific round-ups for more information:
How we test
Finally, we get out and shoot with every camera in real-world conditions, just as you will, to find out how they perform in day-to-day use. All results are analysed by the very best industry software, making our reviews the most authoritative of any you’ll read.
1. Sony RX100 VI
Justifies its price tag by being the best compact camera you can buy
Pros:
- Useful zoom range
- Excellent image quality with reliable exposure
- Remarkably fast autofocus and continuous shooting
- Pop-up viewfinder and tilting screen
Cons:
- Tiny buttons can make operation frustrating
- Very expensive
- Comparatively poor battery life
Sony’s RX series have long been the gold standard for compact cameras, but they unfortunately also cost about the same as a lump of precious metal. How do they justify their price tags? By cramming in some incredibly advanced tech like a large one-inch sensor, powerful Bionz X processor and, in the RX100 VI’s case, a 24-200mm zoom lens.
That 8.3x optical zoom provides significantly more reach than its predecessor, although it also slightly slower at f/2.8-f/4.5. If you mainly photograph at close quarters and only need a mid-range zoom, then the RX100 Mark V is probably a better bet.
For everyone else, though, the RX100 VI represents the pinnacle of compact camera tech right now. It has an incredible continuous shooting rate of 24fps, lightning fast autofocus and a lovely 2.36-million-dot OLED viewfinder that’s perfect for composing shots in bright, sunny conditions.
Like its predecessors, the RX100 VI’s combination of a 20.1MP CMOS sensor and Bionz X image processor produces excellent photos at low ISOs and largely noise-free shots right up to ISO 1600. If you like shooting video, you’ll be pleased to find that it can now shoot 4K in HDR too.
Of course, there are some downsides to shoehorning this much tech into a compact camera. The RX100 VI can be fiddly to use and its battery life isn’t great, at around 230 shots per charge. But with some clear advantages over the Panasonic TZ200, including its speed and larger pop-up viewfinder, it is the best compact you can buy right now, albeit one of the most expensive. If your budget can’t quite stretch this far, then the Sony RX100 Mark IV is probably the range’s sweet spot right now.
2. Panasonic Lumix TZ200
This premium compact’s long zoom makes it a cracking travel camera
Pros:
- Great zoom range for such a small camera
- Very respectable image quality
- Considerably improved grip compared to Lumix TZ100
Cons:
- Rear screen doesn’t tilt
- Lacklustre out-of-camera JPEG image quality
- Control layout is poor for eye-level shooting
The Lumix TZ200 is Panasonic’s top-of-the-range travel compact and is built around a one-inch 20.1MP sensor and a Venus Engine image processor. This enables the TZ200 to offer a standard sensitivity range of ISO 200-25,600 bookended by expanded settings of ISO 80 and ISO 25,600.
The TZ200’s headline feature is its 24-360mm lens, which brings it closer to the zoom ranges offered by cheaper long-zoom compacts with smaller sensors and interior image quality. The maximum aperture has dropped to f/3.3-6.4 (from f/2.8-5.9 on the Lumix TZ100) and it carries across built-in image stabilisation, which goes a long way towards making this small-aperture superzoom usable without always having to raise the ISO to avoid blur from camera shake.
Video enthusiasts will be pleased to note that 4K video capture is also supported, alongside a range of 1080p Full HD options. In addition to its fully automated point-and-shoot modes the TZ200 also offers the full range of PASM modes plus Raw support. Panasonic’s handy 4K-photo mode gets its own button, allowing you to record 8MP stills at 30fps. It even has a pre-burst mode that records footage from a second before and after you press the shutter button.
The TZ200 is equipped with a 2.33m-dot EVF (0.53x magnification), below which sits a fixed 3-inch/1.24m-dot LCD that provides touchscreen control over the camera. Autofocus works exceptionally well, and in good light focusing is essentially instantaneous. The TZ200 can even make a decent attempt at tracking moving subjects while shooting at a brisk 7fps. The fastest the camera can shoot full resolution images is a very decent 10fps.
Image quality from the one-inch sensor is very good, though you’ll get the best results from processing its Raw files. If you want a pocketable camera with a long zoom range that delivers pleasing results, the Panasonic Lumix TZ200 is the best travel camera you can buy right now. If its price is more than you’re willing to spend, we’d recommend looking at the Panasonic Lumix TZ100, which can be found for under £400 at the time of writing.
3. Olympus Tough TG-5
The best rugged travel compact you can buy
Pros:
- Speedy autofocus for a rugged compact
- Takes sharp and vibrant photos
- Can shoot in Raw for flexible editing
Cons:
- Rivals have better screens
- Mode dial can be a bit on the stiff side
Update 2/7/19: We’re just in the process of reviewing this camera’s successor, the Olympus TG-6. We’ll update this page with our verdict soon, but in the meantime here are our thoughts on the TG-5, whose price is now down to £300 on some sites and offers much the same specs as the new model…
Looking for a pocketable camera that can survive ocean dunks and airport luggage handlers? The Tough TG-5 is the best all-round rugged compact you can buy. It’s no longer the newest tough cam in town (that’s the Panasonic Lumix FT7, which we’re currently testing), but it does have some key benefits over its rivals – including the ability to shoot in Raw.
This gives you extra flexibility when it comes to editing to your images, but thankfully the TG-5’s photos are also excellent straight out of the camera. Its combination of a 12-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor and TruePic VIII processor produces vibrant and sharp results in most situations. If you find yourself in gloomy conditions, you can also crank the ISO up to a maximum of 12,800, although we found ISO 1600 to be the limit before excessive noise creeps in.
Most importantly for a tough cam, the TG-5 is really fun to use. Its protruding grip helps prevent accidental drops overboard and the buttons are all sensibly placed. Another bonus is that autofocus performance is a step up from its rivals, helping you lock onto targets without too much frustrating hunting.
There are a couple of minor downsides. The TG-5’s screen isn’t quite as high-res as the one found on Nikon’s Coolpix AW130. And its mode dial, while very useful, can become a bit stiff if any grit gets stuck around it. Rivals do also offer slightly longer reach than its 4x zoom.
Still, the TG-5 survived all of the abuse we gave it, including a drop from 2.1m and an underwater photo shoot. And with fast autofocus and excellent image quality backing up these rugged credentials, it’s the best all-round compact to take on your outdoorsy adventures.
4. Panasonic Lumix LX100 II
A fine street photography camera with a large sensor
Pros:
- Large sensor
- Touch-sensitive screen
- EVF
- 4K Photo and Video modes
Cons:
- No tilting screen
- Incremental upgrade
One of our favourite ‘big sensor compacts’, the original LX100 was a winner for its large Four Thirds sensor and all round flexibility.
We had to wait four years for a replacement, the LX100 II, and while it brings with it some welcome upgrades in terms of the sensor and electronic viewfinder, overall it’s a fairly placid set of improvements.
The biggest drawback is the lack of a tilting screen – for a camera so squarely aimed at street photographers, not having one is a real shame. Still, you’ve got a Four Thirds sensor which is the same size as you’ll find in one of the company’s interchangeable lens cameras, coupled with a 3x zoom lens which gives you fast apertures of f/1.8-2.8.
It might not be quite small enough to fit in your jeans pocket, but slipping it into a jacket or a small bag is more than doable, making it a sensible choice for travelling when you don’t want to compromise too much on quality.
Images from the LX100 II are great, with nice tones and plenty of detail. We particularly love the new L.Monochome D Photo Style, which works particularly well for classic street-style shots.
- Read our Panasonic Lumix LX100 II review
5. Fujifilm X100F
The classic rangefinder for street photography purists
Pros:
- Looks gorgeous
- Solid battery life
- Great image quality
Cons:
- Limited to 1080p video
The X100F is the fourth and latest model in Fujifilm’s line of highly regarded fixed focal length premium compacts, succeeding 2014’s X100T model with a generous range of enhancements. This includes the same 24.2MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor and X-Processor Pro image processor employed by the company’s flagship X-Pro 2 and X-T2 interchangeable lens models. Needless to say, image quality from the X100F is exceptional.
Compared to the 16.3MP sensor employed by its predecessor, the X100F’s 24.2MP sensor also offers significantly more resolution, which benefits both image cropping and printing. Sensitivity, meanwhile, ranges from ISO 100-12,800 with extended settings up to ISO 51,200. While primarily targeted at stills enthusiasts, the X100F does offer Full HD video capture at a maximum 60fps. Unlike other cameras in this round-up there’s no 4K support though.
As with previous X100 models, the X100F gets the same innovative hybrid viewfinder that can be set to provide either an optical view overlaid with framing guides, or a 2.36m-dot electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage.
While the fixed 23mm, f/2 lens has long been a distinctive and desirable feature of the X100 line for many users others may be slightly put off by it. To this end Fujifilm offers a couple of optional lens converters in the shape of the TCL-X100 II and WCL-X100 II. Once attached these convert the X100F’s focal length to 50mm and 28mm respectively. Better still the camera knows when they have been attached, automatically correcting any optical aberrations such as fringing in-camera.
In terms of design and handling the X100F shares the same retro-rangefinder design of its predecessors, with the trademark knurled aluminium dials on the top-plate providing the same pleasingly tactile user experience that has become a hallmark of so many Fujifilm X-series cameras.
6. Canon G1X Mark III
This mini DSLR has a unique mix of APS-C sensor and zoom
Pros:
- Class-leading image quality
- Excellent control layout and handling
- Robust weather-resistant construction
Cons:
- Lens is a little limited in terms of creative potential
- Relatively poor battery life
- No 4K video recording
Canon was the first to put a large sensor into a reasonably small zoom compact back in 2012, with its original PowerShot G1X sporting a 14MP, 1.5-inch sensor. Six years on, we’re starting to see APS-C size sensors fitted within more compacts and the Canon G1X Mark III will go down in the history books as the first zoom compact camera with an APS-C sensor and built-in viewfinder.
Offering image quality that’s on-par with a DSLR is impressive, but the G1X Mark III offers plenty more besides its large sensor and 24-72mm-equivalent f/2.8-5.6 lens. The firm’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology is onboard for on-chip phase detection, which means autofocus is impressively quick. The sensor also teams up with Canon’s latest Digic 7 processor, enabling 7fps with autofocus between frames, or 9fps with the focus fixed at the start of a burst.
The lens includes optical image stabilisation promising 4 stops benefit and alongside the conventional PASM modes for enthusiast photographers, there’s the familiar set of automated Scene modes aimed at beginners. Canon includes comprehensive connectivity options, with onboard Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Dynamic NFC. Those wanting to shoot 4K video, however, will be slightly disappointed to find that it only offers Full HD movie recording at 60p.
The SLR-styled body layout shares a great likeness to the company’s 1in-sensor G5 X model. Yet despite its petite size, the camera feels secure in the hand, thanks to its good-sized rubberised fingergrip and pronounced thumb hook. The most important shooting controls are reasonably large and well placed too, which isn’t always the case on cameras of this size.
Though it’s not the easiest of cameras to slip into a trouser or shirt pocket, it isn’t exactly bulky. It fits very nicely in a jacket pocket and can be pulled out in a moments notice for any spur of the moment shots. The only real downsides to the camera are its relatively limited lens range and modest maximum aperture.
7. Panasonic TZ95
A good travel zoom alternative to the Canon SX740 HS
Pros:
- Long 30x zoom
- Touch-sensitive tilting screen
- Manual controls
- 4K photo function
Cons:
- Small viewfinder
- Not very good in low light
- Comparatively small sensor
Panasonic’s latest travel zoom differs from compacts like the Panasonic TZ100 by having a smaller 1/2.3-in sensor, but compensates with a longer 30x zoom and features like a tilting, touch-sensitive screen.
That zoom gives you a focal reach of 24-720mm in 35mm terms, which can come in very handy on holidays for shooting landscapes and wildlife. The TZ95 isn’t radically different from the TZ90 it replaces, with the same lens, battery life and touchscreen, with the main differences being a slightly higher-res viewfinder and Bluetooth for sharing images to your smartphone.
It doesn’t quite match the Canon SX740 HS‘ 40x optical zoom, but it does have a slightly longer battery life (380 shots versus 265 shots) and a viewfinder to help with shooting on sunny days.
Photo quality is very good in well-balanced light, but as is often the case with small sensors, it struggles a bit more in low light and mixed lighting. Still, there’s a lot to like about the TZ95, and it’s a very good travel option, particularly with handy features like 4K photo (a kind of 30fps burst mode) and 4K video on board.
8. Ricoh GR III
A big sensor in a pocketable body make this a fine street photography camera
Pros:
- Large sensor in a pocketable camera
- Great image detail and noise control
- Stabilisation works well
- Sharp and responsive touchscreen
Cons:
- Poor video quality with no 4K
- Rear screen is fixed
- Quite pricey
Ricoh’s GR series has long been a favourite among street photographers and the GR III plays to its traditional strengths, with a big APS-C sensor, three-axis image stabilisation and a new f/2.8 lens.
In good light, it performs very well, with fast performance thanks to its hybrid AF system and the ability to shoot detailed, noise-free shots even at ISO 6400.
The GR III’s design means it’s genuinely pocketable too, although the price of this is the lack of a viewfinder or tilting screen. If you need these, check out the Sony RX100 VI (one-inch sensor) or Canon G1X Mark III (larger APS-C sensor).
Still, the rear display is now a touchscreen, which is very responsive and also both sharp and contrasty, making it easy to frame shots in most lighting conditions. The shake-reduction system also works well to keep photos crisp, and lets you use slower shutter speeds with lower ISO settings to preserve image quality.
As long as you’re aware of the GR III’s limitations (poor video quality, fixed LCD screen, limited battery life) and are mainly looking for a street photography camera, rather than an all-purpose holiday compact, then it’s still a great option that you’ll grow to love the more you use it.
9. Canon Powershot G7 X II
A fine travel compact for those who like their controls manual
Pros:
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- Large sensor
- Wide aperture lens
- Touch-sensitive screen
- Wi-Fi
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Cons:
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- Lack of viewfinder
- Short zoom
- Macro focusing is tricky
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There are currently five models in Canon’s flagship G-series premium compact range, with the G7 X II positioned just above the entry-level G9 X II. The main difference between the two models is that the G7 X II is slightly larger, has a more powerful zoom and a tiltable screen.
Neither model comes with a viewfinder though – for that you’ll need to upgrade to the G5 X for an additional £70. As we’d expect of a Canon G-series compact, the G7 X II is an extremely competent camera that provides all the tools required by enthusiast photographers looking for a camera they can carry with them at all times.
The G7 X II is equipped with a 1-inch back-illuminated sensor that provides 20.1MP of effective resolution, and this is paired with Canon’s latest DIGIC 7 image processor to provide a native sensitivity range of ISO 125-12,800 along with a maximum burst speed of 8fps.
Advanced users can switch to full manual control and 14-bit Raw capture, while a fully-automatic Smart Auto mode caters for point-and-shoot duties. In keeping with other Canon G-series cameras, the G7 X II is primarily targeted at still photographers rather than video enthusiasts. While it is capable of recording 1080p Full HD footage at a maximum 60fps, 4K is not supported and movies can only be recorded in the MP4 file format.
Optically the G7 X II is equipped with a 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 lens, which offers a bit more telephoto reach than the Sony RX100 V (and at nearly half the price). Built-in five-axis image stabilisation provides a four-stop safety net when shooting at slower shutter speeds too. While the G7 X II contains a small pop-up flash, it lacks a hotshoe to attach more powerful strobes. Again, you’ll need to upgrade to the G5 X II if this is something that is likely to be an issue.
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- Read our Canon Powershot G7 X II review
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10. Leica Q2
If you can afford it, you’ll be very happy with this stunning camera’s results
Pros:
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- Superb design and build
- Detailed, sharp images across the aperture range
- Stunning electronic viewfinder
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Cons:
-
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- Limited video performance
- No integrated grip
- That price tag
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The Leica Q2 is a pretty much unique camera, both in terms of performance and price tag.
Aside from Sony’s older RX!R and RX1R II, it’s the only fixed lens compact camera that has a full-frame sensor. And unlike its predecessor, that sensor now captures 47.3-megapixel shots, which gives it an extra 75mm crop option.
So what else is new on the Q2? There’s a new Maestro processor, which lets it shoot 4K video at 24fps or 30fps, and it now has dust and spray protection to help it survive trips in the great outdoors.
Otherwise, the Q2 is largely the same bulletproof compact we always known and loved, with an identical f/1.7 Summilux 28mm lens to the Leica Q (Typ 116). This helps it shoot superb images, with punchy and accurate colours, and great sharpness across the frame.
The EVF is now OLED and has a slightly higher magnification than its predecessor – it’s a superb way to frame your shots and means the Q2 is very usable in challenging lighting conditions.
Although the Q2’s lens is fixed, it does also offer crop options for getting closer to the action – like before there are 35mm and 50mm focal length equivalents, but it adds a 75mm option, which gives you 7-megapixel images.
There’s also a 3-inch touchscreen with a 1.04-million dot resolution – perhaps the only disappointment is that it’s fixed rather than articulating, but this helps to improve the overall build quality and it performs well when, for example, setting the focus point.
If you’re looking for a class-leading compact camera for shooting street photography and documentary snaps, then the Leica Q2 is a fine choice – as long as you can afford that car-sized price tag.
11. Fujifilm XF10
Very good value for a pocket camera with an APS-C sensor
Pros:
- Slim, pocketable design
- Sharp images with good colour
- Good value for a premium compact
Cons:
- Fixed rear screen
- No viewfinder
- No optical stabilisation
Like the Ricoh GR III, the Fujifilm XF10’s main appeal is that it packs a large APS-C sensor into a slim, pocketable design. Both cameras lack a viewfinder and tilting screen in order to achieve their slim dimensions, but the XF10 is much more affordable than its main rival at just over half the price.
So does it offer better value than the GR III? Well, aside from autofocus performance that is good rather than great and a lack of optical stabilisation, it is a good performer and well worth considering if you’re looking for a street photography or city break camera.
The XF10’s main strength is its excellent image quality, with distortion-free, edge-to-edge sharpness and the option of using Fujifilm’s useful Film Simulation modes. Its high-ISO performance is good too, and you get lots of control over dynamic range in the menus, making it easy to control scenes that contain a wide range of lighting.
Like the Ricoh GR III, video performance is disappointing by comparison (it does shoot 4K, but only at 15fps), so it’s very much a camera for stills shooters. If that’s you, and you like the sound of a pocketable big sensor compact for under £500, it’s one of the best around.
Incoming…
Zeiss ZX1
This full-frame compact camera, also announced at Photokina, has lots of little tricks up its proverbial sleeve. Not only does the Zeiss ZX1 have a huge 4.3-inch touchscreen, 512GB of internal memory, and a Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/2 lens (making it very similar to the one found on the Sony RX1 series), but it’s also got Lightroom baked right into the device, so you can edit your shots on the fly.
Those are our top picks of the best compact cameras. If you want to know more about how more about what to look out for when buying a compact camera then read on.
Best Compact Camera Buying Guide – The different types available
Ruggedised compacts are essentially armour-plated compacts designed to be used underwater or on a sandy beach – or, indeed, anywhere that would be out-of-bounds to regular cameras or smartphones. As well as being water-resistant, most will survive a drop onto a solid floor from arms length without resulting in any damage.
Strictly speaking, bridge compacts aren’t really “compact” at all, which is why we haven’t included them here; they’re often about the same size as a mid-level DSLR. Still, their big selling point is that they come with a large fixed zoom that provides anywhere from 24-200mm to 24-600mm and beyond. They’re versatile and flexible, just so long as you don’t mind a camera with a bit of bulk and one that isn’t designed to fit your pocket.
Travel compacts are much like bridge compacts, only smaller. They’re equipped with smaller optical zooms than bridge cameras, although most still come in around 24-200mm or thereabouts. Since they’re usually small enough to slip inside a coat pocket, they’re ideal for taking away on holiday.
Premium compacts are perhaps the most exciting sub-genre of the compact market right now, since this is where manufacturers tend to showcase their most technologically advanced and refined models. These almost always come with a 1-inch sensor, although some even use APS-C and even full-frame sensors.
Related: Amazon Prime Day 2019
Compact camera jargon explained
1-inch sensor: One of the chief ways that manufacturers have improved their compacts is by increasing the size of the sensor. Whereas small 1/2.3-inch sensors are still used in many cheaper compacts (and, indeed, some smartphones), more advanced models often come with a 1-inch sensor that features around four times the surface area. You can expect a 1-inch sensor compact to offer better low-light performance and a higher dynamic range.
Wi-Fi: All of the cameras in this roundup offer built-in Wi-Fi as standard. This means you can connect them to your smartphone, transfer images from camera to phone, and then use your phone’s mobile data functionality to upload your images to social media or email them soon after they’ve been taken. Some apps will even allow you to control the camera remotely.
Image stabilisation: If you’re shooting at slower shutter speeds or extended telephoto lengths, then the natural shake in your hands can result in blurred images. This is where image stabilisation (IS) comes to the rescue. Each manufacturer has its own name for the technology, but in essence there are two types: sensor-shift IS, where the camera’s sensor moves to correct handshake, and lens-based IS, where the lens makes minute adjustments to compensate instead. Either way, with IS engaged you should be able to achieve pin-sharp shots at much slower shutter speeds than would otherwise be possible.
4K video: While virtually all modern compacts can record at least 720p HD and usually 1080p Full HD, 4K video isn’t quite so universal yet. As such, not all of the cameras in this roundup provide it. Of course, you’ll get the full benefit of 4K video footage only if you have a 4K monitor or TV to view it on.
Aperture: Aperture refers to the size of the hole that allows light to pass through to the sensor. This hole is created by a set of interlocked blades at the base of a lens that contract and expand as you change aperture settings. It’s measured in f-stops – the higher the f-stop, the smaller the hole; the lower the f-stop, the wider it is. Lenses with especially low apertures – typically f/1.4 to f/2.8 – are much sought-after by enthusiasts for two reasons. First, because they let in more light, thereby allowing you to use faster shutter speeds in low light. Second, because they increase the depth of field effect, blurring the background behind an in-focus subject to make them stand out more.
Raw: Some of the cameras in this roundup let you record still images as lossless Raw files. These are different from JPEGs because when you capture a JPEG image, the camera will process the image for you in-camera before discarding some of the data to make the resulting image file smaller. But when recording images as Raw files, the camera doesn’t process the image internally and instead retains all of the data captured by the sensor. This gives you much more scope to process the image yourself using specialist applications such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.
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