Best compact camera in 2024

The best compact cameras deliver excellent image quality inside a convenient, all-in-one package. A compact camera is a camera with a fixed lens, unlike DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, which have an interchangeable lens mount. The lens might be a big zoom or a small prime, but either way, the lens the camera comes with is the only one you can use. While this may sound restrictive, in practice it can make for a highly convenient, all-in-one photographic package.

At AP qwe review all the major compact cameras that come out, and the models on this list are ones that we reckon offer a genuine, tangible advantage over shooting on a smartphone. Whether it’s a long zoom, a large sensor or a full suite of manual controls, these compact cameras offer things that even the best phone cameras physically can’t, and at the highest level can produce images on a par with the best mirrorless or DSLR cameras.

For this guide, our reviewers have focused on smaller, travel-friendly compacts that deliver excellent value for money, including both cheap and premium options. Some of the most popular cameras in recent years have fit in this category, such as the stylishly retro-looking Fujifilm X100VI. We’ve mostly left out big superzoom bridge cameras as they are more a category of their own — if this is what you’re looking for, check out our guide to the best ultra zoom cameras.

The best compact cameras: our quick list

Looking for the best deal on compact cameras? Not only will you find the best compact cameras, but you’ll also find some of the best compact camera deals, as our ‘Buy now’ buttons are setup to automatically take you to the best prices, from trusted retailers, plus you’ll also find a list of other retailers below each camera, so you can find the right deal for you.

• Best high-resolution compact camera: Fujifilm X100VI – Buy now
• Best compact for action: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII – Buy now
• Best retro compact camera: Fujifilm X100V – Buy now
• Best pocket camera: Ricoh GR IIIx – Buy now
• Best premium compact: Leica Q3 – Buy now
• Best waterproof camera: Olympus/OM System Tough TG-7 – Buy now
• Best for YouTube and streaming: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III – Buy now
• Best compact for low light: Panasonic Lumix LX100 II – Buy now
• Best premium travel compact: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI – Buy now
• Best compact zoom: Leica D-Lux 8 – Buy now
• Best used travel zoom: Panasonic Lumix TZ90 / ZS70 – Buy now
• Best all-rounder: Panasonic Lumix TZ100 / ZS100* – Buy now
• Best compact for video and vlogging: Sony ZV-1 – Buy now
• Best budget camera under $100: Kodak PixPro FZ45 – Buy now

* Scarcely available at time of publishing

In this unmissable buyer’s guide we take a closer look at some of the best compact cameras that you can currently buy and give our expert recommendations about what each one is best for…

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Best compact camera: Fujifilm X100VI

At a glance:

• 40.2MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor
• Fixed 35mm equivalent f/2 lens
• In-Body Image Stabilisation – 6 stops (5-axis)
• 6.2K 30p, 4K 60p, and 1080 240p video
• $2,497 (excluding taxes), £1,599, €1,799

The Fujifilm X100VI continues to break sales records and you may find it very difficult to get as the company struggles to keep up with demand. Hype aside, one can see why: the X100VI is indeed a very capable and well-featured camera. It boasts the highest resolution sensor on our list with 40.2MP, as well as 5-axis In-body image stabilisation. While reviewing we found that this allows sharp hand-held shots with shutter speeds as slow as 1/8s and 1/4s.

The fixed 35mm equivalent f/2 lens lets you focus on objects as close as 10 cm and creates a pleasing bokeh effect- all the while resolving an impressive level of detail across the entire frame. With the high resolution sensor you can use 1.4x and 2.0x digital teleconverters and still get decent resolution images that are downsized to 20MP or 10MP.

The small body has a retro design similar to its predecessor the X100V (now discontinued), and has the same sensor and processor as the X-T5. With the X-Processor 5, you get subject recognition autofocus and tracking, with birds, planes, and automobiles all being detected. There’s also human face and eye detection, but this unfortunately is in a separate menu setting.

The film simulation modes made the X100-series so special in the first place, so Fujifim’s appealing feature has been added to this latest model too, with the new addition REALA ICE mode now it has 20 distinct options in total.

Read our full review of the Fujifilm X100VI here.

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Best compact for action: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

At a glance:

• 20MP Exmor RS CMOS sensor
• 24-200mm equivalent f/2.8-4.5 lens
• 20fps shooting
• 4K video recording
• Price: $1,298 / £1,049

The ultimate offering in portability and overall image quality has to be the Sony RX100 VII. Sony’s RX100 range is what introduced the one-inch sensor to the market, and the camera which others tend to follow. We’re now in the seventh generation from the original camera, and the tech which is packed into this miniature marvel is quite something.

Not only do you have a one-inch sensor, you get a 24-200mm (35mm equivalent) lens which offers an f/2.8-f/4.5 maximum aperture. High-speed shooting is available – pretty incredible for a pocket camera – you can shoot at 24fps. The autofocus system is also pretty impressive, so you could conceivably use this camera to shoot sports and action.

Other exciting features include 4K video, in-built wi-fi and a tilting LCD touchscreen. You also get a cleverly hidden electronic viewfinder which pops out from the corner of the camera.

So, what’s the drawback? Well – it’s the price. You need to pay top whack to get all of these features in such a small package, and the RX100 VII currently retails for around £1,000. That’s a heck of a lot of money to spend on a compact camera, but you do get something seriously impressive for your cash. If you don’t have those kind of readies available, take a look at some of the older RX100 models – we have included one option a little later in this guide. 

Read our Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII Review

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Best retro compact camera: Fujifilm X100V

At a glance:

• 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor
• 23mm F2.0 lens (35mm equivalent)
• Hybrid Viewfinder (OVF&EVF)
• 3-inch, 1.62-million-dot, two-way tilting touchscreen
• 4K video at 30fps
• Compatible with legacy conversion lenses
• Price: $1,399 / £1,365

The Fujifilm X100V isn’t just a good-looking camera, it also takes excellent photos thank to a 26MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor, and an updated lens design improves macro performance. The lens on the front is a 23mm f/2.0 prime lens, giving a 35mm equivalent (in 35mm terms).

You’ll also find Fujifilm’s latest Film Simulation modes, with a number of black and white film options, including ACROS, as well as the option to add a film-like grain effect to images, great for those gritty black and white street photographs.

There’s a hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder that can give you the best of both worlds, and give you the true rangefinder camera experience. The touchscreen on the back tilts which can help with awkward angles, or when you want to ‘shoot from the hip’.

If you’re interested in recording video, then you’ll find the camera has 4K video recording at 30fps, although the lack of image stabilisation may be a deal-breaker for some. The X100V is a gorgeous little camera that’s as satisfying to look at as it is to shoot with. Altogether, this camera simply compels you to venture out and take pictures; it’s very easy to carry, gorgeous to use and produces great images.

• If you can’t find the Fujifilm X100V, check out our guide to Fujifilm X100V alternatives.

Read our Fujifilm X100V Review

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Best pocket camera: Ricoh GR IIIx

At a glance:

• 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• 26.1mm f/2.8 (40mm equivalent) lens
• 100-102,400 ISO range
• 3-inch, 1.04m-dot, fixed touchscreen
• Full HD video
• Price: $1,359 / £974

The Ricoh GR IIIx, like the Fujifilm X100V, has an APS-C CMOS Sensor, which is impressive considering the compact size of the camera. It features a 26.1mm f/2.8 lens, equivalent to 40mm (in 35mm terms), and the camera has a clever ‘Snap’ focus system so you can quickly get shots without any delay from focusing, making it another great street camera.

The Ricoh GR IIIx is the latest digital iteration of the cult classic Ricoh GR film camera, and is designed to be a pocketable camera (weighing just 262g) that you can take anywhere. There’s also built-in sensor-shift shake reduction, which moves the 24MP sensor on 3-axis to counter any shake.

There’s a 3-inch touch-screen on the back, and you’ll find dual command dials making it easier to change settings quickly. The GR IIIx handles really well. It has a rapid sub-one-second start up time, quick shutter response, comfortable single-handed operation and intuitive controls.

It’s also worth noting that its excellent predecessor – the Ricoh GR III, which has a wider angle 18.3mm f/2.8 (28mm equivalent) lens – remains on the market from £700.

The Ricoh GR IIIx is a well positioned niche alternative to smartphones and big cameras, offering a wonderful mix of the two. There’s enough in it to compel smartphone users considering a ‘real’ camera, and experienced photographers who want a ‘proper’ photographic tool in their pocket. But, first and foremost, it needs to deliver excellent image quality in any kind of light… and the GR IIIx achieves this thanks to the combination of its 24MP APS-C sensor, DNG raw capture and sharp 40mm f/2.8 lens.

Read our Ricoh GR IIIx Review

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Best premium compact: Leica Q3

At a glance:

• 60.3MP full-frame sensor
• 28mm f/1.7 optically stabilised lens
• ISO 50-100,000
• Up to 15 fps shooting
• 8K 30p; 4K 60p; Full HD 120p
• Price: $6,295 / £5,550

An utterly superb performer, the full-frame Leica Q3 is in a league of its own. With 60.3MP of resolution on offer, it produces images of absolutely dazzling quality, aided by the optically stabilised 28mm f/1.7 lens mounted to its front. As on the Leica M11, the Q3’s sensor is a triple-resolution type, offering the option to shoot at 36MP or 18MP in JPEG or raw if card space becomes a higher priority than detail.

While the Leica Q3 offers that supple Leica manual focusing action, its autofocus is also first-rate – much improved from previous generations of the Q compacts, with phase-detection and subject-recognition delivering impressive speed and accuracy. Present and correct are the dial-based controls, which make the camera feel perfect in handling. It’s every bit the premium photographic experience you would expect (demand, even) when paying $6,295 / £5,550 for the privilege.

With a wide ISO range spanning from 50 to 100,000, the Leica S3 is capable of getting clean, sharp images even in challenging low-light situations. There’s also the new intelligent Dynamic Range (iDR) option, which boosts shadow detail in high-contrast lighting situations, as well as Perspective Control for fixing converging verticals.

A more capable compact than ever, the Leica Q3 is a premium camera capable of producing dazzling results. Also, if you prefer a tighter field of view, Leica has also recently released the Leica Q3 43, which sports a 43mm lens.

Read our full, in-depth Leica Q3 review for more.

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Best waterproof camera: OM System Tough TG-7

At a glance:

• 12MP image sensor
• 4x optical zoom lens; 25-100mm (35mm equivalent)
• Waterproof down to 15m, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof
• 4K video
• 16 scene modes
• Price: $500 / £445

Olympus has been making tough, waterproof, compact cameras for a very long time now, and it’s culminated in the OM System Tough TG-7, the 7th version of the premium waterproof camera.

Over the years it’s been refined, with improvements made to image quality, video recording, and strength. You’ll even find there’s a range of accessories available for this camera that can improve close up flash performance or add extra protection to the camera.

The camera uses a 12MP sensor along with an f/2.0 lens which gives it an edge over entry-level waterproof cameras, and will help with the low-light conditions you find underwater. Thanks to the folded optics used in the construction of the lens, the camera has an impressive level of macro performance letting you get detailed close-up shots.

4K video recording is included. Fans of macro photography will be impressed by the built-in focus stacking, and there are some manual controls available for when you’re shooting. This model also benefits from USB-C charging.

Read our Olympus / OM System Tough TG-7 review

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Best for YouTube and streaming: Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III

At a glance:

• 20.1MP, 1-inch CMOS sensor
• 24-100mm equivalent, f/1.8-2.8 lens
• ISO range: 125-12,800
• Screen: 3-inch 180-degree tilting touchscreen, 1.04 million dots LCD
• 20fps burst shooting (8.3fps with AF), 4K video
• Price: $750 / £749

Canon’s PowerShot G7 X Mark II was an unexpected hit with YouTubers, with its combination of a high-quality 1-inch sensor and 24-100mm equivalent lens providing everything needed in one handy setup. Accordingly, the Mark III version leant into that, providing basically the same fundamental camera, but with uncropped 4K UHD video, a 3.5mm mic jack, and the ability to livestream directly to YouTube. This has also seen a surge in demand for it which leaves it back-ordered – or expensive – in the USA at present.

Photographers may be put off by the lack of a viewfinder; vloggers and YouTubers, less so. The 180-degree tilting LCD screen is very useful for selfies and self-taping, while the defined grip also makes the camera more comfortable to hold than its slim dimensions might indicate. The metal control ring around the lens is also comfortable to use, giving the G7 X Mark III a premium feel.

Image quality is excellent, in stills as well as video – it may be a vlogging camera first, but the G7 X Mark III is no slouch for photographers. If you are a hybrid content creator who wants a lightweight camera that’ll do a bit of everything, the G7 X Mark III might just be it.

Read our Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III review

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Best compact for low light: Panasonic Lumix LX100 II

At a glance:

• 17MP Four Thirds MOS sensor
• 24-75mm equivalent lens, f/1.7-2.8
• 3-inch, 1.28M dot touchscreen
• ISO range: 200-25,600 (standard), ISO 100 (extended)
• Continuous shooting: 11fps max (5.5fps with AF-C)
• 4K video
• Price: $1,300 approx. / £799

The Panasonic Lumix LX100 II offers a multi-aspect ratio sensor, based on a Four Thirds sensor, and combined with a bright f/1.7-2.8 zoom lens with optical image stabilisation, you get a camera that can perform well in low-light shooting situations.

There’s a 3-inch touchscreen, but unfortunately this doesn’t tilt. You’ll also find a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 2.76m dots.

The metal bodied camera benefits from a number of external controls and switches, and this makes it a great tactile camera to use, letting you set different settings even when the camera is switched off.

As you would expect with a premium camera, you can record 4K video, and the camera has built-in Wi-Fi so you can transfer images to your smartphone, as well as control it remotely. Despite coming out back in 2018, the Panasonic Lumix LX100 II remains a very versatile and easy-to-carry travel companion.

Read our Panasonic Lumix LX100 II Long Term Review

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Best premium travel compact: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI

At a glance:

• 20MP 1inch BSI CMOS sensor
• 24-200mm equivalent, f/2.8-4.5 lens
• Pop-up electronic viewfinder
• 24fps shooting
• 4K video recording
• Price: $1,090 / £900

If you liked the look of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII in our top spot but felt it was a little out of your budget, why not consider the previous iteration in the series? The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI is a highly capable little pocketable compact that offers basically the same shooting fundamentals as the Mark VII, pairing a 20MP 1-inch sensor with a 24-200mm equivalent zoom lens, giving you a flexible little shooter that’s great for travel.

The RX100 VI reliably captures sharp images throughout its entire zoom range, and the snappy autofocus system helps the user keep up a very good hit rate. Like a lot of RX100 cameras, it’s a fiddly thing to use and the automated exposure system is excellent, so while you could fiddle with settings if you wanted to, you’ll probably have a better time if you keep out of the camera’s way.

This may seem a strange thing to say about a camera that is hovering around the £1,000 / $1,000 mark, but the RX100 VI really does produce sublime images. It’s just not a super-tactile experience for those who like to be more involved in the shooting process – for that, you’re probably better off with something like the Fujifilm X100V, featured further on in this guide.

Read our Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI review

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Best compact zoom: Leica D-Lux 8

At a glance:

• $1,595 / £1,450
• 24-75mm equivalent f/1.7-2.8 lens with OIS
• 17MP Four Thirds multi aspect-ratio sensor
• ISO 100-25,000
• Up to 11fps shooting
• 2.36m-dot, 0.74x OLED viewfinder
• 3in, 1.84m-dot LCD touchscreen 4K 30p video recording

The D-Lux 8 is a new offering from Leica (launched July 2024 in the UK) that supersedes the D-Lux 7. It is an improvement on this; not least in its new viewfinder. The zoom lens provides a good level of compositional flexibility, and our reviewer really appreciated the ability to change aspect ratios via a switch on the lens.

Leica have employed a smaller Four Thirds type sensor with a clever multi-aspect ratio design, joined by a 24-75mm equivalent zoom with a bright f/1.7-2.8 aperture. It’s in much the same price bracket as the X100VI, at $1,595 / £1,450 vs $1,599 / £1,600. It has traditional photographer-friendly controls for the main exposure settings, and a corner-mounted viewfinder in a flat-bodied ‘rangefinder-style’ design – these make it a joyous thing to use.

Its 20MP Four Thirds sensor is used in a unique way. It never uses the entire sensor area to create images, but instead crops in to offer a range of aspect ratios with the same diagonal angle of view. See our full review for details on this and much more besides.

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Best used travel zoom: Panasonic Lumix TZ90 / ZS70

At a glance:

• 20.3MP, 1/2.3-inch size sensor
• 24-720mm equivalent lens, 30x optical zoom
• 3-inch, 1040k-dot touch-sensitive LCD screen, tilts 180 degrees
• 0.2-inch, 1,166k-dot viewfinder, 100% field of view, 0.46x magnification
• 4K video recording (can get 30fps stills)
• Price: $397 / £319, or less used

Panasonic’s travel zoom compact builds on the successes of all that came before it. It features a 30x optical zoom, but in return for that large zoom range, you need to accept a smaller sensor than its one-inch comrade, the TZ100.

This is still among the most well-featured superzoom compacts on the market. As well as the huge zoom, you get an in-built viewfinder (albeit small), 4K video shooting, a touch-sensitive screen, manual controls, raw format shooting and a body which just about fits in your pocket.

A great choice for those looking for something to take on their travels, in low light it suffers by comparison to its larger sensor rivals. If you’re mainly going to be using it on your sunny holidays, you shouldn’t worry too much about that.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ90 was updated by the TZ95 / TZ95D with a slightly larger EVF and the addition of Bluetooth, but the TZ90 remains excellent value for money.

Read our Panasonic TZ90 vs Panasonic TZ100 comparison

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Best all-rounder: Panasonic Lumix TZ100 / ZS100

At a glance:

• 20.1MP image sensor
• 10x optical zoom lens, 25-250mm equivalent
• 4K video
• 5-axis image stabilisation
• 3-inch, rear LCD screen
• Price: around $700 used only / £700

This is getting harder to source, so check second-hand markets for availability before getting too excited.

In most cases, compacts which feature a large (one-inch) sensor, have a restricted zoom. However, Panasonic’s TZ100 manages to bridge the gap between premium compacts and superzooms, with its 10x optical zoom offering.

While 10x doesn’t get near the heady heights of the 30x or 40x zooms elsewhere in this list, the 25-250mm equivalent should be more than enough for most situations. Alongside this, there’s a rich feature list which includes 4K video shooting, 10fps shooting, built-in WiFi and an electronic viewfinder.

The main drawback is a rather small electronic viewfinder, though it does offer a 1.16-million-dot resolution, but a 3-inch rear LCD with touch sensitivity helps with the handling. The screen is fixed, which is a shame when composing from awkward angles, but it did perhaps help to keep the overall size of the camera down.

Overall, this is a very likeable camera and it’s probably the best compromise of all the cameras here – you get a bit of everything for your cash, and the price isn’t outrageously high either. Image quality is very good, and while it’s not going to match your DSLR, the fact that you can fit it into your pocket makes it particularly appealing as a travel camera.

Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ100 review

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Best compact for video and vlogging: Sony ZV-1

At a glance:

• 20.1MP 1-inch BSI CMOS sensor
• 25-70mm equivalent lens, f/1.8-2.8
• ISO range: 125-12,800 (extendable to ISO 64)
• 3-inch, fully articulated touchscreen
• 4K video recording (25fps)
• Price: $748 / £699

The Sony ZV-1 has been specifically designed to be an excellent compact camera for vlogging and video recording, and thanks to a 1-inch sensor, a high quality lens, and some video friendly features, it delivers the goods.

It features 4K video recording and specific video features to make vlogging even easier, with a ‘Product Showcase’ mode, as well as a Background Defocus switch. You’ll find a multi-direction microphone on top, which is provided with a ‘deadcat’ that’s designed to reduce wind noise, and a screen that can be turned around for vlogging and selfies.

Although it’s clearly aimed at vloggers if there’s one feature that might tempt serious photographers to try the ZV-1, it’s the rare delight of getting a fully articulated screen on a pocket camera. This is something you’ll usually only find on larger SLR-styled bodies, like the Canon G5 X and G1 X Mark III, which really stretch the definition of ‘pocketable’.

If you want to use an external microphone you can, as there’s a microphone socket on the side, as well as HDMI output. Overall, the ZV-1 is a really interesting little camera that takes RX100-series technology and gives it a video-centric twist. Its vlogging features generally work well, and appear cleverly targeted to its intended audience.

If you’re looking for a vlogging camera with an ultra-wide-angle zoom, have a look at the new Sony ZV-1 Mark II.

Read our Sony ZV-1 Review

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Best budget camera under $100: Kodak PixPro FZ45

At a glance:

• 16MP 1/2.3inch CMOS sensor
• 4x optical zoom, f/3.0-6.6, 27-108mm equivalent
• 2.7inch screen
• FullHD 30p video recording
• 2x AA batteries

The Kodak PixPro FZ45 is one of the cheapest compact cameras available from a main brand! It may surprise you to see that Kodak are still making digital cameras, but it’s actually made under licence by another company. This doesn’t really matter too much except for the fact that you actually get a reasonably good camera, particularly for the low price of under $100 / £100.

The camera is very easy to use, fits in your pocket, and takes AA batteries. When I used this camera, I was particularly impressed by the built-in flash, which helped with low-light shooting, as well as the battery life which seemed to last for ages when using the provided alkaline batteries.

It’s available in a number of colours, with black, white and red options available, giving you something a bit more interesting than all the black cameras out there.

Read our Kodak PixPro FZ45 review. JW.

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How to choose the best compact camera

If technical terms aren’t your thing, don’t worry. We’ve kept this buying guide simple, using easy-to-understand language everyone can follow. In this guide, we’re not interested in comparing images pixel by pixel (if you want to see that sort of thing, check out our camera reviews).

However, it is worth being mindful of a few key specs when picking your compact camera, as we’ve come a long way since the simple point-and-shoot camera, so here are some key things to keep in mind, as simply as possible.

The sensor size and resolution are going to have a big impact on the final look of your image. With compacts, you’re generally dealing with sensors in 3-4 sizes. From smallest to largest, they are: 1/2.3-inch, 1-inch, Micro Four Thirds, and APS-C. A larger sensor is generally better in terms of image quality, allowing for greater tonality and dynamic range. However, they cost more, and require larger cameras to house.

Resolution, measured in megapixels (MP), refers to the level of detail in an image. More megapixels mean you can print images in higher quality, and crop more, but it can incur more image noise, reducing quality in low light.

The other half of a compact camera is, of course, the lens. The focal range will determine how much you can zoom in and out. Big zooms will naturally give you more versatility, but it tends to come at a cost of optical quality.

Indeed, some compacts like Fujifilm’s fabulous X100V don’t zoom at all, being equipped with a high-quality prime lens. These produce sublime images, but if you want to get close to a subject, you need to move your feet.

Other features are worth considering. Want to shoot fast action? Check how many frames per second the camera can manage. Think you’ll be working in low light? A higher ISO range is your best bet. If you want to shoot video as well as stills, check the video resolution and frame rate.

Is a compact camera better than a phone?

The short answer to this question is yes: a compact camera can offer you better images than a smartphone. However, in reality it depends on all the factors discussed above. If you buy a budget camera, with a small sensor 1/2.3-inch sensor, then the image quality could easily be equal to or even worse than that of a premium phone, particularly if you just look at it on a screen. Modern smartphones do a lot of processing trickery on the images they produce, and while this may not hold up to printing, it’s certainly good enough for Instagram.

However, if you buy a compact camera with a large sensor (1-inch or APS-C), you’ll see the benefits in your images. A compact camera can also field a much larger and more sophisticated lens than a smartphone, which offers a number of advantages. It might provide a large optical zoom range, which even the most sophisticated smartphones still can’t match. Or, it might be a prime lens that provides dazzling sharpness and detail, as well as an aperture that can be opened wide to produce a shallow depth of field — a sharp subject and an artfully blurred background (a.k.a. the effect that the Portrait Mode on your smartphone is trying to simulate).

Smartphones will always win out in terms of sheer convenience. However, compact cameras offer a number of hardware advantages and should not be counted out. Check out our detailed article on the differences between a digital camera and a phone to see all the details, as well as the pros and cons of each system.

What are the disadvantages of a compact camera?

Compact cameras are not going to be suitable for all photographers and videographers, and it’s worth being fully aware of what you’re getting into before you make a purchase. That means familiarising yourself with the disadvantages of compacts as well as the advantages.

The defining attribute of a compact camera is its fixed lens. The lens that your compact camera fields out of the box is fixed in place and cannot be changed. If your compact has a focal range of 28-70mm, then 28-70mm is what you’ve got to work with until you buy a different camera. That’s it. So, naturally, if you discover that you enjoy sports or wildlife photography after buying this compact, for either of which you’d typically need a significantly longer focal length, then your only real option is to trade it in for a new model.

This also touches on another potential downside — compacts can’t really be upgraded and augmented the way system cameras can. If you buy an entry-level or mid-range DSLR, you can keep adding new lenses as you grow into learning how to use it — and when it comes time to get a more advanced camera, you’ll likely be able to keep using most of these lenses (particularly if you keep the same sensor size). Compacts don’t offer an upgrade path in the same way.

Compact cameras also on average have smaller sensors than interchangeable-lens cameras (i.e. mirrorless and DSLRs). All of the compact cameras on our list above have sensors ranging between 1/2.3-inch, 1-inch, Four Thirds and APS-C — none are full-frame. Smaller sensors will perform worse in low light, with greater digital noise at higher sensitivities. Larger full-frame sensors offer a number of key benefits, and while all the other sensor sizes listed can produce excellent images, there is a gap. See our rundown of full-frame vs APS-C for more detail.

If you want a larger full-frame sensor and the benefits it brings, you’re realistically going to have to opt for a mirrorless camera or DSLR. Yes, there are some full-frame compacts out there, such as Leica’s Q series. However, these tend to be prohibitively expensive, and are therefore really only of interest to niche hobbyists (or, y’know, rich people) rather than general shooters.

Compact cameras can be brilliant for portability, convenience, style and value for money. But it pays to be aware of their limitations, too.

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We hope that’s been helpful to you when choosing your next compact camera. Have a look at more buying guides here, and if you’re looking for cheaper options have a look at our guide to classic compact cameras, as well as vintage digital cameras.

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