The holiday season is at its peak right now, and if you find yourself torn about which camera to pack for your upcoming trip, you are not alone. To choose the best camera for travel, the dilemma is there for every photographer; we all want to take a compact camera with us, but also want to be able to switch off, relax and not carry too many things.
YouTuber Davey Gravy took the Fujifilm X100VI and the iPhone 16 Pro on holiday and compared images from both, with composition, focal length, colour filters, and everything else as closely matched as possible, to determine which is best for travel.
Some would be adamant that a dedicated camera is a must for travel, as without one they would feel almost naked. The tactility of a viewfinder and the fact that you won’t have apps competing for your attention are big advantages too. But weight is a crucial part of travelling, so there are those who’d rather use their iPhone as it not just weighs next to nothing compared to a dedicated camera but also packs lenses all the way from ultra-wide to telephoto. And as you will see from Gravy’s video it delivers an impressive dynamic range too.
It is unlikely that you would cast off without your phone, so if it is gear already packed, it makes sense to test whether it could serve as a compact alternative for your vacation.
As Gravy pits the Fujifilm X100VI against the iPhone 16 Pro he sets the latter to match the famously pleasing film simulations found on Fuji. The iPhone 16 Pro might be last year’s model but it used to top our list for the best smartphones for photography. It has a dedicated camera button that mimics traditional camera handling and various photographic styles, emulating film.
While the Fujifilm X100VI is the upgraded version of the now cult classic Fujifilm X100V, it features a 40MP sensor, in-body image stabilisation and has the obvious Fujifilm film simulation modes alongside the option to create your own recipes or tweak existing ones to your liking.
The answer to which one you should take on vacation may not be as simple as you first thought.
If you want to find out more of the pros and cons and what was Gravy’s final verdict, watch the full video below, and of course subscribe, as he has plenty of useful how-to videos and camera comparisons to watch.
Related reading:
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- This YouTuber just made a 100-year-old camera digital for just $40 (and a LOT of effort)
- Standard colour photography is a lie says YouTuber Steve Mould, and he makes a good point
- YouTuber uses full-spectrum camera to capture invisible phenomenon in viral video
- YouTuber invented a lens that can do anything
Do you want to win some great prizes for your photography? Enter your photos in our International Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. Free entry for photographers aged 13-21.


