Battery life could be better and the lens can be a little soft at longer focal lengths, but the Mark II remains a very capable all-rounder that’s untroubled by almost all scenes. … The LX100 II is a brand new version of the original LX100, which was, admittedly, starting to show its age. The Canon G9 X Mark II is the best you'll find under $500. The 5 Best Compact Cameras For 2020. Best compact camera 2020: premium compacts for pro-level photography T3's roundup of the best compact cameras to buy this year, with models from Sony, Panasonic, Canon and … Best cameras … Overall, this neat little snapper has the near-perfect balance of features, performance and pricing. Then there’s the higher resolution hybrid viewfinder – both optical and electronic – as well as support for 4K/30p video capture. Using the stabilization tech first seen on DJI’s drones, its lens is mounted to a 3-axis gimbal that sits atop a pocketable wand. Our pick for the best budget compact zoom, Sensor: 1-inch type, 20.1MP | Lens: 24-70mm, f/1.8-2.8 | Monitor: 3.0-inch tilt-angle screen, 1,229K dots | Viewfinder: EVF | Continuous shooting: 16fps | Movies: 4K | User level: Intermediate. If you've never done without a zoom before, it's not nearly as difficult as you think and can actually be incredibly productive for your photography, teaching you to think on your feet and move to get the best shots. There are a couple of niggles. I've spent $3,900 on Cyber Monday (so far), GuruShots: winning photographs from the Artistic Still Life contest, Take your photos to the next level with Luminar AI’s Templates, The best dash cam in 2020: constant protection for you and your vehicle, The best instant cameras in 2020 – from best instax to best Polaroid cameras. Best cameras Under $500. Amazon. That port can also be used with a whole range of sold-separately accessories, such as the handy Control Wheel and Wireless Module. And it works: capable of capturing sharp, fluid 4K video at up to 60fps, more remarkable is how silky smooth the footage is. Photograph by JNS, Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images. Rather than 3 or 4x optical … These are backed up by a 3.5mm mic port for boosting audio quality with an external microphone, and a hotshoe to help mount the latter. It’s a nice looking camera and feels comfortable in the hands, so it’s good that it also delivers superb image quality. The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III is a rare example of an APS-C compact camera with a zoom lens, but with a maximum aperture of f/2.8-5.6 its lens doesn't have the light-gathering power of the f/2 prime lens on the Fujifilm X100V. The X100V is in our second section for cameras with a fixed focal length prime lens. Since this was new, people did shower love to the Panasonic Lumix DC-zs100, this was the premium compact camera (also known as a pocket camera). But there's more to cameras than numbers on a spreadsheet, and everything about the Leica Q2 is superb, from its full frame image quality with its new 47 megapixel sensor,  through to its Leica-made Summilux lens and its stripped, down minimalist design. The G7X Mark II proved to be a smash and we're confident that this will be just a great a hit with vloggers and enthusiast photographers. The best compact camera pictures compared Canon Powershot G9 MKII. If you really want a bigger sensor, keep reading, but the G5 X Mark II does give you a very rounded set of specs for a pocket camera. With the new advantages of 4K shooting, a mic port and live streaming to YouTube joining the previously seen built-in ND filter and flip up LCD screen, this is arguably the strongest compact right now for vlogging. The X100V has a new, sharper lens than previous X100 models, in order to do full justice to the latest sensor, and the tilting touchscreen on the back makes this camera much easier to use at awkward angles, without compromising its slimline design. The sensor and lens might be familiar, but the body, the controls, the audio and the rear screen are all new and different and optimised brilliantly for vlogging. The Panasonic LX15, which goes by the name LX10 in North America, doesn't have a viewfinder, and it also has a 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor rather than the larger Micro Four Thirds sensor in the Lumix LX100 II, so that's two reasons why it's a little further down our list. Blessed with the unique, retro looks and tactile control system synonymous with the X100 series, the X100F is exquisite to look at and even better shoot with. There's a high-resolution, tiltable LCD touch screen and a host of handy creative modes, plus Wi-Fi with NFC, which makes it simple to shoot and share your stills and movies. It’s versatile, too: the universal port can be used to connect a smartphone, which makes it easy to transfer files, as well as unlocking more settings and an expansive live preview through the app. Roughly the size of a flashlight, the Pocket seamlessly counteracts shake and wobble, doing everything larger gimbals can do, yet without the bulk of added equipment. | LCD: 3in fixed, 1,24 million dots | Viewfinder: EVF | Continuous shooting: 11fps | Max video resolution: 4K | User level: Enthusiast/expert. None of the above take your fancy? Amazon. If you want to get up close and personal, Panasonic's compact Lumix ZS100 gives you way more zoom than the competition. Best Compact Camera For Travel. But you do get a top-quality 24.2-megapixel sensor, a very good 28mm f/2.8 fixed focal length lens and a very attractively-designed little camera. Canon really has done an amazing job with the G1 X Mark III. • Best action cameras. In fact, this camera is so slim you can easily slide it into a jacket pocket and it's this, as well as the relatively low price, that makes it so appealing for quality conscious photographers who don't want to speed a lot of money. Read our in-depth Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III review, Since superseded, this is still an exceptional street shooter, Sensor: 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS | Lens: 23mm, f/2 | Monitor: 3.0-inch, 1.04m dots | Viewfinder: EVF, 2.36m dots | Continuous shooting: 8fps | Movies: 1080p | User level: Intermediate. Nifty camera controls make panning a cinch, while features such as motion time-lapses and active face tracking enhance creativity and usability. It’s expensive, yes, but also promises fantastic autofocus and class-leading video quality. The Q2 is a thing of beauty, and right now it's arguably the best compact camera around. Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? It's not for everyone – not least because it costs a small fortune – but if you genuinely want the best compact you'll be hard pushed to find a finer one than the Q2. Canon IXUS 185 Camera … Sony has adapted its RX100 design to make a brilliant vlogging camera, Type: Compact | Sensor: 1in | Megapixels: 20.1MP | Lens: 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 | Screen: 3in vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots | Max video resolution: 4K | Mic port: Yes | User level: Enthusiast. Compact cameras also tend to feature better dedicated controls and handling, while even the most advanced smartphone cameras still can’t rival the larger sensors and optical zoom offered by premium compacts.