10 best compact cameras in 2016
Compact cameras and the compact camera market have changed a lot over the last few years. Smart phones have decimated the entry-level range of point-and-shoot models that used to be popular and as a result manufacturers have concentrated on putting more advanced features into cameras to make them more attractive.
In addition to a move towards having physically larger sensors to boost image quality, some compact cameras now have lenses with long zoom ranges or wide apertures and there’s better control over exposure along with a much wider range of settings than in the past. Wi-Fi connectivity is also now de rigueur, so you can transfer shots quickly to a phone for sharing on Facebook etc.
Many enthusiast photographers used to be very sniffy about compact digital cameras, but there are now many that make a great alternative to a DSLR or mirrorless system camera.. And those who are new to photography and thinking about stepping up from a smartphone have some pretty sophisticated choices. There are small cameras that can slip in a pocket yet have huge zoom ranges, and large bridge cameras that look like DSLRs, but have a fixed lens and lots of automated easy-to-use options.
These cameras prove that you don’t have to buy a camera that takes interchangeable lenses to get great shots.
If you need a bit more help figuring out what kind of camera you need, then read this article: What camera should I buy?
Or if you already know what kind of camera you want, then check out our more specific compact camera guides:
Otherwise, keep reading to find out which are the best compact cameras on the market right now, and why.
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1. Leica Q
It’s incredibly expensive but the Q is the best compact camera around
Sensor: Full-frame (24 x 36mm), 24.2Mp | Lens: 8 mm f/1.7 ASPH lens | Monitor: 3-inch 1,040,000-dot touchscreen | Viewfinder: Electronic Continuous shooting: 10fps | Movies: Full HD (1920 x 1080) | User level: Expert
When photography was film-based most compact cameras took 35mm rolls, the same as a professional-level SLR. This meant that provided your camera had a decent lens you could get brilliant results. Digital photography changed that and many compact cameras have much smaller sensors which makes achieving high quality images more of a challenge. Leica and Sony are the only companies that make a compact camera with a full-frame sensor and while Sony’s RX1 models are great, the Leica Q (Typ 116) has won our hearts. The biggest downside to the Q is its price, there’s no getting around that. But for that huge stack of cash you get a Leica Summilux 28 mm f/1.7 ASPH lens, a superb electronic viewfinder with 3,680,000 dots, a 3-inch 1,040,000-dot touchscreen, snappy autofocusing, traditional exposure controls and the ability to create stunning images. Despite the price, Leica can’t make enough Q’s to keep up with demand.
Read the full review: Leica Q
2. Panasonic LX100
A compact masterpiece, with a big sensor, classic controls and a viewfinder
Sensor: Micro Four Thirds, 12.8MP | Lens: 24-75mm, f/1.7-2.8 | Monitor: 3-inch, 921K dots | Viewfinder: Yes | Continuous shooting: 11fps | Movies: 4K | User level: Expert
Keen photographers usually go for a DSLR or a compact system camera, but they also want something that will slip in a pocket for those days when the big camera needs to stay at home. Usually, that means putting up with a smaller sensor – but not this time. Somehow, Panasonic has shoehorned a CSC-sized Micro Four Thirds sensor into a compact camera body. Not only that, it’s added an aperture ring on the lens, a shutter speed dial on the top AND an electronic viewfinder. It has a specially-designed super-compact wide-aperture lens and it can shoot 4K too. The LX100 was expensive when it was launched, but the price has fallen steadily, and this is still an amazing and unique camera.
Read the full review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
3. Fuji X70
Great for those who want a larger than average sensor and traditional controls
Sensor: APS-C, 16.3Mp | Lens: 18.5mm (28m equivalent) f/2.8 ASPH lens | Monitor: 3-inch 1,040,000-dot touchscreen | Viewfinder: No Continuous shooting: 10fps Movies: Full HD (1920 x 1080)| User level: Expert
Fuji has had enormous success with its X-series of compact and compact system or mirrorless cameras and the X70 looks set to be a popular choice for photographers wanting a small camera designed following the brand ethos. It’s sensor is APS-C format, which means it’s bigger than the Four Thirds type in the LX100, so it produces superb quality images. We could easily have put the X70 ahead of the LX100 in this list, but the lack of a built-in viewfinder held us back – there times and subjects when using a viewfinder makes life so much easier. However, there is an excellent screen that tips up to be visible from the front to make selfie-shooting easier. In addition to an aperture ring around the lens there’s a shutter speed dial and an exposure compensation dial which makes adjusting exposure very quick provided you know what you’re doing. There is a fully automatic option, but this camera is best suited to experienced photographers. Fuji’s Film Simulation Modes ensure attractive looking JPEGs, but there’s also raw file recording for when you want to take control of the processing.
Read the full review: Fuji X70
4. Panasonic TZ100
Panasonic’s premium travel camera has a larger sensor than the rest of the range
Sensor: 1-inch type, 20.1Mp | Lens: 25-250mm (equivalent) f/9.1-91mm lens | Monitor: 3-inch 1,040,000-dot touchscreen | Viewfinder: Electronic Continuous shooting: 10fps Movies: 4K | User level: Beginner/Intermediate
Panasonic invented the travel-zoom camera genre, compact cameras that can fit in a pocket but that have long zoom lenses built-in. And the TZ range has continued to dominate sales despite strong competition from all manufacturers, but most notably Sony.
However, the compact camera has moved on and Panasonic needs to do more to attract buyers. Its response has been to keep the camera body about the same size as earlier TZ-series cameras but to squeeze a much larger sensor into the TZ100. This enables the pixels to be about 2.4x bigger than they are in models like the TZ70 and this helps the TZ100 produce much higher quality images. The zoom lens isn’t quite so extensive, but you still get an electronic viewfinder that makes it easier to compose images in bright sunny conditions and in addition to 4K video recording, there’s Panasonic’s 4K Photo mode to help capture 8Mp images of fleeting moments. It all adds up to be a powerful option.
Read the full review: Panasonic TZ100
5. Canon PowerShot G5 X
Canon’s big-sensor high-end compact combines power and value
Sensor: 1-inch, 20.2Mp | Lens: 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 | Monitor: 3-inch articulating, 1,040K dots | Viewfinder: Electronic | Continuous shooting: 5.9fps | Movies: 1080p | User level: Intermediate/expert
The arrival of new 1-inch sensors has transformed the high-end compact camera market, allowing makers to get closer to DSLR quality but still keep the cameras small. The Canon G5 X is a brilliant example – it might look like a DSLR (it has an electronic viewfinder), but it’s a lot smaller. The image quality is great, the external controls will be popular with enthusiasts and the lens has a good maximum aperture across its zoom range, which is great for low-light photography and blurring backgrounds.
Read the full review: Canon PowerShot G5 X
6. Panasonic FZ1000
The FZ1000 combines a bridge camera zoom with a big 1-inch sensor
Sensor: 1-inch, 20.1 megapixels | Lens: 25-400mm, f/2.8-4 | Monitor: 3-inch articulating, 921K dots |Viewfinder: EVF | Continuous shooting: 12fps | Movies: 4K | User level: Intermediate
This trend towards bigger sensors shows up in the Panasonic FZ1000 too. Bridge cameras are very popular because they offer a colossal zoom range at a modest cost. To design a big zoom, though, the makers have to use a tiny sensor – and here Panasonic took the wise choice to sacrifice zoom range for better quality. Like the Canon G5 X, the Panasonic FZ1000 uses a 1-inch sensor, and while the zoom tops out at 400mm equivalent, which is relatively short for a bridge camera, that’s still plenty for all but the most extreme everyday use. We love the FZ1000 because it delivers both image quality and zoom range – and the price is pretty competitive now too.
Read the full review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
7. Sony RX10
Hard to categorise and easily overlooked, the RX10 has a brilliant lens and a big sensor
Sensor: 1-inch CMOS, 20.2MP | Lens: 24-200mm, f/2.8 | Monitor: 3-inch tilting, 1440K dots | Viewfinder: EVF | Continuous shooting: 10fps | Movies: 1080 | User level: Intermediate/Expert
We like the Sony RX10 for the same reason we love the Panasonic FZ1000 – it combines a big zoom range with a bigger-than-usual sensor. DSLR and mirrorless camera owners might sneer at a 1-inch sensor, but it’s much bigger than the sensors used in regular compact cameras and bridge cameras and this has a big impact on picture quality. The problem for the RX10 is that its 8.3x zoom range is too short for it to be considered a ‘bridge’ camera so people don’t know how to categorize it. But that 24-200mm lens is remarkable – its constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is unheard of in a compact camera with this kind of zoom range. And yes, we know there is a RX10 II out now, but it adds high-speed tech which makes it a LOT more expensive. While you can still get it, the original RX10 is our top tip.
Read the full review: Sony RX10
8. Sony RX100 IV
Sony’s super-high speed sensor tech is brilliant but pricey
Sensor: 1-inch, 20Mp | Lens: 24-80mm f/1.8-2.8 | Monitor: 3-inch tilting, 1,229K dots | Viewfinder: Electronic | Continuous shooting: 6fps | Movies: 4K | User level: Expert
Sony uses this new 1-inch sensor size again in its highly popular RX100 camera series. These are powerful but highly pocketable cameras with the controls and image quality demanded by enthusiasts. The RX100 IV goes a step further, though, with a new ‘stacked’ sensor design for high-speed data capture. This means it can shoot 4K video, amazing 40x slow motion and 16fps in continuous burst mode. Unfortunately, this does impact on the price, which is why the RX100 IV isn’t higher up our list.
Read the full review: Sony RX100 IV
9. Fuji X100T
Fuji made its reputation with this fabulous retro-themed high-end compact
Sensor: APS-C X-Trans, 16.3MP | Lens: 35mm, f/2 | Monitor: 3-inch, 1040K dots | Viewfinder: Hybrid optical/EVF | Continuous shooting: 6fps | Movies: 1080 | User level: Expert
At the opposite end of the scale to the Panasonic TZ60 travel camera is the Fuji 100T. It’s a beauty both to look and and to use, but it’s not for everyone! It’s a relatively large, retro-styled camera with a fixed focal length 35mm equivalent f/2.0 lens, and designed for photographers who hanker after the weighty feel and manual external controls of traditional 35mm rangefinder cameras. It’s a relatively specialised camera you’ll use for a certain type of subject (street photography, for example) and most owners are likely to have other cameras too. The original X100 revived Fuji’s fortunes and gave its rivals the jolt they needed to develop their own classically-designed cameras.
Read the full review: Fuji X100T
10. Canon SX60 HS
A massive 65x zoom makes this bridge camera a good all-rounder
Sensor: 1/2.3-inch back-illuminated CMOS, 16.1MP | Lens: 21-1365mm, f/3.4-6.5 | Monitor: 3-inch articulating, 922K dots | Viewfinder: EVF | Continuous shooting: 6.4fps | Movies: 1080 | User level: Basic/Intermediate
Having complained at the top of our list that regular bridge cameras use small sensors that compromise the quality, we’re still going to recommend the Canon SX60 HS. The Panasonic FZ1000 and Sony RX10 are big and expensive, and the Canon is much more manageable in both respects. In fact, at current prices it’s a bit of a bargain. Its 1/2.3-inch sensor has a back-illuminated design for better light gathering, and while its 65x zoom has now been beaten by the 83x zoom on the Nikon P900, it’s still right up there with the biggest on the market. You get an articulating LCD, full manual controls and the ability to shoot raw files, so the SX60 is about as good as regular bridge cameras get.
Read the full review: Canon PowerShot SX60 HS
See also: Camera reviews, Best cheap camera, Best high-end compact, Best bridge camera, Best travel camera, Best waterproof camera