The 10 Best Travel Cameras of 2020

Certainly, there have been massive improvements in Smartphone cameras in recent years, however, they will never be better than dedicated cameras with interchangeable or larger lens.

In the market today, there are a number of killer mirrorless and point-and-point cameras which will enable you to capture your travel experiences better, and do serious travel photography even.

Sadly, it is very easy to get confused when it comes to the acronyms and specs when you are making a decision on the best travel camera.

Have you ever thought about which is better; an XMOR RS BSI CMOS or a BIONZ X image processor? Well, we have been down that road before.

Although the techs are very essential, but getting the right camera in general is important as well. A compact camera may do it for you and perhaps an action camera or a mirrorless camera may be more suitable for you.

There is something for everybody, and we will try to help you in finding the right camera for your needs in this guide.

Things To Consider When Buying A Travel Camera

It is very possible for you to improve your photography skills during travelling because you will have many chances to take interesting pictures every day.

Usually, it is a nice idea to buy a camera that is a bit better than what you need currently, so that you can explore more advanced options whenever you want to.

Versatility

Travel photography can truly entail anything: wildlife, macro, portraits, landscapes, and even sports or action. A good travel camera ought to cover several situations.

Having said that, more magnifications is not always better. For several people, zoom is always the first thing they look for in a camera, however, that is not the only important spec. Lenses with a high zoom factor are usually compromised in some other ways, causing poorer picture quality.

Exceedingly magnified pictures usually look bad nevertheless because of atmospheric effects or the sluggish speeds at focal lights as such. It is always better to opt for a moderate lens. For instance, a 10X compact can give a better overall performance than 30X, or a 24-70mm lens can be significantly sharper than a 24-300mm.

Size and weight

It might be nice at home to have a full frame DSLR with a bag packed with lenses, however, you will not derive much joy carrying that device up Mount Everest. Compact cameras have a lighter feel, and mirrorless cameras have recently become a trendy substitute to DSLR, because of their lower weight and thinner bodies.

Battery Life

One of the first and important things you put into consideration when purchasing a device should of course be its source of power. It’s very necessary to choose a device with a strong battery life as you wouldn’t want you device to be down at the time you need it most.

Best Travel Cameras of 2017

Below we listed the travel cameras available on the market. We checked their main features, reviews and pro & cons for you to make a knowledgeable decision.

1. Nikon Coolpix A900

Type: Point-and-Shoot

Weight: 0.66 lb

Price: $$

Main Features: 20MP 1/2.3″ BSI CMOS Sensor, NIKKOR f/3.4-6.9 ED Lens, 24-840mm (35mm Equivalent), 35x Optical Zoom Lens, 70x Dynamic Zoom. Dimensions: 4.5 in. x 2.7 in. x 1.6 in. excluding projections, 3″ 921k-Dot Tilting LCD, UHD 4K Video Recording at 30 fps, Bluetooth (BLE), Wi-Fi, NFC Connectivity, ISO 3200, 7 fps Continuous Shooting

The Nikon Coolpix A900 provides you with a versatile magnification range in a sleek, compact design. Being able to control this camera right from your smartphone is an additional bonus, particularly for people who travel solo often.

Whatever your camera sees can be seen by you as well and you can take pictures right from your tablet or phone. With this device being sold below $350, this is one of the most inexpensive travel cameras on your list.

Pros

• Long zoom
• It is very portable
• SnapBridge and Tilting screen

Cons

• Its screen is not touch-sensitive, small sensor and there is no viewfinder
• Poor low-light performance

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2. Canon PowerShot G9 X

Type: Point-and-Shoot

Weight: 7.4 ounces

Price: $$

Main Features: 20.2 MP 1″ High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor, 3X Optical Zoom, 28-80mm Focal Length, 3″ Touchscreen LCD Monitor, 6 fps Continuous Shooting, 12800 ISO, incorporated Wifi, incorporated Pop-Up Flash, Full HD Video, Full Manual Mode

This camera is one of the newest cameras from Canon in their series of Powershots. These tiny cameras are widely loved by tiny cameras, particularly for things such as hiking and backpacking.

Beautiful and very vibrant pictures are produced by this camera. It is very compact, and is very affordable at less than $400.

Pros

• Slim, portable design
• Good picture quality from 1in sensor
• Nicely implemented touchscreen

Cons

• The lens are not ambitious
• Inadequate physical controls
• Undependable autofocus in low-light

Buy this incredible device here

3. Sony RX100

Type: Point-and-Shoot

Weight: 0.53 lb

Price: $$

Main Features: 20.2 MP Exmor CMOS Sensor, 28-100mm Focal Length, 6400 ISO, Approx 10 fps Continuous Shooting, Full HD Video, 3″ LCD Screen, Built-In Pop-Up Flash

This camera stands out in very low light situations, provides quick focusing speeds, and also has the capability to show in RAW format.

In auto mode, the camera recognizes the right scene mode automatically, which is good for learners. In the event that you are more concerned about quality pictures in low-light, this camera will be very suitable for you.

Pros

• Latest tilting screen is very useful
• Remarkable build quality
• Hot shoe support for accessories
• huge, 1-inch sensor

Cons

• Short magnification range
• No touchscreen

Check out this device here

4. Sony Alpha a7II

Type: Mirrorless

Weight: 1.32 lbs

Price: $$$$

Main Features: 24.3 MP Full-Frame Exmor CMOS Sensor, 5-Axis SteadyShot Image Stabilization, Fast Auto Focus and 5fps Burst, Full HD Video, Weather-Resistant Body, Built-In Wifi, 3″ Tilting LCD

One of the problems that the original A7 has is that it does not give ideal handling and layout. It was a practical accomplishment by virtue of incorporating a full frame sensor into a CSC body, however, the Alpha a7 II has been improved significantly in this area.

The grip has been redesigned by Sony, providing a more significant DSLR-like feel, and reorganized controls to give more sensitive operation. Now, the shutter control is placed at an angle that is more ergonomic, there is a fresh DSLR-like control dial underneath it and new two buttons on the plate’s top.

One of the most thrilling advancements in the Sony Alpha A7 II is 5- axis in-body steadiness. Its predecessors do not provide in-body steadiness, leaving you to depend on OIS lenses in the event that you have a need for stabilized shots.

Pros

• Great OIS
• Brilliant image quality and dynamic range
• Enhanced handling

Cons

• Somewhat noisy
• Very poor battery strength

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5. Fuji X-T2

Type: Mirrorless

Weight: 3.5 ounces

Price: $$$$

Main Features: 24.3 MP APS-C Sensor, 8 fps Continuous Shooting, 3″ Tilting LCD Screen, ISO 51200, Weather Sealed Body, Build-In Wifi, 4K Video

This top of the line mirrorless camera is much loved by travel photographers, same with the Sony a7II, as it is lightweight and generates extraordinary pictures.

Picking between buying a Sony a7ii and Fuji X-T22 camera always comes to the dissimilarities in lens option and video capabilities.

Pros

• Best-in-class ergonomics
• Exceptional picture quality
• Proficient 4K video mode

Cons

• Video autofocus and burst could be better
• A bit slow in regular use

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6. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II

Type: Mirrorless

Weight: 1.1 pounds

Price: $$

Main Features: 16.1 MP 4/3 Live MOS Sensor, 3″ Tilting LCD Touch Screen, Up to 8.5 fps Continuous Shooting, Silent Mode & 4K Timelapse Shooting, In-Body Image Stabilization, ISO 25600, Full HD Video, Built-In Wifi

The design of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II mirrorless Micro Four-Thirds digital camera is classic and the camera has virtually all the features of Fuji X-T2 and Sony a7ii for a fraction of the cost.

This camera is very compact and it is ideal for learners and intermediate photographers that are in search of an inexpensive mirrorless camera without compromising quality pictures.

Pros

• • The body is solid and well-built
  • Useful image-stabilization system
  • Detailed and large EVF

Cons

• Simple to knock control dials out of position
• Average kit lens performance

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7. Sony Alpha a6300

Type: Mirrorless

Weight: 3.5 pounds

Price: $$$

Main Features: 24.2 MP APS-C Exmor CMOS Sensor, Up to 11 fps Continuous Shooting w/Auto Focus and Exposure, 3″ Tilting LCD Monitor, Weather-Sealed Body, 4D FOCUS with 425 Phase-Detect Points, 4K Video, ISO 51200

The Sony Alpha a6300 is a magnificent option for beginners and intermediate travel photographers and anybody in search of 4K video.

It has stunning low-light abilities, an amazing 11 fps nonstop shooting and is sold for around $500 less than Sony a7II. Also, it incorporates a silent shooting mode is a lot lighter and smaller that the Sony a7ii.

Pros

• Great burst performance
• Quick AF in majority of situations
• Great higher-ISO performance
• Great picture quality

Cons

• No in-body OIS
• Beginner level manual wheels

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8. Nikon D3300

Type: DSLR

Weight: 410 g

Price: $$

Main Features: 24.2MP DX-Format CMOS Sensor, EXPEED 4 Image Processor, 3″ LCD Screen, 5fps Continuous Shooting at Full Resolution, Native ISO 12800, Full HD Video, Extended to ISO 25600

The Nikon D3300 gives fast and precise focusing abilities, a 24.2MP sensor, and incredible low light performance in a compact and solid body. Provided you own a number of Nikon lenses already and buying a mirrorless is out of your budget, this camera is great travel-friendly option for amateurs.

Pros

• Outstanding value
• Incredible performance for a camera that is entry-level
• High resolution at a very low price

Cons

• No incorporated Wi-Fi

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9. Canon Rebel SL1

Type: DSLR

Weight: 0.9 lb

Price: $$

Main Features: 18 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor, 4 fps Continuous Shooting, 9 Point AF System, ISO 12800 (expandable to 25600), 3″ Touchscreen LCD, Full HD Video, Scene Intelligent Auto Mode

This camera is the newest in the Rebel series, a series of cameras that are ideal for newbies in photography. It has a compact body which is good for travelers who would like to shoot with Canon lenses and want high ISO abilities.

Pros

• Rubberized handgrip
• Imaginative filters include live preview
• Remarkably small body

Cons

• Same price with the Canon EOS 700D
• AF system features only one cross type point
• Small design and thus small battery

This amazing product can be bought here.

10. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000

Type: Point-and-Shoots

Weight: 1.83 lbs

Price: $$$

Main features: 4K QFHD 30p video with hybrid 8MP post capture, Large 1-inch 20.1MP MOS sensor for amazing defocus control, Bright Leica DC Lens 25-400mm F2.8-4.0, Super-fast LUMIX DFD focusing technology, Integrated smartphone WiFi for remote imaging control

This camera is a large camera, and has a body that is similar in size to a beginner level DSLR. If portability is what you want in a camera, this camera is not suitable for you. It is larger that majority of bridge models.

Also, it provides a decent range of manual controls. Though, there are no dials for all the main shooting factors, there are 5 function controls that can be programmed to control things such as exposure compensation, aperture, max ISO and more.

The outstanding thing about this camera is its 20mp sensor. At a full inch in size, it is a lot larger than the small 1/2.3 inch sensors you can get in majority of bridge cameras. The tiny sensor they have is the reason why bridge cameras do not usually earn a lot of credibility amongst photo enthusiasts. This camera is not APS-C sensor, however, it is a big upgrade from the average.

Pros

• Fairly large sensor
• Good photo quality
• Good handling

Cons

• Fairly large
• Limited magnification ring

This product can be bought here

Final Thoughts

With all this points, I bring this review into conclusion and I do not doubt that having carefully gone through this review, you will consider well the best choice to make with no hesitation. Above all, like I said earlier, always go for the device that best answer your needs.