Looking for the best compact camera you can buy? We’ve extensively tested the top models on the market. So whether you’re ready to upgrade from your smartphone or looking for a pocketable companion to compliment your DSLR, you’ll find your ideal compact camera in the buying guide below.
All compact cameras promise portability, but beyond that there’s a broad range of options to choose from, spanning from simple point-and-shoots to premium compacts. Whatever you’re looking for, every camera in the list below has been selected for its combination of features, performance and portability. Some also have stand-out skills which distinguish them from smartphones and standard compacts – from waterproof bodies and stabilizing gimbals to larger sensors and long zoom ranges.
Smartphone photography is more viable than ever, with several flagships offering impressive processing, resolution and performance. Nevertheless, the best compact cameras continue to outclass mobile devices, delivering greater versatility and superior picture quality – particularly if you’re planning to print your photos. 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.
If there’s no cap on your budget, our current money-no-object pick is the Sony RX100 VII. It’s expensive, yes, but also promises fantastic autofocus and class-leading video quality. Alternatively, if you’d prefer an outstanding compact for street photography, Fujifilm’s X100V delivers 4K video, excellent image quality and a distinctive retro design. For video, our top choice is the Sony ZV-1.
That said, every photographer’s requirements are different. There might be a compact camera better suited to your specific needs in the list below, so be sure to read to the end. Our buying guide features a number of more affordable recommendations, including a handful of older models, as well as a few compacts specifically suited to certain shooting styles, including vlogging.
Best compact camera 2020 at a glance:
- Fujifilm X100V
- Panasonic Lumix ZS200 / TZ200
- Sony ZV-1
- Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III
- Panasonic Lumix LX100 II
- DJI Osmo Pocket
- Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
- Canon PowerShot G5X Mark II
- Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
- Fujifilm X100F
- Sony Cyber-shot RX100 IV
Best compact cameras
The Fujifilm X100V takes what was already a special camera and fixes all of its weaknesses – it’s the perfect compact for the smartphone age.
The concept is the same as before: a stylish, pocketable design, large APS-C sensor, unique hybrid viewfinder and a fixed 23mm f/2 lens. All of those areas, though, have now been improved on the X100V, which brings a new tilting screen and improved autofocus performance.
Image quality has been improved, partly thanks to a redesigned lens, and low-light performance is better. Then there’s the higher resolution hybrid viewfinder – both optical and electronic – as well as support for 4K/30p video capture.
Sure, you need to add a filter for full weather-proofing and the cost will be prohibitive for some, but the X100V puts an impressive range of features into a polished, premium body, with throwback style that sets it apart from the crowd – yet still fits perfectly in your pocket.
Read our in-depth Fujifilm X100V review
Panasonic invented the travel-zoom camera genre – compact cameras that you can fit in a pocket but that have long zoom lenses built-in. Despite strong competition, the ZS range (known as TZ outside the US) has dominated sales, and that form has continued with the brilliant Lumix ZS200 (called TZ200 outside the US). As we first saw with the Lumix ZS100 / TZ100, Panasonic has been able to keep the camera body about the same size as earlier ZS-series cameras but squeeze a much larger 1-inch sensor into the camera to deliver much better image quality. The zoom lens isn’t quite so extensive as some, but the versatile 15x zoom should be more than enough for most people and still comfortably beats all smartphones. You get (an admittedly small) electronic viewfinder, but there’s also 4K video and a great touchscreen interface. If you’re looking for a neat all-in-one compact camera that delivers great images, this is it.
Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix ZS200 / TZ200 review
If it’s mainly video rather than stills that you’re looking for from a compact camera, then the Sony ZV-1 is the best option around. Not that it isn’t also very capable at shooting still photos – it has the same sensor and processor as Sony’s latest RX100 series cameras, after all – but the ZV-1’s main strength are its video powers. These include class-leading autofocus powers, which helps it tenaciously lock onto people and moving objects in your frame, and impressive video quality from its 20.1MP 1-inch sensor. 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. Its bright 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 doesn’t give you the same reach as the RX100 VII, but it does ensure that you get lovely background blur in both stills and videos – perfect if you mainly shoot portraits or vlogs.
Read our in-depth Sony ZV-1 review
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. 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. But if you’ve no interest in video there’s still plenty to keep you happy, from 30fps shooting at full resolution to a super-sensitive touchscreen, in-camera Raw processing and the added convenience of USB charging. It’s a shame there’s no viewfinder or hot shoe, but then not everyone needs these.
Read our in-depth Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III review
Compact cameras with sensors larger than 1-inch in size are typically limited to fixed-focal-length lenses, which is great for quality but less so for flexibility. But not the Panasonic LX100 II; it manages to marry a 17MP Four Thirds sensor – the same size as those found inside Panasonic’s G-series mirrorless cameras – with a zoom lens equivalent to 24-75mm in 35mm terms, proving that sometimes you can get quality and flexibility at once. The original LX100 was something of a landmark camera for offering something similar, and this latest iteration takes the baton, with a nippy AF system, robust body, clear 4K videos and a useful electronic viewfinder among its highlights.
Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix LX100 II review
One look confirms that the Osmo Pocket is different to everything else in this list. 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. And it works: capable of capturing sharp, fluid 4K video at up to 60fps, more remarkable is how silky smooth the footage is. 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.
It’s featherweight at 116g, easily small enough to slip into a pocket and perfectly proportioned for one-handed use, swiping across the one-inch touchscreen. And although it offers little of the GoPro Hero 8 Black’s durability – especially around the hinge – it’s seriously smart. Nifty camera controls make panning a cinch, while features such as motion time-lapses and active face tracking enhance creativity and usability. 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. That port can also be used with a whole range of sold-separately accessories, such as the handy Control Wheel and Wireless Module.
Read our in-depth DJI Osmo Pocket review
Sony’s original RX100 was a landmark camera that fused a 1-inch sensor in a compact, metal body with the controls and image quality demanded by enthusiasts. The RX100 VI goes several steps further, though, with a ‘stacked’ sensor design for high-speed data capture. It’s not Sony’s latest model, but if you don’t need the microphone jack and video autofocus skills of the Mark VII, then it does offer better value. That sensor means it shoot 4K video, amazing 40x slow motion and still images at 24fps in continuous burst mode. That’s not forgetting the neat little built-in electronic viewfinder that its rivals lack, while this sixth generation model packs an impressive 24-200mm zoom lens. It’s a pricey option and does have its quirks, but if you’re looking for a versatile, pocket-sized compact with a quality zoom lens, you won’t be disappointed.
Read our in-depth Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI review
The second coming of the G5 X is a serious step-change in styling and spec for the series. Gone is the DSLR-style shell in favor of a streamlined body that’s still a pleasure to grip but far easier to slip into a pocket. Inside, a new 20.1MP stacked CMOS sensor, driven by Canon’s DIGIC 8 engine, is able to capture uncropped 4K footage, while a fresh 24-100mm lens offers a generous focal range and a relatively wide maximum aperture. Well-rounded and wonderful to use, the G5 X Mark II delivers reliably good image quality, brisk focussing and a strong feature set. 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. So why the lower ranking? It needs to come down in price.
Read our in-depth Canon Powershot G5X Mark II review
Keen photographers usually go for a DSLR or mirrorless 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, Canon has shoehorned a DSLR-sized APS-C sensor into a compact camera body. There’s also a built-in electronic viewfinder and refined touchscreen interface. The zoom range is a bit modest at 24-72mm, but there’s nothing else quite like it.
Read our in-depth Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III review
Back in 2017, we said that Fujifilm had “pretty much made the perfect enthusiast compact camera” in the X100F. And, while the X100V has since raised the bar even higher, it remains a remarkable piece of compact kit in 2020.
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. Complimented by an effective hybrid viewfinder, the refined control layout makes it a lovely camera to go out and use, with a front command dial and focus lever at the rear transforming the handling – even if the ISO dial is less successful.
A large APS-C sensor ensures that image quality is very good indeed, while responsive autofocus, a broad dynamic range and excellent noise-handling offer a useful dose of flexibility – with attractive Film Simulation modes for good measure.
Sure, its fixed focal length might be a little niche compared to the healthy range of 1-inch premium compact competitors with zoom lenses, but few – if any – can match the shooting experience offered by the X100F. Discontinued in the wake of its successor, prices have since dipped – but could rise again as stocks run dry.
Read our in-depth Fujifilm X100F review
It’s tempting for list this model higher up just for the value for money it offers. It isn’t the newest model and, as a result, doesn’t have the topnotch performance of its newer siblings. The RX100 IV sits in the middle of the RX100 family, and while newer models beat it for burst shooting, autofocus and focal range, for most people this cheaper alternative would still serve them brilliantly. The 1-inch sensor at its heart captures lovely images and super-crisp 4K videos, and while the 24-70mm (35mm equivalent) lens range isn’t quite as broad as on the RX100 VI and RX100 VII, the lens itself has a wider f/1.8-2.8 aperture. The 2.36 million-dot viewfinder cleverly hides away when not in use, while optical image stabilization inside the lens keeps everything steady. You might want to pair it with a separate grip for better handling, but if you need a powerful compact to slip into your pocket – and you don’t want to spend a fortune getting it – you’ll find the RX100 IV delivers plenty.
Read our in-depth Sony Cyber-shot RX100 IV review
Honorary mentions
None of the above take your fancy? Got some cash to play with? Here are three further options.
In many ways, the RX100 VII is best compact around right now. Its autofocus system is comfortably ahead of any other pocket camera, tracking moving subjects with great reliability and making clever use of its Face and Eye AF, even in video mode. Video quality is superb, while image quality is also stellar. But all of this comes at a huge price, and for many people it’s just a little too steep for the camera to be included in the main list. Still, we can’t avoid mentioning it as it’s one of the best options around. If your budget isn’t limited at all, then you won’t find a more powerful compact than the Mark VII. But if you’re happy to sacrifice some of the latest autofocus features and a microphone jack, check out the RX100 VI (position 6), which offers most of its performance a little less cash.
Read more about the Sony RX100 VII
The Q2 is a thing of beauty, and right now it’s arguably the best compact camera around. 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. Leica hasn’t compromised on the spec sheet, with the 47.3MP sensor producing masses of detail and keeping noise impressive low, while the 3.68 million dot electronic viewfinder is bright and sharp. Also bright and sharp is that 28mm f/1.7 lens, while 4K videos show plenty of detail. It’s not the easiest to handle (although you can get an optional grip) and some may have preferred a tilting screen, but its build quality is near-faultless. If you’re pining for such a camera in your life but can’t quite find the funds, consider the previous Q1 model, which offers a slightly stripped-down feature set by comparison for a hell of a lot less.
We had mixed feelings when we came to review the GR III, but it still deserves a mention here. Why’s that? Because, despite a few quirks, Ricoh managed to get a lot right, and it delivers something no other compact quite manages right now, namely the combination of an image-stabilized 24MP APS-C sensor inside a body that you can squeeze into your pocket. Other advantages include a high-performing lens, fast operation, a revamped menu system and understated styling to help keep you discreet when you’re out shooting. The fixed 28mm-equivalent lens won’t be to everyone’s taste, and the battery life is also disappointing, but for those who need to travel light and take great images, this is a very capable alternative to an interchangeable-lens camera.
Read our in-depth Ricoh GR III review