For most travellers, the ideal camera for travel photography is lightweight, versatile and able to produce high-quality images. There are several types of cameras available including; point and shoots, compact cameras, mirror-less, and DSLRs. Each type of camera has its own pros and cons. When selecting a camera, you should first select what is most important to you – weight, size, features, ease of use, price are some of the things you need to consider.
DSLR’s are heavy and bulky, however, they have larger sensors, allowing them to produce better quality photographs than Mirrorless. They can also offer more features, reliability, and versatility than the other types of cameras available.
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Best Point-and-Shoot Camera for Travel Photography
The smallest and normally cheapest type of camera available, point-and-shoots are perfect if you want something lightweight while still giving you a decent quality. Some point-and-shoots now include WiFi, HDR and in-camera panorama modes.
Sony DSC-Rx100 V Point-and-Shoot Digital Camera
- 20.2 MP Exmor
- Bright F1.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens with 3.6x zoom
- Full HD 1080/60p video with manual control and dual record
- 3-Inch Xtra Fine LCD display with bright whites & true blacks
- Ultra-slim, sophisticated aluminium body
Canon PowerShot G9 X 20.2 MP Digital Camera
$529 MSRP / £399 RRP
- 1.0-inch, 20.2 Megapixel* High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor combined with Canon’s powerful DIGIC 6 Image Processor creates the Canon HS SYSTEM for outstanding low-light performance up to ISO 12800, enhanced image quality and fast operation
- Ultra-slim, lightweight and pocket-size camera with intuitive LCD touch panel that has an improved user interface, which allows for quick and easy setting changes even while taking a picture
- Capture stunning 1080p Full HD video (60p/30p/24p options) for lifelike images and convenient playback on an HDTV via the HDMI output. Record at up to 60 frames per second for even more detailed, superb results in MP4 format
- Easily transfer images and videos to a compatible smartphone, tablet or Canon Connect Station CS100 device with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC capability, and share on social networking sites or view on an HDTV
- Continuous shooting speeds of up to 6.0 fps helps capture dynamic movements of fast-moving subjects
- Shoot breathtaking images and video of the stars with Star Mode designed to better capture the brilliance and wonder of the night sky
Ricoh GR II Digital Camera
- 16.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
- Built-in Wi-FI and NFC module for transferring and sharing images
- New high-performance GR Lens eq. to 28mm F2.8
- Sensitivity up to 25 600 ISO
- Full HD movie with HDMI terminal
Best Compact Camera for Travel Photography
Compact cameras are bulkier than point-and-shoots but still lightweight enough to be great for travel, while packing more features and better image quality. Compact cameras sometimes feature full manual mode, which isn’t always available on point-and-shoots.
Canon PowerShot SX530 HS
- Zoom in 50x on distant detail or capture better landscapes
- Sharp results in your photos and movies with IS
- Connect using Wi-Fi with NFC and enjoy remote shooting via smartphone
- Easily keep your subject in the frame with zoom framing assist
- Shoot high quality images in any light with 16.0 MP CMOS and HS System
Sony Cyber-shot HX400V
- 20.4MP Exmor R CMOS Sensor for superb low light images
- Keep your subject in focus with Lock-On AF
- Simple connectivity to smartphones via Wi-Fi w/NFC3
- Map your images with GPS tagged photos
- Enhance features w/ downloadable camera apps
- 4K quality still image output via HDMI2
- Motion Shot Video traces the subjects movement
The Best Mirrorless Cameras for Travel Photography
Mirrorless cameras are lightweight cameras with interchangeable lenses and less bulky than DSLRs. You may be wondering what a mirrorless camera is. Unlike DSLRs, mirrorless cameras do not contain a mirror reflex viewfinder. Instead, mirrorless cameras have electronic viewfinders, which allows you to see the effect your camera settings have on the photograph in real-time.
Mirrorless cameras are the ideal camera for those who want an interchangeable lens system without the weight and size issues of DSLRs.
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Mirrorless Digital Camera with 14-42mm II R Lens
- Built-in 5-Axis image stabilization for sharper images
- 2.3 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder with 0.62X magnification
- Silent mode (disables all shutter sounds)
- 8.5 frames per second burst shooting
- Fast touch autofocus from camera or phone
Sony Alpha a7IIK Mirrorless Digital Camera with 28-70mm Lens
- World’s first 5-axis in-body image stabilization in a full-frame camera.
- Use your favorite lenses without blur from camera shake.
- Capture stunning images with full-frame, 24.3MP resolution.
- Fast Hybrid AF with phase-detection – 30% faster than a7.
- Compatible with Sony’s E-mount lenses, and others with adaptors.
Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 16-50mm Power Zoom Lens
- 24 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
- ISO 100-25600 (expandable to 51200)
- Hybrid AF with 179-point focal plane phase-detection and 25 contrast detect points
- Up to 11 FPS continuous shooting
- 3-inch tilting LCD with 921,000 dots
- OLED electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage and 1.4 million dots
- Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC
Best Digital SLR Cameras for Travel Photography
A lot of travel photographers have decided to ditch their bulky DSLR setups in favor of the lighter Mirrorless setup. However, DSLRs still offer higher quality photographers and a wider selection of lenses and accessories. DSLR’s are still the go-to systems for wildlife and sports photographers due to the higher FPS, better buffer speed and length of telephoto lenses available. Landscape photographers favor full-frame systems due to the larger sensor size. If these things are important to you then you should consider a DSLR.
Nikon D500 20.9MP CMOS DX Format Digital SLR
- 20.9MP DX-Format CMOS Sensor
- EXPEED 5 Image Processor
- 3.2″ 2,539k-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 4K UHD Video Recording at 30 fps
- Multi-CAM 20K 153-Point AF System
- Native ISO 51200, Extend to ISO 1640000
- 10 fps Shooting for Up to 200 Frames
Nikon D5300 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera
- 24MP DX-format CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter
- 39-point AF system with 3D tracking and 3D matrix metering II
- 5 frames per second continuous shooting
- ISO 100 – 12800 (Expandable to 25600)
- 3.2″ Vari-angle LCD with 1,037,000 dots
- 1080 (60p, 30p, 24p) and 720 (60p, 50p) HD video (H.264/MPEG-4)
- Built-in Wi-Fi (for sharing and remote camera control) and GPS
Canon EOS 7D Mark II
- 20.2 MP CMOS sensor and ISO 100-16000
- High speed continuous shooting up to 10.0 fps
- 65-point all cross-type AF system
- Stunning Full HD video with Custom Movie Servo AF (speed and sensitivity)
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF enables you to shoot video like a camcorder
Canon EOS 80D
- 45-point all cross-type AF system* allows for superb autofocus when shooting with the optical viewfinder and focusing area selection modes.
- Intelligent Viewfinder with approximately 100% viewfinder coverage.
- 24.2 Megapixel (APS-C) CMOS sensor helps provide impressive, high-resolution results.
- Improved Dual Pixel CMOS AF helps you shoot video with smooth, fast and accurate autofocus, and stills with instant and precise autofocus.
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Interesting but I would have said the Olympus EM5 Mk 2 which is streets ahead of the EM10.
Thank you for the interesting read though
Rick McEvoy