Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras

Good morning everyone, how are you all? Staying well, hopefully. My family and I are suffering from a lot of fatigue and other things at the moment (still unsure whether it’s Covid-related), but we think we might just be feeling under the weather due to stress and the ever-changing temperature regarding the weather itself. Another thing that didn’t help to get better, especially this week was that on Monday 1st August, it marked 9 years since we lost my Grandad who I was very close to, without any warning which has made the past few days hard to deal with, but even though he may be gone he is never forgotten. Anyway, let’s move on with this week’s post…

In one of my posts a few weeks ago I mentioned that because I did a Best-DSLR-Cameras post, I would be doing a Best Point-and-Shoot Camera blog post as the list I did for the DSLRs was such a hit and because I was kindly asked if I could do a post featuring point-and-shoot cameras, it made me even happier to do this post, as having a point-and-shoot camera, you have everything you need to get shooting in a convenient single package. Rather than having to worry about changing lenses for different situations, a good point-and-shoot simply lets you get on with it by having a fixed lens in place. They’re designed to be fun and carefree and take the stress out of photography. But if you’re unsure and having trouble with choosing your next point-and-shoot camera, here is a list of the 10 best ones to choose from!

A point-and-shoot camera is a really handy bit of kit if you don’t want to carry anything heavy or fuss about with any complicated settings. They can fit in your pocket so you can take them everywhere with you and lots of them come with a built-in flash for when it’s dark. You’ll instantly notice the upgrade in image quality compared to shooting on a smartphone but you won’t need to spend any additional money on lenses. With so many point-and-shoot cameras on the market, choosing the right one for you can be a challenge. It’s a good idea to think about how advanced you need it to be, what features you can live without and how much you’re willing to spend. Cheaper cameras will a much smaller sensors and likely won’t be able to shoot in RAW but if you’re happy to splurge a bit, you can get some seriously advanced bits of kit that will fit in your pocket. Whether you’re looking for an upgrade from your smartphone to take on holidays, day trips, or special occasions, I’ve put together a list of the best point-and-shoot camera to suit all kinds of needs.

Canon PowerShot SX740 HS

SPECIFICATIONS

Camera type: Zoom point-and-shoot
Sensor: 1/2.3-inch back-illuminated
Resolution: 20.3MP
Video: 4K UHD
Lens: 24-960mm f/3.3-6.9 (40x optical)
Viewfinder: No
Screen: 3.0-inch 922,000 dots

If you’re after a camera with incredible zoom capabilities look no further than the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS with a focal range equivalent to 24 – 960mm on a full-frame camera. It has a 20.3MP 1/2.3-inch sensor and an LCD screen that can be flipped to face the front making it perfect for selfies. It also features 3.5-stop intelligent stabilization, making the telephoto end more useable, although understandably image quality does suffer a little. For anyone looking to shoot video too, it can film in 4K and as a max continuous burst shooting mode of 10fps. Ideally, the camera’s 3-inch flip-up screen would be touch sensitive and a viewfinder would be nice for shooting in bright light. But the SX740 HS is still towards the low end of the point-and-shoot price range, so everything is forgiven.

Olympus Tough TG-6

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1/2.3in
Megapixels: 12MP
Lens: 25-100mm f/2-4.9
LCD: 3in, 1,040k dots
Maximum continuous shooting speed: 20fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: From kids to adults

If you want a camera that does what it says on the tin the Olympus Tough TG-6 is exactly what you need. Not having to worry about damaging your camera really does make all the difference during your day-to-day adventures – and the Olympus Tough TG-6 is as tough as they come. Shockproof to 2.4m, waterproof to 15m, crushproof to 100kg and freeze-proof to -10C, you can go places and do things with the TG-6 that you wouldn’t even consider with a smartphone or most other cameras. It has a 25-100mm with an aperture of f/2 at the wide end and f/4.9 when it’s at its maximum zoom. It includes lots of interesting features that really come to life when shooting in clear water such as Macro and Microscope modes which allow you to get up close and personal. A better maximum aperture means more light, which means better-quality images. The ability to capture RAW stills and shoot at up to 20fps also make this camera a very good choice.

 Fujifilm XP140

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1/2.3in
Megapixels: 16.4MP
Video: 4K 15fps, Full HD 60fps
Lens: 28-140mm f/3.9-4.9 (5x optical)
LCD: 3in, 920k dots
Waterproof: 25m/82ft
Shockproof: 1.8m/5.9ft
Freezeproof: -10ºC/14º
FMax video resolution: 4K

Another camera that fares well against smartphones is the Fujifilm FinePix XP140 it can pretty much handle anything you throw at it. Whether you’re taking it 25m underwater, accidentally drop it from heights of 1.8m or want to use it in sub-freezing temperatures, this is a camera that won’t let you down. Not only has it got a really tough build, it also delivers high-quality images no matter what the lighting conditions, but it can also shoot UHD 4K and it’s really easy to operate. Even someone who isn’t particularly tech-savvy could capture some really nice images. One of the downsides is you can’t shoot in Raw and there isn’t a manual mode so if you’re a bit more of a serious photographer it may not be the camera for you, but if you just want a camera that you won’t break, won’t get water damage and can take some pretty pictures, the XP140 is more than ideal.

 Panasonic Lumix TZ90/ZS70

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1/2.3in
Megapixels: 20.3MP
Lens: 24-720mm 3.3-6.4
LCD: 3in tilting, 1,04k dots
Maximum continuous shooting speed: 10fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Beginner to intermediate

Instigators of the ‘travel-zoom’ type of point-and-shoot camera, Panasonic brought to the world the Panasonic Lumix TZ90 (known as the ZS70 in the US) camera, with 30x optical zoom and a 24-720mm focal range, supported by a five-axis image stabilization that has been found to be very effective. Even when fully zoomed in, the picture quality isn’t bad and built-in image stabilization helps with camera shake. If you’re going traveling, the combination of a massive zoom, small body, and WiFi capabilities make it the perfect companion. It features a small viewfinder as well as an LCD screen for you to view your images. Another key feature includes the lovely 3-inch touchscreen that tilts up for an intuitive selfie mode. Like the Canon SX740 HS, there’s a 1/2.3-inch sensor with 20.3MP and a 10fps continuous shooting mode. But the TZ90 can also shoot in raw format and offers in-camera raw editing, too.

FUJIFILM XF10

SPECIFICATIONS

Camera type: Large Sensor, Fixed Zoom Point-and-Shoot
Sensor: 24.2MP APS-C CMOS
Resolution: 24.2MP
Video: 4K 15fps, Full HD 60fps
Lens: 28mm f/2.8
Screen: 3-inch touchscreen, 1,040,000 dots
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

This stylish and tiny point-and-shoot boasts an APS-C sensor with a fixed 28mm f/2.8 lens. That focal length is similar to what you get with a phone, but the larger sensor and sharp specialized lens provide much better image quality. Inside the pared-down and tough metal body with traditional looks are some very modern features. There’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on board, plus USB charging. Video is a mixed bag – its 4K video is only 15fps, but Full HD is fine and there is a mic input. That fixed zoom makes the XF-10 more of a specialist tool, theoretically suited to street photography, for example. You can use it in fully automatic and just soak up all that lovely high image quality, but if you’re a bit more experienced there’s also a full range of manual controls.

Panasonic Lumix TZ200/TS200

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1/2.3in
Megapixels: 20.3MP
Lens: 24-720mm 3.3-6.4
LCD: 3in tilting, 1,04k dots
Maximum continuous shooting speed: 10fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Beginner to intermediate

What sets the ZS200/TZ200 apart from other travel zooms is that it has a large 1-inch sensor – that’s around four times the size of a typical 1/2.3-inch chip used in most of the other cameras in this list. That sensor size can be found in other compacts, but not in ones with such a long-reaching lens as the 15x optical zoom unit here, which gives you a very useful 24-360mm reach. Solidly constructed with an aluminum build and ergonomically laid out, it offers a good blend of hands-on control yet point-and-shoot accessibility, with the option to fish around in its pool of creative filter effects if you tire of its automatic mode. Being a Panasonic camera, the ZS200/TZ200 is also crammed full of excellent features; a 3-inch touchscreen, 2.3 million-dot EVF, and 4K video recording up to 30fps. For an all-in-one compact camera with decent image quality, you can’t do better than this.

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1in
Megapixels: 20.1MP
Lens: 28-84mm f/2-4.9
LCD: 3in, 1,040k dots
Maximum continuous shooting speed: 8.2fps
Max video resolution: 1920×1080 (Full HD)
User level: Beginner to intermediate

The Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II is a rather sophisticated-looking point-and-shoot camera, courtesy of its rather minimalist yet traditional appearance and streamlined controls, which have the benefit of keeping the body endearingly dinky. The 1-inch sensor provides a notable upgrade on quality compared to a smartphone – the other camera you have on you at all times – and this plus a 28-84mm optical zoom lens plus the ability to burst-shoot at 8.1fps plus intuitive touchscreen focusing makes the G9 X Mark II a seriously tempting package. There’s no viewfinder, but the 3in LCD on the rear also responds to touch, which again ensures that physical controls can be kept to a minimum. In use, you can get a lot out of the G9 X Mark II. As well to the aforementioned fast burst rate, the buffer should also be appreciated having been improved to 21 shots, which is more than enough for a solid burst of action.

Nikon Coolpix W300

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1/2.3in
Megapixels: 16 MP
Lens: 24-120mm
LCD: 3-inch, 921K dot resolution
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Beginner to intermediate

Despite being small enough to squeeze into a jacket pocket, it’s perfect for placing in the hands of smaller members of the family who want to take pictures. This toughened water and drop-proofed Nikon Coolpix W300 point-and-shoot should appeal to butter-fingered big kids too, or simply those seeking to achieve more adventurous outdoor photography without risking their smartphone or larger camera set up. Of course, given its status as a camera able to withstand a bit of rough and tumble, the relatively modest yet useful 5x optical zoom lens providing the equivalent focal range of 24-120mm in 35mm terms is internally stacked. At no point does it protrude from the body where it might inadvertently happen into harm’s way. The range here also means the camera is most ideally suited to landscape and portrait shots, the two most popular photographic subjects after all.

Fujifilm X100V

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor: 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4
Processor: X-Processor 4
Lens: 23mm F2.0 lens (35mm equivalent)
Viewfinder: Hybrid Viewfinder (OVF&EVF)
Screen: 3-inch, 1.62-million-dot, two-way tilting touchscreen
Video Resolution: 4K at 30fps
Dimensions: 128×74.8×53.3mm
User level: Expert

The Fujifilm X100V isn’t just a good-looking camera, it also takes some excellent photos thanks to a 26MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor, and an updated lens design improves macro performance. The lens on the front is a 23mm f/2.0 prime lens, giving a 35mm equivalent (in 35mm terms), and the tilting touchscreen on the back makes this camera much easier to use at awkward angles, without compromising its slimline design. You’ll also find Fujifilm’s latest Film Simulation modes, with a number of black and white film options, including ACROS, as well as the option to add a film-like grain effect to images, great for those gritty black and white street photographs. If you’re interested in recording video, then you’ll find the camera has 4K video recording at 30fps, although the lack of image stabilization may be a deal-breaker for some.

Panasonic Lumix LX100 II

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Compact
Sensor size: Micro Four Thirds
Megapixels: 17MP
Lens: 24-75mm, f/1.7-2.8 (Equiv.)
LCD: 3in fixed, 1,24 million dots
Viewfinder: EVF
Continuous shooting: 11fps
Max video resolution: 4K
User level: Enthusiast/expert

The Panasonic Lumix LX100 II offers a multi-aspect ratio sensor, based on a Four Thirds sensor, and combined with a bright f/1.7-2.8 zoom lens with optical image stabilization, you get a camera that can perform well in low-light shooting situations. There’s a 3-inch touchscreen, but unfortunately, this doesn’t tilt. You’ll also find a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 2.76m dots. The LX100 II is a newer version of the original LX100. The new model has a 17-megapixel ‘multi-aspect’ sensor, which means you can use its native 4:3 aspect ratio, the 3:2 ratio used by most DSLRs and mirrorless models, or a 16:9 ‘wide’ format without losing lots of megapixels through cropping. The metal-bodied camera benefits from a number of external controls and switches, and this makes it a great tactile camera to use, letting you set different settings even when the camera is switched off. As you would expect with a premium camera, you can record 4K video, and the camera has built-in Wi-Fi so you can transfer images to your smartphone, as well as control it remotely.

The two main advantages of point-and-shoot cameras are convenience and portability. Point-and-shoots are easy to use, they tend to be light, and they have everything you need to start taking pictures from the moment you open the box. They also tend to be much more affordable than buying the equivalent camera and lens combination that would be in a DSLR or mirrorless system, they are also great for capturing places, moments, and memories without requiring you to become a master photographer who understands things like aperture, depth-of-field, exposure, ISO, shutter speed and the focal length of a lens. That said, if you’re familiar with these terms or want to grow as a photographer, the more advanced point-and-shoot models—many showcased here—have you covered. I will say before purchasing a point-and-shoot camera, think about the types of pictures you shoot or want to shoot and the conditions under which you will shoot. Also think about whether you want a camera that’s super simple to use, or if you’re willing to invest some time and practice learning how to use a more advanced camera, but If you need a decent, affordable camera with some nifty features, then a point-and-shoot is the way to go.

Thank you for coming to my blog and reading today’s post, I hope you all enjoy the rest of the week and I shall see you next Wednesday.