best travel camera ken rockwell

Nikon vs Canon vs Sony Full-Frame Mirrorless   Mirrorless vs DSLR

Canon : EOS R3 R5 R5C R6 R RP 1DX III 1DX II 5DS/R 5D Mk IV 6D II   90D T8i SL3 Flash Lenses

Nikon : Z9 Z7 II Z6 II Z7 Z6 Z5 Z fc Z50 D6 D5 D850 D780 D750 D500 D7500 D5600 D3500 Flash   Lenses Best Nikon Lenses

Sony : A1 A9 II A9 A7R IV A7R III A7 IV A7 III A7R II A7S III A7c A7 II A6600 A6400 A6100 A6000 ZV-E10 RX10/4 RX100/7 RX100/6 Lenses

Fujifilm : GFX100S GFX100 GFX50R X100V X100F X-T4 X-T3 X-T30 X-Pro3 X-S10 X-E4 X-T200   Film   Lenses

LEICA : SL2 SL2 S Q2 Q2M M11 M10-R M10M M10P M10 M240 M-E M9P M9T M9 M7 M6/TTL CLE M3 IIIf IIIa Lenses

All Reviews : Apple   Audio   Zeiss   Tamron   Sigma   Tokina   Hasselblad   Contax   Olympus   Pentax   Yosemite 2021

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Valentine's Day Sale on Phil Steele Photography Courses

My friend Phil Steele is having a sale on his courses. Phil's tutorials are the best I've seen; check out his previews and see for yourself. He has a 60-day no-risk money-back guarantee, so you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. You can watch them from anywhere on just about anything, far better than a book, file or eBook.

30% Off: Understanding Your Camera .

33% Off: Advanced Off-Camera Flash .

33% Off: Secrets of Successful Event Photography .

30% Off: Lightroom Made Easy .

30% Off: Photoshop Basics for Photographers .

30% Off: Pro Portraits with Off-Camera Flash .

Phil has a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can't afford not to try it.

29 December 2021, Wednesday

In Stock: Sony a7 IV w/ 28-70mm: $2,698 .

In Stock: Canon T8i: $749 .

In Stock: Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8: $296.95 .

In Stock: Canon XF605 Camcorder: $4,499 .

In Stock: Tenba DNA 16 Backpack: $219.95 .

B&H is having a mega sale . They're also having a mega sale on accessories . Most of these deals end on the 29th.

For instance, some of the many deals are:

$55 Off: SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SD Card: $24.99 . (discount applied in-cart; it's over $30 at Amazon for instance.)

25 December 2021, C h r i s t m a s D a y !!!!

M e r r y c h r i s t m a s to all, 23 december 2021, thursday, new: canon ef 100-400mm l is ii stabilization measurements ., new: canon ef 28-135mm is stabilization measurements . , new: canon ef to rf 0.71× cinema mount adapter . .

This is for using full-frame EF lenses on Canon's Super 35 Cine cameras . It adds a stop of speed and lets you take advantage of most of the angle-of-view of the lens with the cropped Super 35 sensor.

22 December 2021, Wednesday

Last-chance deals at b&h ..

All end at midnight tonight, NYC time (9PM west coast).

New: Angler Chroma Green Retractable Background . 

New: Impact 8 x 10' Collapsible White Background . 

New: Angler 14" Bi-Color LED Ring Light Kit . 

New: Raya 18" Bendie-Brite Folding Bi-Color Ring Light .

20 December 2021, Monday

Canon RF 100~400mm IS USM.

New: Canon RF 100-400mm IS USM Review .

An astonishingly sharp and fast- and close-focusing lens for a super low price.

$2,000 Off: Canon 1DX Mk II: $3,999 .

220 degree fisheye: rare nikon 6mm f/5.6 at ebay ..

These classic mirror-up fisheyes work much great today on mirrorless, much better than they ever did on SLRs. Here;s my review of its 180º 8mm f/8 sister.

I haven't bought from this seller before, but I believe I've seen them over the years, specializing in crazy things like this.

$160 Off: SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO CFast 2.0 Memory Card: $139.99 .

Up to $510 off: panasonic gh5 camera and kits ., up to $100 off: lacie rugged portable ssds ., $120 off: mevo start 2 x live streaming cameras kit with 2 x table stands & storage cases: $899.94 ., 18 december 2021, saturday.

Readers noticed that the Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 seemed like the same lens as the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 for Sony E .

I performed an investigation, and while very similar to the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (model A063) , the Tamron has a different optical deign: 17 elements in 15 groups versus Nikon's 15 elements in 12 groups.

I investigated because it was I who first broke the news over 15 years ago that Nikon's then very popular Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6D ED indeed seemed identical to the Tamron 70-300.4-5.6, so this today was a credible accusation.

While lenses for similar purposes often have very similar specifications and have internal diagrams that look very similar because optical designers of any era usually design similar lenses around the same basic optical structure, the actual products are indeed different products from different companies. I put this one to bed.

More accusations continued to come in, and finally someone clarified that the Nikon lens isn't the newest A063 G2 Tamron , but indeed the old, obsolete Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD for Sony E (model A036) !

Holy cow, I never would have thought to look through Tamron's boneyard (I'm an artist who has to produce exciting images for a living, not a camera researcher), but yes, everything about these two lenses appears to be the same, even down to the weights and the MTF curves.

Maybe because it's an obsolete Tamron lens not as much was done to launder the issue, but normally when these hijinks are played each maker will show the internal lens construction diagram with the lens set to a different focal length, which changes the positions of the elements to hide the stain of all this.

Here are the Nikon's specifications and MTF diagrams , and here's Tamron's data on their old lens that you only can buy used today.

So what if it's the same lens? Maybe Nikon is producing the design under licence, or maybe Tamron is making them for Nikon. It doesn't matter; I still have my Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 on order for a few more and less obvious reasons:

1.) Sure I can get the old Tamron used at eBay for half the price ( $550 if you know How to Win at eBay ), but the old Tamron only comes in Sony E mount, so in no way can it replace the Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 .

2.) Even of there was a Nikon mount of the old Tamron lens, off-brands aren't a long-term investment as I make. When I buy a camera-brand lens I know it will work on the new cameras (like my Z9 ) whenever those new cameras come out. It's a crapshoot with off-brands as to whether or not they'll work properly on new camera models.

3.) Even if I preferred to slum it for $899 for the newest A063 G2 Tamron , the new Tamron also only comes in Sony mount, so it's back to rule number one above.

16 December 2021, Thursday

In stock: sony a1 ., more deals:.

Up to $500 off Nikon .

Quintupled Rewards on Photography gear at Adorama.

Holiday gifts at Adorama .

I'm still working on my Yosemite photos from October. Here's two more:

Shimmering Aspens, Tioga Pass Road, 12:25 P.M, 18 October 2021. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max 9mm (77mm eq.) camera at f/2.8 at 1 / 315 at Auto ISO 32 ( LV 12.9), Perfectly Clear , Skylum Aurora HDR from my single JPG shot, split-toned print. bigger or fit-to-screen .

Golden Aspen, Tioga Pass Road, 12:49 P.M., 18 October 2021. Canon EOS R5 in 4:5 crop mode, RF 24-240mm IS USM at 150mm at f/11 at 1 / 100 at ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation ( LV 13.6), Skylum Aurora HDR to bring up the dark green shadows from my single JPG shot . bigger or fit-to-screen or camera-original 45 MP © 9 MB JPG .

15 December 2021, Wednesday

Deals on flash storage, $43 off: sandisk 256 gb extreme pro sd: $56.99 ., $17 off: sandisk 256 gb extreme sd: $42.99 ., external usb-c ssds, $90 off: sandisk extreme 512 gb external ssd: $79.99 ., $180 off: sandisk extreme 1 tb external ssd: $139.99 ., $90 off: sandisk extreme pro 1 tb external ssd: $209.99 . ( also at amazon .), $170 off: sandisk extreme pro 2 tb external ssd: $329.99 . ( also at amazon .), $260 off: sandisk extreme pro 4 tb external ssd: $739.99 . ( also at amazon .), flash drives, $14 off: sandisk 256 gb extreme pro usb flash drive: $58.99 ., $29 off: sandisk 512 gb usb flash drive: $50.99 ., 2.5" sata iii ssds, $110 off: sandisk ultra 2 tb ssd: $179.99 ., $75 off: sandisk ultra 1 tb ssd: $89.99 ., $30 off: sandisk ultra 500 gb ssd: $54.99 ..

Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8.

NEW: Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 Review .

14 december 2021, tuesday, just teasing: nikon z 800mm f/6.3 ..

Just more hot air from Nikon, No price, no delivery, nothing. It's not nice to tease when I already had my Canon RF 800mm last summer! Birders will love it, if they don't upgrade to Canon first as I did.

13 December 2021, Monday

Here are some hot deals for today. As always these come and go; some are only good today and if you know New York City, all these deals come and go depending on availability and demand from hour to hour, so don't delay — B&H for example offers returns until February 1st next year, so no worries ordering what you need now:

Green Deals: Green Monday at B&H .

$300 off: nikon af-s 105mm f/2.8g ed vr macro: $596.95 ..

This really is a deal; it's usually been around $800 ~ $900 for the past ten years.

$550 off: Canon 80D w/18-135mm: $1,149 .

The 80D is an awesome camera , and the newest EF-s 18-135 USM IS USM is astounding; its nano-USM focus motor gives instantaneous autofocus!

$500 off: Sony A7R IV A: $2,998 .

The A7R IV is Sony's highest resolution! $2,998 ? Crazy!

More: 8 More Package Deals on the A7R IV A.  

$300 off & $100 rebate: sony fe 24-105mm f/4 g oss: $998 after rebate ., $200 off: sigma 150-600mm for sony: $1,299 . .

Ends tonight, don't dilly-dally if you want yours.

Less than half price: SanDisk 500GB Extreme Portable SSD: $79.99 .

More deals: sandisk external & internal ssds. even a 4tb ssd is $300 off , deals: 16 different samsung ssd deals ., $50 off: dji mavic 2 fly more kit: $349 ., canon rf 100-400mm is usm.

I'm loving my Canon RF 100-400mm IS USM , whose formal review is still under construction, but what more is there to know? Autofocus is nearly instantaneous and its ultrasharp and astonishingly clear. Here are some snaps from Saturday:

1956 Chevrolet, 9:30 AM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 , RF 100-400mm IS USM at 281mm at f/9 at 1 / 400 at Auto ISO 100 ( LV 15.0), as shot. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © 6 MB JPG  file . Focus is on the logo and license plate; the bumper guards are closer and therefore not in focus.

Sky Blue Oldsmobile, 9:33 AM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 , RF 100-400mm IS USM at 270mm at f/9 at 1 / 320 at Auto ISO 100 ( LV 14¾), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © 9 MB JPG  file .

That's not distortion; it's a curved hood.

Panther Pink Plymouth Hemi Barracuda Convertible 4 Speed, 9:40 AM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 , RF 100-400mm IS USM at 100mm at f/10 at 1 / 320 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation ( LV 15.0), as shot. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © 10 MB JPG  file .

Focus is on the Barracuda logo and tail light; the fly is out of focus.

Teal Cadillac, 9:44 AM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 , RF 100-400mm IS USM at 165mm at f/10 at 1 / 500 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation ( LV 15.6), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © 18 MB JPG  file .

Focus is on the Cadillac logo. For what's in focus, you can see every sparkle in the metallic paint .

Plum Crazy Purple Dodge, 1:45 PM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 in square crop mode, RF 100-400mm IS USM at 118mm at f/8 at 1 / 250 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation ( LV 14.0), Skylum Aurora HDR to bring up the dark shadows from my single JPG shot. bigger or camera-original 30 MP © 6 MB JPG  file .

Cop Motor, Cop Tires, Cop Suspension, Cop Shocks and Cop Hubcaps, 1:46 PM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 in square crop mode, RF 100-400mm IS USM at 118mm at f/11 at 1 / 160 at Auto ISO 100, -1 stop exposure compensation to keep the blacks black ( LV 14.4), as shot. bigger or camera-original 30 MP © 7 MB JPG  file .

Focus is on the left side of the tire.

Red 1969 Road Runner, 1:54 PM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 in square crop mode, RF 100-400mm IS USM at 165mm at f/9 at 1 / 400 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation to keep the vivid red from overloading ( LV 15.0), exactly as shot. bigger .

Focus is on the Road Runner decal.

Red Hot 1969 Road Runner, 1:58 PM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 in 4:5 crop mode, RF 100-400mm IS USM at 135mm at f/6.3 at 1 / 200 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation to keep the vivid red from overloading ( LV 13.0), as shot. bigger .

Focus is on the Road Runner decal above the trunk lock.

Black Chrysler, 2:03 PM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 in square crop mode, RF 100-400mm IS USM at 118mm at f/8 at 1 / 250 at Auto ISO 100, -1.3 stops exposure compensation to keep blacks black ( LV 14.0), Skylum Aurora HDR to bring up the resulting dark shadows from my single JPG shot. bigger or camera-original 30 MP © 6 MB JPG  file .

See the green reflection in the bumper? That's me.

Orange Challenger, 2:03 PM, Saturday, 11 December 2021. Canon EOS R5 , RF 100-400mm IS USM at 259mm at f/9 at 1 / 320 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation to keep the vivid orange from overloading the red channel ( LV 14.1), cropped to square, Perfectly Clear . bigger .

Here's a snap from October:

Backlit Soap Bubbles, Nellie Gail Ranch, 4:21 PM, Sunday, 24 October 2021. Canon EOS R5 , 1.6x crop mode (left on by mistake), RF 100-400mm IS USM at 149mm at f/7.1 at 1 / 1,000 at Auto ISO 640 ( LV 13.0), Skylum Aurora HDR to bring up the dark background. bigger or camera-original 45 MP © JPG  file .

And wow, I forgot I had this one from last month:

Desert Paradise at Dawn, 6:37 AM, Thursday, 18 November 2021. Canon EOS R5 , RF 100-400mm IS USM at 183mm wide-open at f/7.1 hand-held at 1 / 125 at Auto ISO 100, -1 stop exposure compensation as not to blow-out the red channel with the very saturated reds ( LV 12.6), Skylum Aurora HDR to bring up the resultant dark foreground, all from one basic JPG file . bigger , full resolution 45 MP 19 MB file or camera-original 45 MP © 14 MB JPG  file .

Focus is on the line of palms. Sharp enough for you?

Yes, my RF 100-400mm IS USM is as sharp as my EF 100-400mm L IS II , but a fraction of the size, weight and price.

11 December 2021, Saturday

Finally new reviews from rockwell.

Today it's Beauty and the Beast :

Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM.

New: Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Review .

One of the most innovative lenses introduced in years; it lets us do more with less, answering the call of mirrorless.

Mitakon 90mm f/1.5 für LEICA M.

New: Mitakon 90mm f/1.5 Review .

A poorly made special-effects lens with great bokeh that comes in mounts für LEICA M , for Canon RF, for Nikon Z and for Sony E .

09 December 2021, Thursday

New: leica q2 reporter edition ..

It's the same LEICA Q2 covered with woven Kevlar rather than leather and with the red LEICA badge removed.

New: B&H's new holiday sales page .

New: Ne Roto RGBAW LED Light .

New: Rotolight NEO 3 LED Ultimate Light Kit .

New: Rotolight NEO 3 LED 3-Light Kit .

New: Godox Knowled M600D Daylight LED Light .

New: Godox FLS8 Fresnel Lens .

New: Godox Barndoors for FLS8 Fresnel Lens .

Ricoh GR IIIx .

Venus Optics Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Zoom Lens for Leica L .

Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D Lens for Leica L .

Zhiyun-Tech CRANE-M3 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer .

08 December 2021, Wednesday

Now in stock.

Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS .

Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS .

ZEISS Batis 25mm f/2 Lens for Sony E .

Fuli X-S10 .

Fuli XF 23mm f/1.4 R .

Blackmagic Design URSA Broadcast G2 Camera .

Blackmagic Design URSA Broadcast G2 Camera Kit w/Fujinon LA16x8BRM-XB1A .

07 December 1941, 80th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Attack

New goodies:.

New: Oben ALF-6113L Tripod w/Ball Head: $199.95 .

New: Auray 5-Section 7.7' Carbon Fiber Mic Boom: $169.99 .

New: Auray BP-47A 7.5' Mic Boom w/Internal XLR Cable: $149.95 .

New: Auray 5-Section 7.7' Carbon Fiber Mic w/Internal XLR cable: $249.95 .

New: Magnetic Light Mount, holds 100 pounds: $28.95 . 

New: Gabor Dual Monitor Mount: $99.95 .

06 December 2021, Monday

$500 off: sony a7r iv a: $2,998 ., $300 off: nikon af-s 500mm f/5.6e pf ed vr: $3.296.95 ., $1,300 off: olympus e-m1x: $1,699 ., $400 off: lumix gx85 w/12-32mm & 45-150mm: $597.99 ..

Nikon AF-S 58mm f/1.4 G .

Updated: Nikon AF-S 58mm f/1.4G .

I updated prices (today just $1,447 rather than $1,700 when it came out in 2013) and optimized the page size for the newest screens.

Nikon AF-s 35mm f/1.4G.

Updated: Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G .

I updated prices and optimized the page size for the newest screens.

05 December 2021, Sunday

Gift: apple watch series 7 ..

I still owe you a formal review, and for those of you familiar with the Apple Watch the most striking thing that makes me love my Series 7 over my old Series 6 is just how much bigger is the screen.

While the case only grows one millimeter on paper, in reality the display is much, much larger as it now goes much further toward the sides than does the screen on the old Series 6 .

Don't look at the case size, which doesn't seem any larger on my wrist. The big deal is the active screen size, which grows from 1.778" diagonal to 1.918" diagonal, both at the same at 326 DPI. This is for my 44mm Series 6 versus my 45mm Series 7 , and for the size of the equivalent rectangle filled by the rounded-cornered screen. When it's this small every millimeter matters.

It also adds a direct QWERTY keyboard, better bike ride tracking and a host of other things — but for most of what I do, the bigger screen makes everything so much better, making this a great gift for everyone who doesn't already have this newest version Series 7 which was only released 7 weeks ago.

Skylum Aurora HDR

The reason you haven't seen much in the way of new reviews for the past couple of weeks is that I've been working on my photos from Yosemite. I was getting them done and then discovered Skylum Aurora HDR about halfway through. Unfortunately this program easily made my images look even better than my final edits so far, so now I need to go back and rerun everything through Aurora HDR .

What's cool about Aurora HDR is that I use it as a plug-in to Photoshop ( CS6 from 2011 in my case) and it does amazing and automatic things to my individual JPG images. Aurora HDR is set up for nuts like me to add significant WOW factor to images; you don't have to shoot raw or use more than one frame at a time just because it's called HDR. I am amazed at how the very first image I tried just automatically popped out so much better than my previous best and final attempt, and how clairvoyantly simple and obvious it is to use and tweak. It has just the sliders I need right where I expect them so I can Make Magic Faster™.

Of course I also use Perfectly Clear , as I have for quite a while. I've only tried HDR a few times. What I can see at this early stage is that Perfectly Clear is for normal use, like family Christmas card photos and normal everything else. I put in crazy into Perfectly Clear to get crazy out, while I can put plain into HDR and make it crazy easily. HDR makes it easy to take my not-too-crazy photos to insane levels of color and impact.

04 December 2021, Saturday

Yum: giant lindt 10.2 oz. german-made advent calendar..

You know I'm a big kid. As a little kid we simple had cardboard advent calenders with little " car bingo " style windows to show a little picture of something Christmassy each day. The fun was trying to find the correct window each day.

As a big kid I graduated to German advent calendars that had 1.7 oz (50g) of chocolate total, enough for a tiny taste each day.

This year I managed to get one of these Lindt whoppers , and it's awesome! Each day has has a different Lindt delicacy, and the first day I got two treats. I'm loving this season!

03 December 2021, Friday

New: best usb-c card readers, docks & hubs compared ..

I spent a day and a half measuring, photographing and writing all this to save ourselves a few seconds of download time.

Astonishingly it can take just 12 seconds or over two minutes to download the same 5GB set of 500 files depending on which you use, and the crazy part is that simply using the wrong cable can make that much difference - even with the same card, computer and reader!

Lexar CF, SD & Micro Card Reader . bigger .

HINT: The fastest SD reader was the Lexar CF, SD & Micro Card Reader I bought for $29.99 from Amazon last week , and it's now on sale for just $21.99 at B&H .

02 December 2021, Thursday

New: i added maximum macro repro ratios to each of canon's rf lenses at my canon rf lens index ., $50 off and new: canon zoom digital monocular: $269.99 .

Wow, it was $319.99 yesterday, and $269.99 today . At this rate it will be free by Christmas, but this is listed as a Cyber week special. Get it while you can.

01 December 2021, Wednesday

New: sony alpha drone system.

This UAV holds your Sony Alpha or similar camera!

There's a dedicated gimbal for it , and here are links to spare chargers , batteries , propellers and remote controls .

NEW: Canon ZOOM Digital Monocular

This is a tiny (5 oz./145g) stabilized electronic zoom scope with a 12 MP camera and viewer. As best I can fathom it's a complete high quality mirrorless camera system and viewer with dedicated long zoom lens. You can just look though it with Live View, or use it for video and still shots.

It looks like a great gift for our friends who want to get out there with us, but not carry a big zoom lens and camera. It ought to be a great gift for bird watchers, people's mom's with bird feeders or to carry along with my iPhone 13 Pro Max when I have no other camera with me, since it picks up the tele range where the iPhone stops.

Coming from Canon, a world leader in cameras and stabilized sport optics, you know it's got to be good.

For $319.99 how can you go wrong? You can return it through February first next year from B&H if you don't LOVE it.

NEW: Tenba DNA 16 DSLR Photo Backpack

$100 off: nikon z 24-50mm fx ., $30 off: nikon dx 40mm f/2.8 macro ..

You know you want it .

DJI Action 2 Power Combo

Camera, or Ring Doorbell ?

Vuze XR 3D VR180° / 2D 360° 5.7K Camera

Funniest looking camera ever! Try NOT to laugh!

Vuze 4K 3D 360 Spherical VR Camera

The last camera looks like a robot , while this one looks like a Roomba or an Alexa !

NEW: McIntosh MQ 107 Environmental Equalizer Review .

I just got one and ran it through my lab, and thus I published this lab report.

Tough, that's how this website started over 22 years ago: me publishing my own lab data for my own personal reference.

30 November 2021, Tuesday

$100 off: gopro hero7 black bundle: $249 ., $1,500 off: canon 1d x mark ii: $4,499 ., $550 off: canon 80d w/18-135mm: $1,149 . , $200 off: canon eos r: $1,599 ., 29 november 2021, cyber monday, new cyber monday deals, b&h's cyber monday deal zone, adorama's cyber monday.

$600 Off: A7 III with 24-70mm f/2.8: $3,596 .

21 more deals: A7 III package deals .

$220 Off: 13.3" MacBook Pro, Retina, Mid 2020, Space Gray: $1,079 . Expires at midnight NYC/9PM west coast time, while supplies last.

$200 Off: 14.2" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, Late 2021, Space Gray: $1,799 . Expires at midnight NYC/9PM west coast time, while supplies last.

$130 Off: 13.3" MacBook Air M1, Retina Display, Late 2020, Silver: $869 . Expires at midnight NYC/9PM west coast time, while supplies last.

$170 Off: Seagate 16TB External Hard Drive: $369.99 . I use four of these in rotation to backup all my computers (I use the 10 TB size).

& More!

$240 Off: Oben CT-2491 Carbon Fiber Tripod and BC-166 Ball Head Kit: $408.50 .

18 more deals: Oben Tripod Deals .

$150 Off: Luxli Timpani 1x1' LED RGBAW Light: $849.99 . I use two of these for everything I do at KenRockwell.TV .

Lowest Price Yet: Capture One software .

Half Price: Sennheiser HD 25 Special Edition Pro Headphones: $99.99 .

This applies for Cyber Monday at B&H, too:

Deals galore at Adorama , at Amazon , at B&H and at Crutchfield , and here are some more specific deals pages:

Adorama's Deals of the Day  

Amazon's Daily Deals

B&H's Deal Zone

Crutchfield's Sales (hint: Crutchfield also specializes in home & car Hi-Fi audio and home theatre, so go get yourself some goodies!)

Think Tank bag sale .

Half Off Perfectly Clear !

Perfectly Clear is the software I use with most of my shots . It makes them look better, faster than doing it manually.

Perfectly Clear Complete automatically applies up to 40 corrections to each image. From color correction to retouching, Perfectly Clear does it all— get your copy at 50% off today here with code KENROCKWELL . Have it already? I've negotiated an exclusive offer for you of 35% off all Preset Packs with code KEN35 here .

28 November 2021, Sunday

So loving amazon.

We've all seen the media trying to scare us worrying that our shopping will be thwarted by long delays, so I really had to laugh last night.

I ordered a ton from Amazon on Black Friday as I shared below. Most of it was promised delivery for this coming Tuesday the 30th.

Most of it already arrived yesterday — in just one day!

God bless Amazon ! I'm writing this on my 2017 MacBook Pro using my on-sale $47.99 Anker Side-Mount USB-C Hub to have my MacBook up on my 55" 4K HDMI monitor on my desk. Whoo hoo!

As expected, the elegant Anker Side-Mount USB-C UniDock Hub is only rated for and only working at 4K/30 Hz; I have to try the other hubs and cords and adapters to see if going with something else for 60 Hz even matters. 4K/60 is claimed from this hub, but only via USB-C. The USB-A jacks only put out 500 mA, and the second USB-C jack only puts out only 6.5 watts — at a weak 4.3 volts!

More good news: the $17.99 USB-C hubs I ordered also seem really nice, carved out of blocks of solid space-gray aluminum. They work fine at 4K/30 and the USB-A outputs at least 1.5A.

This nice metal $15.99 space-gray USB-C to 4 USB-A adapter also works great with a power LED (like all the others) and its four USB-A sockets have power - but seem limited to a traditional 500 mA each output, swell for external drives and readers or slow charging, but not fast charging. It also provides 500 mA output when plugged into the USB-C jack on the Anker Side-Mount USB-C UniDock .

This $64 Anker 8-in-1 (29% off) pigtail hub does 4K/60 and passes PD power just great, but it's just plastic and the markings for USB-C data vs USB-C PD are invisible. This one probably goes back; who wants to plug plastic into a MacBook Pro?

This Anker 6-in-1 (20% off) pigtail hub is only 4k/30 and is also plastic, but does pass-through PD power. It's probably going back; who wants to plug plastic into a MacBook Pro?

The Anker 7-in-1 (20% off) pigtail hub is 4K/30 and plastic, and half the price of the other Anker hubs. It passes power, and all these have SD card readers and power LEDs.

Holy cow: the kids just checked, and as I'm writing this Amazon just brought us another huge pile of what we ordered. No global catastrophe here; we're ready for Christmas in November, not February as the media would have us believe!

I'm still waiting for my Lexar CF, SD & Micro card reader and Ritz Gear CFexpress Type B Reader to arrive, and then I'll run some download speed tests with all these and SDXC cards and see what happens.

1960 LEICA SUMMICRON 90mm f/2.

Updated: LEICA SUMMICRON 90mm f/2 (1959-1980) .

I just happened to be in that page, so I updated it for the first time in 11 years.

New at Crutchfield: Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 .

Deals below still active:

26 November 2021, Black Friday

I just bought these deals for myself:, half price: anker executive power bank: $109.99 ..

Actually it has been $219.99 for the past couple of weeks that I've been eyeing it. It packs a huge 97 Wh (27,000 mAh) wallop and has a 45W USB-C PD output for running and charging laptops as well as a 110V AC outlet to run anything else up to 100W.

I just got a MacBook Pro with only two USB-C (ThunderBolt 3) ports, so I ordered a bunch of hubs and card readers to try, since just about everything at Amazon has free returns through 31 January next year. On sale today are the:

25% Off: Ritz Gear CFexpress Type B Reader: $29.99 .

I need a CFexpress reader, but I've been too cheap to buy one — until today. I love my RitzGear 256GB CFexpress card , which so far I've only used for in-camera backup. This Ritz Gear CFexpress Type B Reader has a USB-C socket and two cords to plug into either USB-C or USB-A.

20% Off: Anker Side-Mount USB-C Hub: $47.99 .

This plugs in the side of the MacBook Pro. It has 2 USB-C outlets to replace the ones it covers, and adds SD and Micro card readers, 2 USB-A and an HDMI (4K/30) socket. To get 4K/60 you have to use an adapter or cable from one of its two USB-C sockets.

I ordered two of these $17.99 USB-C hubs . I have two USB-C sockets on the MacBook Pro, so why not? They each have a USB-C plug on a pigtail and then SD and Micro card readers, 3 USB-A sockets and an HDMI (4K/30) socket. My experience with no-name electronics from Amazon is that they only last a year and die. We'll see.

I also ordered a good Lexar CF, SD & Micro card reader in case it makes more sense to travel simply with a good card reader and the right cord. I ordered some USB-C to USB-3 cords to connect my card readers and backup hard drives directly.

Not ordered because it's not on sale today is the "ProGrade" CFexpress type B & CF card reader , as it costs more than the good Lexar and Ritz Gear readers combined.

I also ordered one of each of these Anker 5-in-1 , 6-in-1 (20% off) , 7-in-1 (20% off) and 8-in-1 ($29% off) hubs , each with a USB-C pigtail and various connectors.

I also ordered this handsome space-gray USB-C to 4 USB-A adapter .

When all this arrives we'll see which I actually use, and with free returns through January 31st next year I can send back anything I don't love or need. Amazon's descriptions and photos never show things in all the detail I do in my reviews, and God only knows how well any of this actually works for reading multiple cards and other devices.

Of course if I was smart, instead of wasting time shopping for all this I'd just buy a new MacBook Pro which has card and HDMI slots and MagSafe charge connectors. Not only would I have saved time shopping, I'd save time not having to fiddle with all this junk on each trip with my old MacBook Pro. PS: the new MacBook Pros can charge over MagSafe, or charge over USB-C with all the power sources I just ordered. Heck, as I write this my old MacBook Pro just charged in an hour and a half from an 80W Solar panel and a DC to USB-PD converter !

Finally for me (rather than my business) I ordered two of these American-Made 350 Lumen daytime bike taillights on sale at 28% off I'd been wanting for years. They are three times brighter than the ones I've been using from the same company. The 80-150 lumen ones I've been using for years are so bright that they can blind astronauts in space and people in cars have stopped to complement me that my 80 lumen one was the brightest tail light they had ever seen. I'd rather not get run over, even if motorists have very important texts to return or are too busy looking at their car's LCD screens to notice bike riders. In strobe mode these get attention from seemingly miles away — and that's in daytime. Even I'm not crazy enough to ride at night anymore.

25 November 2021, Thanksgiving

I just ordered two of these 300W Anker power stations on big sale at Amazon today for $219.99 each ; they were $359.99 all last week and yesterday.

I also ordered one of these 213 Wh Anker power stations at $169.99 ; they were $229.99.

23 November 2021, Black Friday Cometh

I just ordered myself two of these premium 20,000 mah anker solar power banks at $39.99 ..

We all have different needs, and seeing how this one was on sale , has a huge capacity, has an 18W USB-PD output (perfect for charging my Canons and everything else that needs USB-PD for a fast charge), and even has a built-in solar panel to charge itself for free, I couldn't resist. Also it's Anker rather than a no-name junk brand; I've always had great luck with Anker cables and chargers and power banks.

I've also discovered that this somewhat made-in-USA solar panel really does put out 5 to 6 watts as claimed . It does a great job of charging this 10,000 mAh power bank each day, and then I recharge my iPhone 13 Pro Max from the power bank each night. I kept up this experiment for a week, at which point I declared it a success. Your results will vary by how much sun you have and how much you use your phone, but you get the idea. (Feel free to throw away the crappy power bank that comes with the panel; use a real power bank and you're golden.)

Solar panels don't always put out what they claim, and power banks don't always charge efficiently from them. This combination of solar panel and power bank work very well together, well enough to power my iPhone indefinitely and conveniently.

While the 20,000 mAh solar power bank can charge from its built-in panel, I'm predicting it will take a couple of weeks for a full charge. It probably will take several days from an external 6W panel .

If you want a fast charge anything directly from solar, you'll need much larger panels , a DC to USB-PD converter and some engineering knowledge, or a big panel with a USB-PD output like this one to charge power banks or iOS devices as quickly as they do plugged into wall adapters or power banks. Good luck; it's hard to find high-wattage panels that plug-and-play to USB-PD.

The good news is that if you can leave a power bank and panel out all day to charge, a good power bank will then charge your devices quickly at night — and you don't have to leave your iPad out in the sun all day!

$500 Off:  24-70mm f/2.8 VR & free stuff: $1,596.95 . Also on sale at Crutchfield .

$400 Off:  Z5 w/free 64GB card, bag, battery & more: $996.95 .

$400 Off:  Z5 w/24-50mm, 32GB card, bag, tripod & more: $1,296.95 .

$400 Off:  Z5 w/24-200mm, 64GB card, tripod & more: $1,796.95 .

$300 Off:  200-500mm f/5.6 VR & free goodies: $1,096.95 . Also on sale at Crutchfield .

$300 Off:  D850: $2,696.95 . Quite possibly the best camera Nikon will ever make . Also on sale at Crutchfield .

$300 Off:  500mm f/5.6 VR: $3,296.95 . Also on sale at Crutchfield .

$300 Off:  16-35mm f/4 VR w/free goodies: $796.95 .

$70 Off:  18-300mm DX VR & free goodies: $626.95 .

$30 Off:  Z 40mm f/2: $266.95 .

$800 Off:  A7R III (v2) w/free flash: $1,998 . Also on sale at Crutchfield .

$500 Off:  A7R IV (v2) w/free flash: $2,998 .

$400 Off:  FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM & free goodies: $1,798

$200 Off:  A7 III & free flash: $1,798 .

$200 Off:  A7 III w/FE 28-70mm & free flash: $1,998 .

$150 Off:  ZV-1 w/Sony VLogger kit (Bluetooth, grip, tripod, 64GB card etc.): $746 (also in white .)

$150 Off:  RX100 VA & free goodies: $848 .

$100 Off:  RX100 VII & free goodies: $1,198 .

$100 Off:  RX10 IV & free goodies: $1,598 .

$100 Off:  Sony APS-C 10-18mm OSS & free goodies $798 .

$50 Off:  FE 24mm f/2.8 & free goodies: $548 .

19 November 2021, Friday

Canon RF 100-400mm IS USM.

Update: Canon RF 100-400mm IS USM .

I've had mine a couple of weeks, but been so busy editing my Yosemite photos from last month haven't gotten to adding details to my RF 100-400mm review .

Since so many of you are curious, yes, the new RF 100-400 is both astonishingly sharp, and here's the craziest part: its autofocus is nearly instantaneous!

Compared to my big, beloved EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II , this RF 100-400 seems just as spectacularly sharp and focuses as blindingly fast, and the RF lens is less than half the weight (635g versus 1,550g) and about one-quarter the price ( $649 versus $2,399 ).

If you don't miss the one-stop difference in speed (I don't), YES! the RF 100-400 is a lightweight winner, with a metal mount.

Even better, it's in-stock at B&H and I think at Adorama as I write this.

I'm so glad I shoot Canon. Nikon's mirrorless 100-400 is $2,697 and weighs 1,435g; they have no lightweight contender. Canon gives me more choices.

Here's a sample snap from my RF 100-400mm IS USM at dawn yesterday:

Desert Palms at Dawn, 6:35 AM, Thursday, 18 November 2021. Canon EOS R5 , RF 100-400mm IS USM at 214mm wide-open at f/7.1 hand-held at 1 / 100 at Auto ISO 100 ( LV 12¼), Perfectly Clear . bigger or camera-original 45MP © JPG  file .

Sharp corner-to corner wide-open at 45MP, great stabilization, weightless and nearly free. I'm sold!

While we're here, I snapped this under moonlight a few hours ago, hand-held, with my new RF 16mm f/2.8 :

Moonlit Wall, Ensenada, Baja California Norte, México, 7:14 PM, Thursday, 18 November 2021. Canon EOS R5 , RF 16mm f/2.8 STM wide-open at f/2.8 hand-held at 1 / 5 of a second at Auto ISO 3,200, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (which wasn't needed, LV 0.4), Perfectly Clear . bigger , full-resolution or camera-original 45MP © JPG  file .

The white dots are stars. I could never do this hand-held back in the days of film. No one else makes an ultra-ultrawide so fast and so tiny. For just $299 , it's simply amazing: bringing the dream of mirrorless to life like no other brand. Bravo!!!

18 November 2021, Thursday

Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8.

NEW: Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 .

It's simply a different cosmetic variation of the Z 28mm f/2.8 SE at the same price.

Canon EF 28-80mm f/2.8-4 L ULTRASONIC .

NEW: Canon EF 28-80mm f/2.8-4 L ULTRASONIC Review & Sample Images .

Canon's first exotic autofocus f/2.8 midrange zoom. It works great on the newest mirrorless cameras and sells for only about $325 used if you know How to Win at eBay .

17 November 2021, Wednesday

Beware the nikon ftz ii.

A reader wrote, thinking Nikon somehow improved the FTZ II over the original FTZ . Nope; its the same thing with a slimmer case lacking the tripod foot. Most importantly, both lack any autofocus motor so they cannot autofocus with any of Nikon's traditional screw-focus AF and AF-D lenses, many of which Nikon still sells new today.

This reader was misled by some tricky copywriting that claimed:

" Full AF/AE supported when using FX or DX AF-S Type G/D/E, AF-P type G/E,  AF-I type D lenses  and AF-S/AF-I Teleconverters. "

You'll have to read my whole Nikon Lens Technology page to sort out the alphabet soup, however the copywriting trick was the mention of AF-D in the same breath as AF-I .

As you all know, AF-I was Nikon's first primitive attempt at in-lens autofocus motors, and these lenses do autofocus somewhat with the FTZ and FTZ II . Also as you all know, every Nikon lens introduced since 1992 has been AF-D . AF-D means it couples the focus distance data to the camera for better flash metering; it doesn't refer to how the lens focuses.

In English, AF-D is simply distance coupling, while AF-I , AF-S and AF-P are in-lens autofocus motor technologies lacking in the first AF lenses.

The FTZ and FTZ II only can autofocus lenses that have built-in motors, and those are only the primitive AF-I , today's common AF-S and the newest AF-P lenses.

Sorry. This nonsensical alphabet forest of system incompatibility is among many reasons I upgraded to Canon in March of 2012 with the 5D Mark III that addressed all the shortcomings of the 5D Mark II , while Nikon sat on its laurels and still hasn't addressed many of my concerns that have been in their products since way before that. I forecasted correctly; I was ticked that the competitive D800 and D800E introduced the month before (February 2012) failed to address what was lacking in the previous D700 , while the 5D Mark III moved forward — and Canon keeps getting better while Nikon just adds more pixels but no real performance. The D810 and D850 still have those foolish Settings Banks that together only control 2/3 of what we need, while Canon nailed it 15 or more years ago with their simple C1, C2 and C3 presets that recall everything .

Thank goodness we have so many choices; we all have our own preferences. Every Canon lens made since 1987 autofocus just great using any of their EF to RF converters , and more maddening is that cockamamie Chinese EF to Z adapters let old Canon lenses work and autofocus better on Nikon Z than most of Nikon's own lenses with on Nikon's own FTZ and FTZ  II! As Nikon's PR also mentioned, the FTZ and FTZ II only autofocus with 90 of about 360 different lens models Nikon has made; only about one out of four.

Why is this? Simple: Canon stunned the world (and ticked off its own users) with an astonishing digitally controlled all-electronic lens system, the EOS lenses in 1987, while Nikon and everyone else plodded along with mechanical control of focus and aperture. Thus it's easy to adapt any Canon EF lens to other electronic mirrorless mounts, while most Nikon lenses require numerous primitive mechanical interfaces just to control very basic things.

Updated: Nikon D3500 .

I updated price and availability. It's a screaming deal and includes a great lens. It's the world's lightest DSLR, and lighter than any full-frame mirrorless.

11 November 2021, Veteran's Day

NEW: Zoom EXH-8 Quad XLR Input Capsule for H8 Recorder .

NEW: Zoom VRH-8 Ambisonic Microphone Capsule for H8 Recorder .

NEW: Zoom XAH-8 X/Y-AB Microphone Capsule for H8 Recorder .

NEW: Zhiyun-Tech CRANE-M3 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer .

08 November 2021, Monday

Now at crutchfield: nikon z 24-120mm f/4 . also at adorama and at b&h ., now at crutchfield: nikon z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 vr . also at adorama and at b&h ..

Obviously mine are on order, along with my Z9 , and when my real, paid for, shipping versions arrive when we all get them I'll let you know what I think. Right now the only people who have then are those who got them from Nikon as a favor, so those opinions aren't exactly objective.

$300 Off: Sony 70-200/2.8 GM OSS (old model): $2,298 . ( greatly improved -II version ).

05 november 2021, friday.

Canon 5DS and 50mm f/1.2 L .

$2,400 OFF and IN-STOCK: 50 MP Canon 5DS/R: Just $1,499 !!!

I love my 5DS/R and shoot it all the time. It's the bargain of the century at $1,499 today for more resolution than anything else from Nikon or Canon.

In fact, I just added some new notes at my Canon 5DS and 5DS/R User's Guide .

For you groupies, you may notice that my 5DS/R is a camera I love so much that I just haven't been able to put it down to make studio shots of it. Unlike every other piece of gear on my website where I have a studio shot of the camera, I've only had time to snap it sitting on my front porch! Otherwise it's in use all the time.

I paid the full $3,900 for mine when it came out. Now that you can get the same thing, just newer, for $1,499 on closeout, go for it . Not only does it have more resolution than any other Canon or Nikon, it also has an anti-reflection-coated rear LCD with automatic brightness control sadly lacking in most other cameras, so it always looks great in every light. Get yours while you still can .

Now at Crutchfield: Nikon FTZ-II .

03 november 2021, wednesday, $1,500 off: canon 1dx mk ii: $4,499 .   review ., $300 off: nikon z7: $2,496.95 . review ., $159 off: wd 2tb usb-c ssd: $229.99 ., $50 off: canon ef-m 22mm f/2 stm: $199 . review ., $20 off: canon ef-s 24mm f/2.8 stm: $199 . review ., in stock: dji action 2 dual-screen combo ., in stock: sigma aps-c 18-50mm f/2.8 für leica l ., 02 november 2021, tuesday, $300 off steal : canon ef full-frame 17-40mm f/4 l: $499 ..

A full-frame ultrawide L lens for under $500? I paid a lot more for mine! Works great on mirrorless with an EF to RF adapter . My 17-40mm review .

$150 Off: Canon EF-s 10-22mm USM: $499 .

$50 off: nikon z 50/2.8 macro: $596.95 ., $50 off: sony rx 0 ii: $848 ., $100 off: sony rx100 mk vii: $1,198 ., 01 november 1954, introduction of kodak tri-x.

It was today in 1954 that Kodak introduced Tri-X , a fast, grainy B&W film .

What perfect timing; a friend at Photogenic Supply in Philadelphia (also known as Tog Tees ) just sent me one of his American-made pint glasses with a real empty cannister of 35mm Tri-X embedded in it :

I found a paper coaster in the box, as shown.

They also come in sets and you can get all sorts of different film cannisters. Like all fine glassware, hand-wash only of course.

Nothing stops American innovation.

NEW: Nikon Z9 at Crutchfield .

What was new in:.

October 2021 : Nikon Z9 , Nikon Z 18-140mm VR DX , Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 , Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR , Nikon FTZ II , Canon STEREOSCOPIC RF 5.2mm f/2.8L 190º Fisheye , Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM Review , Canon EF 135mm f/2.8 Soft Focus Review , Sony A7 IV , Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II , Apple Watch Series 7 .

July ~ September 2021 : Nikon Z fc Review , Nikon Z7 II User's Guide , Nikon Z FX 28mm f/2.8 Special Edition , Nikon Z 40mm f/2 , Nikon Z 50mm f/2.8 Macro Review , Nikon Z 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro Review , Canon EOS R3 , Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM , Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Review , Canon RF 100~400mm IS USM , Canon DM-E1D Stereo Mic , Canon ST-E10 Speedlite Transmitter , Canon AD-P1 Android Data Transmitter Adapter , Canon AD-E1 Normal to Multi-Function Shoe Adapter , Sony ZV-E10 , Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM Review , Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 Review , Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 Review , Sony FE 50mm f/2.5 Review , Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Review , Fuji GFX 50S II , Fuji GF 35-70mm , Fuji GFX 50S II w/35-70mm , Fuji X-T30 II , Fuji XF 23mm f/1.4 , Fuji XF 33mm f/1.4 , Sigma 24mm f/2 DG DN , Sigma 90mm f/2.8 DG DN full-frame für LEICA L , Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 for Sony and for LEICA L , Tamron 18-300mm for Sony APS-C and for Fuji , Tamron 35~150mm f/2~2.8 for Sony , Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 Review , Godox Ving V860III TTL Li-Ion Flash , Megadap Sony to Nikon Z Lens Adapter , TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 ASPH Review , Voigtländer Heliar Classic 50mm f/1.5 , Audeze LCD-XC Planar Magnetic Headphones full review .

April ~ June 2021 :   Photographs from California's Central Coast , Canon EOS R3 , Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM III Review , Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro , Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro Review , All Canon 100mm Lenses Compared , Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS , Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS , Nikon Z7 II Review , Nikon Z fc , Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 Review , Nikon Z FX 28mm f/2.8 Special Edition , Nikon Z 50mm f/2.8 Macro , Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 Review , Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 Noct Review , Nikon Z 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro , Sony A1 Review , Sony A6100 Review , Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Review , Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM Review , Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review , Sony E 70-350mm G OSS Review , Fujifilm X-E4 Review , Fuji X-S10 Review , Fuji XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR Review , Fuji XF 18mm f/1.4R LM WR , Fuji XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR Review , Fuji XF 70-300mm R LM OIS WR Review , LEICA M10-R in black paint , Pentax K-3 Mk III , iRig Pre 2 XLR Mic to Mirrorless, DSLR, iOS, Phone or Computer Preamplifier , Robus RTH-1050 55-lb Capacity Ball Head Review , Ritz Gear 256 GB CFexpress card , Turboant Thunder T1 Electric Bike Review .

January ~ March 2021 : Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM review , Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS review , Canon RF 85mm f/2 MACRO IS STM review , Canon EL-1 Flash review , Nikon Z9 review , SONY A1 review , Sony A7C review , Sony FE 28-60mm review , Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G , Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G and Sony FE 50mm f/2.5 G , Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM , Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM review , iPhone 12 Pro Max review & guide , Apple Watch Series 6 review & guide , LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-M 35mm f/2 ASPH , LEICA 50mm f/1.2 NOCTILUX-M ASPH , Fuji GFX 100S , Fuji GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR , Fuji X-E4 , Fuji XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR , Fuji 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR , Ritz 256GB 265/120 MB/s V60 SD card , Mitakon 50mm f/0.95 review , 7Artisans 50mm f/1.05 review , Polsen MVP-3 Micro Shotgun Microphone , Polsen MVP-6 Shotgun Microphone , Polsen MO-CPL2 USB-C Lavalier Microphone , Polsen SCL-1080 Dual-Pattern Shotgun Microphone

October ~ December 2020 : Canon 1DX Mark III Review , Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM Review , Canon RF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Review , Canon EOS M50 Mk II, Big EL-1 flash and odd compact PowerShot Zoom 100-400mm P&S , Canon PIXMA Pro-200 , Nikon Z5 Review , Nikon Z6 II Review , Nikon Z7 II Review , Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 Review , Nikon Z 24-50mm Review , Nikon Z 24-200mm Review , Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 Review , Fuji 50mm f/1.0 Review , Fuji X-S10 , Fuji 10-24mm f/4 OIS WR R , LEICA Q2 Monochrom , LEICA SL-2 S , ZEISS ZX1 , Audeze LCD-X Headphones Review , TTArtisan 50mm f/1.4 ASPH Review , Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro for Sony E or LEICA , Megadap Any Lens to Nikon Z Autofocusing Adapter Review , Oben CTT-1000L Compact Tripod Review , MacCase iPad Pro Case Review .

May ~ September 2020 : Canon EOS R5 , Canon EOS R6 , Canon EOS R, RP, R5 & R6 Compared , Canon RF 15~35mm f/2.8L , Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS , Canon RF 24-105mm IS STM , Canon RF 24-240mm , Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS , Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM , Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L DS USM , Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L versus f/1.2L DS , Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM , Canon RF 100-500mm , Canon RF 600mm IS STM , Canon RF 800mm IS STM , Canon RF 1.4× extender , Canon RF 2× extender , Canon 90D , Canon Rebel T8i (EOS 850D) , Nikon Z5 , Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 , Nikon Z 24-50mm , Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 , Nikon Z TC-1.4× teleconverter , Nikon Z TC-2× teleconverter , Sony A7c , Sony A9 II , Sony A7S III , Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM , Sony LA-EA5 Adapter , Apple Watch Series 6 , Fuji X-T4 , Fuji X-T200 , Fuji XC 35mm f/2 , Fuji XF 50mm f/1.0 , LEICA M10-R , LEICA Q2 , LEICA Q2 User's Guide , LEICA Q2 vs Fuji X100F vs iPhone 11 Pro Max vs Canon 90D , LEICA vs iPhone vs Fuji vs Canon , LEICA SF-24D , Hasselblad 907X 50C , ZEISS SONNAR 50mm f/1.5 , Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 , Luxli Timpani, Cello and Viola 2 , Audeze LCD-1 Headphones .

April 2020 : Fuji XF 16-80mm f/4 Review , Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 STM , Canon C300 Mk III , Canon 25-250mm T2.95 Cine , Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mk III , Irix Full-Frame, Manual Focus 45mm f/1.4 , Laowa 210º 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye , Lensbaby Velvet 28mm f/2.5 , Rokinon AF 75mm f/1.8 , Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 for Sony , DJI Mavic Air 2 , DJI Mavic 2 Pro 4K , BlackMagic Pocket Cinema 6K , Zoom H6 Recorder Review .

January ~ March 2020 : Photo Products of the Decade 1820~2020 , Nikon D6 , Nikon D780 , Nikon D780 Plain-English User's Guide , Nikon 120-300mm f/2.8 FL VR , Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 , Nikon Z 24-200mm , Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR , Nikon Coolpix P950 , Canon 1DX Mark III , Canon Rebel T8i , Canon EOS-R5 , Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM , Canon RF 24-105 f/4~7.1 IS STM , Canon QX10 Pocket Portable Printer , Sony A7R IV Review & User's Guide , Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 , Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS , Sony E 55-210mm OSS , Fuji X100V , Fuji X100V Plain-English User's Guide , Fuji X-T4 , Fuji X-T200 , Fuji XC 35mm f/2 , Fuji GF 45-100mm f/4 OIS , LEICA M10 Monochrom , LEICA SUMMILUX-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH Edition "LEITZ Wetzlar , LEICA S3 , Tokina 85mm f/1.8 for Sony full-frame , Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2× Ultra-Macro , Think Tank Retrospective Backpack 15 , Fringer Canon EF -> Fuji X Adapter , Fringer Canon EF -> Nikon Z Adapter , DJI Mavic 2 Zoom with Smart Controller , Senal SMH-1200 Review .

November & December 2019 : Fall Color from Yosemite and California's Eastern Sierra , Nikon Z50 Full Review ,   Nikon Z50 Plain-English User's Guide , Nikon Z DX 16-50mm VR Review , Nikon Z DX 50-250mm VR Review , Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 Review , Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 Review , Sony A6600 Review , Sony A6600 User's Guide , Canon EOS Ra Astro Mirrorless , Fujifilm X-Pro3 Review , Fuji GFX 100 Review , Fuji GF 50mm f/3.5 Review , Apple Watch Series 5 Review , Apple 32" Pro 6K Display , Apple 32" Pro 6K Display w/nano textured glass , Photo Mechanic Software Review , Tokina 100mm f/2.8 Full Frame for Canon EF , LEICA SL2 , Sigma 24-70/2.8 for Sony , Sigma 24-70/2.8 für LEICA L , Turboant X7 Review .

August ~ October 2019 : iPhone 11 Pro Max , Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 , Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 , Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM DS , Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM , Canon EOS 1DX Mark III , Canon 90D , Canon EOS-M200 , Canon M6 Mk II , Fuji X-Pro3 , Fuji X-E3 Review , Fuji X-A7 , Fuji XC 15-45mm PZ OIS Review , Fuji XC 50-230mm OIS Review , Fuji Touch Screen Settings , Nikon D3500 review , Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S Review , Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 Review , Nikon Noct-NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 , Nikon Z50 , Nikon Z 16-50mm DX VR , Nikon Z 50-250mm DX VR , Nikon 200mm f/2 VR II Review , Panasonic S1H , Panasonic 24-70mm f/2.8 , Pansonic LEICA DG 25mm f/1.4 II , Rokinon AF 18mm f/2.8 , Sigma fp w/45mm lens , Sony A9 II , Tamron 20mm f/2.8 , Tamron 24mm f/2.8 , Tamron 35mm f/2.8 , Voigtländer Nokton 75mm f/1.5 , Auray TT-6220 Telescoping Tabletop Mic Stand Review , Auray PFNY-6 Mic Pop Filter Review , Senal SCM-660 Microphone Review , XUMA MTA-300B iPhone/Smartphone Tripod Adapter Review .

July 2019 : Rockwell.TV on YouTube , Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 Review , Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 Review , Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 Review , Canon RF 24~240mm IS , Sony A7R Mark IV , Sony RX100 Mark VII , Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 review , LEICA M-E typ 240 , Hasselblad 907X Special Edition , Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR , Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR , ROBUS RC-5570 Tripod Review , Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 for Sony E und für LEICA L , Sigma 35mm f/1.2 for Sony E und für LEICA L , Sigma 45mm f/2.8 for Sony E und für LEICA L , Sigma fp mirrorless camera .

April ~ June 2019 : Nikon Z6 Review , Nikon Z6 User's Guide , Nikon Z7 User's Guide , Nikon Z 14-30mm Review , Nikon NIKKOR 135mm f/2 AI-s Review , Nikon NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8 AI Review , Nikon NIKKOR✱ED 180mm f/2.8 AI-s Review , Nikon NIKKOR✱ED 200mm f/2 AI-s Review , Zeiss Otus 100mm f/1.4 Review , Sony E 20mm f/2.8 Review , Sony E 30mm f/3.5 Macro Review , Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS Review , Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM Review , Sony 200-600mm G OSS Review , Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS Review , Tokina FiRIN 100mm f/2.8 Macro for Sony E , Voigtlander 21mm f/1.4 for Sony Full-Frame , Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 full-frame ultrawide for Sony E , Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM , Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 for Canon RF , Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 for Canon RF , Canon SL3 (EOS 250D) , Fujifilm X-H1 Review , Fujifilm X-T30 Review , Fujifilm X-T20 Review , Fujifilm 8-16mm f/2.8 Review , Fujifilm 16mm f/2.8 Review , Fujifilm GFX 100 Review , Fujifilm GF 32~64mm f/4 R LM WR Review , Fujifilm GF 100~200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR Review , Medium-Format vs. Full-Frame Image-Quality Comparison , Apple iPhone Xs Max Review & User's Guide , Apple Watch Series 4 Review , All Apple Watches Compared , new 13" MacBook Pro , new 15" MacBook Pro , Olympus TG-6 Underwater Camera , Panasonic LEICA VARIO-SUMMILUX 10-25mm f/1.7 , Panasonic DMW-STC14 1.4× teleconverter , Panasonic DMW-STC20 2× teleconverter , Think Tank "Digital Holster 150" for ultrateles , Oben CTT-1000 Mini Tripod Review .

March 2019 : Nikon Z7 Review , Nikon Coolpix A1000 , Nikon Coolpix B600 , Sony E 16mm f/2.8 Review , Sony E 18-200mm OSS PZ Review , Sony E 18-200mm OSS LE Review , Sony RX0 II , Canon IVY CLIQ Instant Camera , Canon IVY CLIQ+ Instant Camera , Fujinon XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro OIS Review , LEICA Q2 , LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH , Pixel X900 Flash Review , Rokinon Full-Frame ultra-ultra-wide 10mm f/3.5 for Canon EF , Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 Ultra-Ultrawide for Canon RF , Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 for Canon RF .

February 2019 : Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S , Canon EOS RP Hands-On Review , Canon EOS RP User's Guide , Canon EOS RP vs EOS R , Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Review , Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM Review , Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS , Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM , Canon RF 24-240mm IS USM , Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM , Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM , Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM , Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM , Fujifilm X-T3 Review , Fujifilm 23mm f/2 Review , Fujifilm 200mm f/2 Review , Fujifilm 50mm f/2 Review , Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2.8 WR , Fujifilm X-T30 , Panasonic S1 Full-Frame System , Polaroid POP cameras , Ricoh GR III , Ricoh WG-6 underwater , Ricoh WG-6 in Orange , Ricoh G-900 , Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 , Tamron 35-150mm , Tamron 35mm f/1.4 .

January 2019 : LEICA M10-P Safari Edition , LEICA SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2 Safari Edition , Verum 1 Planar Magnetic Headphones review , Olympus OM-D E-M1 X , Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S review , Sony 10-18mm Review , Sony A6400 Review , Sony 18-135mm Review , Sigma 28mm f/1.4 ART , Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S and Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro Review .

November & December 2018 :   Moment 18mm review , Photos from Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra , Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF Review ,  Adapted Rangefinder Lenses on Nikon Mirrorless , AlienBoard Hoverboard review , LEICA D-Lux 7 , Why You Need an Apple Watch , Sigma 60-600mm Review .

October 2018 : Loads of Canon and Nikon mirrorless revelations, First Chinese Nikon Z adapters , Canon EOS R Review , Canon EOS R User's Guide , Wimberley Gimbal Tripod Head Review , Sony 400mm f/2.8 Review , How to Photograph Air Shows , LEICA M10-D .

August & September 2018 :   Nikon vs Canon vs Sony Full Frame , Mirrorless vs DSLR , Do You Really Need Two Card Slots , Canon EOS-R Review , Canon EF to RF Lens Adapters , Canon RF 24-105mm Review , Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L , Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 Review , Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM , Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS II Review , Canon EF400mm f/2.8L IS III ,  Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM , Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM , Canon 580EX II Review , Canon 580EX II User's Guide , Sony 24mm f/1.4 , Sony RX100 Mark 6 Review , Sony RX100 Mk VI User's Guide , Nikon's full-frame mirrorless system , Nikon Z7 , Nikon Z6 , Nikon Z6 vs. Z7 , Nikon FTZ Lens Adapter, Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 , Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 , Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 , Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF ,  Nikon D3500 , LEICA M10-P ,  iPhone Xs Max Bokeh vs Full-Frame Professional Cameras , Tokina "Opera" 50mm f/1.4 , Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 G2 , Fuji XT-3 .

June & July 2018 : Nikon Mirrorless hinted at, Fuji 8-16mm f/2.8 , Fuji 200mm f/2 , Fuji XF10 , Sony RX100VA , Nikon P1000 , Tamron 100‑400mm Review , best 80-400 and 100-400mm zooms compared , How to Win Photo Contests , Tamron 18-400mm review , Sony 400mm f/2.8 , Images of Yosemite in Springtime , Kodak Medalist II Review , Canon 70‑200mm f/4L IS II , Canon 70‑200mm f/2.8 L IS III and my Sony RX100 Mark VI review .

May 2018 : Marc Silber's Secrets to Creating Amazing Photos , Sigma 105mm f/1.4 , Fuji X-T100 , Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 IS/VR Review , beyerdynamic Amiron Home Review , Sigma 70mm Full-Frame Macro Art Lens , Nikon D1 High ISO Samples , Vello MB-D18 (BG-N19) Grip Review , Sunpak RD2000 Review , Small Flashes Compared .

April 2018 : Irix 11mm f/4 Review , Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 , Canon 85mm f/1.4 L IS Review, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VR/IS Review , Best 70-200mm f/2.8 Lenses Compared , Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VR/IS Review , Best 24-105mm Lenses Compared , MindShift 18L Backpack , Fuji GF 250mm f/4 , Fuji GF 1.4X TC WR Teleconverter , Fuji MCEX-45G WR Macro Extension Tube , Fuji MCEX-18G WR Macro Extension Tube , Sony RX10 Mk IV Review , Sony RX10 Mk IV User's Guide , beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless Review .

March 2018 : Nikon 70-300mm AFP E FX Review , Nikon 28mm f/1.4 E FX Review , Nikon 10-20mm Review , Nikon D7500 Review .

February 2018 : Sony A7 III , Yosemite Photos , Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Pancake-NIKKOR review , beyerdynamic DT1350 review , beyerdynamic DT240 review , Canon SL2 review .

Janaury 2018 : Nikon 180-400mm , Canon 6D Mk II review , Canon 18-135mm USM review , Fuji X-A5 , Sony 18-135mm .

December 2017 : Canon 35mm f/2.8 Macro review , Sony A7R III review , Sony A7R III user's guide , Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS review , Sony FE 100mm STF G OSS review .

November 2017 : Sony 50/2.8 Macro Review , Sony 90/2.8 Macro Review , LEICA CL , Sony 70-300mm G Review , Panasonic G9 , iPhone X Review , How to Make Time Exposures with iPhone , 1X Photo Contest , Tamron 100-400mm .

October 2017 : Nikon D850 review , Nikon D850 user's guide , Sony A7R III , Sony 24-105mm G , Sony 85/1.8 review , Canon G1X Mk III .

June, July, August and September 2017 : Canon 6D Mk II , Canon SL-2 , Canon 85/1.4L , Canon TS-E 50/2.8 , 90/2.8 & 135/4 , Nikon D850 , Nikon 70-300 VR DX AF-P , Nikon 28/1.4E , Metabones Mk V Canon EF -> Sony E-mount adapter .

May 2017 : Nikon 10-20mm DX VR , Nikon 8-15mm FX Fisheye , Canon 77D Review , Canon Rebel T7i Review , Canon 18-55mm IS STM Review , Springtime in Yosemite , Irix 15mm f/2.4 Review , Sony 16-35/2.8 GM , Sony 12-24/4 G , Fuji X100F Review , Laowa 12mm Review , Olympus TG-5 .

March & April 2017 : Nikon D7500 , Nikon 19mm PC-E review , Nikon D3400 review , Sony A7 Mk II review , Nikon D5600 review .

February 2017 : Canon 77D , Canon Rebel T7i , Canon EOS M6 , Sony 24-70/2.8 GM , Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM , Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS , Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS , Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 .

January 2017 : LEICA M10 , Fujifilm GFX 50S , Fujifilm X100F , Nikon D5600 .

November & December 2016 : Fuji X-A10 .

September & October 2016 : Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 FL , Nikon 19mm PC-E , Sony A6500 , Sony RX100 Mk V , Sony Alpha 99 II , Canon EOS M5 , Canon EF 70-300 IS II USM , Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro .

July & August 2016 : Canon 5D Mk IV , 16-35 IS II , 24-105 IS II , Nikon D3400 , Nikon 105mm f/1.4 , Fuji XT-2 .

April & May 2016

February 2016

January 2016

December 2015

November 2015

October 2015

September 2015

August 2015

February 2015

January 2015

December 2014

November 2014

September and October 2014

July and August 2014

April & May 2014

Jan & Feb 2014

December 2013

November 2013

October 2013

September 2013

August 2013

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January 2013

December 2012

November 2012

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January 2012

December 2011

November 2011

October 2011

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2005 ~ 2009

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Notable Mentions

Recent updates, all reviews, the 5 best compact cameras for travel - fall 2024.

Point-and-shoot cameras are a natural choice for travel thanks to their compact sizes and built-in zoom lenses, making it a breeze to capture all your memories abroad without having to lug around a bulky kit with multiple lenses. While smartphone cameras have continued to improve, and they're usually the camera you've already got on you, some point-and-shoots offer improved image quality with larger sensors than the ones typically found in phones, while others offer longer zoom ranges that you simply can't get with the physically limited lenses on your smartphone.

We've bought and tested over 105 cameras in our lab, and below, you'll find the best pocket cameras for travel that we recommend in 2024. If you don't mind carrying a larger kit with interchangeable lenses, check out our picks for the best mirrorless cameras for travel . If you want to capture beautiful images of destination vistas, you might also want to check out our best cameras for landscape photography . Alternatively, if you're less interested in snapping places and more interested in the people that populate them, see our picks for the best street photography cameras .

Best Compact Camera For Travel

It ain't cheap, but the Sony RX100 VII is the best compact travel camera we've tested. Sony has perfected the formula for compact zoom cameras with its RX100 series. This latest model features a stacked 1-inch sensor that delivers blazing-fast burst rates and great image quality for its class, along with a pop-up viewfinder and flash, a large tilting screen, and a zoom lens—all packed into an incredibly portable camera.

While it doesn't have the widest zoom range on this list, its 24–200mm full-frame equivalent focal length still gives you a fair amount of range, offering some flexibility for framing and composition. The camera also has a highly effective autofocus system, ensuring your subjects stay in focus, even in busier settings. That said, like most compact cameras, it has a pretty short battery life, though you can always pack a spare battery or portable power bank to charge it on the go.

See our review

Best Large Sensor Compact Camera For Travel

While you'll still get great images from 1-inch sensor cameras like the Sony RX100 VII , there are a select few compact cameras that feature even larger sensors that'll give you better dynamic range and more flexibility in low light. The best of these is the highly popular Fujifilm X100VI. With one of the highest-resolution APS-C sensors on the market, it can capture images with stunning levels of fine detail. Beyond that, this is one of the most full-featured compact cameras you'll find, with a hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder, in-body image stabilization (IBIS), and advanced video features. Unlike the Sony, the built-in lens on the Fuji has a fixed 35mm equivalent focal length, so you'll have less flexibility with far-away subjects, but it delivers superior image quality and has a wider aperture.

All that said, this is not the most compact of compact cameras. It's substantially bulkier than the RX100 VII. If, however, you don't mind a more pared-down camera, the RICOH GR III makes for a fantastic alternative to the X100VI. It, too, uses a larger APS-C sensor and IBIS, but in a much more discreet and significantly more portable design. Of course, you'll be giving up a viewfinder and tilting screen here, but it's the best pocket camera for travel if you want something truly pocketable with a larger sensor for better image quality.

Best Mid-Range Compact Camera For Travel

If you want to save money, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is a great mid-range option. Like other Canon cameras, its user interface is highly intuitive. It has a comfortable finger grip and thumb rest, and the tilt-out screen can flip up for selfies or vlogs. Plus, it features a 1-inch stacked sensor and quick 16 fps burst shooting.

The built-in lens has a fairly versatile 24–100mm equivalent focal length, which is a shorter zoom range than the Sony RX100 VII but still wide enough to give you some flexibility with framing. That said, its autofocus system isn't quite as reliable. Otherwise, this camera has plenty to offer for travelers who want something compact and comfortable to shoot with.

Best Budget Compact Camera For Travel

The Canon PowerShot SX740 is one of the best point-and-shoot cameras to get if you're on a tighter budget. It uses a smaller sensor than the more premium options above, so there's a slight trade-off in image quality. On the upside, its built-in lens has a 40x optical zoom range, giving you a remarkably wide focal length range of 24–960mm. Though it doesn't have a viewfinder, the camera's tilt screen can flip up for selfies or waist-level shots, and it's incredibly portable.

Of course, the most cost-effective choice if your budget is really tight is to simply use your smartphone! Most smartphone cameras these days feature pretty impressive processing to compensate for their smaller sensors, which means you can still get great results despite some hardware limitations. The best part is that you've likely already got a smartphone on you, so it won't cost you anything extra or take up more space in your luggage. Still, if you want the shooting experience of a dedicated point-and-shoot camera, the PowerShot SX740 has quite a bit of value for its price.

Best Compact Vlogging Camera For Travel

While the previous picks are more photography-oriented, travel vloggers should take note of the Sony ZV-1, the best point-and-shoot camera for travel vlogging. Though it doesn't have a viewfinder, it's the only option on this list to feature a fully articulated screen, making it easy to monitor yourself while recording or to take the odd selfie. On top of that, it has vlogging-specific features like a detachable windscreen to reduce ambient noise when recording outside.

The Sony ZV-1 II has since replaced it and features a wider-angle lens that's a good fit for walk-and-talk vlogs. However, the newer model doesn't have optical stabilization, and its digital stabilization feature crops in some of that wider field of view. For those reasons, the original ZV-1 is still our top pick here, especially since you can get it for cheaper. It checks all the boxes for a compact, all-in-one travel vlogging camera.

• Panasonic LUMIX ZS80: The Panasonic LUMIX ZS80 is one of the best budget options you can get, offering a ton of value for its price, and unlike the Canon PowerShot SX740, it even has a viewfinder. However, it's been discontinued and is harder to find. See our review

Jul 30, 2024: We replaced the RICOH GR III with the Fujifilm X100VI as the 'Best Large Sensor Compact Camera For Travel' since it offers more features, but we've kept mention of the RICOH as a more portable alternative.

Jun 04, 2024: We replaced the Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II with the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III as the mid-range pick because it has better availability. We also added mention of the HDF variant of the RICOH GR III.

Apr 10, 2024: We brushed up some of the text throughout the article for clarity and added a mention of the Fujifilm X100VI to ensure the article is up to date with the current market.

Mar 14, 2024: We've reviewed the article to ensure the text and recommendations are up to date.

Feb 14, 2024: Moved the Panasonic LUMIX ZS80 to the Notable Mentions because it's been discontinued and is hard to find in stock, and replaced it with the Canon PowerShot SX740 as the main budget pick.

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best point-and-shoot cameras for travel for most people, according to their needs. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability (no cameras that are difficult to find or almost out of stock in the U.S.).

If you would like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our compact fixed-lens camera reviews. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There is no single perfect camera. Personal taste, preference, and shooting habits will matter more in your selection.

The Sony RX10 IV Review: the Ultimate Travel Camera

Last Updated on February 18, 2024 by Grant

I am not one normally to write an article reviewing a camera. To be honest, I am pretty good photographer but I am no camera expert. That said, the Sony RX10 IV is a game changer for me. 

I had been looking at replacing my bridge camera (a Canon SX40HS) for a while. I have had it since 2011 and while it is a good camera, it does not produce the sharpness I really want in my pictures. 

Along comes the Sony RX10 series. These cameras pack a lot of camera into a small package, producing one of the best travel and hiking cameras out there. Honestly, my DSLR, a Canon EOS 7D MkII, spent most of this summer in the camera bag while my RX10 was out with me every where I went. 

(Disclaimer: When we link to places where you can buy our stuff or places we stayed, we are using special codes that earn us commissions on the sales at no additional cost to you. Please see our  Review Policy   for more information.)

Why the Sony RX10 for Travel and Hiking?

The Sony RX10 IV is the fourth iteration of this camera and packs a serious punch in a small package. It sports an impressive Zeiss zoom lens with a huge range (25X or 24-600mm) on a stout sensor and weighs less than 2.5 pounds!

While the menu is complicated and not user-friendly, once you spend some time getting everything set up and customized, the controls are easy to use and well-placed. I especially like being able to quickly set things like exposure and aperture using manual control rings and dials as opposed to going through a menu. I also really appreciate being able to use the manual ring for zooming in and out. It allows for much finer control over the lens than the zoom switch.

When you are traveling, every ounce counts, especially if you are carrying everything on your back. Honestly, to get anything better in terms of images, you are going to need to carry a lot more gear to make it happen. With the RX10, it’s one camera in a small camera bag.

Read more about what Grant keeps in his camera bag here.

For hiking, size and weight are even more important but it also has to be durable and sealed against dust and moisture. By having only one attached lens, the camera eliminates the major area where dust gets into a camera while on the trail: changing lenses.

The camera is great as a landscape camera, which is what you need most of the time on the trail but has plenty of range to get you close to the wildlife you don’t want to get too close to in person.

Read more about hiking in Badlands National Park here.

The Size and Weight of the RX10

Two of the most important elements of a travel camera are size and weight. Those make a huge difference in terms of what you can pack, how easy the camera is to mange while you travel and how much fatigue you get from carrying it around.

The RX 10 is 10mm wider than my SX40 but 16mm narrower than my 7D. It is almost 20 mm shorter than my 7D and only 19 mm thicker than my SX40. In short, it is right in the middle of the three cameras.

In terms of weight, the camera falls square in between the other two as well. The SX40 weighs 1.32 pounds, the RX10 weighs 2.41 pounds and the 7D (with a 24-105L lens ) weighs 3.28 pounds. But honestly, this is not an apples-to-apples comparison. In order to get to approximately the same zoom range of the other two cameras, you would also need to carry the EF 100-400L lens, which weighs an additional 3.62 pounds!

As you can see, the RX10 is squarely in between the SX40 and 7D in terms of size and weight. That said, there are always tradeoffs when it comes to a camera and, in this case, the tradeoffs are lens quality and sensor size.

Comparing the Capabilities of the RX10’s Lens and Sensor

While the 7D is a noticeably heavier camera and the lenses add on a lot of weight, you do get a much larger sensor than either the RX10 and SX40. This makes for clearer, more detailed images. You also get the capability to switch out for different lenses if you need them. The tradeoff, obviously, is size and weight.

The RX10 and SX40 (and the more updated SX70) trade sensor size for a more compact and easy to carry camera. Additionally, they use a single lens that has a much larger zoom range than is practical for a DSLR. 

The SX40 has a 35X optical zoom lens, the equivalent of a 24-840mm lens! That’s an amazing feat of engineering! The newer SX70 goes even further with a staggering 65X optical zoom lens (21-1365mm)! But its sensor is much smaller than the RX10, much less the 7D. 

While I like the longer zoom range, I must say that hand-holding the SX40 when fully zoomed is tough to get a steady shot. If you use a monopod, it makes shooting fully zoomed out a lot easier. I would still recommend the SX70 to folks looking for a cheaper camera OR folks who are into birding and really need that extra zoom.

Read more about hiking the Black Hills here.

Using the RX10’s Amazing Zoom

The RX10, on the other hand, has a 25X zoom (24-600mm). The Zeiss lens, however, is much more like a professional lens and the camera has a larger sensor. I found the camera to be much easier to handle fully zoomed out and makes for some amazingly clear pictures.

The end result? The RX10 can’t quite reach out as far as the SX40 and much less than the SX70. The images the RX10 gets, however, have more detail and are clearer. But how far can the RX10 shoot? In this first image, I am shooting the camera as wide as it would go. I am looking at the dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park about a mile from the base of the dunes.

In the next picture, I zoomed all the way in from the exact same spot. I focused on folks walking in between the parking lot and dunes. These people are about 3/4 mile away from where I am standing! 

As you can see, the RX10 is quite flexible in the lens department. That makes it the perfect companion on the trail. Most of the time when we are hiking, we are taking landscape shots. But, every once in a while, we find serious wildlife on the trail. 

Additionally, the lens on the RX10 has a lower aperture than the SX40. Basically, the lens lets in more light, allowing for a greater variety of depth of field and flexibility in low light situations. 

In the past, when I have used the SX40, I have gotten some really nice images. That said, I have to filter through a lot of them to get something worthy of processing. With the RX10, I consistently get really nice pictures, even in challenging conditions. 

Cons of the RX10

The single biggest con against the RX10 is the price. The camera goes for around $1,700 as compared to around $500 for the SX70. That’s a huge price difference! This is definitely for someone who is serious about getting good pictures but does not want to carry a lot of weight or a large camera bag. 

The other major con to this camera is the menu system. It’s complicated and not user friendly. Honestly, I highly suggest following a lot of Ken Rockwell’s suggestions in this user guide to the RX10 .

Lastly, it does not come with a battery charger. Instead, the camera charges with a USB cable. I highly recommend purchasing an additional battery and travel battery charger with the camera . While I can make do with just USB charging, having a dedicated battery charger is far more useful. I always carry a second battery, so that allows me to charge both at the same time.

Cotton Carrier SlingBelt

Since the RX10 is a bit heavier than my SX40, I decided to look for an alternative to the sling strap I had used with that camera for years. I found it in the Cotton Carrier SlingBelt .

The SlingBelt is a combination of a padded waist belt that has a camera mount built into it and a shoulder sling. What makes this awesome for a hiker or travel photographer is it gets the camera off your neck/shoulder while you are walking around or hiking long distances and secures it to your hip. 

The cam system basically locks the camera into the mount until you turn the camera 90 degrees and pull it out. While it took a little getting used to, I found this to be an ideal setup for long hikes. I can easily hike for 10+ miles with the camera strapped to my hip and not really even feel it is there. 

The cam, however, is the biggest con to this system. It attaches to the bottom of the camera to the tripod lug using a bolt that requires a supplied hex wrench. That makes it a little difficult to mount a tripod or monopod quickly.

The shoulder strap is OK when used by itself. Honestly, it needs to be readjusted if being used alone versus being used in conjunction with the belt to be comfortable. It just hangs a little too low when set for use with the belt.

It also comes with a waterproof camera cover for when it rains. 

I highly recommend this system . If you decide to pick one up, be sure to use the code WANDERFILLED to get 10% off.

• SLINGBELT. Carrying your camera with heavy lenses can be tough, which is why photographers love our Slingbelt! Easily strap in your camera and go! Made with an adjustable hip belt and secure locking-mechanism, you can enjoy doing what you love without worrying about your camera.

Final Thoughts on the RX10

The RX10 is a compromise camera but even its compromises are expertly done. While it is pricey and has some user interface issues, the camera is so good as a travel camera I did not even take my 7D on my last road trip even though I had the room. I knew all things being equal, I would just grab the RX10. 

While I love shooting with the Canon 7D MkII and it is a great camera, when it comes to travel, it is simply too bulky and heavy.

If I were to have just one camera, the RX10 IV would be it. 

Travel Resources

What do you use to find a flight.

We use Skyscanner to find deals on flights. Skyscanner has a great interface and compares tons of airlines for the best pricing and routing. That said, it does not always have every airline and some airlines will have better deals on their website. Still, Skyscanner is a great place to start. Click here to search for a flight.

What do you use to find a hotel?

We typically stay at Hilton properties , so we use the Hilton website . You can find good Hilton Honors discounts or AAA discounts for a hotel there. We make great use of our free night certificates from our Hilton Honors American Express. Click here to book a Hilton property.

If there are no Hilton properties available, we use TripAdvisor to read reviews and book the hotel. We find we can get the best price that way. Click here to search for a hotel.

We recently partnered with Stay22 to add interactive maps to each of our destination posts. This will allow you to see a plethora of hotels and vacation rentals all in one responsive map of the area. Click here to search an interactive map.

What if I need more space than I can get at a hotel?

We use Vrbo for the times when we have rented a cabin for a weekend getaway, like this cabin in Townsend, TN , or needed to rent a house for a large family vacation. We had a great experience with them in terms of refunding deposits when COVID hit and will continue to use them. Click here to search for a vacation rental.

Who do you use for rental cars?

As a general rule, we book with Hertz for rental cars. We have had nothing but good experiences with them. Plus, we really like unlimited mileage and not worrying about crossing state lines. We have even rented from Hertz overseas in both Slovenia and Croatia . Click here to book a rental car.

How about booking a cruise?

We have found some amazing prices for booking a cruise through Cruise Direct . We have saved a lot of money on our cruises compared to what we found elsewhere, making a last-minute Bahamas cruise even cheaper. Click here to book a cruise.

What if I want to rent an RV?

We highly recommend Outdoorsy for RV rentals. We rented a camper van for a week to visit Rocky Mountain National Park for the elk rut and Custer State Park for the Buffalo Round-Up and had a blast. The program was easy to use and we really enjoyed the freedom of having a camper van for that trip. Click here to rent an RV.

What do you use for booking tours?

We don’t often book tours. Typically, we like to do stuff on our own. That said, there are some experiences you can’t have any other way. So, when we do want to book a tour, we always check Viator first. Click here to book a tour.

Do you use anything to get discounts on the road?

We make extensive use of both Good Sam and AAA on the road. Good Sam is normally regarded as a discount card for RVers at campgrounds and Camping World but anyone can use the 5 cents off a gallon at the pump at both Pilot and Flying J. Click here to get a Good Sam membership. We have had AAA as long as we have been married and it has more than paid for itself in discounts at hotels, aside from the peace of mind of having roadside assistance. Add in paper maps and the ability to get an international driver’s license and it is more than worth it for any traveler out there. Click here to get a AAA membership.

Where can I get Travel Insurance?

We have partnered with Global Rescue for travel and evacuation insurance. This provider will put you out of the worst situations and get you to medical care promptly. You can even purchase “cancel for any reason” insurance from Global Rescue. This is our go-to provider of travel insurance. Traveling somewhere dangerous? They will even extract you if war were to break out on your trip. Click here to get Global Rescue for your upcoming trip.

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Sony A7C R review: The ultimate travel camera?

The high-resolution alternative to the a7c ii is a powerful camera in a compact package.

TechRadar Verdict

If you're after a small, interchangeable-lens camera to carry around day-to-day and take on your travels, the A7C R is a compelling, albeit pricey choice. Identical in every way to the A7C II save for its higher-resolution 61MP sensor, the A7C R can handle almost any photography scenario with ease, while its video spec is very respectable. Having those extra pixels to play with will appeal to landscape photographers, and gives you plenty of scope to crop into pictures, adding versatility to your lens of choice. Such a small form-factor compromises handling when compared to an SLR-style mirrorless camera like the A7R V; there's no AF joystick, while the viewfinder is small and fiddly. However, as a travel camera, the A7C R might well be the most capable snapper available.

Best current Sony Alpha sensor in a compact body

Fantastic subject-tracking autofocus performance

Decent battery life

Much pricier than the A7C II

Awkward viewfinder

Not designed for use with large lenses

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Two-minute review

• Image quality
• Test scorecard
• Should I buy
• Also consider
• How I tested

Announced alongside the Sony A7C II, the A7C R is a pricier alternative with a higher-resolution 61MP full-frame sensor, but which is otherwise an identical camera. You can learn more about the build, handling, features and performance of the A7C R in our full Sony A7C II review ; while this review touches on those fundamentals, here I'm focusing on the key differences around the different sensor, and how it impacts image quality, performance and the camera's position in the Sony Alpha lineup.

Succeeding the Sony A7C , which is one of the best travel cameras with full-frame sensor available, both the A7C II and A7C R maintain that travel-friendly compact form factor – Sony says they're the world's smallest full-frame cameras with in-body image stabilization – but come adorned with Sony's latest features, and represent a sizable upgrade. 

In one sense, we're not seeing anything new here, and that's a recent Sony trend; it's been filling out its Alpha range with niche cameras that combine existing tech from other models. The A7C II is essentially a small A7 IV – the camera that tops our best mirrorless camera guide – while the A7C R is a baby A7R V . (The A7C, meanwhile, is a compact A7 III – notice a pattern?)

When considering what's the best camera for you between the A7C II, A7C R, A7 IV or A7R V, the choice boils down to what's more important – your wallet, camera size, all-round handling, or image quality. Each of those cameras ticks half of those boxes, with the A7C R satisfying those looking for a travel-friendly camera with the best possible image quality.

The A7C R list price is $2,999 / £3,199 / AU$4,999 body-only. That's around 25% less than the Sony A7R V, but quite a mark up from the A7C II, which costs $2,199 / £2,099 / AU$3,499 body-only – I'd call that mark up a landscape photographer's tax. However, the A7C R comes supplied with an extension grip, and while that grip also works with the A7C II, it's an additional purchase with that camera (price TBC). 

I prefer the reality of the A7C R over the A7C II because its high-resolution sensor is not only better for landscape photography, but it affords greater flexibility; I might not need 61MP most of the time, but I can crop into those larger pictures more than images from the 33MP A7C II when my lenses don't go tight enough, much as with the delightful Leica Q3 which is the best premium compact camera available, and which also sports a 61MP sensor.

That's to the point; the rangefinder-style A7C R isn't a camera with which you'd want to use chunky telephoto lenses to get you closer to subjects (see the images below with the FE 70-200mm F4 II lens). It's so small that you'll want to pair it instead with relatively tiny everyday lenses like the FE 40mm F2.5 – pictures taken with a lens like this lens often benefit from being cropped into, and double the pixels can effectively get you twice as close.

Aside from which A7C model makes most sense based on the sensor, both of these cameras are designed to be as small as possible, and that comes with handling compromises compared to the SLR-style models. For example, despite the A7C R's and A7C II's viewfinder having improved magnification over the one in the A7C, it's still a tricky EVF to use day-to-day – I really had to push my eye in to get a clear view, while the EVF on the A7R V is much easier to use. 

I also really missed an AF joystick. Don't get me wrong: the A7C R's autofocus performs brilliantly by itself, utilizing Sony's 'AI-powered' autofocus chip which means, just like the A7C II, the A7C R is able to recognize more subjects and in more scenarios than previous-gen cameras, and nail sharp focus on human eyes. However, the joystick is such a handy override when you want the control over which subject is in focus. 

In light of the modest viewfinder experience, it's some relief that the touch functionality of the vari-angle screen has been improved, adding touch navigation and swipe control in addition to touch focus, plus the in-camera UI is the latest streamlined version that's much easier to navigate than the previous setup. 

The new Sony Creators' app works a treat, too. I had no problem connecting my Android phone to remotely control the camera and uploading images to the cloud. Sony apps of the past didn't cut the mustard, but the Sony Creators' app is a different experience altogether.

Overall, the Sony A7C R is a highly capable photography-first camera for its size, perhaps the most capable. It will handle landscape photography as readily as fast-moving portraits, and by my reckoning is the most cost-efficient way to get Sony's excellent 61MP sensor. It's still super-expensive though, so we do have to finish by asking that question, "do you really need all those pixels?". For me, it's one for the wishlist.

Sony A7C R: Specs

Sony a7c r: image quality.

There’s everything and nothing to be said about the A7C R’s image quality that hasn’t been said before. It packs the exact same 61MP sensor as the A7R V, and you can read more about the formidable $,4000 / £4,000 / AU$6,500 mirrorless camera in our full Sony A7R V review . 

The only real difference between the two is any impact on image quality resulting from the handling of each camera. You might get a firmer hold of the A7R V (which is probably why Sony bundles the A7C R with an extension grip), plus its in-body image stabilization is rated up to 8EV against the A7C R’s 7EV, so you might get blurrier handheld A7C R shots in some scenarios.

And then there’s the comparison between the A7C R and the 33MP A7C II. Do we need the extra pixels? I think for a travel camera, where you want a lightweight setup and maybe just a single lens, more pixels is even more relevant. If a 40mm f/2.5 lens can’t get close enough, you can just crop in. You can get the impression of an 80mm lens, for example, in a 61MP image cropped to a similar size of the 33MP A7C II. If money was no object, I’d definitely go for the A7C R.

Forgetting everything Alpha, and simply enjoying the pictures I’ve made with the A7C R, I can see pin-sharp detail where it counts, when the exposure settings are sensible. The enthusiast-level lenses I was using are highly capable; wide enough at f/4 to throw some lovely out-of-focus bokeh in portraits, and sharp enough stopped down for pin-sharp landscape photography.

ISO performance is decent, with a native ISO 100 to 32,000 range. Any setting from ISO 100 to 1600 provides clean and sharp results, and I'd happily shoot up to ISO 6400, too. Beyond that setting, for example pushing to that maximum native setting of ISO 32,000 in low light is okay at a pinch, but if you look closely (see below the pictures of horses at moonrise), detail at this setting is pretty mushy.  

JPEG colors straight out the box look great, dynamic range is generous, and intelligent autofocus is reliable. Put simply, the A7C R can be relied upon as an everyday camera; it's quick to respond when you need to capture the moment, and powerful enough for the constructed scenarios – a landscape photography expedition or portrait shoot.

Video quality is decent too, with 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 up to 30 frames per second, and a log color profile providing the best image quality. We don't get 8K video as in the A7R V, but 4K videos are very sharp, taken from the 7K readout of the sensor, which is then downsampled without line skipping or pixel binning. If you like shooting half speed, the 60 frames per second setting incurs a Super35 crop (1.5x), making the wider-than-most 20-70mm zoom lens I had with the camera a particularly good match.

Sony A7C R: Test scorecard

Should i buy the sony a7c r.

Buy it if...

You want the latest autofocus technology Utilizing Sony's best autofocus performance and AI-powered autofocus chip, the A7C R can intelligently and reliably track a broader range of subjects than ever to deliver sharp focus where it matters.

Image quality is a priority For full-frame, you won't find better than Sony's 61MP sensor. Even if you don't need all those pixels, you can shoot in one of the smaller file sizes, or make use of the additional cropping potential that such a high 61MP resolution brings. 

You value size over function The A7C R tiny, and fits nicely in the hand, especially when the extension grip is attached. Add in the flip screen and newly introduced control dials, and you get a discrete and powerful little travel camera. However, if size doesn't matter, the overall user experience with the A7R V is better. 

Don't buy it if...

You don't need the pixels There's a big difference in pixel count between the A7C R and the A7C II, but the latter is no slouch, with a 33MP full-frame sensor. If you're looking for a more all-purpose travel-friendly snapper, you could save some cash by going for the A7C II. 

You love using a viewfinder In my book, the single biggest compromise in such a compact full-frame camera design is the viewfinder experience. The larger SLR-style A7R V has a larger 0.5-inch EVF than the 0.39-inch one in the A7C R, plus it has a superior 9.44m-dot resolution and easier eye relief. 

You use big lenses Take one look at the A7C R product photos in this review with the FE 70-200mm F4 II lens attached – it's a size mismatch, and that’s a smaller zoom in Sony’s range. If you regularly use bulky telephoto optics, you're better served by a larger camera.

Sony A7C R: Also consider

If our Sony A7C R has inspired you to think about other options, here are two more cameras to consider…

Sony A7R V If a compact size isn't everything, then most of the tech in the A7C R comes from the chunkier and pricier A7R V. For the extra 20-25% outlay, you get a better user experience that includes a more spacious body, larger grip, AF joystick, a superior 9.44m-dot EVF with larger display, and a full-size HDMI. There's a bigger price gap between these two cameras than there is between the A7C II and A7 IV, and arguably more that separates the two as well. 

Read our full Sony A7R V review

Sigma FP L If you really want the smallest and lightest full-frame mirrorless camera for stills and video, then look no further than the Sigma FP L . It's a 61MP version of the Sigma FP – which is a truly pocketable camera with a 24.6MP full-frame sensor – with improved hybrid phase and contrast detection autofocus. Body-only, the FP L costs a fraction less than the A7C R, but it doesn't have in-body image stablization, nor a built-in viewfinder, which is instead available as a costly optional extra.

Read our full Sigma FP review

How I tested the Sony A7C R

I had a loan sample of Sony A7C R, along with the FE 20-70mm F4 and FE 70-200mm F4 II lenses, for one week, during which time the three bits of gear were with me most of the time, and combined for a travel-friendly setup easily stowed in a small bag. Ideally, I would have also have had a lightweight and compact lens that truly realizes the travel-friendly potential of the A7C R, like the FE 40mm F2.5 G.

Throughout the week I was able to regularly take photos and videos, including portraits, animal portraits, landscapes, macro, fast sequences, and general everyday shots, in all manner of lighting conditions, and utilize Sony's Creators' app for remote control of the camera and image uploads. I made sure to put the AI-powered autofocus system through its paces, capturing all kinds of human and animal photos and night shots, and I tested the 7EV image stabilization by taking slow-shutter-speed handheld pictures.

First reviewed August 2023

Tim is the Cameras editor at TechRadar. He has enjoyed more than 15 years in the photo video industry with most of those in the world of tech journalism. During his time as Deputy Technical Editor with Amateur Photographer, as a freelancer and consequently editor at Tech Radar, Tim has developed a deeply technical knowledge and practical experience with cameras, educating others through news, reviews and features. He’s also worked in video production for Studio 44 with clients including Canon, and volunteers his spare time to consult a non-profit, diverse stories team based in Nairobi. Tim is curious, a keen creative, avid footballer and runner, and moderate flat white drinker who has lived in Kenya and believes we have much to enjoy and learn from each other. 

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Review: This Is the Perfect Travel Camera for Most People

Fujifilm calls the X-T30 the “Little Giant,” and it inherits most of the best bits from the X-T3, its $500-more-expensive older sibling.

By Stinson Carter

James Bond preferred a smaller gun — a superior compact tool that didn’t throw off the proportions of a slim suit and a vintage Rolex. And the Fujifilm X-T30 ($899+) is the mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera equivalent of 007’s Walther PPK. When equipped with a small prime lens , it’s light in the hand or on a neck strap, and stealthy on the street. As a travel camera, it packs the power of a DSLR into a nearly pocket-sized package, and it won’t invite theft the way some bigger cameras might. But it’s more than just a great compact camera; like Bond’s iconic companion, the X-T30 has the presence of a timeless classic.

The Fujifilm X-T30 is available now in silver, black or “charcoal silver.”

The Good: To say the third time’s the charm would be a disservice to the much-loved X-T20 ($599+) , but this third iteration seems to have found a sweet spot blend of the rich colors of a Fuji sensor with auto-focus prowess good enough to compete with Sony’s APS-C offerings. Fujifilm has a uniquely devoted following — a bit like the Volvo or Subaru of the camera world — and nothing justifies that devotion as clearly as the company’s continual willingness to put their top-of-the-line engines into their entry models. It is a winning strategy: the X-T30’s sub-$1000 price tag gives it a broad audience, and it’s almost guaranteed to outsell its big brother, the X-T3 ($1,499) , as the previous model outsold the X-T2.

Fujifilm calls the X-T30 the “Little Giant,” and it inherits most of the best bits from its $500-more-expensive older sibling – crucially, the same processor and 26.1-megapixel sensor. It lacks features like the X-T3’s weather sealing, dedicated ISO dial, dual memory card slots, and 4k video at 60 frames-per-second. But what the X-T30 has that the X-T3 does not , is a pop-up flash, a full-auto mode that’s useful when shooting video or when passing the camera off to a less camera-savvy compadre; and not to mention, an incredibly compact body. It shoots 4k video at 30fps, it has a fast and accurate face- and eye-tracking autofocus system for stills and video, and 10-film-simulation modes that mimic Fuji film stock of the past — from the vivid colors of Velvia to the stark monochromatic power of black and white Acros. And you can apply any of these simulations to RAW images.

The X-T30’s manual dials for exposure compensation and shutter speed — especially when paired with a lens that has a manual aperture ring — make shooting manual fairly practical in the real world. And the customizable dials and buttons allow you to make the camera your own––set the front dial for ISO, set a back button to activate the “sports finder” mode that gives you a frame within a frame so you can capture a moving subject at just the right moment, or set the function button to send your photos automatically to your smartphone with a single push. Hold any button down and it will bring up a list of functions that the button can control. And for further depth of control, customize your own swipe commands for the tilting touchscreen LCD. A gearhead could get lost in these menus for hours, but because they are so intuitive, getting lost is only by choice.

Who’s It For: It’s for professionals on family vacation who don’t want to lug around their heavy gear and don’t intend to print their photos on billboards.

It’s also for casual shooters who want to gradually get more into manual control. The analog dials make it easy to move back and forth between manual, semi-manual, and auto. You can be contemplating the bokeh behind a rosebud one minute, and then capture your running child with snappy face-detection autofocus in the next. And you don’t have to be a raw snob with the X-T30––pick a film simulation mode that fits your chosen look, and the JPEGS that come out of the camera don’t need much in the way of editing, if any.

If you are a traveler who wants a light kit, but you also want a camera that looks so good it doubles as a fashion accessory, then the X-T30 gives you that at a fraction of the cost of a Leica.

Watch Out For: There are a few quirks here, but none of them are deal-breakers. Because of the small size, mounting it on a tripod covers up the battery compartment; the headphone jack is not the standard 3.5mm, so you’ll need an adapter; you can see the LCD with polarized sunglasses if it’s horizontal, but turn it vertically and it appears black; the screen flips up and down, but does not flip around for any selfie viewing. Compared to full-frame sensors in low light, the X-T30’s crop sensor––or any crop sensor for that matter––can’t hold a candle to full-frame. But for casual video and shooting stills in the vast majority of lighting scenarios, the X-T30 is as much camera you will likely ever need.

Alternatives: Outside of similar Fujifilm models, like the X100F and X-E3, the most parallel alternative to the X-T30 is Sony’s A6400 and A6500. If you want a vlogging selfie LCD, then get a Sony A6400. Although, the face tracking is so good on the Fuji that you can trust it to keep you in focus even if you can’t see yourself while shooting. If you want in-body stabilization, then you can get it in the A6500. But Fujifilm has a broader range of native APS-C lenses than Sony, and Sony’s lenses tend to be bulkier than their Fuji counterparts, so any size advantage gained in the compact body is offset.

Verdict: If you want an all-around camera for travel, photojournalism, family photos and social media, there’s no better marriage of form, function, and value on the market currently than the X-T30. Yes, Sony’s counterparts still have the edge in auto-focus speed and tracking accuracy, but Fuji’s advantage in color tones, lens options, and design seal the deal for me. In the three weeks that I have had the review loaner, I have sold my beloved DSLR and prized glass, and ordered an X-T30 and three lenses. I was tired of having a big, powerful, heavy camera sitting on my desk. I wanted one camera that bridged the gap between an all-in-one compact and a DSLR; something that can hang on my neck with a featherweight prime for a day in Paris, or that I could beef up with a hand grip and a zoom lens for a press trip. Time will tell if I’ve found my answer.

What Others Are Saying:

• “This is my favorite Fujifilm interchangeable-lens camera because it’s small, light, inexpensive and has very high performance along with a built-in flash lacking in the bigger, heavier and more expensive X-T3.” – Ken Rockwell, KenRockwell.com

• “The X-T30 has a couple of handling quirks that are practically inevitable in a camera this small, and it has no in-body stabilization, but these are the only faults we can find in a camera with superb external controls, a great 26.1-megapixel sensor, superb autofocus and powerful 4K video recording – and all for the price of regular mid-range camera.” – Rod Lawton, Digital Camera World

• “The X-T20 was a popular model for a reason, and it’s hard to see why the X-T30 shouldn’t be destined for the same kind of appreciation. Whether you’re an enthusiast looking for a backup body, or you’re taking your next steps from a more junior model, the X-T30 packs enough under its skin to please its target audience.” – Matt Golowczynski, TechRadar

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The Best Mirrorless Camera

By Phil Ryan

Phil Ryan is a writer primarily covering photography gear, printers, and scanners. He has been testing cameras professionally for 19 years.

A mirrorless camera can give you better photos than your smartphone can, and it’s the best choice for anyone who wants to learn more about photography.

Everything we recommend

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV

The best mirrorless camera for most people.

With this camera’s small size, vast lens selection, built-in stabilization, excellent autofocus, and reliable exposure, you can easily capture great images anywhere.

Buying Options

Upgrade pick.

Fujifilm X-T5

The best mirrorless camera for serious photographers.

This retro-styled, weather-sealed camera is the best APS-C mirrorless camera you can buy, with ample customizable controls, great autofocus, excellent video, built-in stabilization, and outstanding images even in very low light.

The best full-frame mirrorless camera

If you want to step up to a full-frame camera, this model offers the best image quality you can get, along with a tilting touchscreen, dual memory-card slots, and cutting-edge autofocus.

While DSLRs used to be the go-to option for improved image quality, mirrorless cameras have taken over thanks to their increased portability and reduced mechanical complexity.

After more than 220 hours of research and testing over the past seven years, we recommend the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV —a versatile, high-performing mirrorless camera that’s available at a great price.

Its advanced features help it capture reliably great-looking images in all kinds of conditions, and its small size means you’re more likely to carry it with you everywhere.

Although the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV doesn’t offer the absolute best image quality, it captures great-looking images and is a joy to use. But it really stands out from the mirrorless competition thanks to its compact, lightweight design and its low price.

It’s compatible with more lenses than any of our other picks, and all of them work with its impressive built-in image stabilization. The autofocus system locks on to subjects quickly and accurately, and the lock-on remains accurate even in dimly lit situations. Its smartphone app, which enables remote shooting and image transfer, is better than those of most rivals, too.

Because the OM-D E-M10 IV is so small, you’re more likely to bring this camera with you everywhere you go. But despite its small stature, it has a comfy grip, plenty of tactile controls, and a tilting touchscreen, which together make it one of the better-handling cameras in its class.

If you’re serious enough to spend over $2,000 for a camera and lens bundle, the Fujifilm X-T5 is the best choice to bring your photography to a higher level.

The sensor puts out surprisingly clean, detailed, color-accurate images even when you shoot in especially dim lighting. And Fujifilm’s film simulations evoke nostalgic memories through clever application of color and tones, if you opt to use them.

The camera is rugged and weather sealed, has dedicated dials for all of your most-used settings, sports a large electronic viewfinder that gives you a great view of what you’ll get, and captures beautiful 4K video. Plus, its tilting screen and built-in image stabilization make shooting in challenging situations even more manageable than with our top pick.

The full-frame Sony ɑ7 IV delivers the sharpest, cleanest images of any mirrorless camera in its price range, and with its tilting touchscreen, comfortable grip, and easy-to-use controls, it’s a joy to use.

Its excellent battery life and dual memory-card slots are meaningful improvements over what we’ve seen on any other full-frame mirrorless camera under $2,700.

Add its weather sealing, its fast burst shooting, and its AI-powered eye-tracking autofocus system, and the α7 IV is definitely the best full-frame mirrorless camera for your money—if you’re willing to spend this much. Most people don’t need to.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, what you need to know about mirrorless cameras, how we picked and tested, our pick: olympus om-d e-m10 mark iv, upgrade pick: fujifilm x-t5, our full-frame pick: sony ɑ7 iv, other good mirrorless cameras, what to look forward to, the competition.

I’m Wirecutter’s senior staff writer for camera and printer coverage, as well as the former senior technology editor for Popular Photography; prior to that I served as a senior camera editor at CNET.

In my role at Popular Photography, I was in charge of camera and lens testing procedures and personally field-tested all of the cameras, as well as many of the lenses, that the publication covered during my tenure.

I have been covering mirrorless cameras since the very first models were introduced in 2008.

If you want to move beyond the constraints of smartphone photography or are interested in learning what terms like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO mean (and even if you already know), buying a mirrorless camera probably makes sense for you.

Compared with DSLRs, mirrorless cameras are smaller and lighter. And instead of providing an optical viewfinder, which uses a mirror to bounce light that travels through the lens up to your eyeball, mirrorless cameras offer an electronic viewfinder (EVF), which shows a live feed from the sensor. That means you see exactly what you’ll get in the finished photo.

Combined, these factors make mirrorless cameras easier to carry around and less fussy to use than DSLRs, yet mirrorless cameras provide equal or better image quality. And as a bonus, you can easily adapt any film- or DSLR-era lens to any mirrorless camera body, giving new life to vintage equipment.

Sensor size

All else being equal, a larger sensor size generally equates to better image quality.

The sensors in the cameras we recommend here are much larger than those in smartphones. Sensor sizes in mirrorless cameras, in ascending size order, include Four Thirds (as found in our top pick), APS-C (as found in our upgrade pick), full-frame (as found in our also-great pick), and even medium format (which is far too expensive for us to recommend, at least for now).

At equal pixel counts, larger sensors have larger pixels, which gather more light; that reduces image noise (tiny unwanted speckles) and increases detail. They can also produce shallower depth of field, which helps to create dreamier out-of-focus backgrounds but also makes getting your subject correctly in focus more difficult.

Portability

Mirrorless cameras were created to be more portable than digital single-lens reflex cameras. Because camera makers don’t have to incorporate the SLR mirror or other parts associated with moving that mirror up and down, they can design a smaller camera.

Although some newer mirrorless cameras include large grips that make them quite chunky, they’re still smaller and lighter overall (and especially thinner) than equivalent DSLRs.

Unlike DSLRs, mirrorless cameras come in lots of different designs, from DSLR-shaped to rangefinder-styled. As a result, anyone can find a model that suits their style of shooting, and you have plenty of options that are small enough that you won’t think twice about bringing your camera with you wherever you go.

Battery life

With small camera bodies come smaller batteries, which means fewer photos captured per charge.

Camera makers are starting to get better about this—but especially in models aimed at beginners, manufacturers are still sacrificing some battery life in favor of a smaller camera.

For every round of testing, we look at all the mirrorless cameras currently available and take into account not only the needs of the average photographer but also those of people coming from smartphones and experienced photographers seeking to take their hobby to the next level.

We look for the best balance of price and features that are more important to people who are getting serious about learning photography as a hobby:

• High-resolution EVF: An electronic viewfinder that provides a detailed view of your subject makes it easier for you to frame your images and is essential when you’re focusing manually.
• Comfortable grip and ample external controls: It shouldn’t be hard to adapt your shooting to a new situation.
• Tilting or rotating screen: You’re likely to want to take a photo from a strange angle eventually.
• Fast burst-shooting rate: Fast-moving subjects are often best captured in a burst of images.
• Long battery life: You shouldn’t be interrupted too often by the need to switch batteries.
• Second card slot: Whether you want instant backup of your shots, the ability to separate your video and stills storage, or simply the peace of mind that comes from having another card already there when you need it, a second slot is useful.
• Fast, reliable autofocus: Capturing a sharp photo when you want it, and being able to maintain focus on a subject as it moves throughout the frame, is essential.
• Weather sealing: A sunshower or some light rain shouldn’t interrupt a good day of shooting or cause damage to your camera.

We take the cameras out into the streets and parks of New York City and use them with their kit lenses in a wide variety of situations, noting how they function in full auto mode as well as in other shooting modes.

We pay attention to the autofocus system, noting how easily we can choose where to focus and how well the camera can lock focus and track subjects.

We check out the menu systems to see how easily we can find the settings that you might want to adjust (though all mirrorless menu systems are somewhat overwhelming).

We pair each camera with our smartphone to make sure that the connection process is simple, to see how much control over the camera we have when operating it remotely, and to determine whether transferring images to a phone is uncomplicated.

Of course, we also pay close attention to image quality, though all of these cameras can capture beautiful images.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is the camera we recommend for people seeking the best bang for their buck from a mirrorless camera with semi-professional features.

It’s feature-packed. The E-M10 IV has a fast autofocus system, a high-resolution electronic viewfinder and a movable touchscreen, and the ability to shoot five photos per second until the SD card fills up (if you use a UHS-II card).

The E-M10 IV’s built-in image stabilization can work with any lens you use with it. We also like the camera’s ample physical controls, which let you customize multiple buttons and dials so that the settings you adjust most are just a touch away.

It produces images with plenty of detail and pleasingly vibrant colors. As a Micro Four Thirds camera with a slightly smaller sensor, the E-M10 IV can’t quite match the image quality of larger-sensor competitors such as our upgrade pick and full-frame pick , but it comes close enough that most people wouldn’t be able to see a difference in most photos.

In our tests, images we shot in good light closely matched what we could do with most similarly priced competitors, though the E-M10 IV showed a little more image noise when shooting at higher ISOs.

It’s compatible with a huge array of lenses. As part of the Micro Four Thirds camera system, the E-M10 IV is compatible with more than 100 native lenses—ranging from a 16mm-equivalent fisheye to an 800mm-equivalent zoom—from Olympus, Panasonic, and third-party lens makers such as Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina. That’s far more of a selection than you can find for any of our other picks.

And like other mirrorless cameras, it can use a huge range of vintage lenses via simple mechanical adapters.

Its image stabilization is very effective. The E-M10 IV can move its sensor to reduce the blur caused by shaky hands. In practice, this means you can take sharper photos in dimly lit conditions or when you’re using a lot of zoom.

With the E-M10 IV, we consistently got usably sharp images shooting handheld at shutter speeds that would inevitably produce irretrievably blurred images without stabilization—as slow as ⅓ second when we used a 50mm lens with the E-M10 IV.

It offers excellent ergonomics. After shooting with the E-M10 IV around New York City over the course of a few weeks, we can say that the camera is comfortable to use.

The grip offers an amazing balance of functionality and size, as it’s compact yet prominent enough for you to let the camera dangle securely from your fingers when you’re walking to your next shooting location (even with Olympus’s relatively large 40–150mm f/2.8 Pro lens attached).

The control dials are readily accessible, even when you’re using the viewfinder. Although the camera has only two physical customizable buttons, Olympus gives you plenty of options as to what to assign to them. Plus, you can customize the control panel on the tilting touchscreen to feature just the settings you change most often.

Its smartphone app is better than most. The E-M10 IV’s built-in Wi-Fi support lets you use your iOS or Android smartphone to transfer images and control the camera remotely to a greater degree than you can with cameras from Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, or Sony.

Beyond setting focus and adjusting exposure settings, you can switch shooting modes, control the zoom on electronically zooming Olympus lenses, and tap your phone screen to set the focus point. You can also adjust burst or timer modes, white balance, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and exposure compensation.

Its autofocus is quick and accurate. The E-M10 IV’s AF is as fast and accurate as you can expect from any current camera.

In good light, it reliably finds focus almost instantly. As with any AF system, the focus speed slows down in dimmer light, but no more so than on most competitors. In the course of our testing, we never saw any blurry shots resulting from an autofocus error.

Its EVF and its tilting screen make framing shots easy. The E-M10 IV sports a high-resolution OLED viewfinder that lets you hold the camera up to your face—a more stable and immersive way to shoot—while framing your image. It isn’t the best EVF we’ve used (the panels on the high-end Fujifilm X-T5 and Sony ɑ7 IV are better), but it ranks near the top of the class for cameras in this price range.

The 3-inch tilting touchscreen lets you move the autofocus point by touching the screen or even tap to shoot, as you would on a smartphone camera. You can also use the touchscreen as a trackpad for adjusting focus while looking through the viewfinder.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• The E-M10 IV’s menu system, like most modern camera menus, is annoyingly complicated. But given the complexity of cameras, as well as photographers’ demands for ever-greater control over their cameras, mirrorless cameras will likely never rid themselves of complex menu systems.
• Battery life is another pain point. At just 360 shots per charge, the E-M10 IV’s battery life is notably shorter than what you get from our picks by Fujifilm and Sony (580 and 520 shots, respectively). Be sure to carry an extra battery for longer outings.
• Though the E-M10 IV’s AF system locks focus quickly and accurately on static subjects, its performance is less reliable when it’s trying to track a moving subject. In our tests, the focus point had a tendency to shift to the background when a subject moved around the frame. As a result, you may miss a brief moment when burst shooting, but this issue never prevented us from getting the shot we wanted.
• Although Olympus advertises a burst rate of 8.7 shots per second, this camera isn’t the best choice for fast-paced sports, since you get that speed only if you disable continuous autofocus tracking. With continuous AF, the best you can do is 5 frames per second.

The Fujifilm X-T5 feels like a classic camera living its best life in today’s digital world. Behind its stunning retro looks, you’ll find a plethora of buttons and dials augmented by deep customization and cutting-edge technology. The result is a tool worthy of serious photographers who want to capture professional-looking photos or video in any situation.

The images it produces are stunning. The X-T5’s 40-megapixel sensor—the highest resolution in its class—captures images that you can print at very large sizes, even if you crop them down first. You can make prints of uncropped images up to 32 by 21 inches (at 240 dpi), which is larger than the prints that many professional photographers can make at home.

The film-simulation modes in Fujifilm’s digital cameras look great, and they’re one of the most fun aspects of these image-making machines. They’re designed to mimic the results of the company’s vintage film stock (even some types that have been discontinued), and they often do a better job of creating that classic film look than most of the filter apps that people pay for.

And in addition to the built-in film simulations, you can find dozens of “recipes” that you can add to the camera’s custom shooting menu for even more personalized JPEG looks.

The classic controls leave room for customization. The functions you use the most—shutter speed, ISO (sensitivity), and exposure compensation—are available on dials on the top of the camera. Similarly, you can adjust the aperture settings on Fujifilm’s lenses via a clicky ring, though you can opt to let the camera control it instead, or use one of the customizable command wheels on the camera body.

Changing settings while looking through the viewfinder is fast and easy, and thanks to the dials you can adjust the most important settings before turning the camera on. Controlling the autofocus point is simple, too, thanks to a well-positioned joystick.

The 3-inch touchscreen allows you to tap to focus and shoot and to customize other functions. The screen tilts up and down, as well as to the right for portrait shooting. It doesn’t flip out to the side like the one on its predecessor, the X-T4, or on the Sony ɑ7 IV , so you’re likely to have a tough time vlogging or shooting selfies with the X-T5; if you want to check the framing while you’re in front of the camera, you have to connect your phone.

Superior stabilization makes for sharper photos. By moving the sensor to compensate for hand shakiness, the X-T5 helps you get sharp photos when you’re zooming far or shooting in dim conditions at slow shutter speeds.

Fujifilm claims that the X-T5 can provide up to seven stops of stabilization, and in our testing it reliably gave us six stops. That resulted in sharp photos when we were shooting with an 80mm lens (a 120mm-equivalent field of view) at 1/2 second. Without stabilization, we would want a shutter speed of 1/125 second to get a usable photo when using a lens like that.

Compared with the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, the Fujifilm X-T5 gave us one stop more of stabilization. That’s also one stop more than we saw in its predecessor, the X-T4.

The battery can last a whole day. With a rating of 580 shots per charge, the X-T5’s battery lasts longer than those of any of our other picks. Most days we were able to get through the whole day without the battery running out.

The battery indicator hit the dreaded red zone after some of our three-and-a-half-hour bird-photography sessions, however. These sessions were especially taxing for the camera, since we kept it in performance boost mode—an optional setting that enhances the autofocus capabilities and raises the EVF’s refresh rate to better capture fast motion.

As always, just to be safe, we suggest carrying at least one extra battery , because everyone forgets to charge sometimes. Another option is to use a portable power bank , since the battery charges via USB-C anyway. (Like many contemporary cameras, the X-T5 doesn’t come with a battery charger in the box, just a wall adapter and a USB-C cable.)

Its smartphone app is useful. After we installed Fujifilm’s Camera Remote app , connecting the camera to a mobile device was simple. Once you register the app with a device, it remembers that camera and reconnects quickly through a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

We easily shot stills and video, changed all of the core camera settings, transferred images, and shared them with friends via the app. We also updated the camera’s firmware through the app without any issues.

Weather sealing can give you peace of mind. Fujifilm touts the X-T5’s 56 weather-sealed points on its website, and we had no problems when we used the camera in the rain. Whereas our top pick, the E-M10 IV, can withstand a light shower, we would trust the X-T5 to shrug off a downpour that would thoroughly drench our clothes.

If you do plan to brave the weather, remember to pair this camera with a weather-resistant lens. Fujifilm puts “WR” in the name of its lenses that are weather-sealed, and most third-party manufacturers note whether their lenses can withstand precipitation and dust storms.

The tilting touchscreen helps at odd angles. Though the touchscreen on the X-T5 doesn’t flip to the side and rotate all the way forward like the X-T4’s did, it can tilt up, down, and toward the right side of the camera.

We think that Fujifilm should’ve stuck with what it had in the X-T4, but unless you’re a vlogger who doesn’t want to use a smartphone to see where you are in the frame before you start and stop recording through the app (which is what we’d do anyway), the limited screen flexibility shouldn’t be a problem.

The EVF looks great. At 3.69 million dots, the X-T5’s 0.5-inch, 0.8x-magnification electronic viewfinder basically matches what you get in Sony’s ɑ7 IV, which is to say that it looks great. We enjoyed using it to frame photos and to zoom in to ensure that our manual focus was correct when we used our Leica-mount manual lenses through an adapter.

Video looks amazing. The 4K footage we shot looked beautiful, and the image stabilization kept it impressively smooth when we shot handheld, even at long focal lengths.

Because this Fujifilm camera is equipped with a sensor that’s larger than the one in our top pick from Olympus, you can expect it to capture video with less noise in darker settings, though the results won’t be quite as clean as with our full-frame pick from Sony. Plus, the 6.2K-resolution option gives you room to spare during editing to crop down to 4K.

If you want to send an HDMI signal to an external recorder, such as an Atomos or Blackmagic device, you can record at up to 6.2K and 30 fps in 12-bit Apple ProRes RAW format or Blackmagic RAW for the most amount of leeway with color grading or other fancy editing tactics. We did not have a compatible recorder on hand to test this function. In-camera, you’re limited to 10-bit (4:2:2) color at 6.2K, which in our experience looked every bit as stunning as the 4K footage we made.

Generally, we don’t think most people need a full-frame camera, but if you want one for its superior image quality and its ability to shoot in very low light, the Sony ɑ7 IV is the best option.

Its image quality is best in class. The ɑ7 IV’s 33-megapixel sensor captures more than enough fine detail to make very large prints, even at high ISO settings that would produce overly noisy images on other full-frame cameras.

The images have more pixels than those of our top pick, but not as many as images from our upgrade pick. However, its images are cleaner than either of theirs thanks to its full-frame sensor.

It has plenty of customizable physical controls. More so than on any of our other picks, the ɑ7 IV’s controls let you quickly and seamlessly access everything you need to reach when you’re shooting.

Included are an autofocus-point control joystick, three customizable dials, a function button that brings you to a quick menu where you can change all of the most important settings, and five customizable buttons for fast access to your most-changed options.

Although the total number of customizable buttons on the ɑ7 IV is comparable to what rivals offer, the breadth of functions you can assign helps the ɑ7 IV stand out.

Its touchscreen display can move into nearly any position. The touchscreen flips out to the side, tilts up and down, and can face the same direction as the lens for selfies.

Even if you prefer to shoot with the viewfinder, you can use the touchscreen as a trackpad and slide your thumb across the screen to move the autofocus point. If you prefer to focus on your subject by touching the screen as you would on your smartphone, you can do that, too, or you can set the camera to also take the picture when you tap your subject.

Its battery lasts longer than most rivals’. One of the biggest drawbacks of mirrorless cameras is their anemic battery life, but the ɑ7 IV offers 520 shots per charge, about 60 shy of our upgrade pick but still impressive considering the larger size of its sensor.

You should still pick up an extra battery , but with a full charge you’ll be able to get through, say, a child’s field hockey game without running out of juice (unless you lean on burst mode more than anyone really should).

Dual card slots ensure that you never lose a shot. The ɑ7 IV’s two SD card slots let you write a backup of everything you capture to a second card—a convenient feature if you’re worried about one of those cards failing and costing you once-in-a-lifetime shots (or paid work).

Alternatively, you can set the camera to move from one card to the next once the first card is full, save video to one and stills to the other, or save JPEGs to one and raw images to the other.

Its autofocus is blazing fast and sticks like glue. The ɑ7 IV’s autofocus is the best of any of the cameras we recommend, and it’s one of the best AF systems we’ve ever encountered in our tests.

It uses AI to help determine what to focus on when it’s set to full auto, zone focusing, or one of its tracking modes. In particular, its face- and animal-tracking modes are likely to astound anyone who hasn’t used a camera with an AI-based AF system: It finds an eye and keeps tracking as long as that eye remains in the frame, even if the subject looks away from the camera as they move around.

In our tests, with the ɑ7 IV in bird-tracking mode , the camera did a similarly impressive job of tracking the eyes of birds even while they were in flight or hopping from branch to branch.

Its burst mode is more than fast enough for most people. The ɑ7 IV’s top burst speed of 10 frames per second (in the Hi+ burst mode) is plenty to capture fast action, including any amateur sports.

The speed dips a bit if you shoot in raw (unless you use a CFexpress card), but even at the slower 6 to 8 fps you get when shooting raw on a SD card, we’ve concluded that these restrictions aren’t onerous for anyone but sports-photography pros.

It can produce clean-looking images in very dim light. People who frequently shoot indoors, or in the evening or early morning, will appreciate that the ɑ7 IV’s ISO range extends all the way to 204,800.

Though that max setting produces lots of noise when you view images at 100% magnification, even picky shooters are likely to agree that the ɑ7 IV can produce extremely nice images up to ISO 25,600. But if your plan is to share images on social media and view them on smartphones, or at a size that doesn’t take up the whole screen, you can feel free to use the entire ISO range.

Video looks great, too. The ɑ7 IV captures extremely good-looking video that’s similar in quality to footage from other full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Topping out at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, it uses the full width of the sensor to capture video, which it then scales down to 4K footage with a dazzling amount of detail. It can capture HD footage at up to 120 fps, and it can also do 5x slow motion that still looks great on a good home television.

If you want a full-frame camera that uses Nikon’s Z-mount lenses : We think that Nikon’s Z 6II is the best choice for anyone looking for a camera in that system. Its 24.5MP images show plenty of detail, even if they don’t have the sheer resolution of photos from the 33MP Sony ɑ7 IV. Pictures have realistic color, pleasing contrast, and are well-exposed when using Nikon’s automatic settings.

Autofocus proved effective in our tests, with speedy initial focus. And while the Z 6II’s tracking isn’t quite as sophisticated as the ɑ7 IV’s, it’s more than fast and accurate enough for most photographers.

One downside we think most shutterbugs will notice is the relatively anemic battery life. At 400 shots per charge (with power save mode enabled), it’s significantly shorter than the 520 shots you’ll get with the ɑ7 IV. But if you carry an extra battery , that’ll sting a little less.

Video from the Z6 II looks great, but tops out at 4K30p. And while the LCD screen tilts up and down, we’d prefer a fully articulating display for more versatility.

If you want a camera that uses L-mount lenses: Panasonic’s Lumix S5 II is the best option for the L-mount system, which also includes cameras and lenses from Leica and Sigma.

Together, these companies have assembled a growing array of lenses that cover a wide range of needs and budgets.

The S5 II can’t match the autofocus performance of our full-frame pick and upgrade pick . Both of those cameras do a better job of identifying an animal in a scene and tracking along with it, though the S5 II performs pretty well in that regard.

The S5 II has a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor, which might seem a tad low resolution in comparison with the Sony ɑ7 IV’s 33-megapixel sensor and the Fujifilm X-T5’s 40-megapixel sensor, but that’s still enough pixels to make a 25-by-17-inch print as long as you’re not cropping the image.

Nikon has announced the Z 6III , a full-frame 24.5-megapixel camera that we expect will offer stiff competition to the Sony α7 IV thanks to 20 fps burst shooting, high-level subject tracking autofocus, up to 8 stops of in-body image stabilization, and 6K RAW video capture capability.

The weather-sealed body boasts a similar level of control as the Sony, and it offers a screen that flips out to the side and tilts a full 180 degrees, a joystick for AF control, and dual card slots that support SDXC, CF Express type B, and XQD cards. We’ll be testing it soon.

Canon’s EOS R10 and EOS R7 are solid APS-C cameras that make nice photos and videos. They’re light and relatively small, and if you think you’ll only ever want the kit lens and a cheap telephoto zoom to go with it, these cameras might serve your needs well. But at this writing, the Canon system lacks a lot of other common lens options, and you’d likely be just as happy with our top pick, which costs less than either Canon model.

The EOS R8 creates high-quality images and has fast autofocus that can track a wide variety of moving subjects. Plus, its 4K 60 fps video recording is impressive for a camera that you can often find for under $1,500 with a kit lens. But the R8’s battery is only rated to give you 150 shots when shooting with the viewfinder (220 if you use power saving mode), there’s no joystick for changing your AF settings, and there’s only one memory card slot.

We haven’t tried the newer Canon EOS R50 , an APS-C camera that is priced closer to our top pick than the R10, but we think that the larger range of lenses available for the Olympus system makes it a more attractive option.

We ruled out Canon’s EOS R6 Mark II largely because it consistently costs at least $200 more than our full-frame pick, the Sony ɑ7 IV. In addition, Canon’s EOS-R lens lineup is not nearly as extensive as Sony’s EF mount ecosystem, and third-party lens makers have not yet stepped in to help fill the gap.

Canon’s EOS RP was the company’s smallest and lightest full-frame camera when it was introduced in 2019, and it makes great-looking images. But its autofocus system has since been eclipsed by the features in newer cameras, and as we mentioned above, the selection of native lenses isn’t extensive enough. At the EOS RP’s current price, it isn’t a bad option as a smallish basic full-frame camera body if you’d like to use older Canon lenses via an adapter.

Fujifilm’s X-T50 has the same sensor as our upgrade pick, the X-T5, and can make similarly beautiful images, but its body is smaller in every dimension (especially depth). The extra portability is nice, but it comes at the expense of any kind of front grip, which makes it less comfortable to use. We tried SmallRig’s accessory grip and it helped with some lenses (such as Fuji’s 33mm f/1.4) but didn’t leave enough room for our fingers between the lens and grip with girthier lenses (like the 55-200mm zoom). Its smaller battery is also rated to just 304 shots compared to the X-T5’s 580 shots per charge.

We like the X-T50’s dedicated film simulation dial, which made it easier to change and compare film sims, but ultimately the X-T5’s better ergonomics and other advantages—including a 15 fps burst compared to the X-T50’s 8 fps—make it a better pick overall.

The Fujifilm X-T30 II has a very similar design to the X-T50, which means it shares all of the same drawbacks. It also lacks that camera’s film simulation dial and in-body image stabilization, and uses a lower-resolution 26-megapixel sensor. We think that the lower-priced OM-D E-M10 IV likely still makes more sense to most entry-level buyers, especially due to its built-in image stabilization.

Nikon’s Z f gives the innards of the Z 6II a snazzy-looking shell that evokes classic Nikon film cameras, and may also call to mind the look of Fujifilm’s excellent X-series bodies. While it’s undeniably beautiful, and the tactile dials—which click even more satisfyingly than the X-T5’s—provide an enjoyably old-school interface, we found ourselves dearly missing the Z 6II’s grip.

Even compared to the similarly styled X-T5, the Z f is bigger and weighs significantly more, yet provides even less purchase around front. On a recent trip, we were able to extensively test the add-on grip that Nikon offers in conjunction with accessory maker SmallRig, and it went a long way to solving the Z f’s handling issues. But even so, this is a large, heavy mirrorless camera. Those with larger hands and a taste for the angular designs of yesteryear may appreciate that heft, but it seems likely that more will find it tiring over a long day of shooting.

The Nikon Z 50 offers great ergonomics and produces beautiful photos, though it’s a tad expensive for an APS-C mirrorless camera. Like the Canon EOS R lineup, Nikon’s Z-mount lens system is still fairly barebones, especially for its APS-C cameras (though at least you have third-party options to choose from). Ultimately, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV represents a better overall value for most people.

Nikon’s Z 7II , Z 8 and Z 9 all seem like fabulous cameras, but are more powerful than most people need. The Z 9 is a camera specifically made for professional photographers, and at $5,500 without a lens, it’s well beyond the price range of most people who can’t write it off as a business expense. The similar but smaller Z 8 goes for about $5,000 with its kit lens. And the Z 7II costs more than $3,000 when paired with a lens, which is beyond the scope of what we currently test.

We have yet to test the Olympus OM-1 because although it seems like a very capable and robust camera, we’ve concluded that if you’re planning to spend more than $2,000 for a camera body alone, you should look beyond the inherent limitations—especially in terms of low-light performance—of the relatively small Four Thirds sensor. The same can be said for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III .

With a DSLR-style design, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 isn’t as compact as the Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV. It also costs more. But it’s better for capturing video and for snagging broadcast-quality 4K footage that you can pull stills from, and it has a fully articulated touchscreen and an external-mic input. It’s worth considering for video enthusiasts, but most people will be better served by our top pick.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 is another good option for video-first shooters, offering smooth-looking 4K footage. But its photo quality isn’t quite as good as that of other cameras in its price range, especially in low light. Its battery doesn’t last as long, either, and it doesn’t have a flippable screen for selfies.

Anyone interested in Panasonic’s Lumix S5 would be better served going with the S5 II , because that model’s hybrid autofocus system is a noticeable improvement over the S5’s sometimes-wobbly, contrast-only AF.

We were impressed with the full-frame Panasonic Lumix S9 ’s compact design, and enjoyed the ability to create and apply custom visual styles (using lookup tables, or LUTs) via the Lumix Lab app. We liked the S9’s video quality, and also appreciated the versatility of Panasonic’s open gate setting, which records the video output of the entire sensor so you can use whatever aspect ratio you want. It also allows you to create multiple versions of a video with different aspect ratios after the footage has been captured.

But due to its unusually small size, the S9 doesn’t feel very well balanced with Panasonic’s current lenses. (The company says that it plans to add more compact lenses to its lineup eventually.) The camera is also missing a hot shoe, flash, and viewfinder—with no way to add any of them.

The Sony α7C II uses the same sensor as the Sony α7 IV , but has a smaller body reminiscent of the company’s APS-C cameras. It also has lower-resolution EVF and LCD screens, a single SD card slot, and no joystick to move the AF point or navigate through menus. It’s geared toward video capture, with a dedicated recording button and a shape that lends itself to use with a video rig.

We liked its video quality (despite some rolling shutter issues on faster pans) and were impressed with its AF tracking capabilities, but we ultimately feel that the α7 IV is a more well-rounded camera.

The Sony α7 III remains a wonderful mirrorless camera, with a plenty-adequate 24-megapixel sensor and fast burst shooting. It also has much better battery life than the α7 IV. But we’ve concluded that the newer camera’s improvements make it worth the extra money for people who are ready to spend on a full-frame body.

This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.

Meet your guide

I’m based in New York City, and I spend most of my time testing and writing about cameras and lenses and all of the equipment that goes along with making photos. If I’m not up at dawn searching for birds, I might be wandering the streets of the city looking for the perfect sample image or capturing video that might trip up the encoding algorithms of these amazing machines.

Further reading

Why We Don’t Recommend Buying a New DSLR Camera

If you’re buying a new camera, look for a mirrorless model—most camera makers aren’t developing DSLRs anymore.

What My Vintage Digital Camera Obsession Has Taught Me

Before you go digging for hidden gems in the graveyard of digital camera history, heed these warnings.

The First Nikon Z-Mount Mirrorless Lenses You Should Buy

If you’re new to Nikon’s mirrorless Z-mount camera system, these are the first lenses you should consider adding to your arsenal.

The Best Camera Cleaning Gear

Like anything, lenses and cameras need to be cleaned, and this gear will help you clean them properly.

Camera Debate

Nikon 18-300mm VR – Best Travel Lens (Change-lens Free)

Jeremy pointed out that the lens is a bit soft at 300 mm and give you some test shots to backup its claims.

Let’s take a look how the 18-300mm compares to the 28-300mm in terms of size. The next image is from camerasize.com, which let’s you view compare camera sizes side by side, even attaching various interchangeable lenses.

Here’s a video footage showing the Nikon AF-S SX Nikkor 18-300mm mounted on the Nikon D7000

PhotoSummit demonstrates the Nikon 18-300 mm performance in video mode, checking out the lens wide and zoom capabilities. She mentioned that the lens is a bit heavier for her. The lens weights 830 grams.

Here’s another Nikon 18-300 mm f/3.5-5.6G VR test video, take a look..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFZ98ges7XU

Nikon 18-300mm VR Reviews

There are already numerous reviews on the 18-300 mm VR, here are some links to those review pages:

Nikon 18-300 mm review on camera debate Ken Rockwell review of the 18-300mm Photoforum user review om slrgear.com

In general, and I read all reviews, the performance of the 18-300 mm lens in its largest focal length 300mm isn’t something great to write bout. It won’t match the performance of a dedicated telephoto/telephoto zoom lens. It’s a compromise between image quality and convenience as slrgear mentioned and I have to agree.  Some people recommend getting the 18-200mm. I personally think that if you really want one lens you and don’t like changing lenses, or as I said, searching for the perfect travel lens – this lens is it!

“Remember, it’s all about the great moments you bring home with you.”

You need to understand that when you buy such a lens you will put pay in image quality in one way or another. However, I think that the difference is not big. If you are doing a lot of pixelpeeping of course you will find differences and all the cons that those reviews have mentioned about the 18-300mm. I personally bring some a bit soft photos to Adobe Lightroom and apply a bit amount of sharpening and my image turns out great.  If you look at SLRgear review, you can see that the 18-200mm is a bit sharper, but just a bit.

As I told you earlier, I own the 70-300m VR ED and 18-55 mm and I will get the 18-300mm instead of those two any day. As an amateur photographer, these difference doesn’t really matter. The pros outweigh the cons.

If I wanted to go pro, I would have gotten the 18-200 f/2.8 VR anyway. So I think that you should be putting things in perspective. Understand that you are making a compromise, but it’s not big.  You are buying this lens because convenience is more important than having a bit of softness degree here and there. Just imagine yourself traveling and needing to change lenses from wide angle to telephoto zoom lenses..I hate that. I prefer shooting with one lens and continue shooting without always thinking ahead when I need to change lenses. This by itself worth every dollar I pay for this great lens.

Having said that, you shouldn’t get me wrong, the 18-300 mm image quality great, it’s really a versatile lens. It’s on the heavy side, but it’s better than carrying a bag with two or even three lenses that fits in that focal length range.

Remember, it’s all about the great moments you bring home with you. The Nikon 18-300 mm will give you the chance to enjoy taking photos, shoot and shoot, don’t worry about changing lenses, get those amazing moments and come home with tons of beautiful images to share with the world. Oh, and if you are going to buy a new DSLR, you might want to consider buying the body alone and buy this lens. There is no reason to buy the 18-55 mm kit together with this lens. Hope you make a smart decision and be happy with it. Thanks for reading.