If you want a small and discreet camera that takes much better pictures than your smartphone, the Compact camera family (or point and shoot camera) might be for you. In recent years, the Compact cameras have made huge progress, thanks in particular to the arrival of the Sony RX 100, which introduced a 1 inch larger sensor (these point and shoot cameras with larger sensors really made this type of camera popular again). Compact cameras are particularly interesting for travelers who do not want to carry a camera and several lenses when they go on a trip. They also have the advantage of being super discreet, which can be very useful in some countries.
last update : 27/04/2021
Which compact or point and shoot camera to choose: the criteria
Without going back over all the criteria for choosing the right camera, which I have already mentioned here, I will just go back over a few interesting points specific to the point and shoot cameras:
- Sensor size: As I explained in the other article, sensor size is a very important criteria in choosing your camera, especially in the compact camera family.
You will notice in the table below that I only compare point and shoot cameras with sensor sizes of at least 1 inch. I made this choice because I don’t think it’s worth buying a compact camera with a smaller sensor… Otherwise, it is just better to use a good smartphone with a sensor of similar size. With these 1 inch sensors, you will get much better image quality in low light or high light contrast situations than with your mobile phone. - Compact camera = 1 lens: point and shoot camera means only one fixed lens! And as in the photo the lens is as important as the body, you will have to make sure that the lens of your compact is good and versatile. The idea is to have a lens that lets in as much light as possible (small f-number) and has an acceptable focal length in order to be able to zoom in sufficiently if necessary (a 24-70 equivalent is already a good start).
- Electronic viewfinder: The electronic viewfinder is the element that allows you to put the camera in front of your eye and frame your photo without using the screen. It is almost a norm in the mirrorless range but by far not all point and shoot cameras offer electronic viewfinders. Personally, I find these viewfinders essential for taking pictures in situations where there is a lot of light, which makes it difficult to use the screen. And honestly, I couldn’t do without a viewfinder now.
learn how to use your camera modes (PASM): More than a criteria, it’s an advice I give you. All the cameras below allow you to use the PASM modes (which I explained here in the article on how to choose your camera). So do yourself a favor and learn how to use them and try not to always use the automatic mode of your camera. By using these modes you will really take full control of your camera and learn to make the right settings according to the situation and the picture you want to take.
The comparative table below is interactive. You can choose the devices you want to compare, remove the lines that do not interest you… and to reset the table, simply reload the page. For a better reading, do not compare more than 2-3 models on mobile and 6-7 on computer.
| Criteria |  Sony RX 100 |  Sony RX 100 M3 |  Sony RX 100 M4 |  Sony RX 100 M5 |  Sony RX 100 M6 |  Panasonic LX 10 |  Panasonic ZS 100 |  Panasonic ZS 200 |  Panasonic LX100 II |  Canon G9 X M2 |  Canon G5 X M2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Sony RX 100 | Sony RX 100 M3 | Sony RX 100 M4 | Sony RX 100 M5 | Sony RX 100 M6 | Panasonic LX 10 | Panasonic ZS 100 | Panasonic ZS 200 | Panasonic LX100 II | Canon G9 X M2 | Canon G5 X M2 |
| Characteristics of the camera | |||||||||||
 Price | 350-400$ | 500-600$ | 600-800$ | 800-900$ | 1100-1200$ | 600-700$ | 600-700$ | 700-800$ | 800-900$ | 400-500$ | 800-900$ |
| Weight | 240gr | 287gr | 295gr | 299gr | 301gr | 310gr | 310gr | 340gr | 392gr | 206gr | 340gr |
| Size | 102 x 58 x 36 mm | 102 x 58 x 41 mm | 102 x 58 x 41 mm | 102 x 58 x 41 mm | 102 x 58 x 43 mm | 105.5 x 60 x 42 mm | 110.5 x 64.5 x 44.3 mm | 111 x 66 x 45 mm | 115 x 66 x 64 mm | 98 x 58 x 31 mm | 111 x 61 x 46 mm |
| Toughness – Waterproofing | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Battery life | 330 pictures | 230-320 pictures | 230-280 pictures | 210-220 pictures | 220-240 pictures | 260 pictures | 260-300 pictures | 250-370 pictures | 240-300 pictures | 235 pictures | 180-230 photos |
| Speed | min exp : 1/2000 img/sec : 10 | min exp : 1/2000 img/sec : 6.7 | min exp : 1/32000 img/sec : 16 | min exp : 1/32000 img/sec : 24 | min exp : 1/32000 img/sec : 24 | min exp : 1/4000 img/sec : 6-10 | min exp : 1/16000 img/sec : 6-10 | min exp : 1/16000 img/sec : 10.1 | min exp : 1/16000 img/sec : 11.2 | min exp : 1/2000 img/sec : 8 | exp min : 1/25600 img/sec :20 |
| Sensor | |||||||||||
| Size | 1 inch | 1 inch | 1 inch | 1 inch | 1 inch | 1 inch | 1 inch | 1 inch | 4/3 | 1 inch | 1 inch |
| Resolution | 20.2mpx | 20.1mpx | 20.1mpx | 20.1mpx | 20.1mpx | 20.1mpx | 20.1mpx | 20.1mpx | 17mpx | 20.2mpx | 20.2mpx |
| ISO range | 125-6400 | 125-12800 | 125-12800 | 125-12800 | 125-12800 | 125-12800 | 125-12800 | 125-12800 | 200-25600 | 125-12800 | 125-12800 |
| Lens | |||||||||||
| Focal range (full frame equivalent) | 28-100 | 24-70 | 24-70 | 24-70 | 24-200 | 26-78 | 25-250 | 24-360 | 24-75 | 28-84 | 24-120 |
| Max aperture | f1.8/4.9 | f1.8/2.8 | f1.8/2.8 | f1.8/2.8 | f2.8/4.5 | f1.4/2.8 | f2.8/5.9 | f3.3/6.4 | f1.7/2.8 | f2/4.9 | f1.8/2.8 |
| Additional functionalities | |||||||||||
| In body or lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization | Lens stabilization |
| Viewfinder | no | electronic viewfinder with 1,440,000 dots (480’000 pxs) | electronic viewfinder with 2,359,296 dots (786’432 pxs) | electronic viewfinder with 2,359,296 dots (786’432 pxs) | electronic viewfinder with 2,359,296 dots (786’432 pxs) | no | electronic viewfinder with 1’166’000 dots | electronic viewfinder with 776,600 dots | electronic viewfinder with 921,600 dots | no | electronic viewfinder with 2,360,000 dots |
| Screen | fixed screen with 1,228,800 dots (307,200 px) | tilt screen (vertically) with 1,228,800 dots (307,200 px) | tilt screen (vertically) with 1,228,800 dots (307,200 px) | tilt screen (vertically) with 1,228,800 dots (307,200 px) | tilt screen (vertically) de 1,228,800 dots (307,200 px) | tilt screen (vertically) with 1’040’000 pxs | fixed screen with 1’040’000 dots (413,300 px) | fixed screen with 1,240,000 dots (413,300 px) | fixed screen with 1,240,000 dots (413,300 px) | fixed screen with 1’040’000 pxs | tilt screen (vertically) with 1,040,000 dots (345,600 px) |
| Video | full HD | full HD | 4k and full HD | 4k and full HD | 4k and full HD | 4k and full HD | 4k and full HD | 4k and full HD | 4k and full HD | full HD | 4k and full HD |
Best Compact Camera (point and shoot): my opinion
If you have a tight budget, the 1st version of the Sony RX 100 is now incredible value for money. For a little over 300$ you will have a good compact camera with a 1-inch sensor, stabilization and a versatile lens. However, at this price you will not have an electronic viewfinder and the ISO range is not the best. But still, we’re talking about 350$!
If you have a little more budget, I would choose either the Sony RX 100 M4 or the Panasonic ZS 100. For around 6-700$, you get two high-performing cameras with electronic viewfinder and 4k video. The RX 100 has a slightly brighter lens and a tilting screen while the ZS 100 has a larger focal range. It’s up to you to see what’s most important for you.
Of course if you have more money to throw in, go for Sony’s 2 high-end compact cameras (the Sony RX100 M5 and the Sony RX100 M6) which are incredible in absolutely every aspect. The M5 has a slightly brighter lens while the M6 has a wider focal range and is thus a more versatile (on the other hand you have to pay the price!). In this price range there is also the Canon G5X M2 which is a great alternative to Sony since late summer 2019.
Note: I have not added the latest Sony RX100 M7 to this list as it’s too expensive in my opinion for a compact camera… But it’s without a doubt the best compact camera in 2021.
I also recently added the Lumix LX100 II which is a rather interesting device because it is the 1st compact with a micro 4/3 sensor that remains really small (less than 400gr). In addition, the lens is very bright for beautiful pictures in low light and a beautiful depth of field for a camera of this size.
Best compact (point and shoot) camera : my choice
If I had to choose only one of these cameras in 2021, I would undoubtedly choose the Sony RX100 M4. Since the release of these big brothers the M5, M6 and M7, its price has dropped (around 700€) which makes it for me the compact camera with the best quality/price ratio on the market at the moment. It has a tilting screen (for selfies 😉 ), a very bright lens, it shoots in 4k, shoots up to 16 frames/sec please… the top of the top for a very low price.
P.S. This article contains affiliate links so if you buy a compact camera by clicking on one of our links, we will get a small commission. Please also note that we are not sponsored by any brand and this is our sincere opinion about the best compact cameras in 2021. Finally, you will not find any Amazon links in this article because we do not support the questionable ethics of this company.
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Could you please tell me if these cameras have a manual focus possibility?
Thank you!
Hey Maria,
All these cameras have manual focus possibilities if you want to 🙂
Thank you, Benoit.