When traveling, you must have the proper camera.
On this list, I'll show you the best cameras for travel that are small and compact but yet give good image quality. If you're new to the channel, we review dozens of cameras every year, so whether you're a novice or a master, I've got you covered with the perfect camera.
The Canon m50 is the first camera on this list. The m50 is an amazing starter camera for 90 percent of the people watching this video because it contains most of the capabilities that people need in a travel camera but also comes at a great price point, making it a really good deal.
But keep in mind that the Canon m50 comes in two versions: the Canon m50 mark 1 and the Canon m50 mark II. Don't worry, both cameras are quite comparable in terms of functionality and pricing, with only minor variances.
To begin, let us discuss the qualities of these cameras and what makes them ideal for travel. Both cameras have a 24 megapixel sensor that produces sharp and detailed photographs and videos.
The beautiful thing about Canon cameras is the color science. The colors right in camera look amazing, and you virtually don't need to edit your photographs and movies. This is especially handy for those challenging sunset or landscape images where the colors need to be just correct.
When it comes to photos, both cameras shoot at 10 frames per second, which is fast enough for almost any subject matter, whether it's something stationary like landscapes or something fast moving like sports. When you're traveling, you often only have one chance to get your photo, so having a fast photo rate is really helpful. Additionally, the Canon m50 has 14 bit raw, which allows for a ton of flexibility if you plan on editing your photos in lightroom or Photoshop.
The autofocus is where both m50 cameras really shine; they both have Canon's dual pixel autofocus, which is fast and reliable for both photos and videos; they both have intelligent face tracking and intelligent object tracking, but the mark ii has intelligent face tracking, intelligent object tracking, and intelligent eye tracking, which also makes the autofocus about 30 percent faster and more accurate.
The m50 mark 1 and mark ii are excellent choices for people who want to concentrate on video while traveling. Both m50 cameras shoot full hd at 24 and 30 frames per second in real time, and 60 frames per second in full hd for two times slow motion. There is now a 120 frames per second for five times slow motion, which looks epic.
but at that frame rate the camera drops down to 720p resolution which is lower than full hd now both m50 cameras do have 4k at 24 frames per second however in 4k mode it actually crops into your sensor basically zooms in your image which makes it really hard to get wide shots but on top of that that stellar autofocus I mentioned earlier gets really slow and kind of unreliable I don't think 4k is worth it
But don't worry, if you absolutely must shoot in 4k, there are cameras further in this list that have fantastic 4k capabilities, and I especially chose them for their incredible 4k capabilities.
The design of the Canon m50 because when you're traveling you want something that's small and compact and has the right ergonomics so that it's easy to use while you're on the road. The m50 definitely has one thing covered and that's the fact that it's really small compact and it's a very light camera.
also it includes one of the most significant characteristics when it comes to travel cameras, which is a side articulating screen, which allows you to not only video yourself but also shoot from high and low angles. The articulating screen on the side is
additionally a touch screen You can operate the entire camera using only the touchscreen, and the touchscreen also supports touch autofocus, which makes your life a lot easier because you don't have to fiddle with your camera trying to get focus, making this camera about as complicated as using a smartphone.
and overall, the m50 has really minimal buttons and menus you can easily pick up this camera get great results without too much of a hassle plus it has an input for external audio the m50 is a great budget camera choice because it delivers stunning image quality while remaining small and compact enough for travel but if you're someone who definitely wants 4k or simply wants more horsepower in their camera the next two cameras are exactly what you're looking for
Let's take a look at the Sony zve10, which is currently my favorite budget and travel camera.
Before I get into what makes the Sony zve10 such a great camera, there's a quick disclaimer. The Sony zve10 is currently out of stock, but I expect it to be available later this year. Let's continue talking about the zve10, but I'll give you recommendations for other Sony cameras that are nearly identical in terms of price and features, with very minor design differences.
The sony zve10 has a 24 megapixel aps-c size sensor but what makes the sensor in sony cameras special is that they are extremely good at low light so if you're someone who travels a lot and doesn't always have access to proper lighting and often times you're shooting in dark environments this camera will be clutch most cameras have a top iso of 3200 after which it looks pretty terrible but sony cameras can give you great images as high as 10 000 or even 20 000
The Sony zve10 takes photos at a rate of 10 frames per second, which is fast enough to capture any type of action while traveling.
The autofocus in Sony cameras is excellent; it is extremely fast and reliable. Sony cameras have ai-based autofocus, which means artificial intelligence-based face tracking, eye tracking, and object tracking. This is probably the best camera you can get if autofocus is important to you, and good autofocus is especially important for people who shoot videos.
Let us now discuss the video features of this camera. The sony zve10 has some of the best 4k that you can get at this price point. It does 4k at 24 frames per second with no crop and 4k at 30 with a teeny tiny crop that you will not notice, and the 4k is super sampled from 6k so you get the sharpness and detail of a 6k image but in an easy to manage 4k package.
In full HD, it still shoots at 24 and 30 frames per second, but with a slow motion mode that shoots at 60 frames per second for two times slow motion and 120 frames per second for five times slow motion.
Not only that, but the Sony zve10 includes cinema profiles, allowing you to easily create a cinematic look with your travel videos.
The zve10 is a pro camera in an entry-level category, but it's the design that really sets the Sony zv a10 apart.
The zve10 has a small and compact body with a minimal button layout. The minimal button layout makes it easier to get acquainted with this camera but, more importantly, the layout is better for someone who wants to film and shoot themselves. There's a record button placed right at the front of the camera and it's even slanted so that you can easily hit it while you're on the front side of the camera. It also has a side articulating screen so that you can easily film yourself
Unfortunately, the touchscreen capabilities of the zve10 are not as good as those of the Canon m50, but one thing that I love about the zve10 is the phenomenal internal audio, which is almost as good as an external shotgun. This camera will always give you great audio internally, but what about the elephant in the room?
If you can't find a Sony zve10, I highly recommend picking up the Sony a6400.
The internals of the a6400 are nearly identical, but it has a more traditional sony camera design and the flip screen actually comes up to the top rather than the side like the zve 10. And if the two factors I mentioned aren't deal breakers for you, I think you'll get great results with the a6400 if you don't want to wait for a zve 10 to resurface on the market.
Overall, I recommend the Sony zve10 or the a6400 to anyone who is passionate about taking photos and videos while traveling and wants to possibly edit their photos and videos when they return.
What if you want a travel camera that doesn't make any compromises, has a lot of horsepower, and has the magical ability to make all of your photos and videos look amazing right in camera?
In that case, let's talk about the Fuji Xt30 Mark II and the Fuji Xs10. Both cameras have very similar features, and I'm talking about both of them because they're only about 100 dollars apart. The Fuji Xc30 is slightly better for photos, whereas the Xs10 is designed specifically for video shooters.
In my opinion, Fuji cameras are ideal for capturing memories while traveling. What makes Fuji cameras unique?
are the built-in colors all fuji cameras have built-in film emulations these are color profiles that mimic the look of 35 millimeter fuji film this one feature alone helps make your photos and videos stand out right in camera because how many times have you taken a photo of the most beautiful thing on your trip and you look at it in camera and you're like this does not look like what I just saw
Both the Fuji Xt30 Mark II and the Fuji Xs10 now have a 26 megapixel x-trans sensor that is specifically designed to mimic the feel and texture of 35mm film, and the autofocus in both the xt30 and xs10 is superb. Fuji isn't known for their autofocusing system, but over the last year, beginning with the xt4, the autofocus has improved significantly in both cameras. The object tracking and fake tracking are quite impressive, almost as good as Canon's dual pixel autofocus.
Let's talk about the specs and technology in this camera. In photo mode, it does 8 frames per second in mechanical shutter mode, which isn't bad at all but it's a little slow for travel. Thankfully, it has an electronic shutter mode that allows you to shoot 20 or even 30 frames per second, which is double the m50 in this mode it is shooting photos as fast as a video frame rate, making it almost impossible to miss a shot.
When it comes to video, both the fuji xt30 and the xs10 shoot 4k at 200 megabits per second. The higher data rate gives you better 4k than most of its competition out there, and the 4k in this camera is actually good enough for professional level work, and the extra data gives you plenty of room to adjust your colors later on in editing. Both cameras have f log and fuji eterna profiles, which are flat profiles that give you more dynamic range
However, when it comes to shooting full HD resolution, these cameras really shine. Both cameras shoot at 24 and 30 frames per second, but they also allow for 240 frames per second for 10 times slow motion. While the video quality suffers at 240 frames per second, this is still an incredible feature to have in a camera at this price point.
If you're someone who creates a lot of content while traveling, slow motion is essential for making travel videos.
Finally, let us discuss design because it is here that the Fuji XC30 truly distinguishes itself from the XS10. The design of the Fuji XC30 Mark II is more retro and nostalgic. The buttons and dials on the Fuji XT30 are more similar to cameras from the 1950s and 1960s because Fuji wants to give you a more nostalgic more of a retro feel to your camera, but it still has all the mods buttons and dials that you would want on a modern camera, so don't worry about not being able to figure out this camera or it having some kind of old backward design.
and while the Fuji XC30 is better suited for photographers, it still produces stunning video. The fuji xs10 was designed with video shooters in mind, so the buttons and dials are very similar to most modern video cameras. However, there is one key difference that distinguishes the xt30 and the xs10. The XS10 actually has five axis stabilization, which is extremely useful for video shooters, but it costs about a hundred dollars more. The xs10 has a side-articulating screen, which is better for video shooters, whereas the xc30 does not.
So, if you shoot photos and are used to retro cameras, the xt30 may be a better fit for you.
If you're shooting videos and are more accustomed to modern cameras, the xs10 may be a better fit for you. However, both cameras have very similar specs and you'll get a great travel camera either way. With the combination of sensor frame rates and color science, there is very little that the Fuji cameras cannot do.
