Just a few short years ago, we thought the point-and-shoot’s days were over, thanks to the increasing capabilities of smartphone cameras. Companies were cutting models or pulling out of the sector entirely. Sony, which manufacturers a significant percentage of camera sensors, saw overall sales of point-and-shoot cameras continue to decline — year over year — based on its research.
Despite the gloomy forecast, there is a bright spot. While sales are down at the low end, there’s an uptick in premium point-and-shoot models that offer advanced features and high-end specs that phones can’t match. This growth could be attributed to step-up users who are upgrading from smartphones and want something that makes a noticeable difference in an effort to improve their photography, without having to opt for an interchangeable lens camera that might require a greater level of expertise.
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII
The best point and shoot camera overall
Why should you buy this: Impressive performance and image quality.
Who’s it for: Photo enthusiasts and pros on the go.
Why we picked the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII:
Time and time again, an RX100 camera is found at the top of this list. Sony now gives the stage to the RX100 VII. Like its predecessor, Sony has gone with a 20-megapixel, 1-inch sensor. Also keeping its place is the 8x zoom lens for an equivalent focal length of 24-200mm and aperture range of f/2.8 – f/4.
The features Sony has packed into this tiny point and shoot camera puts it on par with some DSLR and mirrorless systems. Incredibly, the RX100 VII can shoot at 90 frames-per-second (fps) with a new mode they call, Single Burst Shooting. No other camera on this list comes close to that frame rate.
Standard continuous shooting tops out at 20 fps, which is a bit slower than the RX100 VI, but it’s now blackout-free. This means you can track a fast-moving subject perfectly without interruption, all while autofocus continues to work. A particularly advantageous feature for sports and wildlife photographers, where following the subject is essential.
The AF capabilities on this camera are the stuff of dreams. It takes only 0.02 seconds to lock focus on a subject. Sony’s Real-Time Tracking uses artificial intelligence to recognize and track subjects, and Real-time Eye AF can lock on to the eyes of both people and animals.
Then there are Sony’s usual video features. 4K video footage at 30 fps with loads of custom settings to keep even pro video shooters happy. As with stills, Real-time Eye AF is present in video mode. This should certainly be an attractive feature to vloggers who create content while on the move. The camera has a built-in microphone jack, resulting in better sound quality when creating audible visuals.
This camera isn’t cheap, but it brings Sony’s best features from it’s professional mirrorless cameras to a point-and-shoot you can fit in your pocket.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic
Best point-and-shoot film camera:
Why you should buy this: Fun instant film from a stylish, versatile camera
Who’s it for: Film fans that don’t want to stress about actually developing film
Why we picked the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90:
Instant film makes for a fun, creative, and often liberating approach to photography. You don’t get the quality or performance of a digital camera, but because of that, you’re free to focus on the experience itself. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 has the ideal blend of style, features, size, and price, considering most Instax Mini cameras will have the same image quality as they all use the same film inside.
The Instax Mini 90 offers a classic look in a body that’s not too bulky to tote around. The camera brings in a few features that aren’t as common for instant cameras, including manual settings, a macro mode, and different shooting modes. Modern additions include a rechargeable battery and a small screen for displaying the battery life and shooting settings. It’s a great camera for parties and makeshift photo booths, or as a fun learning tool for kids.
The camera uses Instax Mini film, which isn’t too expensive, but does mean every shot you take has a cost associated with it (keep this in mind before you hand the camera to your kids). There are several great instant cameras on the market, but the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 offers the best blend of features, size, and price. (The Polaroid Originals OneStep 2 offers fun nostalgic images with the original Polaroid dimensions and frames, but is larger and the film is pricier. If budget isn’t an issue, the Lecia Sofort is excellent option, which also uses Instax Mini film.)
Canon PowerShot G9X Mark II
The best budget point-and-shoot camera
Why should you buy this: 1-inch sensor, Wi-Fi + NFC, nice price
Who’s it for: Casual photographers
Why we picked the Canon PowerShot G9X Mark II:
If you want the image quality of a Sony RX100 on a budget, the Canon PowerShot G9X Mark II is a great choice. It doesn’t match the RX100’s burst rate, focus speed, or video quality, but it does capture great-looking still images affordably.
The lens offers a 28-84mm (full-frame equivalent) f/2-4.9 zoom range, giving it less reach than the RX100 VI but with an extra stop of light gathering capability at the wide end. It’s a good all-around focal length range that covers most normal shooting scenarios while maintaining a slim profile.
These specs are identical to the original G9X, but the Mark II also adds Bluetooth and a newer processor to bump burst rate and autofocus performance slightly.
Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV
The best superzoom point-and-shoot camera
Why should you buy this: 24-600mm zoom, fast performance
Who’s it for: Nature and travel photographers.
Why we picked the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV:
Well look at that, another Sony RX camera. The RX10 is the long-zoom compatriot to the RX100, and the Mark IV is the latest model. It is built around the same 20MP, 1-inch-type “stacked” sensor as the RX100 V and offers similar performance, including 24fps burst shooting, 4K video, and even faster autofocus performance at 0.03 seconds. If the RX100 V is the best point-and-shoot camera that can fit in your pocket, the RX10 IV is the best point-and-shoot camera that can’t — it’s more capable, but less portable.
The main difference between the cameras is that the RX10 IV is outfitted with a massive, 24-600mm (full-frame equivalent) lens. This camera can shoot everything from open vistas to close-ups of wildlife, and that speed means it can even handle sports and action (we were quite impressed with not just the speed, but also the sharp image quality of our burst shots). Yes, this does make the camera considerably larger than the RX100 — you won’t be fitting it in a pocket — but it is relatively compact compared to a DSLR or mirrorless camera and the several lenses you would need to cover the same range.
Naturally, it can also shoot great 4K video along with high framerate video at lower resolution and, yes, it also gets S-Log3. This would be a great B-camera, maybe even a main camera, for the documentary or travel filmmaker.
If you need more reach than the RX10 IV offers, Nikon’s Coolpix P1000 is a fantastic choice. You’ll sacrifice a bit in the image quality department, but you’ll make up for it with a lens that might as well be a telescope.
Olympus Stylus Tough TG-6
The best waterproof point-and-shoot camera
Why should you buy this: Water, dust, and shock-proof; built-in GPS.
Who’s it for: Outdoor adventurers of all types
Why we picked the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-6:
All of the other cameras may be great, but none of them will work underwater. When you need a camera that can handle being dropped down a small cliff into a stream and live to tell about it, the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-6 is for you.
With adventurers in mind, the TG-6 is waterproof to a depth of 50 feet, drop-proof from a height of 7 feet, and features a built-in GPS with geotagging and location logging abilities that can create a map of your adventure.
While its sensor is smaller than the 1-inch units in most of the other cameras on this list, it’s still not too shabby in the image quality department. The resolution has actually dropped from the TG-4 to 12MP, but this improves low-light performance, which pairs nicely with the 25-100mm (full-frame equivalent) f/2.0-4.9 lens. It also offers RAW files for maximum quality; a 20fps burst mode; and 4K video. Plus, it has a couple of tricks up its sleeve, like an excellent macro mode and an effortless Live Composite mode that makes light-painting a breeze.
The TG-6 hasn’t changed much over the older Tough TG-5, but that was easily our favorite rugged point-and-shoot camera, and the TG-6 maintains that position.
How We Test
To find the best models, in addition to image quality, we factor in criteria such as speed, low-light strength, video performance, durability, form-factor/compactness, and any unique features that help them one-up the competition.
Our selections are based on our long- and short-term testing; experience with earlier models; familiarity with the companies’ technologies; consultation with industry experts, fellow journalists, and users; online forums; lab results (such as DxO); and other third-party reviews.
We look across the board — not just our own experiences — to find consensus on what we think are the best-performing cameras you can currently buy. We also look at list pricing to determine if a product is worth the cost, product availability, and future proofing qualities. We may even recommend cameras that aren’t new, provided the features are still best-in-class.
The camera market evolves constantly, with manufacturers often introducing better models with new features. So, you can expect our picks to change, as well. But don’t worry: The models you see here will be with you for some time, and if we anticipate there could be better models in the horizon, we will state that upfront to help you decide whether you should buy now or wait.
What is a point-and-shoot camera?
As the name suggests, a point-and-shoot is a camera designed to be easy to use — just point the camera and press the shutter button. They can be simple compact devices that are fully automatic, or larger, more advanced options with myriad shooting modes and settings. This type of camera had been the most popular during the previous decade, but the smartphone has essentially usurp the traditional point-and-shoot’s dominance.
But many standalone point-and-shoots, particularly the advanced models we mention here, offer things a smartphone can’t, and oftentimes that’s because of pure physics: larger sensors, optical zoom lenses with image stabilization, adjustable modes and settings, unique features, and more powerful performance in burst shooting and autofocusing, to name a few.
Some, like the RX10-series from Sony, can even stand in as filmmaking cameras. While today’s smartphones are ideal for everyday shooting and capable of capturing nice images and videos, advanced point-and-shoots go the extra mile for users who want a bit of control over their camera.
