The Best Travel Cameras for 2024 (2024)

Best Camera Phone

The last few generations of smartphones offer stunning cameras that are much better than the few remaining low-cost point-and-shoots. The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is among our favorites because of its triple-lens setup and robust computational toolkit. The main 48MP lens does an amazing job in dim light and snaps photos with background blur. The second lens offers an ultra-wide view, perfect for landscapes and interiors. And the third, 5x optical telephoto lens is made possible by a tetraprism. For video, you get up to 4K60 in ProRes and the ability to record directly to portable storage via the USB-C 3 Gen 2 port. Android fans can look to the Google Pixel 8 Pro instead, but Apple's image processing and creative-look Photographic Styles engine give the iPhone 15 Pro Max the edge. (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Review

Best Compact Canon Mirrorless

The Canon EOS R10 is a slim camera that supports changeable lenses and produces quality pictures. Despite its mid-entry price, it offers class-leading autofocus performance, 4K video, and a swing-out touch screen for selfies and vlogs. Get it with the slim RF-S 18-45mm starter zoom for a lightweight kit and consider adding the RF-S 10-18mm zoom if you want to get epic wide-angle frames. (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Canon EOS R10 Review

Best Action Cam

Action cameras are a wise choice for travel because they are small, tough, waterproof, and well-stabilized for handheld recording. The DJI Osmo Action 4 beats out the GoPro Hero12 as our travel pick because of its better dim light recording and excellent 4K video quality. The Hero12 Black is still worthy if you need more pixels and slower slow-motion recording capabilities, however. (Credit: Jim Fisher)

DJI Osmo Action 4 Review

Best 360° Video Camera

The waterproof Insta360 X3 uses two lenses to capture a 360-degree view of everything surrounding the camera (including you), making it an excellent choice for self-recorded travel vlogs. You'll need to devote some time to editing video when you get home, but an app-based workflow makes it easy to zoom in and out of the spherical footage to guide your viewers through a scene. Time-lapse, photo, and single-lens modes round out the features. (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Insta360 X3 Review

Best Pocket Film Camera

Are you tired of the ease and perfection of digital photography? Take yourself back in time to the film era with the Kodak Ektar H35. The one-button compact uses 35mm film but sports a half-frame design so you get 72 shots per roll instead of the typical 36. The extra frames are welcome news given the rising costs of both film and processing. The camera technically doesn't need a battery to work, unless you use the flash, in which case a AAA cell is in order. As for picture quality, a plastic lens delivers dreamy results but struggles against backlight. If you love the idea and want a more versatile glass lens, step up to the Ektar H35N for $65. (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Kodak Ektar H35 Review

Best Luxury Camera

Love the wide-angle look of your smartphone? Crave the image quality of full-frame? Have a few extra thousand dollars burning a hole in your pocket? There aren't a lot of cameras like the Leica Q3 given its impeccably sharp, fixed 28mm Summilux lens, 60MP full-frame image sensor, and sleek, stunning design. If color photography doesn't interest you, consider the similarly priced Q2 Monochrom, which is based on the previous edition. It uses a 47MP sensor exclusively for black-and-white photography. (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Leica Q3 Review

Best Bridge Zoom

If you like capturing images of wildlife but don't want to carry a big, bulky telezoom lens, think about a bridge camera. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 IIis one of the best values on the market thanks to its 25x zoom lens (25-400mm) and large Type 1 sensor. If you have a bigger budget and want more zoom power, the Sony RX10 IV is also an excellent option with a similar design. For more, see our story on why a bridge camera is a great traveling companion. (Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II Review

Best Premium Pocket Camera

The Ricoh GR IIIx takes the Leica Q concept and puts it into a pocket-friendly body. Despite the size, the GR IIIx manages to mount a 24MP APS-C sensor on a 3-axis stabilizer and match it with a sharp 40mm F2.8 prime lens. Enthusiasts should appreciate a deep menu system and configurable interface, while casual snappers can comfortably use the GR in an automatic exposure mode. Ricoh also sells a GR III with a wider-angle 28mm lens for around $900; that model is a better choice for capturing broad views. (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Ricoh GR IIIx Review

Best Compact Full-Frame

The small and light Sony a7C II doesn't make any picture quality sacrifices to realize its form. It squeezes a full-frame sensor into an APS-C-sized body and still manages to incorporate a 5-axis image stabilizer. Sony offers an appropriately compact 28-60mm starter lens as a kit option, though we highly recommend the more premium FE 20-70mm F4 because its wider starting angle is ideal for cityscapes and landscapes. (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Sony a7C II Review

Best Pocket Zoom

The Sony ZV-1 Mark II is a quality vlog camera thanks to its flip-out touch-screen LCD and crisp built-in stereo mic. But its extra-wide 18-50mm F1.8-4.0 zoom lens and large Type 1 Stacked CMOS sensor also make it ideal for capturing cityscapes, landscapes, architecture, and low-light scenes. If its zoom range isn't enough for your needs, consider the $1,300 RX100 VII instead. That camera has a much longer 24-200mm F2.8-4.0 zoom and a built-in electronic viewfinder. (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Sony ZV-1M2 Review