Choosing a camera to travel with usually entails a frustrating compromise: either you go with a DSLR that captures great-looking images but is bulky, or you bring a lightweight point-and-shoot and settle for subpar pics. These four break the mold.
ϳԹ Travel Award Winner
Olympus OM-D E-M1
The is part of a new generation that ditches the DSLR-fattening internal
mirrors without sacrificing image quality. It’s dust- and splash-proof, captures 16-megapixel stills at speeds up to 1/8,000 of a second, and accepts an endless array of lenses. $1,400.
Best for: Carry-ons
Sony Cyber-shot DSC RX100 II
The super-packable is smaller than an iPhone but punches above its weight with a massive 20-megapixel sensor and incredible low-light sensitivity. $700.
Best for: Wildlife
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70K
The 60x superzoom on the retracts for an ultrawide view, so you’re really getting two lenses in one.
You can also capture HDTV-caliber video at 30 frames per second. $400.
Best for: Budgets
Canon PowerShot SX510 HS
The 11.1-ounce is packed with the kind of features found in a camera costing twice as much, including manual aperture and shutter control, a 30x optical zoom, and Wi-Fi sharing, so you can beam your pictures to the cloud. $250.