These are the digital cameras our photo engineering team recommends to everyone. Beginner street photographer with limited budgets
digital camera – Our world travels again. The desire to capture precious moments is stronger than ever. Powerful travel photos don’t just tell a story. But it also reminds us of the wonders that await us along the way.
With that thought we’ve consulted National Geographic’s team of imaging engineers to tell us which pocket-sized digital cameras they recommend for travelers.
They design and create specific equipment for professional photographers. And product testing for camera users
For the camera models recommended this year this is the best option for them.
Best camera for most travelers: Fujifilm X-S20
The Fujifilm X-S20 combines many of the features of its predecessor, the X-S10, but at a cheaper price. His abilities increased
The X-S20 delivers the good stuff. At a great price, it follows the X-S10, another great model that has appeared on our recommended camera list in the past. Fuji X series cameras have a variety of groundbreaking features. Distinctive elegant shape and affordable price
The X-S20 does well with a 26-megapixel camera sensor and a newer, larger battery.
advice: The camera is best used with the XF 16-80mm f/4 OIS WR, and for a second lens, try the very compact XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. This provides a field of view similar to that of the human eye at 40mm.
Best (and most compact) street photography camera: Ricoh GR III
The Ricoh GR III appears fourth in our camera recommendations because it packs a lot of power into a bag-friendly size.
With a 24MP APS-C sensor, it has anti-shake features. Auto Focus Detection System Responsive touch screen and easy-to-use menu system
The GR III works well for touch and point photography. (point and shoot) and manual shooting (manual)
advice: If the 28mm focal distance is too wide, try the GR IIIx released in 2021. It’s identical to the GR III, but has a narrower field of view thanks to the 40mm f/2.8 equivalent lens.
Best camera for overall performance: Fujifilm X-T5
This Fujifilm XT series of cameras provides an excellent shooting experience for both amateurs and professionals. This series of cameras combines vintage dials with modern professional controls. The camera is all powerful. Water protection Autofocus performance and excellent speed
The X-T5 is still the best performing camera with its combination of image quality. Autofocus system Lens size options Water protection and battery life
The X-T5 is slightly smaller than the X-T4, but it has the same 40MP sensor from the X-H2 which is one of the highest resolution APS-C sensors on the market, making the General
advice: We love Fujifilm’s compact prime lenses for travel, including the 27mm f/2.8 R WR and 23mm f/2 R WR.
Premium camera: Leica Q3
The Leica Q3 is the most expensive camera on this list. But it gives you the best photography experience. According to National Geographic’s imaging engineering team
At $5,995 (about 214,000 baht), this is an expensive camera. In the full-frame mirrorless camera market only one model sells for more than $6,000: the Sony A1, the most powerful 35mm camera in the world.
What did this huge amount give you? This is the ultimate travel photography experience. In one author’s opinion, the beautiful controls and stunning appearance make this camera a pleasure to use.
This camera’s unparalleled image quality comes from massive 61MP RAW files, giving you the freedom to crop. This camera is waterproof and has a very durable body.
advice: We also recommend the Leica Q2 or Q2 Monochrom, which only have a monochrome sensor.
Best full-frame camera with interchangeable lenses: Nikon Zf
The Nikon Zf is our top choice in this category. With the same powerful sensor, rear display, and high-quality EVF as the Z6II, and a classic, elegant body,
The camera also has an 8-stop image stabilization sensor and Nikon’s leading EXPEED 7 processing chip, giving the camera excellent AF and VR performance.
Water Protection Features The camera body is made of magnesium alloy and copper engraved mechanical dial shows that this camera really cares about user experience. This makes it the most enjoyable camera to use in our tests.
Zf has unique technology. (Available only on this model) that allows you to move the focus point using the touch screen while using the viewfinder. Shoot using pixel shift to create a 96-megapixel image, and adjusting the Zf’s anti-shake focus point adjusts the anti-shake focus point as we want it instead of setting it in the center of the sensor. There is a special black and white mode.
advice: If you can only afford one lens, we recommend the 24-120mm f/4 or pair it with a compact Nikon prime lens such as the 40mm f/2 or 28mm f/2.8.
Best camera for wildlife photography: OM System OM-1
The OM System OM-1 can shoot at up to 50 frames per second, which is faster than most camcorders. This makes it a good choice for wildlife photography.
Like flagship cameras from other major brands (Sony A1, Nikon Z9, Canon R3), the OM-1 has many features. And it has a very high speed. Thanks to continuous autofocus, the OM-1 can shoot at up to 50 frames per second – faster than most camcorders. It has an excellent object detection system. Able to track a wide range of animals in high speed situations.
The OM System’s OM-1 has a unique Micro Four Thirds (MFT) sensor, which means the aspect ratio is 4:3. It’s relatively small, about half the size of a full-frame camera.
The camera also has several calculation modes. Including high-precision manual shooting mode. (creating a 50-megapixel file from a series of 16 frames) and Live-ND filters, which mimic the action of an ND filter, make it possible to use slow shutter speeds in bright conditions to capture motion pictures.
Additionally, this camera has the best water resistance features among the cameras on this list. It is durable even in the harshest environments.
advice: The best lenses for this camera are professional level. Which have excellent build quality and often have built-in lens hoods and smooth focus/zoom rings. For nature lovers and bird photographers. The best lens is the 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO, and the best all-around lens for this model is the 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO (24-200mm).
Best camera for beginners: Canon EOS R50
The Canon EOS R50 has a body that fits comfortably in your hand. It has the best touch screen system which makes it a good choice for beginners.
Canon continues to expand its camera range into APS-C mirrorless, with the R50 being a good choice for beginners or anyone looking to upgrade from mobile photography.
It is compact and convenient to carry. Built-in electronic viewfinder and small pop-up flash It also has the best touchscreen experience of any camera. Easy-to-use camera menu and touch control panel for adjusting settings while shooting.
The greatest strength of the 18-45mm lens included with the R50 is its size, but the weakest point of the APS-C camera line is its limited lens options.
Best budget camera: Nikon Z30
Nikon launched the Z30 last year. It is the third model in the APS-C mirrorless camera line. The lack of an electronic viewfinder makes it compact. Easy to carry and fun to use. But it still has great qualities. There are also affordable lens options from many other lens brands.
For an entry-level camera, the Z30 offers an impressive depth of field. Including excellent low-light photography performance and a mechanical shutter that can shoot 11 frames per second. With an autofocus tracking system, it gives you the option to save images in high-quality RAW files and has powerful autofocus capabilities.
advice: This camera is perfectly compatible with the compact Nikon DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens. Use it to make photography fun by increasing the depth of field of view. And for better low-light photography performance we recommend the DX 24mm f/1.7 Prime, a compact prime lens you might want to keep on your Z30 at all times.
The most versatile travel camera: Sony RX100VII
Sony’s RX100 series remains one of the most versatile ultra-compact cameras to use, and the RX100VII still has the features we praised. Both professional real-time AF for reliable eye/face AF on people and animals; Virtually distortion-free electronic shooting of moving objects Silent shooting mode and fast shutter speeds for bright conditions
But the RX100VII’s 24-200mm equivalent zoom lens still isn’t as bright as we’d like. But it covers a wide range Our photographic engineers continue to consider RX100 series cameras as options when choosing a camera to be stranded on a “deserted island.”
NB: In the next version we’d like to see a USB-C connector for in-camera charging and image transfer, but a model that uses Sony’s current menu system, which is more intuitive and supports touchscreen controls, would be an improvement too.
About Tom O’Brien and Eric Flynn
Photo by Rebecca Hill
“Unapologetic communicator. Wannabe web lover. Friendly travel scholar. Problem solver. Amateur social mediaholic.”