What is the best travel camera in 2023? Over the past decade that I’ve been working as a professional travel photographer and writer, I’ve had a lot of experience with travel cameras – both good and bad.
As you look to purchase the best camera for travel, I’d like to share with you which features I’ve found most useful and my recommendations on which travel camera might fit your individual needs.
As with most anything in life, there isn’t a “one size fits all” travel camera. To say that one particular camera is “the best” travel camera would be a bit presumptuous.
So instead, my goal here is to make this list both unique and useful.
I’m going to list out five different kinds of travelers that have different kind of needs. I’m then going to match those with five different kinds of travel cameras and provide two recommendations: a premium option and a budget option.
Click on one of the bookmark links above or scroll through and see where you fit in this list of “traveler profiles”.
Consider the features and choose one out of the list of the best travel camera.
Note: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may be compensated if you choose to purchase one of the travel cameras listed here.
The first traveler profile we’ll focus on is “the backpacker”.
As a backpacker, you’re usually most concerned about size and weight. You don’t have much space, so you can’t be hauling around lenses, massive batteries and a heavy camera body. Right?
Obviously, you want to capture high-quality memories, but you might not have a big budget. Besides, other than your blog, it’s not like you’re trying to sell your photos to a fancy travel magazine.
In this case you’re going for the best travel camera that’s compact for travel, a balance of features and budget. In this case, you’re best to consider one of the following:
Budget Option
You might be surprised at how powerful the camera is already in your pocket! Apple, Samsung and Google all have phones whose cameras are better than most entry-level travel cameras.
Consider whether or not spending a little extra money on a better phone is a good investment if it will act as both your communication device and your travel camera.
Also, if you decide to go this route, make sure you also invest in a good battery pack and maybe even a phone lens kit.
Premium Option
If you’d rather keep your phone and camera separate, the Panasonic Lumix ZS50 is hands down the best travel camera you can buy for under $300.
In addition to the high-quality Leica lens, the Lumix is incredibly lightweight (.5 lbs!) and boasts a 30x optical zoom. Add to that the 3″ LCD screen and the ability to shoot RAW photos and HD videos, and you begin to see why it’s a best travel camera option for backpackers.
For those travelers who want to film their travels, edit and upload them to YouTube, you’re looking at a different class of travel camera.
You need crisp video, super-fast focus and a versatile LCD screen.
Most of the big-name YouTube travel vloggers use a larger and more expensive DSLR as their primary camera, but that’s not absolutely necessary. There are plenty of good tools for bloggers that can be purchased in cheap and expensive form.
I’ve shot videos on my DSLR and my phone and most people can’t tell the difference.
My suggestions below reflect three different budget needs, listed in order of both budget and quality.
Low-Cost Option
I’m a huge fan of DJI – I own both an Osmo Pocket and a Mavic Pro drone.
The beauty of the Osmo Pocket is both the small size and how it utilizes your mobile phone.
The DJI Osmo Pocket adds so much control to your shots, allowing you to eliminate the shake and create smooth movements that will make your videos look professional.
It’s such an inexpensive piece of gear, I love having it around even if only for quick shots and b-roll.
Mid-Range Option
I’ve enjoyed using the Canon G7x Mark ii for about a year now. As a vlogger, I love the quality of the video, the manual features and the ability to flip up the screen so I can frame the picture.
The downsides to this camera are the poor audio (and the lack of an audio input), which means you’ll need to put a separate audio recorder. Also, the auto focus is a bit slow compared to the larger DSLRs.
All that said, it’s the perfect middle between the Osmo and DSLR.
The Sony RX1000 VI is quite possibly the best (and most expensive) vlogging travel camera on the market. It combines a flip LCD screen with a 24-200mm zoom, 4K video and a 1″ CMOS sensor.
Sony has perfected what is known as a “mirrorless camera” that eliminates many of the mechanical parts that wear out fastest in a traditional camera.
If you’re serious about vlogging and willing to invest in the best camera, the newly released RX100 VI is a perfect choice.
A number of younger travelers fit into a category I call “The Adventure Traveler”.
You’re the kind of traveler that wants to try adventurous things: hang gliding off a mountain, scuba diving in the ocean, rock climbing or canopy tours.
Taking any of the cameras I’ve listed above would be foolish. It wouldn’t take more than a day or two for the dust, water or other elements to render those cameras broken and useless.
That’s where a quality action camera for travel comes in handy.
Quick note: I’m purposefully omitting some great drones for travelers and focusing exclusively on handheld versions of the best travel camera.
4k w/ front display
In May of 2019, the popular drone maker DJI finally gave GoPro some competition when it unveiled the Osmo Action.
If you’ve ever flown a DJI drone, you know just how good their products are. The Osmo Action is no different. It shoots 4k at 60fps and includes a front display that GoPro hasn’t tried for some reason.
You’ll find that the DJI Osmo Action is priced slightly lower than GoPro, but not by much. Unless you’re already entrenched in the GoPro universe, the Osmo Action is worth a try.
4k w/ live streaming
The GoPro Hero 8 is the flagship camera of the GoPro lineup and boasts some amazing specs like stabilized 4K at 60fps, waterproof casing and the ability to stream live.
Honestly, there’s not a huge difference between this and the GoPro Hero 7 camera, although the 7 is cheaper. You could also consider GoPro’s older 360 degree action camera call the Fusion, but it has also been upgraded to the Max.
No matter how you cut it, GoPro is the leader in action cameras for travel.
Not everybody cares about video. As “The Photographer”, your goal is to capture the still image in the best quality possible.
Most of the travel cameras that you’ll see will still have the ability to capture video, but that’s not what they’re designed for.
At this point you’re looking at a larger DSLR camera that gives you the option to experiment with various lenses and focal lengths.
Obviously there are numerous cameras that can do this well, but here are the two I recommend for both the smaller and larger budgets.
Mid-Range Option
Both the Canon 70D and the 80D are excellent first steps into the world of DSLR. While you can get some beautiful shots with the compact travel cameras listed above, the Canon 80D is going to give you much more control as well as the ability to switch lenses.
These Canon DSLRs may not shoot 4k video (which is why it’s not listed for vloggers), but it does have lightning fast auto focus and image stabilization. You have the ability to shoot RAW files for better editing later.
The Canon 80D is my workhorse and I love it. It doesn’t just get the job done, it produces excellent photos.
High-end Option
Of course, as much as I love the Canon 80D, for $2,000 more you can upgrade to the top-of-the-line. We’re talking about a full-frame sensor, an ISO range of 100-32000 (excellent in low light), and an even better auto-focus system.
If you’ve already invested heavily in good lenses, you’re going to want the best travel camera that can really capture the full spectrum of colors and dynamic range. If you know anything about cameras, you’ve heard of the 5D.
This camera is overkill for anybody but the most professional travel photographer. It is, however, an amazing camera.
Perhaps you’re the travelers that trots across the globe with the latest Macbook Pro stuffed in a fancy leather carrying case while sporting Oakley sunglasses, an Apple Watch and the best, travel-worthy wireless headphones.
Don’t be ashamed!
You are the person who has been blessed with a bit of disposable income and prefers to invest in the best, high-quality products on the market.
Why shouldn’t you do the same with the best travel camera?
Premium Option
The best travel camera for high-end work I’d like to recommend is the Panasonic GH5. If you lean more toward filmmaking, this will probably be the best choice. The GH5 shoots 4K at up to 60P, which makes for some unbelievable slow-motion shots.
Talk to anybody who owns a GH5 and they’ll rave about the versatility of features and overall quality of the camera body itself. This camera is one that put Panasonic on the radar of many professional travel videographers.
Click below to check out all the GH5 features on Amazon to see if this might be the right camera for you.
Premium Option
This. is. a. BEAST. Oh my word! Be warned: this travel camera is heavy. It’s also the most expensive camera on this entire list by a factor of 2. You could probably buy a pretty nice used car instead 😉
That’s said, it’s an unbelievable camera. Whatever feature you might think you want in a camera, the 1D Mark II has it best. The best auto-focus. The best sensor. The best burst rate. The best working temperature. I could go on.
There’s really no need for me to go on about this camera because if you’re the type of person who’s going to buy it, you probably didn’t need me to tell you. Still, I have to mention it. Check it out:
As you can see above, the standard for “best travel camera” may be different for various travel personas and situations. You don’t have to break the bank to get a good travel camera, but you do need to make sure you’re matching the features with your needs.
What is the best travel camera? Ultimately, this is up to you. Your needs, your preferences and your budget.
But whatever you decide, make sure that you love the travel camera you purchase. Maybe you’ll splurge on a huge DSLR or maybe you’ll enjoy the new iPhone 11 Pro. In either case, it’s the photographer that creates a good photo, not just the camera he or she is holding.
Is there a best travel camera that you think I’m missing out on? Let me know in the comments below!
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