The 20 Best Travel Cameras of 2024
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As a travel photographer, I always have at least one camera on hand when I’m exploring a destination. From compact adventure cameras to my full mirrorless set-up with multiple lenses, I’ve used a wide range of cameras in my travels to capture some of my most memorable landscapes, portraits, wildlife, and overall epic moments. I find that it’s important to have a balance of portability and performance when choosing a camera for travel, but it’s also crucial to consider your specific needs when shopping for a new one. Are you a hardcore adventurer? Are most of your travels long-haul trips? Are you a beginner or an advanced photographer? These are all questions you should ask yourself to help narrow it down.
Whatever camera you choose, it’ll be an investment – not only financially, but also in capturing once-in-a-lifetime experiences that most often do not come with do-overs. To help with your travel camera search, we also spoke to professional photographers Jonathan Pozniak and Viktoria North, as well as Nikon senior product manager Mark Cruz, to get some expert advice on choosing the best camera for you.
Best DSLR Cameras
My first “big girl” camera was a DSLR. Making the transition is easier by using a good beginner model with a brand like Canon, known for being user-friendly. The Canon EOS Rebel T7 is a great choice for someone branching into the DSLR world for its affordability. Another fantastic DSLR camera for beginners is the Pentax KF DSLR Camera for its more compact size and large viewfinder. They offer more benefits such as image quality, focus, and interchangeable lenses than a compact or point-and-shoot camera. With a wide array of price points and technology amongst the main camera realm brands, a DSLR can be a solid choice for anyone shooting as a beginner and just learning to operate manual settings, to an advanced photographer. For photographers with beginner or mid-range skill, a cropped (APS-C BSI CMOS) sensor DSLR is a great choice, with either the Pentax K-3 Mark III’s 4K video and impressive autofocus system or the Nikon D500, which performs well in fast shutter speed situations required with wildlife or sports photography.
The Nikon D850 is an excellent choice for more professional-level photographers, with stellar autofocus and full-frame capabilities, as is the last line of Canon’s DSLR line, with the EOS 5D Mark IV. DSLRs have an OVF (optical viewfinder) so you’ll see the actual scene vs. a digital version that an electronic viewfinder (found in mirrorless models) gives. An OVF performs better in low-light situations. While they’re typically heavier and bulkier than the newer mirrorless cameras on the market, a DSLR can still be a great option for someone looking to amp up their travel photography. Although the option to shoot in auto-mode is possible, a learning curve is to be expected when figuring out settings. So it’s wise to practice taking photos with your new camera before your trip.
Compact Cameras
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Compact cameras are super portable, and with more mirrorless models available on the market, you don’t have to sacrifice image quality.
As a category, ‘compact cameras’ is a pretty general term for everything from pocket-friendly point-and-shoot models with a fixed lens to high-end professional mirrorless cameras like the Sony Alpha 7CR. I’m partial to the Sony Alpha line, as that’s what I have shot with for the last seven years. With incredible full-frame capabilities, auto-focus, and a hearty line of interchangeable lenses, you can’t go wrong if you’re searching for something on the more professional end. If you’re looking for a model that offers the best balance of both worlds, it can be found in the fresh Sony ZV-E10 II, which is seriously lightweight (less than a pound), has interchangeable lenses, and fantastic 4K video capabilities. For a splurge, the full-frame Leica Q3 won’t disappoint with its fast speed, 60MP resolution, great low-light performance, and excellent battery life. It should be noted that this model has a fixed, 28mm lens, though versatile for landscape, portrait, and cityscapes.
Compact cameras can offer fun, built-in filters and fantastic smartphone connectivity as well for fast sharing. The Fujifilm X-T30 II does just this, with 18 Film Simulation filters available to help fuel your creativity, as well as user-friendly bluetooth connection for transferring photos to your smartphone, all without breaking the bank. Another similar compact option and comparable price point with personalization and creativity modes is the Ricoh GR III Digital Camera, ideal for any photography level.
Beginners should look to the Nikon Z50 for its portability, user-friendly design and flexibility for photos, selfies, video, and vlogging. “For those new to photography and video, this camera provides an exciting entry point,” Nikon’s Cruz says. “It’s small enough to carry with you, but offers higher-quality images than your phone. This model is great to learn with as it incorporates many easy-to-use features, plus offers an automatic mode that senses different shooting scenarios and automatically adjusts the camera’s settings (e.g., ISO range, exposure compensation) to deliver stunning results.”
With a compact camera you certainly don’t have to sacrifice quality, and with such a range of budget, skill, and style options available to purchase, a compact camera is an ideal travel companion.
Best Action and Drone Cameras
Grand adventures deserve grand adventure cameras to capture the memories, whether in photo, video, or both. Whether you’re in the market for a waterproof camera to bring along on snorkeling or diving exploits, or in search of a compact model built to withstand the potential bumps and drops that come with snowboarding or mountain biking, it’s important to choose an adventure camera that can hack it in the particular situations you need it to perform in. Pocket-sized cameras like the GoPro Hero 13 Black which has impressive 5.3K video capabilities, and the DJI Osmo Action 5, which has a great battery life and easy to detach and attach magnetic mounts, can operate at depths appropriate for snorkeling and diving, depending how deep you go. The Insta360 X3 is another portable option for adventures, as it’s durable, waterproof, and has a useful “me mode” for capturing selfies from all different angles. For a higher perspective on adventure photography, a drone always comes in handy. We love the DJI Mini 4 Pro for its compact travel size, high-quality imagery and video capabilities, as well as its ability to shoot vertical videos ideal for social media.
Single-use and Instant Film Cameras
What’s more fun than a throwback photo session with a film camera, especially while traveling? I personally love using a film camera, whether its a reloadable polaroid model or disposable, one-time use camera as it forces me to slow down and really think about the photos I want to take, since the number is limited with film. They also make for a thoughtful gift, party favor, or scrapbooking materials as a memento of a trip. The FUJIFILM QuickSnap Flash 400 One-Time-Use cameras are a trusty companion that are always so easy to use, ideal for vacation. I’ve also had a polaroid-style camera for years that, while it’s a bit bulky to pack, creates fun, wallet-sized, sometimes sticky vintage photos perfect for putting all over my refrigerator when I get home. The newer Polaroid Now 2nd Generation I-Type Instant Film camera has great fresh features like a timer and double exposure capabilities. They can also go underwater: enter the Kodak Water & Sport One-Time-Use Disposable Camera, perfect for beach vacations or pool parties.
Tips for Buying a Travel Camera
Understand the specs
“When you’re thinking about buying a camera, it’s important to understand what features and specifications complement your shooting style as well as the content you are looking to capture, whether it be still images, video content, or both,” says Nikon’s Mark Cruz. These are some of the specs you should consider before making a purchase.
Sensor size: Your camera’s sensor is the rectangle that reads the image from your lens and dictates how much light and detail you’re able to capture. The main sensor sizes to decide upon are cropped or full-frame, with full-frame cameras having larger sensors and the ability to produce higher image quality. Cropped frame sensors will get you a tighter frame, with magnification cropping the actual lens focal length by anywhere between 1.5x and 2x. This means that a 70-millimeter lens would be magnified to a 105-millimeter focal length with a crop factor of 1.5x. Common crop sensor sizes are APS-C and micro four thirds (1.6x and 1.5x).
There are advantages to purchasing a full-frame (35 millimeter) camera, though it will come with a heftier price tag. You’ll experience sharper images with more crisp details, as well as less noise. Additionally, a full-frame sensor has excellent low-light capabilities, making it the ideal aspect for astrophotography. For landscape photography, the wider field of view is a major advantage of the full-frame sensor as well. If you’re interested in professional photography, selling prints, or turning your shots into custom photo gifts, the full-frame sensor will be a good fit since it produces the highest possible quality images.
Megapixels: This is a measurement of the number of pixels the camera sensor has, with “mega” meaning “millions.” Usually anything over 12 megapixels will get the job done. However, if you’re planning on printing large-scale versions of your images for personal or professional use, the higher the megapixel count, the better. Most cropped sensor cameras have somewhere around 20–24 megapixels while full-frame cameras tend to have between 40 and 50 megapixels.
Shutter speed: This dictates the amount of time that your camera’s sensor will be exposed to the light coming in. Faster shutter speeds such as fractions of a second are usually used for quickly moving subjects in order to freeze the motion in the photograph, while slower shutter speeds are typically used to capture things like the flow of a waterfall or the stars in the night sky by having it open and exposed for a longer period of time. When buying a camera, it’s a good idea to purchase one with a wider range of shutter speeds to give you the most versatility. Typically, the range is between 1/4000 to 30 seconds. “Bulb” is available on some models and offers more than 30 seconds of exposure to light, usually for photographing the night sky.
Video shooting: The highest quality video on most cameras is 4K, which will give you superb quality. However, many still have full HD video at 1080p or 720p. If video is high on your priority list, 4K is certainly the way to go.
Weight: For travel cameras, this is one of the most important factors to consider. Most travelers want a camera that is lightweight for packing purposes and easy to carry around for the day. Think about if you are willing to lug a bigger DSLR or even a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses in order to have the option for high-quality images that can be printed at a larger scale. If that’s more than you need, then a compact, point-and-shoot, or your own smartphone with extra lenses might be the best fit for you.
Buy for your skill level and purpose
While browsing for a travel camera, assessing your skill level and main purpose for shooting first will help narrow down your search considerably. If you’re a professional photographer doing brand work with a hotel in a far-flung destination that will be used in marketing campaigns or billboards, your purchase will most likely look a lot different than if your goal is to get images for your travel-focused Instagram page or to simply share with friends and family via digital picture frames. As a beginner, you should purchase a camera aimed at that level of photography with some room to grow, so you can learn effectively without being overwhelmed.
Choose a camera that fits your life and travel style
Do you spend a lot of time outdoors or doing water-based activities, or are you mostly interested in food photography when you travel? All of these aspects will help you determine the right fit for you. As photographer Jonathan Pozniak shares, it’s also about comfort. “All cameras are good nowadays, and all have fantastic features. So here’s my rule of thumb: go to a camera store, and hold each one in your hand. Listen to the sound it makes, feel what the clicking of the shutter is like,” he says. “How do your fingers glide across the buttons? It should feel like an extension of your arm. Be intuitive with it!”
Frequently Asked Questions
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How should I pack a camera for traveling?
The art of packing a camera involves cushioning and protection against the elements (rain, dust, dirt, etc.). A backpack designed for camera use with a rain cover is always a good idea, particularly if you’re someone who will be exploring the outdoors. Camera cubes are great accessories that provide an affordable way to turn a bag you already have into a camera bag.
“When I’m not bringing a lot of gear/cameras, I love the camera cubes by Mountainsmith for the airport and plane. I usually keep the cube in my room with extra lenses and if I am doing a lot of walking, just pick one lens to use for the day (usually a 50 millimeter),” says North.
“While today’s mirrorless cameras are rugged, it is best to pack them in a camera bag to ensure as much safety as possible and avoid any potential damage. You should also make sure to put the body cap on the camera to protect the sensor from getting dirty, scratched, or damaged while traveling,” she adds.
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What are some must-have travel photography accessories?
“Circular Polarizer and a UV filter, a comfortable strap like the Peak Design SL-BK-3 Slide, a backpack clip like Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V3, and if you’re heading somewhere with rain or snow in the forecast, Peak Design’s shell,” says North.
You’ll also definitely want something to backup all the incredible footage you’ll be getting. “A portable hard drive for backups is essential! My heart crumbles when I hear stories of cameras and laptops getting stolen on the road. I’ve certainly experienced that myself. I make multiple backups each day and put each portable drive or thumb drive in a different bag just in case one gets lost or stolen,” Pozniak shares.
Our experts also recommend making sure your batteries are fully charged before stepping out each day and bringing along a couple extras just in case.
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What matters more for quality photos, the camera or the lenses?
Our experts had a lot to say when it came to the camera versus lens debate. “The camera and lenses are equally important, but it depends on what a person wants to capture,” says Nikon senior product manager Mark Cruz. “The lens is what creates a gorgeous blurred background or lets you get close to the action from far away, but the camera provides the autofocus performance and speed to get there. The most important factor for the quality of photos is how you, as the photographer, make the most of your equipment. Combining photography knowledge with a powerful, capable camera and sharp, versatile lenses will allow you to get the best content.”
Meanwhile, professional photographer Jonathan Pozniak argues that they’re equally important, and emphasizes keeping your lenses clean: “Both! But what’s even more important is how you use it, how it feels in your hand, and I’ve gotta say it, how clean your lens is!”
Fellow photographer Viktoria North was adamant that lenses are her highest priority, and she has very good reasons for putting them at the top of her must list. “With even the most basic of digital cameras now having impressive MP counts and full size sensors becoming more common, good quality glass is most important for me,” she says. “This is because I can achieve a specific feel to my images dependent on the lens. For example, a fixed 50 millimeter is going to allow me to capture my urban travels as my own eyes see things. If I also go fast on it, say F1.8, that means the background is going to be nice and blurred and keep the focus on my subjects. But if I’m traveling in some beautiful vast landscapes, I’d grab a zoom lens. This will allow me to compress the different levels of the landscape and or subject and create a lot of depth. You don’t always have to go with a big lens like a 70–200mm. I hike and backpack with a 24–105mm F4 most often and when it’s at 105mm, I can achieve some really great compression with it.”
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What is the difference between mirrorless and DSLR cameras?
The main difference between mirrorless and DSLR cameras is the tool or technology used to capture the image. A DSLR uses a mirror to reflect light onto the image sensor, but this makes a DSLR heavier and clunkier to carry around. They also usually only have an optical viewfinder which portrays more closely what the eye sees versus an electronic viewfinder on the screen. A mirrorless camera lets light directly hit the sensor, and typically has a live, electronic viewfinder so you can see the real time settings. Mirrorless cameras are more lightweight, therefore making them more portable and travel-friendly. They’re also quieter and faster due to the mechanism they use to capture light. DSLR cameras typically have a longer battery life and a wider array of lenses available, though with recent gains in technology for the mirrorless camera world, that’s changing.
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Can I still get quality photos with a point-and-shoot camera?
Yes! They usually don’t have the highest megapixels and have a crop sensor, but you can still capture great photos. You may be limited to producing large scale prints, but, depending on the capabilities, you’ll be able to have prints made that are good quality in a fair amount of sizes. For online and social media, a point-and-shoot camera is perfect.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
A travel photographer herself, T+L contributor Lauren Breedlove used her personal experience with shooting all around the world. She personally owns a Sony Alpha 7rIII, GoPro Hero Black, DJI Osmo Action and drone cameras, and has tested out multiple other models on this list, such as the Sony ZV-E10 II and Nikon Z50 while traveling to places like Banff National Park in Canada, and the Maldives. Using her own first-hand experience with travel cameras and knowledge of photography in general, she curated this list of the best travel cameras.
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