Best travel cameras of 2026
Updated 2026-11-01 · 3 min read · prices update with every price check
A travel camera has one job a phone can't quite do: come home with pictures you would print, without being the thing you resent carrying by day three. That rules out most big bodies and big lenses. Here is what we would pack, at every budget, with today's prices from the stores we track.
Our picks
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OM System OM-5 Mark IIMicro Four Thirds · 20.4 MP · 4K 30p · 418 g
UK £589 · EU €1,029 used · AU A$1,373
- Best pocket zoom: Panasonic Lumix ZS99. A long 24–720mm-equivalent zoom in a body that fits a jacket pocket. Best in daylight; the small sensor struggles indoors at night.
- Best for video: DJI Osmo Pocket 3. A 1-inch sensor on a built-in gimbal, so walking shots come out smooth without a rig. It is a video camera first; stills are a bonus.
- Best light interchangeable-lens camera: Canon EOS R50. Small, simple and cheap with its kit lens. It has no in-body stabilisation, so pick a stabilised lens for low light.
- Best all-rounder: Fujifilm X-S20. APS-C with in-body stabilisation, a proper grip and good battery life for a small body. Fujifilm's film looks save a lot of editing on the road.
- Best for bad weather: OM System OM-5 Mark II. Weather sealed, light, and the Micro Four Thirds lenses are the smallest of any system, so a two-lens kit still fits a day bag.
- Best image quality you can still carry: Sony a7C II. Full frame in a rangefinder-style body. Pair it with a small zoom or a pancake prime and it is barely bigger than an APS-C camera.
The specs that matter for travel
Weight and weather sealing decide more travel days than megapixels do:
| Model | Sensor size | Resolution | In-body stabilisation | Weight (with battery) | Weather sealed | US new today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panasonic Lumix ZS99 | 1/2.3" | 20.3 MP | No | 322 g | No | $539.99 |
| DJI Osmo Pocket 3 | 1" | 9.4 MP | – | 179 g | – | $439 |
| Canon EOS R50 | APS-C | 24.2 MP | No | 375 g | No | $679 |
| Fujifilm X-S20 | APS-C | 26.1 MP | Yes, 7 stops | 491 g | No | $1,499 |
| OM System OM-5 Mark II | Micro Four Thirds | 20.4 MP | Yes, 7.5 stops | 418 g | Yes | $1,049.99 |
| Sony α7C II | Full frame | 33 MP | Yes, 7 stops | 514 g | Yes | $1,759.95 |
How to choose
- One device, no lens changes: a pocket zoom like the ZS99, or a 1-inch compact. See the best compact cameras of 2026.
- You mostly film: the Pocket 3, or an action camera if you swim or ride. See the best action cameras of 2026 and the best vlogging cameras.
- You want better pictures than your phone in every light: an interchangeable-lens body with one travel zoom. APS-C or Micro Four Thirds keeps the lenses small; full frame costs you weight mostly in the lenses, not the body. Our sensor sizes explainer and full frame vs APS-C go deeper.
- Your budget is tight: a used body is the best value in cameras. Read buying used cameras before you do.
Travel cameras under $1,000 today
Mirrorless and compact cameras released since 2022 with a new US price of $1,000 or less today, cheapest first:
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Before you fly
Pack a spare battery (the airline rules allow camera batteries in cabin baggage only), a second memory card, and check that the charger takes USB-C so one cable covers the camera and your phone. Prices on this page come from the stores we track and update with every price import; open a camera to see every store and every market.