The day they proclaim the point and shoot camera truly down, dead, and gone, somebody will be there with a point and shoot camera to document the occasion.
Smartphones, of course, have dominated the consumer photography space for going on 20 years now, for sure. Along the way, a growing number of frustrated shutterbugs have concluded that DSLRs are too cumbersome for casual walks, vacations, and unobtrusive street photography. And yet smartphone cameras (however rapidly improving) just didn’t have the lenses for top-level shots—never mind the the satisfying, nostalgic click of a real shutter.
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(Re)Enter the humble point and shoot camera, staple of many a Millenial’s pre-social media social life. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best compact digital cameras out there, from truly Tumblr-worthy handhelds that will summon you to the bathroom mirror like a Myspace-era Bloody Mary, to some higher-end units that even your high school photo teacher would respect.
For all manner of sweet, mystical photographer knowledge, I relied upon my two pro photographer pals, Andrew Bisdale, of Andrew Bisdale Photography, and Matt Baer, of Baer Works, to suss out the worthy and worthless. Here are the point and shoot cameras worth your money in 2024, from four-figure royalty to sub-$200 hidden gems that you could stash casually in a pocket.
Quick Look at the Best Point and SHOOT Cameras
- Best compact digital camera – Ricoh GR IIIx
- Instant gratification – Fujifilm Instax Mini EVO
- The Holy Grail – Fujifilm X100VI
- Easier to find right now – Preowned Fujifilm X100F
- Most versatile handheld camera – Sony RX100 VII
- Best cheapie – Kodak PIXPRO FZ55
- For a long-reach zoom – Sony Cyber-Shot RX10 IV
- All-in-one social media champ – Panasonic Lumix S9
- Ultra-rugged – OM SYSTEM TG-7
- Solid performer for under $500 – Canon PowerShot ELPH 360
- When you’ve gotta use your phone – Moment Lenses
How we Evaluated
We liked cameras that could fit into a pocket, whether that was a compact jeans pocket or a jacket pocket. Also, we judged the image sensor’s image quality, including realistic color and the ability to capture fine detail. Megapixels were a consideration, although they’re not the be-all, end-all of camera image quality that the arms race megapixel race of the 2000s conditioned a generation of shooters to believe.
Performance encompassed the ability to shoot in low light without too much loss in clarity, as well as autofocus speed and sharpness. Lens quality, too, was a major consideration. The lenses on most of these point and shoot cameras featured are fixed, meaning you can’t just swap one out for another. What it comes with is what you’ve got, so it better be good. That means minimal lens distortion and sharp, vivid clarity.
Best Compact Digital Camera – Ricoh GR IIIx
Smaller and cheaper than both the Fujifilm X100VI and the Sony RX100 VII, the Ricoh GRIIIx is a compact camera that shines when you need something just a little bit smaller, with a smaller price tag to match. Baer says the Ricoh is a frequent sight in the Brooklyn photography meet-up he co-hosts. “The most popular camera (in the group right now) is probably the Ricoh,” he says. “A lot of street photographers like it since they can take it anywhere and it’s very low key.”
Being light and easy to whip out at a moment’s notice means it’s easy to tuck away into a pocket for impromptu photo sessions without it being a burden, meaning that if a magical photo opportunity comes your way, you won’t be stewing that you left your camera at home. The Ricoh is a physically small camera but has a large image sensor, which equates to better image quality, says Bisdale, but the negative flip side of that is that they can’t zoom in or out.
The lens’s sharpness was a welcome surprise, as clear and defined as those on cameras costing much more. Compared to the Ricoh GR III, the GR IIIx comes with a 40mm-equivalent lens closer to a “standard” lens than the wide-angle-only lens of the GR III. The autofocus could stand to be a bit quicker, but it works accurately, even in low light.
instant Gratification – Fujifilm Instax Mini EVO
Instant-print cameras are flat-out fun. For the past few years, showing up to a party or a get-together at the bar with a Polaroid (or Polaroid-like instant-print camera) has been a surefire way to become the most popular person in the room (at least until the film runs out). Most are analog. You know the drill—stare through the hole, push the button, and out comes the print. Everybody finds out together whether it’s any good after it develops over the next few minutes.
Surprises are fun, but can become less fun when the night is long and the film supply is limited. As one of the few digital instant-print cameras on the market, the Instax Mini EVO has a surprisingly large three-inch screen for checking on your snap before you hit the print button and giving the chance to take a re-do. There are 10 lens effects and 10 film effects (which function like filters), so that you have more control over the final product than a typical instant-print camera.
Archival image quality, these are not. But that doesn’t matter, because the focus with the Instax is on having fun handing two of your closest friends a real, actual, IRL, 2×3″ photo of them in the moment—not in nailing the finest image quality with a killer sensor/lens combo. (If you are after image quality, most of the rest of the picks in this guide will serve you better.)
The Holy Grail – Fujifilm X100VI
Right now, the recently-released Fujifilm X100VI is the point and shoot camera to beat. Why? Its high-quality sensor and lens combine to offer vivid, realistic colors and sharply defined images, and the sleek chassis oozes retro appeal. “The focal length on the X100 is 23mm (35mm full-frame equivalent), which is sometimes regarded as closest to what the human eye sees,” says Bisdale. “Beyond that, it’s small, inconspicuous, and stylish, which is helpful if you’re looking for candid moments from strangers.”
Control freaks and Photography degree holders can rejoice at the well-positioned controls to manually set camera settings when they don’t trust the (admittedly, quick and accurate) autofocus. Many point and shoot digital cameras don’t let the shooter take the training wheels off, stifling them and their vision, but the X100VI is a playground for photographers who love to tinker with camera settings.
The catch? The lens, as good as it is, is of a fixed focal length. That means, if you want to zoom in and out, well, you’re going to have to use your legs. Plus, it’s out of stock practically everywhere, and Fujifilm’s production can’t keep up with demand. So that means you have to get yourself on a waitlist and practice patience. If you just can’t bear it and need a new camera now, though, keep scrolling. We have plenty more recommendations that you can buy as quickly as you can hit “checkout.”
Easier to Find Right Now – Preowned Fujifilm X100F
The Fujifilm X100F isn’t the previous generation in the X100 family, but rather two generations back. However, as the saying goes, cameras don’t know years. “I know a lot of people going for the X100F,” says Baer. “Easier to find, cheaper.” It’s still a damn good camera with a sharp (albeit, fixed-focal-length) lens and image sensor that nails high levels of detail with accurate color.
Used examples of the discontinued, last-generation X100V are also largely sold out and, when you find them, almost as expensive as pre-ordering a new X100VI. You can save quite a bit of coin on an X100F in good shape, though. “Lots of times, the newer models have very minor, insignificant upgrades,” Bisdale says. All the kind things he had to say about the X100 VI’s stylish, small, inconspicuous case apply to the X100F, too, and for half the cost.
Most Versatile Handheld Camera – Sony RX100 VII
For most folks looking for the overall best point and shoot camera, their search will lead them to the RX100 VII. Its autofocus is accurate and fast, particularly in situations with fast-moving subjects, and its one-inch image sensor provides accurate color and detail. The 24-200mm lens gives you a wide flexibility to zoom in and capture faraway subjects, as well as to zoom out a bit and capture wider-angle shots.
Sleek and compact, you get this level of performance in a package that can fit easily into a jacket pocket or purse. Downsides are few. Notably, its low-light performance suffers a bit compared to other cameras with wider aperture ranges, so aspiring Indie Sleaze party photographers may want to look elsewhere.
Best Cheapie – Kodak PIXPRO FZ55
The PIXPRO FZ55‘s 1/2.3-inch image sensor does an adequate job at replicating decent color, and its 16 megapixels mean images are fine, if not the sharpest in the toolshed. But the PIXPRO FZ55 is the closest you can get to buying a spanking-new point and shoot pocket digital camera for under $200. And it’s so small you can fit it into a skinny jean pocket.
There’s a 5x optical zoom, which gives you a bit of flexibility in framing your shots that not all point and shoot cameras offer. Virtually everything is automated, too. While that’s a minus for experienced photographers looking to control-freak all the minutiae of taking photos, it’s a plus for those who simply want to shut up and snap photos.
For a Long-Reach Zoom – Sony Cyber-Shot RX10 IV
The Sony RX10 IV‘s trump card is its lonnnnnng reach for zooming in on distant subjects. The 24-600mm lens not only zooms in much farther than most point and shoot digital cameras, but it’s impressively sharp in its image definition. That plus the one-inch sensor make for among the most highly detailed photographs in this price range.
The autofocus is rather quick and accurate, too, which is a godsend when you’re zoomed way in on those lions at the zoo and one of them suddenly takes off running. For a point and shoot camera, though, its wicked-good picture quality, telephoto zoom lens, and fast autofocus come at the cost of weight. At roughly 2.6 pounds with the battery installed, it’s more than twice as heavy as a Fujifilm FX100 and even heavier than the 10.6-ounce Sony RX100 VII.
All-in-One Social-Media Champ – Panasonic Lumix S9
Proving Fujifilm doesn’t have a monopoly on handsome, retro-inspired point and shoot cameras, the Lumix S9 is available in four attractively textured colors: blue, green, red, and black. We can’t pick a favorite because they all look classy and unique.
The nod toward the old days is strictly aesthetic, because the Lumix S9 is actually geared toward being a one-stop shop for social media creators. Shooters can edit videos and photos via a connected smartphone through the Lumix Lab app and then publish them to their social media channels without ever having to put them through separate editing software on a laptop.
You still have the option to use traditional editing software, but it’s not mandatory—which can speed things up for creators who want to upload new content with as little delay as possible. And unlike most point and shoot digital cameras, the Lumix S9 has interchangeable lenses, so you can use the 20-60mm zoom lens that comes with it for most shooting, and then swap in a telephoto zoom for long-range subjects, such as for birdwatching.
Ultra-Rugged – OM System TG-7
For certain shots, you put your very camera at risk. Rough impacts and water deluges are electronics’ sworn enemies, especially delicate cameras. Not the TG-7, though. While many point and shoots are water resistant to ward off light splashes or drizzles, the TG-7 is waterproof to 15 meters (about 50 feet). Not only that, but it’s freeze-proof to -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) and shock-proof for drops and impacts.
Its 12-megapixel, 1/2.3 image sensor lags behind most point and shoot digital cameras in its price range, though, and the rear screen isn’t a touchscreen. But with its rugged features and 4x optical zoom, you’ll get shots other cameras could only wish they could. So go ahead and plunge into that cenote with the TG-7. While the other cameras may be snapping pretty pictures of it from above, you’ll be the only one zoomed in on the tropical fish down below.
Solid Performer for Under $500 – Canon PowerShot ELPH 360
Step up past the $400 mark and you drastically improve the image quality over cheaper point and shoot cameras. Canon’s PowerShot series is popular and beloved by serious photographers because these cameras don’t pretend to be what they’re aren’t. They offer a noticeable boost in picture quality over most smartphones without costing an arm or a leg.
The PowerShot trades away the larger image sensor of the Canon RX100 VII and Fujifilm X100VI for a more modest package that slips into a back pocket more easily. “It has a sort of in-between sensor size and a modest zoom, which makes it more of an all-in-one pocket camera,” Bisdale says.
When You’ve Gotta Use Your Phone – Moment Lenses
Maybe you spent a bundle on an iPhone or Android phone and don’t have a whole lot left for a dedicated camera, per se—but you still want to be able to boost your smartphone with a telephoto, macro, or wide-angle lens. Moment makes high-quality, sharp lenses with little distortion for certain lines of smartphones, including the iPhone, Pixel, and Galaxy. The lenses mount via a special case—ingenious—then you can choose the lens (or lenses) you want.
There are fish-eyes, macros, telephoto zooms, and wide-angle lenses to choose from so that you don’t have to rely on your phone’s digital zoom, which erodes image quality. This is especially useful if your phone doesn’t have multiple lenses and you don’t want to be stuck with a single, fixed focal length but don’t want to pony up the cash to buy a whole, new camera.
