My Two Top Holiday Compact Cameras

Sony and Panasonic are my first choice in travel cameras

Who is this blog post aimed at

This blog post is aimed at

• People who enjoy photography and do not want the worrying about their camera setting but want reliable and good results.
• Photo enthusiasts, those of us who want more control over picture taking
• Anyone looking to buy a good reliable travel camera with a high level of functionality and features.

When it comes to choosing a travel camera there are no end of choices. However, for me, the two main manufacturers of enthusiast or pro-consumer cameras are Sony and Panasonic. I rarely look at the other competitors now. In the past I have been a fan of Nikon, Canon, Fuji and others camera manufactures. They all still make excellent cameras but I feel that Sony and Panasonic produce excellent compact cameras that are feature rich, produce excellent results, are simple to use, and also cater for the more experienced photographer.

Why choose a compact camera

There are a number of features or benefits to consider and compare when considering  a travel camera: image quality, ease of use, convenience, price, features and ability to post process images are but a few. However for me: A good quality compact camera bridges the gap between using a ‘smartphone camera’ and a ‘DSLR’. It is a nice compromise between carrying a DSLR and the use of smartphones, which, despite their advances in the area of photography still have some limitations. For example; shooting in bright sunlight and still being able to see the screen clearly, changing settings and for me, the awkwardness of holding your smartphone when taking photographs.

The main advantages of a travel camera

There are three main advantages to having a travel camera

1. Image quality and ability to capture wide range of subject matter
   1. Bigger sensors, larger pixels and better processors  generally equates to better quality images, especially when lighting conditions are less favourable.
2. Advanced Features
   1. Optical zoom, titable screens, electronic viewfinders, intelligent auto modes and better optics, all help to ensure that you capture those important travel moments.
3. Value for money
   1. DSLR kits can work out expensive and lack the convenience of a compact travel camera. Smarphones are multipurpose devices and only the high end smartphones tend to have the better camera functions, which means you will be  paying a premium for your phone and its camera. Investing in a good travel camera provides you with value for money.

My first choice of travel camera would be the Panasonic’s LUMIX Digital Camera DMC-TZ100EB with shooting modes that include: Intelligent Auto mode, Programme mode, Aperture priority mode, Shutter priority mode, Manual mode, Creative Video mode, Custom modes, Panorama Shot, Scene Guide and Creative Control.  It also has 4k photo mode, a powerful zoom, live viewfinder and post focusing and for photo enthusiasts supports RAW files. Read more about the Lumix DMC-TZ100EB Here.

My second choice of travel camera would be the Sony HX90V. However, the downside of this camera for me is that, it does not appear support RAW files. It has the following shooting modes: Intelligent Auto, Superior Auto, Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, Manual Exposure, MR (Memory Recall) 1,2,3, Movie Mode Panorama and Scene Selection.

Buy the Sony HX90V

Both of these cameras have electronic view finders. Personally, I find not having a digital viewfinder to be frustrating. I also recommend buying a digital camera with a articulating screen, again both the Sony and the Panasonic cameras mentioned here have articulating screens.

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