Our Favorite 7 Compact Cameras For Road Trips

Road trip

So, you’re going on a road trip. Congratulations! Before you buy mass amounts of snacks and start putting together playlists, you need to find yourself a good compact camera. Because let’s be honest: sometimes your iPhone just isn’t going to cut it.

Depending on your route, road trips are a great opportunity to visit under-the-radar attractions and soak up breath-taking views, and a good camera can make all the difference between accurately capturing that sunset, or not. Check out our favorite compact road trip cameras here, all of which are smart enough (and small enough!) to take photo-memories that will last a lifetime.

Sony Cyber-Shot RX100 III

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Photo courtesy Flickr

All you need to know about this gem of a camera is that it has a pop-up electronic viewfinder and “soft background defocus.” Comes in handy on a super-sunny day roadtripping, and the 2.8x optical Zeiss zoom lens isn’t half bad either. And yes, it has a tilt screen for selfies. Buy here for $799.99.

Fujifilm FinePix X100

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Photo courtesy Flickr

This camera might look like it came straight out of an Urban Outfitters catalog, but it actually works really well –– with a great zoom lens, easy-to-use controls and exceptional image quality when shooting RAW. The camera is touted as being the “Perfected fusion of optical and electronic viewfinder” and has a newly developed 23mm F2 lens. Buy here for $449.95.

Nikon Coolpix AW120

Perfect for an outdoor adventure, this all-weather camera easily slips into a pocket and is made to be indestructible, which means it’ll withstand an awkward fall from the car window to the pavement when you’re trying to recreate that classic side-view mirror shot. WiFi capability makes it a breeze uploading photos to your iPad or computer as you travel. Oh, and if you get lost on your trip, you’ll be thrilled to know that your camera has built-in GPS. Buy here for $249.95.

Canon PowerShot G7 X

Photo courtesy Flickr
Photo courtesy Flickr

This cute camera is pretty simple and unimposing, but definitely gets the job done. There’s no hotshoe, but a quick 24-100mm f1.8-2.8 lens takes exceptional photos, so buy here for $449.00 if you’re looking for something quick and easy.

Samsung Galaxy Camera 2

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Photo courtesy Flickr

The great connectivity makes this the perfect compact camera for sharing photos of your road trip with friends and family, and the picture quality is several notches above a camera phone thanks to a 23 mm zoom lense –– making it well-worth the investment. Note: this is a good camera for people who aren’t particularly photo-savvy. Buy here for $379.99.

Panasonic Lumix TZ70

No touchscreen, but the Panasonic Lumix has a convenient electronic viewfinder, and is equally adept at capturing landscape shots and closeups. The real winning feature is its ability to photograph well in all light conditions, which means you can whip it out of your pocket at a moments notice and almost be guaranteed a good picture. Check out the camera here.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W800

If you’re looking for something truly simple, grab the Sony Cyber Shot. It isn’t particularly tricked out (no WiFi here!), but the 5x Optical Zoom and image stabilization makes for easy pointing and shooting. Plus, it’s a steal at just $88.00. Buy here.

 

Mehera Bonner FOLLOW >

Mehera Bonner is a freelance lifestyle and entertainment writer. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and two children.