It’s easy to overlook point and shoot cameras, considering how often smartphones can take photos that rival those from a digital camera. However, if you’re looking for a camera that can capture better images than your phone, a point and shoot could be the right choice.
To help you find the right camera for you, we’ve rounded up the best point and shoot cameras currently on the market.
Here are the best point and shoot cameras you can buy.
Our Editor’s Best Point And Shoot Cameras Reviews
- 20.1MP stacked back illuminated 1” Exmor RS CMOS sensor w/ DRAM. Large aperture 24-70mm1 F1.8-2.8 ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T lens.Bluetooth : Yes (Bluetooth Standard Ver. 4.1 (2.4 GHz band)). Operating Temperature : 0 degrees C. - +40 degrees C. / 32 degrees F. - 104 degrees F.
- Fast Hybrid Autofocus and Real Time Eye Autofocus and Real-time Autofocus tracking.
- Side flip-out 3.0” LCD screen that also tilts up and down for easier to compose selfie shots
- Quickly switch between two modes of defocused background bokeh
- Product Showcase Setting transitions focus from face to object
- Powerful 40x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer and Zoom Framing Assist
- 4K Video and 4K Time-lapse Movie. Focusing Range- Auto- 0.4 in. (1cm) - infinity (W), 6.6 ft. (2.0m) - infinity (T).Normal- 2.0 in. (5cm) - infinity (W), 6.6 ft. (2.0m) - infinity (T).Macro- 0.4 in. - 1.6 ft. (1-50cm) (W)
- Built-in Wi-Fi* and Bluetooth** Technology
- 20.3 Megapixel*** CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 8 Image Processor / 3.0-inch Tilt-type (180° up) LCD / High-speed Continuous Shooting at up to 7.4 fps (up to 10.0 fps with AF Lock) / Feature Assistant
- SHOOT DECENT IMAGES WITH EASE - The digital camera captures high-clarity FHD 1080P videos and 44MP photos with the newest CMOS metering system, no need for complicated manual settings while delivering natural color images automatically. One second to press the shutter, it's easy for starters and kids.
- PORTABLE FOR TRAVEL & NICE BATTERY LIFE - The kids camera is a perfect everyday and take everywhere camera with it's petite body, durable, lightweight and small enough for your pocket. With two large capacity batteries, charging several times can last for one month. Plus, the automatic turn-off setting saves more energy in vacation trips and camping.
- VERY EASY TO USE - Conducted with ergonomic design, from easy to access buttons to simple functions menu, user-friendly interfaces down to the large LCD display, a 5-13 years kid can easily figure out. Just install the SD card, battery, two seconds to turn it on, and freely capture all fun memories with friends, family.
- ENCOURAGE CREATIVE - If you are tired of its automatic results, the point and shoot camera allows you to customize pictures. 16X zoom is great for photographing objects in the distance. 20 pcs creative filter effects to take Vintage photos, Black/White photos..., Anti shake, webcam, face and smile detection, continuous shooting, self-timer, waiting for you to explore them.
- SUPERIOR SUPPORT FOR THIS GIFT - Backed by a one year hassle-free promise- refund and replacement. Digital camera, SD card, lanyard, storage bag, batteries, adapter, cable, exquisite box..., contains everything you need. It is a perfect gift for boys, girls, teens on birthdays, Christmas or any important events, a first real camera for kids who love to take videos and pictures.
- 24.1 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor with is 100–6400 (H: 12800)
- Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC technology
- 9-Point AF system and AI Servo AF
- Optical Viewfinder with approx 95% viewing coverage
- Use the EOS Utility Webcam Beta Software (Mac and Windows) to turn your compatible Canon camera into a high-quality webcam. Compatible Lenses- Canon EF Lenses (including EF-S lenses, excluding EF-M lenses)
- Ultra-wide 20mm lens gets it all in the frame, even at arm’s length
- Large 1” sensor and F2 lens, for low-light and defocusing backgrounds
- Stay focused with Eye-AF and autofocus tracking technology
- Side-articulating touchscreen LCD for easy to compose selfie shots
- Clear Voice with directional 3-Capsule mic and wind screen accessory4
- Panoramas in Extraordinary Detail: 20mm wide-angle lens creates breathtaking landscapes, with a powerful 60x zoom (35mm equivalent: 20-1200mm) to capture the big picture as well as fine details
- An Always-Clear View, Even in Bright Sunlight: 2,360K-dot. Large LVF 0.74x (35mm camera equivalent) ensures you'll see your screen without glare
- Amazing Video Quality for Fast-Paced Action: 4K Video Mode records up to 4x resolution of Full HD; for incredible flexibility; 4K Photo feature lets you extract the perfect 8-megapixel photo out of 4K video and save it
- Shoot Now, Focus Later: Post Focus feature gives you the power to touch the area you'd like to be in focus, even after the shot has been taken
- No More Blur, Even at 60x Zoom: The POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) effectively suppresses hand-shake vibration at the tele-end
- High Image Quality: Canon EOS R50 4K digital camera features a 24.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor and DIGIC X processor for stunning image clarity and level of detail
- High-Speed Continuous Shooting: Capture fast action with up to 12 fps with Electronic First Curtain shutter and up tp 15 fps with Electronic Shutter for a superior vlogging camera
- Advanced Auto Focus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF II covers up to 100% x 100% area with 651 AF zones; features auto subject detection and tracking of people, animals, and vehicles using deep learning technology — perfect 4K camera for video recording
- Exceptional Low-Light Performance: Advanced A+ Assist offers an expanded array of auto-compatible scenes for greater expressive capability in auto mode and enables great imagery even in difficult settings such as night and backlit scenarios.
- Fluid Video Capture: Video recording features such as 6K oversampled uncropped 4K movie at up to 30 fps, Full-HD High-frame rate movie recording at up to 120 fps: Movie for Close-up Demo Mode quickly and automatically switches focus to the subject closest to the camera
- 30x Optical/60x Clear Image Zoom ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* Lens, 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS Sensor for superb low light images, Built-in retractable OLED Tru-Finder viewfinder
- Versatile video w/ high-quality XAVC S, AVCHD & MP4 formats, Simple connectivity to smartphones via Wi-Fi w/NFC, 5-axis image stabilization greatly reduces camera shake blur.Recording format:JPEG(DCF Ver.2.0,Exif Ver.2.3,MRF Baseline compliant)
- Selfie-ready 3" Extra Fine LCD multi-angle display, P/A/S/M modes, customizable settings and Memory Recall mode, Enhance features w/ downloadable camera apps, Capture the decisive moments with up to 10fps or keep your subject in focus with Lock-on AF
- Focus Range Wide: 1.97" (5 cm) - Infinity Telephoto: 8.20' (2.5 m) - Infinity.Adjustable Angle Up by approx. 180 degrees. F-number (Maximum Aperture) F3.5 (W) - 6.4 (T)
- In-The-Box: Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-BX1; AC AdaptorAC-UUD12; Micro USB cable; Wrist Strap; Instruction Manual
- Capture Stunning 4K & 48MP Photos: Preserve your precious memories in breathtaking 4K Ultra HD video and 48MP high-resolution images with this digital camera.
- 16X Digital Zoom & Autofocus: Get closer to the action with 16X digital zoom and capture sharp, detailed photos with autofocus, even from a distance. Pressing the shutter release button halfway when taking a photo with this 4K digital camera and again when the focus frame changes from yellow to green ensures that every shot is in sharp focus.
- 3.0" IPS 180° Flip Screen for Perfect Selfies & Vlogging: The 3.0-inch IPS flip screen rotates 180°, making it easy to frame yourself for stunning selfies and vlogs. This portable compact digital camera is perfect for travel, vacations, and everyday use, fitting easily in your pocket or bag.
- Never Miss a Moment with 2 Rechargeable Batteries & 32GB card: This 4K vlogging camera comes with 2 rechargeable batteries and a high-quality 32GB card, you can shoot all day without worrying about running out of power.
- Unleash Your Creativity with Advanced Features: Explore your creativity with 4K point and shoot camera's features like date stamp, video pause & play, time-lapse, slow motion, fill light, anti-shake, 3 continuous shooting, smile & face detection, beauty face, selfie, and various filters.
- 40X Optical Zoom - 24mm Wide Angle Lens
- 20 Megapixel CMOS Sensor
- 1080P Full HD Video - Vlogging Camera
- SD Card Compatibility: At least Class 10, no more than 512GB (SD, SDHC, SDXC)
- 3" LCD Screen - Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) - AA Batteries
Best Point And Shoot Cameras Buying Guide
Before choosing the best point and shoot camera you should consider following options:
1. Image Stabilization: The two types of image stabilization you’ll see are electronic and optical. Electronic image stabilization (EIS) is a feature that’s typically built into the camera’s software.
Optical image stabilization (OIS) uses a special lens element (called a gyroscope) that moves to counteract shaking. Look for a camera with OIS if you plan to shoot in low light without a flash, take photos on the move, and/or shoot video.
2. Zoom and Lens Quality: Point and shoot cameras come in various forms. Some have a small zoom lens and others have large zoom lenses.
The size of the zoom lens is determined by one of two factors: focal length and/or f-stop. Focal length (in millimeters) is the distance from the camera’s lens to the film, divided by the magnification.
The f-stop is the aperture of the lens. The larger the f-stop, the smaller the lens, and vice versa.
This is important because it affects the “image circle” that the lens projects onto the film or digital sensor. In other words, the image circle determines how big or small the image is, and therefore how much of the scene the lens can capture. (For a more detailed explanation, see the lens section of our SLR camera guide.) A larger image circle means a larger lens, which means a larger zoom range.
In addition to zoom lenses, point and shoot cameras can have one of two kinds of lenses: fixed focus or interchangeable. Fixed focus lenses are inexpensive and produce good image quality but have a limited zoom range. Interchangeable lenses have a much wider range of focal lengths available and better image quality, but are more expensive.
3. Film Speed: Film speed refers to the ISO of the film, and it’s an indication of how much light the film can capture. The higher the ISO number, the more light the film can capture, so you can take photos in darker environments.
Higher ISO film also produces more image noise, which is a defect that looks like grain or static on the image. With digital cameras, ISO is adjusted in the camera’s software, so you don’t have to worry so much about it.
4. Flash: Flash is an important factor to consider when buying a point and shoot camera. Digital cameras typically have fixed lenses, with no way to adjust the angle of the flash.
If you take a lot of flash photos, make sure the camera has an effective flash. If the flash is too weak, it will leave the subject in focus but darken the background.
With film cameras, you’ll want to make sure the flash is powerful enough to light up your subject. Don’t worry about image noise with film cameras, since the film captures light from the flash at the same ISO as from the sunlight.
What else you should know about point and shoot cameras
1. What are the best point and shoot cameras?
The best point and shoot cameras are the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10/LX15, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV.
2. What are the features of a good point and shoot camera?
Some features of a good point and shoot camera are that it is lightweight and portable, has a large LCD screen, is easy to use, and takes good quality pictures.
3. How do I choose a point and shoot camera?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as there are a variety of factors to consider when choosing a point and shoot camera. However, some key things to look for include the camera’s sensor size, lens quality, and shooting features. Additionally, be sure to read reviews from trusted sources before making your final decision.
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of point and shoot cameras?
Point and shoot cameras are small, lightweight, and easy to use, making them a great choice for casual photographers. However, they generally have smaller sensors than DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, which results in lower image quality. They also have less manual controls, making it difficult to take full advantage of their capabilities.
5. What are the most popular point and shoot cameras?
The most popular point and shoot cameras are the Canon PowerShot series and the Nikon Coolpix series.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best point and shoot cameras. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best point and shoot cameras will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.