By Codelia Mantsebo
Whether it’s shooting the mighty Peruvian Amazon or catching lava-spewing from volcanoes in the islands of Hawaii, you want to make sure that you have the best travel cameras to capture the moment.
The perfect travel camera should bring out the best in every image. Nothing beats a camera that allows you to capture the rare beauty of the world in all her finery.
There’s no arguing that the smartphone has become our favorite camera for everyday pictures. But when you’re traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to see something new, you can’t beat a traditional camera – but that can be a little too heavy and inconvenient when traveling.
One advantage you do get with a smartphone is the ability to instantly share your pictures online. But some of the best travel cameras now offer workarounds; features now include Wi-Fi connection to your phone for instant uploads and built-in GPS, which automatically geo-tag images with their location.
Upgrade your travel photos with these compact cameras that pack a punch. Lightweight, versatile, and discreet—we pick the best travel cameras for your next vacation adventure.
For the adventurer – Hasselblad X1D-50c 4116 Edition
Commited to “pushing the boundaries of excellence” since 1941, the Hasselblad has created the X1D-50c 4116 Edition. The perfect travel companion, the X1D is compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand and incredibly lightweight. And yet, it still provides the highest quality thanks to its innovative mirroless technology – the first time this has been used in a digital medium-format camera. Features of the X1D, which can work in extreme temperatures, include an XGA electronic viewfinder, allowing for crystal-clear viewing even in challenging conditions, an extended ISO range up to a staggering 25,600 and shutter speed range of 60 minutes to 1/2000th second with flash synchronisation at all speeds.
$13,345, hasselblad.com
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For the adrenaline junkie – Nikon 1 AW1
Designed for extreme conditions, the Nikon 1 AW1 is perfectly suited to those thriller seekers. Equally at home on the beach, on the slopes or skydiving at 10,000 feet, the camera can handle temperatures down to -10∘C. Whatever the adventure, this system camera is protected from accidents and the elements.
The camera is the world’s first waterproof interchangeable lens digital camera, and is waterproof to 15m, freeze proof and shock proof, with high speed shooting modes.
And thanks to the minimalist design, this camera is ready for your every stylish adventure – it looks as chic in the city as it does on the ski slopes.
Send photos straight from the camera to your smartphone or tablet using the WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter or use its Wi-Fi connectivity to link the camera to your phone and upload your latest adventures to social media or blogs.
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It makes one of the best travel cameras with GPS tagging tracks your location and a dual altimeter/depth gauge to track your altitude or underwater depth. Check your position with the electronic compass and use the virtual horizon to avoid photos with sloping lines.
$799.95, nikonusa.com
For the light traveler – Leica Q
The Q is small but substantial which maes it one of the best travel cameras. With a 24MP full-frame sensor, the Q is about as close as you can get to a pro-level DSLR in a compact camera. It becomes an effortless all-day companion. It follows the spirit of compact Leica cameras of the past, like the M series of film cameras, which are still praised for their quality today.
The camera pairs top class modern technology (excellent autofocus, an astounding electronic view finder, a fast processor, sturdy sensor) with a modest looked packed into a small body, all wrapped in the iconic design for which Leica has become famous.
$4,600, leica-camera.com
For the social media junkie – Canon EOS 750D
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f your perfect vacation involves visiting cities, absorbing the culture, shopping and partying, then the Canon EOS 750D DSLR is for you. With the Canon Camera Connect app – this stylish camera is designed for the cosmopolitan social media junkie.
Connecting your Canon camera to both Android and Apple mobile devices, the camera allows you to transfer images to your smartphone or tablet over Wi-Fi – taking blogging and vlogging to a whole new level.
While it’s difficult to get the perfect low light shots, the Canon EOS 750D DSLR’s range of ISO 100-12800 allows you to take memorable low light pictures without using flash.
$1,036, canon.com
For the relaxed traveler – Fujifilm X-T2
For the ultimate in control paired with minimum weight, the Fujifilm X-T2 is one of the best traveler’s camera available. This camera won’t quit or let you down, no matter where your travels take you. The controls on this camera feel second to none so it simply worsk in your hand with little thought or practice.
In addition, as with all Fuji X series cameras, the X-T2 comes with Fuji’s proprietary film emulations loaded into the camera. You can shoot stunning JPEGs with very little post-processing required.
Equally at home on the beach, on the slopes or skydiving at 10,000 feet, this camera can handle temperatures down to -10∘C, alongside dust-resistant and water-resistant lenses.
Most of all, the new luxurious graphite silver model adds a touch of elegance – treated with a multi-layer coating that is triple baked to produce an elegant and tactile finish.
$1,996.95, fujifilm.com
For the fast and furious traveler– Olympus OM-D E-M1 MARK II
Designed for extreme speed, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 MARK II is perfectly suited to those with a need for speed. It’s just quick, so the focus is fast, the shutter speed is fast, and most importantly, this camera shoots sequential pictures at a fantastic 15 frames per second with a mechanical shutter.
Olympus has legendary autofocus which subsequently allows sharp, fast, and accurate focusing on targets of all types and speeds.
Using its advanced silent electronic shutter, the E-M1 Mark II captures 20 MP RAW image files at up to an astonishing 60 fps in S-AF Mode and 18 fps in C-AF Tracking Mode. The E-M1 Mark II’s high-speed mechanical shutter also lets you shoot full resolution photos at a blazing 15 fps in S-AF Mode, far surpassing other cameras in its class.
$1,999.99, getolympus.com/us/en
