Best Camera for Travel Photography | 2025

The best camera for travel photography needs to be light on its feet while still being capable of capturing fantastic images. In this day and age, it also needs to offer something quantifiably different to the camera we all carry in our pockets — our phone — whether that’s the capacity to use a broad range of lenses, or simply much superior image quality thanks to a larger sensor.

In this guide, we’ve chosen a mix of cameras that are ideally suited for travel photography, offering that sweet-spot mix of portability and quality. Some are compact cameras, while others are interchangeable-lens mirrorless, but all of them have hugely impressed our team of experts to earn a spot on this list. We’ve also aimed to keep things affordable, as most travel photographers aren’t working with a huge budget. So you’ll see a few older models here, as well as newer cameras that are available for competitive prices.

Scroll to the bottom of this page for more on our selection criteria, and if you want to see more great cameras that could be perfect for holidays and travel, check out our comprehensive guide to the best mirrorless cameras.

The Ricoh GR III is just a fun camera to use. You might think that a fixed 28mm lens would be too restrictive for travel — however, for city-breaks and day-to-day shooting, the single perspective will more than suffice. The lens itself has a maximum aperture of F2.8 and is capable of producing absolutely stunning imagery, even when the light gets low. It’s just the thing for creating naturalistic, documentary-style scenes, and if you like to indulge in street photography on your travels, this is pretty much the perfect compact camera to do so.

If you really would prefer a tighter focal length then you do have an alternative option — the Ricoh GR IIIx, which sports a 40mm equivalent lens. In either case, you get a fast and responsive camera that benefits from speedy, accurate autofocus. Many photographers particularly love the Snap Focus system, which allows you to pre-select a focal distance and then shoot with zero delay. The images themselves look brilliant, and thanks to the camera’s 24MP sensor, deliver a true step up in quality compared to any smartphone, especially if you plan to print. 

The R8 is one of Canon’s full-frame mirrorless options and it's ideal for travel photography for a number of reasons. It’s surprisingly lightweight and compact and naturally, this will be a benefit to any travel photographer. The R8 features most of the internals found in the more expensive R6 Mark II but doesn’t quite keep up with its performance — though this is to be expected considering the price and what the R8 is designed for. 

As with much of Canon’s mirrorless range, the R8 is a versatile camera that offers quality in both video and photo-taking. It has great low-light performance which again, is a must for anyone on their travels so that you can capture all the sights you see even once the sun starts going down. Plus, having 4K 60p 10-bit internal video and Canon Log 3 means that you can really push the video to give quality output. It would be ideal to have some IBIS to help when filming or even just photographing handheld — but certain compromises have been made to keep the camera affordable, and it’s currently still one of the best full-frame bargains around.

There are, of course, a whole range of excellent Canon RF lenses that you can use with this camera, even some with some stabilisation that will help with the lack of in-body stabilisation.

Well-priced and not too heavy, the Nikon Z5 is an ideal jumping-on point for anyone who wants to experience the advantages of a full-frame sensor. Its image quality is simply superb, delivering excellent image quality with generous dynamic range, even when using higher ISOs. This gives you a real advantage in low light, making it an ideal camera for capturing moody night-time cityscapes. The five-axis stabilisation also helps in this regard, especially if you pair it with a stabilised Z-mount lens. 

We also like the fact that the Z5 boasts two SD card slots. This gives you licence to shoot and shoot without worrying about data space – or, if you’re concerned that card corruption could lead to you losing your irreplaceable travel shots, use the second card as a backup. The Z-mount lens range is also utterly fantastic, with a huge selection of travel-friendly primes and zooms — you can also use more affordable F-mount DSLR lenses with full functionality if you add the FTZ mount adapter.

One of the most affordable members of the Fujifilm mirrorless family, the Fujifilm X-T30 II camera provides an accessible entry point for beginners to the X series, without sacrificing any of the qualities that makes these cameras so popular. It still produces cracking JPEGs straight out of camera, and does so with impressive speed. The autofocus is a phase-detection system, covering the full frame, and the X-T30 II can burst-shoot at a respectable clip of 8fps. If you don’t mind a 1.25x crop on images, you can switch to the electronic shutter and whack this up to 30fps – realistically more than enough for basically anything.

The X-T30 II makes a few sacrifices for such a travel-friendly, portable body. There’s no built-in stabilisation, and the screen only has a tilting action, rather than the fully articulating mechanism of some comparable cameras. Also, beware the Quick Menu button – its curious placement under the right thumb makes it easy to knock accidentally.

The Panasonic Lumix G9 II is designed for speed and packed with a suite of features that lend themselves to travel photography (and wildlife and sports... it's a great camera). If you're familiar with the G9 you'll see that this body didn't keep the same aesthetic. No, it took on a body very similar to the S5 II but with the smaller sensor and other internals, the G9 II is lighter and more portable.

Performance-wise, the G9 II excels in both photography and video. Its 5-axis stabilised 25MP CMOS sensor along with a phase-detect autofocus system and the processing power to manage this and more, demonstrates a clear step in the right direction for Panasonic. It’s this camera’s versatility that means it is a great option for travel photography as you’ll need the scope to adapt to situations. And, thanks to the Micro Four Thirds system, you have access to a huge range of lenses that should cater to pretty much anything.

If you like the sound of an all-in-one compact camera like the Ricoh GR III but feel you need the flexibility of a zoom lens, then the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III should be your port of call. This is a fairly old compact by camera standards, having made its debut in 2019, but it has enjoyed renewed popularity since thanks to virality on TikTok. While this can make it hard to get hold of, if you’re patient and jump when the opportunity presents itself, you’ll have a cracking camera on your hands.

With a 4.2x zoom lens, the G7 X Mark III gives you additional compositional flexibility, while its variable maximum aperture of F1.8-2.8 ensures you can keep on shooting when the light gets low. This also enables the capture of images with a shallow depth of field, meaning you get artfully blurred backgrounds as well as crisp, sharp subjects. The touchscreen controls are a breeze to use — though be aware that there’s no built-in viewfinder, so you’ll need to use the screen for image composition.

The OM-System OM-5 is a magnificent riposte to those who were claiming Micro Four Thirds cameras were all getting a little bit big. Its tidy body weighs just 366g, making it perfect for throwing into a suitcase along with a few small MFT lenses and jetting off to new destinations. The OM-5 has plenty of other strengths that play well with travel – its IP53 weather-sealing is pretty much the standard to beat on mirrorless cameras right now (it’s even freezeproof down to -10°C). Plus, the highly effective stabilisation system is great for keeping shots sharp at slower shutter speeds, which is handy when light is poor. 

The image quality this camera is capable of producing is sublime, and the on-chip phase-detection autofocus just gets out of the way and works, like it should. Nitpicks? We would have liked to have seen the updated OM-System menu interface introduced on the OM-1, rather than the older Olympus system from the E-M1 Mark III. Also, while USB charging is nice, a USB-C port is always preferable to micro USB. And that’s about it.

How to choose the best camera for travel photography

There are many reasons to get excited when planning a holiday or some travelling, from trying new foods and visiting famous sites to witnessing how different cultures go about their day-to-day lives. For the photographer, one of the most exciting prospects is arriving home with plenty of images and videos of their adventure – and for that, it pays to think about the most suitable equipment to record it.

The right camera or camera system for your specific travels depends on a range of factors, from your destination and the expected climate to the kinds of images you imagine you will be taking. Some photographers will be prepared to take a DSLR or mirrorless camera and a range of lenses, particularly if they imagine spending a significant amount of time behind their cameras, while others will want something equally capable while travelling as lightly as possible. 

The first thing to think about is where you’re going. If you’ve booked a holiday you’ll probably have a fairly good idea of the kinds of images you may be taking, but if you’re travelling you may be deciding your specific route as you go. In either case, it’s worth thinking about the types of images you’ll be taking as this should not only influence your choice of camera but, in the case of interchangeable-lens systems, your lens and any additional accessories too.

If, for example, you’ll mainly be shooting landscapes and interiors, you may prefer to invest a little more in a wide zoom lens, but if portraits are more your thing, you’ll probably want to complement a standard zoom lens with a wide-aperture prime.

If you’re travelling over a period of a few months or longer, consider whether moving from one area to another will mean you’ll need to factor in a different climate. If you’re venturing into particularly harsh conditions, check that your camera will continue to work; your camera’s manual should provide minimum and maximum temperatures within which it should remain operational.

Make sure to also check that any memory cards, batteries and other accessories you plan on using are well guarded against the cold and inclement weather. Some are specifically designed to remain operational in challenging environments so seek these out if you feel you might need them.

Here are a few key features to look out for:

Wi-Fi

This will allow you to share your images as you go, without the need for a computer. This is great if you want to keep people up to date with your current locations.

GPS

GPS systems allow you to embed location information into the images you take, helping you to remember exactly where you’ve been. You may be able to map these too to show the exact route you’ve taken across a country. Make sure to turn these off if you’re not using them, though, as they are power hungry.

Articulated and touchscreen LCD screens

Shooting above a crowd, down on the ground or at an awkward angle is made infinitely easier with a tiltable or fully articulated rear display, but they’re particularly useful for travellers too. Not only do they allow you to get a less clichéd image of a familiar location, but screens which tilt across a full 180-degree angle to face the front allow you to easily take self-portraits once you’ve reached somewhere famous or particularly picturesque. Their articulation also allows you to adjust the screen to prevent glare when shooting in particularly sunny conditions, while touch operation allows you to press exactly where you want the camera to focus.

Viewfinder

Whether it’s optical or electronic, a viewfinder will help you compose your images in harsh lighting, where a rear display may be compromised by glare. 

Waterproofing

If you’re planning on spending time by the beach, or part of your trip involves water sports of any kind, you’ll almost certainly be considering something waterproof. Traditionally, there have been two options: rugged, waterproof compacts and conventional cameras compatible with waterproof housings. More recently, we’ve also seen the rise of action cameras, which are a good choice if you want a camera you can easily use hands-free.

FAQs

What is travel photography? 

Travel photography is all about capturing images that highlight the beauty, culture, and experiences of different destinations around the world. It involves capturing landscapes, architecture, people, and moments that tell a story of a particular place.

What equipment do I need for travel photography? 

First up, you’ll need a decent digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless). Then, a versatile lens (such as a wide-angle or standard zoom lens), spare batteries, memory cards, a sturdy tripod, lens cleaning kit, and a camera bag for protection and easy transport.

How can I take better landscape photos while traveling? 

To capture stunning landscape photos, focus on composition by using the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing techniques. Pay attention to lighting, shooting during the golden hour (early morning or late afternoon), and using a small aperture (higher f-number) for a wide depth of field.

What are some tips and tricks for travel photography?

When photographing local people, always ask for permission before taking their picture to respect their privacy and culture. Engage with them, establish a connection, and use a portrait lens. And to convey the essence of a destination, focus on capturing unique details that reflect the local culture, traditions, and way of life. Photograph street scenes, local markets, traditional architecture, and candid moments that encapsulate the atmosphere.

How can I make my travel photos stand out on social media? 

To make your photos stand out, focus on posting high-quality images with compelling captions that tell a story. Use relevant travel hashtags and engage with your audience. Consistency in style and posting schedule can also help grow your following.