Choosing the best budget camera for travelling is not hard. There are so many options. And no, your smartphone is not going to be appropriate to freeze the wonderful moments on film. You need a dedicated camera, one that has been tried and tested against the rigors of outdoor adventures and travel.
Reviews for best budget camera for travelling
Cheap or expensive? This is what many people ask. If you are just an itchy feet traveler who just wants good photos and videos, an expensive professional camera like what wedding and wildlife photographers use is not necessary.
FITFORT Action – Cheapest Travel Camera
This camera also comes with a wireless remote control that operates within a range of ten meters. This means that you can shoot videos and pictures with the camera even when you do not have it on your person. This wireless remote also works under water.
What a perfect camera for capturing a phenomenon like a waterfall! With a photo shooting wide angle of 170 degrees, this allows you to capture as many details in a picture as possible. Just imagine the details that you can capture on a trail shoot, things like wildflowers, animals, birds, rocks and yourself.
One more great feature is the inbuilt Wi-Fi connectivity that enables you to loop your camera to your smartphone (android or iOS) for easy video and picture transfer. For this, you just have to download an app – Ex iCam APP which will enable you to pair the camera to your smart devices.
Pros
- Wide image taking angle of 170 degrees
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Remote controllable
- Long lasting batteries 1050mAh – sold with 2, one for use, one is for spare
- Shoots incredible videos
- Easy to use
- Fairly priced considering others in its range
- Expandable storage
Cons
- Wi-Fi range limitations
Fujifilm X-T2 – Travel Camera
The Fujifilm X-T2 may not be the best DSLR camera for travel, but it sure is one of the best mirror-less cameras in the market. It has powerful imaging performance and it gives the user incredible control because of the lockable manual settings/controls.
You will be surprised that many professional photographers use this camera, which is all the more reason why you should actually use it. From shooting architecture, animals, landscape, waterfalls and many more images in the course of your travel, you will find that this camera will not let you down, thanks to speed tracking sensitivity.
You will also love that for all the photos that you shoot, there is little after-processing needed. Great shots all around with Fujifilm film emulations, weatherproof body, 2 slots for SD cards, 4K video, Wi-Fi enabled and many more features, what more do you need?
Pros
- Moisture and dust-proof body
- Freeze resistant up to minus 10° Celsius/14° F
- 3 Inch LCD monitor made of high quality tempered glass
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Film simulation makes images look so real
- You can print from the camera directly
- 2 SD card slots for storage
- Has speed tracking sensitivity when shooting moving subjects
- Image stabilizer
Cons
- It is costly
- Too feature laden – take some time getting used to
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II – best budget camera for travelling
What would you say to a small, but high performance camera like the Olympus OM-D E-MI Mark II that has incredible features like image stabilization, a silent digital shutter that can shoot 60 frames per second and a manual shutter that can shoot 15 frames per second? You would want to buy it immediately, right?
With the ability to shoot a 4K video, and the monitor can be rotated to the left to face the front of the camera, Olympus truly gives you more control over the camera actions and you can shoot both images and videos like a pro.
This camera works with any MFT lens, so it should be easy to find one for it. It is light at just about 1 pound, and it is made in a weatherproof body.
Pros
- Big monitor size of 3 inches
- Image stabilizer
- 2 SD card slots
- Long-lasting battery
- Rotating LCD monitor for shooting video
- Weather-proofed
Cons
- It is pricey
- Poor autofocus tracking when shooting moving subjects.
Canon PowerShot SX710 HS – best travel camera
Sony can never be too far behind when it comes to electronics and their Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is one of the best travel cameras for beginners. It packs incredible and versatile features, which make it a good camera for travelling.
Electronic viewfinder will give a high resolution for images and its autofocus feature makes it easy to shoot wildlife images. That is not all because this camera also packs the fastest shooting speed in the world, at 24fps. It has an optical zoom too, and that adds to the functionality of the camera.
Finally, it can shoot high-resolution 4K video. This camera is great for video bloggers who love to share random travel videos on YouTube.
Pros
- Capture great photos from video
- Great for shooting selfies
- You can order with underwater housing to shoot underwater videos and images
- No loading time needed – ready to shoot when you turn it on
- Has face detection feature which distinguishes between adults and children
- It has a mobile app which is very handy for transferring videos and photos to computer’
- Easy to carry – fits in the pocket
- Weatherproof
Cons
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- Short battery life especially when shooting videos
- No jack for microphone
- Handling is tricky due to its slippery nature
PANASONIC LUMIX DC-GH5 – Fastest focus camera
This is a hybrid of a still and video camera and as far as they go, it proves to be many miles ahead of the most of its counterparts thanks to its advanced features. It comes with a faster processing speed 4k video, two micro SD card slots (UHS-II) and great sharpness of images and videos thanks to the 20MP sensor.
The PANASONIC LUMIX GH5 is so good such that it is regarded as a professional camera in the camera review sites. Thanks to the weatherproof body, as you take off for backpacking, you will be sure that the best shots do not pass you by.
The LCD display screen at the back is big, at 3.2 inches, responds to touch and gives a very good preview of your pictures. With dual slots for micro SD cards, you can separate the videos and photos in the course of your travel experience.
This camera has a speedy shutter, able to shoot a photo in 0.1 seconds from the moment you press the shutter. If you see a snake slithering between rocks on the California trails, you will be able to capture it in full glory before it can disappear.
Fast focusing, Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi and the ability to pause and capture high resolution and printable photos from video, this mirrorless camera surpasses many others. It is unarguably the best mirrorless camera for 2016.
Pros
- High quality for videos
- Professional-level features
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for data transfer
- Very fast focus – 0.1 second between image capture and pressing the shutter
- Pick frames from video to save as JPEG
Cons
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- It is pricey, very
- Many of the features are not important for a traveler
Canon PowerShot SX710 HS – Best pocket camera
Canon does not fail when it comes to cameras. If you have been looking for the best travel cameras 2018 and beyond, the Canon PowerShot SX710 HS meets both your vacationing photo and video needs.
It has impressive features like the inbuilt Wi-Fi which comes in handily when you have to transfer images and videos to other devices or when you want to back them up in cloud.
This camera eliminates shake. The camera will determine the shaking, or the movements of the hand and it will autocorrect them so that at the end, you have high quality videos and images. This image stabilizer is a feature that you also find in other cameras, but it is far more intelligent and advanced in the Canon PowerShot SX710.
Video is full HD 1080P. You can preview it from the 3-inch screen, which you can see from a wide angle. Short clip movie feature lets you take short, 6 second videos like photos and then apply slow motion, fast motion or normal speed to turn them to clips.
Pros
- Excellent quality videos and photos
- Remote control from a smartphone app
- Wireless transfer of photos and videos
- Expandable memory
- Much affordable
- Great printed photos
Cons
- So many features are mind boggling to new users
- Wi-Fi may not work with all computer systems
Nikon Coolpix L340 – Best travel camera for beginners
This camera has a vibration reduction feature that reads any shaking and corrects it on the photo. The outcome is outstanding photographs shot with a 20.2MP lens.
You can also shoot 720P videos. This camera uses 4 AA size batteries and for memory, you can use a 128 GB micro SD card or less to store your videos and photos.
Other features that make Nikon Coolpix L340 the best pocket camera for travel include the automatic scene detecting state, smart portraits mode and filters that you can use to filter your photos.
You can see that it does not have very many features but that is compensated by the low price. However, when you are a traveler, you will find that you never get to use most of the features in your camera.
Pros
- Easy to use – aim and shoot
- Readily available batteries
- For its range, fast shutter response time of 0.15 seconds
- Very affordable
- High quality video and photos
- Memory card slot
Cons
- Lacks important features like Wi-Fi connectivity
- No rechargeable battery
OLYMPUS Tough TG5 – Best travel camera
Olympus travel cameras may be expensive, but they are sure worth all the money that you pay for them.
The Olympus TG5 will serve you for a long time. It is a hardy camera that you can also use underwater, and thanks to the decreased pixel count for the camera, it shoots great photos and videos in low light conditions.
You can record videos with this camera in MPEG-4AVC/H.264 version and better yet, you can also use it in cold weather conditions, as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius.
Shoot things in motion with a trailblazing speed of 20 fps and of course, the Pro Capture Mode that is unique to Olympus. If you would like to capture the moment a fish leaps out of water with showers all around it, this camera is a darling for the job.
Small as it is, you can still operate it even when you are wearing gloves. Image stabilisation feature will correct any shaking resulting into great photos and videos. You can frame your shots from the 3 inch LCD screen and when you are done taking videos and photos, transfer them wirelessly over the Olympus Image Share app.
Pros
- Water-resistant up to 50 feet depth
- Great for low light images and videos
- Microscope mode for shooting the tiniest details
- Can be used in very cold conditions
- Can shoot raw and JPEG photos
- Very affordable
Cons
- Slow focus for movies
- Does not capture all the colors correctly
Canon PowerShot SX720 HS – Best camera for beginners
This is a small but powerful, best travel camera under $500. However, do not let its rugged and bricky look fool you because it packs quite a punch in its features.
Starting with the powerful 20.3 Mega Pixel lens with CMOS sensor, you will love taking pictures even in the bright light. Then there is the intelligent image stabilizer which corrects any shaking thus giving you great looking pictures.
This is a hybrid camera. You can shoot still images and take videos as well. The videos are of excellent quality being full HD 1080P resolution. You can preview the videos and frame your pictures before taking them on the clear 3-inch LCD display.
The 40X optical zoom is going to help you frame shots from a far distance, but do not make that too far lest they become distorted.
The Canon PowerShot SX720 packs some advanced technology features. For example, it has Wi-Fi and NFC- near field communication, both accessible by a single touch. You can transfer your images and videos seamlessly to your devices.
Pros
- Optical zoom is good for people who need the functions of DSLR but find them bulky
- Great quality for the photos – accurate for colors
- Saves battery by using eco mode that turns off camera when it is idle for some time
- Records video at touch of a button
- It is very easy to use
- Zoom Assist keeps track of moving objects
Cons
- High price
- Zoom will not get good images from too far
- No panorama mode
Sony DSCW800/B – best travel video camera
When you are packing your tent heater in your backpack, you will want to put in a nice outdoor camera, which means portable, easy to use and able to capture videos and images in great detail. They do not come any better than the Sony DSCW800/B.
It has an optical zoom 5X. Not very powerful but hey, this camera is very affordable and besides, you will not be shooting images of objects that are too far away now, will you? Behind this zoom is a powerful 20.1MP HAD CCD sensor and tell you what, this camera has Sweet Panorama Mode where once you set it, you can just pan the camera slowly to the direction you like and it will take multiple shots at great quality.
Other features are just so common, with rechargeable battery (inbuilt), if you are a new beginner user, you can just set the camera to easy mode and it will do a perfect job for you. Shoot videos in 720P, good quality too.
Pros
- Very easy to use
- Panorama mode
- Good video and image quality
- Can charge the battery through a USB cable with computer or other
- Inbuilt smile capture technology
- Picture effects to emphasize images
Cons
- Poor performance in low light
- Internal memory is minimal
To avoid the confusion galore out there, you may also decide to buy cameras under the following:
Best mirrorless camera for beginners
Who needs the bulk of the DSLR when you can buy a digital mirrorless camera that packs a big sensor inside its body? Because this is not a professional camera yet at the same time it is not the more compact aim and shoot variety of cameras, it comes with top of the range features and a very affordable price. If you are looking for the best in the business, you can be assured that they do not come any better than this. By the name mirrorless, we mean that this camera does not have a mirror used to reflect light on the sensor. This therefore makes it one of the best camera, as close to professional photography as one can ever get without the bulk of the mirror. You ought to try the Sony a7R III 42.4MP which comes with a bag, can be used with interchangeable lens and has dual slots for SD cards for extra storage.
Best DSLR camera for travel
With the coming of the more modern but non-professional mirrorless cameras, the best DSLR camera for travel has been taking quite a beating, but that does not mean it is not any good. But first, what is a DSLR camera? This is a digital single lens reflex cameras which means that when you press the shutter, the mirror lifts up and allows light to be pass through to the sensor. Not to sound too complex, this is a good camera and is used by professional photographers, but you can find cheaper versions for your use. You can try the Nikon D3300.
Conclusion for best travel cameras for beginners
There, you have seen just a few of the best budget camera for travelling. As they say, you get what you pay for. Thus, if you buy one that is very cheap, you should not expect it to last too long, perform under water and do many more tricks, but hey, it is a camera and if it shoots great images, nice and well. However, if you are a constant traveler and adventurer, just buy a good camera and it will last you a long time, capturing great reminders of awesome places that you will never go to again.
See just how awesome a modern travel camera can be in the video below:
