Ted's - Top 5 Travel Cameras

It’s probably been a while since you last got away, so chances are if you are planning a trip soon, your camera could do with an update. In recent times the market has been flooded with pocketable cameras with versatile zoom lenses, wireless connectivity and high-resolution image sensors.

Here is our pick of the five cameras you should consider as your travel partner.

An enthusiast-friendly, pocket-sized travel camera, the Sony HX90V features everything you could need to frame and shoot a varied subject matter, in a miniature package. The 30x optical zoom lens at the front of the camera is extensive enough to cover the ground of virtually any application you would tackle on a trip away, while at the rear it features a tilting LCD screen, as well as a pop-up viewfinder for the most versatile composition tool you could wish for.

The Zeiss lens of the HX90V is not just notable for its zoom range, but also the quality of pictures it helps to capture, which are sharp, vivid and detailed. Around this lens is a conveniently-placed control ring, which can be used to operate numerous customisable settings, from focus to step zoom so the HX90V can be adjusted to suit your personal shooting style, with the promise of the best possible results.

Panasonic Lumix have long been at the forefront of the travel camera market and with the TZ220, there is no exception.

At one time having a camera this size with a 1-inch image sensor and a 15x optical zoom would have seemed unbelievable, but as Panasonic have proven, it is possible.The 25-250mm equivalence of the zoom lens is not the best choice for a day at the track, but for most of your travel photography needs it will be more than sufficient, while the benefits of slipping your camera quickly in your pocket as you navigate busy city streets is undeniable.

The icing on the cake with the TZ220 is the host of other features such as WiFi, built-in OIS and 4K resolution video. It is difficult to see what you are sacrificing for the gift of such a lightweight camera.

Designed more for the enthusiast, or street photography lover, than the run-of-the-mill traveller, the Fujifilm X100F is the 4th in Fuji’s line of retro-inspired, large-sensored compact cameras.

The X100 series of cameras puts a firm emphasis on hands-on usability, with full manual controls that harken back to the glory days of the 35mm rangefinder camera. As well as a 24MP resolution APS-C image sensor, which is of Fuji’s famed X-trans variety, the X100F features a high-performance 23mm f2 lens, which all-in-all leads to impressively sharp images with beautiful colour reproduction.

As we mentioned previously, this camera is not for everyone, and many will find the lack of zoom a major downfall. But for anyone who doesn’t mind zooming with your feet, this is a charming camera with the capabilities of producing excellent photographs.

If you are not content to take in the sights while you are travelling, and instead wish to be among the action, then the GoPro Hero 7 Black may be the perfect choice for you. As with any GoPro release, the Hero 7 Black is an adventurer’s tool, with a rugged 10-meter waterproof rating, as well as compatibility with a seemingly limitless array of compatible mounting options.

From an image capturing standpoint, the Hero 7 Black doesn't disappoint, with 4K resolution video and 12MP stills on offer for you to frame your story. In more advanced functionality, this action-cam features gimbal-like stability, without the need of an additional accessory, thanks to its hyper smooth video stabilisation, while its voice control feature allows to you keep shooting when your hands are otherwise engaged. Staying ahead of the pack, and in touch with the modern world, this is the first GoPro release to feature Live Streaming, reducing the downtime between you living the moment, and your friends living it vicariously through your footage.

With the Panasonic Lumix TZ cameras being a staple of the travel-camera segment of the market for years, the TZ90 is the logical next step in their evolution. Fit for framing any subject, the TZ90 includes a 30x optical zoom range, which starts at a scenery-suitable 24mm wide-angle equivalent. This long zoom range can be enjoyed in any lighting scenario, owing to the shake-free quality, provided by the 5-axis hybrid Optical Image Stabilisation.

Firmly in line with the modern user, the TZ90 is just as usable for stills as it is for videos, with a 20.3MP MOS sensor and 4K UHD Video resolution. The touch-sensitive LCD screen of the camera also tilts, so you can experiment with varied angles, and improve the composition of your all-important selfies. This LCD is not your only choice for framing your pictures however, with a high-resolution EVF also owning a place at the rear of the camera, which is good news when shooting with the bright sun at your back, as well as for shooters who prefer a classical approach.

If you need some more help or would like to discuss travel camera options, the skilled staff at Ted’s camera stores would be more than happy to help.