Compact Camera Reviews

It's that time again when Shutterbug's editors and writers pick the best cameras and lenses of the year.

Aimed at sophisticated shooters who don't mind spending a bit more on a small camera (instead of using their smart phone), the five best premium compact cameras in this buying guide have large sensors and robust feature sets that deliver outstanding performance and superior image control.

Nikon recently announced the Coolpix B600, a superzoom with a 24-1440mm equivalent range, highly effective image stabilization, 16-megapixel CMOS sensor and a lens that’s sharper than kittens’ teeth. Priced at just $299, this easy-to-use point-and-shoot spent nearly two months in our hands, and here is what we learned.

Even if you don’t snorkel, ski or engage in any outdoor activities that can be unfriendly toward cameras, you need a ruggedized, waterproof, compact zoom that can stay in your pocket through cloudbursts, snowball fights and a capsized canoe without fret or falter. They are the SUVs of the camera world, and they’re great for younger kids, too. (And if you’re looking for a Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Graduation gift, these cameras…

Street photography—walking around with a camera, poised to capture life on the fly—has never been more popular than it is now. Back in the day, masters like Alfred Eisenstaedt and Henri Cartier-Bresson prowled the streets with classic film-based Leica rangefinders, but today most street shooters opt for modern digital cameras.

Superzoom cameras, like Nikon’s Coolpix P1000 ($999.99) are popular because, let’s face it, people who buy entry level DSLR’s rarely, if ever, take the kit lenses off their cameras. I looked for statistics on this and didn’t find any empirical data but friendly retailers in the industry told me this assumption is true.

Shutterbug, a member of the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), once again teamed up with over two dozen other member magazines from around the world to select the winners in the annual TIPA World Awards for the best photo products of 2018 in 40 different categories.