The point-and-shoot market may have hit a smartphone camera iceberg, but the ship hasn’t sunk yet. In fact, bitter competition has sped up the photography arms race, producing a wide field of top-tier compact cameras with big sensors — at a better price. Boasting image quality more than good enough to be deemed professional, these cameras can be a useful tool for the prosumer and feverish enthusiast alike, providing an infinitely more portable, all-in-one option rather than bulky DSLRs while sharing many of the same features and image quality.
That said, it’s up to you sharpen the focus on what you really need. We don’t mind walking a few steps to get the right shot — so our choices hone in on the best compact cameras that sport big sensors, fixed lenses and fast focusing. There’s a big field of small shooters; we’re here to slim it all down to the cream of the crop.
Fujifilm X100s
Best Compact Camera for the Street Photographer: The Fujifilm X100 made waves. For the first time, we had a digital camera with a sexy retro styling, a large sensor, and a fixed lens. Though firmware updates kept the X100 popular, the recently launched X100s has left its predecessor in the dust. A vastly improved autofocus makes snapping a shot nearly instantaneous. The X100s also has a new processor and a 16MP X-Trans II sensor, which resolves mother lodes of detail while keeping ISO noise down. A 23mm f2 lens renders images at a 35mm field of view. There’s also both an optical and electronic viewfinder. And did we mention its classic good looks? This shooter’s still in a class of its own.
Budget Alternative
