202 1 has chosen the best card camera for you.

Lightweight small cameras can also become technical leaders, making it easy to take excellent photos on the road. It's time to prepare for future trips, such as visiting the Louvre in Paris. Photography: JNS, GAMMA-RAPHO/GETTY IMAGES

Tom O'Brien wrote it.

Photography: Mark Tai Sen

Many wonderful moments in the trip are worth capturing and recording with a camera. Although the journey in 2020 seems to have shrunk, now you might as well get familiar with many new cameras and take a photo exploration tour near your home.

As a photo engineer for National Geographic magazine, I design and customize photographic equipment for professional photographers and test consumer products for this annual guide to help travelers better record their journeys and adventures. Although the camera manufacturing industry has not changed much in 2020, there are still some excellent new models and upgrades. Here are some cameras that deserve our attention. With them, we may take the best photos in our future travel.

Ricoh GRIII (Ricoh GRIII)

Advantages: portable and easy to use. Ricoh's GRIII can meet all your needs, and it is compact, stress-free and easy to carry around.

This compact camera is like an energy source, which makes people want to take pictures anytime and anywhere. At first glance, the ergonomics of GRIII, the size of a mobile phone, seems unremarkable, but Ricoh has achieved a perfect balance between portability and simple operation with one hand. The touch screen is very sensitive and the system menu is easy to browse. GRIII may not be the most beautiful and cool, but it is very easy to use. The 24mpa APS-c sensor has built-in image stabilization (IBIS) and dual-core focusing. I can talk about how wonderful the GR series 12 generation is. In short, this camera is one that I would willingly buy as my daily travel companion, and I often recommend it to my professional friends as a convenient backup camera.

Tip: the battery of the camera is not very big, but it has built-in USB-C interface. When shooting for several days in a row, just charge it directly in the car or at the bedside with a mobile phone charger.

Sony RX 100VII (Sony RX 100VII)

Advantages: Although the volume is small, the speed and accuracy are not bad at all. Sony professional series products have real-time autofocus function, and RX 100 VII can shoot 20 frames per second with almost no image distortion.

The seventh generation RX 100 series products are fully functional, but each camera is small enough to be put in a coat pocket. This version has the real-time autofocus function of Sony professional series products, providing photographers with high-precision eye/face autofocus, which is effective for animals and people. Real-time autofocus/auto exposure at 20 frames per second, no other product can match the autofocus function and shooting speed in the same size camera. Thanks to the new sensor technology of Sony's flagship a9 series, this model hardly distorts the graphics when shooting moving objects, which shows that it can quietly shoot at a high shutter speed in the actual operation with sufficient light. RX 100 VII is also equipped with an equivalent zoom lens of 24-200mm. Although the brightness is not as good as I expected, it can cover a wide shooting range for travelers. I usually call this series of cameras my "desert island" choice. Is such a small camera expensive? It's not cheap, but the performance is really excellent.

Fuji X-T4 (Fuji X-T4)

Advantages: overall performance and ease of use. Fuji X-T4' s non-reflex APS-C camera has many attractive additional functions that beginners and professionals can use quickly.

Although the X-T3 ranked first for two consecutive years is still a good choice, the upgraded X-T4 can really be used professionally. The upgrade includes sensor-based IBIS, larger battery, clear and sensitive touch screen and improved autofocus algorithm. This is not an exaggeration for X-T3, but even more so for X-T4: this camera can be compared with professional Quan Huafu ·DSLR in performance, autofocus, image quality and processing. It has the same sensor and image processor as the X-Pro 3, but adopts a more SLR-style body, and all the controls are within reach. What impressed you most about X-T4? That is, it has professional control (modern dial control), dustproof and splash-proof design, and video and still image ports, while retaining the retro charm (retro dial). This is enough to bring a pleasant shooting experience to enthusiasts and professionals. X-T4 is not only an excellent travel camera, but also one of the best anti-APS-C cameras on the market.

Lycraq 2, Q2 Monochrom and Q-P (Lycraq 2, Q2 Monochrom and Q-P)

Excellence: performance and luxury. Leica's Q2, Q2 Monochrom (not shown) and Q-P are complete, concise and excellent in image quality.

I know Q2 is indispensable for this camera test, as well as the Q-P camera that has existed for several years (but it is still worth it) and the brand-new Q2 Monochrom that Leica sent me to test this year. Q series includes Quan Huafu and fixed lens camera (28mm f/ 1.7 lens with built-in anti-shake). Q and Q-P are the first generation products equipped with 24.2MP sensors; Q2 and Q2 Monochrom are equipped with 47.3MP sensor, larger capacity battery and all-weather dustproof and splash-proof design. I used to prefer Q-P to Q2, but Q2 Monochem is a completely different guy. You may have guessed its decisive feature: only taking black and white photos. Q2 Monochrom is basically the same as Q2, except that its sensor has no color sensing function (Bayer array lacks color cmos) and is only responsible for fully displaying black. Without color filters, shocking black-and-white images can be obtained, and image clarity and high ISO performance can also be improved, because the light input of pixels is increased. If you like black and white, you will definitely fall in love with Monochrom. If you like colors, Q2 or old Q-P will suit your taste better. These models can never go wrong.

Fuji x 100v (Fuji x 100v)

Best fit: travel street shooting. The blade shutter of Fuji X 100V is very quiet and can be synchronized with the flash at high speed.

This is the fifth in the X 100 series, and the upgrade is great! Fuji is most famous for its films, but the original X 100 changed the digital camera industry. It not only revived the whole brand, but also brought the retro style back to the forefront of camera design. Now X 100V has completely realized some major changes in the production line. The lens value is the same (35mm f/2 equivalent Quan Huafu focal length), but the new design greatly improves the definition of wide-angle and macro shooting. The fuselage design has added dust-proof, splash-proof, flip screen, slightly changed handle and improved key layout (new joystick) almost all the time. The JPEG image of Fuji camera is the best in the industry, and it has amazing film simulation effect. X 100 series is usually a photographer's alternative camera. Like all models in this series, this model also has a blade shutter that can shoot at high speed in synchronization with strongpoint, and a built-in nd filter can reduce the glare of sunlight. If I could only choose one camera from the list, it would be it.

Tip: In my opinion, the X 100 series is inseparable from three things: a hot boot cover, a lens cover and a wristband. With these, you can easily get rid of the camera bag and lens cover.

Canon EOS M6 MKII (Canon EOS M6 MKII)

Best for: beginners. Canon EOS M6 MKII has simple controls, a touch screen and a familiar Canon interface. Getting started is not difficult.

This compact card machine has a simple and easy-to-use mechanical control and touch screen system, which is of great significance to the novice photographer. It has the highest resolution sensor (32,500 pixels) among all APS-C mirrorless cameras. Its adapter can seamlessly replace the existing Canon lens, and photographers who use Quan Huafu Canon digital SLR will be very satisfied with this. Although the lens lineup is a bit unsatisfactory and its performance is not as good as other excellent cameras listed by me, its ease of use, sensor resolution and familiar Canon interface are enough to make it a powerful travel companion for novice photographers and old Canon users.

Tip: You can buy an EVF (electronic viewfinder) and the camera comes with a hot start cover. You won't regret it.

Fuji X-S 10 (Fuji X-S 10)

Best for: budget experts. At the same price, Fuji X-S 10 is the top all-around travel camera (interchangeable lens).

Tip: Due to the ergonomic handle, this camera can be used with omni-directional zoom lenses (such as XF 18- 135mm, F3.5-5.6 R LMOISW), and it is a perfect single-lens travel suit.

Sony a6600 (Sony a6600)

Best for: long-term outdoor activities. Sony a6600' s Z-type battery is enough to take 800 photos on a single charge.

A6600 is the first Sony APS-C camera that uses a larger Z-shaped battery. All Sony's next-generation Quan Huafu mirrorless cameras use this battery, which can take about 800 photos on a single charge. Like the previous a6500, this camera also has IBIS to help deal with camera shake. In addition, this model adopts the autofocus technology of Sony professional full-frame camera, which is the best in its kind. It can easily capture key moments, such as children shooting in a football match and eagles soaring in the blue sky. That's all. You can't go wrong with a6600.

Tip: a6600 should be matched with 16-55mm F/2.8(24-82mm equivalent Quan Huafu focal length) lens.

Panasonic DC-G9 (Panasonic DC-G9)

DC-G9 can be compared with Olympus OM-D E-M 1 Mark III, but it is ahead of the latter in video. With full-size HDMI and better ergonomic design, this camera is suitable for video shooting at waist and chest level. It has higher capture rate and more color configuration options, as well as convenient electronic viewfinder and spacious viewing frame. Unlike the more classic autofocus system in OM-D E-M 1 Mark III, DC-G9 adopts Panasonic's DFD technology. After the firmware is updated, it works better in photos of people, still lives and animals, but problems may occur at high speed. What are the benefits of taking photos and videos? This is the perfect combination of IBIS system and Panasonic stabilized lens. DC-G9 is bigger than other cameras in the list, but the professional information interface browsing from top to bottom makes up for the lack of size.

Tip: Pairing DC-G9 with the excellent 12-60mm(24- 120mm equivalent Quan Huafu focal length) lens group is enough for shooting travel.

Olympus OM-D E-M 1 Mark III (Olympus OM-D E-M 1 Mark III)

Best photography: wildlife photography. The professional dust-proof and splash-proof design of Olympus OM-D E-M 1 Mark III, and the quick change of the set toggle lever and small sensor make it possible to take rare photos.

Tip: The best lenses are:12-100mm f/4 ispro (24-200mm standard zoom), 40-150mm f/2.8pro (80-300m telephoto zoom) and 7-/kloc-0.

Honorary nomination: Zeiss ZX 1 (Zeiss ZX 1)

Advantages: Simplified workflow. As long as you have WiFi, you can edit and share pictures directly from Zeiss ZX 1 camera.

I decided to add a technical nomination this year. Zeiss is famous for its optical quality, and the success of most camera companies today is at least partly attributed to Zeiss' original optical design at the beginning of its establishment. Why do you say that? Zeiss ZX 1 is the company's first camera for a long time, which is unparalleled. It is equipped with a customized 37.4 MP sensor and a 35mm f/2 lens, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. The camera is famous because it is built on the Android operating system, which is both its advantages and its disadvantages. With the Instagram client and Adobe Lightroom mobile application, you can edit and publish photos directly through the ZX 1 camera with WiFi. The disadvantages of the camera are reaction speed, battery life and autofocus performance. Cameras are highly dependent on software, so it is hoped that most of these problems can be alleviated by firmware update. Maybe when all of us can travel safely, ZX 1 will grow into a really good camera.

This year's list ends here. Pay more attention to the viewfinder in order to take good photos ... if you are a good shot, forget it.

(Translator: Jing)