Compact cameras
01 PANASONIC LUMIX LX7
$580, PANASONIC.COM.AU, TESTED DECEMBER 2012
LOVE Fast autofocus, excellent pictures, manual aperture ring HATE High ISO performance could be better. Smaller sensor than rivals. No touchscreen T3 SAYS Easy to use for beginners, plus plenty on offer for pros. The most advanced compact around SPECIFICATIONS MEGAPIXELS 12.7 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 24-90mm ZOOM 3.8x VIDEO 1080p at 50fps WEIGHT 298g
02 CANON IXUS 2 55HS
$192, CANON.COM.AU, TESTED JULY 2013
LOVE Detailed, noise-free shots and built-in Wi-Fi mean this properly compact cam with a 10x zoom is a real winner
HATE Rather boring, “classic” design T3 SAYS Modern, feature-packed point-and-shoot delivers top-quality pictures for not too much dosh SPECIFICATIONS SENSOR 12.1-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 24-240mm SCREEN 3-inch WEIGHT 144g
03 FUJIFILM X20
$700, FUJIFILM.COM.AU, TESTED JUNE 2013
LOVE Fancy digital viewfinder. Metal and leather design looks premium. Speedy image processor
HATE Fewer megapixels than some of its rivals T3 SAYS 60s styling and noughties camera tech combine in this modern classic SPECIFICATIONS SENSOR 12-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 28-112mm SCREEN 2.8-inch WEIGHT 553g
04 SAMSUNG E X2F
$549, SAMSUNG.COM/AU, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2012
LOVE Dashing metal build and larger-than-average sensor that comes into its own in low lighting. Smartphone-style controls
HATE Need to dial down exposure in bright sunlight T3 SAYS Near pro-quality shots without the bulk of a DSLR. A point and shoot with class SPECIFICATIONS MEGAPIXELS 12.4 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 24-80mm
ZOOM 4x VIDEO 1080 at 48fps WEIGHT 286g
05 SONY C YBER-SHOT HX 20V
$499, SONY.COM.AU, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2012
LOVE Broad zoom range. Sharp shots achievable at maximum zoom. Solid build. Versatile mode dial and features galore
HATE Minor issues with stills. Pricey for a point and shoot T3 SAYS Hefty feature set and rock solid build plus consistently sharp results. A champion travel zoom SPECIFICATIONS MEGAPIXELS 18.1 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 25-500mm
ZOOM 24x VIDEO 1080 at 50fps WEIGHT 221g
06 NIKON COOLPIX S 9300
$370, NIKON.COM.AU, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2012
LOVE Broad focal range. Built-in GPS is handy for holidays. High-class construction combining class and usability
HATE Scroll wheel is a tad slippy. Some zoom noise. No Wi-Fi T3 SAYS A slender cam with a big zoom, the Nikon delivers high-end features and excellent VFM SPECIFICATIONS
MEGAPIXELS 16 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 25-450mm ZOOM 18x VIDEO 1080 at 30fps WEIGHT 215g
07 PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-GX7
$1,249, PANASONIC.COM.AU, TESTED DECEMBER 2013 LOVE Great, hi-res viewfinder and tiltable screen. Takes excellent photos and HD video. Reliable Wi-Fi for instant sharing HATE On the premium end of “mid-priced” T3 SAYS Panasonic’s best CSC yet performs to a very high level, then ticks connectivity boxes just to show off SPECIFICATIONS SENSOR 16-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 14-42mm SCREEN 3-inch WEIGHT 490g
08 NIKON COOLPIX P 7100
$529, NIKON.COM.AU, TESTED MARCH 2012 LOVE Excellent picture quality, with a plethora of manual modes accessible via hardy dials and buttons HATE Video, though very good, is 720p resolution only T3 SAYS A proper workhorse of a camera, this is a powerful compact, albeit not exactly a svelte one SPECIFICATIONS MEGAPIXELS 10.1 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 35mm ZOOM 7.1x VIDEO 720p at 24fps WEIGHT 395g
09 SAMSUNG GALAXY CAMERA
$599, SAMSUNG.COM/AU, TESTED MARCH 2013
LOVE Great picture quality. Big 4.8-inch touchscreen with smartphone-like controls. The option of 3G connectivity
HATE Too bulky. OS is clearly designed for phones not cameras T3 SAYS Far from perfect, but the melding of smartphone controls and compact cam optics appeals SPECIFICATIONS
MEGAPIXELS 16 SCREEN 4.8 inches LENS 23mm ZOOM 21x VIDEO 1080p at 30fps WEIGHT 300g
10 CANON POWERSHOT S 120
$450, CANON.COM.AU, TESTED MARCH 2014
LOVE Truly compact size. Easy manual control using the lens ring. Above-average picture quality
HATE Pricey for its size. Lacks a handgrip T3 SAYS A seriously compact cam with features and picture quality that punch above its weight SPECIFICATIONS
SENSOR 12.1-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 24-120mm in 35mm terms SCREEN 3-inch touchscreen WEIGHT 217g