Travel Camera Recommendation

[Jeremy Z]

I see there are a lot of folks replying without reading the original post. Disappointing.

I've had a few pocket cameras, and my favorite was the Canon G9X. The lens is on the slow side, but with its big 1" sensor, it does very well. To make up for the slower lens, bring a high quality pocket tripod too. Turn the sensitivity down, then brace the camera on railings, columns, what have you.

The pocket camera that I kept is the Pentax MX-1. It has a smaller sensor, 1/1.7", but it's still a LOT bigger than that of a phone, even the excellent iPhone camera. This camera is more of a coat pocket camera than pants or shirt pocket. Although the sensor is smaller, the lens is stupendously good, so it winds up taking pictures just as good as the larger-sensored ones. The same lens and sensor can be had in Olympus XZ-1 and -2, in a more compact camera. (and better idiot modes) If I were to make this purchase again, I would probably get an XZ-2 to get the hot shoe and better idiot modes instead of the nicer body construction of the Pentax MX-1. Any of the three cameras in this paragraph are older and discontinued now, and are available quite cheap on the used market.

By the way, although they are not pocket cameras, bridge cameras are a nice compromise. These are cameras with midsize sensors and a high-quality, all-in-one zoom lens, and good quality throughout. They're not at all pocketable, like the ones discussed above, but they also don't require any support gear, like extra lenses. They're lighter than an SLR with a similar lens. They also tend to make excellent video cameras, whereas the pocket cameras usually don't.

So, in summary:

1) Canon G9X. A good pocket camera, which is what you asked for.
2) Olympus XZ-2. Not quite as pocketable (think jacket pocket) but optically superior and nice idiot modes
3) Bridge camera (such as Panasonic FZ1000) Not pocketable, but very capable and never needs another lens.