I went through the exact same thought process a couple of years ago for an upcoming trip to Italy. I too am a Canon user, but the camera and lenses were too big for what I wanted to be doing. I wound up with a used Olympus PEN-F, and a “pancake” lens. When the lens is mounted, it looks like a point and shoot. The lens has a zoom range of say 25 to 80 in 35mm equivalent. It fits in your pocket with this lens mounted. I also bought a used zoom lens that I carried in a small pouch, equivalent of about 30 - 300. That’s all I needed, and used it first back then, and then for two subsequent trips to Europe. Hope you have a great time! JimR

I've had quite a few pocket-sized P&S cameras. What i've found is their are always some compromises and none are perfect. The Sony RX100 vii is the best of the bunch. Features - Panasonics, but let down by the lens quality and focusing in low light, somewhat noisy, Olympus - Stylus 1, good long lens, except at max zoom, smaller sensor, Canon G5X ii - good lens, slow to no focus in low light, 720 HS - long lens poor picture quality, don't know about the others, Sony - HX99 long lens, small sensor, uses tiny card, RX100VA - short, fast lens, fast focus in low light, lens too short, Sony RX100 vii, fast focus in low light, slower, but longer lens - best of the bunch, Casio EX - not bad, no viewfinder, long, sharp lens.

What I've found is a "better" lens (for low light) does no good if the camera can't focus or has slow focus. It does no good if the processor or sensor adds a bunch of noise to the pictures. It does no good if the lens gives burry pictures in low light. It does no good if the menu is so convoluted as to make the camera unusable.

Best of the bunch is the Sony RX100 vii for overall picture quality, longish, but slower lens (200mm), sensor (stacked 1 inch), good focusing in low light, The menu is ridiculously complex, but the saving grace is the FN button and the My Menu where in both you can choose what to place there and what to use, and forget the other stuff, good quality pictures even at high ISO.

I have rejected some of the shorter (24-70mm lens) cameras as the lens is just to short and limiting, and some of the bigger bridge cameras as to big and many have very small sensors. That's my take on the whole pocketable, travel cameras.

John

We will be traveling to Italy this summer and I am looking for a new pocket or bridge camera for the trip. I do not want to carry my R6 or R10 and multiple lenses for this trip because we will be going from city to city for 3 weeks touring. I am looking for a small, light pocket or bridge camera of the same or better quality of my R6 or R10 with a hefty zoom, good lens, newest features and the newest chip. I am a Canon user, so that would be my first choice, but am open to suggestions of other brands. The camera must be new, or refurbished and of excellent quality, and I am willing to spend up to $1,000 on it. Any suggestions?

We will be traveling to Italy this summer and I am looking for a new pocket or bridge camera for the trip. I do not want to carry my R6 or R10 and multiple lenses for this trip because we will be going from city to city for 3 weeks touring. I am looking for a small, light pocket or bridge camera of the same or better quality of my R6 or R10 with a hefty zoom, good lens, newest features and the newest chip. I am a Canon user, so that would be my first choice, but am open to suggestions of other brands. The camera must be new, or refurbished and of excellent quality, and I am willing to spend up to $1,000 on it. Any suggestions?

We will be traveling to Italy this summer and I am looking for a new pocket or bridge camera for the trip. I do not want to carry my R6 or R10 and multiple lenses for this trip because we will be going from city to city for 3 weeks touring. I am looking for a small, light pocket or bridge camera of the same or better quality of my R6 or R10 with a hefty zoom, good lens, newest features and the newest chip. I am a Canon user, so that would be my first choice, but am open to suggestions of other brands. The camera must be new, or refurbished and of excellent quality, and I am willing to spend up to $1,000 on it. Any suggestions?