DI Seller Loc: Knoxville, TN

If you don't mind carrying a small extra lens, the Sony 6300 or 6000 would be a good choice. The stock lens for it is 16 - 50 millimeter, but they also have a 55 to 210 zoom lens it's not large and it's good quality. Any of the point and shoot cameras like Sony, Canon, Nikon have 30 or 40x optical zoom. I take good pictures as well, I'm just not sure if they'll shoot in raw format

DI Seller Loc: Knoxville, TN

If you don't mind carrying a small extra lens, the Sony 6300 or 6000 would be a good choice. The stock lens for it is 16 - 50 millimeter, but they also have a 55 to 210 zoom lens it's not large and it's good quality. Any of the point and shoot cameras like Sony, Canon, Nikon have 30 or 40x optical zoom. I take good pictures as well, I'm just not sure if they'll shoot in raw format

MtnMan Loc: ID

Might look at the new Nikon DL cameras. Three options.

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/premium-compact-cameras/premium-compact-cameras.page

dnathan

I've been a working pro for 40 years. Of course bigger sensor is better. Of course multiple lenses are better. On a whim I bought a Panasonic ZS 40 at Costco for $249 as a pocket toy. It has a 24-720mm (equiv) zoom & all the bells @ whistles I could want & I make 11x14 and sometmes 16x20 regularly for Philadelphia Photographic Society, The Sketch Club, DaVinci Art Alliance and others and no one has pointed a finger at me and laughed when I enter competitions with images from this camera - I sometimes even medal! I do use Genuine Fractals to "upsize". The other cameras mentioned are all great. You really can't make a mistake but $249!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have fun shopping.

newsguygeorge Loc: Victoria, Texas

I should have added that the G15/16 have a viewfinder, although monitoring the screen is a good idea to overcome parallax.

BudsOwl Loc: Upstate NY and New England

Also, the widest aperture is 1.8 making it a great low light camera.

BarryUP Loc: NEW YORK CITY

Sony RX 100, I use the RX 100 2 with a viewfinder that sits on the flash bracket and tilts up. Slips right into you pocket. Best camera for travel in my opinion.

MtnMan Loc: ID

IMHO a viewfinder is an absolute necessity. Especially for a travel camera where you need to see images outdoors in bright sun to compose and don't need and LCD lighting up dim interior spaces to annoy everyone else.

I have an older Panasonic P&S that still takes nice images but I almost never use due to above. I suppose my cell phone images are almost as good but it also has non-viewfinder issues.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

The three xx100 cameras (Sony RX100iv, Panasonic ZS100 and Panasonic LX100) have viewfinders.

le boecere

FWIW ~ Because I'd been shooting a Canon SLR (film); back in 2010, I purchased a G-10 for travel ~ and then an S100 for the pocket, about a year later ~ but, neither would stop speeding grand-kids, speeding dogs, etc.

In early 2015, I found a used Sony a6000. It took awhile to understand the menu, but it's become the most usable camera I've ever owned.

When the Canon S100 quit, a couple of months ago, I gave in to a barely used Sony RX100III at half the price of the RX100IV. Not quite as pocketable as the little Canon, and I held a lot of doubts about how often I'd use it. I purchased it over it's competitors to get the fill-flash, the somewhat usable EVF, and the Zeiss-flavored lens.

On a recent trip to the Front Range of Colorado (where family lives), I think I justified it: 500 clicks with the RX100III, and only 220 on the a6000. Why? Because it went everywhere with me, and outperformed the old Canon S100. I found that I only used the a6000 when I was purposely and predictably going to make images (outdoors for longer reach, indoors/low light, and especially for portraits).

The only other camera that I think about for travel is the Sony RX10II or III ~ but, I'd be trading sensor-size for longer zoom, and it'll not fit the same pocket as the RX100_.

_Van

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Van,

I'm pretty sure the RX10II and III have the same 1" sensor as the RX100III and IV. It is the lens that changes and creates the bulk.

le boecere

Thanks, Bill;
what I didn't make clear was that I was comparing the RX10II-III sensor-size to that of the a6000. It's (RX10_) a very interesting camera for travel, but kind of a compromise 'twixt the two that I already have ~ in the environment and situation that I was in, the two cameras worked quite well. In rougher, dustier, conditions, the RX10-series might be the best compromise, especially if one were to limit himself to 1 camera (but, I think I'd miss my a6000)

Grizzly Loc: USA

.

Perhaps you could check into an iPhone or Samsung smart phone. Some now do "raw" and can accomplish significant quality results. Check the back cover of some Photography magazines for iPhone images!

TomV Loc: Annapolis, Maryland

I just bought the HX90. I am leaving for Norway and Munich tomorrow on business for a couple of weeks. My first test with it. It should satisfy your needs.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Yes, and I have the Sony HX100v and it should satisfy you to! Use google to do research. Just take a charger and some extra batteries with you -- and you should have an adapter plugin for the European electrical system…critical if you want to recharge batteries.