Best compact camera for trekking

Some really good trekking camera compromise solutions here. Compared to the ultra-compact cameras, they provide extra zoom power, better image quality, creative flexibility etc, while not getting too heavy or too expensive. There are so many interesting compact trekking cameras in this “prosumer”, mid-weight category that it’s really hard to pick just one. So I’ve picked 3 cameras here, all of which have some very strong points. All of them weigh about a pound (half kg), making them very interesting cameras for trekking.

(This is post 3 out of 4 about finding the Best Camera for Trekking.)

• Choosing the best camera for trekking
• Best mini / ultra-compact camera for trekking
  
• Best compact camera for trekking
• Best dSLR camera for trekking

Leica M8.2 (or the M9 when it comes out)

The Leica brand is in a class by itself. The “magic Leica feel” is hard to pin down in a few words - the way it renders your pictures, the way it handles, is superb. But the price tag is not for everyone: The Leica M8.2 costs about $6000! It weighs about 600g / 20 oz, takes up 5.5 x 3.2 x 1.5 inch, takes various different lenses (M bayonet type), does not have auto-focus and delivers 10 megapixels up to 2500 ISO. The whole 'megapixel thing' actually isn't really important anymore. As long as the camera has 8 MP or more, it's enough in 99% of cases - and it's all the other quality parameters that matters. And the Leica delivers! Like I said, it's pricy and you have to have / get lenses to put on. But what a dream machine for the photo afficionado! Buy it HERE, Now!

Caonon PowerShot G11
A little photographic power-house here, much more affordable. Good professional image quality and a reasonable zoom that allows you to shoot the wide scenery (28mm) and zoom in on faces and details (140mm). Canon's series from ...G9, G10 have been very popular for mid-range cameras among serious photography folks! It's now been improved with the G11 which offers better image quality and less megapixels! Yes, believe me. It's all for the best!

Specifications: Weight : 13.2 oz / 375 g Size : 112 x 76 x 48 mm / 4.4 x 3.0 x 1.9 inch Lens : 28-140mm (5x) Pixels : 10 MP ISO : 80-3200 Other features : video recording, auto/manual focus, 1.1 fps, RAW/JPG mode, tilt/swiwel LCD, Li-Ion batteries & built-in charger, built-in flash and also takes AA batteries which can be charged by solar charger (not included, but great for trekking!) Released : August 2009 Price : About $500 Surprisingly good quality here, easy to carry, very flexible and still affordable! - Buy it HERE, Now!

Canon PowerShot SX20
This camera will give you a lot of zoom power to play with. It goes up to a staggering 560mm! The only one of these 3 cameras that can be used if you are in to wildlife photography. It's a bit more bulky and it doesn’t have the same image quality as the other two mentioned above. But if you don’t plan on making large poster-size prints, this camera will do the job very well. Super zoom away!

Specifications: Weight : 21 oz / 600 g Size : 128 x 88 x 87 mm / 5.0 x 3.5 x 3.4 inch Lens : 28-560mm (20x), f/2.8-5.7 Pixels : 12.1 MP ISO : 80-1600 Other features : video recording, pop-up flash, 0.7fps, uses AA batteries (NiMH or solar charged!) Released : August 2009 Price : About $400 The "Swiss army knife" of trekking photography. It does it all, not as good as a bunch of specialist tools, but a good all-round problem solver! - Buy it HERE, Now!

Runners-up: Fujifilm Finepix S100fs and the Ricoh GR Digital III (new).

The easiest way to buy one of these compact cameras for your trek is to order it online - and have it delivered on your doorstep in a few days! Just click any of the above links to see more user reviews and order. You will also be supporting my blogging efforts and it won't cost you extra.

Happy trekking and happy shooting!