Camera phones have annihilated the conventional compact camera market, so for a standalone compact to really stand out these days, it needs to deliver clearly superior image quality. The best way to achieve this is to fit a big image sensor.
Trouble is, the best camera phone manufacturers have had the same idea, and even the once-mighty APS-C compact camera has its work cut out to stay ahead of the latest crop of flagship phones in terms of image quality. This might explain why there are now so few APS-C compacts available. If you want one, don't hang around, as like so many compact cameras, APS-C compacts might not be with us for much longer.
That's a pity, as APS-C compact cameras are almost the perfect blend of performance and practicality - only a full-frame compact camera can produce better image quality from a pocket-sized camera. However, there are a couple of potential drawbacks to consider before you buy. A bigger sensor traditionally requires a larger lens, so to minimize bulk, most APS-C compacts have a fixed focal length lens, although Canon has managed to equip its APS-C G1 X Mark III with a 3x zoom lens.
Assuming you can live without much/any optical zoom, the only other consideration with an APS-C compact is battery life. APS-C sensors are relatively thirsty, which isn't a problem when they're powered by a beefy DSLR battery, but a compact camera only has space for a compact battery, resulting in a short battery life of around 200-250 shots.
Ben Andrews
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight.
Best all-rounder
The much-awaited update to the best-selling X100V adds a higher-resolution 40-megapixel sensor. This camera has a retro charm that is almost impossible to resist. Read more below
Best zoom
All the other APS-C compacts have fixed wide-angle lenses, but the Canon goes further by offering a 3x zoom lens that will allow you more scope with your compositions, allowing you to crop in that bit closer to the subject. Read more below
Best 40mm equivalent The GR range is a classic camera, loved by street photographers. There are two models on sale today, as well as some special editions. But of the range we love the GRIIIx the most, as it has a slightly less wide-angle lense making it more suitable to portraits. Read more below
Best 28mm
The GR III’s 24.2MP sensor is a healthy upgrade on the 16.2MP resolution offered by the old GR II and it is a great camera for those who love the 28mm focal length. Read more below
Best for street
Designed with street photography in mind this kit comes with a spare battery for long hours capturing candid moments, it also features a brilliant 28mm equivalent lens. Read more below
The best APS-C compact cameras
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Best all-rounder
(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Digital Camera World)
A classic design brought right up to date: a superb all-rounder
Specifications
Type: Compact
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 40MP
Lens: 35mm f/2 (equivalent)
LCD: 3in vari-angle touchscreen, 1.62 million dots
Viewfinder: 3.69M-dot OLED EVF
Maximum continuous shooting speed: 11fps (manual shutter), 20fps (electronic shutter)
Max video resolution: 6.2K
User level: Enthusiast/expert
Reasons to buy
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In-body image stabilization
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40MP APS-C sensor
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Tilting touchscreen
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Available in silver or black
Reasons to avoid
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Fixed wide-angle lens
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Luxury price
The X100VI is the sixth version of Fujfilm's beloved APS-C fixed lens compact camera. It now uses Fujifilm’s latest 40-megapixel X-Trans processor, and also adds built-in image stabilization to the the bestselling X100V, to give up to six stops of compensation for camera shake.
This retro-styled compact features 23mm f/2 lens with a 117-area hybrid phase/contrast autofocus system is faster than before. But the charm of this camera remains its analog dials for key exposure settings - coupled with its hybrid viewfinder. Switching between its high-resolution electronic viewfinder to a rangefinder-style optical viewing system is a key feature that makes this camera such a favorite for street photography.
LCD: 3in vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04 million dots
Viewfinder: EVF
Maximum continuous shooting speed: 7fps
Max video resolution: Full HD
User level: Enthusiast/expert
Reasons to buy
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Very compact for sensor size
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Excellent image quality
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Decent 3x zoom range
Reasons to avoid
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'Only' 1080p video
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Poor 200-shot battery life
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Variable lens aperture and minimum focus distance
The G1 X Mark III packs a 24.2MP APS-C sensor, but unlike the fixed focal length Fuji and Ricoh APS-C cameras on this list, Canon’s top-line compact stands out by sporting a 3x 24-72mm-equivalent zoom lens. The f/2.8 max aperture is also impressive, but that’s only at 24mm - by 72mm it’s shrunk to a more modest f/5.6. The lens is remarkably compact though, with minimal lens protrusion. There’s just room for a zoom ring around the lens, although this does operate electronically and with an annoying lag.
Otherwise the camera handles well and build quality is solid. There’s a generous sculpted grip on the front and rear, while both the 2,360k-dot OLED EVF and 3-inch, 1,040k-dot vari-angle screen are a pleasure to use, with the latter being touch-sensitive.
Canon’s excellent 49-point Dual Pixel AF is DSLR-fast and accurate, and the speed continues with up to 9fps burst shooting. As you’d expect for an APS-C sensor, image quality is high, with great detail reproduction and dynamic range in good light. Low light shots are just as impressive due to well-controlled noise, while the lens is sharp and distortion-free.
This latest GR IIIx has the same design as the original GR III (see below), but swaps that camera’s wide 28mm equivalent lens for a more natural 40mm angle of view. The new camera gives photographers a choice: the original Ricoh GR III is still ideal for wide-angle street shots, landscapes and tight spaces, but the GR IIIx offers a more normal, natural perspective, close to a ‘standard’ lens.
The new 26.1mm f/2.8 GR lens incorporates two aspherical lens elements and a 2-stop ND filter which can be engaged for very bright conditions. Inside is a 9-bladed diaphragm for smooth bokeh, and this lens can focus down to 0.12m for close-up shots.
The GR IIIx does share some limitations of its predecessor. There is no viewfinder, which we guess is the price of the super-compact design – though the rear touchscreen display does have an Outdoor View setting for bright light. The GR IIIx is also restricted to Full HD movies only. That’s probably no great drawback in a camera designed for shoot-from-the-hip street photography, but it does draw attention to the older tech used in this camera.
Despite its fairly large APS-C sensor, the GR III is impressively compact at only 109.4 x 61.9 x 33.2mm, and it’s also amazingly light at just 257g. The sculpted front grip makes it feel secure in the hand, and there’s a full complement of rear panel buttons, as well as multi-function front and rear control wheels.
The GR III’s 24.2MP sensor is a healthy upgrade on the 16.2MP resolution offered by the old GR II. The new sensor even manages to generate slightly cleaner images with less image noise when compared to the GR II throughout the sensitivity scale. Dynamic range is also very respectable right up to ISO 12,800 and is marginally superior to both the GR II and Canon's G1 X Mark III.
The 18.3mm (28mm-equivalent) f/2.8 lens now boasts three-axis image stabilisation with four-stop effectiveness, and low-light performance is further enhanced by the high ISO 102,400 max sensitivity - two stops more than the GR II could manage.
It’s a pity there’s no built-in viewfinder or flash though, and the all-plastic body, though very solid and in-keeping with the long-established GR aesthetic, lacks a premium feel.
This special edition GR III comes as part of a kit
Specifications
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 24.2MP
Lens: 28mm f/2.8 (equiv)
Monitor: 3in fixed, 1,037,000 dots
Viewfinder: Optional
Continuous shooting: N/A
Max video resolution: 1080p
User level: Enthusiast/expert
Reasons to buy
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Small size
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24MP APS-C sensor
Reasons to avoid
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1080p video not 4K
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Viewfinder optional
This is a special edition of the Ricoh GR III (above), but with the distinctive difference being an orange-yellow ring around the lens (which can be replaced with supplied black ring, should you which to be more covert in your candid photography). We particularly like that this usually sold as a kit - with a leather carry case, and an extra (spare) DB-110 battery. Ricoh do other special editions of its GR range of cameras - such as the curious brown GR III Diary Edition. But out of all the current specials, it is the Street version that we find the most appealing.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
