The Olympus OM-D E-M1.
The Olympus OM-D E-M1. (Courtesy of Olympus Imaging America)

2014’s Best Travel Cameras

A new breed of adventure-ready cameras make capturing your journeys easier than ever, no matter where you're headed.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1.
Michael Frank

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

Choosing a camera to travel with usually entails a frustrating compromise: either you go with a DSLR that captures great-looking images but is bulky, or you bring a lightweight point-and-shoot and settle for subpar pics. These four break the mold.

Outside Travel Award Winner

Olympus OM-D E-M1
The E-M1 is part of a new generation that ditches the DSLR-fattening internal 
mirrors without sacrificing image quality. It’s dust- and splash-proof, captures 16-megapixel stills at speeds up to 1/8,000 of a second, and accepts an endless array of lenses. $1,400.

Best for: Carry-ons

Sony Cyber-shot DSC RX100 II
The super-packable Cyber-shot RX100 II is smaller than an iPhone but punches above its weight with a massive 20-megapixel sensor and incredible low-light sensitivity. $700.

Best for: Wildlife

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70K
The 60x superzoom on the Lumix DMC-FZ70K retracts for an ultrawide view, so you’re really getting two lenses in one. 
You can also capture HDTV-caliber video at 30 frames per second. $400.

Best for: Budgets

Canon PowerShot SX510 HS
The 11.1-ounce Power-
Shot SX510 HS is packed with the kind of features found in a camera costing twice as much, including manual aperture and shutter control, a 30x optical zoom, and Wi-Fi sharing, so you can beam your pictures to the cloud. $250.

From Outside Magazine, Apr 2014 Lead Photo: Courtesy of Olympus Imaging America
sms