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The 6 best point-and-shoot cameras of 2024
Leica
Using one of the newest and best point-and-shoot cameras, capturing summer vacation memories — indoors or outdoors — has never been easier. But these compact cameras can do so much more. You can create traditional prints of your favorite photos, too.
Many of the best point-and-shoot cameras snap crystal-clear and high-resolution still images, plus capture stunning high-definition video, all in an easy-to-operate design that fits in the palm of your hand. In fact, most of these point-and-shoot cameras are easier to use than the cameras in your phone.
What is the best point-and-shoot camera?
Our in-house team of tech experts and photographers have compiled this roundup of the best point-and-shoot cameras out there right now. They range in price from $90 to $1,600, so whatever your budget and skill level, you’ll find the perfect compact camera for capturing still photos and video anytime and anywhere — whether your on vacation, spending quality time with family, attending a special event, or doing something memorable and adventurous with friends.
Best point-and-shoot camera overall: Sony RX100 VII
Amazon
The Sony RX100 VII offers all of the features needed to capture impressive images at 20.1MP resolution, plus shoot up to 4K video using its integrated Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 high-resolution zoom lens and one-inch sensor. This lens allows for up to 8x optical and 32x digital zoom.
The camera’s adjustable-angle, 2.1-inch LCD touchscreen display is its viewfinder, display and photo previewer.
To help get your creative juices flowing, it has dozens of picture effects that can add flair to your content. You can also choose from nine shooting modes, so whether you’re shooting portraits, landscapes, sunsets or action, the camera is ready.
The RX100 VII provides 357 focus points and 425 contrast detection points, along with both automatic and manual focusing options, plus image stabilization. And yes, there’s a built-in pop-up flash, too. Transferring content from the camera is also easy, using a cable, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This powerhouse of a compact camera weighs a mere 10.7 ounces, so it’s a great camera to take on vacations and for capturing memories.
Best budget point-and-shoot camera: Kodak PixPro FZ45
Amazon
For less than $100, this pocket-size point-and-shoot camera from Kodak offers the core functionality needed to make picture-taking and shooting video a breeze. That said, still image resolution is limited to 16MP and video can only be shot at up to 1080p resolution.
The camera is equipped with a 27mm wide angle lens that offers up to 4x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom. There’s a built-in flash in the front. On the back, you’ll find the 2.7-inch LCD screen that’s used as the camera’s viewfinder, previewer and menu display. This screen is not angle-adjustable, and it’s not a touchscreen.
While some point-and-shoot cameras rely on a rechargeable battery, the FZ45 uses two AA batteries. If you’re looking for a low-cost, point-and-shoot camera that’s easy to use and a great option for entry-level photography, the PixPro FZ45 is a great option that weighs a mere 4.1 ounces.
Best point-and-shoot camera for still image quality: Ricoh GR IIIx
Amazon
This is a great take-along, all-purpose, point-and-shoot camera that’s compact, light and chock full of useful (but easy-to-use) features.
The GR IIIx uses Ricoh’s newly developed optical system, with a focal length of 26.1 mm (which is approximately 40mm in 35mm equivalent focal length).
The camera is nicely equipped with a wide dynamic range APS-C format CMOS image sensor that offers 24MP resolution. This means the GR IIIx can easily capture digital images that can be converted into large prints that have high-definition detail. Both the image sensor and lens are also optimized to provide the best image quality in a wide range of everyday shooting situations — including at night, thanks to the camera’s ISO, which can be dialed up to 102400.
Along with capturing clear images (in part with the help of the camera’s advanced image stabilization), the GR IIIx can shoot 1080p resolution video, too. You get access to multiple shooting modes that give this camera plenty of versatility. And on the back of the camera is a 3-inch LCD touchscreen display.
Weighing in at just 9.07 ounces, this is a great camera option for travel photography, shooting candid portraits and capturing memories in a wide range of settings without having to carry any extra equipment.
Best point-and-shoot camera for action: GoPro Hero 12 Black
Amazon
The biggest problem with most point-and-shoot cameras is that they’re not waterproof or temperature-resistant. And, to control the camera, you either need to hold it in your hands or set it up on a tripod. Unless you get an action camera.
The GoPro Hero 12 Black is the world’s most popular action camera. Even if you don’t plan to strap the camera onto your body to capture a first-person perspective video of you skydiving, scuba diving or skiing down a black diamond mountain in Colorado, this latest version of the GoPro cameras can also be used as a versatile point-and-shoot camera to handle everyday picture taking or shooting video.
This camera is also compact, so it can be used in places where even smaller point-and-shoot cameras don’t typically fit. One thing we love about this camera is that the latest version of its operating system includes a shooting mode and menu system designed for absolute amateurs, so its very easy to operate.
We also love that the GoPro is supported by a vast ecosystem of accessories, mounts and mods, so you can attach it to your body or the equipment you’re using with ease. It can also be held in your hands or mounted on a tripod or selfie stick.
The camera can shoot still images at 27MP resolution or capture video at up to 5.3K (60 fps) or 4K (120fps). And when shooting, you can easily choose between linear, wide, super-wide or HyperView field of view. On the back of the camera is a 2.27-inch touchscreen. On the front, there’s also a handy 1.4-inch LCD you can also use as a viewfinder. Since the GoPro Hero 12 Black is waterproof, temperature resistant and incredibly durable, it can be used just about anywhere, including underwater, in the snow, at home, or in the middle of a desert.
Be sure to read our in-depth review of the GoPro Hero 12 Black, as well as our coverage of the best action cameras of 2024. In this roundup, the GoPro Hero 12 Black was our top pick.
Best point-and-shoot camera for vlogging: Sony ZV-1
Amazon
As you’d expect from a higher-end point-and-shoot camera, this one is compact, offers plenty of features, and is easy to use. And while it can be used as a reliable and versatile still-image camera, its standout features evolve around its ability to shoot first- and third-person video. This makes it perfect for creating social media content, shooting family videos, or recording visually impressive vacation vlogs.
The Sony ZV-1 uses a 20.1MP stacked back-illuminated one-inch Exmor RS CMOS sensor and uses a large-aperture 24-70mm F1.8-2.8 Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens. This means the camera captures plenty of detail, color and depth for still images and high-quality 4K video.
One of the specialty features of the ZV-1 is its ability to capture natural skin tones, so all skin colors look vibrant and natural. There’s even a built-in Soft Skin effect that automatically improves someone’s complexion. Plus, with the touch of a single button, you can use the camera’s bokeh effect to focus in on your subject, while automatically blurring the background to add a professional touch. Or, the ZV-1 can help you ensure everything in the frame remains in focus. Plus, if you’re shooting in a crowd, you can have the camera lock onto your subject’s eyes, so that’s the person the camera will keep in focus, even if they’re in motion.
We’re fans of this camera because it offers all sorts of creative effects that make it easy to capture still images or video. And it’s easy to transfer it wirelessly (or using a cable) to your smartphone, tablet or computer. One accessory we recommend is the Sony Bluetooth wireless shooting grip (GO-VPT2BT), which makes the camera easier to control when you’re shooting video and moving around at the same time.
Best point-and-shoot camera for travel: Leica D-Lux 8
B&H Photo
Leica is one of the most prestigious camera brands in the world. In fact, if you’re looking for a full-featured camera, it’s easy to spend $5,000 or more. However, the new Leica D-Lux 8 is more consumer-friendly in every way. It’s simple to operate, yet offers Leica quality at a relatively affordable price. It’s a great camera to take on your next vacation, but it’s just as useful as an everyday, general-purpose camera.
This is a true point-and-shoot camera that takes advantage of a Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9-34 f/1.7-2.8 ASPH lens and a four-thirds CMOS sensor with 22 MP (17MP effective) resolution to capture excellent image quality. While the camera offers the core functionality needed to take pictures or shoot video on its own, Leica offers a nice selection of optional accessories, including a hand grip, carrying strap and a leather camera body protector.
The D-Lux 8’s body is made from magnesium die-cast with a re-designed button layout that’s inspired by Leica’s flagship Q system. The camera also has an updated user interface, so it’s more intuitive, even for amateur photographers and videographers. On the back of the camera is a 3-inch, fixed, OLED touchscreen that serves as a bright and detailed viewfinder. It’s also used to preview your content and adjust camera settings. The camera has an included on-camera flash.
As one of Leica’s newest and most in-demand cameras, the D-Lux 8 can be difficult to find in stock. But once it’s in your hands, it provides a impressive set of features that allow any type of photographer to capture great-looking photos and video content, even in low-light conditions. The camera weighs just 14 ounces.
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Three Major banks and Zelle rushed to bring a peer-to-peer payment network to market without first ensuring users would be protected against “widespread” fraud, alleges a lawsuit filed on Friday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo ignored customer complaints related to Zelle, users losing hundreds of millions of dollars in scams, the regulatory agency alleges. Zelle is run by Early Warning Services, which is owned by the three banks named in the CFPB’s suit, along with four other financial institutions.
According to the CFPB, bank customers have lost more than $870 million over the seven years Zells has been in operation. Early Warning and the three banks named in the complaint hastily created the payments network to head off rival payment apps including Venmo and CashApp without adequately protecting end users, the suit alleges.
“The nation’s largest banks felt threatened by competing apps, so they rushed to put out Zelle,” Rohit Chopra, the CFPB’s director, said in a statement. “By their failing to put in place proper safeguards, Zelle became a gold mine for fraudsters, while often leaving victims to fends for themselves.”
Zelle blasted the CFPB’s accusations as “legally and factually flawed,” with a spokesperson also suggesting the timing of the suit as “driven by political factors unrelated” to the company.
JPMorgan also accused the agency of pursuing a “political agenda,” stating that the agency was “overreaching its authority by making banks accountable for criminals, even including romance scammers.”
JPMorgan Chase said it prevents nearly $20 billion in fraud attempts each year, and that 99.95% of its transactions are completed without dispute.
A spokesperson for Wells Fargo declined to comment. Bank of America did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Offered by more than 2,200 banks and credit unions, Zelle has more than 143 million users in the U.S., according to the suit. Customers transferred a total of $481 billion in conducting 1.7 billion transactions during the first half of 2024, the CFPB noted.
Hundreds of thousands of customers filed fraud complaints and were denied assistance by Zelle and the three banks, according to the suit, which noted that some people were advised to contact those behind the fraud to get their money back.
Zelle “has been slow to implement anti-fraud measures, including closing accounts accused of fraud,” Jaret Seiberg, an analyst with TD Cowen Washington Research Group, said in a report, pointing to the CFPB’s allegations. “It also permitted the registration of emails that were impersonating legitimate entities, including Zelle itself.”
Since Zelle launched in 2017, according to the CFPB, JPMorgan Chase received 420,00 customer complaints involving more than $360 million; Bank of America heard from 210,000 customers with more than $290 million in fraud losses; and Wells Fargo tallied $220 million in fraud losses by 280,000 people.
In 2023 Early Warning began refunding money to an undisclosed number of fraud victims amid pressure from lawmakers. In late 2022, Sen. Elizabeth Warren issued a report that found increasing incidents of fraud and scams to be occurring on the popular payment app, with large banks typically reluctant to compensate victims, the Massachusetts Democrat said.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has cautioned that a looming government shutdown could lead to longer wait times for travelers at airport security checkpoints. The warning comes as the TSA announced it is expecting a record 40 million airline passengers to take to the skies over a two-week period that began Thursday.
Most TSA workers, about 95%, are considered essential, and would therefore remain on the job in the event of a shutdown — but without pay — TSA administrator David Pekoske said in a post on X.
Air traffic controllers are also deemed essential employees and would be asked to work while foregoing a paycheck. Employees would be paid after a shutdown were to end.
Here is how a government shutdown will affect air travel for consumers.
Will the government shutdown affect flights?
Not for now. Passengers will still be able to travel on flights they have booked, with operations expected to continue as normal at least in the early days of a shutdown. That’s because TSA agents, air traffic controllers, and other essential airport staff will remain on the job.
Will TSA screening lines be longer?
While passengers are always advised to arrive at the airport earlier than usual during peak travel periods, that advice could be even more applicable in the event of a shutdown.
“While our personnel are prepared to handle high volumes of travelers and ensure safe travel, please be aware that an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports,” the TSA’s Pekoske warned.
“My advice? Arrive at your airport early, with plenty of time to park your car, check your bags and make your way through security,” he added.
The last government shutdown in 2018-2019, lasted 35 days. While TSA officers were also deemed essential then, the number officers who called out sick rose as the shutdown dragged on and financial woes ensued.
“It was after TSA officers started missing paychecks that you saw the sick call numbers increase,” said senior CBS News senior transportation and national correspondent Kris Van Cleave. “There may not be an immediate impact at all airports, particularly if it is a short shutdown. If it drags on, then you have a workforce that is among the lowest-paid government employees,” he said.
If, in the event of a prolonged government shutdown, TSA employees stop showing up to work in significant numbers, wait times at security screening checkpoints would likely increase.
What about air traffic controllers?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is already grappling with a shortage of air traffic controllers, who are responsible for securing the national airspace by guiding takeoffs and landings and ensuring that aircraft don’t fly too close to one another. About a month into the last shutdown, LaGuardia Airport temporarily delayed flights because of staffing shortages, including among air traffic controllers.
In the event of a shutdown, the more than 14,000 air traffic controllers in the U.S. would be expected to show up to work without pay.
What would a government shutdown mean for passport processing?
According to the State Department’s contingency plan, consular operations will continue as normal “so long as there are sufficient fees to support operation,” given that they are integral to national security. That includes passport and visa services.
Still, some passport services could be limited, if they are located in buildings run by another agency that is inoperational.
