Panasonic Lumix GX7
Taking on the likes of the Fujifilm X-E1 and the Sony NEX-7, the Panasonic Lumix GX7 is a solidly designed compact system camera with some real stand out features. The 16-megapixel snapper has a built-in electronic viewfinder with a 2.7m-dot resolution and 0.7x magnification. There’s a tilt-angle LCD screen and an in-body sensor-shift stabilization system which is a first for G-series camera. Most importantly, it snaps great photos and colours are pleasing. The new features help make this one of the best CSC cameras to buy.
Panasonic Lumix LF1
The high end compact for photographers not satisfied with their camera-toting smartphones, the Panasonic Lumix LF1 offers Raw shooting, full HD video and full manual control in a pocket-friendly body. The 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor is accompanied by a 7.1x optical zoom with a range of 28-200mm. Panasonic’s Power O.I.S image stabilization system is also on board to keep shots looking sharp and high quality. An ISO range of 80-6400 covers those tricky low-light snaps and a 3-inch LCD screen let's you instantly review pics.
Samsung NX300
Replacing the NX20, the Samsung NX300 is amongst the top Compact System Cameras to buy. Driving the excellent image-grabbing performance is a 20.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor paired with Samsung’s DRIMe IV imaging sensor to reduce noise and improve colour. You can shoot full HD video at up to 50fps and Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity means you can share photos easily. The 3-inch AMOLED touchscreen is hinged letting you shoot from high and low angles for those awkward crowd shots.
Canon EOS 100D
Currently the world’s smallest and lightest DSLRs in the world, the Canon EOS 100D delivers the type of image quality to justify the price tag. Weighing in at 407g, the 100D features an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. The ISO range is 100-6400 but can be expanded to 25,600 for increased levels of detail. There’s support for full HD video capture with frame rates ranging from 30 to 24fps. There’s a 3-inch, 1040-dot touchscreen display and plenty of creative filters to make your amateur snaps look a lot more impressive.
Ricoh GR
A £600 compact camera, the Ricoh GR has the high end specs to justify the price tag. The 16-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS image sensor coupled with a f.2.8 fixed focal length lens helps deliver the high quality snaps. Ricoh’s GR ENGINE V imaging processor reduces noise in photos and a 3-inch LCD screen gives you a clear view of the shooting scenery. It also manages full 1080p HD video recording and has Eye-Fi card compatibility to transfer videos and photos in no time.