Leica Q Typ 116

The prestige compact with a full-frame sensor

The Leica Q might seem eye-wateringly expensive, but what you’re getting for your money is arguably the best compact camera ever built. Okay, so its built-like-atank aluminium and magnesium alloy body isn’t exactly light or compact, its lens is fixed, and its price-tag is, well, Leica-esque, but excluding Sony’s RX cameras, the Q is in a league of its own. With styling that alludes to the brand’s M-series, this camera has a fixed Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH lens. Sharp and virtually distortion-free, the optic lacks none of the performance the brand is associated with. While its fixed focal range may put off some users, 28mm is wide enough for landscapes and perfect for street photography. Combined with the full-frame sensor found in the camera, its wide f/1.7 aperture provides the shallowest depth-of-field and maximum light-gathering capabilities of any compact available on the market.

Sony RX100 IV

A super speedy shooter with 4K video recording

Building on the success of the popular RX100 lineup, the IV brings a new sensor design to the table, and with it a host of speedy new features. At its core is a 1in 20.1MP CMOS. While this is the same size and resolution as the one found in the RX100 III, it was previously back-illuminated, while the new model is stacked and incorporates a DRAM chip. This arrangement allows a higher signal processing capacity and a data readout speed that Sony claims is more than five times faster. Not only does this facilitate the camera’s new top shutter speed of 1/32,000sec, it also enables it to capture slow motion video at 40x speed. Burst shooting is possible at an excellent 16.5fps in Speed Priority mode, while a respectable rate of 5.5fps can be achieved with AF turned on. Native ISO stretches from 125-12,800, with the camera maintaining noise control very well below ISO 1600.

Canon G3 X

Super telephoto reach at a fraction of the size

Okay, so it may be more of a bridge camera than a true compact, but with its massive 25x optical zoom we couldn’t resist bringing the G3 X into our roundup of fixed lens releases. With its extensive 8.8-220mm barrel (24-600mm full-frame equivalent) its larger size can be forgiven, especially considering that achieving a similar focal length on a DSLR would usually involve a lens three times the size. However, while this superior focal range is to be applauded, the G3 X’s optic is not without its drawbacks. With a variable aperture of f/2.8-5.6, the lens sacrifices a wide constant aperture for more reach, forcing slower shutter speeds to be used when at its longest. This, combined with the lack of a built-in EVF (aiding support of the camera when held against the face), and a display that blacks out during its relatively slow 3.2fps burst mode for JPEGs, means it’s not as well suited for wildlife and sports as may first appear. The lens is fairly sharp, though some corner softness can be seen at all apertures. Distortion and chromatic aberration are, however, well controlled considering the lens’ massive zoom range. The 1in 20.9MP back-illuminated sensor is plucked straight from the much smaller G7 X, and while capable of better images than many compacts, it can’t rival the larger sensor found in the GR II. ISO range is 125-12,800.

Ricoh GR II

DSLR image quality in a truly pocketable body

Despite being the lightest compact in our roundup at 251g, the GR II packs an impressive 16.2MP APS-C sensor, the second largest in the group. The follow up to 2013’s GR, a camera that received the ‘Highly Rated’ award in our recent premium compact test, the GR II maintains much of its forebear’s specifications, but with a series of improvements including the addition of Wi-Fi and NFC. Its 18.3mm f/2.8 lens provides a relatively wide 28mm full-frame equivalent focal length. While this fixed lens makes it a less versatile camera then some of its rivals, it’s a perfect length for street photography and in-situ portraits. Producing sharp results, this optic combined with the large sensor captures image quality that would be on par with many entry-level DSLRs. The ISO range stretches from 100 to 25,600, and thanks to that APS-C sensor captures far less noise than all but the Leica in this group. Its burst shooting speed of 4fps may not set the world on fire, but with an expanded buffer of ten shots, there are far worse cameras for continuous shooting than this. There are options for HDR images, interval shooting and 17 effect modes that can be applied to images as you shoot.

Olympus Stylus 1s

Affordably priced performance with OM-D styling

Previously only available for purchase in Japan, the Olympus Stylus 1s may look like part of the brand’s OM-D line of CSCs, but it’s a surprisingly slender compact with a retractable f/2.8 optical zoom. An update on 2013’s popular Stylus 1, the 1s gains an improved battery life, enhanced features and a re-textured grip. At 12MP the camera’s resolution may be the lowest in this roundup, but it does ensure that despite its smaller 1/1.7in size, its back-illuminated CMOS sensor maximises its light-gathering capabilities. It’s still more than able to provide quality prints at sizes easily large enough for the average user.