What’s the best compact camera for summer 2025? Choose the ideal compact camera

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Looking for a compact camera for the summer of 2025 and your next travels?

Discover our selection of the best cameras to take with you everywhere this summer. Between the Fujifilm X100VI, the Leica D-Lux 8, the powerful Leica Q3 and the versatile new Fujifilm X-E5, there’s a compact camera to suit every style, level and budget.

In this article, we help you choose the best compact camera for summer 2025, taking into account essential criteria: image quality, compactness, ergonomics, connectivity and value for money.

Whether you’re a passionate amateur or an experienced photographer, find the ideal compact camera.

Fujifilm X X E5 Body Silver
Here are the best compact cameras for summer 2025

1. Fujifilm X100VI

The Fujifilm X100VI is a compact camera with a fixed 23mm f/2 (35mm equivalent) lens. It features a 40 MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor, offering excellent image quality. Its iconic retro design continues to win over street photographers and travelers alike.

Technical features include 5-axis IBIS stabilization, a unique hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder and excellent ISO handling, with results up to ISO 12,800.

Fujifilm’s famous film simulations are also present, enabling creative, expressive renderings to be obtained directly from the camera, with no retouching required.

As for connectivity, you can easily transfer your photos to your smartphone via theFujifilm app.

A little extra: the X100VI also offers solid 6.2K video capabilities, for those who want to capture moving footage.

In terms of ergonomics, the body remains compact, with a comfortable grip thanks to a slight integrated handle. The result: a camera that’s easy to carry and always ready to capture the moment.

2. Leica Q3 and Q3 43

The Leica Q3 and Leica Q3 43 are two top-of-the-range full-format compact cameras.

Technically very similar, their main difference is the fixed lens they carry.

The Q3 is equipped with a Summilux 28 mm f/1.7 ASPH lens, a luminous wide-angle lens perfect for street, architectural or travel photography. The more recent Q3 43 features an APO-Summicron 43 mm f/2 ASPH, a more natural focal length ideal for portraits, discreet reportage and everyday photography, with particularly precise optical rendering.

Both feature a 60 MP full-frame sensor, offering excellent detail and Leica’s signature image quality: subtle colors, dynamic range and organic rendering. Image processing enhances nuances in both natural light and high-contrast conditions.

We also appreciate the integrated digital zoom function, which allows us to simulate different focal lengths without changing bodies. On the Q3, it goes up to 90 mm, and up to 120 mm on the Q3 43. It’s a practical solution for varying framing while maintaining a compact format.

Autofocus is fast, precise and capable of automatically detecting the subject’s eye, making it an excellent ally for capturing spontaneous moments.

In video, both cameras can shoot in 8K UHD and DCI at 30 frames per second, with excellent internal recording quality.

Designed to be as intuitive as they are powerful, the Leica Q3s feature seamless connectivity via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with direct integration to the Leica FOTOS app, ideal for transferring or sharing images on the move.

3. Fujifilm X-E5

The Fujifilm X-E5 is an excellent option for those looking for a compact, lightweight camera without compromising on image quality.

Beneath its sleek design lies the 40-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor, the same used in the X100VI and X-T5. It offers excellent definition, excellent color rendition (thanks in particular to Fujifilm’s famous film simulations), and a dynamic range suited to a wide variety of situations, whether for travel, street or portrait photography.

The Fujifilm X-E5 is in a class of its own. It’s an interchangeable-lens hybrid in a very compact format, offering the flexibility of an X-mount system in a size almost as discreet as an expert compact.

Despite its compactness, the X-E5 features 5-axis IBIS stabilization, a rarity in this price and format range. This makes for greater comfort, especially when shooting handheld or in low light.

The camera is also capable of shooting in 4K HQ at up to 30 fps, with good recording quality, making it ideal for content creators or travelers.

Finally, like the other models in the range, the X-E5 benefits from seamless connectivity with the Fujifilm XApp application, to quickly transfer images to a smartphone, geotag them or trigger remotely.

4. Leica D-Lux 8

Among the compact cameras to consider this summer, the Leica D-Lux 8 stands out for its meticulous design and ultra-portable format, true to the brand’s minimalist aesthetic.

It’s a camera designed for those who want to travel light while maintaining true image quality.

It features a luminous Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9-34 mm f/1.7-2.8 ASPH zoom lens, equivalent to a 24-75 mm full-frame lens. An ideal focal range to cover most everyday situations: landscape, portrait, street photography or indoor scenes.

Coupled with a 17 MP Micro 4/3 sensor, the D-Lux 8 delivers sharp, well-detailed images, with attractive blur transitions and natural colors.

Even if it doesn’t aim for the most advanced performance on the market, the D-Lux 8 is still very versatile: 4K video, built-in electronic viewfinder, accessible manual modes, clean ISO rise… It ticks all the right boxes for use in travel or light reportage.

In terms of connectivity, it’s compatible with the Leica FOTOS app, which makes it easy to transfer images to a smartphone, edit or share them in a matter of moments. Handy when you want to publish quickly without using a computer.

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