10 best Every Day Carry Cameras you can buy in 2025!
It’s time to rank the past 10 cameras I’ve taken for a spin as part of my Tiny Camera Series — the season 2 finale, if you like — and show you which cameras have the best bang for buck in 2025.
I blummin’ LOVE to have a tiny camera with me at all times to document my life. There’s definitely something for every budget in this list too. let’s get stuck in.
In at number 11… Ok. there’s 11. 10 just sounded better for the title haha…
11. Lumix GH1
The Lumix GH1 is the oldest camera on this list, which is one reason why it’s at number 11. However it is incredibly affordable, usually around or under £100, and it’s either incredibly stylish or hideous depending on your tastes.
Other, less crazy, colours are available.
Despite it getting on a bit now, I found the raw files to be really nice to edit, the shutter has a lovely satisfying clunk, and Lumix really hit the ground running from day one with their ergonomics and menus because it feels just about as intuitive to use as one of their more modern cameras.
Looking for used stock? See if MPB have one here! MPB UK, MPB US, MPB EU
And you can check out my dedicated YouTube review of the Lumix GH1 here
10. Sigma FPL
This tiny full frame camera tickles my nerd buttons. It’s not the most user friendly, and it’s quite sparse on features, like no flippy screen, no EVF unless you buy a huge clip-on accessory, and most glaringly, no mechanical shutter.
The Sigma FPL is more of a video camera but it has a huge 61 megapixel full frame sensor inside that tiny body, so it’s not terrible for photos either.
The extra megapixels allow you to crop in really well, so you can put a smaller lens on the front and sorta-kinda zoom in without much penalty.
While the camera is small, there are only a handful of smaller L mount lenses to pair with it. It’s lovely but a bit niche.
9. OM System TG7
This is the only camera on the list that’s waterproof, crush proof, and a super tough sort of camera. So that will definitely appeal to some. Despite it having a relatively small sensor, the raw files are nice to edit.
There’s no touch screen because it’s waterproof, and there’s no full manual mode, or shutter speed priority, but you do have some more advanced settings like aperture priority.
No interchangeable lenses of course but the zoom range is really generous, so it’s a simple one-and-done solution.
It looks pretty lovely in the red, but it’s also available in black, and it is, genuinely, properly pocketable.
8. Fujifilm XF10
This is an APS-C sized sensor camera with a 28mm fixed lens that is very, very, pocketable.
It has excellent dynamic range — the Fujifilm cameras always impress me in this respect — and the image quality is wonderful for its size.
The auto focus is a bit laggy… in fact, probably the worst camera on this list? But for street and travel it’s more than usable. There are some “snap” modes to combat this that set the focus for you and you can just concentrate on shooting.
You do have some fuji recipes, not everything, but plenty of good ones to get you started.
7. Lumix S9
This is a controversial camera in some ways, but I’m a fan. If you want a full frame everyday carry camera, the Lumix S9 is the most user friendly and feature rich.
It has IBIS and a flippy screen, unlike the Sigma FPL, and in my opinion the very best system for customising your JPEGS using a feature called Real Time LUT. Honestly, if Lumix had called this feature something a bit more sexy many more people would be aware of it and raving about it like I do.
This camera is also — by farrrrrr — the best hybrid camera on this list so if video is important to you this is an excellent option indeed.
It falls down in two areas for me. May be deal breakers for you, may not.
One: no mechanical shutter, so you need to keep an eye on banding when you’re in electronic lighting. It’s nowhere near as bad as people assume, but it’s still a consideration.
Two: full frame problems — there are some smaller lens choices, but not too many right now. The best of the bunch probably being the 18-40mm pancake zoom (written review here!) which is the world’s smallest full frame pancake lens. Ooooh.
6. Leica T Typ 701
It’s a Leica.
And if that makes you go all warm and fuzzy inside then you might really like this camera. I love it as a camera nerd because it’s made from one single chunk of aluminium, and it’s a feat of engineering.
It’s an APS-C sized sensor camera, and part of the L mount alliance, so for me it was a no-brainer as I have about 6000 L mount lenses already. But if you’re coming to this system new, then the additional cost of lenses is something to keep in mind.
There is prettty sluggish contrast based auto focus, but not the worst on this list by any stretch. It comes with Leica monochrome built in which is tasty. It’s just beautiful. It’s not logical and probably quite expensive but it is a beauty.
5. OM System OM-5
(or the Om-5 mkii, really, which is a delight with much better menus and a USB-C port)
The OM-5 is a small micro four thirds camera with IBIS, phase detect auto focus, weather sealing, an EVF, a filppy screen, a small size, and pretty stylish? I mean… it’s close to being the perfect every day carry.
So why not number one? Well, I think it came out as quite expensive, but it has dropped quite a bit since. and there are weird oversights like no USB-C port, and it uses the older horrid Olympus menus, rather than the newer ones found in the upgraded OM-5ii.
The reason I love the OM-5 series of cameras is it’s just about the only modern micro four thirds camera that is actually small. Like, ya know the whole point of the system? It’s a wonderful everyday carry, and the Mkii fixes a lot of problems the original has.
Check out my OM-5ii review here where I took it to Iceland
4. Lumix GM5
This is not great value for money, but it’s pretty much my favourite every day carry so I have to rank it highly on this list. It’s the smallest micro four thirds camera with an EVF, and It’s just such a premium camera in such a tiny form factor I love it so much I panic bought two of them.
The Lumix GM5 cameras are quite hard to find, but with patience and a few well placed email alerts you can get lucky.
Looking for used stock? See if MPB have one here! MPB UK, MPB US, MPB EU
3. Fujifilm X100V / Fujifilm X100VI
No modern EDC list would be complete without the Fujifilm X100 lineup. I’ve taken the 5 and the 6 for a spin this past year, and do they live up to the hype? There’s a lot to love, and some parts that I found lacking, personally.
The X100V is beautiful but still stupidly priced, in my opinion. And for all that cash you get no IBIS, and more basic features.
The X100VI is VERY stupidly priced, but at least you get excellent IBIS, a larger megapixel count so you can punch in to make that fixed lens more versatile, and some robust video features, even if all the ports are underneath the hand grip for some crazy reason.
Is it worth it? If you have a huge budget and want something special, they’re very nice cameras. The dynamic range in particular is incredible and the recipes are nice. Could you get more for your money? Absolutely. Price — eye watering.
2. Lumix LX15/LX10
Curveball I know.
But I firmly believe premium compact cameras are making a comeback, and this one in particular blew me away. No faffing with lenses, the built in one is wonderful. It’s stupidly tiny, has an articulating screen, touch screen. Gorgeous premium quality.
If you want something high quality and simple, without having to change lenses, this is a good pick.
The sensor is smaller than micro four thirds, so don’t expect miracles in the dynamic range department, but for day to day use I really enjoy it.
It even does some pretty decent 4k video. I so wish Panasonic would make a new version of this. Ugh!
1. Lumix GX8 / Lumix GX9
I’ve been a fan of the GX8 for a while, but never fully appreciated the joys of the GX9 until I pitted it against the Olympus Pen F last in a video.
The Lumix GX9 looks amazing and the build quality is excellent. It’s a bit more whacky looking than the sexy Pen F, but it has basically all the same features if not more. It has a modern 20mp micro four thirds sensor, a fun EVF, lots of tactile dials, a movable screen.
It looks and feels very modern and I had a “whoahhh I don’t want to give this back” moment when I loaned it from MPB.
It sparks joy. So much so that I contemplated stealing it from MPB and running away.
