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If you're like me, you've probably made the shift from the best DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, which we were promised would be smaller, lighter and faster. But while my Canon EOS R6 Mark II is undoubtedly lighter and smaller than the DSLRs I owned before it, it's not exactly pocketable.
But it's for this reason that my 'proper' camera gets left at home when I’m on holiday, because they’re just a bit too big and bulky to carry around when I’m being a tourist on holiday and taking snaps.
The best camera is the one you have with you and that's a pedigree which often falls to my phone, but a premium compact camera is what I really need – something I can slip easily in a pocket but with more powerful features, manual modes and better quality than my phone, so I can still get the shots I need when the inspiration strikes.
I’ve tried many of the top models over the years, including the Sony RX1R III, the Ricoh GR IV, the Fujifilm X100VI and the Panasonic Lumix L10. However, I think the Canon PowerShot V1 has gone under the radar. It packs some incredible features into a small compact body — even better, it’s currently on sale ahead of Amazon Prime Day — available now for just $849 at Amazon US or £829 at Amazon UK.
A rocket in your pocket
It’s no secret that the ‘V’ in the PowerShot V1 stands for ‘video’, but it's a very capable camera for stills photography, too. Considering the V1 weighs just 0.94lb / 426g and easily fits in a coat or baggy trouser pocket, the PowerShot V1 fits in a brilliant 1.4-inch CMOS 22.3MP sensor, 8x larger than the 1/2.3-type found in many cheap compact cameras and phones. This provides much better dynamic range and shallow depth of field abilities.
Its zoom lens retracts to make the camera portable when not in use, but in action it gives users a full-frame focal length equivalent of 16mm at the wide end and 50mm when zoomed in — that's a 3.1x optixal zoom, with a bright maximum aperture of f/2.8. This is perfect for holiday snaps where you can capture everything from wide-angle vistas to close-ups and portraits.
Dual Pixel CMOS AF II is employed for instant focusing on subjects and smooth tracking. Plus it features a built-in 3-stop ND filter to block out light. While an ND filter is fantastic for shooting video in bright light, it’s also great for still photos, too – here the ND can be used to block out light and extend shutter speeds to create expressive motion in moving clouds or rushing water within your frame.
For still photos I love that the V1 features all the usual creative ‘PASM’ exposure modes for taking control over key settings for ISO, aperture and shutter speed, plus it’s also capable of shooting 15fps with its mechanical shutter or a blistering 30 fps with the electronic one.
The PowerShot V1 is an excellent choice for video, too. The built-in fan keeps things cool and you can record unlimited 4K 60p with a 1.4x crop — your battery will drain or memory card fill up before the camera ever overheats. The vari-angle screen makes travel vlogging a cinch, and the microphone provides high quality audio.
The Canon PowerShot V1 is more recent than the popular PowerShot G7 X Mark III, so it features newer features yet is significantly more affordable, so for me it’s a bit of a steal! It’s also on sale ahead of Prime Day and you can currently save up to 17% on its listing price with savings of up to $180 / £130, which you could put towards your next vacation!
Today's best Canon PowerShot V1 camera deal (US)
Today's best Canon PowerShot V1 camera deal (UK)
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