The Best Point and Shoot Camera Under 300

What is the best point and shoot camera under $300?

And it’s still worth buying a point and shoot camera today?

My answer is, yes.

Smartphone cameras keep getting better with each passing year. But the truth is, if you don’t want to break the bank with the most sophisticated smartphone, you can get the best point and shoot camera for less than $300. Modern cameras are smaller and easier to carry around than ever. They offer stellar image stabilization, have wireless connectivity, and offer more zooming power for distant photography.

And contrary to popular belief, getting a great camera will not cost you an arm and a leg. The same can’t be said for equally good camera phones. If you don’t believe it, read through the following list of 10 best point and shoot cameras under $300.

Best Point and Shoot Camera Under $300, Our Choice: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50K

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 not only has an attractive, classic design, but it is also loaded with great features, chief among them a 30X Optical Zoom with a range of 24-720mm. This is made possible by an extra-long LEICA DC lens, which is not common in most budget cameras. 

If you like the outdoors, you’ll particularly love the built-in viewfinder, which helps you shoot clear pics on the sunniest of days. Further, the camera offers a maximum continuous shooting speed of up to 10 fps for photos and 60 fps for video. It also contains inbuilt WiFi for easy file transfers. 

It’s video capabilities make it great for vlogging too and its small size makes it one of the best cameras when it comes to portability.

This small digital camera performs greatly in low light conditions too. It shoots RAW and with the great Electronic Viewfinder, you have one fo the best compact cameras for its price range.

The Best Point and Shoot Cameras Under $300 in 2023

After accurate research and several hours of study here’s the list of the best ultra-compact point and shoot cameras under $300.

Please note: This list might change as we discover and review new models. Please slide down in the comment section below if you’d like to contribute to the list.

Best Point and Shoot Cameras under 300 Comparison Table

Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80

First on the list is arguably one of the best point and shoot camera under $300. The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 is loaded with some amazing features.

DC-FZ80 Point and Shoot Specs

Panasonic DC-FZ80 Sensor

The DC-FZ80 has an 18.1 MP MOS sensor that can snap images in both RAW and JPEG formats. And

Panasonic DC-FZ80 Lens

The built-in lens allows an optical zoom range of 20mm to 1200mm. The aperture is f/2.8 – f/5.9. Pretty impressive for such a small camera.

Panasonic DC-FZ80 Video

Unlike many compact cameras in the under $300 price bracket, the Lumix DC-FZ80 can produce 4K video at 1920p, and offers frame rates of up to 60 fps. 

Panasonic DC-FZ80 Other Features

The DC-FZ80 features a Post Focus option, which allows you to find and adjust focus points after you’ve taken an image. It has a rear LCD screen and electronic viewfinder (EVG) both with good resolution.

Built-in Wi-Fi is also included.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50K

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-WX350

One of the key selling points of the Cyber-Shot DSC-WX350 is the fact that it’s only as thick as most smartphones in the market, which makes it easier to carry around.

DSC-WX350 Point and Shoot Specs

Sony DSC-WX350 Sensor

An 18.2 MP BSI CMOS sensor, paired with the BIONZ X image processor makes for decent image quality and plenty of details even in low light.

Sony DSC-WX350 Lens

The impressive 20X Optical Zoom function is combined with the Sony’s Optical image stabilization to compensate for camera shake at maximum zoom.

Sony DSC-WX350 Video

The Sony compact camera, despite not being the newest in the market, can capture full HD videos at a maximum frame rate of 60 fps.

Sony DSC-WX350 Other Features

Being an older model, its LCD screen is noticeably low resolution, but you can always easily view your photos on your laptop, thanks to the inbuilt Wi-Fi. 

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-WX220

If you fancy portability, consider getting the ultra-lightweight (weighing only 3.07 ounces) but still very powerful Cyber-Shot DSC-WX220, which ranked very high among the best compact camera under $300.

DSC-WX220 Point and Shoot Specs

Sony DSC-WX220 Sensor

The 18.2 Megapixel back-illuminated sensor performs well in low light and delivers good quality but does suffer a bit if you zoom the final images a bit. Some image softness is introduced in some areas.

Sony DSC-WX220 Lens

its relatively long Sony G lens comes with a combination of 10X Optical Zoom and 40X Digital Zoom that allows you to take the clearest shots of distant objects.  

Sony DSC-WX220 Video

Additionally, the camera can capture 1080p UHD videos at 60p, which is quite decent for this ultra-compact point and shoot.

Sony DSC-WX220 Other Features

This ultra small point and shoot camera features a 3-inch LCD screen, provides preview functionality easily usable with a four-way navigational pad. The built-in Wi-Fi is also handy to quickly transfer photos to your phone.

Nikon Coolpix B500

It may not be particularly portable as it’s quite heavy, but the Nikon Coolpix B500 possesses enough great features to be considered among the best digital cameras under 300.

Coolpix B500 Point and Shoot Specs

Nikon Coolpix B500 Sensor

With a 16MP sensor this mid-sized point and shoot camera gives its best in bright daylight conditions, delivering brilliant colors and good details. It suffers a bit in low light with max ISO 6400.

Nikon Coolpix B500 Lens

The 40X Optical Zoom lens achieves a telephoto length of 900mm (full-frame equivalent). It can focus at 1cm distance for good macro.

Nikon Coolpix B500 Video

The B500 is limited to a 1080p HD video capability at 30 fps. It guarantees a crystal clear footage thanks to the 4-axis image stabilization.

Nikon Coolpix B500 Other Features

Last but not least, the B500 offers a fast shutter speed of 1/4000s, which is perfect for shooting moving objects. You can share your work with friends or your other devices fast and easy courtesy of the built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC functions. 

Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

The Canon PowerShot SX730 HS offers a compact design and produces high performance thanks to its good 9-point system autofocus and great super-zoom lens.

Canon SX730 HS Point and Shoot Specs

Canon SX730 HS Sensor

The point and shoot super zoom is equipped with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS 20.3 MP sensor. This sensor too is back illuminated to better capture light and it’s combined with Canon’s DIGIC 6 processor.

Canon SX730 HS Lens

The 40x zoom lens equivalent to a 24-960mm full-frame has an aperture range of f/3.3-6.9. It really gives you the ability to capture details in subjects at a long distance from you.

Canon SX730 HS Video

Despite being limited to Full HD you can capture great footage thanks to the lens based Image Stabilizatin and the 5-Axis Dynamic IS.

Canon SX730 HS Other Features

Additional features include dynamic image stabilization options, WiFi, and NFC functionality. 

Canon PowerShot SX620 HS

Weighing only 6.42 ounces (182g), despite being a bit bulky the Canon PowerShot SX620 is arguably one of the best pocket cameras under $300.  It is not only, compact and good looking, but also full of great features, the main one being the 25X Optical Zoom function that allows you to capture crystal clear images even from a long way off. 

Canon PowerShot SX620 Point and Shoot Specs

Canon SX620 Sensor

The Canon PowerShot SX620 has a 20.2MP camera sensor complete of image stabilization technology, which brings out all the most intricate details in the photos you take.

Canon SX620 Lens

A 25x optical zoom equivalent to 25-625mm full frame allows you to shoot at long distance subjects with a decently fast aperture.

Canon SX620 Video

And it doesn’t stop at photos. It has 1080p HD video capability at 30 fps, and a cool Hybrid Auto mode produces 2-4 seconds of video captured before each still photo and combines the short clips into a movie at the end of your day.

Canon SX620 Other Features

While the LCD screen is quite small (only 3 inches), it’s quite clear, and furthermore, the camera has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC functions. 

Canon PowerShot SX530 HS

The PowerShot SX530 is quite a powerful and easy to use bridge camera, although not particularly easy to carry around for its chunkyness.

Canon PowerShot SX530 Point and Shoot Specs

Canon SX530 Sensor

The PowerShot SX530 has a 16 MP CMOS sensor that works with a DIGIC 4+ image processor to generate high-quality photos. 

Canon SX530 Lens

The 50x optical zoom lens presents a Zoom Framing Assist button. The button helps you relocate subjects at far distance when you lose them from the frame. The focal length is 35mm equivalent of 24 to 1200mm.

Canon SX530 Video

With this bridge camera you can shoot footage in full HD at a frame rate of 30 fps.

Canon SX530 Other Features

LCD Screen and built-in Wi Fi and NFC to share photos between compatible devices.

Olympus TG-6 Waterproof Camera

I had to include the Olympus TG-6 in this list of the most affordable point and shoot cameras for its unique waterproof characteristics. This is hands down the toughest camera going for this price. It is primarily designed to produce super-clear images, even in the most unfavorable conditions.

Olympus TG-6 Point and Shoot Specs

Olympus TG-6 Sensor

The 12 MP BSI CMOS sensor, paired with advanced Action Track Sensors, can capture high-quality photos and. The Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization function helps to provide great stability as usual in modern Olympus cameras.

Olympus TG-6 Lens

Its High-Speed f/2.0-4.9 wide-angle lens is also made of anti-fog glass, which helps take nail-sharp images even in the worst conditions. 

Olympus TG-6 Video

The advanced sensor also allows you to take and Ultra High Definition 4K videos at 30fps.

Olympus TG-6 Other Features

The camera is waterproof to a depth of 15m, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, and dustproof.

As if it weren’t enough the small TG-6 is packed with built-in GPS, altimeter, compass, thermometer, and accelerometer while a Built-in WiFi facilitates easy file sharing. 

Fujifilm FinePix XP140

If you are always shooting outdoors, you might want to add the Fujifilm FinePix XP140 to your camera collection. While it is not particularly gorgeous – according to popular standards, the camera is waterproof (up to 25m), freezeproof (up to -10°C), and shockproof (up to 1.8m). This makes it the perfect camera to carry on your mountain hiking expeditions, or snorkeling adventures. 

Fujifilm XP140 Point and Shoot Specs

Fujifilm XP140 Sensor

The 16.4 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor delivers very good images and it’s surprisingly good in low light.

Fujifilm XP140 Lens

5X Optical Zoom lends 28-140mm equivalent

Fujifilm XP140 Video

4K-video at 15 fps

Fujifilm XP140 Other Features

Built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

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