Travel camera fans have a plethora of choices when it comes to which camera to chose to travel with, and the options on the market this year have made that decision even more difficult. The newest to the range of travel camera, Sony’s HX20V, is continuing on the same track of its predecessor, the HX9V but this one comes packed with a longer optical zoom lens.

There’s no doubt that the HX20V is one of the best-built travel cameras around. There’s a firm but comfortable hand grip, which offsets the camera’s sturdy construction. The mode dial at the top of the camera is pleasing to turn and responsive, while the buttons at the back do their job without taking up too much space. Above the 20x optical zoom lens is a stereo microphone, and there’s also a pop-up flash alongside it that raises automatically when needed.
And this camera is perfect (and easy to use) for beginners who are happy to leave it in automatic mode and snap away.

Fortunately, for more experienced photographers, there’s also a built-in manual mode, as well as program mode, and enough other shooting options to cater to everyone’s needs.