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The Best Prime Lens Compacts

As the quality of camera-phones has improved substantially over the past years, the market for compact cameras has experienced a strong contraction. One niche that has survived the disruption is prime lens compacts. The latter are valued by enthusiasts for the fast aperture, high quality lenses that come with these cameras. Moreover, the absence of zoom convenience encourages the photographer to be more proactive and creative during the shooting process.

Travel prime
The Leica Q prime lens compact

Even though there are fewer options available for prime lens compacts than in other camera categories, it is not easy to decide which one is best. Indeed, what does it really mean to look for the best prime lens compact? The camera that offers the best imaging experience? The one with the highest sensor resolution? The one that is most portable? The camera that does not break the bank? The answers to these questions come down to personal preference, but hopefully the listings below will prove to be useful for your camera decision process.

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The highest rated Prime Lens Compacts

Top Elo
Camera with highest Elo: Leica Q3

The Camera Elo represents a comprehensive rating that takes the body, sensor and feature characteristics of digital cameras into account. It is based on the outcomes of thousands of pair-wise comparisons undertaken via the CAM-parator app.

The Leica Q3 is currently the top-ranked prime lens compact with a Camera Elo of 2970, followed in second place by the Fujifilm X100V with a rating of 2762. The table below lists the 10 highest ranked prime lens compacts in descending order of their Elo. It also reports the cameras' DXO Mark sensor quality score, which can be taken as indicators of pure image quality. For both the Camera Elo and the DXO score, higher values represent better performance.

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The Cameras with the Highest Elo
    Camera
Model
Lens
(FF equiv)
Camera
Elo
DXO
Score
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Video
Format
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Leica Q3 28 mm f/1.7 297096 Full Frame 60.38K/30p May 2023 5,995 amazon.com
2.
 
Fujifilm X100V 35 mm f/2.0 276284 APS-C 26.04K/30p Feb 2020 1,399 amazon.com
3.
 
Leica Q2 28 mm f/1.7 268696 Full Frame 46.74K/30p Mar 2019 4,995 amazon.com
4.
 
Zeiss ZX1 35 mm f/2.8 260094 Full Frame 37.44K/30p Sep 2018 5,999ebay.com
5.
 
Sony ZV-1F 20 mm f/2.0 253567 1-inch 20.04K/30p Oct 2022 499 amazon.com
6.
 
Ricoh GR IIIx 40 mm f/2.8 252185 APS-C 24.01080/60p Sep 2021 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Fujifilm XF10 28 mm f/2.8 250283 APS-C 24.04K/15p Jul 2018 499ebay.com
8.
 
Ricoh GR III 28 mm f/2.8 249583 APS-C 24.01080/60p Feb 2019 899 amazon.com
9.
 
Fujifilm X100F 35 mm f/2.0 233281 APS-C 24.01080/60p Jan 2017 1,299ebay.com
10.
 
Fujifilm X70 28 mm f/2.8 226080 APS-C 16.01080/60p Jan 2016 799ebay.com
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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You can access more detail on the listed cameras by clicking on the camera's name. Alternatively, you can compare two cameras using the search boxes below. Just enter two model names into the input fields and you will promptly be taken to a respective comparison.

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    The Prime Lens Compacts with the Highest Resolution

    Perhaps your primary aim is to capture images with great detail, for example in landscape photography, or to have the ability to crop images heavily in post processing while still maintaining good image quality. In this case, the best prime lens compact might be the one with the highest sensor resolution. The following table lists the 10 cameras in the category with the highest megapixel count. Again, clicking on the camera's name will reveal further detail.

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    The Cameras with the Highest Resolution
        Camera
    Model
    Lens
    (FF equiv)
    Resolution
    (MP)
    Camera
    Elo
    DXO
    Score
    Sensor
    Class
    Video
    Format
    Camera
    Launch
    Launch
    Price (USD)
    Street
    Price
    1.
     
    Leica Q3 28 mm f/1.7 60.3 297096 Full Frame8K/30p May 2023 5,995 amazon.com
    2.
     
    Leica Q2 28 mm f/1.7 46.7 268696 Full Frame4K/30p Mar 2019 4,995 amazon.com
    3.
     
    Sony RX1R II 35 mm f/2.0 42.2 220197 Full Frame1080/60p Oct 2015 3,299 amazon.com
    4.
     
    Zeiss ZX1 35 mm f/2.8 37.4 260094 Full Frame4K/30p Sep 2018 5,999ebay.com
    5.
     
    Fujifilm X100V 35 mm f/2.0 26.0 276284 APS-C4K/30p Feb 2020 1,399 amazon.com
    6.
     
    Ricoh GR IIIx 40 mm f/2.8 24.0 252185 APS-C1080/60p Sep 2021 999 amazon.com
    7.
     
    Fujifilm XF10 28 mm f/2.8 24.0 250283 APS-C4K/15p Jul 2018 499ebay.com
    8.
     
    Ricoh GR III 28 mm f/2.8 24.0 249583 APS-C1080/60p Feb 2019 899 amazon.com
    9.
     
    Fujifilm X100F 35 mm f/2.0 24.0 233281 APS-C1080/60p Jan 2017 1,299ebay.com
    10.
     
    Leica Q Typ 116 28 mm f/1.7 24.0 215285 Full Frame1080/60p Jun 2015 4,249ebay.com
    Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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    The most portable Prime Lens Compacts

    Almost by definition, prime lens compacts are relatively small. They are designed to be easy to take along and to avoid unwanted attention when in use. Compactness is therefore a desirable characteristic, and the best prime lens compact might be the one that is most portable. The following ranking lists the lightest cameras in the categroy that have been released since 2015 in ascending order of their weight.

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    The Lightest Models
        Camera
    Model
    Lens
    (FF equiv)
    Camera
    Weight
    Camera
    Size
    Camera
    Elo
    Sensor
    Class
    Resolution
    (MP)
    Camera
    Launch
    Launch
    Price (USD)
    Street
    Price
    1.
     
    Sony RX0 24 mm f/4.0 110 g 59 x 41 x 30 g 2033 1-inch 15.4 Aug 2017 699ebay.com
    2.
     
    Sony RX0 II 24 mm f/4.0 132 g 59 x 41 x 35 g 2254 1-inch 15.4 Mar 2019 699 amazon.com
    3.
     
    Ricoh GR II 28 mm f/2.8 251 g 117 x 63 x 35 g 2080 APS-C 16.1 Jun 2015 699ebay.com
    4.
     
    Sony ZV-1F 20 mm f/2.0 256 g 106 x 60 x 46 g 2535 1-inch 20.0 Oct 2022 499 amazon.com
    5.
     
    Ricoh GR III 28 mm f/2.8 257 g 109 x 62 x 33 g 2495 APS-C 24.0 Feb 2019 899 amazon.com
    6.
     
    Ricoh GR IIIx 40 mm f/2.8 262 g 109 x 62 x 35 g 2521 APS-C 24.0 Sep 2021 999 amazon.com
    7.
     
    Fujifilm XF10 28 mm f/2.8 279 g 113 x 64 x 41 g 2502 APS-C 24.0 Jul 2018 499ebay.com
    8.
     
    Fujifilm X70 28 mm f/2.8 340 g 113 x 64 x 44 g 2260 APS-C 16.0 Jan 2016 799ebay.com
    9.
     
    Fujifilm X100F 35 mm f/2.0 469 g 127 x 75 x 52 g 2332 APS-C 24.0 Jan 2017 1,299ebay.com
    10.
     
    Fujifilm X100V 35 mm f/2.0 478 g 128 x 75 x 53 g 2762 APS-C 26.0 Feb 2020 1,399 amazon.com
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    The most affordable Prime Lens Compacts

    Budgetary considerations are almost always important when deciding on a camera purchase, and the best prime lens compact might be the one that is available at the lowest price. The following table displays the least expensive prime lens compacts that have been released since 2015 in ascending order of their launch prices. The latter provide a good idea on the market position of the cameras, but it is often worthwhile to check the current pricing, as all except the most recent models might be available at discounts or as great deals on the pre-owned market.

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    The Least Expensive Models
        Camera
    Model
    Lens
    (FF equiv)
    Launch
    Price (USD)
    Camera
    Elo
    DXO
    Score
    Sensor
    Class
    Resolution
    (MP)
    Video
    Format
    Camera
    Launch
    Street
    Price
    1.
     
    Sony ZV-1F 20 mm f/2.0 499 253567 1-inch 20.04K/30p Oct 2022 amazon.com
    2.
     
    Fujifilm XF10 28 mm f/2.8 499 250283 APS-C 24.04K/15p Jul 2018ebay.com
    3.
     
    Sony RX0 II 24 mm f/4.0 699 225465 1-inch 15.44K/30p Mar 2019 amazon.com
    4.
     
    Ricoh GR II 28 mm f/2.8 699 208080 APS-C 16.11080/30p Jun 2015ebay.com
    5.
     
    Sony RX0 24 mm f/4.0 699 203368 1-inch 15.41080/60p Aug 2017ebay.com
    6.
     
    Fujifilm X70 28 mm f/2.8 799 226080 APS-C 16.01080/60p Jan 2016ebay.com
    7.
     
    Ricoh GR III 28 mm f/2.8 899 249583 APS-C 24.01080/60p Feb 2019 amazon.com
    8.
     
    Ricoh GR IIIx 40 mm f/2.8 999 252185 APS-C 24.01080/60p Sep 2021 amazon.com
    9.
     
    Fujifilm X100F 35 mm f/2.0 1,299 233281 APS-C 24.01080/60p Jan 2017ebay.com
    10.
     
    Fujifilm X100V 35 mm f/2.0 1,399 276284 APS-C 26.04K/30p Feb 2020 amazon.com
    Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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    Further Reading

    Additional information on the calculation of the Camera Elo can be found on a respective Elo methodology page. Moreover, there are other rankings of cameras by category that might be of interest:

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