Best compact camera under $700 for street photography?

For your situation, I’d seriously look at a fixed-lens compact first—street is all about speed + simplicity. Here’s what I’d consider (FWIW I’ve carried small cams on/off for years and the “always with you” part is REAL):

- Ricoh GR III 18.3mm f/2.8 or Ricoh GR IIIx 26.1mm f/2.8: insanely pocketable, basically zero fuss, super sharp. AF isn’t sports-fast, but shutter response is snappy and it’s VERY discreet.
- Sony RX100 VII 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 (used): best AF/lag/zoom flexibility. That said… small sensor = noisier at night than GR.
- Fujifilm X100F 23mm f/2 (used): gorgeous files + handling, but bigger and AF is “good,” not magic.

If you shoot mostly evenings, I mean… I’d lean GR. Hope this helps!

TIL! Thanks for sharing

This ^

Seconding the recommendation above — Ricoh GR III 18.3mm f/2.8 / Ricoh GR IIIx 26.1mm f/2.8 are kinda the “actually carry it” kings.

- If you want *zoom* without a huge body, look at Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 used. AF is ridiculously quick and shutter lag is low, but low-light gets meh once you’re at the long end (small sensor + f/4.5).
- If low-light matters more than zoom, I’d rather have a fast prime: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 (also often used under $700). It’s not pocket-tiny like the GR, but still discreet.
- Trade-off reality: the GR feels fastest “brain-to-shot,” but no zoom means you zoom with feet… wait, getting sidetracked. IMO that’s actually good for street.

Hope that helps — what focal length do you shoot most on your phone?

Seconding the GR/RX100 picks—market-wise they hold value best. If you want discreet + cheap used, Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II Digital Camera is solid, but AF/lag isn’t RX100-level… unfortunately.

Just catching up on this thread. I totally agree that the GR series is the gold standard for size, but after years of trying different setups, I keep coming back to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 with 12-32mm Lens. Its basically the best bang for buck if you want fast AF and stabilization. Heres a quick tip: if you go this route, ditch the kit lens for street and get a used Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ASPH Lens. It makes the setup way more capable in low light than any of those small-sensor zooms. Its a bit of a DIY kit but worth the effort. DIY hack: Get an adhesive thumb rest. Small cameras like this can be slippery, and a cheap stick-on grip makes one-handed shots way easier when you are moving fast. TL;DR: Used GX85 with a 20mm pancake lens beats most fixed-lens compacts for low light street work because of the larger sensor and better ergonomics.

Jumping in here real quick... I've been through a dozen of these little guys over the last decade and long-term ownership really changes your perspective. Before you commit though, I gotta ask—how dark are we talking for your low-light shots? Are you doing moody street lamp stuff or actually dark interiors? It makes a huge difference for those smaller sensors. I would suggest being careful with the older Sony RX100 models if you want that pro feel. They're amazing tech, but the handling can feel like holding a slippery bar of soap. If you have bigger hands, you might want to consider adding a small grip, which kinda kills the pocketability. Personally, I'd look at a used Fujifilm X70 or even an older X100T if you can find a deal. You get that dedicated aperture ring which makes shooting way more intuitive. Just a heads up though, the battery life on these tiny cameras usually sucks, so make sure to budget for a couple of spares. Also, watch out for sensor dust on those fixed-lens units... once its in there, its basically staying there unless you're brave enough to take the whole thing apart. You might want to peek at Smartphone Board for some ideas on sharing Amazon carts without the headache.