Alex Fitzpatrick of TIME Magazine says he's often asked about the best point-and-shoot camera one can buy. "For years, a very good answer to that question has been Sony's remarkable RX100 series. With its latest iteration, the Sony RX100 V, that holds true." 

The RX100 V's sensor size and high-end glass are two features Fitzpatrick says makes the camera stand out right away. "...it has a stellar 1-inch sensor along with a solid 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 Zeiss lens." The RX100 V's autofocus - the fastest in the world - also gets attention from Fitzpatrick, "It can record images at a blistering 24 frames per second, while an improved autofocus helps get subjects in focus near-instantly in most situations." He also points to other desirable features of the can-do compact like the tilting rear LCD screen and ability to film in 4k.

Many may wonder why a point-and-shoot camera is a worth purchase with smartphone cameras also being pocket-sized and more sophisticated than ever. Fitzpatrick explains, the compact size is the only attribute the two really have in common with a point-and-shoot camera like the RX100 V having far superior capabilities that result in exceptional images and footage that simply cannot be captured with a smartphone camera.  "...thanks to the 1-inch sensor — generally speaking, the bigger the sensor, the better the quality (the iPhone 7, by contrast, has 1/3-inch and 1/3.6-inch sensors.) Big sensors also help DSLRs and similar high-end cameras produce the creamy background blur that smartphones can only attempt to replicate through algorithmic trickery. Of course, lenses play a huge role in image quality as well, and the RX100 V's glass is thankfully no slouch."

Read the rest of Fitzpatrick's take in TIME at time.com.