Americans found dead on 'Captain Phillips' ship

• NEW: Maersk, security contractor launch drug action plan after deaths


• Needles, traces of narcotics found with dead contractors, Seychelles official says


• Two American security contractors were former Navy SEALs, executive says


• A colleague found the bodies in a ship cabin

(CNN) -- Traces of narcotics and hypodermic needles found with the bodies of two American security officers on the container ship Maersk Alabama suggested the deaths resulted from drug overdoses, a Seychelles government official told CNN on Thursday.

Seychelles police identified the bodies found Tuesday as Jeffrey Reynolds and Mark Kennedy, both 44. They worked for Trident Group, a Virginia-based maritime security services firm, and Trident Group President Tom Rothrauff said both were former Navy SEALs.

"It's bizarre. Of course, it's a shock. They're all great guys," Rothrauff said. "I'm absolutely clueless as to what happened."

Police said an autopsy would be carried out later this week. But the Seychelles government official, who spoke on condition of not being identified, said the presence of drug traces and paraphernalia "would suggest that their deaths were a result of drug overdose."

Drugs found near 2 dead SEALs on ship

The 500-foot Maersk Alabama was the target of an attempted hijacking in the pirate-infested waters off east Africa in 2009 -- an incident that inspired the 2013 film "Captain Phillips." The shipping giant Maersk, which hired the Trident Group to guard its ships, said Thursday that Trident would be conducting random drug tests of its employees.

"Based on our experience with the contractor, this is an isolated incident," Maersk said. But it said new drug tests would start immediately and the company's shore-leave policy was under review. The Maersk Alabama has since left the Seychelles capital of Port Victoria, the company said Thursday.

Police said the ship arrived in the Seychelles, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, on Sunday with a 24-man crew and had been expected to leave Tuesday. The bodies were found by a colleague who had gone to check in on one of the men in a cabin at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Seychelles police said.

Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Frederick, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman, said the service was investigating the deaths, as required by American law. But he said the deaths "do not appear to be criminal in nature, related to vessel operations, the material condition of the ship or their duties as security personnel."

In April 2009, four armed pirates attempted to hijack the Maersk Alabama 380 miles off the coast of Somalia. After the crew sank the pirates' vessel and foiled their efforts to take control of the container ship, the pirates took the ship's captain, Richard Phillips, hostage on a lifeboat.

The incident ended three days later when Navy sharpshooters killed three of the pirates and captured the fourth. Phillips was unharmed.

The ship was attacked by pirates again later that year, but armed security personnel fought them off. Another attempt by pirates to board the ship, in March 2011, was thwarted when security personnel fired warning shots.

2010: Hero skipper ignored pirate warnings, crew says

2009: Crewman's e-mail gives harrowing details of hijacking

12 split over issue of self-defense, Juror No. 8 says

• NEW: The case was about justice, not race, says Creshuna Miles


• Michael Dunn killed Jordan Davis, 17, after an argument over loud music


• Jury was hung on the charge of first-degree murder

(CNN) -- One of the jurors in the trial of Michael Dunn said that race played no part in the case.

The Florida jury on Saturday convicted Dunn, 47, on three charges of attempted second-degree murder for shooting into an SUV holding four black teenagers, after arguing with Jordan Davis, 17, about the volume of their music.

Dunn is white; Davis was black.

The shots continued even as the SUV was fleeing, and Dunn was also convicted of one count of shooting into the vehicle.

But a first-degree murder charge for Davis' death resulted in a hung jury.

"I never once thought about, oh, this was a black kid. This was a white guy," Juror No. 8 Creshuna Miles told CNN on Thursday.

"We didn't even think about the race aspect of it," she said. "Race was never a factor ... when I was making my decision."

The case, for Miles, was just about justice.

"When I walked into it, I just wanted to bring justice to whoever it was," she said.

Miles, 21, said she believes Dunn is guilty of murder, but not as charged. She thinks he was guilty of second-degree murder.

"I think he is a good guy. I don't think he hates everybody. I don't think he walks around wanting to shoot everybody. I think that he made bad decisions," she said.

Like Juror No. 4, who spoke to ABC News' "Nightline," Miles said that the jury was split over the issue of self-defense.

In his testimony, Dunn insisted that Davis threatened him and that he saw a gun. Police never recovered a weapon.

Both jurors felt Dunn crossed a line when he continued to fire at the SUV as it fled the scene, that any threat Dunn may have felt earlier had passed.

"I was honestly convinced that he was in self-defense until he chased the car down and started shooting more," Miles said. "Even if initially you didn't have the opportunity to take yourself out of the situation to stop, running behind the car and shooting more, that's where you completely push your limits."

Miles is one of two black women who served on the jury. The others were four white women, four white men, an Asian woman and a Hispanic man.

'Could not agree'

Miles said that Dunn's fiancee, witness Rhonda Rouer, made the biggest impact on her.

Rouer testified that in the weeks after the shooting, Dunn had never mentioned to her that he had seen a weapon of any kind.

"She's the sweetest lady, you can tell. She was nervous. She was shaking. She was trembling, like she could hardly move, but she yet she still got up there and told the truth," Miles said. "She knew she had to tell the truth, but she knew how much it would hurt her life. But yet, she still told the truth."

Miles said that she and the other jurors "just could not agree" on the murder charge.

When asked what she would tell Davis' family members, the juror said that she would tell them that she tried.

"I really did try. I tried to fight for his son. We, everyone that felt he was guilty, we fought and we fought and we fought, and I saw the look on his dad's face when we came to nothing," she said. "I know it hurts. It's like thinking you've got this wound healed and then somebody slices it open again because now they have to go through that whole process all over again."

Misgivings about Florida law

Miles spoke the same day Davis' parents told CNN's "New Day" that Florida's laws about self-defense need to be changed.

"We're going to go to Tallahassee, the state capital, and we're going to try to get the 'stand your ground' law rewritten," said Ron Davis.

"That's our mission -- to make sure that we bring to light and expose all the laws in our nation that are not effective in keeping our citizens safe," said the teen's mother, Lucia McBath.

Florida law says the use of deadly force is justifiable if someone reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. Its law also says people have no "duty" to retreat from a would-be attacker, as do laws in 21 other states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Dunn's attorneys did not use the "stand your ground" defense, but prosecutor Angela Corey told CNN on Wednesday that the laws need to revert to what they were before "stand your ground" was enacted, in 2005.

"I believe prosecutors and the sheriffs association are in favor of the former laws that we had on use of deadly force, and we do believe that, before someone should engage in a physical altercation, or especially an altercation where deadly force is used, we do believe there should be a duty to retreat," she said.

Ron Davis said the jurors who deliberated for four days whether his son's killer committed premeditated murder in the first degree faced another hurdle in not being able to use their "common sense," as prosecutor John Guy had urged them to do in his closing-argument rebuttal.

"Common sense and the law is not the same thing, unfortunately," Davis said. "To the layman, premeditation is if you go home to get a gun or you go in your car separately to get a gun or you plan something -- to us, that's premeditation. But to the law, it could be three seconds."

Despite his assertion that the current law was responsible for the hung jury, Davis said he supported Corey's decision to retry Dunn on the murder charge. "The world needs to know that Jordan Davis did nothing wrong and that this man is guilty of killing our son, of murdering our son," he said.

'Rap crap'

The incident occurred November 23, 2012, when Dunn pulled into a gas station in Jacksonville, parking next to a red Dodge Durango with four teenagers inside.

The teens had gone there for gum and cigarettes; Dunn, had just left his son's wedding with his fiancee, who'd gone inside the convenience store for wine and chips.

Dunn didn't like the loud music -- "rap crap," he called it -- coming from the teens' SUV. So he asked them to turn it down.

What followed next is a matter of debate. Dunn testified that Davis threatened him, and he decided to take matters into his own hands upon seeing what he thought was the barrel of a gun sticking out of the Durango.

But prosecutors say Dunn lost control, firing 10 bullets, nine of which struck the SUV, over music he didn't like.

"My intent was to stop the attack, not necessarily end a life," he testified. "It just worked out that way."

Police found a basketball, basketball shoes, clothing, a camera tripod and cups inside the Durango, but no gun.

CNN's Ed Payne, Greg Botelho, Steve Almasy and Sunny Hostin contributed to this report.

New app helps you fight parking tickets

Fixed asks you to snap a photo of your parking ticket and estimates your chances of beating it if you contest the citation.

• A new app, Fixed, will contest parking tickets on a driver's behalf


• Users submit a photo of their ticket and the app handles the legal paperwork


• If Fixed gets someone out of a ticket, it charges them 25% of the ticket fine


• Fixed is rolling out in San Francisco first but hopes to expand to more cities

(CNN) -- Few things enrage normally calm people like finding a parking ticket tucked under the windshield wiper of their car.

Parking tickets can be infuriating, especially when they seem undeserved. (Officer, there's no sign saying I can't park here!). But most people don't want to invest the time and energy to would take to dispute them.

Now there's a new iPhone app, Fixed, that will fight parking tickets for you. The app, expected to launch next week, will do the heavy lifting of contesting a ticket: suggesting reasons it might be invalid, gathering supporting evidence and submitting the proper appeals paperwork.

If the driver beats the ticket, they pay Fixed 25% of what the citation would have cost. If they can't get out of the ticket, Fixed doesn't charge them anything.

In this way, Fixed hopes to add navigating bureaucracy to the list of urban tasks and nuisances -- catching a cab, ordering food, finding a place to crash -- made easier by popular tech startups.

Fixed hopes to capitalize on people's feelings of injustice over unfair parking tickets.

"When you mention parking tickets to people it engenders such an emotional reaction ... because so many people think they've received an unfair parking ticket," said Fixed co-founder David Hegarty, who came up with the idea after getting six parking tickets in one day. Much of this anger is directed at local governments, which many people see as using parking tickets to fill budget gaps.

That emotional response, as well as a desire to not shell out $100 for blocking a couple inches of someone's driveway, could make Fixed a hit. But its success will depend on how good the service is at navigating parking laws, which are often a confusing hodgepodge of local and state ordinances.

Here's how Fixed works: When someone gets a ticket, they snap a photo of it on their iPhone and enter the violation code. The Fixed app will tell them what percentage of those types of tickets are usually overturned and then show a list of possible reasons it could be found invalid. For example, a street cleaning sign might be obscured by a leafy tree, or a parking meter could be broken.

If the motorist thinks they have a case, the app will prompt them to capture any additional photographic evidence with their phone and then digitally sign a letter.

Fixed has contracted with a team of legal researchers fluent in local traffic laws who will review each case before printing out the letter and submitting it via snail mail to the city. Over time, Fixed hopes to learn more about what methods and which errors have the highest success rates when contesting tickets. That information will be used to make the system more automated.

"It will always be reviewed by human eyes before it's sent, but I'm pretty confident that we can get to the point where 80% of tickets are 95% automated," said Hegarty.

Fixed is expected to launch in the Apple App store next week, although its service will only be available in San Francisco at first. The startup has been testing its service with a small group of 1,000 people, mostly friends and friends of friends, and there's already a waiting list of 25,000 people wanting to sign up.

Hegarty and with Fixed's other two co-founders, David Sanghera and DJ Burdick, hope to expand into the top 100 U.S. cities over the next 18 months.

San Francisco is fertile ground for motorists who can effortlessly rack up hundreds of dollars in parking tickets. As in many cities, parking in San Francisco is an exercise in frustration, with a limited number of spaces on the street and parking garages charging top dollar.

The company hasn't had any official talks with the city. But Hegarty hopes his service is not seen as adversarial. Rather, he thinks Fixed could help people pay their legitimate parking tickets in a more timely manner.

"We do not have concerns if people want to use a third-party service, but there is no secret to overturning a citation if it has been issued erroneously. If someone feels that their citation was written in error, they might want to consider protesting themselves, for free," said Paul Rose, a spokesperson for San Francisco's transportation agency.

San Francisco issues about 1.5 million parking tickets every year, typically for $45 to $115 each (there are also some significantly pricier violations, such as having an expired plate or abandoning a car on a highway). The fines add up to about $95 million a year, according to Hegarty.

Of those 1.5 million citations, only five percent are actually contested. And of that small amount, only 30% are actually overturned, according to Rose. There are three rounds of appeals -- two by mail and a court hearing.

Fixed will only handle the first two appeals for the time being.

The number of overall citations in San Francisco has fallen in recent years as the city has rolled out its own technological tools, such as pay-by-phone and meters that take credit cards, in an effort to make payment easier.

"We'd much rather have people pay the meter than pay a fine," said Rose.

Fixed's business model isn't completely new. There are companies that handle driving and parking violations for large corporations such as FedEx and UPS. In New York City, commercial delivery companies account for 20% to 30% of the city's 10 million parking tickets every year, according to Crain's New York Business.

The difference is that Fixed is making this service available to individuals. Hegarty can see eventually expanding into speeding tickets and other small financial annoyances, such as cable company fees. He thinks Fixed could help in any area where the fee amount is small enough not to protest in person, but still big enough to make someone angry.

"That's our sweet spot," he said.

Hoffman's will includes wish for his son

The casket carrying Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman leaves the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola after Hoffman's private funeral service Friday, February 7, in New York City. Hoffman, 46, was found dead in his Manhattan apartment February 1.

Hoffman's longtime partner, Mimi O'Donnell, watches Hoffman's casket as it is loaded into the back of a hearse.

Actress Cate Blanchett and her husband, Andrew Upton, leave the funeral service. Hoffman and Blanchett co-starred in "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

Director Mike Nichols and his wife, Diane Sawyer, attended the service. Nichols directed Hoffman on Broadway in "Death of a Salesman."

Actor Ethan Hawke hugs another mourner after the service.

Actor Joaquin Phoenix, left, exits the church. Phoenix appeared with Hoffman in "The Master."

Pallbearers lift Hoffman's casket into the back of a hearse.

Writer David Bar Katz, wearing glasses, is embraced as he arrives at the church. Katz found Hoffman's body.

Actress Meryl Streep, left, starred with Hoffman in "Doubt."

Actress Michelle Williams, wearing glasses, worked with Hoffman in "Synecdoche, New York."

Actress Ellen Burstyn and comedian Louis C.K. attended the funeral.

A man cleans the steps of the church.

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• Philip Seymour Hoffman died of a heroin overdose earlier this month


• His 2004 will, written before daughters were born, was made public Wednesday


• Hoffman wants son exposed to culture, arts and architecture of three cities


• His estate goes to "friend and companion" Mimi O'Donnell

(CNN) -- Philip Seymour Hoffman's last wish for his son was that he grow up in New York, Chicago or San Francisco, according to the late actor's will.

Hoffman, who died of a heroin overdose earlier this month, left his entire estate to "friend and companion" Mimi O'Donnell, who is the mother of his three children, according to the document released by the Manhattan Surrogate's Court Wednesday.

It was signed by Hoffman in October 2004, when his son, Cooper, now 10, was just a year old and before daughters Tallulah and Willa were born.

"It is my strong desire, and not direction to my guardian, that my son, Cooper Hoffman be raised and reside in or near the borough of Manhattan in the State of New York, or Chicago Illinois, or San Francisco, California," Hoffman stated in the 13-page will.

That provision was in a section that applied only if O'Donnell was not living at the time of his death and if a guardian was to be appointed for his children.

If living in his preferred three cities was not possible, Hoffman requested that his son at least visit there twice a year.

"The purpose of this request is so that my son will be exposed to the culture, arts and architecture that such cities offer," Hoffman's will said.

Noticeably absent from his list is Los Angeles, given Hoffman's fame as a Hollywood actor.

Hoffman named O'Donnell as his estate's trustee and executrix of his will.

Hoffman, 46, was found on the bathroom floor of his apartment, a needle in his arm. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators discovered close to 50 envelopes of what they believed was heroin in the apartment, law enforcement sources said. They also found used syringes, prescription drugs and empty plastic bags of a type commonly used to hold drugs, the sources said.

Hoffman, who was nominated for Academy Awards four times, won the Oscar for best actor in 2006 for his portrayal of writer Truman Capote in "Capote." He earned Academy Award nominations for roles in "Charlie Wilson's War," "Doubt," and "The Master."

CNN's Allie Malloy contributed to this report.

9 great cameras for travelers

Fujifilm FinePix HS50EXR. This is a superzoom (bridge) camera with a fixed-lens that can zoom up to 42x and shoot in burst mode at 11 frames per second -- so you're covered whether you're shooting a safari or capturing the running of the bulls.

Olympus Tough TG-2. The TG-2 is a pocket cam with a tough exterior that's waterproof to 15 meters, crush-proof to 100 kilos and freeze-proof down to -10C.

Panasonic TZ40. A compact camera with one of the longest optical zooms around, the TZ40 also has a wide lens for great landscape photos as well as detailed shots of the far distance. On burst mode, it can score up to 10 frames per second.

Fujifilm F900 EXR. Photographers who use a DSLR will appreciate this pocket cam that shoots in RAW, allowing full editing with photo software. Auto modes are supplemented by a full manual mode.

Sony Cybershot RX100 II. Image quality is often sacrificed for portability in the case of point-and-shoots but the Cybershot RX100 II is one of the best of a new trend -- compact cameras with bigger sensors. Its hot-shoe interface can take an add-on shutter release controller, handy for long exposures.

Nikon S9500. With no manual modes but a range of capable auto scene modes, the S9500 is a good choice for novice photographers looking for a Wi-Fi camera and a powerful zoom. Built-in filters let you add Instagram-esque colors to photos.

Nikon D3200. Still one of the smallest, lightest DSLR cameras available more than a year after its launch, the Nikon D3200 is an entry-level camera. If you intend to print your travel photos, this camera is a reasonably priced and travel-friendly step into the world of DSLRs.

Panasonic GX7. The GX7 is heavier than a point-and-shoot but packs a sensor as large as those of DSLRs. A silent mode is great for keeping street photography discreet, while a chunky hand grip lends more stability.

Sony Alpha 7. Another mirrorless camera, the recently released Alpha 7 is the first compact camera to be built with a full-frame sensor -- one as large as the sensors in the high-end DSLRs -- yet it manages it in a chassis that weighs in at 400g.

• Your choice of camera should be dictated by your choice of travels


• Small cameras often have small sensors, and are best for well-lit locations


• Big cameras are a pain to carry, but give the best results for outdoor shots


• Smartphones may be convenient, but they'll undermine your quest for a great photo

(CNN) -- Historically, traveling photographers have had to choose between portability and image quality in their cameras.

No more.

Point-and-shoot cameras now have optical zooms to rival Pinocchio's nose, while full-featured DSLR cameras are getting smaller and lighter.

Many cameras now manage large lenses as well as pocket-sized chassis.

But with such a wide choice of cameras, how do you choose?

We recruited Nigel Atherton, editor of the UK-based magazine What Digital Camera, and travel photographer Gary Arndt to find out what travel snappers should look for in a camera, and which cameras to consider.

Sensor size

The first specification to consider is the size of the lens sensor.

Along with megapixel count, this dictates general image quality as well as the camera's performance in low light, for example inside churches, night markets or in twilight along the Seine.

"Small sensors such as those in pocket cameras have very small pixels, which means they don't collect as much light," says Nigel Atherton, editor of the UK-based magazine What Digital Camera.

In other words, a 16-megapixel lens on a large-sensor camera like a DSLR captures far more details and better colors than the equivalent lens on a camera with a small sensor.

In that case, the camera has to electronically amplify the details it captures -- which is what causes blurriness when you view the photos on a bigger screen.

If the final destination for your photos is Facebook, sensor size may not be as crucial as portability.

Portability

"The important thing is that the camera isn't too big and heavy, and that you have a good zoom range for both wide-angle and telephoto shots," Atherton says.

A good bet would be a slim, light pocket camera with a decent optical zoom built in; for example, the Nikon Coolpix S9500 zooms to 22x.

But if zoom is important -- say you're planning on sports or wildlife photography, where you can't get any closer than 15 meters -- you may want to consider a superzoom camera (also known as a bridge camera).

Zoom and shutter speed

"These are very popular for travel as they are light, but built with a telephoto lens that can zoom up to 60 times," Atherton says.

For action or crowd shots, shutter speed or burst mode is a key factor.

"When dealing with anything that's active -- wildlife or people in action on the street -- faces change in a fraction of second," says travel photographer Gary Arndt.

"So a fast burst mode is helpful in shooting the several hundred photos you might need to get that single winning shot."

Arndt recommends adding a small tripod known as a gorilla pod to help stabilize tiny point-and-shoot cameras when they're on maximum zoom.

Viewfinder vs. LCD

If you're heading for sun and surf vacations, cameras with a viewfinder are best.

LCD displays can be hard to read in sunlight.

Point-and-shoot cameras don't normally have viewfinders, though some, such as the Samsung NX210, support the addition of a separate viewfinder.

Battery life

Battery life is a big deal.

Something that can shoot (and check) around 400 shots to last you a full day should suffice.

"Or bring a spare battery," says Atherton.

Wi-Fi and GPS

Wi-Fi and GPS support are important if you want to tag images with the location -- handy when those Thai islands merge into one never-ending beach.

Wi-Fi allows you to backup photos to an online server such as Facebook or Dropbox.

"Samsung offers the best Wi-Fi functionality in their cameras -- particularly auto-saving to your smartphone," Atherton says.

"By the time you sit down in the piazza for a coffee, they're already in your phone, ready to be uploaded. And if your camera gets stolen, at least you haven't lost the pictures."

Forget the phone

As for the truism about the best camera being the one you've got with you -- namely the smartphone, for most of us -- most new cameras offer sensors far superior to all but the top-end phones.

For any photograph requiring a zoom, a dedicated camera is a must.

"It's true that cameras costing under $330 are competing at the same level as smartphones," says Atherton. "But over that, there's a clear advantage that you'll especially notice for low light shots."

Best way to shoot a lion.

Best camera for wildlife and sports

Fujifilm Finepix HS50EXR ($663)

This is a superzoom (bridge) camera with a fixed-lens that can zoom up to 42x and shoot in burst mode at 11 frames per second -- so you're covered whether you're shooting a safari or capturing the running of the bulls.

A comfortable hand grip minimizes shake even when the lens is on maximum zoom.

Portability: Though the camera is shaped and styled like a large DSLR camera, it's far lighter.

Without the need for extra lenses, your camera bag will be less bulky too.

Zoom: The 16-megapixel lens and 42x zoom are perfect for faraway photography.

Image quality: Despite a relatively small 0.5-inch sensor, low light photos are decent thanks to a wider-than-average aperture.

Viewfinder: The electronic viewfinder is larger than most, allowing comfortable framing of that lion portrait even in bright sunshine.

Wi-Fi: Yes.

GPS: Yes.

Never leave the boat without it.

Best underwater camera

Olympus Tough TG-2 ($390)

If you're heading for sea, snow or mountains, you'll need a compact camera built to resist the elements.

The TG-2 is a pocket cam with a tough exterior that's waterproof to 15 meters, crush-proof to 100 kilos and freeze-proof to -10C.

Portability: At less than 3cm thin, it's pocketable whether in your ski suit or wetsuit.

Zoom: The 12-megapixel lens can zoom up to 4x, and supports Olympus's Fisheye and Teleconverter lenses for a greater range of photos.

Image quality: Lowlight Auto mode produces good clarity and color in a range of situations, including low light.

Viewfinder: No.

Wi-Fi: No, but it can sync and send photos to your smartphone.

GPS: Yes.

Middle class backpacker price.

Best budget travel camera

Panasonic TZ40 ($328)

A compact camera with one of the longest optical zooms around, the TZ40 also has a wide lens for great landscape photos as well as detailed shots of the far distance.

On burst mode, it can score up to 10 frames per second.

A fully manual mode makes it a good choice for experienced photographers.

Portability: Light and pocket-friendly at less than 2.8cm thin.

Zoom: It's a fixed-lens camera with an impressive optical zoom of 20x.

Image quality Though the sensor isn't large, it produces good photos in bright light and the 18-megapixel lens gets high-clarity photos throughout its zoom range.

Viewfinder: No -- shots can only be previewed on the LCD display.

Wi-Fi: Yes, including Android and iOS apps to connect to your smartphone, plus features to transfer to PC on your home Wi-Fi network.

GPS: Yes.

Always nice to have a quality substitute.

Best second camera

Fuijfilm Finepix F900 EXR ($301)

Photographers who use a DSLR will appreciate this pocket cam that shoots in RAW, the file format that contains minimally processed image data, allowing full editing with photo software.

Auto modes are supplemented by a full manual mode.

Portability: With a slender 3.6mm profile and 232g weight, this is an impressively featured camera that'll still fit in the pocket.

Zoom: The optical zoom telescopes 20x for distance shots, while macro focus performs well too.

Image quality: The 16.1-megapixel lens has a Fuji-exclusive 0.5-inch sensor optimized for lowlight conditions. Burst mode shoots at 10 frames per second.

Viewfinder: No.

Wi-Fi: Yes.

GPS: Yes.

So you can focus on the experience, not the shot.

Ultimate point and shoot

Sony Cybershot RX100 II ($956)

Image quality is often sacrificed for portability in the case of point-and-shoots, but the Cybershot RX100 II is one of the best of a new trend -- compact cameras with bigger sensors.

"They're aimed at photographers who already own a DSLR and want the same photo quality in a pocket camera," says Atherton.

Its hot-shoe interface can take an add-on shutter release controller, handy for long exposures in a romantic ocean shot, or fireworks at Chinese New Year, for example.

Portability: At 3.83cm it's a tad chunkier than other point-and-shoots but worth it for the boost in image quality.

Zoom: The fixed-lens will zoom up to 3.6x, which makes it one of the weaker candidates if distance shots are required.

Image quality: The one-inch sensor on the 20-megapixel lens is excellent for low light, and shallow depths of field are nicely created.

Images can be shot in the RAW format for greater flexibility when editing.

Viewfinder: No, but a tilting LCD display lets you angle the screen to avoid the direct sunlight -- and you can purchase an add-on viewfinder.

Wi-Fi: Yes, with mobile app for connection to smartphones and NFC.

GPS: Yes.

When all you need to know is how to "click."

Best camera for beginners

Nikon S9500 ($310)

With no manual modes but a range of capable auto scene modes, the S9500 is a good choice for novice photographers looking for a Wi-Fi camera and a powerful zoom.

Built-in filters let you add Instagram-esque colors to photos, and you can even set up a four-second exposure by choosing the Fireworks Display mode.

Portability: Slimline and pocket friendly at 3.3cm thick and a mere 207g.

Zoom: The fixed-lens zooms up to 22x and supports close-ups down to a centimeter away.

Image quality: The 18-megapixel lens does a good job on the various night and day auto modes offered, while a panorama mode delivers easy wide-angle shots.

Viewfinder: No.

Wi-Fi: Yes.

GPS: Yes.

Chunky, maybe; quality, for sure.

Most portable DSLR

Nikon D3200 ($564)

Still one of the smallest, lightest DSLR cameras available more than a year after its launch, the Nikon D3200 is an entry-level camera that comes with a Guide Mode to help first-time DSLR users.

If you intend to print your travel photos and image quality is more important than portability, this camera is a reasonably priced and travel-friendly step into the world of DSLRs.

Portability: It won't fit in your pocket or a small handbag, but at just under half a kilo, it won't weigh you down too much either. But extra lenses will add to the weight.

Zoom: The included lens zooms to 3x, so you may want an additional telephoto lens.

Image quality: With a 24.2-megapixel lens and great auto-focus, shots are extremely clear with defined colors.

Viewfinder: Yes.

Wi-Fi: Yes, and it supports a mobile adaptor to pair to Android smartphones.

GPS: Yes.

The Lebron James of cameras.

Best all-rounders

Panasonic GX7 ($1,180)

If you're considering a DSLR for the superior image quality but are put off by the size, a mirrorless camera like the Panasonic GX7 is worth checking out.

It's a touch heavier than a point-and-shoot but packs a sensor as large as those of DSLRs.

"The only downside is that you may need a telephoto lens, which bulks up the weight," says Atherton.

A silent mode is great for keeping street photography discreet, while a chunky hand grip lends more stability if additional lenses upset the center of gravity.

Portability: At a mere 360g, the GX7 offers a massive feature set in a chassis that can easily be slung in a shoulder bag.

Zoom: The basic lens zooms to 3x, but you can also purchase additional lenses for telephoto and wide-angle shots.

Image quality: The 16-megapixel lens produces good detail and color.

Viewfinder: Yes, with a tilt up to 90 degrees so that you can preview those awkward angle shots.

Wi-Fi: Yes, and NFC, which allows pairing and photo-syncing to Android phones and other NFC devices.

GPS: Yes.

And Lebron James' more expensive twin.

Sony Alpha 7 ($2,161)

Another mirrorless camera, the recently released Alpha 7 officially has the biggest sensor in town.

It's the first compact camera to be built with a full-frame sensor -- one as large as the sensors in the high-end DSLRs -- yet it manages it in a chassis that weighs in at 400g.

This makes it a good choice for anyone already using a DSLR who needs a smaller travel snapper -- or an enthusiast looking to upgrade to an interchangeable-lens camera.

Portability: At a touch under 5cm thick the Alpha 7 isn't pocketable for most, but its angular body looks good and the chunky side grip eases those one-handed shots over the side of a boat.

Zoom: The bundled 3x zoom lens is a slender addition to the camera, and it's built to resist dust and water.

Image quality: The 24.3 megapixel lens packs a full-frame sensor that captures in minute detail and excellent colors, in low light as well as bright light.

Viewfinder: Yes, an electronic viewfinder.

Wi-Fi: Yes, and NFC, for pairing with other NFC devices including Android smartphones.

GPS: Yes.

Natasha Stokes is a technology and music writer based in London. Follow her on Twitter @natashastokes