I'm probably not the best placed to answer as I haven't bought a phone in ages but all of my phones over the last 15 years (four or five) have been Sony Xperia (or even Ericsson). Mainly for three reasons:
They are pretty hard wearing
They have a dedicated camera button (not sure if they still do)
They used to do full spec but genuinely compact phones.
I have had this phone for four years (it was second hand then) with no problems. Although it is starting to show its age in terms of battery life and speed and it no longer has the latest OS.
You'll probably find a phone with perhaps a few more bells and whistles but you might not find one with the longevity.
Hope that helps.