The Camp Snap is the camera that arguably sparked a screen-free camera movement – but the small business’ latest refresh brings an even more Y2K look to its retro budget compact camera. The Camp Snap 2 just launched in an all-clear Arctic Frost colorway.

The second-generation Camp Snap launched earlier this summer with a refreshed design that provides access to built-in retro filters without a computer, a slimmer design and less shutter lag. Those updates come with the same concept that Camp Snap is built around: a screen-free shooting experience.

Despite only launching in June 2026, Camp Snap has been steadily adding to the second generation’s color options.

While a handful of semi-transparent models arrived with the initial launch, the latest option in the lineup removes the color from the semi-transparent series, creating a frosted white look that shows off some of the camera’s inner workings.

The fresh look brings a clear option for those who aren’t fans of the semi-transparent bold colors in the lineup, like the lime green, icy blue, bright pink, or purple that are already part of the Jelly Edition options.

Arctic Frost brings the semi-transparent design without the bright color, bringing a hint of the Y2K-era transparent tech trend to the viral compact camera.

When I tried the Camp Snap 2, I loved the new ability to swap filters at the press of a button – but I could still disable this feature when I handed it over to my 6-year-old.

The Camp Snap CS-Pro is probably my favorite in the lineup for adults, but the Camp Snap 2 comes in a hard-to-resist $70 / £54 / AU$130 price point and blends the charm of a disposable camera with the convenience of digital.

The new Arctic Frost colorway is already available from Camp Snap, where the compact camera sells for about $70 / £54 / AU$130. Like the other Camp Snap 2 colors, a memory card is included in that cost and pre-installed.

The company also offers stick-on gemstone packs to add personalized flair to the camera.

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Compare the Camp Snap 2 to the CS-Pro, or browse the best screen-free cameras.

I recently wrote about how crap cameras are being snapped up in droves by a younger audience. This appeared to confirm image quality was no longer the be-all-and-end-all when seeking a dedicated capture device, as opposed to a smartphone.

While its toughened snapshot cameras have found fans in families with children and action shooters wanting a waterproof option, Ricoh cameras have typically been more closely associated with photography specialists than generalists.

Its GR1 camera from 1996, to choose one pertinent example, was a portably lightweight 35mm film compact. Its portable size, no-nonsense design and robust magnesium alloy build, complete with 28mm f/2.8 lens, made it a favourite of street and travel photographers wanting an alternative to a bulkier SLR set up.

Image quality was the aspect that most impressed. It delivered high contrast, detail-rich results for almost a decade before its GR Digital successor arrived in 2005. That it took almost ten years to be replaced highlights just how highly photographers rated it. Ricoh only stopped servicing the GR1 in 2014.

So, it’s no surprise that the digital GR series was well received in its wake and continues to be so. Successive iterations, including even more specialised black and white capture-only spin-offs, are currently bagging multiple placings in top ten camera sales listings, edging aside the likes of Canon and Nikon.

While we’re constantly told by industry watcher CIPA that the fixed lens compact is the only camera category still growing, I can’t imagine the same youthful Gen Z audience that is snapping up cheap and cheerful point-and-shoots is routinely adding a prosumer-grade GR camera from Ricoh to their online basket.

Instead, I’m encouraged and believe there’s still a large enough number of true photography enthusiasts wanting something portably compact, which doesn’t compromise on image quality, to propel Ricoh GR cameras to the top of the best seller lists.

What was once considered niche or specialist, has, in a shrinking market, risen to the top. Or something near it. Japan’s financial institution Nikkei recently reported Ricoh had boosted its camera market share from 0.8% to 2.1%, with its 210,000-unit sales triple that of the previous year.

The GR series’ unassumingly boxy design and serious all-black finish may not be as flashy as the Fujifilm X100IV, but for street photography, it’s the more sensible option.

I’m looking forward to seeing more of Ricoh’s recently teased 40mm f/2.8 GR IVx compact, promising a 25.74MP APS-C sized sensor, when it arrives at the back end of this year. Such spec will tempt photographers looking for something with a viewpoint sufficiently close to human vision for street photography. As well as highlighting that not all digital compacts need to be plastic-y, low-res toys to find favour in challenging times.

Ricoh also gives credence to the belief that sometimes by specialising, rather than attempting to be all things to all men, you can generate just as much, if not more, success.

The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 is one of the most popular cameras in the world right now – and with this $10 saving, it's the perfect time to buy one.

Right now you can snap up the Kodak Pixpro FZ45 for just $89.99 – a great Labor Day saving on this cult compact, with a choice of black, white or red.

The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 has been selling like hotcakes as the craze for old-school compact cameras kicks into overdrive.

Whether you're looking for a pocketable point-and-shoot to take with you on trips or vacations, or you're looking to achieve that nostalgic look for your photos on social media, the FZ45 features a "Friendly Zoom" of 27-108mm – great for covering everything from wide-angle group shots and landscapes to getting close up on distant subjects on the street, at the beach or even the zoo.

The camera packs a flash, digital image stabilization, subject detection for faces, cats and dogs, and a 16MP image sensor capable of FullHD video, and a 2.7-inch rear screen with 230,000 dots of resolution.

A great anything, anywhere, anytime snapper!

Check out our full rundown of the best Labor Day camera deals

The role of the Bridge camera used to be a more defined one. Sitting between the compact camera at one end of the digital camera spectrum and the interchangeable lens system camera at the other, it was positioned to combine elements of both.

Today, we’re firmly in the mirrorless camera generation, with the entry-level models providing a similar handling experience but with a generally larger sensor size; it is more of a challenge to see the benefits even the best bridge cameras can bring to the table.

That is before you look at the lens on the Kodak AZ653. The range is huge! There are spotting scopes which might struggle to provide the magnification of the 1560mm equivalent focal length. Mirrorless lenses might be a lot smaller and lighter than their DSLR counterparts, but an APS-C or full-frame-based lens with this kind of range would still be prohibitively cumbersome and expensive.

Therefore, while it may seem that the market for the AZ653 is a lot smaller than it might have been ten years ago, it should still appeal to photographers who want magnifying power on a budget or are considering a superzoom companion for a Safari trip.

Replacing the earlier AZ652, the new model has a very familiar specification; however, so the question is: has enough been changed, improved, or upgraded over the previous model? And can a camera with a tiny 1/2.3in sensor really be taken seriously for advanced photography assignments?

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Specifications

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Price

The Kodak Pixpro AZ653 is available in most regions, priced at $449 / £349 / AU$ 750. This positions it as a good alternative to many entry-level mirrorless cameras or smartphones, while providing the same focal range as multiple standard zoom lenses rolled into one.

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Design & Handling

I’ve always had a soft spot for the design of a Bridge camera, and the AZ653 is no exception. It is like a miniature DSLR. I say that since it was ultimately the DSLR format that influenced the design of most cameras meant for high-end enthusiasts and professionals that came after them.

The Kodak features a pleasantly deep and sculpted handgrip, which allows a firm hold of the camera even if working single-handed. In fact, there are mirrorless cameras around today that are less comfortable to operate than the AZ653.

Despite it being a small camera body, it’s possible to fit all fingers of the right hand onto the grip, without the little finger left hanging. I did feel tempted to allow my little finger to slip under the camera to support it a little better; however, because it’s such a lightweight product, this wasn’t uncomfortable.

Other than the zoom range itself, a standout feature is the control ring around the lens barrel. This not only gives the camera a more professional look, it also allows tactile control of major camera settings, speeding up operation. It works well for the most part, not least because of how familiar it felt coming from an interchangeable lens system. Out of the box, the ring on my sample camera was set to control the aperture value; however, I didn’t find this especially useful, given the limited F-stop range available.

In the case of this camera’s biggest selling point – that mammoth 65x zoom – it made sense to have the ring control the zoom setting. The downside here is that, because the focal length range is so massive, it takes a long time to actually move through it from 24mm to 1560mm. The ring itself is quite stiff, while the electronic zoom mechanism is at times painfully slow to move the lens elements.

It also has a tendency to stop at intervals through the range, often necessitating a pause before resuming the turn of the control ring to kick-start the zoom once again. This really slows down operation, making the setup unsuitable for ultra-fast subjects.

Since the rotary zoom switch around the shutter button is connected to the same electronic zoom motor and works more quickly, there is sadly much less sense in using the physical ring as a zoom control.

The build quality might not win awards, but the AZ653 still feels well made. It’s reassuringly solid, and while it is quite plastic-y, this is in much the same way as many mirrorless camera bodies and lenses do these days, even the higher-end types. As far as sub-$500 cameras go, the AZ653 is decidedly premium in appearance and finish. I particularly like the rubber coating around the viewfinder, which makes it more comfortable when placed to the eye, and the rubberized material wrapped around the handgrip.

It is disappointing that there is no articulated LCD screen. The fixed monitor adds a dated look to the camera, especially since a flip or twist style screen is now seen as a standard feature of most mid-range cameras. To make matters worse, it’s also not touch-sensitive.

I get it, Kodak is trying to keep costs down, but using features like touch focus, touch shutter and even image and menu scrolling have become muscle memory for many photographers, all of whom will be frustrated by being stuck with the scroll wheel and rocker if they are anything like me.

On a more positive note, all of the buttons are well placed, as is the PASM-style mode dial on the top right of the camera.

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Performance

Ok, so we have to be realistic when setting our expectations regarding the maximum possible quality. In good light, outdoors, the camera is able to produce some reasonably good images. While 20MP isn’t high-resolution by today’s standards, it’s more than enough for A4 prints and social media use. Kodak has also been wise to limit the pixel count on the tiny sensor. The photosites are small enough already, so cramming on 30MP or more just to satisfy the headlines would have likely pushed the image quality too far.

As it is, fine detail starts to suffer above ISO400, especially once the ambient light levels fall outdoors or when shooting in dimly-lit interiors. By ISO3200, files are pretty mushy, although more texture can be extracted from the Raw files than out-of-camera Jpegs, which are subjectively bad across the board, even at the lowest sensitivities.

The integrated zoom lens does actually perform impressively well. I liked the general levels of sharpness, which stayed consistent throughout the (admittedly limited) aperture range. The optics are sharpest in the center of the frame and resolution does fall off heading out towards the corners. There was also a noticeable decline at the longest reaches of the 65x zoom, with blurring of critical detail creeping in from about the top third of the focal range.

Chromatic aberration and distortion are fairly well controlled, as is corner vignetting. This is where the advantages of an integrated lens become clear; many long zooms designed for interchangeable mounts don’t speak so efficiently with the host camera’s digital contributions to aberration correction.

Video fares similarly well. The AZ653 understandably can’t compete with larger sensor cameras like the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, or Nikon Z8, which are now favored by many professional filmmakers over traditional video cameras.

There is the limited depth-of-field control to contend with, introduced by the small sensor, leaving shots with a lot of background detail you must be mindful of when composing your footage. There is also noticeable grain even at modest ISO settings.

You’re also limited to Full HD (1080p), with no provision for 4K. This is likely to bother hybrid content creators who want to capture both still images and B-roll for reels on Instagram and TikTok, particularly those searching for a do-everything camera to take with them on their travels.

The stuttery zoom and autofocus also become a problem when shooting video. On several occasions, the AZ653 lost focus altogether in the middle of a clip, and failed to find it again despite being outdoors in good light, with plenty of contrast to lock on to. Irritatingly, audio is disabled while zooming during recording, most likely to remove the noise created by the motor.

However, with no audio jack or accessory shoe to plug in an external mic, this basically renders the camera useless for video when the subject matter requires reframing mid-footage. There is a USB-C port, so technically you could plug in a wireless receiver such as the one provided with the DJI Mic Mini, but this would also make it impossible to hold the handgrip, located just in front.

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Verdict

The Kodak Pixpro AZ653 is not a bad camera. As far as entry-level cameras go, it actually represents reasonable value. For less than $500, you’re getting a feature set big enough for most beginners, enough resolution for online use, a sharp lens with an incredibly versatile focal range, and a premium handling experience.

As long as you’re aware of the limitations of the small sensor area, and are willing to accept the poorer low-light performance in exchange for an ultra-lightweight build and form factor, the AZ653 will tick most of the boxes for a reliable travel companion.

That said, some fairly major compromises have clearly been made to keep the cost down. The LCD screen is disappointing, both in the preview quality and the lack of touch sensitivity and articulation. These can be seen as essential features in a camera made for 2026 audiences, and their omission is hard to ignore.

This is also not a camera I’d recommend you buy for video features. It is almost like video was included as a token rather than as an integrated part of the specification. It’s a shame as with provision for external accessories to be used, namely an external mic, the AZ653 would have been a near-perfect vlogging camera: small, discreet, and able to cover almost all subjects you might encounter in an average day.

As it is, the AZ653 seems like a bit of a relic of the 2010’s that has managed to live on well beyond its expected shelf life. However, if you can look past the obvious shortcomings, there is very limited competition for the balance of price and lens reach.

Alternatives

Check out our full guide to the best bridge cameras for other options

An Instagram photographer with a passion for capturing sun flares has released a Reel along with the rather dramatic caption: “This photo just destroyed my camera's sensor… was it worth it??”

Karna Hansen’s (@karnawesthansen) video has certainly garnered plenty of attention, with 4.3 million views and counting. The picture is an absolute stunner; a perfect ring of flare surrounded by a patchwork of foliage. But did the photographer really destroy their camera in the process?

Karna shot the image on the Fujifilm X100F. The description of the video reveals that the camera does, in fact, still work, but says that “Every time I take a photo like this the camera sensor gets less and less usable.”

In reality, it’s unlikely that the sensor will degrade over time. The real danger is damage happening in the moment, but there are a few reasons why Karna’s compact camera is unlikely to get damaged from a shot such as this.

Firstly, this kind of photography should not be confused with solar eclipse photography, where you’re typically using a long lens that concentrates the sun’s rays onto the sensor, and/or longer exposures, which extend the time harmful rays make contact with the sensor. As such, a solar filter is essential for subjects such as solar eclipses and solar flares.

But Karna’s sunburst is taken at a wider angle, so the sun is smaller in the frame, and the exposure would probably have been fairly quick. In all likelihood, the camera’s sensor is in very little danger. That said, I don’t mind a little hyperbole in this instance, because it’s no bad thing to warn others of the harmful impact the sun can have on your camera.

Ultimately, the longer your camera is exposed to the sun, the more you risk damage. If you’re using live view or a mirrorless camera, where the shutter curtain is open, damage can occur even if you’re not taking a photo. And yet, as somebody who’s shot plenty of sunbursts and portraits with sun flare, I’ve not ruined a camera yet.

One other thing you must always be wary of is how to protect your eyes when pointing your camera towards the sun. The Fujifilm X100F sports Fujifilm’s Hybrid Viewfinder, which means it can be used as an electronic viewfinder and an optical viewfinder. When photographing the sun, it is imperative that you never look at it through an optical viewfinder, as this could seriously damage your eyesight.

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Want more sunny tips and tricks? How to create portraits with flare. Sunbursts and starbursts: shoot stunning sun flare photography. Cheat at photography: create realistic lens flares in Photoshop.

The pocketable design has propelled the Ricoh GR series into viral popularity – but the line's long-lensed sibling is about to get discontinued as the company makes way for a new model. In one fell swoop, Ricoh announced both the discontinuation of the Ricoh GR IIIx and the development of the Ricoh GR IVx.

The x-numbered compact cameras bring a longer 40mm lens to Ricoh’s popular GR series. With the Ricoh GR IV launched last year, fans have been eagerly anticipating the pocketable camera’s long-lensed sibling – and on August 26, Ricoh announced that the GR IVx is in development, expected to arrive in the Winter of 2026 at the earliest.

Ricoh says that the GR IVx will come with a "newly developed GR lens."

While the Ricoh GR IVx may not be coming for several months yet, Ricoh has already shared a full list of specifications. That list hints that, like the GR III to the GR IIIx, the GR IVx will have the same 25.74 APS-C sensor, but swaps out the GR IV’s 28mm equivalent lens for a 40mm equivalent one, a 26.1mm f/2.8 lens.

Like the original, the GR IVx looks to keep what makes the compact camera series so popular: The large sensor inside a small camera. The upcoming Ricoh GR IVx has nearly the same dimensions as the existing camera; it’s just a few millimeters deeper and weighs slightly more for that longer lens.

I’ve used several Ricoh GR series compact cameras, and the X model is the one that I always lean towards. A 40mm equivalent lens is close to what the human eye sees. It’s a happy-medium focal length that can still shoot landscapes but doesn’t have the ultra-wide distortion when shooting portraits. Since I’m more of a portrait photographer than a landscape photographer, I’ve always gravitated more towards models like the GR IIIx.

In the GR IIIx review, the camera is described as "a camera that should be shouted about more," and I completely agree.

Ricoh says that because certain parts are no longer available, the Ricoh GR IIIx, as well as the GR IIIx HDF and GR IIIx Urban Edition, will end production in Japan in October 2026. Ricoh says that overseas availability may differ outside of Japan, but it looks like after this fall, the GR IIIx will become even harder to find.

The announcement of a new model just around the corner will likely encourage many to wait for the GR IVx – but I think there’s actually still a good reason for going for the GR IIIx even with a new model on the horizon.

Why? The Ricoh GR IV launched at a significantly higher list price than the GR III. In the US, the difference was about a 50 percent increase.

Ricoh hasn’t shared the price of the upcoming GR IVx yet, but the GR IIIx did launch at a slightly higher price than the GR III.

The list price of the Ricoh GR IIIx has already risen above its original launch price, thanks to high demand and the increasing costs for parts. But the GR IIIx is still cheaper than the GR IV in several regions. In the US, the GR IIIx is about $350 cheaper than the GR IV right now. In the UK, the price difference is about £200.

That’s enough of a savings to sway some not to wait for the new model, considering the old one won't be around when the new one launches. The GR IV got a new processor, more internal storage, better battery life, and a slight resolution bump from the Ricoh GR III – and the GR IVx looks to follow that same list of upgrades, just with a newly designed 40mm equivalent lens.

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Learn the differences between the different Ricoh GR series compact cameras, or read about the unique black-and-white-only Ricoh GR IV Monochrome.

Japan's latest compact camera sales figures from major retailer Yodobashi are in – and in the Top 10 chart for the first half of August 2026 are many cult point-and-shoot cameras that are years old. At the top of the ranking sits a compact first released eight years ago, then relaunched in 2024 with essentially the same technology.

The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite takes the crown despite the wave of new compact camera launches lately, including Panasonic champions like the Lumix L10 or ZS300 / TZ300. It is hard to find stock, with second-hand prices often climbing above its original RRP of $699.95 / £549.99.

Yodobashi also reveals just how high demand is for some of the cameras on the list: four of the Top 10 are currently on backorder, including the No.1, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III (No.2), Ricoh GR IV (No.4), and Fujifilm X100VI (No.5) – all made the ranking due to previously placed orders. Sony's ZV-1 II also made the Top 10, despite being currently out of production.

Yodobashi's Top 10 best-selling compact cameras, 1st Half Aug 2026

1. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite | Silver | Black backordered
2. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III | Black | Silver backordered
3. Sony ZV-1 II | Black | White currently out of production
4. Ricoh GR IV backordered
5. Fujifilm X100VI | Silver | Black backordered
6. Sony RX10 V
7. Panasonic Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 | Black | White
8. Canon IXY 650M / Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A | Black | Silver
9. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Brown | Black
10. Panasonic Lumix TX3 / ZS300 / TZ300 | Black | Graphite Silver

Canon's unbeatable PowerShot compact cameras

When the original Canon PowerShot SX740 HS launched in 2018, the compact camera market looked very different from today. Straightforward point-and-shoots were popular, while premium compacts (now found across the category) were far less common.

Canon clearly found a winning formula with the SX740 HS, and the Lite Edition keeps that formula largely intact. It uses the same core camera technology as the original, with the main difference being the removal of in-camera USB charging in favor of an external battery charger.

The appeal is easy to understand: a genuinely pocketable camera, a huge 40x optical zoom (24–960mm equivalent), and a familiar, straightforward shooting experience – a combination that remains difficult to replace, even as newer compacts arrive with more advanced technology.

Another Canon model making the list is the PowerShot G7 X Mark III, also a model that is years old. It launched in 2019, yet remains one of the most sought-after compact cameras on the market.

Compared with the SX740 HS / Lite, the G7 X Mark II has a 1-inch sensor and a bright 24-100mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 lens with 4.2x optical zoom.

Featuring a sensor format that is used in many of the best compact cameras, it gives users a big step up in image quality from most camera phones or action cams, also when compared to the smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor of the SX740 HS / Lite.

The Canon G7 X Mark III is more expensive second-hand

Used prices are now often higher than the G7 X Mark III's original retail price.

While this might seem unusual for an older camera, renewed interest in compact cameras and the dedicated shooting experience that differs from shooting with a smartphone are key factors. Social media also helped fuel the point-and-shoot revival.

With the camera now difficult to find in stock, that popularity has collided with limited supply – pushing second-hand prices well above what you'd normally expect from a camera release in 2019.

So while newer compact cameras continue to arrive with more advanced technology, the latest Yodobashi chart shows that buyers are still driven to get one of the established Canon cult models, winning with their proven formula.

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Browse the best compact cameras, the best APS-C compact cameras, and the best point-and-shoot cameras.

Fujifilm took inspiration from the X100-series of compact cameras when it crammed a medium format sensor inside a compact camera – but now the Fujifilm GFX100RF has swept all three of the world’s biggest awards for product design.

The Fujifilm GFX100RF has now earned a Bronze Award from the International Design Excellence Awards, or IDEA 2026. While the IDEA Awards were just announced earlier this month, the GFX100RF had already earned a 2026 IF Design Award and the Red Dot Design Award ‘Best of the Best.’

Together, the IDEA, IF Design, and Red Dot awards are considered the world’s three largest product design awards – and the GFX100RF has now earned honors across all three competitions.

The GFX100RF uses the same 102MP medium format tucked inside mirrorless cameras like the GFX 100S. But what’s unusual about the GFX100RF is that it takes that sensor and crams it into the body of a compact camera with a fixed lens.

I took the GFX100RF on a trip last year to Los Angeles, California, and the camera felt small enough to forget that I was shooting with a luxurious medium format sensor.

The GFX100RF takes some inspiration from Fujifilm’s viral X100VI, carrying a similar retro look and feel – yet the GFX100RF carries some key design differences. The entire top plate is made out of one block of aluminum. The camera carries a definitive luxury feel in the build quality alone.

The design of the GFX100RF also elevates access to a handful of controls. The medium-format compact camera has some of the same top dials as Fujifilm’s other retro cameras. But, the GFX100RF also has a dedicated dial made just for quickly adjusting the aspect ratio. Another lever controls zoom – which is only digital, not optical, but 102MP leaves a whole lot of room for cropping and still getting excellent detail.

Putting digital zoom onto a lever on the camera body left some space on the built-in 35mm f/4 lens (28mm on full-frame equivalent). Fujifilm tucked in another control ring here that can be customized inside the camera’s menu.

Fujifilm’s recent camera designs haven’t gone unnoticed. The GFX100RF sits alongside popular cameras with a less luxurious price point like the X100VI, the X-E5, and the X-T30 III. Fujifilm’s viral cameras – and beloved retro designs – are likely one of the reasons that the company has seen huge leaps in camera shipments over the last two years, recently rising to the top three of Japan’s camera makers.

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I have always had a slightly complicated relationship with Leica's Q cameras. I loved shooting with the Leica Q2 Reporter when I reviewed it around its launch, and I have spent plenty of time with the Leica Q3 as well. Both are exceptional cameras in their own right, but there was always one thing stopping me from completely falling for them: that 28mm lens.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Leica's Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. In fact, optically it is superb, and on both the Q2 and Q3 it makes for an incredibly capable combination. The problem was simply me. At the time, I was almost exclusively a 50mm shooter, so moving to 28mm always felt like I was standing just a little too far away from the photograph I actually wanted to make. The camera was brilliant, but the way it saw the world did not quite match the way I did. The Q2 and Q3 could simulate longer focal lengths through their crop modes, but I always wanted that tighter field of view to be there optically from the start. Then, in September 2024, Leica threw something of a curveball.

Rather than simply updating the Q3 again or releasing another special edition, Leica launched the Q3 43. Fundamentally, it was the Q3 that people already knew, complete with its 60MP full-frame sensor, autofocus system and compact form, but on the front was something completely new: an APO-Summicron 43mm f/2 ASPH. fixed lens. Suddenly the Q was no longer a camera that effectively told you that 28mm was the Leica way of seeing the world. There was another choice. And for me, that changed everything.

I had always thought that if Leica produced a Q with something closer to a 50mm lens, it would make far more sense for the way I photograph. Leica did not quite give us 50mm, but I actually think its decision to go with 43mm was more interesting. The company reasoned that 43mm provides a perspective close to natural human vision, allowing the photographer to see something, raise the camera, and photograph it with relatively little change in perspective. Leica described the focal length as closely mirroring natural perception, and while arguments about exactly which focal length best represents human eyesight will probably continue forever, I completely understood what Leica was trying to achieve.

It also meant Leica did not simply take the existing Q3 and bolt a longer version of the same lens onto it. The APO-Summicron 43mm f/2 ASPH. gave the camera a completely different identity. Some photographers inevitably questioned why Leica had gone from the f/1.7 Summilux on the 28mm Q3 to an f/2 Summicron, but I think that misses the point slightly. This was an apochromatically corrected lens designed specifically for the Q3 43, and Leica clearly wanted outright optical performance as much as outright speed. The company says the lens was engineered to deliver high sharpness and contrast even at its maximum f/2 aperture. More importantly, it opened the Q system up to photographers like me.

Twenty-eight millimetres is fantastic for environmental work, travel, street photography and situations where you want to place a subject firmly within its surroundings. But not everybody sees photographs that way. Some of us naturally isolate things. We see a person across the road, a detail on a building or a moment happening slightly further into a scene and instinctively want to tighten the frame. With 43mm, the Q suddenly allowed you to do that without immediately reaching for a digital crop. That, I believe, is why the Q3 43 mattered far beyond being another Leica launch.

To be clear, Leica did not invent the idea of putting a more normal focal length onto a premium fixed-lens camera. Ricoh had already launched the Ricoh GR IIIx in 2021 with a 40mm-equivalent lens, specifically in response to photographers wanting an alternative to the 28mm GR III. What Leica did differently was take that idea into the very top end of the market and prove that photographers were prepared to spend serious money on it. I do not have Leica's internal sales figures, so I cannot tell you categorically how many Q3 43 bodies were sold compared with the regular Q3. But I can tell you what I saw.

Around the launch, getting hold of one appeared incredibly difficult. Stock disappeared, retailers had waiting lists, and for a while the Q3 43 seemed to be one of those cameras that people were desperate to find. Then something happened that really stuck with me. I was out shooting in London not long after launch and saw six Leica Q3 43 cameras being used in a single day. A week or so later, I saw another two being used on a beach in Cornwall.

Eight cameras might not sound remarkable when you are talking about Canon, Sony or Nikon, where thousands upon thousands of bodies are circulating. But eight examples of the same brand-new Leica, a camera costing several thousand pounds, appearing in front of me within roughly a week? That got my attention.

It suggested to me that the Q3 43 was reaching beyond the traditional Leica audience. These did not feel like cameras being bought simply because somebody wanted another Leica for the collection. The Q3 43 made sense as a standalone photographic tool, and I suspect it brought plenty of photographers into the Leica ecosystem who might never have considered an M camera or an interchangeable-lens SL. That is where I think its wider influence becomes particularly interesting.

Within months, the premium fixed-lens camera market suddenly felt far more important. Fujifilm unveiled the GFX100RF in March 2025, taking its 102MP large-format sensor and putting it into the first fixed-lens GFX camera. Its native lens remained a 28mm-equivalent design, so it was not copying the Q3 43's focal length, but the philosophy was remarkably familiar: take extremely high image quality, pair the sensor permanently with a carefully optimised prime lens and build the whole thing into a camera that photographers could carry without an interchangeable-lens system.

Then Sony returned to a category it had effectively left dormant for almost a decade. In July 2025, it launched the Sony RX1R III, combining a 61MP full-frame sensor with a fixed 35mm f/2 Zeiss lens. Sony even added Step Crop Shooting for 35mm, 50mm and 70mm framing, leaning heavily into the idea that a high-resolution sensor and one exceptional fixed prime could provide more flexibility than the words "fixed lens" might initially suggest.

Can I prove that Leica's Q3 43 caused Fujifilm to build the GFX100RF or persuaded Sony to resurrect the RX1R? No, and development cycles mean those cameras would almost certainly have been taking shape long before the Q3 43 reached customers. But I do think Leica helped validate where the market was heading. It showed there was serious appetite for an expensive, highly specialised camera that deliberately removed the choice of interchangeable lenses and instead concentrated on giving photographers one excellent way of seeing. That is an important distinction.

For years, camera development was largely about giving us more. More lenses, more focal lengths, more megapixels, more video modes, more autofocus modes and more buttons. Cameras like the Q3 43 work almost in the opposite direction. They give you an incredibly capable sensor and then deliberately restrict one of the biggest choices a photographer normally has. Here is your lens. Here is your field of view. Now go and make photographs. And photographers clearly embraced that.

Today, the situation is very different from those first frantic months after launch. In the UK, major retailers now show the Q3 43 either in stock or available in limited quantities rather than with the long waits that surrounded it early on. Park Cameras currently lists it as in stock, while Wex has recently shown limited stock. It has gone from being the Leica everybody appeared to be hunting for to an established part of the Q family.

I think that is perhaps the greatest compliment you can give it. The Q3 43 did not feel like a novelty that Leica produced simply because it could. It became a genuine alternative to the regular Q3. And that changed the conversation around fixed-lens cameras.

The question was no longer simply whether you could live with a fixed lens. It became which fixed lens you wanted.

That sounds like a small difference, but I think it is enormous. Leica effectively turned focal length into a model choice rather than a limitation. Instead of choosing between a compact camera and an interchangeable-lens camera, photographers could start choosing between different interpretations of the same compact-camera philosophy.

The original Q3 remains an incredible camera and, for photographers who naturally see the world at 28mm, it probably remains the better choice. But for those of us who always wanted to step slightly closer without physically doing so, the Q3 43 finally made the Q concept click.

I wanted a Q with a tighter lens for years. Leica eventually gave me one, just not quite the 50mm I expected. And in doing so, I think it helped reshape what the premium compact camera could be.

Shop Leica Q3 43

There was a lot of discussion surrounding the Panasonic Lumix L10. But it's fair to say that the bulk of it was about, well, the bulk of it.

It was pretty unaninmous that the L10 is a fantastic compact camera – but it was also pretty unanimous that it was too big to be considered "compact".

Indeed, a lot of people lamented that it's bigger than the Lumix LX100 – a camera that Panasonic doesn't make any more. But just because Panasonic doesn't make it any more, doesn't mean you can't still buy it!

There were so many people saying, "I would buy this if it was smallerm" and "This would be the perfect compact camera if it was the size of the LX100".

Folks, the LX100 already exists! You can buy it right now!

It's always baffled me that camera reviewers – and tech reviewers in general – seem to forget about anything that isn't on the shelves right now. I understand that people want to read about what's new, but kit doesn't cease to exist just because it's not currently being manufactured.

The Lumix LX100 is a perfect case in point.

Right now, everyone is looking for a truly pocketable, powerful compact camera. Everyone wanted that luscious Leica 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 lens in a smaller body. What they're looking for is the LX100 – or perhaps the Lumix LX100 II.

The Lumix LX100 packs a 16.84MP sensor while the LX100 II's is 21.77MP sensor, with both cameras offering the same multi-aspect ratio shooting experience as the L10 (for up to 12.7MP or 17MP resolution respectively).

The autofocus is Panasonic's more leisurely DFD system (Depth From Defocus, aka contrast detect), which isn't as snappy as the L10's Phase Hybrid AF, but for the sedate kind of everyday, travel and street shooting you'll be doing, it's absolutely fine.

When it comes to continuous shooting, the LX100 actually out-bursts the L10's 30fps by offering up to 40fps in Super High speed mode, though the caveat is that these are low-res 3MP files. Otherwise, both the LX100 and LX100 II match the L10's 11fps mechanical speed (but bursts with AF are limited to 5.5 and 6.5fps respectively).

Obviously there is a gaping chasm in video capability, with the L10 offering 5.6K 60p with all the bells and whistles, while its predecessors are capped at more basic 4K 30p – though pretty much everyone concedes that these are primarily stills cameras.

Still, the most important aspect of this conversation is the size: where the L10 lumbers in at 127.1 x 73.9 x 66.9mm and 508g, the L100 is a mere 114.8 x 66.2 x 55.0mm and 393g while the LX100 II is a bit more butch at 115.0 x 66.2 x 64.2 mm and 392g.

Those numbers may not look like much on paper but, as you can see, in practice they make all the difference. The L10 is the same size as the Lumix S9, a full frame mirrorless camera, while the LX100 (in particular) and the LX100 II are truly compact compact cameras.

The only issue, of course, is that these cameras aren't current… but again, they are still very much available! The LX100 you see here came from MPB, a used camera specialist that's a great equalizer when it comes to conversations like this.

When you buy from somewhere like MPB, you're not limited to what a company is trying to sell you right now – you can explore its entire back-catalog to find the camera you actually want. So, if you want a camera that's closer to the LX100 than the L10, I recommend you give it a look.

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The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III launched in 2019 at a time when compact cameras were losing steam to smartphones. But then, five years after it launched, something unusual happened: influencers discovered what the camera’s one-inch sensor and zoom lens could do. And suddenly, the aging G7 X Mark III was a viral sensation.

But because the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III’s viral fame came as point-and-shoots were declining, the camera’s fame came at a cost – literally. With the unexpected surge in popularity, the G7 X Mark III quickly went out of stock. Used prices shot up, and third-party sellers started charging far more than the camera’s $879 / £859 / AU$1,349 list price.

Canon hasn’t been sitting on the trend, either – the camera maker has already increased compact camera production several times. Last August, Canon officially said that the G7 X Mark III was among the models that had increased production and the company resumed orders for the popular camera in Japan.

But one year later, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is still so popular that it’s hard to find in stock – at least, at list price. In the US, even used models of the G7 X Mark III are selling for more than $1,500 at reputable used camera stores like KEH, MBP and Adorama.

The PowerShot’s popularity isn’t unwarranted. The camera uses a 20.1MP, 1-inch sensor that’s larger than that of the average point-and-shoot camera.

But while compact cameras with larger sensors aren’t hard to find, the G7 X Mark III also packs a 24-240mm equivalent zoom lens. That longer lens is more flattering for portraits, helping to drive the camera’s viral popularity among influencers and content creators.

But creators also rave about its built-in flash, which is far more powerful than that of a smartphone's. Where a phone uses LED lights, the G7 X Mark III uses a Xenon flash – which is more powerful and helps deliver that more retro direct flash look.

As compacts have resurged in trends, camera makers have been scrambling to add new options – and there are now far more to choose from than when the G7 X Mark III first went viral in 2024. Yet the camera still has a unique blend of sensor, lens and flash.

The new Panasonic Lumix L10 has a larger Micro Four Thirds sensor and a 24-75mm equivalent zoom, but there’s no flash.

The longtime favorite Sony RX100 VII – released the same year as the G7 X Mark III – has a longer lens and still has a flash, but the aperture isn’t as bright, and the list price is far higher (though about equal to what used G7 X Mark III’s are selling for).

Canon’s own PowerShot V1 has a similar sensor, but uses a wider lens with a shorter 16-50mm focal range for photos. Because the V1 is meant more for vlogging, the camera doesn’t have a built-in flash (though there’s a Multi-Function Shoe that supports some Canon flashes and standard flashes with a hot shoe adapter).

This year marks the PowerShot series’ 30th anniversary – and the milestone is coming at a time when compacts have made a comeback, despite the capabilities of camera phones.

Canon has increased compact camera production multiple times since the G7 X Mark III went viral and said that production will increase again in the second half of 2026. The question that remains is this: when will the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III be readily available at list price?

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The earliest camera phones came with megapixel counts that required a decimal point. But as modern camera phones are surpassing the triple-digit megapixel mark, one camera store in Japan has noticed a trend: the low-resolution compact cameras from two decades ago are suddenly in high demand.

A used camera store chain in Japan, Five Star Camera, has such a large selection of older cameras – and, in particular, CCD-sensor-based compact cameras – that the store says around 90% of its customers come from overseas.

But a recent interview with the store’s representatives highlights a few key trends in the used camera industry – especially the dominance of early 2000s compacts, which have become so popular that some now sell for 400% their original price.

“Among compact digital cameras, models equipped with CCD sensors of around 5 to 7 megapixels are particularly popular,” Ryoya Hayakawa, the manager for the Nishi-Shinjuku branch of Five Star Camera, told Japanese publication DC Watch (translated by Google).

“Their grainy image quality is favored as a retro style that iPhones can't replicate. However, there's a tendency towards prioritizing looks over specifications, a trend often referred to as the ‘Y2K style.’”

While early 2000s digital compact cameras have been trending for a few years now, the interview highlights a key reason behind the trend: “Looks over specifications.”

The demand for 20-year-old compact cameras is about getting a certain look to the images. Digital cameras have now largely moved away from CCD sensors to CMOS, but the older sensor format is particularly well known for its color rendering.

Whether or not CCD sensors deliver a more “film-like” look is a highly debated topic among photographers, but Y2K-era cameras in themselves have a unique retro look: the lower-resolution files, early digital color science and cheaper lenses inside basic point-and-shoots create a certain quality.

That was often paired with a powerful direct flash that, in itself, also carries a retro vibe.

The drive ”backwards” towards less perfect, low-tech cameras is an interesting turn as digital photography reaches exceedingly advanced capabilities with high resolution, global shutters, and faster frame rates.

The trend towards older cameras highlights the fact that the value in a photograph is often not the technical quality but the memory itself.

Yet there is a downside to the continued trend towards using old compact cameras: price. Five Star Camera noted that some models are going for four times their original price, such as early Ricoh GR series cameras.

The interview echoes a previous report from another camera store in Japan, Komehyo, that hinted the demand for used compact cameras has increased five times over what the market looked like five to six years ago.

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The compact camera trend is putting portability back in the spotlight, but one start-up is working to build a camera so small, it’s only about the size of a lipstick and weighs less than a golf ball. The SNYP Pocket Camera is an unusually shaped camera with a rotating lens.

The SNYP Pocket Camera weighs just 33g, but the rectangular shape and small size mean you'd be forgiven if you mistook it for a tube of lipstick.

The size isn’t the only unusual feature. The camera’s lens, which sits at the top of the “lipstick” tube, can rotate 360 degrees. That rotation allows users to still see the 1.45-inch screen when snapping selfies.

The small camera still manages to fit in a 16MP resolution for stills and 2K for video, though the start-up doesn’t say what size or kind of sensor is tucked inside the tiny camera.

The SNYP Pocket Camera comes with a handful of built-in filters that swap with the press of a button. There’s one inspired by retro film, but there’s also another inspired by CCD sensors and early 2000s compact cameras.

Because of the small size, there's no built-in flash.

Along with shooting photos and videos, the camera has an audio-only mode, allowing it to double as a voice recorder.

At the bottom, the camera has a microSD card slot and a USB-C port for charging and transferring images. At the top, the camera has a vent for cooling and heat dissipation.

The size of the Pocket Camera reminds me a bit of the Kodak Charmera. The camera from SNYP lacks a keychain and comes with an unusual rotating lens and higher resolution, but the compact design, built-in screen, and different filter options feel like the upcoming camera could be trying to go after the same audience.

The SNYP Pocket Camera is launching on Kickstarter, with the campaign ending on August 26. Pledges begin at $49 (about £36 / AU$69 CA$68), with shipping estimated for November 2026. The camera is expected to retail for twice that outside of the crowdfunding platform.

All crowdfunding pledges carry some risk. The Pocket Camera is the first campaign from the startup SNYP.

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Compact cameras have been rapidly rising in trends, but the latest list of trending cameras from Japan hints at another trend that may be prevailing over size: zoom. Some 40% of the best-selling compact cameras in Japan have at least 15x zoom, including the newly launched Sony RX10 V bridge camera.

The data comes from Japanese camera retailer Yodobashi’s list of best-selling compacts for the second half of July. While the list includes several repeat offenders – like the top-ranked Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III, the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS and the viral Fujifilm X100VI – one camera on the list is so new that sales were only open for a single day in July.

The RX10 V only became available on July 31, but the bridge camera came as a surprise announcement after Sony had previously discontinued the 1-inch sensor zoom series without a sign of a replacement.

The RX10 V is hardly a “compact” camera; it weighs about 2 lbs / 1,111g, thanks to a highly versatile 24-600mm equivalent lens. As a bridge camera, it looks more like a small DSLR than a point-and-shoot camera, but Yodobashi defines anything with a fixed, non-removable lens as a “compact camera,” so the superzoom made the list.

The Sony RX10 V sits squarely in the middle of the top ten at spot number five, but that’s quite an impressive ranking for a camera that, technically, only had one day of sales compared to the other cameras on the list that were available during that entire time period.

The RX10 V is one of four cameras on the list with a versatile zoom lens. The PowerShot SX740 HS (second place) has the longest of the bunch with a 40x lens, followed by the Panasonic Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 with a 30x zoom (eighth place), the RX10 V with 25x (fifth place) and the Panasonic Lumix ZS300/TZ300 with a 15x zoom lens (tenth place).

The list hints that zoom remains a key feature for compact cameras – even when that zoom makes the camera no longer pocketable, as is the case with the Sony RX10 V.

While the list is dominated by cameras with zoom, compacts with oversized sensors remain highly popular. The Fujifilm X100VI sits in third place, but is out of stock and likely could have ranked even higher had more been available.

The Ricoh GR IV – which, like the X100VI, has an APS-C sensor – is also so popular that it’s out of stock at the retailer, but still manages to earn a sixth-place spot in the rankings.

While much of the list leans towards cameras with zoom, the GR IV and X100VI use lenses without optical zoom, instead fitting a larger sensor and brighter aperture into a portable design.

The list also includes one popular vlogging camera, the Sony ZV-1 II, which has an 18-50mm equivalent lens.

The list also highlights the popularity of point-and-shoots that sit on the more affordable side, with two budget models on the list, the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A (known as the Canon IXY 650m in Japan) and the Kodak PixPro C1.

The best-selling compact cameras at Yodobashi, second half of July 2026

1. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III
2. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS
3. Fujifilm X100VI
4. Sony ZV-1 II
5. Sony RX10 V
6. Ricoh GR IV
7. Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A
8. Panasonic Lumix TZ99
9. Kodak Pixpro C1
10. Panasonic Lumix ZS300/TZ300

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Japan's latest compact camera sales rankings are in – and the same three point-and-shoot cameras are dominating the top of the chart once again.

At number one is the Kodak Pixpro FZ55, which was crowned Japan's overall best-selling camera of 2025 – a ranking that included mirrorless cameras, not just compacts. But close behind sits the real retro everyday champion.

The Pixpro FZ55 was originally launched in 2023 and features a 16MP sensor with 5x zoom. Available for only $139.99 / £129, the little camera is a familiar face at the top spot. But also on the podium is a camera that we've seen several times: the Kodak Pixpro C1, taking the second and third spots in different color variations.

The Pixpro C1 is a camera you can throw in your bag for casual fun. Compared with the Pixpro FZ55, it features a 2.8-inch rear LCD screen that flips up 180°, making it useful for selfies and shooting from different angles. Priced at just $99.99 / £79, it's the cheapest compact in the list – and its retro look is a big part of its appeal.

BCN+R compact camera ranking (Jul 26)

1. Kodak Pixpro FZ55 | Black
2. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Black
3. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Brown
4. Canon IXY 650 M (aka Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A) | Silver
5. Instax Mini Evo | Brown
6. Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 | Black
7. Kodak Pixpro WPZ2
8. Kenko Tokina KC-AF11 BK | Black
9. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite | Black
10. Instax Mini Evo | Black

Sales data compiled by BCN+R, which aggregates nationwide sales figures from major electronic retailers and online platforms across Japan.

The Kodak Pixpro series is popular in Japan

In BCN's Top 10 compact cameras of July 2026, 40% of the models are from Kodak's Pixpro line – all relatively low-profile models compared with most mirrorless cameras.

These little point-and-shoots don't chase the latest AI autofocus or 8K video. They're built simply, are easy to carry and require very little photography knowledge to operate.

Those qualities may sound basic, but they are exactly what make these compacts so popular in Japan. For many, simplicity and affordability still beat a long specification sheet – and that's unlikely to change any time soon.

Older compact cameras rule the Japanese market

Japan's best-selling compact models are nearly three years old on average, even as we've seen a new wave of point-and-shoot camera launches.

While that may not seem particularly old for a camera, it's a striking figure in a market known for rapid product cycles.

The oldest model is the Kodak Pixpro WPZ2, released in October 2019, while the newest model is the Kodak Pixpro C1, released in April 2025.

For buyers in Japan, familiarity clearly matters. Established compact cameras have proven themselves over time and continue to sell steadily, even without major updates. And the trend isn't limited to one brand.

There is also a strong element of nostalgia and retro appeal, with compact cameras increasingly seen as fun, lifestyle-oriented devices rather than professional tools.

That's what we see in the success of the retro-styled Pixpro C1, which combines a low price with a design that feels very different from camera phones that most people carry every day.

Sometimes, it seems, people just want a little camera they can take everywhere. And in Japan, some of those cameras have been doing exactly that for years.

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Small enough to slip in your pocket and affordable enough for almost any budget, these trendy compact cameras make everyday photography fun.

They don't often go on sale, but these three models are currently slightly reduced in price. The discounts are modest, but they make already budget-friendly cameras just a little more appealing.

The Kodak Pixpro C1 in black is now $99.99 at Adorama – you save $20 off Kodak's MSRP of $119.99.(Brown & tan design also available for $199.99)

The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 in red is now $109.99 at Adorama – you save $9.01 off its original $119 price. (Blue, black & white design also available for $109.99)

The Chuzhao Digital camera is now $31.49 on Amazon – you save at least $3.50 off the listed $34.99 price. This camera is priced between $36 and $50, depending on the retailer.

• The Kodak Pixpro C1 in brown is $99.99 (instead of Kodak's MSRP of $119.99)
• The Kodak Pixpro C1 in tan is $99.99 (instead of Kodak's MSRP of $119.99)

• The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 in blue is $109.99 (was $119)
• The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 in black is $109.99 (was $119.95)
• The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 in white is $109.99 (was $119.95)

• The Chuzhao Digital Camera in red is $34.18 (was $37.98)

Kodak Pixpro C1

Kodak's Pixpro C1 is the brand's best budget selfie compact right now – thanks to its flip screen and wide-angle lens, making it more convenient than the FZ45 or Chuzhao for self-recording and vlogging-style clips.

However, it trades on image quality and flexibility, so if you care more about zoom or detail, the FZ45 is the stronger pick. If you want ease and selfies over everything else, the C1 is the camera for you.

Kodak Pixpro FZ45

Compared to the C1 and Chuzhao, the FZ45 is the most traditional camera here – it's the only one with real optical zoom, which makes it more versatile for travel and distance shots.

You lose the flip screen and retro charm, but gain reach and a more familiar shooting experience. The FZ45 is the camera for you if you want a simple holiday or everyday camera rather than a novelty or selfie device.

Chuzhao Digital Camera

The Chuzhao Digital Camera is the most characterful camera of the group – and all about enjoying the process of taking photos. The square format, waist-level viewfinder and TLR-inspired design make shooting feel playful – in a way none of the Kodak compacts really replicate.

While the FZ45 is about straightforward practicality and the C1 leans into selfie convenience, the Chushao is all about atmosphere, nostalgia and creative expression in your pocket.

Browse the best compact cameras, the best retro compact cameras, and the best cheap cameras.

Small enough to slip in your pocket and affordable enough for almost any budget, these trendy compact cameras make everyday photography fun.

They don't often go on sale, but these three models are currently slightly reduced in price. The discounts are modest, but they make already budget-friendly cameras just a little more appealing.

The Kodak Pixpro C1 is now £77.59 on Amazon – you save £16.41 off its £94 RRP.

The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 is now £104 at Currys – you save £7 off its original £111 price.

The Chuzhao Digital camera is now £31.99 on Amazon – you save at least £7 off its listed £38.99 price. This camera is priced between £30 and £50, depending on the retailer.

• The Kodak Pixpro C1 is also available in brown for £78.85 on Amazon

Kodak Pixpro C1

Kodak's Pixpro C1 is the brand's best budget selfie compact right now – thanks to its flip screen and wide-angle lens, making it more convenient than the FZ45 or Chuzhao for self-recording and vlogging-style clips.

However, it trades on image quality and flexibility, so if you care more about zoom or detail, the FZ45 is the stronger pick. If you want ease and selfies over everything else, the C1 is the camera for you.

Kodak Pixpro FZ45

Compared to the C1 and Chuzhao, the FZ45 is the most traditional camera here – it's the only one with real optical zoom, which makes it more versatile for travel and distance shots.

You lose the flip screen and retro charm, but gain reach and a more familiar shooting experience. The FZ45 is the camera for you if you want a simple holiday or everyday camera rather than a novelty or selfie device.

Chuzhao Digital Camera

The Chuzhao Digital Camera is the most characterful camera of the group – and all about enjoying the process of taking photos. The square format, waist-level viewfinder and TLR-inspired design make shooting feel playful – in a way none of the Kodak compacts really replicate.

While the FZ45 is about straightforward practicality and the C1 leans into selfie convenience, the Chushao is all about atmosphere, nostalgia and creative expression in your pocket.

Browse the best compact cameras, the best retro compact cameras, and the best cheap cameras.

From semi-transparent Game Boys to the see-through iMac G3, semi-transparent tech was a hallmark of the late 1990s and early 2000s – and now the viral Camp Snap screen-free camera is all-in on the Y2K look.

The Camp Snap 2 only just launched in June of 2026, but the camera already has a fresh new color inspired by Y2K tech: Cosmic Grape. The new color is a semi-transparent but purple-drenched look for the affordable point-and-shoot camera.

The new purple design isn’t the first transparent color to come to the Camp Snap – when the Camp Snap 2 launched, it did so with a handful of “Jelly Edition” colors. Cosmic Grape brings the clear Y2K aesthetic to five different options, in addition to the solid-body versions.

The Y2K look is fitting for the Camp Snap 2, an affordable point-and-shoot that is fully digital, yet lacks a screen. While the Camp Snap 2 is a digital camera, the lack of a screen makes it feel more like film without the ability to view the photos right away.

That – and the camera’s lower 8MP resolution – makes a look inspired by the turn of the millennium appropriate. In the early 2000s, digital photography was just becoming more mainstream, so the Y2K inspiration feels wildly appropriate for the Camp Snap 2.

While Camp Snap originally started as a way for kids to take cameras to screen-free summer camps, the camera was quickly adapted by digital minimalists who didn’t want the distraction of a screen without going as retro as a film camera.

The Camp Snap 2 feels far more grown-up, with built-in filter swaps and a faster shutter button. I’ve tried both the older Camp Snaps as well as the Camp Snap 2 and the CS-Pro. The 16MP CS-Pro is my personal favorite for grown-ups with its retro design, higher resolution, and more powerful flash, but the Camp Snap 2 leans more towards that disposable film camera vibe and comes in at a lower price point.

The Camp Snap 2 retails for about $75 / £69 at the Camp Snap online store.

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If you want to shoot maximum image quality with a compact and lightweight setup, you might want to check out "the most compelling compact camera on the market", recently honored as the Best Professional Fixed Lens Camera at the TIPA World Awards 2026.

The Sony RX1R III is now available for only £3,899 at Wex. With this deal, you save £300 off its original price of £4,199!

The "Best Professional Fixed Lens Camera"

The RX1R III somehow squeezes a 61MP full-frame sensor and a Zeiss 35mm f/2 lens into a body that's smaller than almost anything else on the market.

It's lighter than you expect, sharper than it has any right to be, and its 693-point autofocus system is, frankly, leagues ahead of most fixed-lens rivals.

Yes, it lacks IBIS. Yes, the rear screen doesn't tilt. And yes, it costs the same kind of money as a luxury compact like the Leica Q3 – but here's the thing: nothing else gives you this combination of size, resolution, and AF performance in one sealed unit.

The 61MP sensor also enables clever digital crop modes, giving you effective 35mm, 50mm, and 70mm focal lengths at the tap of a screen. It's like carrying three primes in your jacket pocket – without carrying three primes.

If you want the smallest, most powerful everyday camera you can buy right now, this is it. It's as close to a "perfect carry" as compact cameras get.

For photographers who want something tougher than a regular point-and-shoot, there are surprisingly few options. Now, one of the most capable compact cameras for taking into the wild could be disappearing from the market – although there may be good news for anyone wanting something better.

The Pentax WG-90 is reportedly being discontinued, with remaining stock becoming increasingly difficult to find. According a new report, the manufacturer has informed authorized dealers that the camera is discontinued and that a new model could be announced at the end of the year.

The WG-90 entered the market in February 2024 and was described in DCW's review as "the compact camera you can take ANYWHERE" – and for good reason. It can go places that conventional compacts can't, from the water and sand to mud, freezing temperatures and desert heat. It survives conditions that would leave most point-and-shoots struggling.

One of the best waterproof cameras & compact cameras could be disappearing

While there's no official confirmation, Pentax & Ricoh Rumors reports that it received information saying the WG-90 is now discontinued and that a new model will be announced at the end of the year. The report also claims that this information was sent to authorized dealers.

Pentax & Ricoh Rumors is a trusted source, making this a development worth watching.

Availability: Pentax Ricoh WG-90

A new extreme compact camera is on the horizon

If the report proves accurate, a new rugged compact could be announced later this year.

The WG-90 itself was a refreshed version of the earlier WG-80, with the two cameras sharing almost identical specifications. The main difference was the available color options, which strengthens the hope of a genuinely new-generation model.

A successor could be an opportunity for Ricoh (owner of the Pentax brand) to push the concept further. As DCW's Editor in Chief James Artaius noted in his review, the WG-90's video quality is a weak point, while the rear screen could also benefit from a higher resolution.

But for stills photography, the camera does what it was designed to do: provide a simple shooting experience in places where most cameras wouldn't dare to go.

For now, we'll have to wait for official confirmation from Ricoh.

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The Ricoh-owned Pentax is one of the few camera companies still committed to DSLRs – but it’s the popularity of Ricoh’s cult-favorite compact camera that’s behind the company’s latest growth. The Ricoh GR series is the main driver behind a return to profitability for the company’s segment that includes imaging, the Japan-based company said in its latest financial report on August 03.

The Ricoh GR series has long been a favorite as a pocketable street photography camera that hides a larger APS-C inside a body that looks like a basic point-and-shoot. But the long-awaited Ricoh GR IV arrived in September 2025 amid a growing trend for compact cameras – and the mix is proving to be a popular one.

Ricoh’s cameras fall under the “Other” category in the company’s financial reports – and with that category not exclusive to imaging, the company’s financial reports don’t often indicate how well cameras are selling. But the company’s latest report attributes significant growth to the category to strong camera sales.

Compared to the first quarter of 2025 – when the Ricoh GR IV had yet to launch – the category that includes cameras has shifted from a negative 1.4 billion yen ($8.9 million / £6.6 million / 12.6 million / CA$12.5 million) operating profit to a positive .3 billion yen ($1.9 million / £1.4 million / AU$2.7 million / CA$2.68 million).

“The camera business continued to perform strongly, driven mainly by the RICOH GR series, resulting in higher sales and profit,” said Director and CFO Takashi Kawaguchi.

Excluding the impact of currency exchange, sales were up by 27.7 percent in the “other” category over the same time last year, Ricoh said.

While the GR IV series is a key highlight for Ricoh, the last few months haven’t been without their challenges – and the company noted potential price changes – but didn’t specify which products – amid increasing costs for memory driven by AI demand. “At the same time, we will mitigate cost increases stemming from rising prices of semiconductor memory, petroleum-related materials, and other inputs through pricing measures and reviews of our cost structure,” Kawaguchi said in the report.

The Ricoh GR IV that launched in September 2025 was just the start of a fresh wave of models for the popular series. That initial launch has already been followed by the Ricoh GR IV HDF – which gives the pocketable camera a built-in diffusion filter – and the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome, a pocketable camera dedicated entirely to black-and-white photography.

The Ricoh GR IV arrived in a rapidly growing list of new compact cameras – yet the series is one of the few advanced compact series that fit an APS-C sensor into a truly pocketable body. The camera’s mix of size and image quality immediately won me over. The camera’s burst speed and video specs may lag behind, but the GR IV is rare in its ability to cram an APS-C sensor into a compact camera that weighs just 262g / 9.2 oz.

When I tried Ricoh’s dedicated black-and-white camera, I was surprised by the low-light boost skipping the colored filters gives the camera – and I could immediately see the compact camera being a favorite for documentary-style work.

If the company’s latest report is any indication, I’m not the only one enamoured with the GR IV series.

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Compare the differences between the Ricoh GR series cameras. Or, browse the best APS-C compact cameras.

If you're looking for a compact camera that can handle both stills and video, this model is well worth a look.

It's been hard to find at US retailers lately, but it's currently back in stock at Amazon.

Popular among street photographers and vloggers alike is the Sony ZV-1, now available in white + free accessories for just $798 at Adorama. This is $100 off its usual $898 price tag.

Why the Sony ZV-1 had me rethink my street photography setup

The Sony ZV-1 is tiny, powerful, and ideal for capturing life as it happens, without drawing attention to yourself. For street photography, that's gold.

I usually shoot with my Sony A7 III, which is amazing – but also a bit bulky, especially when compared to the ZV-1. In quieter settings, it tends to draw too much attention, which completely ruins those raw, candid moments that street photography thrives on.

The ZV-1 fits in a jacket pocket, measures just 105.5 x 60.0 x 43.5mm, and is low-key enough to go unnoticed – letting you capture city life as it naturally unfolds. And let's be honest, sometimes fewer MP and a more compact size get you a better shot, simply because you can take it.

And if you've ever thought about trying vlogging, the ZV-1 is a great entry-level vlogging camera.

Sure, some call it a tweaked version of the RX100 series, but the upgrades here are tailored specifically to creators: better audio, user-friendly controls, and a screen that makes framing yourself super easy.

Yes, there are a few quirks – like the focus distance jumping when zooming in and the Active SteadyShot stabilization not quite living up to expectations.

But on the plus side, autofocus is incredibly fast, and overall, the camera feels intuitive and fun to use. So, if you can look over the zoom jumping and use a tripod or gimbal for video, the Z-V1 is great.

At $748, the ZV-1 offers excellent value for street photography and an easy entry into video content creation. And in genres like street photography, this little camera could become your (or even my) secret weapon.

Check out the best compact camera, the best camera for street photography, and the best cameras for vlogging.

If you're looking for a compact camera that can handle both stills and video, this model is well worth a look.

It's been hard to find at UK retailers lately, but it's currently back in stock at Amazon.

Popular among street photographers and vloggers alike is the Sony ZV-1, now available for just £539 at Amazon. This is £80 off its usual £619 price tag.

Why the Sony ZV-1 had me rethink my street photography setup

The Sony ZV-1 is tiny, powerful, and ideal for capturing life as it happens, without drawing attention to yourself. For street photography, that's gold.

I usually shoot with my Sony A7 III, which is amazing – but also a bit bulky, especially when compared to the ZV-1. In quieter settings, it tends to draw too much attention, which completely ruins those raw, candid moments that street photography thrives on.

The ZV-1 fits in a jacket pocket, measures just 105.5 x 60.0 x 43.5mm, and is low-key enough to go unnoticed – letting you capture city life as it naturally unfolds. And let's be honest, sometimes fewer MP and a more compact size get you a better shot, simply because you can take it.

And if you've ever thought about trying vlogging, the ZV-1 is a great entry-level vlogging camera.

Sure, some call it a tweaked version of the RX100 series, but the upgrades here are tailored specifically to creators: better audio, user-friendly controls, and a screen that makes framing yourself super easy.

Yes, there are a few quirks – like the focus distance jumping when zooming in and the Active SteadyShot stabilization not quite living up to expectations.

But on the plus side, autofocus is incredibly fast, and overall, the camera feels intuitive and fun to use. So, if you can look over the zoom jumping and use a tripod or gimbal for video, the Z-V1 is great.

At £539, the ZV-1 offers excellent value for street photography and an easy entry into video content creation. And in genres like street photography, this little camera could become your (or even my) secret weapon.

Check out the best compact camera, the best camera for street photography, and the best cameras for vlogging.

I think everyone was astonished that the Godox C100 went viral. I know that I was pretty staggered when I saw that my Instagram Reel had racked up half a million views for a $40 camera that doesn't have a screen or autofocus – let alone 4K video or any kind of burst mode!

But its simplicity and quirkiness is exactly what has made the Godox C100 transparent viewfinder camera so intriguing.

This point-and-shoot camera is built around a large "intelligent transparent display" that overlays a streamlined UI on an LCD panel, enabling you to frame, fire and snap your shot without losing yourself in menus, settings and viewfinders.

On top of that, it also doubles as a light meter – meaning that this could be an essential purchase for film photographers who want to ensure their exposures are accurate.

As you can see, I had an absolute blast with mine (and yes, I know I'm shaking in the video – I got mild sunstroke and dehydration thanks to shooting in the height of the UK heatwave) but it's taken a while for it to go on general sale outside China.

Thankfully, it's now hit the major retailers in the US and UK. So if you've been looking for one, here's where to buy the Godox C100…

🇺🇸 Godox C100: Where to buy it in the US

The Godox C100 is in stock and shipping now from Adorama, Amazon and B&H Photo. It carries the same $44.90 price tag from all three retailers, but B&H is offering a Godox pouch and lanyard as free items – Adorama is asking $2.00 more for these extras.

Note that you will need to buy a microSD card, as this is not included.

• Adorama – $44.90 ($46.90 with pouch and lanyard)
• Amazon – $44.90
• B&H Photo – $44.90 (with free pouch and lanyard)

🇬🇧 Godox C100: Where to buy it in the UK

The Godox C100 is in stock with next day delivery from Amazon, priced at £39. It's also available for preorder from Wex, but at a higher price of £47. Note that you will need to buy a microSD card as this is not included with the camera.

Amazon is offering a couple of options that do include a memory card, also in stock and shipping, as well as a bundle with an 8GB card and the official Godox pouch and lanyard – but this doesn't ship until the end of August.

If you don't mind waiting a few weeks for delivery, it's nice to have a pouch and lanyard – but personally I'd opt for Amazon's bundle with a 32GB card for £48, which you can get delivered tomorrow and start using right away.

• Amazon – £39 (no memory card)
• Amazon – £46 (with 16GB card)
• Amazon – £47.50 (with 8GB card, pouch, lanyard)
• Amazon – £48 (with 32GB card)

Preorder: Wex – £47 (no memory card)

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Last time we looked at the compact camera rankings from Japanese retailer Yodobashi, we saw a brand-new release skyrocketing to No.1. Panasonic's newest premium compact, the Lumix L10, reached the top position just 12 days after its launch. Now, the retailer reports that the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is the new No.1 compact, despite the fact that it was released nearly seven years ago.

Famously hard to find in stock, the G7 X Mark III can now command second-hand prices higher than its original retail price of $879.99 / £899.99. For example, it's currently out of stock at US retailer B&H, while used examples are listed on MPB for around $1,499.

While there's no sign of the Lumix L10 in the first half of July 2026 rankings, the best waterproof camera returns: the OM System Tough TG-7. The rankings reflect just how diverse the compact camera market has become, but product shortages remain significant, with the top three compact cameras currently on backorder at Yodobashi.com.

Yodobashi's top selling compacts, 1st Half Jul 2026

1. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III | Black | Silver (backordered)
2. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite | Silver | Black (backordered)
3. Fujifilm X100VI | Silver | Black (backordered)
4. Panasonic Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 | Black | White
5. Sony ZV-1 II | Black | White
6. Canon IXY 650 / Powershot Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A | Black | Silver
7. Panasonic Lumix TX3 / ZS300 / TZ300 | Black | Graphite Silver
8. Leica Q3 43
9. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Brown | Black
10. OM System Tough TG-7 | Red | Black

"Yodobashi Camera Best Sellers Top Ten" announces the best-selling rankings from the shopping site "Yodobashi.com" and all 24 Yodobashi Camera stores nationwide.

Japan's champion: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III 

The Canon G7 X series has long rivalled Sony's RX100 line, but its appeal is less about winning the spec sheet and more about portability, image quality and ease of use.

The G7 Mark III combines a 1-inch sensor with a compact body and straightforward controls, making it an appealing alternative to both smartphones and larger mirrorless or DSLR cameras.

That balance has helped the G7 X become something of a cult camera. These cameras prove that you don't always need the latest specs – just tools that get out of the way and let you create.

Why is the Canon G7 X Mark III so expensive second-hand?

The G7 X Mark III's popularity has created an at-first-glance unusual situation for an older camera: used prices can now be higher than its original retail price.

But the G7 X Mark III isn't alone in benefiting from the renewed interest in older compacts.

Social media has helped fuel a point-and-shoot revival, with creators and photographers celebrating cameras that offer a different look and shooting experience from a smartphone.

The G7 X Mark III has become one of the standout examples of that trend.

With the camera now difficult to find in stock, that popularity has collided with limited supply – pushing second-hand prices well above what you'd normally expect from a camera release in 2019.

Back after three month: OM System Tough TG-7

The other notable camera in Yodobashi's latest rankings is the OM System Tough TG-7, which re-enters the Top 10 at No.10 after a three-month absence.

Unlike the G7 X Mark III, the TG-7 is built for adventure. It's waterproof, shockproof and dustproof, with a 4x zoom, RAW shooting, 4K video and useful macro mode.

It will be interesting to see if the G7 X Mark III can defend its No.1 spot, and whether the Panasonic Lumix L10 returns to the chart.

For now, though, the G7 X Mark III shows that newer doesn't always mean more desirable – especially when it comes to the point-and-shoot revival.

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I was recently in Wetzlar, Germany, the home of Leica for the launch of the high-octane Leica SL3-P full-frame mirrorless camera.

During one of the presentations, Leica's VP of global marketing and communications, Andrea Pacella, told the assembled influencers and members of the press what the best-selling Leica was. And I was shocked by what I found out.

It wasn't the Leica M range of rangefinder cameras, which built the company's reputation. It wasn't the popular D-Lux 8, which has enjoyed a great success thanks to the rising popularity of compact cameras. And it was not the Sofort 2, Leica's most affordable camera.

No, the best seller is the Leica Q range of full-frame compacts that cost upwards of $7,350 / £5,650. We love the Q3 range but, with those luxury price tags, I was gobsmacked that it was these models that sold so well.

I got to sit down with Andrea Pacella to quiz him on just why the ten-year-old Leica Q range has been such a sales success.

"The idea that there could be a market for a €5,000 compact camera in a world destined to be dominated by the smartphone – where compact cameras were selling less and less – was bold," Pacella explains.

Then he points out that Leica has a long history of bold launches – right from Ernst Leitz II's decision to risk it all on Oskar Barnack's idea of a handheld camera over 100 years ago.

Acts of courage

"There were many acts of courage after that. Launching the Leicaflex SL2, the M3, and crucially, not giving up the rangefinder when it seemed completely dead in the 1970s.

"The M5 was not successful; the market was moving toward SLRs, and the Japanese manufacturers were invading the market with cameras. There seemed to be no more space for Leica," Pacella continues.

"The same courage applied to not stopping production on film cameras when we were selling only a few hundred per year. We kept the production lines, we kept the machines, and we kept the knowledge. Then, when the rebirth of film happened – and now it is a massive hype – we were there. We were the only ones.

"We have taken a lot of these bold, brave decisions in our history; it is rooted in the Leica mentality".

The secret of the Q's success

"We didn't understand it at the time, but the product managers believed in it and eventually convinced us. What made the first Leica Q so successful was that 28mm is the exact field of view people are used to on their smartphones. The angle of view you got on an iPhone was a 28mm equivalent.

"This meant that a lot of people who weren't used to traditional photography, who weren't passionate photographers and maybe didn't even know who Henri Cartier-Bresson or Elliott Erwitt were, or what aperture and ISO meant, found a comfortable, familiar view when they looked through the camera.

"These are small things, but they are incredibly important. The other crucial factor was keeping the form factor of the M system. From a distance, the Q looks like an M. I often describe the Q as a Leica M that is easier to use, featuring a view that everyone is already comfortable with, and costing less than an M lens alone.

"At the beginning, some people would joke, 'You pay for the lens and get the camera for free'. But if you think about how much a standalone M-mount Summilux 28mm f/1.4 lens costs, the lens alone costs as much as the entire Q camera.

"It was a combination of well-thought-out, courageous elements. When you shoot with a Leica Q and see the pictures, you are blown away.

"People started understanding the beauty of shooting at f/1.4 on a full-frame sensor – having the subject in sharp focus while everything else softens away. It gives a pleasure to the eye that you simply cannot get with a smartphone."

Sales figures

Today, Leica offers a choice of three Q cameras: the standard Q3 with its 28mm lens, the Q3 Monochrom with its black-and-white sensor, and the more recent Leica Q3 43. So which is the most popular of the trio, and by how much?

Of the three, it is the Monochrom that turns out to be the niche product.

"The Monochrom was another very courageous act", explains Pacella. "I remember the comments at the time: 'They are crazy. They are arrogant. How do they think they can sell a camera that only shoots black-and-white for more money than a camera that shoots color?'

"The Monochrom cameras are a sort of act of appreciation for our core customers. We don't make them strictly for volume; we could sell the same total number of cameras just by making them in color.

"They don't fundamentally change the overall volume of the system, but they are a thank-you to the people who love that medium."

And the winner is…

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Take a look at the best Leica cameras across the entire range, along with the best Leica M lenses for rangefinders and the best Leica SL lenses for mirrorless bodies.

With a vertical sensor and Film Camera mode, the Fujifilm X Half could easily take the title of Fujifilm’s most unusual X-Series compact camera. But unusual cameras tend to come with mixed reactions – and the X Half launch was met with more mixed reactions than a bag of trail mix.

On the one hand, the Fujifilm X Half has a one-inch sensor that bests the typical cheap compact camera. With a secondary screen built just for Film Simulations and an actual “film” advance lever, the X Half is also the embodiment of the retro camera trend.

But photographers have long been asking the company to bring back older compacts like the Fujifilm X70 – a smaller, more affordable alternative to the X100 series from 2016 that, despite a lower price, still boasted an APS-C sensor, RAW and manual modes.

The Fujifilm X Half is no X70 – beyond the smaller sensor, there’s no RAW capture at all, a serious sticking point for many photographers, myself included.

But then, a year after the X Half first arrived, I finally got to try one. And as I spent weeks with the little camera, I began to dread the moment that I would have to pack it back up in a box and send the sample back to Fujifilm.

The X Half has a Film Camera mode that I put to use when I gave up camera screens for nearly two weeks, since the function locks the screens. The X Half's feature list may pale in comparison to the X100VI, but it looks like War and Peace compared to most simple screen-free digital cameras like the Camp Snap CS-Pro and the Flashback One35 V2.

Most basic screen-free cameras have fixed focus. The X Half has an actual autofocus system with eye-detection autofocus and the ability to take close-ups. And it can still shoot video (just not in the screen-free mode).

But perhaps my favorite feature from the X Half is that the camera not only packs in Fujifilm’s famous Film Simulations, but several special effects too. I love the light leak and diffusion modes, which bring two of my favorite film “imperfections” to digital, and there are even double exposures.

In that way, the X Half feels more like a grown-up version of the Instax Mini Evo – a cheap camera that I’ve even seen pro wedding photographers carry because the special effects and built-in instant film printer are so fun – but with a larger sensor and more resolution instead of an Instax printer.

I was disappointed when I read the X Half’s features and read that it couldn’t shoot RAW photos at all, but then I started taking pictures with one and I didn’t really miss the advanced file type. The X Half puts the joy of photography over technical perfection.

Yes, my own Fujifilm X-T4 cameras still bring me joy, but my giant to-be-edited pile does not.

The built-in creative tools and the Film Camera mode on the X Half felt like giving myself permission to take imperfect photographs. The imperfect moments often make the best memories.

I want the Fujifilm X Half not to replace my Fujifilm mirrorless kit, but to grab when I want to capture memories without the pile of edits, without the bulk of a larger system and with more creative tools than my iPhone.

I do still think Fujifilm made a mistake with the X Half: the price. It was about $850 / £650 at launch, which I think is too close to options like the Fujifilm X-M5 given the X Half’s shorter feature list. But the list price has since dropped by $200 / £100 and occasional sales may push it even lower than that.

After I tried the Fujifilm X Half, I ended up adding the little retro camera to my wish list – my biggest hesitation is whether to spend my next gear budget on a fun compact camera or the Fujifilm 23mm f/2.8 R WR to turn the mirrorless that I already have into a “compact camera.”

The X Half isn’t the advanced compact I was expecting, but the retro effects and Film Camera mode are a just-right balance between the joy of photography and photo quality.

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The X Half isn't Fujifilm's only unusual camera – the Instax Mini Evo Cinema has a "time travel" dial! Or, take a look at the best retro cameras.

You now have just three days left to buy the Camp Snap 2 at its lowest-ever price, with the wonderfully simple screen-free camera currently available for only $69.99 in the US and £54 in the UK.

However, this price is not going to hang around. Camp Snap has confirmed that its introductory launch pricing will end on August 3, after which the price of the camera will increase. The company says rising costs are behind the decision, so this is one of those rare occasions when waiting will almost certainly mean paying more.

The Camp Snap 2 takes everything that made the original such an enjoyable little camera and gives it a welcome refresh. It remains completely screen-free, encouraging you to concentrate on the moment rather than repeatedly checking every image, but the body is now 15% slimmer and the viewfinder has been repositioned to make framing more reliable.

You also get six built-in filters, including three vintage options, an analog look and black-and-white, all of which can be selected directly on the camera. There is no need to connect it to an app or edit every photograph afterwards, making it easy to switch between different looks while you are out shooting.

The Camp Snap 2 uses an 8MP sensor with a fixed f/2 lens, includes a 4GB microSD card and can capture up to 500 photographs from a single charge. It also charges over USB-C, has a standard tripod mount and introduces a faster shutter response, making it a more practical camera for holidays, parties, family days out or simply carrying around every day.

This is never going to replace a serious mirrorless camera, and that is entirely the point. The Camp Snap 2 is designed to be inexpensive, uncomplicated and fun, giving you something closer to the experience of using a disposable camera without continually buying film or paying for development.

At $69.99 / £54, it is already one of the most affordable ways to enjoy distraction-free photography, but you only have until August 3 to secure the introductory price. With the increase now confirmed, I would not leave this one sitting in your basket for too long.

Compact cameras and film photography continue to enjoy a resurgence, particularly among younger photographers drawn to the nostalgic look of analogue images and to cameras small enough to carry everywhere. Few, however, are quite as distinctive as the Lomomatic 110.

Following the release of the Lomography Lomomatic 110 Camera with Flash (Metal) (available for $159 / £149), Lomography has now unveiled the new Lomomatic 110 Camera & Flash Discomatic, a colorful new design edition priced at $119 / £109. Combining retro styling with a sharp glass lens, automatic exposure, and a unique sliding film advance, it delivers a shooting experience unlike almost anything else available today.

While 35mm film remains the format most photographers return to, Lomography champions the smaller 110 format, remaining the only manufacturer producing both 110 film and new 110 cameras

The new Lomomatic 110 Camera & Flash Discomatic

"Our mission to keep film alive is thriving, and we are proud to be the only current producer of new 110 film and cameras," says Lomography. It states that the Lomomatic 110 is "the sharpest, most creative pocket-sized camera on Earth", with "pictures are sharper than you’d ever imagine!"

One of the Lomomatic 110's standout features is its sliding film advance. Rather than winding the next frame with a traditional leveler, sliding the camera body advances the film and prepares it for the next shot, creating a tactile shooting experience that's as enjoyable as it is distinctive.

The Discomatic edition pairs funky design with a 23mm Minitar CX multi-coated glass lens, automatic exposure, two aperture settings, zone focusing, and adjustable ISO.

It also includes the detachable Lomomatic flash with colored filters for creative lighting effects, while long-exposure and multi-exposure modes encourage experimentation with every roll of film.

Specifications
• Film Format: 110
• Focal Length: 23 mm
• Available Apertures: f2.8, f5.6
• Shutter Speed: Auto (A) 30s to 1/250, Bulb (B) up to 30s
• Flash: Lomomatic 110 Flash
• Available ISO Settings: 100, 200, 400
• Multiple Exposure: Yes
• Tripod Mount: No
• Cable Release: No
• Battery: 1 x CR2
• SKU: hp110disco

Availability
The Lomomatic 110 Camera & Flash Discomatic is available from Lomography for $119 / £109.

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As everyone knows, compact cameras are absolutely on fire right now. And this new compact, billed as "the world's cutest collab", is virtually guaranteed to throw gasoline on that fire.

You may well have seen the Lola Camera on your Instagram or Facebook feed. The brand has made an art out of cashing in on the Y2K digicam craze, marketing its aesthetic-focused compact at Gen Zers and style-conscious photographers.

Following a Lola x Betty Boop Digital Camera launched a year ago, the company has kicked kawaii into hyperdrive with its latest collaboration.

The Lola x Miffy Digital Camera follows the same template but replaces Betty Boop (to whom my younger colleagues all replied, "Who?") with everyone's favorite rabbit mascot character (to whom they said, "Of course we know who that is").

On the outside, the latest Lola now boasts a cartoon-blue chassis with an illustration of Miffy on the front accompanied by yellow stars. Attached is a Miffy-themed friendship charm bracelet / camera strap, and the whole thing can be safely stowed in a delightfully matching Miffy pouch.

On the inside, this is the same core tech that has been inside every flavor of Lola Camera: an 8MP CMOS sensor with 20x digital zoom and 2.8-inch screen, offering native HD (720p) video and what I'm pretty certain is interpolated 4K video.

While all Lolas come with twenty creative filters, the Lola x Miffy comes with five exclusive Miffy-themed filters (outdoing the Betty Boop edition, which only came with three).

Ultimately these are expertly-branded but nontheless upcycled 2000-era digicam components, pitched at the younger generation that equates "outdated tech" with "lofi aesthetic", all wrapped up in a $109 / £79 / AU$159 bow.

Even so, I can't argue that this may indeed be "the world's cutest collab" – and I suspect it will be massive. The camera is set to launch on July 31, but it's already available for pre-order at Urban Outfitters in the UK.

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See how the Lola compares to the best compact cameras and the best point and shoot cameras from the bigger brands.

Riding on the coattails of its successful miniature TLR-style digital camera, Chinese camera brand Chuzhao is back with the Chuzhao M3, a fixed-lens compact camera that would appear to take a few design cues from the, you guessed it, Leica M3. News of this rather striking little camera came by way of Photorumors.

Under the hood there isn’t much to shout about, what with a 1/4-inch 12-MP CMOS sensor and full HD video, and fully automatic controls. But like the Chuzhao Digital Camera, the Chuzhao M3 isn’t designed to rub shoulders with the premium compact cameras of this world. I’ve yet to see the camera myself, but it’s evidently intended to be a fun and affordable departure from a camera phone, while delivering a trendy lo-fi digital camera aesthetic.

A vision in pastel

Perhaps the most striking aspect of this cheap camera is its design and color schemes. As mentioned, the name and style appear to take a leaf out of Leica’s book, with a boxy rangefinder-shaped body and small lens. On Amazon, you can opt for Gray or Pastel Purple & Mint Blue color schemes. The former is a two-toned gray with blue accents, while the latter features striking purple accents against pastel pink and mint green.

The camera comes with a detachable fill light that looks a bit like an old Graflex flash. However, it appears to be a mini LED light panel with three brightness settings. The camera also comes with a USB-A to USB-C lead, what looks like a wrist strap and an unbranded 16GB SD card, although it can take up to a 64GB. As always, it’s my recommendation to immediately replace any unbranded memory card that comes with a cheap camera.

Lens details are thin on the ground. It’s fixed, the camera is capable of AF and it’s wide, with an aperture of around f/2.8. There’s no viewfinder, which is a shame given the retro aesthetic, but there is a 1.54-inch rear LCD. The camera is said to weigh just 115g, measures roughly 89.5 x 52 x 42.5mm, and features a built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery.

The Chuzhao M3 is priced at $69.99 / £69.97 and available at Amazon.

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The retro tech craze has brought back cheap digicams – and some of the most iconic names in photography. A key example? Nearly half of the top ten best-selling cameras on Amazon Japan and Amazon US are Kodak-branded cameras right now.

While Eastman Kodak is alive and well and still producing film, digital cameras that carry the Kodak name come from a variety of manufacturers that license the Kodak name and not the New York-based brand that first created the point-and-shoot with the phrase “You push the button, we do the rest.”

The nostalgic tech and compact camera craze has proven to work particularly well for cameras carrying the Kodak name. The 1.6 MP Kodak Charmera went so viral at launch that stock was severely limited, while cameras like the Kodak PixPro FZ55 have continued to hit best-seller lists for mixing an affordable price point with a compact design and 5x optical zoom.

While Kodak is arguably one of the most well-known camera brands originating from the US, Kodak digicams have also done particularly well in Japan. The region housing key brands like Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Ricoh is particularly fond of Kodak compact cameras based on Amazon’s best-seller lists.

According to Amazon Japan, the top ten best-selling cameras right now include the Kodak Pixpro FZ55 – which is on the list twice, once alone and once in a kit with a case and memory card – the Kodak PixPro C1 and the Kodak Charmera.

Other brands don’t come in until after the top four, but compact cameras like the OM System Tough TG-7, Canon IXY 650 (which is the PowerShot ELPh 360 HS and IXUS 285 in other regions), Canon PowerShot SX740, and Ricoh WG-80 also make the top ten.

The Kodak FZ55, Kodak Charmera, and Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A also make the top ten on Amazon’s US best-seller list, but the Kodak FZ45 sits in the number one spot, and the retro PixPro C1 doesn’t come in until number 15.

Amazon’s best-seller lists tend to lean more towards affordable consumer cameras, where photography speciality stores tend to have more pro-level gear and mirrorless cameras on their best-seller charts. But the data from the world’s largest online retailer makes it clear – Kodak digicams are in high demand.

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The compact camera revival came as the number of manufacturers still making pocketable cameras had whittled down to just a few – but thanks to a handful of new compact launches, the most popular compact cameras in 2026 so far are a list dotted with both long-standing favorites and newcomers.

More than halfway through 2026, US photo retailer B&H’s list of the top point-and-shoots for the year is an eclectic mix that houses both cheap keychain cameras and pro APS-C compact cameras. But a number of 2026 launches have climbed the ranks, including the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome and the Panasonic Lumix L10, and a super zoom that launched only a handful of days ago, the Sony RX10 V.

And, if the retailer’s list of July trending point-and-shoots is any indication, the list could be about to get even weirder – as the trends list for July includes both a screen-free compact camera and a camera that’s nearly all viewfinder, the “weirdest ever camera” Godox C100.

The top point-and-shoots of 2026 so far

According to B&H, these are the top point-and-shoots of 2026 so far:

• Kodak Charmera
• Ricoh GR IV Monochrome
• Fujifilm X100VI (Silver)
• Panasonic Lumix L10 (Black)
• Fujifilm X100VI (Black)
• Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III (Black)
• Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A
• Sony RX10 V
• Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III (Silver)

There are a few surprises on the list, mixed in with a few models that I would have been surprised if they had not made the list. The Kodak Charmera has led several of B&H’s monthly trends list, so it’s unsurprising to see the cheap keychain camera sitting in the top spot.

The viral Fujifilm X100VI is also a predictable name to see on the list – but Panasonic’s recent zoom launch has risen so far up the ranks that it sits between the two different X100VI color options, despite only launching in June.

The Panasonic Lumix L10 mixes a Micro Four Thirds sensor with something most APS-C compact cameras don’t have: optical zoom. Like the X100VI still is more than two years after launch, however, the stock for the L10 is limited, so photographers should expect a wait for the popular camera.

Canon’s viral PowerShot cameras that are hard to find in stock still make the list, including the G7 X Mark III and the more affordable PowerShot ELPH HS A.

There’s a second zoom camera that has only existed for a few days yet has already risen up the ranks: The Sony RX10 V. The July 09 launch brings back the previously discontinued bridge zoom camera from the dead, giving the camera an updated processor and autofocus while leaving the sensor and lens unchanged.

The RX10 V’s price has drawn some criticism, but the fact that the bridge camera has already made the top trending point-and-shoot list for 2026 is a good sign for Sony.

The top trending point-and-shoots in July…so far

But B&H has also created a list of the point-and-shoots that are trending in July so far, and the list hints at some unusual suspects climbing the trends list. The newly launched Sony RX10 V unsurprisingly leads the list – it would nearly have to to hit the year’s top trends in just a matter of weeks.

The list also includes a screen-free camera, followed by a camera that’s nearly all viewfinder: The Camp Snap CS-Pro and the Godox C100 mini camera.

The Camp Snap CS-Pro is a more grown-up version of the Camp Snap, a screen-free digital camera that looks a bit like a disposable film camera but hides digital guts. The CS-Pro has twice the resolution at 16MP and offers a dial with four built-in filters, yet still sits at a price low enough to be considered a cheap compact camera.

The Godox C100 is a camera that’s nearly all viewfinder – in fact, the C100 looks almost like holding up an instant film frame to frame shots with. The C100, the first camera from well-known lighting brand Godox, has a low-fi resolution similar to the Charmera, but the “screen-free” design of the Camp Snap, so it’s easy to see why the weird $45 camera is trending. It even doubles as a light meter.

July’s top trending point-and-shoot cameras at B&H so far include:

• Sony RX10 V
• Camp Snap CS-Pro
• Godox C100 mini camera
• OM System Tough TG-7
• Sony RX100 VII
• Canon PowerShot SX740 HS
• Fujifilm X100VI (Silver)
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A
• Camp Snap CS-V105

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The compact camera trendsetters have been particularly fond of affordable Kodak PixPro cameras, but new photos suggest that a new retro Kodak with zoom and even a film simulation dial is launching this fall, alongside a new waterproof compact.

The news comes from GT Company, a France-based distributor that sells cameras like the Kodak PixPro FZ55, the Kodak PixPro C1, as well as AgfaFoto products. The brand is set to display the newest releases at the IFA show September 4-8 in Berlin – and tucked among the new launches are two new compact cameras, the Kodak PixPro P1, a waterproof compact camera, and the Kodak PixPro C10, a camera with a 10x zoom lens.

GT Company hasn’t yet shared full details about the cameras (which are made by Kodak licensee JK Imaging), but there are a few hints that can be gleaned from the photos of the upcoming cameras – including what appears to be a film simulation dial at the top of the PixPro C10.

Kodak PixPro C10

Zoom is often a headlining feature on many compact cameras – and photos suggest the Kodak PixPro will have a 10x zoom lens with an f/3.6-6/7 aperture, equivalent to a 25-250mm reach on a full-frame camera.

But one of the reasons that Kodak has surged among trends is for the nostalgia – and what’s pictured on top of the camera could be even more enticing than the zoom. Images of the top of the Pixpro C10 show what looks like a film simulation dial.

The dial has a spot for S, N, and B&W – likely for standard, neutral, and black-and-white profiles. But there are also icons that look like a roll of film with the abbreviations “Ech,” “Kch,” and “Kco” – I suspect these could be digital filters that are designed to mimic some popular Kodak film types.

Film simulations are digital color profiles that are applied in-camera – sort of like applying an Instagram filter before taking the shot.

Mimicking Kodak film types would be a smart move. Analog and simpler tech is resurging in trends, and if the new Kodak comes with retro filters built in as well as an iconic black-and-silver look on the outside, I’m predicting such a camera could be a major hit. A recent list of best-sellers in Japan is made up of 40 percent cheap Kodak-branded cameras, so there’s definitely a high demand for these compact cameras.

Without full details ahead of the September show, it’s unclear just what tech the Kodak PixPro C10 is packing inside. The company’s Kodak-branded compact cameras tend to fall under the “cheap compact camera” umbrella, so I would expect the PixPro C10 to follow suit with a more basic sensor and set of specs.

Kodak PixPro P1

A waterproof compact camera will also be unveiled at the IFA show this fall. There are a number of Kodak PixPros that already have waterproofing, but the PixPro P1 is unusual in that it looks like it has a retro design and a tilting screen similar to the Kodak PixPro C1, a popular retro compact camera.

Making a tilting screen durable and waterproof is far more challenging than working with a fixed screen, so a tilt screen on a waterproof compact camera isn’t common (though the 2014 Olympus Tough TG-860 had one, for example).

The images of the upcoming PixPro P1 offer a few more hints that can be gleaned without a spec sheet. The camera appears to be waterproof to 5m or 16 feet. The lens doesn’t list a zoom range, though there is a zoom toggle on the back (which could be for digital zoom if the P1 doesn’t have optical zoom).

Photos hint that the Kodak PixPro P1 will come in at least two color options – a black with a more retro feel and a blue and white option.

As September launches, details like the price and spec sheets are missing for both cameras. But, based on the popularity of current PixPro cameras and the teaser images, the upcoming Kodaks could have some hit features.

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The Canon PowerShot name has gone so viral that sales have increased nearly seven times in half as many years. Yet, despite the success, Canon hasn’t released any PowerShots outside of the video-focused V-series since 2019. But the latest rumors are calling for that to change before the end of 2026.

Newly circulating rumors hint that a new Canon PowerShot could be coming in September. The speculation further hints that the upcoming model isn’t a V-series video-focused model like the 2023 PowerShot V10 and the 2025 PowerShot V1.

Canon hasn’t verified these rumors – but with the growth of compact cameras, it would be strange for the PowerShot brand that so regularly dominates best-seller lists to ignore the trend. According to NPR, sales for Canon’s PowerShot series have grown nearly seven times amid the resurgence of the compact camera between 2022 and 2025.

The last time that Canon launched stills-focused PowerShots was in 2019 with the G7 X Mark III and the G5 X Mark II. The PowerShot G7 X Mark III in particular has seen newfound viral fame, making the compact camera difficult to find in stock and driving the camera manufacturer to increase production on multiple occasions.

Earlier this year, Canon did launch a new look for the G7 X Mark III as part of the 30th anniversary of PowerShot, but the camera retains the same tech on the inside.

Of course, I could play devil’s advocate here and point out that retro compact cameras are also part of the trend, with older lo-fi models seeing new growth amid the modern sharpness (and AI infiltration) of the typical smartphone camera. And if retro cameras are trending, then there’s not much reason to upgrade the tech inside a camera that’s already selling so well I can’t find it in stock anywhere.

The PowerShot G7 X Mark III isn’t one of those lo-fi cameras, however. The reason that the camera has surged in trends is likely more due to the fact that the camera mixes a one-inch sensor with a zoom lens. Zoom tends to be more flattering for portraits, as well as the real camera flash that had influencers recommending the G7 X Mark II in droves.

So far, the rumors around a new PowerShot coming in the fall are short on details, if not believability. But looking at the latest trends and sales numbers, launching a new stills PowerShot in 2026 would be a smart move for Canon.

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As the headquarters for several of the biggest camera brands, Japan is often the first region photographers look to for key trends – but the latest list of best-selling compact cameras doesn’t include any of the usual viral suspects like the Fujifilm X100VI or Ricoh GR IV. Instead, the list starts with the retro Kodak PixPro C1 and reads like a who's-who list of cheap compact cameras.

The data comes from BCN+R, a market research company that compiles data from about 40 percent of retail sales from major electronic store chains across Japan. The company recently shared a list of the top-selling compact cameras for the first half of 2026.

Kodak dominates the list with four models – more than any other manufacturer – building on another BCN+R trend where Kodak was the leading brand in sales for compact cameras in 2025. The four Kodaks on the list come from JK Imaging, a company that licenses the Kodak name.

According to BCN+R, these are the most popular compact cameras in Japan for January through June 2026:

1. Kodak PixPro C1
2. Kodak PixPro FZ55
3. Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo
4. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS
5. Canon IXY 650m / PowerShot ELPH 360 HS / IXSUS 285 HS
6. OM System TOUGH TG-7
7. Panasonic Lumix TZ99
8. Kenko Tokina KC-AF11
9. Kodak PixPro FZ45
10. Kodak PixPro WPZ2

As a photography industry expert, the first thing that struck me about the list is that it lacks some of the most viral advanced compact cameras with larger sensors, like the Fujifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR IV. But, both of these options are so popular that they are difficult to find in stock, which could be playing a key role in those cameras’ absence.

But there could be another factor at play: Price. The list is heavily dominated by budget cameras. Only three of the options on the top ten list retail for more than US$500: The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS, the waterproof OM System Tough TG-7, and the zoomy Panasonic Lumix TZ99.

The push for less time spent on smartphones and more classic retro images has sparked a resurgence among cheap compact cameras. The cheap compact category had been all but decimated by the smartphone, but as compact cameras make a return in trends, so too do the most affordable models.

The cheap point-and-shoot isn’t making a comeback for image quality. In tests, for example, we found most smartphones will outperform the Kodak PixPro C1. But, part of the comeback is the nostalgia for less perfect images – lo-fi resolution, softer lenses, and even those orange time/date stamps in the corner can all be found without spending a lot of money.

Perhaps because the cheap point-and-shoot trend isn’t about modern image technology, several of the models on the list are a few years old, like the Instax Mini Evo, a digital-instant film hybrid packed with retro special effects launched in 2021, and the 2017 Kodak PixPro FZ55.

Importantly, the BCN+R list only includes around 40 percent of electronics sales in Japan and includes major electronics retailers that may cater more towards general consumers than serious photographers. While some models like the Canon PowerShot SX740, Kodak PixPro C1 and OM System Tough TG-7 are also popular at some photo specialty stores, looking at large photo stores like Map Camera tends to create a list that leans more towards pricier, larger sensor compact cameras.

Regardless, the BCN+R rankings indicate that even the cheap compact camera has returned from the dead – it’s not just the large sensor compacts and models with more zoom than the typical smartphone that have made a comeback.

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While shipments across all camera categories reveal a slight dip in the latest May figures from Japan-based industry watcher CIPA, until now fixed lens compacts have been growing 30% year on year, outperforming all other camera formats.

However, for a long while now – at least two or three years – the popularity of said snapshots (a figure that doesn’t even include Kodak, Yashica or other licensed brand models that aren't made in Japan) has been dismissed as a short-lived trend by major manufacturers, including notably Canon.

But is it now time to declare that a steady, ever-growing rise in sales over that sort of extended period is no longer an anomaly? I think so.

So why haven’t the likes of Canon, Nikon, Sony, OM Digital Solutions and Panasonic responded with more affordable, pocket-sized compact offerings of their own? Especially when it increasingly does feel like they’re missing a trick?

I believe there’s a number of reasons for their continued abstinence.

For one, larger, more corporate organisations take much longer to pivot their operations to take advantage of whatever is hot property right now. Look how long Canon and Nikon stubbornly resisted switching production from DSLR to full-frame mirrorless, letting Sony steal their thunder and market share. Or how the once mighty Kodak failed to respond decisively to the digital camera boom and instead faced insolvency.

On the rare occasion that a major manufacturer has responded to the current fixed lens compact camera resurgence, it has felt a little half-hearted and ‘will this do?’. For example, re-issuing a special edition of the existing Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III, to take one example.

All the while cheap and cheerful Kodak PixPro Travel Zoom, Astro Zooms and Friendly Zoom series point-and-shoots are shipping by the bucketload and showing up higher in sales charts than the bigger boys.

Yes, Canon, Nikon, Sony et al originally abandoned production of basic point-and-shoot cameras because they felt competition from smartphones rendered such standalone snappers redundant. But additionally, in recent years their focus has almost exclusively been on ‘video first’ content-creator targeted cameras, AI-enhanced autofocus and tweaks to specification and performance, via which they can justify ever-increasing price tags.

In other words, the focus has distinctly not been on low-end, basic snapshots; the type that are currently appealing to Gen Z.

This resurgence has happened while the traditional, well-established camera manufacturers were looking elsewhere. And, having already missed the boat, the impression I get is they feel there is little point chasing after it now.

Especially if, as they originally suspected it might, the current fixed lens compact trend wanes… just as they are belatedly joining the party.

The Yashica Tank is one of the more intriguing affordable compact cameras to arrive this year, combining playful retro styling with the simple shooting experience that has helped make small digital cameras fashionable again.

This point-and-shoot camera is not designed to compete with advanced mirrorless systems or premium fixed-lens compacts, but instead offers an accessible way to capture everyday photographs, vacations, nights out, selfies and social media content.

Priced at just $99.99, the Yashica Tank sits firmly at the budget end of the compact market. That makes it an appealing option for younger photographers, beginners or anyone who wants a dedicated camera without spending several hundred dollars.

Its colorful appearance also helps it stand apart from the many plain black cameras already available, with finishes including black, brown, sky blue and pink marshmallow.

Where to buy the Yashica Tank?

• B&H: $99.99

For shoppers wondering where to buy the Yashica Tank, the answer is currently very simple: B&H Photo is the only confirmed American retailer listing the camera.

At the time of writing, the Yashica Tank does not appear to be available from Adorama, Walmart or Best Buy, making B&H the only place in the United States where customers can currently place an order.

B&H has listed the Yashica Tank for $99.99 in several color options, although availability may initially be limited while stock arrives. As one of the largest specialist photography stores in the US, B&H is a reassuring place to order, particularly for customers who value customer service, clear returns info and support from a recognized camera retailer.

Adorama would normally be another obvious place to check for a new release, but it does not currently appear to have a confirmed listing for the Yashica Tank. The retailer frequently carries newly launched cameras and accessories, so this could change as Yashica expands distribution across the US. For now, however, customers hoping to secure the camera should look to B&H instead.

The same applies to Walmart and Best Buy. Both retailers sell a wide range of compacts, instant cameras, action cameras and beginner-friendly photography products, but neither currently appears to offer the Yashica Tank.

Listings may begin appearing as availability improves, although buyers should be careful with any future Walmart marketplace listings and confirm whether the camera is being sold directly by Walmart or through a third-party seller.

The Yashica Tank features a 12MP CMOS sensor paired with a fixed f/1.8 lens, along with an 8x digital zoom and a built-in flash for shooting in darker conditions. It has a 3-inch display that flips up 180°, making it particularly useful for selfies, videos and group photos where you want to check the composition before taking the shot.

Video can be recorded at up to 4K 30p, while USB-C charging makes the camera easy to power using the same chargers many people already carry for their phones and tablets. There are also 11 built-in creative filters for giving photos and videos a more distinctive appearance without needing post-production. Files are stored on a microSD card, with capacities of up to 256GB supported.

It is worth remembering that the Yashica Tank is primarily intended to be an inexpensive and enjoyable camera rather than a serious professional tool. Its digital zoom will not deliver the same quality as a true optical zoom lens, while its small sensor is unlikely to match the results produced by larger and more expensive cameras. However, that simplicity is also an important part of its appeal.

The Yashica Tank is compact, colorful, easy to operate and affordable enough to carry around without constantly worrying about damaging an expensive piece of equipment. It could be particularly appealing as a vacation camera, a first camera for a younger photographer or a fun alternative for anyone who wants to take fewer photographs on a phone.

For the moment, B&H is not simply the most straightforward place to buy the Yashica Tank in the United States; it is the only confirmed US retailer carrying it. Adorama, Walmart, and Best Buy may add the camera in the future, but anyone hoping to order one now will need to head to B&H.

With its $99.99 price, colorful styling, flip-up screen, 4K video and uncomplicated approach to photography, the Yashica Tank has plenty of personality. It may not be the most technically advanced compact camera available, but it promises an enjoyable shooting experience at a price that makes it easy to pick up and have some fun.

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Leica’s latest Metal Gray cameras have officially arrived in the US, with preorders now open for both the Leica Q3 and the compact D-Lux 8. The Leica Q3 in Metal Gray is priced at $7,350, while the smaller and considerably more affordable Leica D-Lux 8 comes in at $1,915. Both cameras are currently available to preorder through B&H Photo, with listings also live at Adorama.

The Leica M11-P is also avaible to proroder from Adorama, B&H also have it on offer, but it has a delay between 2-4 weeks once purchasing.

Where to pre-order

These are not completely new cameras underneath, but rather stylish new versions of two existing Leica favorites. The Leica Q3 combines its metallic-gray body with contrasting black controls, while the distance and aperture scales on its fixed lens are engraved in red. The D-Lux 8 receives a similar treatment, with both the body and its FN buttons finished in metallic gray while the remaining controls stand out against a darker background.

The Leica Q3 remains one of the most desirable full-frame compact cameras currently available. It features a 60MP full-frame BSI sensor with selectable 60MP, 36MP and 18MP resolutions, paired with a fixed Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. lens. It also offers a hybrid autofocus system, optical image stabilization, a tilting display, a 5.76-million-dot OLED viewfinder, and video recording at up to 8K resolution.

In other words, this is still the same wonderfully capable Q3 that photographers already know, only now wearing what may be its smartest outfit yet. The metallic finish gives the camera a slightly more contemporary look without taking away from that unmistakable Leica identity, and the red lens engravings add just enough color to stop the design from becoming too understated.

The Leica D-Lux 8 is the more accessible option, although “accessible” remains a relative term when discussing a $1,915 compact camera. It uses a 17MP Four Thirds sensor alongside a Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9-34mm f/1.7-2.8 ASPH. Zoom lens, providing a versatile full-frame-equivalent range of 24-75mm. It also supports DNG raw files, 4K video recording, a 2.36-million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder and connectivity through the Leica FOTOS app.

B&H currently lists the Metal Gray Q3 as a new item coming soon, without providing a firm shipping date. The Metal Gray D-Lux 8 is also available to preorder, with the retailer estimating availability in mid-August 2026. Leica originally announced worldwide availability beginning July 16, although exact delivery dates will naturally depend on the retailer and the size of its initial allocation.

Neither camera offers anything dramatically different from its standard black counterpart when it comes to image quality or performance, but that is not really the point. Leica has always understood that a camera can be both a photographic tool and a beautifully designed object, and the new Metal Gray Q3 and D-Lux 8 may be among the best-looking examples of that philosophy yet.

Camp Snap’s screen-free digital cameras launched as a way for kids to take a camera to a screen-free summer camp without the cost of disposable film – but thanks to the craving to curb screen addiction, the company’s retro cameras have found a following across generations.

With the small business’s success, however, comes more options to choose from. What’s the difference between the Camp Snap 2 and the Camp Snap CS-Pro?

I’ve personally used both of these cameras – I even went a week on a screen-free camera challenge and loved it so much that I went nearly two weeks instead. Both cameras share the same retro, screen-free charm, but there are several key differences to note.

Camp Snap 2 vs. Camp Snap CS-Pro: Specs

Camp Snap 2 vs. Camp Snap CS-Pro: Design

• The Camp Snap 2 is smaller and has a child-proof lock on the filters
• The Camp Snap CS-Pro is larger but has a classic design, filter dial, flash toggle, and battery life indicator

The Camp Snap 2 and the CS-Pro may both be screen-free retro compact cameras, but the two have drastically different designs.

The Camp Snap 2 design feels like a slightly more luxurious disposable camera. The camera looks a bit like a disposable, but it has a nice textured wrap that comes in a lot of different colors, and the plastic feels a bit sturdier than a disposable.

The CS-Pro, on the other hand, takes on the silver-and-black retro design that feels a bit more grown-up. The design is still plastic despite the silver color, but the silver and a black wrap feel like a classic.

The design differences span beyond just looks, however. The CS-Pro is the larger of the two, sitting taller and wider, as well as heavier. Both are pocketable, but the CS-Pro needs a bit more generous pockets.

The controls between the two also have a few notable differences. The CS-Pro has four filters available through a top dial. The Camp Snap 2 swaps filters with a button on the back, but this button can also be locked when using it as a kid camera.

Both compact cameras have a built-in flash, but the CS-Pro's is more powerful and has a toggle to turn it on and off. The Camp Snap 2's flash on is located right on the camera's on-off switch.

Another design feature that the CS-Pro has that the Camp Snap 2 doesn't is a battery life indicator. Four small green LED lights show an approximate estimation of the remaining battery. The Camp Snap 2 doesn't have this, but a low battery warning will flash on the screen when that point is reached.

Both cameras can use circular lens filters, but I think the CS-Pro's 37mm size is easier to find different options for than the Camp Snap 2's 30.5.

Camp Snap 2 vs. Camp Snap CS-Pro: Image Quality

• The Camp Snap CS-Pro has a higher resolution and a more powerful flash
• But the Camp Snap 2 does have 6 filters instead of 4

At 16MP, the Camp Snap CS-Pro has twice the resolution of the Camp Snap 2. Images from The Camp Snap CS-Pro are sharper, with more detail and larger files.

The CS-Pro also has the more powerful flash, which makes a difference when photographing something indoors from a distance.

While the CS-Pro has better resolution, it still has some retro charm, thanks in part to a cheap lens. The built-in filters also create images that feel a bit more retro, including black-and-white.

The one image quality perk that the Camp Snap 2 has is that there are six different built-in filters, where the CS-Pro has four on the filter dial. But, both cameras allow those built-in presets to be edited, so it's possible to create your own filters if you don't love the ones that come with the camera.

Another key difference to note is that there is some shutter lag -- or a delay between pressing the button and when the image is taken. The CS-Pro does a bit better at minimizing this, but there is still a small lag.

Camp Snap 2 sample images

Camp Snap CS-Pro sample images

Verdict

To put it simply, I would choose the Camp Snap CS-Pro for myself and the Camp Snap 2 for my kids.

But, of course, there are a few nuances between the two that help determine which is the right one. The CS-Pro has better image quality and a classic design for not much of a price difference.

The Camp Snap 2, however, is smaller and more affordable and comes with a child lock for those filters. Using the Camp Snap 2 certainly didn't feel like using a kids' camera if you want the smallest option and don't mind the lower 8MP resolution.

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Just a matter of days after launch, the Panasonic Lumix L10 became so popular that Panasonic Japan said the amount of pre-orders had created unexpected delays. But the camera's popularity isn’t the only thing delaying the compact camera that combines a Micro Four Thirds sensor with a 24-75mm equivalent zoom lens.

Panasonic told Digital Camera World that a minor cosmetic issue caused a temporary pause in shipments for the Titanium Gold variant of the L10, but that shipments have already resumed.

"We identified a minor cosmetic issue that resulted in a temporary pause to shipments as part of our commitment to delivering quality products," a Panasonic US representative said.

"With the issue being identified quickly, the correction has been completed by our factory, and customer shipments have already resumed. Customer satisfaction and product quality are our highest priority, and we are continuing to increase production to fulfil orders as quickly as possible."

A leaked email from a customer about a delay over a cosmetic issue sparked rumors over why the special edition variant was being temporarily delayed. The email, from Panasonic’s customer service team, noted that the interference has caused a pause in shipping.

The delay wasn't a significant one – the Titanium Gold Edition was expected to ship “July 2026” at launch, and shipments have already resumed.

Panasonic didn't note what the “minor cosmetic issue” was, but in our experience, the Titanium Gold finish held up well during testing. DCW’s Reviews Editor, Gareth Bevan, tested the Titanium Gold version of the Lumix L10 and hasn't encountered any issues.

The Lumix 10 has created such a big buzz that Panasonic Japan has paused pre-orders while the company works to ship out early adopters of the camera.

The compact’s popularity is likely due to the fact that it boasts a large sensor and a versatile zoom lens, joining the likes of the Leica D-Lux 8. Most compact cameras with larger sensors, like the popular Fujifilm X100VI and the Ricoh GR IV, use a fixed focal length without zoom – though several advanced one-inch sensor compacts offer zoom.

Along with the Titanium Gold special edition, the Lumix L10 also comes in black and silver variants.

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Take a look at the best compact cameras, which includes some of the best point-and-shoot cameras for simple snapping, along with the best APS-C compact cameras and the best full-frame compact cameras for serious shooting.

Amazon Prime sales are meant to be about finding great deals, but not everything that sells well is actually a bargain.

The Fujifilm X100VI became our best-selling camera across the entire sales period, proving once again just how much demand there is for Fujifilm’s viral premium compact.

There was just one major problem: it was selling for around $2,299, approximately $500 above its current $1,799 US retail price.

Shoppers were not receiving a Prime discount at all. Instead, they were paying a substantial premium simply to get hold of one of the most difficult cameras to find in stock.

I completely understand the temptation, especially when the X100VI has spent much of its life accompanied by a “temporarily out of stock” message, but please do not allow inflated third-party pricing to become the normal way of buying this camera.

Where to actually buy the Fujifilm X100VI

It is believed that placing an order through a retailer selling the X100VI at its proper retail price may now involve a wait of around a week or so rather than receiving it the next day. And some color options may take longer than others (the standard choice is silver or black).

However, waiting seven days to keep an extra $500 /£500 in your pocket sounds like a very sensible trade to me. That saving could buy several memory cards, spare batteries, a premium camera bag, a filter and hood setup…. Check out the best accessories for the X100 VI, to see what the saving could get you.

There is, of course, a reason the Fujifilm X100VI continues to attract this level of attention. Inside its compact, retro-inspired body is a 40.2MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor paired with Fujifilm’s X-Processor 5.

It also features a fixed 23mm f/2 lens, providing the equivalent field of view of a classic 35mm lens, making it a wonderful choice for street photography, travel, documentary work, and everyday shooting.

The Fujifilm X100VI also introduced up to six stops of in-body image stabilization to the series, helping photographers capture sharper handheld images in lower light. Its unique hybrid viewfinder lets you switch between an optical and electronic view, while 20 Film Simulation modes – including Reala Ace – provide Fujifilm’s much-loved colors straight out of the camera.

There is even a built-in four-stop ND filter, along with 1.4x and 2x digital teleconverter options for adding a little more flexibility to the fixed-lens design.

It's no slouch when it comes to video either, offering recording at up to 6.2K/30p as well as 4K/60p. The Fujifilm X100VI remains one of the most desirable compact cameras available, and it is easy to see why it became our most-purchased camera during the Prime sale.

Just remember that popularity does not automatically make something a deal. Wait the extra week, pay the proper price, and please keep that very welcome $500 for yourself.

The long-awaited Sony RX10 V has finally arrived, bringing one of the most capable all-in-one camera ranges firmly into the modern era. Combining an enormous zoom range with Sony’s latest autofocus and processing technology, this premium bridge camera is designed for photographers who want to capture almost anything without carrying a bag filled with lenses.

For photographers in the United States wondering where to preorder the Sony RX10 V, there are currently two confirmed options: B&H Photo and Adorama. Both retailers have listed the camera for $2,298, giving buyers a choice between two of America’s best-known specialist photography stores.

Where to buy in the US?

The Sony RX10 V is available to preorder from B&H Photo for $2,298. B&H currently lists the camera as a new item that is coming soon, making it a straightforward option for photographers who want to secure their place in the queue before the first stock begins shipping.

B&H is likely to be the natural first choice for many photographers, particularly those who regularly purchase cameras, lenses, and accessories from the retailer. As an established specialist camera dealer, it also offers the reassurance of recognized customer service, clear returns information, financing options, and optional protection plans.

Adorama is also accepting preorders for the Sony RX10 V at the same $2,298 price. Like B&H, it is one of the largest specialist photography retailers in the United States and offers financing, additional protection plans, and potential reward points for customers enrolled in its loyalty program.

Choosing between B&H and Adorama will therefore largely come down to personal preference, previous experience with each retailer, available financing, and any rewards or account benefits. Both are established options for photographers looking to secure the Sony RX10 V ahead of its general release.

UK photographers also have several confirmed pre-order options. The Sony RX10 V can currently be ordered directly from Sony or through specialist retailers Park Cameras and Clifton Cameras, giving British buyers three established places to secure the new bridge camera.

Buying directly from Sony will appeal to photographers who prefer to order straight from the manufacturer. It also provides the reassurance of dealing directly with the company responsible for the camera, alongside access to Sony’s own customer service and financing options.

Park Cameras is another strong option for UK buyers. As one of the country’s best-known independent photography retailers, it offers specialist advice, finance and trade-in services, making it particularly attractive to photographers who may want to exchange existing equipment against the cost of the RX10 V.

Clifton Cameras is also accepting preorders and provides another trusted specialist option. The retailer is known for its personal customer service and photography expertise, which may appeal to buyers who would rather preorder through an independent camera store than a larger electronics retailer.

The RX10 V is the fifth generation of Sony’s celebrated all-in-one superzoom camera and retains the extraordinarily versatile 24-600mm-equivalent ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* lens. Its 25x optical zoom covers everything from wide-angle landscapes and travel photographs to portraits, sports, birds, aircraft, and distant wildlife, all without requiring the photographer to stop and change lenses.

The lens offers a relatively bright f/2.4-4 maximum aperture and built-in Optical SteadyShot stabilization. This makes it particularly useful when shooting at longer focal lengths, where even small amounts of camera movement can affect image sharpness.

At the heart of the camera is a 20.1MP one-inch stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor paired with Sony’s BIONZ XR processing engine and a dedicated AI processing unit. This combination enables blackout-free continuous shooting at up to 30fps, supported by as many as 60 autofocus and auto-exposure calculations every second.

Sony has also equipped the RX10 V with its Real-time Recognition autofocus system, which can identify humans, animals, birds, insects, cars, trains, and airplanes. An automatic subject mode can determine the appropriate target type, while human pose estimation helps the camera continue tracking a person even when their face is obscured or they turn away.

Video capabilities have received a substantial upgrade as well. The RX10 V can record uncropped 4K footage at up to 60p, alongside cropped 4K 120p recording for high-frame-rate and slow-motion sequences.

Support for 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, All-Intra compression, S-Cinetone, S-Log3, and custom LUTs makes the RX10 V a far more serious hybrid camera than its predecessor. It should therefore appeal not only to photographers, but also to filmmakers and content creators who want one camera capable of covering a huge range of situations.

The camera uses Sony’s high-capacity NP-FZ100 battery, with a claimed capacity of approximately 630 photographs per charge. Other useful additions include a 3.68-million-dot electronic viewfinder, a tilting touchscreen, USB-C connectivity, improved grip contours, and a single UHS-II-compatible SD card slot.

At $2,298 in the US, the Sony RX10 V is certainly not an inexpensive bridge camera. Its appeal, however, lies in its ability to replace an entire collection of interchangeable lenses with one fixed 24-600mm zoom.

For wildlife photographers, travelers, aviation enthusiasts, sports shooters, and anyone who values versatility over the ability to change lenses, it promises an unusually complete photographic package. The convenience of having such a wide focal range permanently attached could also make it particularly useful for photographers working in dusty, wet, or fast-moving environments where changing lenses is inconvenient.

US photographers can currently preorder the Sony RX10 V from either B&H Photo or Adorama. UK buyers, meanwhile, can secure the camera directly from Sony or through Park Cameras and Clifton Cameras.

With demand likely to be strong after such a long wait for a successor to the RX10 IV, placing an early preorder may be the safest way to secure Sony’s latest all-in-one powerhouse from the first available stock.

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The Sony RX10 V refreshes a nearly decade-old design with modern autofocus smarts, but the new super zoom also comes with another key change: it’s the priciest bridge camera that I’ve seen yet.

I tried the Sony RX10 V and loved the mix of wide-angle, telephoto and macro all in one camera instead of a bag full of gear. But considering the price change that comes with the new luxury super zoom, I had to ask: is there a mirrorless combination that has a similar reach for a lower price point?

Enter the Sony A6700 with an all-in-one superzoom, like the Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD, which brings a 27-450mm equivalent focal length, or the Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C with a 24-450mm equivalent range.

No, those all-in-one zooms don’t reach as far as the RX10 V’s 24-600mm equivalent lens, but the A6700’s larger sensor (APS-C versus 1-inch on the RX10 V) and higher resolution can help make up for that difference.

The Sony A6700 has a 23% boost in megapixels, 26MP versus 20.1MP. If you cropped in the A6700 by 23%, you’d end up with a view that looked more like 550mm – a much closer perspective to the RX10’s telephoto 600mm reach.

The Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C still hits 24mm on the wide end and comes in at a similar weight of 615g / 1.4lb and price point to the Tamron.

The Sony RX10 V comes with a $2,299 / £2,200 / AU$3,499 price. That’s about $600 higher than the 2019 Sony RX10 IV in the US. While that seems steep, the number actually matches quite close to inflation.

According to inflation calculators, the $1,700 that the RX10 IV cost in 2019 would be about $2,160 today. (And in the US, the discontinued RX10 IV was going for even higher in mint condition.)

But while the price change isn’t too far removed from inflation, over the last several years there seems to be a growing trend for mirrorless optics that fall in the all-in-one / superzoom category.

The Tamron 18-300mm, introduced in 2021 for E-Mount, covers wide to telephoto and also shoots half macro, all without swapping lenses. Sigma's option is even newer, launched in 2025.

A superzoom won’t be smaller than the RX10 V, as the lens doesn’t collapse when powering the camera off, like with the bridge camera. But the two options do have a similar weight.

The RX10 comes in at 2.4 lbs / 1110g. Combining the weight of the A6700 (17.4 oz / 493.2 g) with the weight of the Tamron 18-300mm (21.86 oz / 620g) comes to 2.45 lbs / 1,113g. The sigma 16-300mm is about 5g less, putting it actually under the weight of the RX10 V with the A6700.

Of course, there are mirrorless lenses that can get that 600mm reach on the A6700 – like the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC, which creates a 75-600mm 35mm equivalent on an APS-C body. But that lens doesn’t fall under the cost of the RX10 V unless paired with a more affordable body like the Sony A6400, which doesn’t have as robust an animal detection autofocus system.

The capabilities of the Sony A6700 aren’t a direct match with the RX10. On the one hand, the A6700 has the larger sensor and higher resolution, but the RX10 V wins in burst speed with 30fps over the mirrorless camera’s 11fps.

Am I glad that Sony revived its super zoom from the dead? Yes. Did I love shooting with the RX10 V? Also, yes. The RX10 V is a great camera for packing only one fixed lens camera and still hitting every genre from wide angle to telephoto to macro.

But, like with the compact camera trend, it’s worth pointing out that the RX10 V doesn’t necessarily save money over a mirrorless system.

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I can still remember clutching my beloved mirrorless camera while reading the headlines a few years back: Digicams, the so-called crappy cameras of the Y2K era, have surged in trends. As a photographer, I initially wrote off the trend as temporary, but more than three years after the digicam started making a comeback, the nostalgic point-and-shoot has only gained in popularity.

According to data from Google searches, the terms “digicam” and “digi cam” both have continued to climb in popularity in 2026, bringing searches to a ten-year high.

The transition from film to digital hit in my teen years, and I can still remember how excited I was to get my first digital point-and-shoot. Yet, the earliest digital cameras were low resolution and slow, and I eagerly made the upgrade as tech progressed to DSLRs and then mirrorless.

But then, sometime around 2022 and 2023, the digital cameras from the Y2K-era began to see a resurgence in trends, driven in large part by Gen Z and a wider trend for nostalgic tech. Searches surged for older point-and-shoot cameras with megapixel counts in the single digits, scooped up by digging through closets or searching on secondhand websites.

As a professional photographer, I was originally befuddled by the trend for low-fi cameras that take what many would argue are “crappy images” by today’s standards. I thought the trend would fizzle out quickly.

But, two key things have happened in the ensuing years that have left me, despite my original reservations, ecstatic to see the digicam trend continue. The Y2K digicam trend surged right around the time when generative AI images were becoming widely accessible – and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

Fast forward three years, and generative AI has become better at fixing the tell-tale anomalies, like wacky fingers, and even more widely accessible. But generative AI hasn’t lost the term “slop,” nor has the trend for imperfect retro photos seemed to slow down.

The other key thing that has happened over the last few years is that the digicam isn’t necessarily something that can only be found abandoned in attics or on secondhand websites. The number of new-in-box cameras launching with lower resolution and compact designs seems to have exploded – just look at the viral 1.6MP Kodak Charmera.

The nostalgic tech trend has also sparked adjacent trends, like the screen-free camera, low-resolution compact cameras that come packed with retro filters but without the smartphone distractions (or AI).

I wasn’t truly convinced of the return of the low-fi digicam when the trend first started to emerge – and I’m still shooting with my mirrorless camera. But, I’ve grown fond of pulling out a compact camera when I want to ignore my iPhone without the bulk (and the photo editing) that comes with shooting my mirrorless camera.

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Tamagotchis were back, the Colts were Super Bowl champions and, on every radio station, Rihanna could be heard singing “Umbrella, ella, ella.” What nobody could have predicted in June 2007 was how deliveries of Apple’s very first smartphone, announced at the beginning of the year, would change the face of consumer tech forever.

The end of June marked the 19th anniversary of those first US deliveries. And when I cast my mind back to that golden age of consumer tech, it’s stark just how much things have changed – and not just in the camera industry.

But of course, here at Digital Camera World, the iPhone launch is infamous for one specific reason: it killed the compact camera. Or at least, that’s what we thought…

The camera that's always with you

In reality, it’s hard to select which specific iPhone landed the killing blow (possibly the iPhone 4) but that initial 2007 release was the beginning of the end.

The irony, of course, is that the original iPhone, while groundbreaking in many aspects such as Apple’s slick Multi-Touch functionality, didn’t actually have a great camera. Not only was it 2MP, it didn’t have autofocus and it couldn’t even record video.

For context, the Nokia N95, which was released just prior to the iPhone, had AF, a 5MP camera, built-in flash and video.

It wasn’t until 2010’s iPhone 4 that Apple really took its camera seriously. But I wouldn’t call any iPhone camera particularly groundbreaking. The quality of the camera was never the main draw. It was ever-present and accessible, and that’s what mattered most.

You didn’t have to check that the memory card was inserted and formatted. You didn’t have yet another battery to charge. And you didn’t have to remember to pick it up as you left the door and assign it a pocket.

The camera was your phone, a device that had already weaseled itself into most people’s everyday lives. You now had a camera that didn’t take up any extra space and didn’t require any extra thought. And on top of it all, the iPhone’s incredibly responsive touch controls made taking pictures effortless.

In 2009, Chase Jarvis produced a book called The Best Camera Is The One That’s With You, and the title has become a modern proverb of sorts among photographers. Well, I guess you could call Chase an iPhone photography pioneer and his book perfectly illustrates the merit of merging camera and phone.

The killing blow had been landed. So how on Earth has the compact camera managed such a successful comeback?

The compact comeback kid

When the iPhone launched, smartphones were a novelty. And the camera was a huge part of that. Selfies were a breath of fresh air (kind of) and, for the first time, people could upload pictures of their holiday or dinner onto Facebook in an instant.

Look no further than that entirely pointless app that would turn your iPhone into a virtual flip lighter to know that early iPhone culture was about experimentation and, above all, fun.

But this was a time when we were enjoying smart technology in moderation. Like any addiction, smartphones are no longer fun. The dopamine rush fools us into the feeling, but the pleasure is fleeting and the comedown is real.

We rarely interact with smartphones in a playful manner. They’ve become our bank card, road map and authentication device. Bloated by medical, insurance and grocery store apps.

They’ve seeped into the workplace, too. Not a day goes by that I don’t wonder how this personal and private computer that was bought and paid for by me has become such an integral part of my working day. So much so that I simply couldn’t function without it.

And what of the smartphone camera? Well, when it’s not scanning my face, it’s reading QR codes and occasionally I take a picture.

And yet, I don’t like taking pictures with it. Not any more. There’s a laziness in the way that I operate my camera phone. No effort. I simply hold it up, tap the virtual shutter button a few times and move on.

What’s the point? As long as I’ve vaguely framed a composition, I know that the computational photography will ensure that it’s headache-inducingly sharp with exposure blended to within an inch of its life. And… Oh look, I’ve got a WhatsApp message. Urgh, it’s just another PCP scam. Now what was I taking a photo of? Oh, the moment’s passed…

So the camera that’s always with you is now attached to something that’s serious and essential. A vessel for brain rot. In 2026, your smartphone has baggage and it’s impossible not to place that baggage on every aspect of the device – including the camera.

Some look at a dedicated camera, a CD or a vinyl, a Blu-ray or a book and think: What’s the point? It’s all on your phone. That is exactly the point! I am certain we are seeing a rise in these trends because people are consciously or unconsciously separating themselves from their smartphones.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a compact camera, a keychain camera, an instant camera or, most tellingly, a screen-free camera, people are choosing dedicated devices not just to reconnect with photography, but to reconnect with life.

Can your smartphone offer the sensory experience of tactile buttons and switches, the therapeutic benefits of slowing down and the joy of capturing moments with intent?

You cannot doomscroll on Fujifilm X100VI. You won’t get a WhatsApp message on a Kodak Pixpro FZ55. And a Polaroid Go Gen 3 won’t notify you of that work email that can wait until after the weekend.

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Sony has now brought back its popular super zoom bridge camera from the dead, reviving the discontinued series with the launch of the new Sony RX10 V. The super zoom has the same sensor and processor as the discontinued RX10 IV, but brings Alpha-series level autofocus smarts.

But the super zoom category is unusual in that it tends to find its way into the hands of photographers across every skill level – and across multiple generations. Inspired by the super zoom’s beginner-friendly design, I decided to do something I don’t normally do with a four-figure priced camera: I put it in auto mode and handed it to my eleven-year-old daughter.

The only instruction I offered (besides “please don’t drop this”) was what button to press to take a photo and how to use the toggle to zoom in and out. (She is a photographer's daughter with a hand-me-down DSLR, so she kept trying to twist the lens to zoom).

I walked the lake shore with my pre-teen as she photographed a loon, a dragonfly and a rabbit. Despite the camera being in auto mode, this is what she captured:

Did she also take some photos with motion blur and missed focus? Of course. But the camera’s auto mode simplicity speaks to the lower bar of entry for the bridge camera.

With the same sensor and processor as the previous version, the Sony RX10 V isn’t a major overhaul, but the upgrades enhance what I already love about this kind of camera: how easy they are to use. Sony has brought its Alpha series wizardry into the super zoom, which brings several subject detection autofocus modes. The camera is essentially smart enough to focus for you (most of the time).

Animal eye detection autofocus is one of my favorite wildlife photography tools, so to see Sony boost the feature in a camera made for multiple skill levels is refreshing. Those simpler autofocus capabilities are paired with a 30fps burst to help budding photographers increase the odds of getting a perfectly timed shot.

The super zoom category is one that is meant for a wide range of hands, in both skill levels and ages. I can’t in good conscience call the RX10 V a “compact” camera, but the camera is both far smaller and far simpler to use than a mirrorless camera with a 600mm lens.

I’ve recommended super zoom cameras to everyone from kids interested in wildlife photography to Baby Boomers who are more serious about birds than about photography. That’s why I’m particularly excited that the RX10 series that Sony previously discontinued has been brought back to life.

The RX10 V, of course, isn’t the only super zoom camera available – there’s the Nikon P1100 with its massive 125x zoom, for example.

But, the super zoom is a category that seems to be slowly diminishing at a time when, based on the compact camera trend, I feel like it should be doing the opposite. Give a camera a massive zoom range, and there aren’t a lot of types of photographs that it can’t capture.

The bridge camera is a casual and enthusiast camera that touches on multiple genres. Outside of wildlife photography, the RX10 V also has close focusing for macro, a wide 24mm for landscapes, and a bright f/2.8 aperture for portraits.

The same zoom and focus that boosts the camera for wildlife also means the RX10 V should be a good choice for photographing kids' sports games without the complexity of pro sports cameras.

The RX10 V isn’t made exclusively for beginners. There’s a full manual mode, and camera geeks will appreciate the larger 1-inch sensor and the f/2.8-4 aperture capabilities on the lens.

I was worried that the pocketable camera trend may kill the beloved super zoom that suits a wide range of genres and photographers – which is why I was so excited to see Sony announce the RX10 V.

But there is one feature that may discourage casual users and enthusiasts: the price. The RX10 V’s larger sensor and brighter aperture lens make it a premium bridge camera option with a price that reflects that. The camera is set to retail for $2,299 / £2,200 / AU$3,499.

That’s more than the list price of the earlier version. But it’s worth noting that, since Sony discontinued the RX10 IV, 'like-new' cameras from reputable used dealers have sat closer to the $3,000 mark.

Still, that price puts the camera at a similar cost to picking up a larger sensor Sony A6700 with a 70-350mm (105-525mm equivalent) or an 18-300mm (27mm-450mm equivalent) lens. The choice is yours, but I for one am glad that the choice exists.

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I once shot with two different Ricoh GR IV compact cameras in each pocket – the HDF and Monochrome variants – and after pulling them out of the box, differentiating between the two felt like one of those “Spot the Difference” puzzles that I used to do as a kid. Now, the Ricoh GR IV is getting a limited edition makeover this fall, and in a nod to subtle, minimalist design, fans may be hard-pressed to spot the difference.

The Ricoh GR IV 30th Anniversary Edition, teased today, July 09 in Japan, looks like this:

Compared to the original Ricoh GR IV:

Did you spot the difference?

The Ricoh GR IV 30th Anniversary Edition – which Ricoh Japan says is only a tentative name – refinishes the camera’s shutter button and rear controls to a metallic gray that’s a nod to the color of the very first camera in the series released in October, 1996, the Ricoh GR1.

The special edition camera will also ship with a metal hotshoe cover with a 30th anniversary design and a finger strap, both of which will also be sold separately, so fans who already have a GR series camera can add a subtle new update.

The 30th Anniversary Edition is a subtle change, but that minimalism ties directly into the Ricoh GR series design history. The camera is well-loved by many specifically for the fact that it doesn’t look like a camera hiding an APS-C sensor; it looks like a basic black point-and-shoot.

Inspired by the minimalist anniversary design, I dug up photos and specs of the 1996 Ricoh GR1, and my first thought was that the camera’s design hasn’t really gone through a radical change, considering the fact that the first camera was 35mm film and the current camera is an APS-C digital sensor.

Yes, there are, of course, significant changes – the digital camera doesn’t have a viewfinder, for example. But the Ricoh GR has stayed surprisingly loyal to the original design inspiration. The grip looks similar, the mode dial and shutter release have the same placement. Even the size of the camera hasn’t changed much, with both the GR1 and the GR IV measuring 2.4 inches / 61mm high, and the depth and width only a few millimeters off.

But, most importantly, the GR series has stayed loyal to the purpose of the original – to put a high-end camera made for serious photographers into a pocket. While 35mm film may have become a digital APS-C sensor, even the lenses are similar – a 28mm f/2.8 on the original, renowned for its sharpness, and a 18.3mm – which is 28mm in 35mm equivalent, f/2.8 lens on the current model.

The Ricoh GR series, 30 years later, is a lesson in the longevity of a well-loved design – so a subtle refresh feels entirely appropriate. The Ricoh GR IV 30th Anniversary Edition is planned for the fall of 2026. The price has not yet been announced, but Ricoh says only 6,000 of the special edition cameras will be available worldwide, which makes a price increase over the base model expected.

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Just 12 days after release, Panasonic has done it again. The company's new Lumix L10 has gone straight to the top of Yodobashi's latest compact camera sales rankings in Japan, becoming the second Panasonic compact in recent weeks to debut at number one.

The result gives Panasonic another chart-topping launch, following the travel-focused Panasonic Lumix TX3 (aka the Lumix ZS300 in the US and Lumix TZ300 in the UK), which achieved the same feat in Yodobashi's second half of May rankings.

It also pushes long-time favorites such as the Canon PowerShot G7 Mark III and Fujifilm X100 VI further down the rankings, despite their continued popularity.

Unlike the zoom-focused ZS300 / TZ300, the Lumix L10 takes aim at photographers and content creators looking for higher-end stills and video performance.

My colleague Gareth Bevan described the camera as "a handsome fixed-lens compact with a fantastic Leica zoom and excellent in-camera LUTs" in his Panasonic Lumix L10 review, although he noted that it doesn't feel quite as premium as the X100 VI.

Yodobashi's top selling compacts (2nd Half Jun 2026)

1. Panasonic Lumix L10 | Silver | Black
2. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite | Silver | Black (backordered)
3. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III | Black | Silver (backordered)
4. Fujifilm X100VI | Silver | Black (backordered)
5. Sony ZV-1 II | Black | White
6. Panasonic Lumix TX3 / ZS300 / TZ300 | Black | Graphite Silver
7. Canon IXY 650 / Powershot Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A | Black | Silver
8. Panasonic Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 | Black / White
9. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Brown | Black
10. Ricoh GR IV (backordered)

Panasonic does it again

The Lumix L10 joins the growing premium compact camera market with a 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds sensor paired with a Leica-branded 24-75mm equivalent f/1.7 zoom lens.

Even before the L10 reached store shelves, Panasonic Japan warned that demand had exceeded expectations. With pre-orders far higher than anticipated, the company said some customers might not receive their cameras on release day before later temporarily suspending new orders in Japan due to supply constraints.

Its success continues Panasonic's recent momentum in the compact camera market.

After debuting in the top spot for the latter half of May, the travel-focused Lumix ZS300 / TZ300 slipped to third in the first half of June chart and sixth in the latest rankings.

The Lumix L10 has now repeated that impressive debut, giving Panasonic two different compact cameras that launched straight into the numberf one spot within just a few weeks.

Compact demand outpaces supply – again

Yodobashi's latest rankings also show that supply continues to lag behind demand.

In the beginning of June ranking, three of the top ten compact cameras were listed as backordered.

That number has since risen to four, with the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite, Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III, Fujifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR IV all currently unavailable at Yodobashi.com.

Whether the Lumix L10 can hold onto the top spot in the next ranking remains to be seen, but Panasonic has already achieved something special – launching two different compact cameras that both debuted as Japan's best-selling model within the space of just a few weeks.

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Amid the compact camera craze, there’s one camera category that I’ve been hoping for a revival: the shoot-every-genre-with-one-lens bridge camera. Now, Sony has brought its larger sensor super zoom camera back from the dead. The Sony RX10 V brings back the same sensor and 24-600mm equivalent lens, but borrows the speed and autofocus smarts from the brand’s mirrorless cameras.

Announced on July 9, shortly after a teaser confirmed its existence, the Sony RX10 V is the first time the imaging giant has launched a super zoom since the RX10 IV in 2017. While Sony hasn’t touched its popular super zoom in nearly a decade, the RX10 V arrives with the same 20.1MP one-inch sensor and a 24-600mm equivalent, 25x zoom lens with a maximum f/2.8-4 aperture.

Instead, the new super zoom focuses on bringing the speed and autofocus capabilities that have arrived on Sony’s Alpha series, thanks in part to the new Bionz XR processor with an integrated AI processing unit.

The RX10 V can shoot burst speeds as fast as 30fps with a blackout-free viewfinder – matching the speed of cameras like the A7R VI. Like the A7R VI, the RX10 V also allows photographers to assign a shortcut button to temporarily boost the burst speed, easing the storage demands of such a fast burst speed.

The RX10 V also borrows another key feature that pairs well with the 600mm equivalent lens – subject recognition autofocus. I found the subject detection to work fairly well for birds and bugs – though birds already in flight were sometimes more misses than hits. That autofocus system performs 60 calculations per second, using 575 phase detection points across about 70.6 percent of the frame.

The updated processor also improves noise reduction and colors compared to the 2017 camera, Sony says. The battery life has also been boosted to the tune of about 50 percent at a 630 shot rating.

The bridge camera’s video capabilities also get a boost, as the RX10 V now uses the full width of the sensor to shoot 4K 60p, but can also shoot cropped 4K 120p. The camera also supports S-Cinetone, S-Log3, and LUT imports.

The super zoom camera is one that I reccomend often to birders who want to snap photos without the weight or complexity of a mirrorless camera and telephoto lens. But the RX10 V lens can also get in fairly close, falling just under half macro capabilities at .42x at 24mm and .49x at 600mm. That, paired with a lens stretching from 24-600mm, creates a fairly versatile camera, considering its unswappable lens.

Bridge cameras aren’t exactly compact, but the RX10 V’s 1,111g / 39oz weight is a far cry from a kit full of mirrorless lenses that includes 24mm, 600mm, and macro capabilities. That zoom lens retracts into the camera somewhat when off, leaving the RX10 with a depth of about 151.3mm / 5.95 inches.

The RX10’s design is completed with a more Sony Alpha-like grip and a multi-select joystick. The camera design also includes a tilting touchscreen, 3.686 million dot electronic viewfinder, a single UHS-I and UHS-II compatible SD card slot, and a multi-interface hot shoe. The RX10 V is weather-sealed.

Another key change, however, is the camera’s price point. At launch, the earlier RX IV sat at about $1,700 / £1,500 / CA$2,200 / AU$2,599, but after Sony discontinued the previous RX10 IV, the price from reputable used camera dealers approaches the $3K mark for like-new options.

The list price for the new Sony RX10 V sits somewhere between the RX10 IV’s original price and the older models' used price, sitting at $2,299 / CA$2,899. UK and Australia pricing have not yet been announced, but that converts to about £1,716 / AU$3,316. Shipping is expected to begin in early August.

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