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Point and Shoot Cameras are Basically Dead

evoWALO

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Almost every major camera manufacturer has either openly discontinued its point-and-shoot line of cameras or has not produced a new one in many years, according to a new report. In short, smartphones have all but totally replaced compact cameras.


The compact camera market, colloquially known as point-and-shoot cameras, has been experiencing a massive collapse in worldwide shipments over the last decade and a half. Since 2008, when worldwide shipments reached 110.7 million cameras, the market has significantly shrunk and fallen to 3.01 million units as of 2021 — a 97% drop.


Nikkei reports that in response to the market’s contraction, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Fujifilm, and Sony have all either dramatically scaled back productions or outright admitted that there will be no further compact cameras.

“Although we are shifting to higher-end models, we have strong support for lower-end models, and will continue to develop and produce them as long as there is demand,” Canon tells Nikkei.


Canon denies that it isn’t planning to make new compact cameras, but it hasn’t released a new one since 2019.

Sony’s response echoes Canon’s and the company says that it is not discontinuing new product development in the compact camera space, although Nikkei notes the company hasn’t made a new “Cyber-Shot” camera — its compact camera line — since 2019.


Nikkei reports that Nikon has stopped developing cameras that would fall under its “Coolpix” line, the company’s branding for compact point-and-shoot style cameras. Nikon tells Nikkei that it still sells two high-magnification models and that future production volume will be determined by the market, which as noted, isn’t growing.


Panasonic, which at one point owned the top share of Japan’s compact camera market, tells Nikkei that it has been reducing the volume of point-and-shoots that it has been producing over the last several years in response to the shrinking market. Additionally, while it plans to keep making current compact cameras for the time being, it will focus on developing high-end mirrorless cameras aimed at enthusiasts and professionals, including a camera that it plans to release next year that it is developing in conjunction with Leica.


Nikkei claims Fujifilm has ceased production on its compact camera line “FinePix” and is not actively developing new models for it, instead focusing its efforts on higher-end models like the X100V and above.

Ricoh, which owns the Pentax brand, and OM Digital aren’t mentioned in the story, but Ricoh seems unfazed by the market contraction and has notably released two point-and-shoot cameras in the last year: the WG-80 and the GR IIIx (and later along with its special edition). Ricoh seems immune to making decisions in line with market trends, as it has also stubbornly refused to make a mirrorless Pentax camera, going so far as to say that the brand “cannot go mirrorless.”


It has been a long, slow process, but the death of the point-and-shoot appears all but complete at the hands of the smartphone, whose imaging capabilities manufacturers continue to improve.

Click here for the point & shoot cameras released in the last 5 years.

Below are the number of models released per year

2022

- 0

2021

- 1

2020

- 6

2019

- 11

2018

- 18

2017

- 10
 
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I was fully expecting this to happen slowly but steadily. However, if you would've asked me out of the blue, I wouldn't have expected these numbers, yet (completely uninformed). Looking at your link, they even counted some cameras that I wouldn't consider point&shoots...
Below are the number of models released per year
Good riddance, I guess? I don't know... for me, the death of the p+s is perfectly justified.
 
I was fully expecting this to happen slowly but steadily. However, if you would've asked me out of the blue, I wouldn't have expected these numbers, yet (completely uninformed). Looking at your link, they even counted some cameras that I wouldn't consider point&shoots...​

Good riddance, I guess? I don't know... for me, the death of the p+s is perfectly justified.
The iPhone then Android kille the point & shoot and consumer dSLR & mirrorless cameras.
 
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I wondered if this affected instant compact cameras and it seems that neither Polaroid nor Kodak have released a camera this year.

I did stumble across the Polaroid Lab though, who the heck thought that was a better idea than Bluetooth? :ROFLMAO:
 
I still long for some sort of point and shoot to be honest. Yeah phone cameras are good, but they don’t have the best of zoom or focal control that even one step above “basic bitch” point and shoot offers. I like my SLR, but it’s always a big event to bring it place and snap a few photos.

I’ve also grown more and more frustrated with what should be an easy thing, like open my phone and swipe to get the camera open. It doesn’t work sometimes after a one handed thumb swipe 3-4-5 times. Which is incredibly annoying.
 
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I still long for some sort of point and shoot to be honest. Yeah phone cameras are good, but they don’t have the best of zoom or focal control that even one step above “basic bitch” point and shoot offers. I like my SLR, but it’s always a big event to bring it place and snap a few photos.

I’ve also grown more and more frustrated with what should be an easy thing, like open my phone and swipe to get the camera open. It doesn’t work sometimes after a one handed thumb swipe 3-4-5 times. Which is incredibly annoying.
I know Android its just a double click on the volume button.

iPhone needs the screen to appear then long press on the camera icon
 
I still long for some sort of point and shoot to be honest. Yeah phone cameras are good, but they don’t have the best of zoom or focal control that even one step above “basic bitch” point and shoot offers. I like my SLR, but it’s always a big event to bring it place and snap a few photos.

I’ve also grown more and more frustrated with what should be an easy thing, like open my phone and swipe to get the camera open. It doesn’t work sometimes after a one handed thumb swipe 3-4-5 times. Which is incredibly annoying.
I can swipe left on my iPhone's lock screen and that takes you directly to the camera app.

On the topic of point-and-shoot cameras, I know modern smartphones are getting better and better, but I'm kinda starting to get why my father bought an advanced point-and-shoot camera instead of a DSLR. I kinda want something like a Ricoh GR III(x) or a Sony RX100 IV (or newer) myself, just for the sake of portability and the advantages over smartphones. Not that I need such camera, though.
 
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I can swipe left on my iPhone's lock screen and that takes you directly to the camera app.
:shock2:
I did not know this until now, I've always pressed and held the button on the screen. I've only had 2 iPhones...
 
:shock2:
I did not know this until now, I've always pressed and held the button on the screen. I've only had 2 iPhones...
It only worked with me when FaceID unlocked the screen.

When it is still locked a press on the Camera icon on the lower left corner activates the Camera app.

Android has a better implementation. Double press the the volume up/down button and it goes straight to Camera app.

On both iPhone & certain Android smartphones once inside the Camera app you can use your volume up/down as as a shutter. If you use an earphone with hardware volume up/button on it you can use it also as a wired shutter.

My primary camera is my iPhone. Secondary camera is my dSLR and maybe a mirrorless camera by year 2025.

I am hesitant to buy as I base purchases on utilization. If I shoot more than 2 days/week for every week in 52 weeks of a year then it is worth replacing.

Back in 2017 a start up photo studio wanted to buy the relevant parts of my EF system. Wish I started liquidating over 80% before Sep 2018 before the RF system was announced. This would have avoided sudden depreciation for perfectly performing hardware.

Remember, best camera you can ever own is the one with you always. Odds are more likely you will capture video of UFO with you car's dashcam or your iPhone/Android than a Canon/Nikon/Sony digital still camera.
 
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I know the time of the point-and-shooter is going, but I still bought me a Fujifilm XF 10 not even two years ago. It's just a simple but great 24MP no-zoom brick:

Fuji-XF10-Review-Smallest-Compact-APS-C-Digital-Camera-22-750x500.jpg


It lives in a cupholder in the middle console of my car. From there is so easy for me to grab it and take pictures in seconds, all with one hand and without actually looking at it. As long as I have the finger on the trigger it does 6 pics per second. And one of them is always good. Example:

DSCF0367.jpg


This fast-reaction shooting is impossible to do with a smartphone, as those have truly crap ergonomics in such a situation.
It's like the difference between actual buttons and a touchscreen in a car. The touchscreen may have all the options ever, but you have to actually look at it to use it. A regular I-have-one-job button you can use blind and with the sure knowledge that it works when you use it. On a touchscreen you may have to tap a button two or three times before you are hitting it right.

It has to be noted that although the picture quality during day time is great on the Fuji, it has already lost against the fast technology advantage of my current phone (Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra) when it comes to shooting during night time. The difference in what the phone can still do in usable pictures in the near darkness is massive.

But still. As long as it works the Fuji has its place with me. Knowing that it probably will be the last of its kind.
 
I know the time of the point-and-shooter is going, but I still bought me a Fujifilm XF 10 not even two years ago. It's just a simple but great 24MP no-zoom brick:

Fuji-XF10-Review-Smallest-Compact-APS-C-Digital-Camera-22-750x500.jpg


It lives in a cupholder in the middle console of my car. From there is so easy for me to grab it and take pictures in seconds, all with one hand and without actually looking at it. As long as I have the finger on the trigger it does 6 pics per second. And one of them is always good. Example:

DSCF0367.jpg


This fast-reaction shooting is impossible to do with a smartphone, as those have truly crap ergonomics in such a situation.
It's like the difference between actual buttons and a touchscreen in a car. The touchscreen may have all the options ever, but you have to actually look at it to use it. A regular I-have-one-job button you can use blind and with the sure knowledge that it works when you use it. On a touchscreen you may have to tap a button two or three times before you are hitting it right.

It has to be noted that although the picture quality during day time is great on the Fuji, it has already lost against the fast technology advantage of my current phone (Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra) when it comes to shooting during night time. The difference in what the phone can still do in usable pictures in the near darkness is massive.

But still. As long as it works the Fuji has its place with me. Knowing that it probably will be the last of its kind.
Cracking image.

I'd get uneasy leaving camera gear in the car after my buddy's car got broken into at a car park and his camera bag was taken.

I am surprised that a APS-C image sensor from 2019 is outperformed by a Galaxy for low light.
 
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I can understand the appeal of film. I can understand the appeal of novelty analogue cameras like Polaroid, mostly. I can understand the appeal of the Game Boy camera and printer because it produces a wildly different result to anything else.

I can't understand the appeal of taking photos with a device that basically functions the same way as a modern camera but just produces a worse result. I suppose I can understand not wanting to have an expensive phone out in public these days but these same people will probably walk around texting on said expensive phone while carrying the crappy camera.

As I said in the other thread, I don't understand 'lomography' at all and think that deliberately producing crappy photos is pointless. It's especially pointless if you're trying to take a good picture with old tech. I have a PSP camera but don't use it because it produces crappy results. It's really good at CMOS wobble if you want that though...

Relating this to video for a second, I kind of fancy buying a Mini-DV camcorder. Specifically the Sony model that was used as on-board cameras for the house robots in early Robot Wars. It would be a nice thing to have but other than re-creating the overlay used on the TV show the footage looks similar to early digital cameras, just a bit worse.
 
I say let them have their fun.

Exactly. Perhaps grainy pictures are a novelty for them. They may also have a sense of nostalgia for their childhood photos, many of which would have been taken with that sort of camera.

I guess I should check if I can flog my Coolpix S3000. :hmm:
 
From what I can see, OM-Digital (Olympus) only makes one compact camera, the Tough. Which kind of makes sense, there are many places you wouldn't risk taking and damaging your $1500 iPhone 14 Pro Max. But besides that, they are all about the OM-D system cameras, and the Pro-line of lenses.
 
CIPA members as a whole had mirrorless doing better than point & shoots + SLR.

I think P&S + SLR will go below 0.5 million/year by 2026? Mirrorless will be 6-7 million annually?

Catering to working photogs and enthusiasts demanding the last 1% of performance.


Year2019202020212022
Total Cameras15,216,9578,886,2928,361,5218,011,598
Point & Shoot6,755,4673,578,6433,013,2502,084,865
Total SLR & Mirrorless8,461,4905,307,6495,348,2715,926,733
SLR4,504,9872,374,5692,241,7721,853,222
Mirrorless3,956,5032,933,0803,106,4994,073,511
% of Point & Shoots44.39%40.27%36.04%26.02%
% of SLR & Mirrorless55.61%59.73%63.96%73.98%

16 years ago this slide was shown at the unveiling of the 2007 iPhone 2G.

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Puts into perspective what annual worldwide shipments of nearly quarter billion iPhones and about 1 billion Android smartphones have done to game consoles, digital cameras, MP3 players and PCs.

wlfD8Qy.png
 
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