About compact cameras
- Admin
- Apr 22
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 1
Compact cameras, once thought to have lost the market to smartphones, are making a comeback.
It's well known that a Korean camera manufacturer once pulled out of the camera business, predicting that smartphones would eventually dominate the market, and chose instead to focus on supplying sensors for them. Japanese manufacturers have cut back on their compact camera offerings, leaving just a few models available now. However, market research suggests that people who have discovered the joy of photography through their smartphones, as well as those who are dissatisfied with the performance of smartphone cameras, are now buying compact cameras again.
It was the LUMIX LX3 that first introduced me to the joy of photography. It's a compact camera that is still considered a classic today. This camera was unlike any I'd used before. It wasn't just the handling; the image quality felt more nuanced, maybe... it just produces images that really speak to the soul.
I gradually got sucked deeper and deeper into the world of lenses and cameras, and before I knew it, I was completely burned out. It was then that I rediscovered the simple joy of taking pictures with a Canon compact, the G9 X M2, which I'd bought on a whim. That's also when I realized heavy cameras just aren't for me. Since the G9xM2 had shown me what Canon could do, I decided to buy the G5 X M2 for its wider focal range and viewfinder. This camera was truly one of the top compacts available. However, I found it heavy, and it didn't really fit the way I shoot. My impression was that it’s a compact camera meant for taking photos deliberately, with a proper stance.
Now my go-to camera is the Sony RX100M3, although it's a 10-year-old model, I've been using mine for two years. The pop-up viewfinder works perfectly and the image quality of the ZEISS lens is superb. Despite having only a 1-inch sensor, printing A4 photos is absolutely no problem. While compact cameras from every manufacturer have their appeal, it's no exaggeration to say the RX100 series is the perfect choice for photographers.
All my street shots in Moscow last year were taken with the RX100M3, even though I had a full-frame camera with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens in my backpack.
To make sure I don't miss the moments happening right in front of me, I'd say a compact camera is a really dependable piece of gear. Sure, your smartphone might do the trick nowadays. The cameras on the latest models launch instantly. But a dedicated compact camera is still a reliable tool.
Recently, new compact cameras have started to be released, and I sincerely hope that they will continue to be made. It would be good if there were models like the Leica M series, where the appearance and operability remained the same, but only the specifications were brushed up. If this were the case, it could become a camera that everyone would own.