What exactly is a “point & shoot” camera? It’s an interesting question, as the name implies that it requires no thinking. You simply point and shoot, right? Well, no, not always. Point & shoot, in most cases, really means “compact,” as in something that easily fits in your pocket, or at the very least doesn’t weigh you down when traveling. This may be an odd diatribe on my behalf, but to my mind, we should be calling the category “compact cameras.” If you look at three of the biggest online retailers for camera gear, you will see that they have all conformed to the terminology “point & shoot.” Look below to see how B&H, Adorama, and Amazon categorize them.
But do you really just point and shoot? Maybe, but if you do, the results are probably not going to be pleasing. Don’t get me wrong, there is a broad spectrum of P&S cameras available that can capture anything from the nastiest low-resolution photos to the crispest and most “professional.” Point & Shoot cameras have a long and storied history. Ever since the dawn of photography, there has been a desire to democratize the medium and allow more people to create their own photos. Photography has, after all, always been a privilege granted only to those with enough money to buy a ticket to the show. As I’ve previously mentioned in another post, you might already have the best point & shoot option for you in your pocket, which also serves as a solution to edit, share & publish your pictures in a flash. It should be apparent that I’m talking about your smartphone, but if not, I’m talking about your smartphone. But for all of their convenience and brilliance, smartphones are boring, and worse than that, distracting. Smartphones very nearly killed off the point & shoot market for good. But wait… There has been a resurgence! And why? Well, for several reasons. But mostly, in my own opinion, it’s about the experience. People chase trends, and then when they notice that everyone is doing a particular trend, they seek ways to do it differently. So, now, we’re back to having new options to sate our compact camera dreams.
So, which is it for you? Do you want to capture low-fi moments, or do you want an overly expensive accessory for bragging rights? Are you a serious artist who needs a stealth tool to do your work? There are so many options. Currently, there is a debate happening on social media about which P&S is the best. Is it the FUJIFILM X100VI, or is it the Leica Q3, or maybe even the Sony RX1rIII? Perhaps it’s the medium format FUJIFILM GFX100RF, or the half-frame FUJIFILM X. Well, for me, I think I’d go for the lesser-known, but more affordable (and quite capable) Ricoh GRIIIX. When it comes to “compact” or “point & shoot,” quality matters, but more than that, I want to know that I can fit it in my pocket. It’s a bonus that it is cheaper than most options in this category.
Okay, then, I have to be honest though… I do not own any of these cameras. Once upon a time, I owned the FUJIFILM X100s, which was fantastic, but proved to be too bulky to fit in my pocket. Yes, I do want the Ricoh, but you know… money. So why am I even blogging about this subject if I don’t own one? Well, I’m glad you asked! I own several point-and-shoots, of the film variety. I have a FUJIFILM Klasse S, as well as several Olympus XA‘s, which I rarely leave home without. I will give those cameras proper reviews soon, so stay tuned!