Point and Shoot Cameras are Basically Dead

[AlanKlein]

While I use my cell phone for occasional shots taking while walking around, I specifically take my pocketable Sony RX100iv when I travel on vacation or go to a specific event like a party. The ergonomics is much better. Cell phones slip and slide around and I have to say "smile" to shoot the shot. In sunny conditions, you can't see a cellphone screen. With the RX100 I have an eye viewfinder as well as an LED screen to look at. The flash is better as well.

 

[dolina]

While I use my cell phone for occasional shots taking while walking around, I specifically take my pocketable Sony RX100iv when I travel on vacation or go to a specific event like a party. The ergonomics is much better. Cell phones slip and slide around and I have to say "smile" to shoot the shot. In sunny conditions, you can't see a cellphone screen. With the RX100 I have an eye viewfinder as well as an LED screen to look at. The flash is better as well.

Would you buy a new point & shoot today or in future?

 

[AlanKlein]

Would you buy a new point & shoot today or in future?

I'm very happy with my Sony RX100iv. It shoots 19MB stills and 4k videos. It has an eye-level viewfinder and zoom from 24-70mm ( the later models increased this to 200mm but I wouldn't upgrade just for the extra range).

The thing with P&S as with many regular digital cameras is that they've reached maturity. I still have old P&Ss with 2MB and 4MB resolution. But newer P&Ss have pretty much maxed out on the feature most of us need. Any new features are incremental in nature. That's also why sales have decreased in addition to people having cellphone cameras.

 

[cgw]

Few here apparently grasp what the Ricoh GRIII or Fuji X-100V is about. Not sure how much more punishment this very dead horse deserves.

 

[snowbear]

Would you buy a new point & shoot today or in future?

No, but not because I, or anyone else, feels they are "dead." I have one (a phone), and I prefer a DSLR.

 

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day all

Much of this discussion is to me -old news and nothing to bother about- ... sales of motor vehicles &/or TVs or pick whatever you like - also change up and down as the market if filled / satisfied and customers move on to other needs

With respect to dSLR vs high-end P&S, give me a high-end P&S any day ... but that's me and my style of photo activity

Phil

 

[Warhorse]

...and the thunder rolls.

 

[snowbear]

...and the thunder rolls.

As long as there is new legitimate content posted, we'll let it go on.

 

[cgw]

Frankly, apart from size, the surviving hi-end p&s(sic)models have very little in common with the small-sensor, zoom-a-rama schlock that once graced BestBuy displays. Seriously,16-24mp APS-C sensors, premium fixed-focal length lenses, and abundant controls don't come cheap but the files do speak for themselves. For me, they more than fill the bill when I can't/won't lug a crippling DSLR bag whose vibe conflicts with candids and street shooting. YMMV, as always.

 

[Rickbb]

Point and shoot has never been more popular, only now call them cell phones.

 

[Ozzie_Traveller]

I'm new here also - so this topic is still viable for me (at least to some extent)

I'm with Alan here ... and I believe that the hi-end "supposedly" P&S cameras need to be reclassified into a group of their own .... as Rangefinder cameras are

Around my home are heaps of prints from 12" wide to 40" wide all shot via my Panasonic cameras ~ small sensor, damn fine Leica zoom lens jobs, and I can see no reason as to why I need to return to big-bulky-heavy dSLRs (after using film SLRs for 40 years)
Phil

 

[dolina]

Point and shoot has never been more popular, only now call them cell phones.

The concern comes about as the smartphones that replaced point & shoots are not from

- Canon
- Nikon
- Sony
- FujiFilm
- Panasonic
- Olympus
- Ricoh
- Pentax
- etc

So if you have a preferred brand in the above list they will either

- merge in 2006 and again in 2011
- close down the camera division
- stop supporting your camera's repair sooner
- pull direct distribution support from your country
- increase retail selling price as they cannot leverage economies of scale

 

[Robshoots]

That lack of P&S cameras is of no concern to me. If I want one I'd buy a Ricoh GRIII for discrete street shooting.

I would love to own a GRIII.

 

[cgw]

I would love to own a GRIII.

Try to find a GRII. No penalty for a smaller sensor and missing stabilization.

 

[Jeff15]

I am surprised this thread has lasted this long. Is this not a case of whatever floats your boat.....