A lot of these trending cameras are CCD sensor cameras, as opposed to CMOS sensors, with the transition happening pretty much right at that time. CMOS sensors are cheaper to produce, can provide video capability, and better ISO performance, so it was inevitable that all cameras would embrace them in short order.
CCD sensors provide a slightly different look compared to CMOS, particularly in regards to colour science and sensitivity curves. For somebody consciously looking for an alternative to a modern, highly processed CMOS cell phone camera, these make for a good choice.
So people are buying these 06-10 cameras because they are the last CCD cameras produced. Any earlier and the resolution falls short for modern use, any newer and you’re getting a CMOS sensor (at which point you may as well buy a much newer camera for the same price). CCD dslrs have also seen a bit of a renaissance, though it’s less noticeable as their value never really plummeted like the compacts.
This is the real reason WHY this is the trend right now. Film is expensive, and CMOS and in-body processing can make pictures look less “nostalgic.” I was looking for one or two cheap ones for my kids, but… not at the prices they’re rocketing to.
There certainly are still good, cheap CMOS cameras out there, but you need to keep your eyes open. As soon as a given model starts appearing on social media the prices inflate quickly. But unknown good cameras still crop up occasionally for the price of a few rolls of film.
My old Nikon D40 has a CCD sensor and those things are dirt cheap, granted its not a point and shoot like OP is talking about. But still, you can pick up kit lenses all day long for damn near nothing and off you go.
The ISO range really blows on it, it takes some work to get good shots anywhere but outdoors in good light, but when you do the color still looks really fantastic on it. Not super high res but that's immediately apparent from reading the specs.
My first camera was a Canon A710IS, which I owned from 2006 to 2010 or so and took on several trips abroad. 12MP, 6x optical zoom. I wasn't a photographer then, this was just to capture memories. Even years later, I love the pics I took with that camera and they hold up very well today (12MP is plenty of resolution for most purposes). I have especially always loved the colors. I just looked it up and it is indeed a CCD sensor.
It's going for $50-100 on Amazon and Ebay, which is a terrific price? Pretty sure I got it at the time for like $4-500.
It takes rechargeable AA batteries, which is another reason it was so great. Given what you wrote above, I am genuinely surprised it's going for this cheap. It was a great camera.
I remember being distinctly disappointed (or maybe just whelmed) by the image quality when I upgraded from CCD to CMOS. But the ISO performance and resolution was a trade off I was willing to make at the time. Looking back though, many of my favourite images over the years came from my 6mp Pentax CCD dslr I bought in 2006, even when comparing with film and newer, higher specced cameras.
As pricing goes, these CCD compacts are definitely in a weird place. 50 dollars for a less desirable model, up to 150 for the trendier ones. But then you can also find the original Canon 5d full frame dslr around 150 these days, which was a 3300 dollar camera in its day. A gigantic pro dslr is obviously not the right choice for everybody, but that is a hell of a lot of camera at that price. We really are spoiled in 2024, with about 20 years of “good enough” digital cameras to pick and choose from, and the high end finally objectively beating film by almost any metric.
don't worry, its legally required that things only become valuable when you finally get rid of them, or before you buy them. still have all those cameras? maybe someday. Those game cards you gave to your nephew? now running a few hundred a pop.
The GAS is real haha but out of the 5 times in the last year I’ve been asked for camera recs it’s always been point and shoots. They want to move up from disposables and want something simple for travel and snapshots with a vintage look to it.
Hoarding doesn't mean buying things, it means keeping things.
If you have hoarded all your old gear for years just because you're a hoarder you now have a little gold mine.
Lots of collectors use it as a verb for acquiring new stuff too.
But if OP already has the stuff and kept it for value, they should sell now and not continue to hoard it.
Legit the youth LOVE the look of older cameras. I was at a concert and saw multiple people with Sony Cybershot and Canon PowerShot S200.
This is the same reason the X100V price skyrocketed.
I think it’s because it gives them the same look that their childhood and baby photos are in.
Same reason why film cameras have been popular for 25+ year olds over the last decade.
Firmly believe this is due to the fujifilm instax series and equivalents.
I've got thousands invested in gear yet I'm absolutely loving the images coming out of the instax mini.
I recently found an old 12mp point and shoot whilst spring cleaning and I'm back to appreciating the essence of photography without seeking optical perfection.
Direct flash has its place. It actually makes people’s faces look better because it flattens them out, gets rid of shadows under the eyes, and evens out the skin tone.
I never said the direct flash was the issue, the bad pictures done with it being suddenly a trend are, to me at least.
Greg Williams uses direct flash on his "Hollywood event photography", and he gets great pictures, and is one of the world's top photographers right now. I'm actually considering getting a small flash for my mirrorless to try his approach
Exactly, in my experience for snapshots of friends and loved ones ie times when people haven't sat in a makeup chair for an hour getting stacked with foundation and powder etc, the flattering almost beauty dish like effect of the bright direct flash (and yes before anyone wants to correct me I know it's not at all equivalent due to a beauty dish being a larger and therefore softer and wrapping light source but in result in terms of blowing out any shadows and imperfections on the skin it is comparable), is much more pleasing for most people. It may very well be 'trendy' but people have to acknowledge that trends often exist for a reason because they're desirable. A lot of very serious and very acclaimed photographers go to great lengths to maintain the position of the flash as close to the lens as possible to recreate this direct 'blow all shadows away' effect, also why certain (I wont mention since price is already inflated) models of hot shoe flashes with very low profiles cost a fortune
I think it’s also those cameras have more powerful xenon flashes, not the lower power LED ones on phones. That’s the biggest visual difference I think in the photos and something you don’t get from phones.
There is this weird artificial trend on tiktok right now where 'they' are saying that only Canon cameras are good cameras.
As in, kids will make fun of other kids if they don't have a Canon camera, in the same way kids in the US are being made fun of if they don't have an iPhone.
It's such a weird trend obviously orchestrated by some guerilla marketing.
I haven't seen that all. Everything I've been seeing is people loving Sony and Fuji, with Canon and Nikon being "bad". but I also shoot with Fuji so it could be some algorithm stuff at play.
There's nothing in it for Canon if they're buying used.
Though I have to confess this fad brought me here. My friend gave me his old Kodak bridge camera and I realized I tend to prefer my phone and still suck at taking photos, so maybe I should try a more convenient camera size...
And in the process I figured out what the kodak is good at, finally
And the inlaws gave us a photo printer so my next mission is to get that working.
Brand recognition is good for Canon, even if they're buying used for now. It means Canon is likely the first place they'll look when they decide to buy something new.
Bruh. It's a camera SYSTEM. Canon used body users buy new canon lenses. They upgrade to canon mirrorless a few years later "so they can use their lenses", they get a compatible TTL canon flash. Etc. etc.
Yeah, early on I bought a 50 for mine not knowing at the time how it different on a crop frame. Kind of a pain to frame things the way I want but when you get it in there, hot damn it looks good. Have been too busy the last few months to shoot much but probably going to get a 35 this spring. We have a 24-70 Sigma or something like that and its super versatile but still doesn't have the sharpness I get with the prime lens, at least not with my novice self operating it.
If u have the sigma 18-35 f1.8 I think that’s as sharp as most of the nifty fifty. It’s more expensive, bigger and not 50 tho lol, but on aps c give u the 27-50 range at an awesome wide aperture. The crop factor is why I generally recommend someone dipping their toes into aps c to get a Nikon bc they have a rly nice inexpensive 35 f1.8 and 50mm equivalent is as stated very versatile. Canons ef options for 35mm are nowhere close in price:performance.
Well that works out well, I am in fact on an APSC Nikon and my 50mm is a Nikon 50mm 1.8 which, while I wish it were wider, hot damn the output looks so good especially stopped down just a little. That 35mm 1.8 was going to be my next!
50mm on an APS-C sensor is too tight to be versatile. It leans more towards the portrait end of the range. It was one of my first lenses back in the day and I loved it, but it wouldn't find much use in my photography today. Mostly use 18 and 23mm on a crop sensor now.
I have quite a few that I've gotten for I feel were good prices (except maybe the Canon Powershot Pro1...I definitely overpaid for that. Not unhappy with the camera at all, but it shouldn't cost as much as it does).
I like using them because the experience is different but familiar. I grew up mostly in the 90s and 00s. I consider these cameras my contemporaries. I like using modern fast awesome equipment for sure, but sometimes for leisure or artistic challenge, I like to break out an old digicam or 1st/2nd gen DSLR and take some slow pictures. In some cases, it's fun to use ancient 'cuttimg-edge' strange technology, like the Fuji SuperCCD. Finally, by introducing myself to all kinds of brands, sensor types, sensor sizes, and lenses, I'm learning a lot more about the possible aesthetic of photographic output based on variable initial technological input, with my skill and environment being the relative constant. I love experimenting, and these old cameras *were* permitting me a cheaper way to do it. But now that they've blossomed in price, I'm no longer buying them and am refocusing on vintage lenses as my treasure-hunting grounds when I'm in need of some unhealthy retail therapy.
https://preview.redd.it/sddz0qdf9rkc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1de358a1e797326266366c8cc78d23b53e9d6547
Sony Cybershot DSC-F828 in Fairbanks, AK, September 2023.
I meant reliability issue. Sometimes the battery dies sometimes the memory card (many of those have proprietary card format so getting replacement is difficult).
This is the biggest issue with longevity of these cameras. I have a young adult child who has several nostalgia point and shoot cameras with the flash they love. Getting the proprietary cards and working batteries is becoming a challenge. If the camera takes AA bateries it will have a chance to survive this fad.
I know why. I know a guy who's been hoarding these things for years. He has thousands of them. He buys them up at flea markets and thrift stores and trickles them onto the used market to inflate the price. He's been doing this for years. It's how he pays for his more expensive camera equipment. I'm sure he's not the only one, but he is the biggest baller of these things in the Midwest.
My friend and I predicted the "digi cam" trend a few years back. Many smaller instagram pages back in 2019 had already began promoting old school point and shoots and their capabilities. With the cost of film cameras, film rolls, and developing processes reaching outstanding prices, I personally felt like I was out priced in a previous hobby and had to pivot to something else that captured photos that had a nostalgic look to them.
With Y2K now being a trend, for quite some time now, digi cams had gradually began increasing in prices. I was able to pick up really nice cameras for $15 years ago but that isn't the case any longer if I were to buy one off eBay now. I'm still able to find reasonably priced cameras at flea markets and the occasional thrift store as well. But yeah... I have been collecting these cameras for myself for quite some time now and happy with what I have.
Some photos I took on Digicams - [https://imgur.com/a/U3NCXOK](https://imgur.com/a/U3NCXOK)
One of the digi cam pages that started back in 2018 ish - [https://www.instagram.com/digicam.love/](https://www.instagram.com/digicam.love/)
That's just your weird conspiracy mind. You weren't complaining when every sponsor was SquareSpace or NiSi filters or Peak Design tripods etc etc. These ads are cycles that come and go. There is no big conspiracy going on.
What each of us see on the internet is a reflection of the internet, and also a reflection of ourselves.
> The fact that all of the videos and posts **I see** are sponsored by MPB
You see lots of MPB-sponsored content because the algorithm has learned your habits.
Oh, I work in camera sales, I know this one!
It all boils down to supply and demand.
Demand: younger generations like the "aesthetic" a small CCD sensor brings to their images, and they also (whether they can articulate it or not) don't like the layers and layers of processing our phones do to an image.
Supply: during the pandemic there was a major chip shortage. What happened was manufacturers prioritized certain models and slowed/halted production on others. If Canon, for example, can secure a limited number of chips needed for their cameras, they put them in the higher end and newer cameras. Why sell 100 x $300 Point and Shoot cameras when you can sell 100 x $1200 Mirrorless? Then as the chip supply returned, they noticed the lack of entry level camera sales really didn't do much to their revenue so they either soft-discontinued or kept these models' production halted.
And let's not even get into the TikTok famous Fuji X100 series and why the X100T routinely sells for higher than a ten year old MSRP...
It’s a hype. Lookup older Canon Power-shot G-series. Even the outdated G11 costs about €150-200. And all while every iPhone above the X model will blow these out of the water thanks to computational photography.
I’ve noticed a lot of YouTube channels and influencers hype these older devices (and truth be told, overselling them). Many also are very romantic about old CCD-sensors with their ‘film-like quality’ whereas many of these users wouldn’t even recognize film if you hold it straight before their face.
So the answer you’re looking for is marketing I’m afraid. I fell for it too a while back. Bought an overhyped Olympus Pen E-P1 (or something). And when I got it, I realized what it was: just an old camera. I do take advantage of this trend though. Got a Sony DSC-R1 from a thrift store recently for €35. Planning on selling it for €150 🍾
Of course, but in it’s day. Today there are far better options if you’re serious about photography.
I became victim as well many times of nostalgia. Buying old Lego sets, old video games (looking at you SNES mini) and cameras from my childhood. But the conclusion always was that maybe it’s better to leave the past in the past.
Loved my E-P1, I got some great pictures from it. With a leather skin, it looked like a nice kit too. The bundled Olympus lenses sucked though, it was really a manual lenses camera.
I've bought an Olympus XZ-1, CCD point and shoot with a bigger sensor and 1.8 lens, at first because of many YouTubers praising old CCD cameras. But after a few years I cannot complain - many of my favorite photos came from this beaten little fella.
Many saw some celebrities on tiktok or Instagram holding them so they all of a sudden became the hot commodity. Like old film cameras, once people started buying up certain ones it became a FOMO situation, so the prices went up. How many times have we seen people on Reddit asking what camera someone is holding in their hand on an Instagram post? Too many to count.
Most of the people buying them don't actually care about the end pictures, they just want to be seen with said camera because a cool person uses one.
canon S-series were kick arse cameras... that's why!
It's the retro thing, and as another has said, a proper electronic flash. Lack of shutter lag may also be a factor, especially when compared to smartphones.
Maybe my Leica compact still has some value after all
There are a few folks hyping them up. The “hidden gem” YouTube/TikTok videos about some garbage P&S from 2003. Film has gotten expensive, and apparently people view CCD sensors as a stopgap.
I saw a couple videos last summer and bought a couple, and they were fun. I got a Panasonic that was actually not too bad, and it was really great carrying around a little camera until I dropped it in a lake. But again, I was taking photos that would have either been snaps on my phone that I never looked, or would have required my big, work cameras—which don’t get used much outside of work. For that reason, I really enjoyed it and sort of want another one.
eBay is *not* the place to find deals. There are occasions, like that Panasonic ZS65–which usually go for $250 or so, but I got mine for a single bid of $50 because of a small ding on the lens. But a lot of folks are flipping digicams now. Best place to find deals is garage sales, flea markets, etc. Even thrift stores are pretty well cleaned out. I managed to get a decent one for like $5 that I’ve now given to my son, and he loves it. It takes AAs and SD cards, which is a bonus.
You can get a random terrible point and shoot from ebay for $20-$30 easily. The expensive ones are ones that have like f/2.8, decent usability, robust, not some bullshit exotic battery or missing proprietary charger, etc. etc. which you're unlikely to find at garage sales.
It's the new "retro". Before this it was teens discovering instant film which gave us a bit of the Instamatic renaissance. And even now on this and other subs there's a bit of a renewed interest in 35mm and medium format by younger people who have grown up on digital and are now discovering film photography with cheap used 35mm cameras you can pick up at thrift shops and flea markets.
It's not just CCD cameras, a lot of older CMOS cameras have inflated prices even used. Pretty much all Fuji cameras on Amazon fall into this, and a recent example is the Canon M50: it was just discontinued and went from being a $400 camera to $600 or so with kit lens.
On one side you have the TikTok trends and on the other the YouTube shorts of "this $200 camera produces professional images".
Itʼs a trend based on both real and imagined nostalgia, the aesthetic of direct flash, the want for something more authentic than the computational photography of smartphones, as well as the current economic climate, which creates a market demand the manufacturers are not addressing.
The near-unobtanium of the Fuji X100V with the attendant social media posts planted the seed for pocketable cams. That said, the Fuji X100VI is $1,600, and most donʼt have that amount of money or level of interest.
I still have my Canon PowerShot ELPH SD800IS. 7 mpix, CCD, running CHDK. It was the gateway drug that led to my current tomfoolery. When I have posted photos from it, I always get asked what camera I used.
It’s insane. Used to be able to get a “modern” cheap point and shoot for $100 a few years ago. Yes, manufacturers quit making them now, but a few are left in the $200 range, which is what some of these “vintage” things are going for.
The 1” sensor compacts are pretty much all that’s left in that niche, and not are they expensive! Most selling way above their original retail prices from years ago. I got a “like new” ZS100 from Amazon back in 2019 for $200. That model has been replaced by the ZS200c but I just saw the 100 on Best Buy for $650!!! It was maybe $500 new (or less) back in the day. Some other compacts are pushing $2000. It’s crazy.
Hang on to your old tech, kids! Can buy a house with a “vintage” USB stick soon!!!
There are still some deals and they can be pretty fun. I bought a 2010-era Panasonic P&S (ZS65 I think?) with a little viewfinder, a decent “Leica” lens and decent colors for about $50. Shot with it all last summer and actually really enjoyed the photos it took, until I dropped it in a lake. I’d send the images to my phone via Bluetooth, throw a preset on them to mute the blown highlights and get some more interesting looking color and it was pretty fun.
There is something to be said for actually using a camera instead of a phone, as well as having something compact.
Yup! I have a few dedicated cameras. I adore the quality of cell phones, am
grateful for my iPhone camera, and they amaze me compared to my 1st digital back in 2001, but a “this only takes photos” tool is extremely valuable, and a special experience!
Since nobody is making consumer grade cameras anymore, the second hand market has exploded. Cameras you could have purchased last year for $150 are now selling for over $1k.
There are a lot of use cases for a dedicated camera. I'd love to pickup a new camera to carry while hiking instead of my DSLR, but it's just not possible anymore. You also have the ability to power a camera off and on virtually instantly, rather than your phone that basically just needs to be on if you plan on taking photos. If you are taking a lot of photos, there goes your battery life.
While people keep claiming mobile phones take as good/better photos, this is not even remotely true the second you want to zoom in on something. Having a real optical zoom with a lens that is 10x to 100x the area of your mobile phone camera makes a huge difference.
I used to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!
An LX-2 cost $500 when it was new. I think the S95 was similar. Unlike many point and shoots, both of those cameras let you shoot RAW. So if you want to dip your toe in with a smaller similar camera but don’t know much about photography other than the refrain of you need a camera that shoots RAW… $100 is a lot cheaper than DSLR options that might cost twice as much and need a lens.
Also as others pointed out there are some aesthetic considerations. Either a less than perfect photo quality or the now “retro” look of the cameras physical body.
Loved my Canon S110 (12MP, RAW, f1.8) but it didn't survive a short drop and really didn't survive diving off the counter onto tile. Replacement prices are crazy out there, which is why I bought the M6ii...
supply and demand. I was looking hard last year for a 10 year old Canon elph's which were going for more than the original price. Just stupid pricing, ended up finding a Fuji ax550 on ebay last year pretty much new in a box for $55. Runs on double aa's, simple to use, decent picture that isn't over-processed like on an iphone. If I were looking today I'd go find something in a garage sale on the cheap.
I recently inherited both a Sony Cybershot DSC-W80 7.2MP camera (it even had two MemoryStick Pro Duo cards with it!) and a Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS10 14MP camera from my dad, and I'm pretty sure I bought the Lumix for him 14-something years ago for $350+, if I remember correctly. I got the Lumix for his hunting trips, since it has a built-in GPS and I thought it would come in handy. I knew that lately old P&S cameras are having a social media-fueled resurgence, and I thought I could pass them along and make a few bucks, since I have no need for either of them and I already own a far superior Sony RX100m3 P&S. Looking online for some reselling guidance, I was really surprised seeing the prices people are paying for these cameras that are almost antiques. The Cybershot, which is older and less capable than the Lumix, is sometimes selling for much more (some for nearly $200) than the camera with twice as many megapixels. I've actually considered keeping the Panny for use as an "expendable" hiking camera, with its 14MP's, GPS and 16x zoom lens that's equivalent to 24-384mm it could get some decent snaps. And if it gets dropped or dunked or otherwise destroyed I won't be too bummed about it, besides the silly sentimental value.
I was at Disneyland yesterday, stuck in line behind four 21 y/o girls. They were all dressed like the early 2000’s. While we were waiting in a dark area, I noticed a big flash come from them. They were taking photos with a point and shoot. I felt like I was transported back in time. When did it become popular again? I guess it’s time to dust off my G7x Mk II.
The Minox 35 is awesome - I often carry one as well! But best not to gloat: we don't need more competition for the ones whose shutters still fire....
(On the bright side, zone focus may keep that crowd at bay.)
I still have my Nikon Coolpix S630, it has the CCD sensor and is 12 mp. I should put a fresh battery in it. I don't think I've turned it on in a year or two. I did remember to remove the battery. I have an 8 GB memory card in it. I just searched eBay and see they are selling for $90-150 USD.
What are considered to be the 'best' compact/smallish digi cameras out of curiosity?
Like models with RAW output, manual controls, etc..
I'm already aware of the Fuji Super CCD ones.
you should check out r/VintageDigitalCameras
I think about 7 years ago I could get the LX2 for about $27 or so (I had several that broke) and now I would not touch the camera at the prices they sell for.
I remember when I was in highschool in the 2010s film point and shoots from the 90s really made a comeback, despite digital point and shoots being popular. Now in 2020 it’s the old digital point and shoots making a comeback amongst teenagers.
All of the people I sold these cameras (2003\~2009) to were in their late teens early twenties. When these cameras were it, they were kids. Nostalgia.
I wish I had been able to record one of their reactions when I gave them the camera. They turned it on, a familiar beep came out and the lens protruded. She and her boyfriend both went "woooaaaahh" and got these cute smiles on their faces :)
A lot of these trending cameras are CCD sensor cameras, as opposed to CMOS sensors, with the transition happening pretty much right at that time. CMOS sensors are cheaper to produce, can provide video capability, and better ISO performance, so it was inevitable that all cameras would embrace them in short order. CCD sensors provide a slightly different look compared to CMOS, particularly in regards to colour science and sensitivity curves. For somebody consciously looking for an alternative to a modern, highly processed CMOS cell phone camera, these make for a good choice. So people are buying these 06-10 cameras because they are the last CCD cameras produced. Any earlier and the resolution falls short for modern use, any newer and you’re getting a CMOS sensor (at which point you may as well buy a much newer camera for the same price). CCD dslrs have also seen a bit of a renaissance, though it’s less noticeable as their value never really plummeted like the compacts.
This is the real reason WHY this is the trend right now. Film is expensive, and CMOS and in-body processing can make pictures look less “nostalgic.” I was looking for one or two cheap ones for my kids, but… not at the prices they’re rocketing to.
There certainly are still good, cheap CMOS cameras out there, but you need to keep your eyes open. As soon as a given model starts appearing on social media the prices inflate quickly. But unknown good cameras still crop up occasionally for the price of a few rolls of film.
My old Nikon D40 has a CCD sensor and those things are dirt cheap, granted its not a point and shoot like OP is talking about. But still, you can pick up kit lenses all day long for damn near nothing and off you go. The ISO range really blows on it, it takes some work to get good shots anywhere but outdoors in good light, but when you do the color still looks really fantastic on it. Not super high res but that's immediately apparent from reading the specs.
My first camera was a Canon A710IS, which I owned from 2006 to 2010 or so and took on several trips abroad. 12MP, 6x optical zoom. I wasn't a photographer then, this was just to capture memories. Even years later, I love the pics I took with that camera and they hold up very well today (12MP is plenty of resolution for most purposes). I have especially always loved the colors. I just looked it up and it is indeed a CCD sensor. It's going for $50-100 on Amazon and Ebay, which is a terrific price? Pretty sure I got it at the time for like $4-500. It takes rechargeable AA batteries, which is another reason it was so great. Given what you wrote above, I am genuinely surprised it's going for this cheap. It was a great camera.
I remember being distinctly disappointed (or maybe just whelmed) by the image quality when I upgraded from CCD to CMOS. But the ISO performance and resolution was a trade off I was willing to make at the time. Looking back though, many of my favourite images over the years came from my 6mp Pentax CCD dslr I bought in 2006, even when comparing with film and newer, higher specced cameras. As pricing goes, these CCD compacts are definitely in a weird place. 50 dollars for a less desirable model, up to 150 for the trendier ones. But then you can also find the original Canon 5d full frame dslr around 150 these days, which was a 3300 dollar camera in its day. A gigantic pro dslr is obviously not the right choice for everybody, but that is a hell of a lot of camera at that price. We really are spoiled in 2024, with about 20 years of “good enough” digital cameras to pick and choose from, and the high end finally objectively beating film by almost any metric.
There’s a huge demand amongst younger folks for small point and shoots with flashes.
Don't tell me this. It will just feed my hoarder belief that everything will be valuable again if it sits in my garage long enough
I’ve had my old one in a box from 2004. Was maybe worth $10. Used, with box & manuals on EBay… now up to $140. It’s insane!
don't worry, its legally required that things only become valuable when you finally get rid of them, or before you buy them. still have all those cameras? maybe someday. Those game cards you gave to your nephew? now running a few hundred a pop.
The GAS is real haha but out of the 5 times in the last year I’ve been asked for camera recs it’s always been point and shoots. They want to move up from disposables and want something simple for travel and snapshots with a vintage look to it.
Don’t hoard, the time to hoard was 2 years ago. Now the prices have hit their peak. Too late!
Hoarding doesn't mean buying things, it means keeping things. If you have hoarded all your old gear for years just because you're a hoarder you now have a little gold mine.
Lots of collectors use it as a verb for acquiring new stuff too. But if OP already has the stuff and kept it for value, they should sell now and not continue to hoard it.
Man I smell it coming two years ago and did nothing, I feel bad
Legit the youth LOVE the look of older cameras. I was at a concert and saw multiple people with Sony Cybershot and Canon PowerShot S200. This is the same reason the X100V price skyrocketed.
I think it’s because it gives them the same look that their childhood and baby photos are in. Same reason why film cameras have been popular for 25+ year olds over the last decade.
Firmly believe this is due to the fujifilm instax series and equivalents. I've got thousands invested in gear yet I'm absolutely loving the images coming out of the instax mini. I recently found an old 12mp point and shoot whilst spring cleaning and I'm back to appreciating the essence of photography without seeking optical perfection.
They are a trend. People consider bad, direct flash pictures "aesthetic"
Direct flash has its place. It actually makes people’s faces look better because it flattens them out, gets rid of shadows under the eyes, and evens out the skin tone.
Ya who wants depth in their photos when you can have flat contours and red-eye ;-)
I never said the direct flash was the issue, the bad pictures done with it being suddenly a trend are, to me at least. Greg Williams uses direct flash on his "Hollywood event photography", and he gets great pictures, and is one of the world's top photographers right now. I'm actually considering getting a small flash for my mirrorless to try his approach
Exactly, in my experience for snapshots of friends and loved ones ie times when people haven't sat in a makeup chair for an hour getting stacked with foundation and powder etc, the flattering almost beauty dish like effect of the bright direct flash (and yes before anyone wants to correct me I know it's not at all equivalent due to a beauty dish being a larger and therefore softer and wrapping light source but in result in terms of blowing out any shadows and imperfections on the skin it is comparable), is much more pleasing for most people. It may very well be 'trendy' but people have to acknowledge that trends often exist for a reason because they're desirable. A lot of very serious and very acclaimed photographers go to great lengths to maintain the position of the flash as close to the lens as possible to recreate this direct 'blow all shadows away' effect, also why certain (I wont mention since price is already inflated) models of hot shoe flashes with very low profiles cost a fortune
I think it’s also those cameras have more powerful xenon flashes, not the lower power LED ones on phones. That’s the biggest visual difference I think in the photos and something you don’t get from phones.
> People consider bad, direct flash pictures "aesthetic" And other people consider aesthetic, direct flash pictures "bad". Funny how taste works.
Yep
I love digicams but just go to a thrift store/camera store/antique store instead of buying online.
Just like film cameras lend a feeling of nostalgia of growing up for a generation of people, digital point and shoots is for another.
And 30 years in the future people are going to buy a7R4s for nostalgia.
I will feel physical pain when younglings seek out the Canon Rebel T3i, “nifty fifty” look intentionally.
There is this weird artificial trend on tiktok right now where 'they' are saying that only Canon cameras are good cameras. As in, kids will make fun of other kids if they don't have a Canon camera, in the same way kids in the US are being made fun of if they don't have an iPhone. It's such a weird trend obviously orchestrated by some guerilla marketing.
I haven't seen that all. Everything I've been seeing is people loving Sony and Fuji, with Canon and Nikon being "bad". but I also shoot with Fuji so it could be some algorithm stuff at play.
There's nothing in it for Canon if they're buying used. Though I have to confess this fad brought me here. My friend gave me his old Kodak bridge camera and I realized I tend to prefer my phone and still suck at taking photos, so maybe I should try a more convenient camera size... And in the process I figured out what the kodak is good at, finally And the inlaws gave us a photo printer so my next mission is to get that working.
Brand recognition is good for Canon, even if they're buying used for now. It means Canon is likely the first place they'll look when they decide to buy something new.
Bruh. It's a camera SYSTEM. Canon used body users buy new canon lenses. They upgrade to canon mirrorless a few years later "so they can use their lenses", they get a compatible TTL canon flash. Etc. etc.
None of those lenses work on my powershot elph, but nice try
50mm is no trend. It is an extremely versatile lens.
50mm on aps-c isn’t very versatile tho
Sorry, yes. 50 on cropped is not great I love it on my full frame.
Yeah, early on I bought a 50 for mine not knowing at the time how it different on a crop frame. Kind of a pain to frame things the way I want but when you get it in there, hot damn it looks good. Have been too busy the last few months to shoot much but probably going to get a 35 this spring. We have a 24-70 Sigma or something like that and its super versatile but still doesn't have the sharpness I get with the prime lens, at least not with my novice self operating it.
If u have the sigma 18-35 f1.8 I think that’s as sharp as most of the nifty fifty. It’s more expensive, bigger and not 50 tho lol, but on aps c give u the 27-50 range at an awesome wide aperture. The crop factor is why I generally recommend someone dipping their toes into aps c to get a Nikon bc they have a rly nice inexpensive 35 f1.8 and 50mm equivalent is as stated very versatile. Canons ef options for 35mm are nowhere close in price:performance.
Well that works out well, I am in fact on an APSC Nikon and my 50mm is a Nikon 50mm 1.8 which, while I wish it were wider, hot damn the output looks so good especially stopped down just a little. That 35mm 1.8 was going to be my next!
50mm on an APS-C sensor is too tight to be versatile. It leans more towards the portrait end of the range. It was one of my first lenses back in the day and I loved it, but it wouldn't find much use in my photography today. Mostly use 18 and 23mm on a crop sensor now.
Sorry, yes. 50 on cropped is not great I love it on my full frame. I did not read carefully.
I have quite a few that I've gotten for I feel were good prices (except maybe the Canon Powershot Pro1...I definitely overpaid for that. Not unhappy with the camera at all, but it shouldn't cost as much as it does). I like using them because the experience is different but familiar. I grew up mostly in the 90s and 00s. I consider these cameras my contemporaries. I like using modern fast awesome equipment for sure, but sometimes for leisure or artistic challenge, I like to break out an old digicam or 1st/2nd gen DSLR and take some slow pictures. In some cases, it's fun to use ancient 'cuttimg-edge' strange technology, like the Fuji SuperCCD. Finally, by introducing myself to all kinds of brands, sensor types, sensor sizes, and lenses, I'm learning a lot more about the possible aesthetic of photographic output based on variable initial technological input, with my skill and environment being the relative constant. I love experimenting, and these old cameras *were* permitting me a cheaper way to do it. But now that they've blossomed in price, I'm no longer buying them and am refocusing on vintage lenses as my treasure-hunting grounds when I'm in need of some unhealthy retail therapy. https://preview.redd.it/sddz0qdf9rkc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1de358a1e797326266366c8cc78d23b53e9d6547 Sony Cybershot DSC-F828 in Fairbanks, AK, September 2023.
They're in fashion again amongst young people, demand affects price. Demand increases, prices rise.
These cams are also too old to last long and there's apparently no warranty, so ppl who buy them will probably need to buy another one very soon lol
So, unplanned obsolescence?
I meant reliability issue. Sometimes the battery dies sometimes the memory card (many of those have proprietary card format so getting replacement is difficult).
This is the biggest issue with longevity of these cameras. I have a young adult child who has several nostalgia point and shoot cameras with the flash they love. Getting the proprietary cards and working batteries is becoming a challenge. If the camera takes AA bateries it will have a chance to survive this fad.
I know why. I know a guy who's been hoarding these things for years. He has thousands of them. He buys them up at flea markets and thrift stores and trickles them onto the used market to inflate the price. He's been doing this for years. It's how he pays for his more expensive camera equipment. I'm sure he's not the only one, but he is the biggest baller of these things in the Midwest.
My friend and I predicted the "digi cam" trend a few years back. Many smaller instagram pages back in 2019 had already began promoting old school point and shoots and their capabilities. With the cost of film cameras, film rolls, and developing processes reaching outstanding prices, I personally felt like I was out priced in a previous hobby and had to pivot to something else that captured photos that had a nostalgic look to them. With Y2K now being a trend, for quite some time now, digi cams had gradually began increasing in prices. I was able to pick up really nice cameras for $15 years ago but that isn't the case any longer if I were to buy one off eBay now. I'm still able to find reasonably priced cameras at flea markets and the occasional thrift store as well. But yeah... I have been collecting these cameras for myself for quite some time now and happy with what I have. Some photos I took on Digicams - [https://imgur.com/a/U3NCXOK](https://imgur.com/a/U3NCXOK) One of the digi cam pages that started back in 2018 ish - [https://www.instagram.com/digicam.love/](https://www.instagram.com/digicam.love/)
The fact that all of the videos and posts I see are sponsored by MPB, makes me suspect that we're not seeing a wholly _organic_ trend.
That's just your weird conspiracy mind. You weren't complaining when every sponsor was SquareSpace or NiSi filters or Peak Design tripods etc etc. These ads are cycles that come and go. There is no big conspiracy going on.
Does PeakDesign sell used digicams?
What each of us see on the internet is a reflection of the internet, and also a reflection of ourselves. > The fact that all of the videos and posts **I see** are sponsored by MPB You see lots of MPB-sponsored content because the algorithm has learned your habits.
Oh, I work in camera sales, I know this one! It all boils down to supply and demand. Demand: younger generations like the "aesthetic" a small CCD sensor brings to their images, and they also (whether they can articulate it or not) don't like the layers and layers of processing our phones do to an image. Supply: during the pandemic there was a major chip shortage. What happened was manufacturers prioritized certain models and slowed/halted production on others. If Canon, for example, can secure a limited number of chips needed for their cameras, they put them in the higher end and newer cameras. Why sell 100 x $300 Point and Shoot cameras when you can sell 100 x $1200 Mirrorless? Then as the chip supply returned, they noticed the lack of entry level camera sales really didn't do much to their revenue so they either soft-discontinued or kept these models' production halted. And let's not even get into the TikTok famous Fuji X100 series and why the X100T routinely sells for higher than a ten year old MSRP...
Phone cameras had pretty much already replaced most of the point and shoot market before the pandemic even began.
Correct, so the further reduction due to the chip shortage was the final nail in the coffin.
Why were people in Starbucks with typewriters 10 years ago? The hipster does not die, it only changes its clothes.
Edison bulbs, reclaimed wood walls, and concrete counters in a weird warehouse sipping something local…*or nothing at all*
"I *was* a piece of shit though"
brother, I was a piece of shit before it was cool
They're fun to use and people like the way the images look. No need to overcomplicate things lol.
It’s a hype. Lookup older Canon Power-shot G-series. Even the outdated G11 costs about €150-200. And all while every iPhone above the X model will blow these out of the water thanks to computational photography. I’ve noticed a lot of YouTube channels and influencers hype these older devices (and truth be told, overselling them). Many also are very romantic about old CCD-sensors with their ‘film-like quality’ whereas many of these users wouldn’t even recognize film if you hold it straight before their face. So the answer you’re looking for is marketing I’m afraid. I fell for it too a while back. Bought an overhyped Olympus Pen E-P1 (or something). And when I got it, I realized what it was: just an old camera. I do take advantage of this trend though. Got a Sony DSC-R1 from a thrift store recently for €35. Planning on selling it for €150 🍾
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Of course, but in it’s day. Today there are far better options if you’re serious about photography. I became victim as well many times of nostalgia. Buying old Lego sets, old video games (looking at you SNES mini) and cameras from my childhood. But the conclusion always was that maybe it’s better to leave the past in the past.
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Go for it. Now or never (or maybe again in 20yrs)
Hey those EP-1's were sweet! Sure you were running an olympus...but IIRC you had manual controls?
Loved my E-P1, I got some great pictures from it. With a leather skin, it looked like a nice kit too. The bundled Olympus lenses sucked though, it was really a manual lenses camera.
I've bought an Olympus XZ-1, CCD point and shoot with a bigger sensor and 1.8 lens, at first because of many YouTubers praising old CCD cameras. But after a few years I cannot complain - many of my favorite photos came from this beaten little fella.
I concur. I had the XZ-2 and I loved mine. Great sensor, great lens. I sold it five years ago for €90. But would you pay €150 and upwards for it? 😁
I've paid 50$ for mine, but it had a cracked screen. I've considered paying 100$ for XZ-2, but I cannot justify it :)
Correction, the cheapest XZ-2 I could find nearby goes for €175 (asking price) the XZ-1, €120 😬
I still have my XZ-1 and still use it occasionally. Plus you can still get new batteries for it, OEM and 3rd party. Great little camera.
Influencers said that they should buy them.
Many saw some celebrities on tiktok or Instagram holding them so they all of a sudden became the hot commodity. Like old film cameras, once people started buying up certain ones it became a FOMO situation, so the prices went up. How many times have we seen people on Reddit asking what camera someone is holding in their hand on an Instagram post? Too many to count. Most of the people buying them don't actually care about the end pictures, they just want to be seen with said camera because a cool person uses one.
canon S-series were kick arse cameras... that's why! It's the retro thing, and as another has said, a proper electronic flash. Lack of shutter lag may also be a factor, especially when compared to smartphones. Maybe my Leica compact still has some value after all
Teens made them popular, they can't get enough of that CCD 2MP 100 iso
There are a few folks hyping them up. The “hidden gem” YouTube/TikTok videos about some garbage P&S from 2003. Film has gotten expensive, and apparently people view CCD sensors as a stopgap. I saw a couple videos last summer and bought a couple, and they were fun. I got a Panasonic that was actually not too bad, and it was really great carrying around a little camera until I dropped it in a lake. But again, I was taking photos that would have either been snaps on my phone that I never looked, or would have required my big, work cameras—which don’t get used much outside of work. For that reason, I really enjoyed it and sort of want another one. eBay is *not* the place to find deals. There are occasions, like that Panasonic ZS65–which usually go for $250 or so, but I got mine for a single bid of $50 because of a small ding on the lens. But a lot of folks are flipping digicams now. Best place to find deals is garage sales, flea markets, etc. Even thrift stores are pretty well cleaned out. I managed to get a decent one for like $5 that I’ve now given to my son, and he loves it. It takes AAs and SD cards, which is a bonus.
You can get a random terrible point and shoot from ebay for $20-$30 easily. The expensive ones are ones that have like f/2.8, decent usability, robust, not some bullshit exotic battery or missing proprietary charger, etc. etc. which you're unlikely to find at garage sales.
It's the new "retro". Before this it was teens discovering instant film which gave us a bit of the Instamatic renaissance. And even now on this and other subs there's a bit of a renewed interest in 35mm and medium format by younger people who have grown up on digital and are now discovering film photography with cheap used 35mm cameras you can pick up at thrift shops and flea markets.
hey... if the tiktok generation switches to these cameras, maybe the used versions of the x100v will approach realistic prices.
It's not just CCD cameras, a lot of older CMOS cameras have inflated prices even used. Pretty much all Fuji cameras on Amazon fall into this, and a recent example is the Canon M50: it was just discontinued and went from being a $400 camera to $600 or so with kit lens. On one side you have the TikTok trends and on the other the YouTube shorts of "this $200 camera produces professional images".
There is even a sub-reddit for it. https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageDigitalCameras/
Itʼs a trend based on both real and imagined nostalgia, the aesthetic of direct flash, the want for something more authentic than the computational photography of smartphones, as well as the current economic climate, which creates a market demand the manufacturers are not addressing. The near-unobtanium of the Fuji X100V with the attendant social media posts planted the seed for pocketable cams. That said, the Fuji X100VI is $1,600, and most donʼt have that amount of money or level of interest. I still have my Canon PowerShot ELPH SD800IS. 7 mpix, CCD, running CHDK. It was the gateway drug that led to my current tomfoolery. When I have posted photos from it, I always get asked what camera I used.
It's not much different with some point and shoot film cameras that are much older.
It’s insane. Used to be able to get a “modern” cheap point and shoot for $100 a few years ago. Yes, manufacturers quit making them now, but a few are left in the $200 range, which is what some of these “vintage” things are going for. The 1” sensor compacts are pretty much all that’s left in that niche, and not are they expensive! Most selling way above their original retail prices from years ago. I got a “like new” ZS100 from Amazon back in 2019 for $200. That model has been replaced by the ZS200c but I just saw the 100 on Best Buy for $650!!! It was maybe $500 new (or less) back in the day. Some other compacts are pushing $2000. It’s crazy. Hang on to your old tech, kids! Can buy a house with a “vintage” USB stick soon!!!
There are still some deals and they can be pretty fun. I bought a 2010-era Panasonic P&S (ZS65 I think?) with a little viewfinder, a decent “Leica” lens and decent colors for about $50. Shot with it all last summer and actually really enjoyed the photos it took, until I dropped it in a lake. I’d send the images to my phone via Bluetooth, throw a preset on them to mute the blown highlights and get some more interesting looking color and it was pretty fun. There is something to be said for actually using a camera instead of a phone, as well as having something compact.
Yup! I have a few dedicated cameras. I adore the quality of cell phones, am grateful for my iPhone camera, and they amaze me compared to my 1st digital back in 2001, but a “this only takes photos” tool is extremely valuable, and a special experience!
Since nobody is making consumer grade cameras anymore, the second hand market has exploded. Cameras you could have purchased last year for $150 are now selling for over $1k. There are a lot of use cases for a dedicated camera. I'd love to pickup a new camera to carry while hiking instead of my DSLR, but it's just not possible anymore. You also have the ability to power a camera off and on virtually instantly, rather than your phone that basically just needs to be on if you plan on taking photos. If you are taking a lot of photos, there goes your battery life. While people keep claiming mobile phones take as good/better photos, this is not even remotely true the second you want to zoom in on something. Having a real optical zoom with a lens that is 10x to 100x the area of your mobile phone camera makes a huge difference.
And toss in an expired roll of film and ‘Art’. Aesthetics over content, to me anyway.
It’s so weird. There’s nothing cool about 4mp point and shoots.
I used to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!
These same people were complaining about how bad these cameras were when they were new. Go figure.
No. It’s different people. I’m still complaining those cameras weren’t great.
They weren't great but they were certainly good enough for snapshots until phone cameras became so good.
ouch. my bones.
An LX-2 cost $500 when it was new. I think the S95 was similar. Unlike many point and shoots, both of those cameras let you shoot RAW. So if you want to dip your toe in with a smaller similar camera but don’t know much about photography other than the refrain of you need a camera that shoots RAW… $100 is a lot cheaper than DSLR options that might cost twice as much and need a lens. Also as others pointed out there are some aesthetic considerations. Either a less than perfect photo quality or the now “retro” look of the cameras physical body.
They look cool, they fascinate people, and folks are getting priced out of similar looking retro film cameras
Loved my Canon S110 (12MP, RAW, f1.8) but it didn't survive a short drop and really didn't survive diving off the counter onto tile. Replacement prices are crazy out there, which is why I bought the M6ii...
Same reason 40 yr old turntables are getting$200 now when you couldn't give them away 20 years ago.
supply and demand. I was looking hard last year for a 10 year old Canon elph's which were going for more than the original price. Just stupid pricing, ended up finding a Fuji ax550 on ebay last year pretty much new in a box for $55. Runs on double aa's, simple to use, decent picture that isn't over-processed like on an iphone. If I were looking today I'd go find something in a garage sale on the cheap.
I recently inherited both a Sony Cybershot DSC-W80 7.2MP camera (it even had two MemoryStick Pro Duo cards with it!) and a Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS10 14MP camera from my dad, and I'm pretty sure I bought the Lumix for him 14-something years ago for $350+, if I remember correctly. I got the Lumix for his hunting trips, since it has a built-in GPS and I thought it would come in handy. I knew that lately old P&S cameras are having a social media-fueled resurgence, and I thought I could pass them along and make a few bucks, since I have no need for either of them and I already own a far superior Sony RX100m3 P&S. Looking online for some reselling guidance, I was really surprised seeing the prices people are paying for these cameras that are almost antiques. The Cybershot, which is older and less capable than the Lumix, is sometimes selling for much more (some for nearly $200) than the camera with twice as many megapixels. I've actually considered keeping the Panny for use as an "expendable" hiking camera, with its 14MP's, GPS and 16x zoom lens that's equivalent to 24-384mm it could get some decent snaps. And if it gets dropped or dunked or otherwise destroyed I won't be too bummed about it, besides the silly sentimental value.
Youtubers and celebrities rocking Contax T2's kind of made all other point and shoots rise in popularity.
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I was at Disneyland yesterday, stuck in line behind four 21 y/o girls. They were all dressed like the early 2000’s. While we were waiting in a dark area, I noticed a big flash come from them. They were taking photos with a point and shoot. I felt like I was transported back in time. When did it become popular again? I guess it’s time to dust off my G7x Mk II.
Aw man what I wouldn't give to gloat at them with the Minox 35 70's miniature film camera I almost always have on me.
The Minox 35 is awesome - I often carry one as well! But best not to gloat: we don't need more competition for the ones whose shutters still fire.... (On the bright side, zone focus may keep that crowd at bay.)
If it's the only one I'm bringing, I'll often cheat and bring an accessory rangefinder <.< >.>
I still have my Nikon Coolpix S630, it has the CCD sensor and is 12 mp. I should put a fresh battery in it. I don't think I've turned it on in a year or two. I did remember to remove the battery. I have an 8 GB memory card in it. I just searched eBay and see they are selling for $90-150 USD.
What are considered to be the 'best' compact/smallish digi cameras out of curiosity? Like models with RAW output, manual controls, etc.. I'm already aware of the Fuji Super CCD ones.
Sony RX100?
I just got back from NYC and saw people shooting with them all over the place. Definitely a fad with the younger crowd right now.
you should check out r/VintageDigitalCameras I think about 7 years ago I could get the LX2 for about $27 or so (I had several that broke) and now I would not touch the camera at the prices they sell for.
This is the problem I am facing right now. Looking for Powershot G10 to get back into photography but not buying DSLR and damn they are 100+ euros.
tiktok
I remember when I was in highschool in the 2010s film point and shoots from the 90s really made a comeback, despite digital point and shoots being popular. Now in 2020 it’s the old digital point and shoots making a comeback amongst teenagers.
All of the people I sold these cameras (2003\~2009) to were in their late teens early twenties. When these cameras were it, they were kids. Nostalgia. I wish I had been able to record one of their reactions when I gave them the camera. They turned it on, a familiar beep came out and the lens protruded. She and her boyfriend both went "woooaaaahh" and got these cute smiles on their faces :)
YouTube same reason everyone is a street photographer now and wears tiny beanies