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A point-and-shoot camera, also known as a compact camera and sometimes abbreviated to P&S, is a
still camera
A camera is an optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), with a ...
designed primarily for simple operation. Most use
focus free lens
A photographic lens for which the focus is not adjustable is called a fixed-focus lens or sometimes focus-free. The focus is set at the time of lens design, and remains fixed. It is usually set to the hyperfocal distance, so that the depth of fie ...
es or
autofocus
An autofocus (or AF) optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus on an automatically or manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system ...
for
focusing, automatic systems for setting the
exposure options, and have
flash
Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Fictional aliases
* Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed:
** Flash (Barry Allen)
** Flash (Jay Garrick)
** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
units built in. They are popular for
vernacular photography
The term vernacular photography is used in several related senses. Each is in one way or another meant to contrast with received notions of fine-art photography. Vernacular photography is also distinct from both found photography and amateur phot ...
by people who do not consider themselves photographers but want easy-to-use cameras for
snapshot
Snapshot, snapshots or snap shot may refer to:
* Snapshot (photography), a photograph taken without preparation
Computing
* Snapshot (computer storage), the state of a system at a particular point in time
* Snapshot (file format) or SNP, a file ...
s of vacations, parties, reunions and other events.
Most of these compact cameras use small 1/2.3"
image sensor
An image sensor or imager is a sensor that detects and conveys information used to make an image. It does so by converting the variable attenuation of light waves (as they pass through or reflect off objects) into signals, small bursts of c ...
s, but since 2008, a few non-interchangeable lens compact cameras use a
larger sensor such as 1" and even
APS-C, such as the
Fujifilm X100
The Fujifilm X100 is a series of digital compact cameras with a fixed prime lens. Originally part of the FinePix line, then becoming a member of the X series from Fujifilm, the X100 series includes the FinePix X100, X100S, X100T, X100F, and ...
series, or
full frame format such as the
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 is a premium fixed-lens compact camera made by Sony as part of its Cyber-shot line of digital cameras. The DSC-RX1 is notable for being the world's first fixed-lens, full-frame digital compact camera, and as of its a ...
series. They prioritize intelligent Auto, but some high end point-and-shoot cameras have PASM (program, aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual modes) on the
mode dial
A mode dial or camera dial is a dial used on digital cameras to change the camera's mode. Most digital cameras, including dSLR and SLR-like cameras, support modes, selectable either by a rotary dial or from a menu. On point-and-shoot cameras ...
,
raw image format, and
hot shoe
Canon EOS 350D Hot shoe
Proprietary hot shoe used by Minolta and older Sony cameras (Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D">Sony.html" ;"title="Minolta and older Sony">Minolta and older Sony cameras (Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D)
A hot shoe is a mounting poin ...
. None have
interchangeable lenses, but some have
secondary lens mounts. Most
superzoom
A superzoom or ultrazoom lens is a type of photographic zoom lens with unconventionally large focal length factors, typically ranging from wide angle to extreme long lens focal lengths in one lens. There is no clear definition of a superzoom le ...
compact cameras have between 30x and 60x
optical zoom
A zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements for which the focal length (and thus angle of view) can be varied, as opposed to a fixed-focal-length (FFL) lens (see prime lens).
A true zoom lens, also called a parfocal lens, is one t ...
, although some have even further zoom and weigh less than 300 grams, much less than
bridge camera
Bridge cameras are cameras that fill the niche between relatively simple point-and-shoot cameras and interchangeable-lens cameras such as mirrorless cameras and single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs). They are often comparable in size and weight t ...
s and
DSLRs
A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between ...
.
Point-and-shoots have been by far the best selling type of separate camera, as distinct from
camera phones. However, point-and-shoot camera sales declined after about 2010 as
smartphone
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...
s overtook them in such uses. To overcome market shrinkage, compact camera manufacturers began making higher end versions and with a stylish metal body.
Comparison to SLR
![Rollei35s-minox35ml-front](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Rollei35s-minox35ml-front.jpg)
Point-and-shoot cameras are distinguished from
single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs) in several respects: point-and-shoot film cameras, and many digital ones, use a
viewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and, in many cases, to focus the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main ...
. The image that the photographer sees is not the same image that passes through the primary lens of the camera. Rather, the image in the viewfinder passes through a separate lens. SLRs, on the other hand, have only one lens, and a mirror diverts the image from the lens into the viewfinder; that mirror then retracts when the picture is taken so that the image can be recorded on the film or sensor. With this mechanism, pictures cannot be previewed on the LCD screens of most digital SLRs (
DSLR
A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a ...
). Some manufacturers have found a way around this limitation, often by splitting the image into two just before reaching the viewfinder eyepiece. One image goes into the viewfinder and the other goes into a low resolution image sensor to allow light metering or previewing on the LCD, or both.
Digital cameras share one advantage of the SLR design, as the camera's display image comes through the lens, not a separate viewfinder. Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras (
MILC
A mirrorless camera is a photo camera featuring a single, removable lens and a digital display.
The camera does not have a reflex mirror or optical viewfinder like a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, but may have an electronic ...
Cameras) lack a mirror but in many ways can be used the same as DSLRs. Many smaller digital point-and-shoots of the 2010s omit the viewfinder and use only the screen.
With SLR cameras, it is important that the image in the viewfinder be the same image recorded by the film or sensor, so that the effect of the add-on lenses and
filters
Filter, filtering or filters may refer to:
Science and technology
Computing
* Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming
* Filter (software), a computer program to process a data stream
* Filter (video), a software component tha ...
can be seen by the photographer. Point-and-shoot cameras generally don't have such add-on devices, hence no need.
Small cameras, including digital ones, encourage the occurrence of
photographic orbs unexpected, typically circular artifacts that occur in
flash photography
A flash is a device used in photography that produces a brief burst of light (typically lasting 1/1000 to 1/200 of a second) at a color temperature of about 5500 K to help illuminate a scene. A major purpose of a flash is to illuminate a ...
where the short distance between the lens and the built-in flash decreases the angle of light
reflection Reflection or reflexion may refer to:
Science and technology
* Reflection (physics), a common wave phenomenon
** Specular reflection, reflection from a smooth surface
*** Mirror image, a reflection in a mirror or in water
** Signal reflection, in ...
to the lens. The resulting
retroreflection
A retroreflector (sometimes called a retroflector or cataphote) is a device or surface that reflects radiation (usually light) back to its source with minimum scattering. This works at a wide range of angle of incidence, unlike a planar mirror, ...
makes dust particles bright and visible.
Camera types
![Nikon COOLPIX P1000](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Nikon_COOLPIX_P1000.jpg)
The lowest-end point-and-shoot film cameras are similar to
disposable camera
A disposable or single-use camera is a simple box camera meant to be used once. Most use fixed-focus lenses. Some are equipped with an integrated flash unit, and there are even waterproof versions for underwater photography. Internally, the cam ...
s, but can be reloaded. These cameras have focus-free lenses, with fixed
aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane.
An ...
s. They may or may not have a
light meter
A light meter is a device used to measure the amount of light. In photography, a light meter (more correctly an exposure meter) is used to determine the proper exposure (photography), exposure for a photograph. The meter will include either a Di ...
. Most have a wheel or lever for advancing the film and cocking the
shutter, and a crank for returning the film to the canister for unloading. Because of the fixed apertures, models with flash have no way of controlling the exposure from the flash. Therefore, flash pictures have to be taken within a narrow range of distance from the subject.
Advanced models use automatic focus and have variable apertures. They all have light meters. They use electric motors to advance and rewind the film. They are much more versatile than the low-end models. They are also likely to have
zoom lenses, more advanced
auto-focus
An autofocus (or AF) optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus on an automatically or manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical syste ...
systems, exposure systems with manual controls, larger apertures and sharper lenses. They may have special lamps or pre-flash systems designed to reduce
red eye in flash pictures of people.
Compact
superzoom
A superzoom or ultrazoom lens is a type of photographic zoom lens with unconventionally large focal length factors, typically ranging from wide angle to extreme long lens focal lengths in one lens. There is no clear definition of a superzoom le ...
cameras or travel zoom cameras have zoom up to 30x, still shorter zoom than current
bridge camera
Bridge cameras are cameras that fill the niche between relatively simple point-and-shoot cameras and interchangeable-lens cameras such as mirrorless cameras and single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs). They are often comparable in size and weight t ...
s, but more compact than bulky DSLR-shape bridge cameras, and both usually use 1/2.3" sensor.
Sales decline
According to the NPD Group, up to end of November 2011 point-and-shoot cameras took 44 percent of photos, down from 52 percent in 2010, while camera-equipped
smartphone
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...
s took 27 percent of photos in 2011, up from 17 percent. Unit total sales of all types of point-and-shoot cameras declined by 17 percent year on year, but increased by 16 percent for cameras having optical
zoom greater than 10x.
At the end of 2012, more than one brand offered point-and-shoot cameras with 24x optical superzoom as compensation of sales decline and in later years longer zooms became commonplace. Concurrently with rising sales of smartphones, the sales of more advanced cameras like SLRs have also increased, at the expense of point-and-shoot.
Point-and-shoot camera sales dropped by about 40 percent in 2013, particularly for inexpensive cameras. Fujifilm and Olympus stopped development of low-end point-and-shoot cameras and focused on mid and high-end cameras at higher prices.
Shipment dropped to 12 million units in 2016, only one-tenth of the peak reached in 2008.
Film types
Most
film-based point-and-shoots made after the late 1980s use
35mm 35 mm may refer to:
* 135 film, a type of still photography format commonly referred to as 35 mm film
* 35 mm movie film, a type of motion picture film stock
* 35MM 35 mm may refer to:
* 135 film, a type of still photography format ...
film. The key innovations that made 35mm point-and-shoot cameras possible were automatic film loading and automatic advance and rewind.
Advanced Photo System
Advanced Photo System (APS) is a discontinued film format for still photography first produced in 1996. It was marketed by Eastman Kodak under the brand name Advantix, by FujiFilm under the name Nexia, by Agfa under the name Futura and by ...
film was mildly popular in the 1990s.
126 film was also popular during the 1970s.
Terminology
The terms "point and shoot" and "compact camera" are used differently in different parts of the world. In the UK point-and-shoot predominantly means a fully automatic camera, regardless of size or shape.
A "compact camera" on the other hand, has a small body, regardless of any fully automatic capabilities. Thus a DSLR can have point-and-shoot modes, and some compact cameras are not designed for point and shoot operation, with the equivalent controls to a DSLR.
The use of "point-and-shoot" to mean a small or compact camera regardless of automation capabilities has long been predominant in the US, and in the 21st century it began spreading elsewhere.
'Compact System Camera' has also been used to refer to
mirrorless cameras.
See also
*
Digital photography
Digital photography uses cameras containing arrays of electronic photodetectors interfaced to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to produce images focused by a lens, as opposed to an exposure on photographic film. The digitized image ...
*
Electronic viewfinder
An electronic viewfinder (EVF) is a camera viewfinder where the image captured by the lens is displayed on a small screen (usually LCD or OLED) which the photographer can look through when composing their shot. It differs from a live preview ...
References
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