A Place to Compact (Cameras)

 Traditional photography has been estrangler between the large and big dimensions cameras and the very smaller devices. It was a battle of different technology approaches that may be ignited in the 1930 with the introduction of the Leica 35mm cameras created by Oscar Barnack. At this point there was also the old debate about the relation between film-negative size and the quality of the final (print) picture. Suffice to say that the same clash is still vibrating concerning the modern size of the todays digital image captor and its relation with the final image output definition.

At first with the digital revolution many of us were thinking heavenly about the coming of a true “compact age” but after more than three decades the return of big and heavy camera models have now invested the market place entirely with only very few exceptions (thanks for the Fujifilm effort in that sense). The more appropriate image sensor format for designing compact cameras was the Micro Four Third but since at least five years or more no new real compact model have emerged from the two major players in that field.

Speaking of ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera) and how it is difficult today (January 2025) to find new compact camera models is obvious and frustrating.OM System * and Panasonic are no more supporting the idea of a compact and versatile camera and only Fujifilm seems to stay solid in its offer of this type of photo devices as already mentioned. So, what can we reasonably anticipate for the immediate future of the compact camera category? I am afraid less than nothing since no strong pressure from the market can push the various camera manufacturers to invest in it. Many camera new developments have been more at first in act of faith then the result of a specific marketing plan (Thanks Oscar ;-)). Can we count on that again in this more then ever calculated world? It has to be proven.

At the end my love for compact cameras is at the stake to find new "old" models that are still of some interest in photography today. Recently I have bought a brand new Panasonic Lumix GX85 that may have been forgotten on a camera store shelf (as for a Domke gadget bag!). Manipulating the GX85 and moreover use it as an everyday handy and small camera has been revelating of the joy of doing photography with a small, competent and discrete photo device. I hope that heritage will be preserved and may be flourished again in the future. 

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* In the case of the OM System, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV remains (temporary?) the only last very compact ILC  (but for all long) although the OM-5 is also a smaller size camera of its own.

Photo Daniel M