What is a Point and Shoot Camera?
A point and shoot camera (often referred to as a “compact camera” too) is a mainly automatic camera, and can be digital or film. We’ll be focussing on film point and shoots in this blog! Most of the time, the only manual part of a film camera is the advancing and rewinding of the film, everything else is taken care of in the camera itself.
Vintage Fujifilm ad for the Fujifilm DL-120
Point and Shoots and Shooting Film for the First Time
A film point and shoot camera is a great way to enter the world of film. Getting a better idea of the different film stocks and what to use them for helps to understand the basics of photography itself – like with ISO, when you’ll need a flash, and composition! Shooting 400 ISO film is a great all rounder, since it looks good during the day and can be used at night with a flash. Kodak, Ilford, and Fujifilm have great 400 ISO films.
The idea of shooting film for the first time can be incredibly overwhelming – there’s so much to pay attention to and to wrap your head around. Let alone buying your first film camera! It can almost feel like an impossible decision. Here’s some good cameras to keep in mind when buying your first point and shoot:
Photo credit: Blake Sharp-Wiggins
Point and Shoots to Buy
Most camera brands have some form of point and shoot in their line up. The Phoblographer has a great compilation of some of the most popular ones, like the Olympus MJU. Lens Lurker has another great list too, including the Canon MC.
There are point and shoots for every budget. The Ricoh YF-20 has a sliding lens cover and flash and is a great budget option, as is the Canon Sprint which also has macro capabilities! For those invested in having beautiful glass from a historic brand, the Leica C1 compact camera is a great option if you have more to spend. It has a 38-105mm zoom lens, so you can have a bit more flexibility and see what kind of lens range you prefer!
And if you’re looking for something cool and funky, the Samsung ECX1 is a great contender. It’s won awards for the design and has some cool shooting modes to experiment with. It also has a panoramic mode!
The Best Point and Shoot For You
There is no “one size fits all” camera, so looking at a couple of different factors to find the one that suits you is the best way to go. Do you want a lens that can zoom or one that is a single focal length? Do you want one that is fully automatic or one that has settings that can be changed? What budget would best suit? Answering these questions will help give you a better idea as to what point and shoot will work best for you, and be the first chapter in your film journey!
