Compact Camera News

Ever since Nikon recently announced an “extraordinary” financial loss and cancelled the long-awaited DL Series of premium compact cameras there have been concerns about the health and future direction of the legendary company. In an attempt to ease concerns, Nikon executives have revealed the company’s strategy for the future in an interview just published by several Japanese news outlets.

It’s late at night, but Fujifilm just unveiled two new X-Series cameras and a sweet, compact 50mm f/2.0 lens and we didn’t want to wait until morning to share the news. Included in the late-night introductions are the cutting edge X100F rangefinder-style mirrorless camera, an X-T20 interchangeable-lens camera targeted at enthusiasts, and the compact Fujinon XF 50mm f/2.0 R WR lens.

Some trends just won’t go away: Billboard magazine notes that U.S. vinyl album sales are up 53 percent, generating $416 million in sales. Stereophile, our sister publication, reviews new analog audio equipment and you can purchase new Nikon F6 or Leica M-A film cameras from Shutterbug advertisers. Ferrania is back making film and the Japan Camera Hunter website is making their own film, a discontinued Agfa emulsion they’re calling JCH StreetPan 400. Amazon’s top-selling photo item is Fuji’s Instax Mini Instant Film. There’s even a new twin-lens instant camera, Mint’s InstantFlex TL70, and yes, I gotta get me one of those.

Now that 2016 is done and dusted, we’ve had a chance to look back at all the cameras and lenses we reviewed this past year and have chosen ten of our absolute favorites. 

The Goods spotlights the hottest premium photo gear out there. If you have a product you’d like considered for The Goods, e-mail images and info to editorial@shutterbug.com.

In 2015, Sony presented their second version of a high-end compact camera with a one-inch-type sensor and an 8.3x zoom that offered a lot of professional functions. This year the company announced an equivalent camera, but with an ultra-zoom lens. The new Sony RX10 III uses a one-inch-type sensor (13.2x8.8mm) with 20MP resolution. The large integral lens has a focal length of 24-600mm (35mm film equivalent). The new camera has an SLR-style body, but uses an electronic viewfinder with 2.36 million RGB dots. An LCD on the back with 1.3 million RGB dots can be flipped up- and downward.

Sony just dropped the curtain on the RX100 V, a new flagship model in their powerful Cyber-shot RX line of 1-inch sensor compact digital cameras. Sony says their latest model has the fastest AF speed, most AF points, and fastest continuous shooting speed of any compact camera.