I'm a photography aficionado, and as a reviews writer at Tom's Guide, I get to test the best instant cameras and the best mirrorless cameras too. But the camera I use the most — and chances are you do too — is my smartphone, as it's readily available. I even used my Google Pixel 7 Pro to photograph the Northern Lights! Recently, though, I've been testing compact cameras and I have to say: they're making me want to ditch my smartphone.
You remember compact cameras, don't you? Well, you certainly will if you were a teenager in late-2000s and early-2010s. My first proper camera was a Sony CyberShot and I remember being so fond of it that I wouldn't leave the house without it. The Kodak PIXPRO WPZ2 and the Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 that I've recently reviewed really remind me of my Sony. That nostalgic feeling is hard to beat.
So, I'm here to tell you that you need to forget your smartphone for a while and invest in a cheap compact camera — here's why.
Oh, the simplicity of it all
Can't be bothered with the steep learning curve that some modern-day DSLRs and mirrorless cameras present? No problem! Compact cameras eliminate that curve altogether. Most of them have very straightforward controls, with the top plate usually housing the shutter/record and power buttons, and the navigation buttons (that double as delete, macro and other buttons) are located next to the LCD screen on the back. These cameras are basically foolproof, and anyone can pick one up and start snapping.
A Tumblr girlie at heart
You remember Tumblr in the late 2000s/early 2010s, right? It was your one-stop-shop for fandom content — like GIFs and funny text posts — related to whatever TV drama was airing (SuperWhoLock, anyone?). But it was also a place for people to post vintage-looking low-res photos taken on compact cameras that had barely any megapixels to their name, accompanied by poems full of angst. I was an avid Tumblr user in my teens (still am, shh) and using compact cameras this past week has hit me with a wave of nostalgia.
The Kodak PIXPRO WPZ2 and the PIXPRO FZ45 both have a 16.35MP sensor, which means photos aren't as sharp or detailed as those taken on your smartphone, for example. But beauty lies in that imperfection, doesn't it? There's something charming and almost magical about it. I love the photos I took with the PIXPRO WPZ2 above. That first photo of the leaves would have done numbers on Tumblr — and might still do on Instagram.
Trusting my instincts
Relying on an LCD screen to frame shots is tough to do in bright light and I dealt with it as a child, but using the Kodaks as an adult after I've used so many fantastic cameras with viewfinders took some unlearning. While the cameras were easy to get to grips with, a lot of photos didn't turn out how I'd imagined they would — the framing was off, the subject wasn't in focus, and so on. I knew I needed to let go a little and, first and foremost, trust my instincts — something we tend to forget because of how far camera tech and smartphone photography have come.
I also had no autofocus to depend on. Mirrorless cameras, like the Fujifilm X-T50 or the Sony a6700, have extraordinary AF systems. Not so these compact cameras. Their AF systems belong to a bygone era. Again, it was time for me to trust my gut, so when I spotted a flock of pigeons and gulls flying, I pointed the Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 to the sky and just clicked. And the result wasn't half bad, as you can see above.
Convinced yet? You can grab a compact camera for quite cheap. The Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 can be picked up for $99 at Amazon U.S. / £99 at Amazon U.K. and the PIXPRO WPZ2 will cost you $179 at Amazon U.S. / £149 at Amazon U.K.
Using compact cameras for the past week has been eye-opening, in a way. It has reminded me why I love photography so much — the rush of taking a photo but not knowing how it'll turn out is what attracted me to it in the first place. But it has also reminded me to be more confident in my skills and to trust my intuition. I love my phone but the rush of using a compact camera feels incomparable as of now.
