We're six weeks away from 2026 and there have been three major camera launches so far; Leica Q3 Monochrome, Ricoh GR IV Monochrome and Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema.
These are two expensive black and white only compact cameras and a Super 8 style instant camera… that also shoots video.
In some ways, it doesn't surprise me. Compact camera shipments by 2025 increased 30% year-over-year, driving the first real overall growth in camera shipments in many years.
However, there is a growing sense that camera design based on experience over absolute capabilities (in other words, how a camera makes us feel) is what is winning out.
Instagram boss Adam Mosseri posted in January that: “Camera companies are banking on the wrong aesthetic. They're competing to make everyone look like a professional photographer from 2015. But in a world where AI can generate flawless images, professional appearance becomes key.”
In other words, Mosseri thinks quality photography is dead and that blurry photos and shaky videos are the future. Could that future be retro cameras with outdated technology?
Judging by 2026, that trend could already be changing: The megapixel race is attracting less interest and an increasing share of the market is for extravagant retro cameras.
A new dawn for camera design?
I remember the first digital compact camera I tried: my father's Nikon Coolpix 950. Released in 1999, it had a 1.9MP CCD sensor and a rotating body where you turned half to point the lens.
I later tried another compact Coolpix with built-in support for hands-free shooting long before selfies existed. Those were some fabulous and wild design ideas.
Could we be approaching a new dawn of quirky camera design ideas like these? A step back in time, where safe and useful models are a thing of the past?
If the rumors are true, there could be a follow-up to Sigma's BF, a mirrorless camera that broke the mold last year.
And Fujifilm is on a roll: it seems like every new model comes with a new type of feature; the aspect ratio dial on the GFX100RF, the film simulation dial on the X-E5, the half-X film roll mode and yes, that Mini Evo Cinema with its Eras Dial.
It's time for new ideas and, frankly, I'm here for it. Sure, my conventional Nikon mirrorless camera serves its purpose for professional work: with its comfortable grip, logical button placement, and high-speed performance, it handles demanding tasks beautifully.
But it's the weird cameras that could appeal to the masses in 2026. Gen Z loves the viral little Kodak Charmera keychain camera. because Its quality is horrible. Enthusiasts are willing to spend more on an expensive, colorless compact lens like the GR IV Monochrome. because of its limitation (and improved quality within that limitation).
Will the main camera manufacturers want to join this trend? Will we see Sony, Nikon and Panasonic back in the compact camera game with new CyberShot, CoolPix and Lumix models, or is the booming second-hand market enough for retro camera fans?
Or is this just a fad that big brands are riding out until “normal” resumes?
Maybe in 2026 we will see that less is more. A license for designers to try new things. Apparently, that's what camera fans want right now.
The truth is, of course, that there is room for both the functional and the fun. But what do you think of the new cameras of 2026? What would you like to see in future cameras this year? Give me your comments below!
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The best compact cameras.
