A
point-and-shoot camera, also called a
compact camera, is a
still cameraA still camera is a type of camera used to take photographs. Traditional cameras capture light onto photographic film. Digital cameras use electronics, usually a charge coupled device to store digital images in computer memory inside the camera...
designed primarily for simple operation. Most use
focus free lensA focus free lens is a photographic lens whose focal point is fixed at its Hyperfocal distance. Rather than having a method of determining the correct focusing distance and setting the lens to that focal point, a focus free lens relies on depth of field to produce acceptably sharp images...
es or
autofocusAutofocus is a feature of some optical systems that allows them to obtain correct focus on a subject, instead of requiring the operator to adjust focus manually.-General:...
for
focusingIn geometrical optics, a focus, also called an image point, is the point where light rays originating from a point on the object converge. Although the focus is conceptually a point, physically the focus has a spatial extent, called the blur circle. This non-ideal focusing may be caused by...
, automatic systems for setting the
exposureIn photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a photograph...
options, and have
flashA flash is a device used in photography that produces an instantaneous flash of artificial light at a color temperature of about 5500 K to help illuminate a scene...
units built in.
Point-and-shoots are by far the best selling type of camera. They are popular with people who don’t consider themselves photographers but want an easy to use camera for vacations, parties, reunions and other events.
The term "point-and-shoot" is also used for some
camcorderA camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit.In order to differentiate it from other devices that are capable of recording video, like cell phones and compact digital cameras, a camcorder is generally identified as a portable device primarily...
s, particularly inexpensive digital models based on MiniDV or
DVD mediaDVD recordable and DVD rewritable refer to DVD optical disc formats that can be recorded , either write once or rewritable format written by laser, as compared to DVD-ROM, which is mass-produced by pressing...
, to describe fully automatic operation (
autofocusAutofocus is a feature of some optical systems that allows them to obtain correct focus on a subject, instead of requiring the operator to adjust focus manually.-General:...
,
automatic gain controlAutomatic gain control is an adaptive system found in many electronic devices. The average output signal level is fed back to adjust the gain to an appropriate level for a range of input signal levels...
and white balance, etc) with minimal operator interaction except for
zoom controlA zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements with the ability to vary its focal length , as opposed to a fixed focal length lens...
and recording buttons.
Point-and-shoot cameras are distinguished from
single-lens reflex cameraA single-lens reflex camera is camera that uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system which permits the photographer to sometimes see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
s (SLRs) in several respects: The image that the photographer sees through the
viewfinderIn photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and in many cases to focus, the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the more complex single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main optical system. Viewfinders are used in...
of a point-and-shoot camera is not the same image that passes through the primary lens of the camera (that is, the lens that projects the image onto the film or, in the case of digital cameras, the
image sensorAn image sensor is a device that converts an optical image to an electric signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices. An image sensor is typically a charge-coupled device or a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor active-pixel sensor.- CCD vs CMOS :Today, most...
).
A
point-and-shoot camera, also called a
compact camera, is a
still cameraA still camera is a type of camera used to take photographs. Traditional cameras capture light onto photographic film. Digital cameras use electronics, usually a charge coupled device to store digital images in computer memory inside the camera...
designed primarily for simple operation. Most use
focus free lensA focus free lens is a photographic lens whose focal point is fixed at its Hyperfocal distance. Rather than having a method of determining the correct focusing distance and setting the lens to that focal point, a focus free lens relies on depth of field to produce acceptably sharp images...
es or
autofocusAutofocus is a feature of some optical systems that allows them to obtain correct focus on a subject, instead of requiring the operator to adjust focus manually.-General:...
for
focusingIn geometrical optics, a focus, also called an image point, is the point where light rays originating from a point on the object converge. Although the focus is conceptually a point, physically the focus has a spatial extent, called the blur circle. This non-ideal focusing may be caused by...
, automatic systems for setting the
exposureIn photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a photograph...
options, and have
flashA flash is a device used in photography that produces an instantaneous flash of artificial light at a color temperature of about 5500 K to help illuminate a scene...
units built in.
Point-and-shoots are by far the best selling type of camera. They are popular with people who don’t consider themselves photographers but want an easy to use camera for vacations, parties, reunions and other events.
The term "point-and-shoot" is also used for some
camcorderA camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit.In order to differentiate it from other devices that are capable of recording video, like cell phones and compact digital cameras, a camcorder is generally identified as a portable device primarily...
s, particularly inexpensive digital models based on MiniDV or
DVD mediaDVD recordable and DVD rewritable refer to DVD optical disc formats that can be recorded , either write once or rewritable format written by laser, as compared to DVD-ROM, which is mass-produced by pressing...
, to describe fully automatic operation (
autofocusAutofocus is a feature of some optical systems that allows them to obtain correct focus on a subject, instead of requiring the operator to adjust focus manually.-General:...
,
automatic gain controlAutomatic gain control is an adaptive system found in many electronic devices. The average output signal level is fed back to adjust the gain to an appropriate level for a range of input signal levels...
and white balance, etc) with minimal operator interaction except for
zoom controlA zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements with the ability to vary its focal length , as opposed to a fixed focal length lens...
and recording buttons.
As distinct from SLR
Point-and-shoot cameras are distinguished from
single-lens reflex cameraA single-lens reflex camera is camera that uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system which permits the photographer to sometimes see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
s (SLRs) in several respects: The image that the photographer sees through the
viewfinderIn photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and in many cases to focus, the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the more complex single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main optical system. Viewfinders are used in...
of a point-and-shoot camera is not the same image that passes through the primary lens of the camera (that is, the lens that projects the image onto the film or, in the case of digital cameras, the
image sensorAn image sensor is a device that converts an optical image to an electric signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices. An image sensor is typically a charge-coupled device or a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor active-pixel sensor.- CCD vs CMOS :Today, most...
). Rather, the image in the viewfinder passes through a separate lens. SLRs, on the other hand, have only one lens, and a mirror diverts the image from the lens into the viewfinder; that mirror then retracts when the picture is taken so that the image can be recorded on the film or sensor. It is because of this method of diverting the image into the viewfinder that pictures cannot be previewed on the LCD screens of most digital SLRs, although some manufacturers have found a way around this limitation. Digital cameras obviate the need for the SLR design to some degree, as the camera's LCD image is projected through the lens, not a separate viewfinder. Many newer and smaller digital point-and-shoots omit the optical viewfinder.
With SLR cameras, it is important that the image in the viewfinder be the same image recorded by the film or sensor, so that the effect of the add-on lenses and
filtersIn photography, a filter is a camera accessory consisting of an optical filter that can be inserted in the optical path. The filter can be a square or oblong shape mounted in a holder accessory, or, more commonly, a glass or plastic disk with a metal or plastic ring frame, which can be screwed...
can be seen by the photographer. Point-and-shoot cameras generally don't have lenses that can be changed, and they typically do not accept filters to create optical effects.
Camera types
The lowest-end point-and-shoot film cameras are similar to
disposable cameraThe disposable or single-use camera is a simple box camera sold with a roll of film installed, meant to be used once. Most use focus free lenses. Some are equipped with an integrated flash unit, and there are even waterproof versions for underwater photography...
s, but can be reloaded. These cameras have focus-free lenses, with fixed
apertureIn optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,...
s. They may or may not have a
light meterA light meter is a device used to measure the amount of light. In photography, a light meter is often used to determine the proper exposure for a photograph...
. Most have a wheel or lever for advancing the film and cocking the
shutterShutter may refer to:Windows:*Window shutter, a solid window covering used to block light and winds*Hurricane shutter, a reinforced window shutter for protection in strong windsOptical:...
, and a crank for returning the film to the canister for unloading. Because of the fixed apertures, models with flash have no way of controlling the exposure from the flash. Therefore flash pictures have to be taken within a narrow range of distance from the subject.
Advanced models use automatic focus and have variable apertures. They all have light meters. They use electric motors to advance and rewind the film. They are much more versatile than the low-end models. They are also likely to have
zoom lensA zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements with the ability to vary its focal length , as opposed to a fixed focal length lens...
es, more advanced auto-focus systems, exposure systems with manual controls, larger apertures and sharper lenses. They may have special lamps or pre-flash systems designed to reduce
red eyeRed eye or red-eye or redeye may refer to:-In humans and animals:*Red eye , a medical symptom in which the sclera of someone's eye appears red in colour...
in flash pictures of people.
Not including
digital backsA digital camera back is a device which attaches to the back of a camera in place of a film holder and contains an electronic image sensor. This lets cameras which were designed to use film take digital photographs...
, the first digital cameras were of this type, with
DSLRsA digital single-lens reflex camera is a digital camera that uses a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera....
coming later. The
image sensorAn image sensor is a device that converts an optical image to an electric signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices. An image sensor is typically a charge-coupled device or a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor active-pixel sensor.- CCD vs CMOS :Today, most...
used in digital point-and-shoots tends to be smaller than their DSLR counterparts. The non-interchangeable lenses allow the
coverageThe coverage of a lens is the size of the image it can produce, measured as the diameter of the image circle produced by the optics. In a camera system the coverage must be large enough to cover the sensor or film used...
of the lens to be matched to the sensor, an advantage given the non-standardization of sensor sizes. Low end digital cameras lacking zoom, autofocus and flash are less common, their niche having been taken by
camera phoneA camera phone is a mobile phone which is able to capture either still photographs or motion video. Today more than half of all mobile phones in use are camera phones. - History :...
s.
Film types
Most
filmPhotographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
-based point-and-shoots made after the late 1980s use
35mmThe term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
film. In the 1980s 35mm was seen as a "professional" format due to the relative difficulty of loading and rewinding the film versus cartridge based formats such as
110110 is a cartridge-based film format used in still photography. It was introduced by Kodak in 1972. 110 is a miniaturised version of Kodak's earlier 126 film format. The image is , with one registration hole. The size of each frame is 13 × 17 mm....
or
disc filmthumb|Cartridge of disc filmDisc film was a still-photography film format aimed at the consumer market, and introduced by Kodak in 1982.The film was in the form of a flat disc, and was fully housed within a plastic cartridge...
. The key innovations that made 35mm point-and-shoot cameras possible were automatic film loading and automatic advance and rewind.
Advanced Photo SystemAdvanced Photo System is a film format for still photography. It was marketed by Eastman Kodak under the brand name Advantix...
film was mildly popular in the 1990s.
126 film126 is the number given to a cartridge-based film format used in still photography. It was introduced by Kodak in 1963, and is associated mainly with low-end point-and-shoot cameras, particularly Kodak's own Instamatic series of cameras....
was also popular during the 1970s.