Compact Digital Camera Retrospective | Exploring 2000s Compact Cameras | Release #17

The memory of my mother's camera holds many precious family moments. The poses and colors of that time. Compared to today's cameras, the performance might not boast high megapixels, but back then, digital cameras were undoubtedly expensive and valuable. Now, as an adult, I nostalgically researched the compact digital cameras of the 2000s.

Released in 2005 as a successor to the compact film camera 'GR Series', this digital camera was beloved by professional photographers for its high-quality compact design. It featured a fixed focal length lens in a slim body measuring 107×25×58mm and weighing about 170g (excluding battery and memory).

This 28mm fixed focal GR lens, a culmination of Ricoh's efforts, is known for its straightforward and natural depiction. Once you use a GR digital camera, it's said you can't go back to others, with a distinct dedication that sets it apart from other compact digital cameras.

The series maintains the original design without major changes, continuing the legacy. The first GR DIGITAL is seen as the complete form, with subsequent series as the super-complete form.

The Nikon COOLPIX L series, where 'L' stands for Lite, began with COOLPIX1 in October 2005. COOLPIX22 was released in 2010. Considering the iPhone was launched in Japan in 2008, compact digital cameras were already fiercely competing with smartphones. The manufacturer's tagline was 'Easy and beautiful 12-megapixel model with a large, easy-to-see monitor'. The use of two AA alkaline batteries is a reminder of the era.

Released in July 1996, Canon's first compact digital camera, the Canon PowerShot 600, was praised for its ultra-high resolution of 570,000 pixels in an analog era. It supported PC card Type II, III for image recording, a medium many may not have seen today. The power source required six AA alkaline batteries! Compared to the two batteries needed for the COOLPIX22 released about 15 years later, it highlights technological progress.

Released in April 2000, FUJIFILM's vertical camera 'FinePix 4700Z' showcased a bold approach in the evolution of digital cameras with its vertical design. Such challenges have likely established it as one of the leading manufacturers offering a wide range of products, including today's 100-megapixel cameras.

Besides the cameras introduced, many compact digital cameras have been forgotten by name. These small cameras captured precious memories and contributed to the development of today's digital cameras. Let's buy a compact digital camera from a second-hand site and take some photos. You might discover many things when you look back at the photos a few years later.