{"id":20002,"date":"2026-05-10T18:13:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T18:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/20002\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T18:13:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T18:13:13","slug":"japans-most-popular-compact-cameras-are-years-old-but-outsell-newer-releases-and-start-at-just-us99-79-with-retro-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/20002\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan’s most popular compact cameras are years old but outsell newer releases \u2013 and start at just US$99 \/ \u00a379 with retro style"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all know that compact cameras<\/a> are enjoying a resurgence. And in one of the world’s most competitive and fast-moving markets, the trendiest models were released years ago.<\/p>\n

The latest BCN+R rankings for April, which track retail across Japan’s major electronic stores, show that best-selling compacts are not necessarily the newest \u2013 or the most advanced.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Sitting at the top of the chart is a three-year-old model, followed by a camera that costs as little as $99 \/ \u00a379. These little point-and-shoots<\/a> don’t feature high specs, but their appeal lies in something different.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos From\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. Kodak Pixpro FZ55<\/a> | Black
2. Kodak Pixpro C1<\/a> | Black
3. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Lite<\/a> | Black
4. Canon<\/a> PowerShot SX740 HS Lite | Silver
5. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Brown
6. Instax Mini Evo<\/a> | Black
7. Canon Ixy 650 M (Elph 360 HS A \/ Ixus 285 HS A)<\/a> | Silver
8. Canon Ixy 650 M (Elph 360 HS A \/ Ixus 285 HS A) | Black
9. Kodak Pixpro WPZ2<\/a>
10. Instax Mini Evo | Brown<\/p>\n

Popularity despite camera age<\/p>\n

\n

\"A
\n<\/p>\n

The Kodak FZ55 was crowned as Japan’s most popular camera in 2025<\/a> (Image credit: Kodak \/ Future)<\/p>\n

Looking at the top ten best-selling compacts, it’s clear that most are not genuinely new releases.<\/p>\n

The Kodak<\/a> Pixpro FZ55 arrived in 2017, the Pixpro C1 is the newest model having entered the market in 2025, while the Canon PowerShot SX740 launched in 2024 but is essentially a refreshed version of the 2018 model. Similarly, the Canon Ixy 650 M is also a renewed version of the 2016 model.<\/p>\n

Japan’s best-selling compact cameras are nearly four years old on average. While that may not seem particularly old for a camera, it’s a striking figure in a market known for rapid product cycles.<\/p>\n

The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n

What makes these ‘older’ releases so popular? <\/p>\n

\n

\"Canon
\n<\/p>\n

The PowerShot SX740 HS Lite is highly-sought after, often on backorder in the US or UK (Image credit: Gareth Bevan \/ Digital Camera World)<\/p>\n

In the compact camera segment, Japanese buyers seem not to chase the latest technology but to prioritize familiarity, simplicity and value.<\/p>\n

Affordability plays a major role, with the Pixpro C1 starting at $99.99<\/a> \/ \u00a379<\/a> and higher options such as the PowerShot SX740 HS Lite costing $549.99<\/a> \/ \u00a3499.99<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ease of use is another key factor, with point-and-shoot designs remaining highly attractive in an era where smartphone fatigue is growing.<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

There is also a strong element of nostalgia and retro appeal, with compacts increasingly seen as fun, lifestyle-oriented devices rather than professional tools.<\/p>\n

And finally, familiarity matters. Established models have proven themselves over time and continue to sell steadily, even without major updates.<\/p>\n

For many buyers, simplicity and affordability still win out over specification sheets \u2013 and that’s unlikely to change in the near future.<\/p>\n

You might also like…<\/p>\n

The best compact cameras<\/a> and the best point-and-shoot cameras.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Chart-topping compact camera deals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We all know that compact cameras are enjoying a resurgence. And in one of the world’s most competitive…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20003,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[8],"class_list":{"0":"post-20002","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-japan","8":"tag-japan"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20002"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20002\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}