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The term "point-and-shoot" refers to a type of camera that is designed for portability (small & light) and fully automatic. These cameras, also known as "compacts", often do without many manual settings such as sensitivity, aperture, shutter speed or light metering.
As with iPhones and other smartphones, there are advantages to using a point-and-shoot camera, mainly due to the ease of use and excellent portability of these devices. To see the benefits of shooting with a compact camera, let's compare it to an expert/professional camera (DSLR, mirrorless, bridge...):
- Compared to an SLR camera, which is imposing because of its size and weight, the compact's lightness and small dimensions mean that you can always carry it with you. The point-and-shoot is therefore an ideal camera for everyday photography: for example, to keep a photographic diary.
- Its small size makes the compact camera very discreet, much less invasive than an SLR and its lens. This makes it much easier to take street photographs without attracting the attention of the subject.
- The simplicity of using point-and-shoot cameras allows you to concentrate more on the composition of the image. The photographer's attention is not taken up with the settings and features of a more complex camera.
However, the point-and-shoot camera obviously cannot compete with an expert/professional camera in some respects:
- On a compact camera, the viewfinder is only on the screen. The absence of an eyepiece viewfinder can make framing very complicated in sunlight (the screen is difficult to read).
- Because they are so compact, point-and-shoot cameras have very few physical buttons; most functionality is found by navigating through the menu, which is slow and inconvenient.
- Compact cameras are equipped with small sensors. As a result, they tend to perform less well in low light conditions - in dark rooms or at night, for example.
- The lenses used in point-and-shoot cameras are generally less bright and of poorer optical quality than those used in DSLRs.
In conclusion, for those who want to shoot spontaneously (without the hassle of making adjustments), and for those who want to have a quality camera available at all times, the point-and-shoot is an excellent choice.