Retail availability of point and shoot cameras

DBP · Oct 17, 2007

I was in one of the better local camera stores recently picking up some odds and ends (matts, slide storage pages, filters, etc.) when a woman walked in looking for an Olympus Stylus Epic. Apparently her last pocket camera had been stolen and she wanted a good, but inexpensive film replacement. The salesman said they were no longer able to get point and shoot cameras from their wholesaler, and only had digital point and shoot cameras. [This store is usually pretty well supplied, including carrying things like Leicas and MF cameras]. We tried to interest her in an SLR, but it was bigger than she wanted. When I left the salesman was explaining that a digicam really wasn't that inconvenient to use.

I've also noticed that department stores don't seem to carry point and shoot film cameras any more. I had thought that they weren't ordering them, but now wonder if a larger part of the problem is camera manufacturers not selling. So what I am wondering is whether any of the camera shop types around hear have had similar availability problems.

Paul Howell · Oct 17, 2007

Last week Wal Mart has 1 point and shoot, I have also seen one or two at big box electronic stores, my guess is these are old stock. Go to Ebay.

mabman · Oct 17, 2007

At least 2 local stores of national Canadian chains seem to have at least a few film p&s cameras where I am (Black's and London Drugs) - mostly Olympus the last time I looked. Not sure if they were old stock, though.

My suspicion is that the majority of people going for "happy snaps" these days are going digital, or are using the disposible film cameras - with the latter I see a lot of people turning them in at the local Wal-Mart 1 hr place.

DBP · Oct 17, 2007

Paul Howell said:
Last week Wal Mart has 1 point and shoot, I have also seen one or two at big box electronic stores, my guess is these are old stock. Go to Ebay.

I would point someone to B&H or KEH, but my concern is that we may be losing casual film users, and thus production volume for Kodak and Fuji, because some casual film users don't want to have to go online to replace their little point and shoot cameras when they break. It also occurs to me that snapshooters who want to avoid messing around with computers for photography may also be more likely to shop in person at stores.

Paul Howell · Oct 17, 2007

My i wife is an APS shooter, or was, her Kodak Cameo gave up the ghost and we could find an APS camera. She got a digital camera and hates it. I found a replacement Cameo from Graigslist, but I have no idea how much longer APS will be avilable.

Paul Howell · Oct 17, 2007

I checked the Olympus USA web site, they list a number of film cameras, a non interchangble SLR and 3 models of point and shoot including the styles.

JBrunner · Oct 17, 2007

Was at a big store here (no, not that one) and purchased their last P+S at a heavy mark down. A nice little brand new Oly Stylus for $39! That was the last one they had. The box had allot of red stickers, stuck on top of one another. That was about a year ago. Just recently I went by that same camera bar, and guess what? They had new P+S cameras available at a normal retail, right out with the digis#!^. I have no idea what it means.

DBP · Oct 17, 2007

Paul,

I have a little Fuji Endeavour I could spare if the Cameo dies.

Bruce

dmr · Oct 17, 2007

My Olympus Stylus Zoom is now over 10 years old and I don't know what I'm gonna do when it quits. I may pick up another while I can, as this is going to be an extinct species shortly.

rosey · Oct 17, 2007

If anybody reading this thread really needs a P&S film camera, contact me. I have a collection of 40 or more as-new P&S film cameras acquired in some of my more serious GAS attacks. With and without zooms. All with cases. All like brand new. Most with manuals. Pentax, Olympus, Konica Big Minis and A4, Nikons, Ricohs. I have 35mm AND APS P&S cameras. I use my Olympus XA or Stylus Epic as a pocket camera, so have no need for so many others, and my wife says to clean house as I prepare to retire. I have closets full of as-new 35mm SLR gear.
Let me know what you want and what you want to spend and I can fix you up.

IloveTLRs · Oct 17, 2007

I haven' seen a P&S film camera for a while. Over here there's the Fuji Natura and Klasse, but other than that, nada.

TheFlyingCamera · Oct 17, 2007

Bruce-

for what it's worth, I stopped in Penn Camera on E Street this evening to get some Fuji 800 in 120, and asked them about film point-n-shoots. It's a mixed bag. Penn still carries them, from Canon and Olympus. Olympus has stopped producing film point-n-shoots. There is probably six months to a year of new stock in the distribution pipeline at this point. If you run into the lady again, send her over to Penn Camera. If it was in the Springfield Penn Camera location, call and ask to speak to the manager and tell him his staff are woefully misinformed as to their stock, and their policy.

Brac · Oct 31, 2007

The market for p & s film cameras (other than collectables) seems to have totally collapsed. Those shops with new ones seem to have them dramatically reduced to clear. On ebay they usually go for a fiver if they sell at all. Some of the supermarkets such as Asda (Walmart) still offer a few very cheap totally basic models mainly aimed at children. They are just like disposables in functions but of course can be reloaded.

The Argos catalogue, which is a good barometer of what sells, only list 3 (two Olympus & one Praktica) plus one Polaroid.

Paul Howell · Nov 1, 2007

My local walmart no longer carries any advanced point and shoots, just a few fixed lens types. It looks like that no one is making advanced point and shoots or APS cameras.

Retail availability of point and shoot cameras

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