Amid the comeback of the compact camera, two of the trendiest cameras are the retro-styled advanced Fujifilm X100VI and the compact zoom Canon G7X Mark III. But while those two cameras are so popular that both are near impossible to find in stock at list price, there isn’t really an option that mixes the style of the X100VI with the long lens of the G7X Mark III at a reasonable price point. Unless, of course, you look at vintage digicams like the Fujifilm XQ2.
Launched in 2015, the Fujifilm XQ2 was an affordable compact camera that mixed a 12MP 2/3-inch sensor with a long 25-100mm equivalent lens. The silver-styled XQ2 looks like a slimmed-down baby X100VI with its leather-like wrap, minus the dials and viewfinder. But, the X100VI feels more like a mirrorless camera with a permanently attached lens. The XQ2, on the other hand, feels far more like a point-and-shoot, measuring barely more than an inch deep and weighing 206g / 7.27 oz.
The XQ2 also has another feature that I think is important on a compact camera because smartphones still can’t compete with it: a good zoom lens. The Canon G7X Mark III has found a resurgence after influencers realized how much better the zoom lens is than a smartphone’s wide-angle selfie lens. That G7X Mark III has a 24-100mm equivalent 4.2x lens, which is eerily similar to the XQ2’s 4x 25-100mm equivalent lens.
While there are plenty of advanced compact cameras to choose from, like the Leica D-Lux 8 or the Ricoh GR III, and yes, the X100VI, the major camera brands have been slow to create compacts on the more affordable side of things. The Panasonic TZ99/ZS99 is an exception and one of the closest modern equivalents to the 2015 XQ2, especially if you pick up the silver version (which I think looks far more retro). But, the ZS99 has a 1/2.3-inch sensor, which is smaller than the XQ2’s 2/3-inch.
The XQ2 has Fujifilm’s iconic film simulations, yet it was far more affordable and compact than the X100 series. At launch, the XQ2 carried a $399 list price (about £308 / AU$633), far less than other X100 budget alternatives like the Fujifilm X70. Now that the camera is discontinued and far more rare, a used model costs nearly twice that original list price.
Cheap compact cameras are increasingly popular – and there are still plenty of options like the Kodak FZ55. But an affordable compact camera with zoom, Fujifilm colors, and a tiny size? I think that would be a recipe for success. I’m not going to buy the Fujifilm X100VI because I could put the XF 27mm f/2.8 lens on my current mirrorless camera and get something similar for less. But I would be sorely tempted if Fujifilm had an affordable compact camera that I could grab when I don’t want my bulky camera system – especially with film-like colors and a zoom lens that my iPhone just can’t compete with.
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