The smartphone era dip is over — 2025 compact camera shipments see a remarkable 29.6% rise, and a 49.8% growth in value

• CIPA's 2025 numbers highlight a great year for compact cameras
• Shipments are up 29.6%, and value up 49.8%
• DSLR shipments are now just 11% compared to mirrorless

If you didn't already know it, there's a compact camera revival. Viral popularity of the Fujifilm X100VI, Nikon Coolpix S6900 and Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III have certainly helped, as have cheap Kodak point-and-shoots and Gen Z's fascination with lo-fi tech. Nonetheless, 2025 numbers recently published by CIPA are especially surprising.

CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) is a voice of authority, determining industry testing standards for the likes of camera battery life – at TechRadar, we base our review numbers on CIPA ratings. Its data can be taken seriously.

And it has now published shipment numbers and value for compact cameras for 2025 (that is, those with a built-in lens, irrespective of size), plus DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. The report is based on information provided by camera companies in Japan – which covers most of the leading brands, including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, Sigma and Panasonic, but not Leica and Hasselblad – with numbers broken down and packaged into handy visuals courtesy of DPRreview forum member funtrail.

Let's just say these are good days for compact cameras, the end of days for DSLRs, and positive times for mirrorless. Let's take a look at the numbers...

Premium compacts on the rise

When smartphones took off around 2010 and compact camera sales nosedived in the following years, most industry folk predicted the complete demise of pocketable point-and-shoots. However, 15+ years later, sales are growing once more, as TikTok trends spike interest, especially in retro gear.

We've been closely following the changes in this space, ever since the X100VI went viral in 2023, driving up interest and prices.

Now, three years later, compact camera shipments are up 29.6% year-on-year (2.44 million vs 1.88 million), while value sees a disproportionate growth of 49.8%, meaning that pricier compacts are in fashion.

I can't say that I'm surprised. Following the Fujifilm X100VI, which was the most preordered camera in history, other premium models are typically sold out, including the Leica Q3, Ricoh GR IV, Sony RX1R III (above) and Fujifilm GFX100RF. All of these cameras have price tags in the thousands.

They are different beasts to cheap point-and-shoots, of course – with quality to match serious mirrorless cameras. Even still, sub-$200 models have grown in popularity too – the Kodak PixPro FZ55 tops global camera sales lists.

To keep things in perspective, these are year-on-year numbers, and compact camera shipments are still not a patch on pre-pandemic days.

As for interchangeable lens cameras, mirrorless shipments are up 12.5% year-on-year, with shipments totaling 6.31 million units – a steady growth since 2020 when shipments were 2.93 million.

New DSLR shipments are at an all-time low of just 691,000 units (down 30.8% year-on-year), and the average value of shipments suggest most units are beginner-level models. Overall, year-on-year shipments for compact, DSLR and mirrorless cameras are up 11%.

For a camera enthusiast like me, these market trends are encouraging, and I hope this results in new and exciting models for me to review this year and beyond. Surely it's time for the likes of Sony, Nikon and Panasonic to reinvest in developing new compact cameras, while enjoying the fruit of years of R&D in mirrorless.

What do you think? Will we see new premium compact cameras from some of the big players? Which new models and features would you like to see? Let me know in the comments below.

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The best compact cameras

➡️ Read our full best compact cameras guide
1. Best overall
Fujifilm X100VI
2. Best with zoom
Sony RX100 Mark VII
3. Best small
Ricoh GR IIIx
4. Best full-frame
Leica Q3