I have been reporting for a while rumors about a new small Nikon full-frame mirrorless camera without a viewfinder, designed for photography:
There is a new twist to this rumor: it could be a new Nikon compact full-frame fixed-lens camera based on the Nikon ZR. Here are the rumored details:
- No EVF
- Optional hotshoe EVF
- Two physical dials (one is dual-purpose)
- High-resolution full-frame sensor
- No IBIS
- No video
- Tilt-only OLED screen
- Similar to the ZR but designed for photography (not video)
- Small, slim body (22-25mm thickness)
- Black, champagne, and panda color options
This could be Nikon’s response to the canceled Nikon DL line and to the recent increased interest in cameras like the Fuji X100 (still out of stock!), Ricoh GR (also out of stock), and the Leica Q (latest model was priced at $8,000).
I hinted at this in a post last year, and polls were clear – Nikon users do want a new compact camera:
Opinion: a new compact fixed-lens camera from Nikon would be a nice surprise
The compact fixed-lens cameras segment is currently exploding, and as usual, Nikon is again late to the game:
Compact cameras continue to be popular on the 2025 Map Camera best-selling list
The latest CIPA data shows compact cameras are up 26% in units and 26% in shipped value:
Canon is also rumored to bring more new compact cameras:
Canon is reviving its compact camera line and has taken the #1 spot in Japan
Canon released full-year financial reports, confirms upcoming compact camera(s)
Panasonic is releasing new compact cameras as well:
Some more numbers:
Compact fixed-lens camera full-year shipments (units shipped)
- 2021: 1.28 million
- 2022: 1.57 million (+22.7% YoY)
- 2023: 1.72 million (+9.6% YoY)
- 2024: 1.88 million (+9.3% YoY)
- 2025: 2.44 million (+49% YoY)
- 2026:
- Jan-Mar 2026 cumulative: 480,711 units (+103.9% YoY)
- March 2026 alone: 165,103 units (+114.4% month-on-month)
- CIPA forecasts 2.77 million fixed-lens units for full-year 2026 (+13.6% from 2025)
Regional growth (2025 YoY unit growth)
- China: +50.5%
- Asia (excluding Japan/China): +37.6%
- Japan: +19.7%
- Americas: +25.6%
- Europe: +24.8%
Yomiuri Shimbun reports compact camera shipments increase for the first time in 7 years:
Compact digital cameras (compact digital cameras), which have been overshadowed by smartphones, are unexpectedly gaining popularity. Domestic shipments in 2024 saw a slight increase for the first time in seven years. Their ease of use, along with the ease with which users can differentiate and enhance their image quality when posting photos on social media, are being re-evaluated.
And finally, some AI-generated mockups:
