Skip to main content Digital Camera World Digital Camera World THE HOME OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY Search Digital Camera World View Profile Accessories Buying Guides The Photography & Video Show Digital Camera Australian Camera Australian ProPhoto Photography Magazines Why subscribe? Issues filled with product reviews, latest updates, expert advice and more Delivered to your Android or IOS device Every issue is packed with photo tips, kit reviews and inspiration From$12View Camera news Camera rumors Photography & Video Show Photo mag deals Cheatsheets Recommended reading Compact Cameras The Fujifilm XQ2 feels like a mix of the two trendiest cameras – and I think this cheap compact deserves a comeback Mirrorless Cameras The Sony a6400 is cheaper than a lot of advanced compact cameras – I’d buy it over the Sony RX100 VII in a heartbeat Compact Cameras When nasty little digital cameras come good – I've been tripping the plastic fantastic on a quest for a budget point-and-shoot compact that actually takes okay photos Compact Cameras Cheap compact cameras were making a comeback. Then came the tariffs Compact Cameras 5 reasons why I'd buy a compact camera today, and 5 reasons why I wouldn't Compact Cameras Kodak Pixpro FZ55 is the cheap compact camera that just won’t quit, tops BCN Ranking (again!) Compact Cameras I bought the holy grail compact camera, the Sony RX1R II – and I regretted it Digital Cameras Compact Cameras This Sony compact camera is worth more than when I bought it six years ago – and it is easy to see why Chris George 16 June 2025 I didn't buy this Sony Cyber-shot HX90 as an investment, but as a gift for my wife. But this point-and-shoot camera is now worth more than I paid for it When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. It is the built-in eyelevel finder that has helped the Sony HX90 to be worth more today than it was when I bought it (Image credit: Chris George / Digital Camera World) The resurgence of the point-and-shoot cameras has led to shortage of supply that has meant that some people are now spending over the odds to get a compact camera. The comeback of pocket cameras was something that the camera industry just didn't see coming. As camera phones improved their photographic capabilities, sales of point-and-shoot cameras were seemingly in such terminal decline that manufacturers simply stopped making them. And it was at precisely this point they become trendy again… I bought my last compact camera six years ago in the Cyber Monday sale. It was a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90 that I had got as a present for my wife for when we went traveling. We'd recently been to New Zealand and India - and it was obvious that the limited angles of view offered by her Android phone simply weren't any good at capturing many of the sights we came across. You may like The Fujifilm XQ2 feels like a mix of the two trendiest cameras – and I think this cheap compact deserves a comeback The Sony a6400 is cheaper than a lot of advanced compact cameras – I’d buy it over the Sony RX100 VII in a heartbeat When nasty little digital cameras come good – I've been tripping the plastic fantastic on a quest for a budget point-and-shoot compact that actually takes okay photos I paid around £250 in the Amazon Black Friday sale, and thought I had got a very good deal – but I didn't expect it to be worth more all these years later. Checking on eBay today, I can see that this camera would now typically cost you between £275 - £300. In the US, I can see it selling for as much as $450. And that price increase goes contrary to the general rule that cameras lose value from the moment you buy them… The appeal of the Sony HX90 was that it packs a 30x into a small pocketable package (Image credit: Chris George / Digital Camera World) But the reason that my wife's HX90 is now worth more than I paid for it is actually quite obvious. For starters, popular compact cameras are still in short supply – the scarcity of stock of models such as the Fujifilm X100VI and the Kodak FZ45 have been well reported on this site. More significantly, you just can't buy a new camera that offers anything like the specification of the HX90 for anything like the price I paid. Get the Digital Camera World Newsletter The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. The appeal of this Sony to me was it had a built-in 30x optical zoom - so could be used to capture the birds and animals we saw on our vacations. The sensor was small, of course, but that meant the camera was properly pocket sizes. And with a sensible limit of 18MP, the 1/2.3 in sensor was still capable of creating decent-enough images. But what I also love about this camera is that it is beautifully designed - with features that appeal to a serious photographer, such as myself. There is a full range of exposure modes, for example, so I can shoot in aperture priority when I use it. And then there is the ingenious pop-up electronic viewfinder – so that you can put the camera up to you eye and still use it in bright sunlight. If you want to buy a new zoom compact with an eyelevel finder like this then the only one you are like to get, assuming you can find it in stock, is the larger-sensored Sony RX100 VIIA. But that will cost you $1,699 / £1,049. That makes a secondhand Sony HX90 look even better value for money - even if it now costs more than when it was new! Today's best Sony RX100 Mark VII deals 286 Amazon customer reviews $1,698View $1,698View $2,234.95View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Chris George Social Links Navigation Content Director Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography. His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Sony A7 IV, alongside his old Nikon D800 and his iPhone 15 Pro Max. He is the author of a number of books including The Book of Digital Photography, which has been translated into a dozen different languages. In addition to his expertise in photography and videomaking, he has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. The Fujifilm XQ2 feels like a mix of the two trendiest cameras – and I think this cheap compact deserves a comeback The Sony a6400 is cheaper than a lot of advanced compact cameras – I’d buy it over the Sony RX100 VII in a heartbeat When nasty little digital cameras come good – I've been tripping the plastic fantastic on a quest for a budget point-and-shoot compact that actually takes okay photos Cheap compact cameras were making a comeback. Then came the tariffs 5 reasons why I'd buy a compact camera today, and 5 reasons why I wouldn't Kodak Pixpro FZ55 is the cheap compact camera that just won’t quit, tops BCN Ranking (again!) Latest in Compact Cameras I’m a pro photographer, but I used this compact camera more than my mirrorless on my last vacation – and I don’t regret it Is this Kodak's next best-selling compact camera? Pixpro C1 makes bid for budget content creators with flip-up screen Kodak FZ45 vs FZ55 – what are the differences between these two budget PixPro compact cameras? The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Lite Edition is a great compact camera – if you can find it in stock! Fujifilm’s trendy compact cameras are finally shipping to the US again. Amazon even has the Fujifilm X100VI in stock – but there’s a catch Buying the Fujifilm X Half? Read the manual to see how everything works – including Film Camera Mode Latest in Features The most valuable skill I’ve learned as a photographer? 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Learning to read a photograph Venus Optics Laowa 8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye review: it’s like two fisheye lenses in one, giving you full creative control Digital Camera World is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. Terms and conditions Contact Future's experts Privacy policy Cookies policy Advertise with us Accessibility Statement Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Please login or signup to comment Please wait...