Where to Buy Ultra Compact Cameras

Product Information

Often, the cheapest price consumers can find for electronics is at online retailers, who have lower overhead costs, so they can drive down the price that you have to pay, in this case for your digital camera. Here are some reputable dealers who sell mini digital cameras.

Amazon.com has almost 200 listings under “ultra compact digital cameras,” many for less than $150, though some run as high as $300. Some in the list are Canon Powershots which are compact, but I’m not sure I would call them “mini,” or “ultracompact,” and these are some higher-quality cameras that make up most of the more expensive options. There are also many versions of the Nikon Coolpix to choose from on Amazon.

NewEgg.com offers entirely electronics, and their digital camera section is actually categorized by size. The ultra-compacts include the common Powershots and Coolpix, as well as some colorful Sony Cybershot pink digital camera varieties that are on the pricey side (up to $400), and some GE camera models that are less than $100.  On the most affordable end, they have some re-certified Polaroid digital cameras available for less than $50.

Frys.com (which also has some huge electronics warehouses in the US) has some Vivitar’s, including a pink option, available for less than $50, and a few other less well-known brands available for less than $125.

If you don’t mind cosmetic blemishes or not having the original packaging, eBay.com sellers offer their goods at a discount, especially electronics, because so many consumers want brand-new cameras. The only thing to be careful with is to make sure you’re getting the brand you think you are – some manufacturers, especially in Asia, have gotten extremely good at producing knock-off, inferior quality electronics that look almost identical to the originals.

I wouldn’t recommend going to most electronics stores to see digital cameras – they often only have space to display the most popular brands, and tiny cameras, besides the Canon and Nikon brands, are often not as well-known. If you’re searching for a sub-$100 camera, you probably won’t be able to see one for sale in real life anywhere, because they are still such a niche electronic. You may be able to find mid to high quality ultra compact cameras in large electronics stores (like Frys or Best Buy) or in digital camera retail stores.