Zooming in on weird cameras

Unconventional cameras are having a bit of a moment. From the Sigma BF to the Fujifilm Half to young photographers reaching for old digital point-and-shoots, the camera industry has looked a little different over the past few years. Are these moments just flashes in the pan, or part of something bigger?

This week on The Vergecast, Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake of PetaPixel’s YouTube channel join The Verge’s Allison Johnson and Vjeran Pavic to geek out about the last half-decade of camera advancements — the good, the bad, and the Sigma BF of it all.

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Then, Allison is joined by Verge News Editor and fellow phone nerd Dominic Preston to help answer a boatload of listener questions from people contemplating unsure of which smartphone to buy next. They help navigate the intricacies of living in a mixed iOS/Android household to the best options for someone who wants a headphone jack (spoiler alert: there aren’t many).

It’s a mega-hotline-turned-therapy session for iPhone Mini owners reluctant to let go of their tiny phones in a world where phones come in two sizes: big and bigger.

For more on the topics in this episode, here are some links to dig into:

Sigma BF review: Beautiful Foolishness — PetaPixel

The Fujifilm X half is Just Plain FUN! — PetaPixel

Fujifilm X Half hands-on: whimsical, refreshing, and simply fun

Sigma BF review: the perfect camera for a minimalist

In pursuit of a viral, five-year-old compact camera

Samsung Galaxy S25 review: incredibly iterative

Nothing Phone 3 review: flagship-ish

If you really want a smaller phone, try the tiny Jelly 2

Oppo Find N5 review: the final evolution of foldables

Honor launches the ‘world’s thinnest’ foldable

Motorola spoiled a good budget phone with bloatware