Although not all point and shoot film cameras are strictly designed to be compact, or pocketable, the ability to pop a camera into a jeans or jacket pocket is certainly one of the core reasons for using a point and shoot film camera versus an SLR or interchangeable lens rangefinder camera.
So, I thought that it might be worth developing a simple and, not too serious, Point and Shoot Film Cameras Pocket Test (PSFCPT – just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?).
Why a pocket test?
Of course, I could simply use the specified measurements of each camera. But a ‘smaller is better‘ approach isn’t always the most helpful, as it doesn’t take into account the shape of the camera, or any potentially uncomfortable dials or sharp edges. Also, it’s not as much fun.
Of course, some cameras would probably have to be immediately ruled out. Older point and shoot film cameras, such as the Canonet QL17 GIII and its close relation the Canonet QL19, as well as the older original Canon Canonet, are all pretty far from being pocketable cameras. Likewise the Yashica Auto Focus is also consigned to the older and bulkier category. Whilst these cameras can be described as point and shoot and are, to a degree, fairly portable compared to their SLR or rangefinder contemporaries, it would be pushing the definition to describe them as compact film cameras.
The test is simple. It involves one camera and a casual jacket, with pockets. I had considered using a pair of denim jeans but, whilst some compact cameras would fit into a jeans pocket, I can’t really say that walking about with one of these cameras in a front or back jeans pocket would really be comfortable for any period of time. Also, with some point and shoot film cameras, I’d even be a bit concerned about damaging them. For example, the sliding lens door that some of them utilise can sometimes slide open quite easily and this might risk scratching the lens.
So, jacket pocket test it is. In no particular order, here is the Point and Shoot Film Cameras Pocket Test applied to some of the cameras reviewed on this site so far.
 The Minolta Riva Zoom 115, is compact and easily fits into my jacket pocket. The handgrip makes it potentially uncomfortable for tighter pockets, but nothing too serious. |  The Ricoh YF-28 Super has a nice curved body and easily fits into the jacket pocket. |
 Rounded corners and edges make the square shaped Panasonic C-426AF fairly 'pocket friendly'. |  The Minolta Prod 20’s will pass the jacket pocket test. And I have walked around the city with it and taken some snapshots. It doesn't feel that heavy, but it is bulky and you do know that it's there in your pocket. |
 The Fujifilm DL Super Mini, Cardia Tiara easily fits into the jacket pocket. And it's so light, that it is barely noticeable. I even carried it around a bit in my jeans pocket, but the lens cover would often slide open as it was put into the pocket. |  The Ricoh TF-200 is on the large and bulky side of things. It will fit into the jacket pocket, but I'm not sure that I'd like to carry it there on a regular basis. |
 The Olympus mju II / Olympus Stylus Epic, is the easy winner in the pocketability stakes. Not only is it small and light, it has a tapered body, which allows it to be comparatively easily fitted into smaller pockets. |  I find the the Olympus Trip AF MD a bit of an awkward camera. It's not the largest point and shoot film camera and it will easily fit into the jacket pocket. But it is very square with a handgrip and various corners. |
 The Ricoh RZ-728 is small and, whilst it doesn't have the most streamlined of camera bodies, it fits easily and unobtrusively into the jacket pocket. |  The Ricoh AF-77 sits somewhere in the middle of all these cameras. Not the smallest, but not too large and bulky either. It's a it too square and un-streamlined for my liking, but it has no problem fitting into the jacket pocket. |
 The Nikon Lite•Touch Zoom 130 ED is made up from corners. That said, it easily fits into the jacket pocket |  The Ricoh FF-7 / FF-9 is not the smallest point and shoot film camera, but it is light and doesn't feel too bulky in the pocket. |
