Fans of retro cameras were jumping up and down with excitement when news broke that Yashica would be returning to the market with a digital camera, but not many people could have foreseen just how quirky the camera may well be.
Well the picture is becoming a little clearer as Yashica have launched a Kickstarter to help the new camera, called the Y35, take off and the details released make for some very interesting reading.
Best described as a film/digital hybrid, the Y35 boasts retro chic design.
Essential, the Y35 is a combination of film and digital technology. Inside the retro chic body is a 14-megapixel 1/3. 2-inch CMOS sensor that saves images to a SD card – what's more, Wi-Fi compatible SD cards can be used so images can be tranferred quickly from the camera. The camera has a 35mm f/2. 8 lens but is restricted to just five shutter speeds (1second, 1/30sec, 1/60s, 1/250s and 1/500s).
Instead of a Li-ion battery, the Y35 runs off two AA batteries and photographers use a built-in viewfinder to line up their composition. But here’s where it gets really interesting. The Y35 uses something Yashica are calling digifilm to apply a certain look and style to the image in a move that will be sure to delight creatives. The digitalfilm cartridge slots into the camera like a regular film roll and the user can then start taking pictures.
Photographers can pre-order the Y35 via the Kickstarter page.
Listed on the Kickstarter page are four styles of digifilm, though more are planned. They are; digiFilm - Black & White, which has a film speed of ISO400, a film grain effect and high contrast in Black and White; digiFilm - ISO200 Ultra Fine, which gives a sharp image with standard color balance; digiFilm™ - 120 Format (6x6), which gives a film speed of ISO200 and creates square format photographs that are the perfect fit for Instagram and finally; digiFilm - ISO1600 High Speed, which as the name suggests gives a high contrast, grainy effect that captures true colour in low light conditions.
The various digifilms offer a range of creative styles.
The Y35 is sure to offer photographers a different experience as Yashica explain on the Kickstarter page; ‘The world seen from the viewfinder of Y35, might be a little slower, a little prettier, transporting us back to a time when we all pay a little bit more attention, and causing us to care each shot before clicking the shutter – because it must solid the first time or the moment is lost. Every Y35 image is real, carefully captured in its true moment. ’
Digifilms are loaded into the back of the Y35
The Y35 is due to ship in April 2018 and photographers can pledge different amounts of money to secure various bundles of the camera and digifilm cartridges. You can visit the Kickstarter page here and also watch a film about the Y35mm here.
. digitalrev.com2017-10-11 03:00
