Fotorgear’s cases make a smartphone look and feel like a retro camera – but the company’s next move could be even more enticing for retro camera enthusiasts. The Fotorgear Campix is a retro digital camera with a waist-level finder and mechanical dials.
The Campix is a compact digital camera that sports a waist-level electronic viewfinder. That classic design that pairs with a film wind dial, film simulation dial, and retro black-and-silver look.
The waist-level viewfinder is a vintage feature that I’ve long hoped would arrive in modern digital cameras inspired by classic designs. Canon has toyed with the idea on a concept camera, and toy cameras like the Chuzhao use this concept.
Fotorgear has only released teasers about the upcoming Campix, so there are a lot of details that have yet to be revealed. But, the Campix’s teaser video showing the film wind dial, the film simulations, an app for “developing” photos, and low-fi retro images hints that the upcoming compact camera may fit in with budget, retro compact cameras like the Camp Snap CS-Pro, the Rewindpix, and the Flashback One35.
A teaser video on Instagram shows that flipping up the top waist-level finder reveals a screen, not an optical waist-level finder. A dial at the top will swap between six different film simulations, while an app will allow creators to upload custom presets or LUTs.
A large pop-up next to the viewfinder houses a TTL Xenon flash.
Fotorgear also says that the Campix will have a 26mm lens built in, but will also support swappable lenses over that lens, much like the way iPhones can add lenses over the built-in lens rather than directly over the sensor like a mirrorless camera.
For now, the Campix is just a teaser of what’s to come. Fotorgear says that the Campix is coming to Kickstarter “soon.”
The company has opened a $5 deposit (about £4 / AU$7 / CA$7) for fans to access exclusive discounts and an additional one-year warranty once the campaign launches.
Fotorgear hints that the camera could retail for $209 for the base camera and up to $509 with a three-lens bundle, but Kickstarter pricing is expected to include a discount ranging from $100 to $150. International pricing has not yet been announced, but that converts to about £158 / AU$299 / CA$296 before Kickstarter discounts.
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The newest Instax camera has a waist-level screen too. Or, browse the best screen-free compact cameras.
