I normally don't go anywhere unladen with camera gear, but on a recent trip to New York City I decided to leave my trusty Nikon Z6 II at home and take a pocket-sized compact camera in its place. So why would I go to a city that cries out to be photographed without my regular photo kit and caboodle?
I had three days in the city that never sleeps, and I wasn't planning on sleeping much either. I was going to be out and about from breakfast until eventually turning in in the early hours. I was going to be riding the subway, navigating the hustle and bustle of Times Square late at night, and taking plenty of refreshment breaks in bars.
So I really didn't need the worry of keeping an eye on my expensive camera kit all day long.
In the few days I was in the city, the mercury was hitting in excess of 90ºF (32ºC), so being laden down by a backpack filled with heavy gear wasn't too attractive a proposition, either.
In addition to my Z 24-70mm f/4 S, which isn't exactly the most svelte of kit lenses, I wouldn't be able to help myself but bring along the 14-30mm wide-angle for when the situation demands it. And if I'm bringing that, I might as well pack a tripod, just in case…
No, traveling light with something I could easily slip into my pocket was the way to go. And the Yashica Tank seemed like the ideal solution. It weighs next to nothing, costs under a hundred bucks, has a flip-up screen for selfies, and the model I chose looks pretty smart, too, with its leatherette-and-chrome retro look.
But the important thing is: how easy is it to use and what are the pictures like?
As a point-and-shoot camera, it's pretty simple. Turn it on, point it at whatever you want to photograph, and tap the shutter button. There's no focusing to worry about. You can zoom into your subject by up to 8x, though it's a digital zoom that merely crops into the fixed image. And you can fiddle with the exposure by pushing the zoom toggle in.
The LCD screen takes up most of the back of the camera, but I have to say that, as someone used to shooting through a viewfinder, I found composing via the screen not at all easy. It's pretty low-res and not very bright, making it tricky to see exactly what's in your shot or judge how good the exposure is.
As for the photo quality, well, you can judge for yourself by flicking through the gallery below.
Okay, so it's not going to replace my S-line Nikon Z lenses glass any time soon, and I really wasn't expecting too much for the price, but for snaps rather than 'proper' photos, it was just fine.
Not to mention that I felt quite unencumbered, being able to take photographs without the weight and the worry of my regular kit. But in all honesty, my camera phone takes better photos, the screen is easier to use and it's in my pocket anyway.
The next time I need to travel light, I think I'll stick to just that.
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Check out our Yashica Tank review and see how it compares against the best compact cameras and the best point and shoot cameras.
