If you are a camera nerd like me, this is the best $50 you'll spend this year!

(Image credit: Chris George / Digital Camera World)

If you are looking for a fun gift for a photographer that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, I've just found it. If, like me, you have kids or other family members who pester you for birthday present ideas, then I have your answer. This retro digital compact camera – that has ingeniously been designed to look like an old-school twin-lens reflex camera, or TLR – is your Santa shopping solution.

We wrote about the Chuzhao Vintage Digital Camera earlier in the year – and it has been on my Amazon wishlist ever since. But I can't wait until Christmas, so this week I ordered one for myself.

I was sceptical about the build quality, given that you can find it on sale for under $50 / £50 / AU$90. But it arrived this morning, and I was very pleasantly surprised by how well it is made for the money.

Sure, it hasn't got the weight of an original Rolleicord – but who would want that, let alone expect that. It is more of a brilliantly conceived replica of a TLR than a toy… with the added bonus that it actually shoots photos and video.

I love that you actually use this like a TLR – looking down on an LCD screen at the top of the camera. This also means that you can frame up images accurately – and review them in the field. And I love the fully-functioning pop-up, waist-level finder that brilliantly recreates the roll-film shooting experience.

The sensor is a 12MP 1/4in design – and images are square in format – so I am not expecting miracles. But in terms of fun, and street cool, this offers much more than other digital cameras under $100, whether aimed at adults or kids.

Although only one of the two lenses is functional, four buttons at the front do have a purpose. There is the side crank – which on an original medium format TLR would have been used to advance the film – this is given a variety of well-thought-out purposes, from advancing through images you have shot, or acting as the video record control.

I am going to give this cute camera a full test over the coming weeks, and give a full rundown on just how this performs – and fully expect it to give me better results than the Kodak Charmera that I recently tested. Admittedly, the Charmera is smaller and cheaper (at $30) – but the Chuzhao appears to offer much, much more value.

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