A rising awareness of screen overuse has given way to a screen-free camera trend. But one upcoming camera that wants to fit in this low-tech category technically has a screen – it just uses it for game-like animations instead. The Dinooh is a “digital film” camera with a retro advance lever and a tiny screen to gamify photography.
Rather than being screen-free, the Dinooh is a “playback-free” compact camera. The small screen can’t be used for previewing or reviewing photos. Instead, the screen is built for retro, gamified animations ranging from cute dachshunds to a girl with bubble gum.
Created by a California-based startup, the Dinooh feels built for the digital minimalist movement. The camera shoots photos with one of four built-in filters. A “film” advance lever needs to be pulled after every shot. And there’s no mobile app at all, just a USB-C port to transfer images.
That advance lever is built with resistance and springs to feel like an old film camera, but the company says its purpose is simply a reminder to slow down.
The creators behind the camera say that the Dinooh is designed to be “a camera that you can just pick up, play with, and carry around without thinking too much about the perfect shot.”
Built by a designer from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the compact form, lever, and built-in filters were inspired by “the playful spirit of ‘90s electronics,” including that Game Boy-like screen. The front includes a small drawing with the words, “time to be a dinosaur.”
The Dinooh is listed on Kickstarter as “coming soon” – and at this early stage, details like technical specifications and price haven’t yet been shared. While the campaign for the compact camera hasn’t yet opened to backers, a sign-up list is open for a launch-day notification.
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