Yashica’s upcoming retro cameras will have working “film” wind levers, but smartphone-like sensors inside

The retro camera look is trending – and Yashica will soon launch two new retro cameras that look old school on the outside but house smartphone-like cameras on the inside.

After previously teasing a digital camera inspired by the Yashica FX-3 film camera, the company has now shared that it's releasing not one but two compact retro cameras: the Yashica FX-D 300 and FX-D 100, one using a Sony sensor originally designed for smartphones and the other carrying similar sensor specs to the iPhone 15.

Yashica previously teased a retro-styled camera with a working “film” wind lever but no viewfinder. Now, the company has shared a more detailed list of specifications, indicating that two cameras are now coming and detailing several of the key technical details.

While the cameras' fixed lenses place them in the compact camera category, they take on the look and size of an old film SLR camera.

The Yashica FX-D 100 will use the 13MP Sony IMX458 sensor, which Sony describes as made for use inside smartphones and tablets. The sensor is a small 1/3.06 that captures 13MP still files and 4K at 30p. The specifications also list a 26MP mode and 8MP, however, indicating some possible upscaling for a high-resolution mode and pixel binning for a low-light mode.

The Yashica FX-D 300 will use the larger sensor of the pair, with a 50MP 1/1.56 inch CMOS sensor. Unlike the FX-D 100, Yashica did not specify which model the sensor is. However, the iPhone 15 uses a similar sensor size with a 1/1.56-inch sensor for the main camera. Like the 100, the 300 will have three different resolutions to choose from: 50MP, 24MP and 12MP.

While the larger sensor hints at the FX-D 300 as the more advanced of the two cameras, the Yashica FX-D 300 will only have digital zoom available on its f/1.8 lens with a full-frame equivalent of a 24mm view.

The Yashica FX-D 100, on the other hand, will offer a 3x optical zoom, which gives the camera a 25mm to 76mm focal length (35mm equivalent).

The specifications further list fixed focal lengths, however, so it’s not a continuous zoom but adjusts from 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm equivalent focal lengths. The lens aperture will range from f/1.6-2.8. The 100, curiously, doesn’t list autofocus specifications like the 300 does.

The Yashica FX-D 300 will also have optical image stabilization, while the 100 model isn’t stabilized. Both cameras will have six different film simulation modes, plus the option for users to create custom simulations.

While the cameras sport a retro design, the viewfinder bump in the middle is just for looks and doesn’t actually include a finder. The camera’s screen will flip 180° for selfies, however, and the wind lever is used to switch the shooting mode.

Yashica hasn't yet shared dimensions or weight, but photos of the cameras look closer in size to small mirrorless cameras with kit lenses rather than compact cameras that can tuck in a pocket.

While the original teaser video may have excited some photographers with the camera’s retro looks, the list of specifications indicates that Yashica has a different target audience in mind. The cameras don’t appear to be trying to capture better images than a smartphone can, but likely aim to make the images more fun to shoot with a retro-inspired design.

While I don’t think serious photographers will be interested enough in a camera with smartphone sensors inside, one of Amazon’s best-selling new release point-and-shoots right now is a $50 / £50 toy camera that looks like an old twin lens reflex camera, so there’s certainly demand somewhere for cameras with basic sensors but fun, retro designs if the price is right.

While Yashica hasn’t yet announced a price, I would expect based on the specifications that the FX-D models will follow suit with the brand’s other budget compacts. The Yashica City 100, for example, sells for about $209 / £220.

While the name on the cameras is a familiar one, the Yashica trademark was sold to a Hong Kong company in 2008. Yashica’s current lineup is largely focused on budget camera models across both digital and film.

Yashica hasn’t yet shared a launch date for either camera, but indicates that the cameras will be launching “soon” on Kickstarter.

You may also like

For more retro camera inspiration, browse the best retro cameras. Or, take a look at the best compact cameras.