I’m a film and digital photographer. Retro digital cameras are missing half the equation. The other half? A retro lens

Retro cameras have been one of photography's top trends for a while now – but buying a retro camera ignores half the equation. The other half? The lens.

I’m a photographer, and while I shoot mostly digital, I love to grab my Pentax K1000 and a roll of film when I can. I love to try to get a more classic look to images coming from my mirrorless camera. But my digital images never felt quite like they had that old soul, until I started also looking at the lens.

Yes, a major part of that film look is actual film, with all the grain and colors that come with it. But old lenses were not as sharp as modern optics.

Often, older film lenses spread out points of light, creating an iconic halo-like effect. Old lenses were also often more susceptible fto lens flare, which most modern optics actually try to fight.

But, I’m not the only one who has realized the retro camera trend needs to go beyond the camera and include the lens too. Searches for “special effects lenses” and “retro camera lenses” are spiking dramatically in the US right now, according to data from Google. US retailer B&H also noted an uptick in searches for special effects lenses.

There’s more than one way to get the look of an older film lens on a mirrorless camera. Many vintage lenses can be paired with an adapter to work on new cameras – I tried this, and using an old film lens definitely levels up that retro feel.

Another option is to use filters. Diffusion filters spread out the light to create those halos of light that remind me of film. If you don’t want to lose autofocus, using a diffusion filter does help get that softer film look from more modern lenses. I’m partial to the warm diffusion filters, which will add warmth along with a bit of softness.

A third option is to use a special effects lens – these modern-made lenses don’t require an adapter and are specifically designed to create a certain classic look. Specialty lenses can create a pinhole look, the look of a disposable camera, or even create twisty Preztval-style bokeh. PolarPro’s LightLeak lenses mimic the effect of a light leak on digital sensors.

Digital cameras don’t have the same soul of film – but my digital images feel a lot closer to retro when I factor in both the camera and the lens.