Cameras shouldn't be colorful! (Does that make me boring?)

pentax cameras
(Image credit: Pentax)

Call me a traditionalist, but cameras should only be one of two colors: black or silver. 

And when I say silver, I mean they can have silver accent that makes them look vintage – such as the Nikon Z fc or the Fujifilm X-T5. But there is really no need for red, blue and especially not white cameras. 

I can’t understand why any camera manufacturer deems it necessary to release cameras in a range of color options. There was no need for Canon to release the Canon EOS R50 in white or for Nikon to release the CoolPix B600 in dark red, and yet they exist. 

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However, Pentax is the biggest culprit of them all: in 2012 it released the Pentax K-30 in not one, not two but nine different color options including Crystal Green, Crystal Orange and my least favorite, the banana0colored Crystal Yellow. I know that's over ten years ago, but it still pains me. 

There's a reason that most mirrorless cameras and DSLRs come in just one color. Turning up to a shoot with a hot pink camera wouldn't exactly look the most professional, and if you're looking for a travel camera you'd stick out like a sore thumb. 

The shockingly colored Nikon Coolpix B600 (Image credit: Nikon)

Street photography is another genre where colored cameras just won't cut it. Since it's all about blending in and being inconspicuous, you can't exactly hide if you’re clutching an obnoxiously bright-colored camera to your face. 

I can understand why some of the best cameras for kids might be multicolored, but that’s because they're designed to look more like toys than serious image-making tools – and I'm all for getting kids into photography early. 

It's not even just bright colors I'm against. I wasn't a fan of the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 in Dura Silver (which looked more like champagne gold) or the Fujifilm X-T4 in Graphite. Maybe I am just really boring, but I'd rather just use my phone than be seen sporting a camera in one of the colors of the rainbow. 

Instax is a different story, though! (Image credit: Gareth Bevan)

Instant cameras, such as the Instax Mini 12 or the Instax Square SQ1, are the exceptions to the rule. These cameras aren't designed to be serious image-making tools – they're fun in design, and fun to use and it's the only time I would never buy a camera in black. Maybe because it's so obviously made of plastic and has a more child-like design they can get away with it, but they are the exception to my boring school of thought. 

I understand that people might want to personalize their cameras, but you can do that by investing in a stylish camera strap (the

is a favorite and comes in three colors) or you can buy a soft silicon camera cases that come in a range of colors and patterns. At least that way your camera is protected and if you have a change of heart, you can revert back to the best color. The only color that cameras should come in. Black.

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Hannah Rooke
Staff Writer

Having studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. For the last 3 years Hannah has worked at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With 5 years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups.