The best retro cameras provide a shooting experience like no other. Inspired by the classically cool look and feel of the best film cameras or the best rangefinders from years gone by, these cameras are instead packed full of cutting-edge tech and many of the conveniences modern photographers have come to expect from some of the best mirrorless cameras on the market.
And this isn't just the hobby horse of a few niche enthusiasts, like me. It's big business – retro cameras are really popular. Fujifilm basically turned its fortunes around by introducing the retro-style X-series of compacts and mirrorless cameras, and other companies like Olympus, Panasonic, and now even Nikon have since hopped on the bandwagon.
Before we start, I should quickly note that I'm dealing exclusively in retro digital cameras here. If you want to go all the way with an analog film camera for that vintage touch, our guide to the best film cameras is a good place to start, or if your retro leanings are towards classic prints then check out the best instant cameras.
Gareth Bevan
Gareth is the Reviews Editor at Digital Camera World – and a big fan of retro cameras. Not only has he tested the cameras on this list, but has also ended up buying quite a few afterward. With several years of experience as a photographer and writer, he has learned a thing or two about cameras and the industry, which helps when choosing the best ones to recommend.
The Fujifilm X-T5 ticks all the boxes for both a retro camera, with its beautiful old-school looks and manual dials, but also the latest cutting-edge tech inside with a huge 40MP sensor.
The Nikon Zf is the best full-frame vintage-looking camera you can get right now, with the smarts of Nikon's flagship cameras in the body that harks back to the analog Nikon FM2.
A two-in-one pick as the best retro compact camera and the best retro rangefinder. With Fujifilm's film simulations, you can easily and instantly give your photos a retro feel as well.
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV offers the superb quality of the OM-D series into a beginner-friendly – and, crucially, affordable – camera body with a retro look.
Nikon's first mirrorless take on a retro camera has proved very popular among those photographers who want the benefits of digital but the aesthetics of analog.
The Olympus Pen series of fashionable, retro-styled mirrorless cameras had lost its way somewhat in previous years but came back with a bang with the Olympus Pen E-P7.
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The Fujifilm X-T5 is the latest in Fujifilm's range of incredibly popular cameras amongst street and travel photographers. With looks like these, they are also appreciated by anyone who wants a compact, very well-built, and stylish camera they don't mind being seen out and about with.
With lots of manual dials like a vintage camera, you can take full manual control in a snap, with Fujifilm's excellent range of compact XF lenses also providing aperture rings like a classic camera.
It isn't just a pretty face though, the X-T5 packs all the latest tech you would need from a top-level camera, with a generous 40-megapixel sensor, in-body image stabilization, and an incredible internal 10-bit 4:2:2 video at 6.2K/30P.
Articulating screen and hinge are not flush with the body
I really love the Nikon Zf for its retro design which is sure to immediately win over any vintage camera enthusiasts. From the moment I laid my hands on this camera, it stirred up a wave of nostalgia for the bygone days of shooting film. The Nikon Z fc was a nice taster, but the Zf body takes everything up a notch, with a better build quality with more substantial and robust brass dials, and a weighty feel reminiscent of the iconic Nikon FM2 that served as its inspiration.
I found that the Zf’s minimal grip is uncomfortable to hold for long periods, and wish I had a Smallrig extended grip when testing. Also, there is a lack of Nikon vintage-style lenses natively for the Z mount, which limits you to modern-looking Nikon lenses, or old Nikon lenses via a mount adapter, which spoils the aesthetic somewhat.
The Nikon Zf is a great camera when it comes to actually taking photos and videos though! Internally, this is the closest to a new Z6 III right now, with its 25MP full-frame sensor and Nikon's cutting-edge Expeed 7 processor, the Zf offers much better autofocus and subject tracking, as well as solid 4K video performance.
The X100 series was what started the Fujifilm X retro revolution, and these prime-lens compacts have been enduringly popular for more than a decade. The Fujifilm X100VI is the latest evolution of the winning combination of an APS-C sensor and a sharp 35mm equivalent prime lens, which has been the foundation of the series since its beginnings.
With dial-led controls, superb images straight out of the camera, and new extra features like optional converters for altering the lens’s field of view, the X100V is the best version of this camera yet. In our review, we appreciated the new, sharper lens that makes images from the X100V even better, as well as the improved autofocus that makes it really feel like a modern camera, without losing that retro shooting approach.
But its party piece, like many FujiFilm cameras, is the ability to use retro-inspired film simulations or 'recipes' as the community calls them to mimic analouge film. But it comes at a luxury price, but try one out and you’ll see why so many photographers have fallen for an X100’s charms.
We don’t mind admitting we’re still big fans of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV. It brings the superb quality of the OM-D series into a beginner-friendly – and, crucially, affordable – camera body, and does it all with retro style.
What’s there not to like about that? This is the fourth entry in the E-M10 series, and while it doesn't reinvent any wheels, it makes a number of incremental improvements that had our reviewer hugely impressed.
With highly effective continuous autofocusing, the E-M10 IV is a great little camera for capturing the action around you – one of the many reasons it’s so good for travel. The dials crowding the top plate of the camera provide that authentic manual shooting feel we love – it almost could have gone in our real-deal retro, but it’s affordable enough that most users can be tempted by it. The 20MP sensor produces images that are sharp, detailed, and vivid.
Nikon had a good go at a retro digital camera in 2013 in the form of the Nikon Df – a DSLR now discontinued. While it had its fans, it strained its full retro concept by virtue of the fact that most of its lenses had no aperture rings, and it came at a chunky premium price.
Fast forward ten years and Nikon has tried it again with the Nikon Z fc, a retro camera that sensibly targets a more entry-to-mid-level market. It’s the second APS-C camera for Z mount and comes with dial-based retro controls.
If you prefer not to use them, you can capture shots in a much more digital way by tapping the touchscreen. But we're not sure you'd want to – in our Nikon Z fc review, we found the dial-based controls a joy to operate, making the camera fun to use, with few compromises made for its bags of retro-inspired style. Images look great, and the 4K UHD video is no slouch either.
The Olympus Pen series of fashionable, retro-styled mirrorless cameras had lost its way somewhat in previous years but came back with a bang with the Olympus Pen E-P7. Using the same Micro Four Thirds sensor as the E-M10 Mark IV, replacing the aging 16MP model on previous Pen cameras and giving you 20MP to play with.
It’s packed with filters and auto-powered Picture Modes that make it easier for new users to create images with stylish looks and effects. Classic modes like Mono 2 basically simulate the distinctive looks of popular film stocks like Kodak Tri-X, allowing you to give your images a true retro feel.
In our Olympus PEN E-P7 review, we were particularly impressed by the IBIS (in-body image stabilization), which is something of an Olympus specialty and makes the camera especially good for video. Indeed, with 4K 30p video, this one is definitely pitched towards vloggers – pure stills shooters may bemoan the lack of a viewfinder.
Retro cameras can be defined in a number of ways. To decide on which is right for you will depend on if you want full manual control over your images, or if you just want a camera that looks the part. Our own Rod Lawton came up with a neat categorization system for retro cameras, which I'll borrow and tweak slightly for this guide.
Retro cameras that are simple to use – these are cameras that look retro, but handle more like modern digital mirrorless cameras in terms of their controls. This is the most affordable way you can get the retro look, though you don't quite get that retro feel.
Real-deal retro – these cameras use physical dial-based controls that feel much more like a classic film camera. They’re often built to discourage excessive use of the rear screen (“chimping”), some making the screen harder to access mid-shoot and others doing away with it entirely! These cameras tend to be more expensive, as some are designed for professional photographers, but you also get a larger sensor and generally better features.
(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Digital Camera World)
What's the best budget retro camera?
The best budget retro-style camera that gives the feel of nostalgia, but has the tech of a modern-day camera has to be the Nikon Z fc, this retro camera sensibly targets a more entry-to-mid-level market and provides that retro feel with dial-based retro controls in cool 80s styling.
Is the Fujifilm X100V worth it?
In short, yes. With dial-led controls, superb images straight out of the camera, and new extra features like optional converters for altering the lens’s field of view, the Fujifilm X100V is the best version of this camera yet. it really feels like a modern camera, without losing that retro shooting approach.
Just because a camera looks retro, doesn't mean we test it any differently from how we test the best mirrorless cameras. When we test retro cameras using both real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions.
We use our lab tests to measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio, providing a peerlessly accurate representation of what the sensor can do. We measure resolution using ISO resolution charts and track dynamic range using DxO Analyzer test equipment, which we also use for noise analysis throughout the camera's ISO range.
We test in the real world to get a sense of how a camera feels to use, how it handles, and how enjoyable it is to shoot with. This is extra important with retro cameras, where that old-school feel is just as important as the old-school looks!
We will always try and test cameras in different environments and on different subjects including low light and bright sunshine or landscapes and people. We pay attention to how responsive the autofocus and tracking are, whether the buffer ever gets full when shooting in burst mode, how easy the camera is to operate, and whether it comes with handy custom buttons that make your shooting process centered around you.
Gareth is a photographer based in London, working as a freelance photographer and videographer for the past several years, having the privilege to shoot for some household names. With work focusing on fashion, portrait and lifestyle content creation, he has developed a range of skills covering everything from editorial shoots to social media videos. Outside of work, he has a personal passion for travel and nature photography, with a devotion to sustainability and environmental causes.
