If you’ve ever wanted to go fully retro with your photography, the OPT100 Neo Film camera could be just what you need to get a serious advantage in the Hipster Olympics. Sure, you could whip out one of Fuji’s vintage-inspired Instax cameras at the family gathering, but nobody else will manage to compete with a 35mm roll of film that shoots photos.
And not just because they’re a bugger to get hold of, even if that is also the case. The OPT100 Neo Film is being sold in Japan, ostensibly as a toy because… well, a closer look at the specs for this little digital camera will explain all of that.
This One is the Neo Film
There’s not much space inside the Neo Film for… well, anything. Buyers can expect a 1MP sensor, space for a microSD card, and a 230mAh battery that’ll last long enough for you to reel off shots for about an hour. That’s long enough to cover a kid’s party — or at least the candles and cake portion — but the teeny little sensor may not be the best choice if you favour high-resolution memories.
It’s not like it’s expensive, though. Opt’s ¥5,940 price tag works out to around R650, which also reinforces the ‘toy’ classification this one has wound up in. The whole unit measures a little less than 5cm x 2.5 x 2.5, plenty small enough to tuck into a pocket or dangle from your keyring. You’ve doubtless got a better camera in your smartphone, but sometimes it’s more about how a thing looks and less about what it can do.
The camera’s performance won’t be stellar. It might not even work its way up to ‘decent’. But it’ll be the most unique sensor pointing at the gathering of your peeps, should you manage to get your hands on one. Or three, since there are three colour variants to choose from.
The cameras went on sale earlier this week, but, as we said, they could prove challenging to get. Still, if you’re determined, you’ll find a way.
