Camera company Yashica may be leaning on nostalgia to make us pay attention. In the case of the company’s new Y16 Pocket Camera (and its recent Tank), it seems to be working. Is it working well enough to make us part with HK$900 (R1,900), though?
That’ll be up to each buyer to decide, but Yashica is hoping you’ll be caught by the extremely retro aesthetic. The Y16 is based on the company’s 1959 model of the same name, but with decidedly more modern innards. It’s an attractive piece of work, if you’re into that. In which case, it’s available for pre-order. Shipping takes place in November this year.
Sweet Y16
Yashica’s design hews quite closely to its original 16mm film camera, but the 93-gram unit is entirely more functional in 2026. It’s still tiny, though, measuring 9.1 x 4.5 x 2.9 centimetres. Inside, there’s an f/1.8 12MP sensor, an optical viewfinder, and the ability to shoot video as well as 12MP and 5MP images. It’ll do 1080p footage at 60fps and 4K, almost unbelievably, at 22fps. What you’ll use it for is entirely up to you.
There’s a 1.45in LCD for checking your images out without yanking them from the microSD. The company includes an 8GB unit inside the little camera, but it’ll support up to 256GB. Yashica’s Xenon flash will help replicate a time in recent history when in-home lighting wasn’t quite as… bright. A removable 800mAh battery lends the Y16 its power, while the unit can be charged over USB-C.
It’s not quite as instantly magical as Fuji’s Instax range, but the Yashica Y16 will turn the right heads at any retro-themed event. The only tricky bit is buying one. First, you have to wait. Second, you’ll have to order one from Hong Kong.
If you do decide to hand some cash to Yashica, you’ll find that the company does ship directly to South Africa. With shipping included, you can expect to pay HK$1,290 (R2,750). SARS will likely want a little more from you when the camera crosses the border, too.
