You only care about your self(ies)

But not an awfully extravagant one. Sure, those carrying around a flagship Samsung or Apple device likely need not worry about waning selfie quality, but hardcore social media girlies walking around with a 2020 phone in their pocket? The Snap’s S$115 price might make it worth picking up. Better than buying a new phone, anyway.

The screen, which hooks up via your device’s USB-C port, isn’t just a portal into your phone’s rear camera. The 3.5in display is a touchscreen, allowing you to zoom in and frame up your shot before snapping it. There’s another version, co-developed with Amiro, going for S$130 that’ll add a light with 5 brightness levels into the mix.

Read More: Insta360’s new 5.4-gram Quick Reader 512GB SSD means fewer memory card swaps

Insta360 had to get the proportions just right if it hopes to truly enter this selfie-screen market. It’s a smidge too thick for our tastes, measuring 6.8mm thin — just a little bit thinner than an iPhone 17. It’s clearly been designed with Apple in mind, connecting to the phone magnetically if your iPhone is MagSafe compatible. If you’re rocking an Android or something other device, you’ll need to use the supplied magnetic ring.

It’s worth mentioning that the Snap Selfie Screen supports Android phones that offer DisplayPort Alt Mode — something that’s worth checking out if you’re seriously invested. Whether it’s worth the roughly R1,470 it’ll take to stick this in your pocket is entirely on you and your selfie habits. It’s still unclear if it’ll see a South African launch, but with the brand’s history on 180by2, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

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On an I’m Back Roll roll

The concept is sound, since the company making this version has already done something similar. But the solution was previously hosted outside of analogue cameras. This version looks like a roll of film, which stretches across the camera’s rear and plops a new digital sensor right where it’s supposed to be.

The sensor, in this case, is a Sony IMX571 APS-C affair. The add-in, according to the project’s creators, will support multiple 35mm camera systems. Some internal modification might be required, mostly the removal of the camera’s pressure plate, but everyone from Canon to Pentax to Leica should have functional models. The Kickstarter page showcases the Nikon F3 and the Leica M as examples.

It’s almost identical in design to a roll of film in size, but the I’m Back Roll integrates most of a camera’s internals. At least 64GB of storage, the battery, sensor, and other parts needed to use vintage bodies and lens assemblies pop into a camera’s rear panel. It’s all a bit thicker than using film, of course. The setup needs 4mm of space, which is why that pressure plate has to go.

Read More: Rewindpix is a modern compact camera with vintage ambitions

There’s really only one tricky bit. Since the I’m Back Roll can’t communicate with old cameras, there’s an external remote. Before a shot is taken, users must activate the remote, which starts up the sensor. After that, there are roughly two seconds before the sensor must be turned on again. Users have that long to trigger the camera’s physical shutter. So… not for high-speed, critical shooting then. The Bluetooth remote is similar to other remote camera shutters.

It would still be a cool thing to experience. The I’m Back Roll was initially looking for just over $44,000 to get production rolling. To date, with 37 days of funding to go, it’s made ten times that amount. But previous Kickstarter success doesn’t always mean that every project will go off flawlessly.

Still, if you’d like to chance it, upgrading your old hardware will cost at least R7,500 ($455). It’s a bit much for an old Kodak, but if you’ve got a vintage Leica lying around, it might be time to get it out of storage.

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That’s about the same as a teaspoonful of coffee (or whatever you drink). It’s very, very tiny, which is why the memory card will set buyers back around R2,500 (CAD$200) before you get around to paying tax or shipping the thing.

Insta360 storage

But it could be incredibly useful. The Quick Reader 512GB SSD, to give it its full title, connects to Insta360’s action cams via USB-C. That’s handy for plonking new storage into the camera without fiddling, but broad mobile support means it’s not confined to videos of backflips or Instagram influencers.

The tiny 512GB accessory also connects to Android, iOS, and Huawei’s HarmonyOS devices in the same manner. This is to allow for file transfer (up to 420MB/s), but you could also use it to back up your memes folder or family photos. It’ll work as a connected storage device, allowing for direct recording to the little drive. The Quick Reader also connects to laptops, so you could even use it as backup storage on your Windows notebook if you’re persistent.

Insta360 only officially supports a few of its cameras so far, with more in the offing. The company’s X5, X4 Air, and Ace Pro 2 cams are supported at launch. Its potential versatility means that it might be worth nabbing even if you don’t own one of the company’s cameras. As for local availability, it’s not here yet. When it is, we expect it to turn up here.

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The new compact, currently being well-funded on Kickstarter, takes a very modern route to extremely retro results. It’s styled as a “non-disposable digital ‘film’ camera,” which basically means it’ll give you film camera results but without the need for… well, film. Or development. Or you can skip all of that, if you wish.

Be kind, Rewindpix

The Rewindpix uses a modern Sony 13MP image sensor, paired with a 35mm f/2.2 lens. That’s the first combination of new and old that backers can look forward to. There’s no digital display — because that would be cheating — but the camera’s creator, Xiao Liu, has opted for an optical viewfinder. Exposure is automatic; the flash is manually activated. Oh, and even though it’s a digital camera, you’ve still got to wind it. Really.

There’s also an app-based simulation of using real film. Virtual film rolls are loaded to the Rewindpix via a connected app. These behave like actual film, in that you won’t see any results until the entire ‘roll’ has been used and transferred back to a smartphone. Along with the film is a specific filter that will give your shots a specific feel. Or… you could also ignore that entirely. It’s your camera, after all. Or it will be, if you give the Kickstarter project enough money.

The camera supports microSD cards, and arrives with a 4GB card installed. In film mode, users get 36 shots at a time. If you’re shooting directly to the card, you can continue until the battery — we assume it’s rechargeable, but that’s not specified — dies or the card is full.

Rewindpix was seeking $15,000 on Kickstarter. It has blown past that, having raised some $305,000 at the time of writing. If you’re quick enough, you can nab one for R2,200 ($120). If you’re slow, you’ll pay R3,400 ($200), the full retail price for the basic setup. And yes, the camera will be delivered to South Africa once they’ve gone into production.

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But first, just how affordable is this thing? A price tag of HK$800 puts its Rand cost at a little under R1,700. Of course, you’ll still have to ship it over to South Africa to play with one. That’ll elevate the full price to R1,900, plus whatever SARS decides you must hand over for tax.

Build like a Tank

You’ll probably want to fiddle with the Yashica Tank a little if you’re into cameras. The little retro shooter weighs just 105 grams, measuring 12 x 5.5 x 2cm in size. That’s dinky enough to fit into most pockets, but Yashica has found space for a 3in 180° LCD touchscreen on the rear. It’s just 360 x 640, but it’ll do the job of framing your shots.

Which, it turns out, are captured by a 12MP 1/2.8 CMOS sensor. Users can select 24MP and 36MP captures in addition to the default, with 8x digital zoom also present. The f/1.8 sensor, which isn’t detailed further, shoots 4K video at 30fps. Drop to 1080p or lower, and it’ll handle 60fps.

MicroSD cards from 8GB to 256GB are compatible with the Tank, while an internal 800mAh battery will keep your finger on the capture stud up top for ages. An internal LED flash completes the whole retro vibe, so you can feel like you’re snapping birthday parties in 1996 all over again.

The Yashica Tank is available for pre-order via the company’s website in a range of shades. One of these is called Pink Marshmallow, with Sky Blue, Brown, and Black being the remaining colours. And yes, Yashica does deliver directly to South Africa.

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It’s been some time since folks with glasses got any sort of advancement in the field. That’s an almost criminal situation for people who are, technically, basic cyborgs. Still, if it means they can have Nikon glass resting on their noses at all times, the new Nikon-Essilor Corporation Z Series Single Vision single-focus lenses are very welcome.

Look at that, Nikon

The company’s Z Series Single Vision lenses were born out of wanting “to deliver a field of vision that allows people to more accurately appreciate the beauty and subtle differences of the world.” They join the Japanese optics company’s Z Series Progressives, launched in 2024, which use Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) technology to tackle presbyopia (progressive loss of focus) in older eyeglass wearers.

MTF originated in camera lenses, so switching it over to other forms of glass makes sense. The new single-vision lenses go a few steps further, tackling “myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism,” and other vision issues. Glasses made using Nikon’s glass “provide improved contrast and high-resolution vision to consumers of all ages,” according to the company.

If you’re desperate for premium glass on your snout, you’ll either have to book a trip and an appointment with a Japanese optometrist or wait a while. The company’s tech is out in Japan right now. A global launch is probably planned at some point, but no firm date has been announced. The Z Series Progressives took about a year to leave Japan. Hopefully, you can stumble myopically around until that much time has passed.

Source, via

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As you’d expect from something that’ll disappear in your palm, it’s not terribly expensive. The ¥5,800 price tag works out to a little over R600. Of course, since Haru’s little compact is only on sale in Japan for now, it’ll take some doing to spend that.

Haru snaps

When we say it’s tiny, we mean it. The Mini Retro measures 52 x 40 x 17mm, weighing a whopping 68 grams when it’s dangling from your keys. The company behind it, Hansmare, has fitted it with a real camera sensor and even a 1.47in IPS panel on the rear so you can see what you’re pointing at.

Snaps are taken using the 20MP sensor. Amazingly, it’ll also shoot video, with all content being saved to a microSD card. The tiny battery is apparently rated for 65 minutes of use between charges. Transfers to your PC are via a USB-C port. It should save swapping that little plastic memory chip back and forth.

If you want a working camera capable of hiding in your tiniest pocket, you’ll need to bring it over from Japan. The 20MP sensor isn’t going to give you stellar shots, given how little space there is for lenses. But it’ll definitely attract attention if you whip one out in public. Provided onlookers can see the thing, that is.

The post The Haru Mini Retro is a 69-gram 20MP (super) compact camera appeared first on Stuff South Africa.

That’s just what the new OM-3 Astro and TG-7 Industry do. The first (obviously) is a version of OM System’s standard OM-3, optimised for astronomy purposes. The second is a little wilder, being a 12MP compact camera designed for photographing the view through a microscope. We’re not going to ask what you’re looking at, but you’ll be able to show the world. If you want to.

OM System of a down

The TG-7 Industry is OM System’s 12MP rugged compact, refitted with a new NY-TGV kit that lets the camera connect to standard microscopes. The unit features an impressive macro mode, even without the aid of a microscope, while its small size allows for fitment to binocular and monocular microscope barrels.

Pairing a camera with a close focus capability of 1cm (at 7x zoom) with a standard lab microscope is one way to net shots of… well, things that nobody else is taking pictures of. Mostly because they don’t have the same collection of spores, molds, and fungi to draw from, right?

Capturing anything with this OM System rugged camera (it’s rated IPX8 for water and IP6X for dust and is supposed to be crush-proof up to 100kg) will cost you, however. The kit starts at R27,100 ($1,700).

And a little up 

Both cameras are reconfigurations of existing cameras from the brand. The OM-3 Astro uses the same 20MP BSI stacked sensor and TruePicX image processor as the non-astronomy version, but includes an embedded Hydrogen-alpha (Hα) filter mounted in front of the sensor. According to OM System, this filter is “tuned for near-100% transmission” of the wavelength, making it ideal for capturing shots of nighttime nebulae.

A couple of body-mounted filters, including a city light suppression (we’ve got doubts about how effective this is on modern LED light sources) and a soft filter that “blurs and highlights point-light sources, maximizing their pictorial impact,” are being sold alongside the OM-3 Astro. But there are plenty of other internal features that go along with the IP53 weather-sealed body and its five-axis image stabilisation to make star-photographers happy.

These include three custom colour profiles that are supposed to benefit astrophotography, plus OM System’s Handheld High Res Shot, Starry Sky AF, Live Composite, and Night View modes. Sadly, while Hα filters are also supposed to benefit solar photography, there don’t appear to be other supporting options that’ll keep your image sensor from being cooked if you point the OM-3 Astro at the sun.

Want one? Expect to pay at least R40,000 ($2,500) — more once you figure in import tax and shipping.

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That segment is already occupied by some heavyweights, like DJI and Insta360. DJI’s Osmo Pocket series is the pick of that bunch for pocketability, while Insta360 makes some impressive hardware of its own.

Vivo’s vlogging venture

There are few details concerning Vivo’s apparent vlogging camera. Mostly, the news concerns timelines for development. The Chinese outfit reportedly started work on the hardware toward the end of 2025, with a release expected sometime in 2026.

It’ll supposedly take on DJI’s Osmo products, suggesting a gimbal-on-a-stick arrangement, possibly with a full camera sensor setup if the company attempts to target the Pocket in particular. Since Vivo already has a smartphone camera deal with Zeiss in place, it’s just as possible that the camera will feature lenses made by the German optical firm.

Successfully launching a vlogging camera with a gimbal setup could also push the Chinese company in the direction of releasing its own drone, but that’s just Stuff speculating at the moment. Recent rumours suggested that Vivo was playing with the idea, with the extremely unconfirmed product using an entire smartphone as its camera unit. Something integrated, more compact, and with Zeiss tech inside would probably make for a more attractive product.

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Time for a little RSR Porsche Design

Launching alongside a new slim smartphone, and probably the rest of the Magic 8 lineup, the Magic 8 RSR Porsche Design hopes to convince you to give up that system camera in favour of… well, look at it.

Hardware aside — though it’s bound to be as powerful as Honor can make it — the new Porsche Design handset will feature (or support) a photography-centric case that will turn the handset into a miniature image Howitzer. In addition to seeming fairly rugged, the case includes a camera grip — we’d guess that there’s extra battery life in there — as well as support for external lenses.

How many lenses there are, we can’t say. Honor’s RSR Porsche Design teaser only shows one, a teleconverter that should greatly increase the range of the phone’s shots. The narrow tube looks a little goofy, sure, but if you’re consistently nabbing the best shots of all your wannabe influencer friends, that won’t matter much. Everyone knows it’s what happens in front of the lens that’s important.

Internal details are still rumours for now, but they do track for the company’s ultra-premium segment. A Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, an internal 85mm 200MP telephoto lens, and a 7,200mAh battery (with 120W fast charging) make up the reported specs for this particular Honor Magic 8. We should know all the other details early on 19 January.

Source

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