The new Yashica digital camera is so “analog” it simulates film winding

Yashica hasn’t had much to do with its origins for some years now. The brand from Nagano was in fact acquired by a Hong Kong-based company, the MF Jebsen Group, which has used it for projects that have been more or less successful—but all of them interesting, because they attempted, earlier than many others, to build a bridge between analog and digital. That was the case with the Yashica Y35, a camera with “digital film rolls” that ended up being something of a flop. More successful was the City series, designed to reinterpret the charm of old-school point-and-shoot cameras with a modern twist, combining a Y2K aesthetic with affordable prices.

The latest release is fully in line with this curious blend of analog and digital, a trend we’ve also seen in Fujifilm’s highly anticipated new half-frame camera. While vintage appeal remains strong, it’s still hard to give up the convenience of modern tech. It’s exactly in this balance that the new Yashica FX-D finds its place—a device that combines retro aesthetics with digital ease of use, launched by the Japanese company through a crowdfunding campaign.

Inspired in its design by the iconic FX-3 model from the 1980s, this new version aims to faithfully reproduce the analog photography experience: unsurprisingly, it features a classic film advance lever that must be manually operated before each shot, just like with traditional film cameras.

The new camera comes in three versions: the FX-D 100, with manual and autofocus, a 3x optical zoom and a 13-megapixel sensor; the FX-D 300, with three-axis optical stabilization and a 50-megapixel sensor; and the FX-D S300, which also includes an electronic viewfinder.

All models share several appealing features such as a 180° flip screen, ideal for selfies and vlogging, a 3.5 mm microphone input, 4K video recording, and the option to apply six film simulations to customize the look of digital shots according to your own style.

Not yet available for purchase, the Yashica FX-D is now open for preorders via an active Kickstarter campaign, starting at $239—about €206—with the first worldwide shipments expected in August.

Opening image: © Yashica