Trends have brought the retro camera design back into the spotlight – and it looks like a Hong Kong company is preparing to launch a new digital camera that keeps the old school looks right down to a “film” wind lever. The Yashica FX-D is an upcoming camera that the company is calling a “film-digital hybrid camera.” A teaser video, however, suggests some unusual features, including a viewfinder bump that doesn't appear to actually contain a viewfinder.
With only a brief “coming soon” page on Kickstarter, Yashica has shared relatively few details on the upcoming camera beyond the name, a “Your first film-digital hybrid camera" tag line, a few lines on social media, a few photos, and a teaser video. A Yashica representative also shared a few additional details in an email to Digital Camera World.
A post on the camera's Facebook group suggests that the film-digital hybrid is referring to "Film-look" digital photos. The camera will have what the company is calling Signature Film Modes, including simulations inspired by the 60s, 70s, and 80s, as well as two black-and-white options. The camera will only shoot in JPEG, however, without RAW options, Yashica noted.
Yashica says the FX-D is inspired by the film FX-3 camera. The upcoming camera is said to have a digital mode for "crispness" and a film mode for "nostalgic character." The camera's blend of modern and analog includes a tactile film winder mixed with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB-C charging.
While details are slim, the teaser video and images already shared of the Yashica FX-D, however, include some hints. In the video, I can clearly see a lever at the top of the camera that looks similar to the film rewind dial on the old film Yashica FX-103 that currently decorates my office. The film lever switches between the camera's shooting modes. The FX-D also appears to have two dials at the top.
But a brief glimpse at the back of the camera has me a bit puzzled. I noticed the photographer in the video appears to be holding the camera away from their face, rather than up to the eye like when using a film camera. When the video pans briefly to the back of the camera, I can see why: I don’t see a viewfinder anywhere.
In an email to Digital Camera World, a Yashica representative has confirmed that the upcoming camera won't have a viewfinder. "One of digital’s biggest advantages is the ability to instantly preview film simulations — something a small viewfinder cannot fully deliver in terms of clarity and color," Yashica explained. "That is why we have prioritized a high-resolution, fully articulating LCD screen. It flips 180° and offers adjustable brightness, ensuring a clear, accurate view in any lighting. This lets photographers confidently see the effect of the film simulation, enhancing creative control without losing the experience of shooting with film."
Plenty of successful cameras skip out on the viewfinder, like the Nikon Z30 or the Panasonic S9, relying instead on the rear screen. But a viewfinder is a classic component of the film cameras that the FX-D is designed to look like. Most cameras that omit the viewfinder do so to create a more compact design; the FX-D keeps the bump for the retro look but omits the actual viewfinder.
Yashica has also clarified that, despite the Kickstarter photos showing the camera in the rain, the FX-D isn't weather-sealed, and photographers are encouraged to use care in wet conditions.
The more times I watch the Yashica FX-D teaser video, the more I’m intrigued by just how the brand is trying to create a “film-digital hybrid.” Cameras like the Instax Mini Evo are both digital and instant film, and there are plenty of digital cameras with an old-school look and colors inspired by film. The glimpses of the FX-D feel a bit different than the existing options.
While Yashica is a longstanding company, the current line of Yashica cameras isn’t made by the same company. The trademark is now owned by a company based in Hong Kong, so it’s not the same company that made the classic film cameras. One of the company’s previous Kickstarters garnered a lot of attention because it had “film” canisters that loaded into the digital camera to change the color profile. But the Yashica Y35’s Kickstarter page is now filled with negative comments about the quality of the camera.
Regardless, the glimpses of the upcoming camera had me curious enough to sign up for project alerts on the Yashica FX-D Kickstarter page. Yashica indicates that additional details on the camera will be coming soon.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with statements and clarifications from a Yashica representative.
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