A camera can be beautiful as well as high-performing. Here’s some gorgeous retro-style cameras that will turn heads as you snap.
The trend for retro style cameras looks set to stick around for some time. And why not? There’s no reason why you can’t have a great looking camera that is also up to the job. Here’s our pick of some retro-style models that are sure to attract some admiring glances, as well as take some great shots.
Fuji X100T
Camera type: compact
Sensor: APS-C X-Trans CMOS II 16MP
Price: £1,039 (including 18-55mm lens)
Fuji reigns supreme when it comes to out-and-out style. There’s nobody else who consistently makes cameras that induce a little drool when you see them. You could really pick almost anything from its now reasonably extensive range, including both compact cameras and compact system cameras. However, in terms of all-out good lucks, we’ve chosen the Fuji X-T1. With its classic rangefinder build and stacks of dials and buttons, the enthusiast will love the controls of this compact system camera. It’s also a 16 megapixel sensor which has proven to take extremely high quality shots, while there’s a good range of lenses available for the X system now, with more being developed all the time.
Nikon Df
Camera type: DSLR
Sensor: 16.2MP FX format (full-frame) CMOS
Price: £2,049 (with 50mm f/1.8 lens)
Nikon has never updated its Df camera, which suggests it may not have been as popular as anticipated, but there’s no denying its good looks and charm. This camera is so retro that Nikon decided to even remove the capability of recording video. It has an array of dials and buttons, with the silver and black version looking the most traditional. If you’re an existing Nikon owner, then this could be a good option for you – it has a full-frame sensor which comes from the D4, so you should get some great shots.
Olympus PEN F
With its flat-bodied design the PEN-F is well-suited to small primes like this 17mm f/1.8
Camera type: Compact system camera
Sensor: 20.3 megapixel Live MOS Four Thirds
Price: £1,199 (with 17mm lens)
The PEN F has been designed based on the 1960s Olympus designs, so the retro-style is baked right in. It also takes excellent pictures, featuring a 20.3 megapixel Live MOS Four Thirds sensor. There’s direct access dials and buttons, and again it’s the black and silver version which has the sleekest of looks. There’s an electronic viewfinder so you don’t have to rely on the screen, and although it’s designed for fans of retro, it doesn’t skimp on modern features either – with a touch-sensitive articulating screen and built-in Wi-Fi.
Leica M-D
Camera type: Rangefinder
Sensor: 24MP CMOS
Price: £4,650
Many photography aficionados long to own a Leica – it’s been a familiar name for over 100 years. While other manufacturers have striven to produce modern masterpieces, sometimes it seems that Leica is going out of its way to attract traditional users. The M-D goes one step even further and does away with a rear LCD screen altogether, you know, just like the old days of film cameras. If you like the anticipation of waiting until you get home to discover how the shot came out, it’s for you – but you’ll pay a hefty price for it.
Sony RX1R II
Camera type: Compact
Sensor: 43.6MP Exmor R full-frame CMOS sensor
Price: £2,599
This fixed-length full-frame compact camera harks back to days of old when you needed to compose with your feet instead of relying on zoom lenses. You can’t change the lens, but it’s perfectly matched to the 35mm sensor, being also 35mm itself. That makes it ideal for street photography, while the 43.6MP work together with a variable filter-less design to produce stunning levels of detail, clarity and excellent colours. Direct buttons and dials make it easy to quickly change settings, while an integrated viewfinder pops up from the camera body to help with composition.