YASHICA has introduced the Y16 Pocket Camera, a digital reinterpretation of its original 16mm film camera from 1959. The new model combines a 12-megapixel sensor, optical viewfinder and adjustable Xenon flash in a body weighing just 93g. Available in seven colours, the camera is designed for everyday photography, with pre-orders open ahead of shipping scheduled for the week of 30 November 2026.
The original YASHICA Y16 was designed to make photography more portable through the use of 16mm film. Its modern counterpart retains the distinctive elongated shape but replaces film with digital imaging, measuring just 91 × 45 × 29mm. It features a fixed 4.05mm f/1.8 lens with a minimum focusing distance of 45cm, alongside a 4x digital zoom and eight built-in filters. YASHICA has not disclosed the sensor’s physical dimensions or the lens’s full-frame equivalent focal length, making its field of view and potential image quality difficult to assess from the specifications alone.
Optical viewfinder and adjustable Xenon flash
One of the Y16’s more distinctive features is its optical viewfinder, which works alongside a 1.45-inch rear LCD. An eye sensor automatically switches off the display when the camera is raised to the photographer’s eye, providing an alternative to composing on the small screen, particularly in bright sunlight. The camera also features a Xenon flash with three selectable power levels — Low, Medium and High — and a recommended shooting range of approximately 50cm to 2m. This gives photographers some control over flash illumination when photographing nearby subjects.
The Y16 also records video at up to 4K resolution, although its maximum frame rate at this setting is an unusual 22fps. It offers 2.7K recording at 30fps and Full HD at 60fps, alongside JPEG still photography at 12MP or 5MP. Power comes from a removable 800mAh battery, while an 8GB microSD card is included. The camera is available in Green, Orange, Red, Baby Blue, Baby Pink, Butter Yellow and Black.
YASHICA Y16 specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Sensor | 12MP |
| Lens | 4.05mm f/1.8 |
| Focus range | 45cm to infinity |
| Zoom | 4x digital |
| Viewfinder | Optical with eye sensor |
| Display | 1.45-inch LCD |
| Flash | Xenon, three power levels |
| Photography | 12MP/5MP JPEG |
| Video | 4K/22fps, 2.7K/30fps, 1080p/60fps |
| ISO | 100–6400 |
| Battery | Removable 800mAh |
| Storage | microSD, 8GB included; up to 256GB supported |
| Dimensions | 91 × 45 × 29mm |
| Weight | 93g including battery |
Price and availability
The YASHICA Y16 costs £86 and is available for pre-order, with shipping scheduled to begin during the week of 30 November 2026.
Press release
YASHICA Y16 Pocket Camera
A Heritage Reimagined. Seven Colours. Your Everyday Story. Meet the YASHICA Y16 Pocket Camera — a modern reimagining of a classic camera, made for the way we see, capture, and share life today.
Inspired by the original YASHICA Y16 introduced in 1959, the new Y16 Pocket Camera brings a distinctive silhouette and the spirit of portable photography into a new era. Compact, expressive, and easy to carry, it’s designed to become a reflection of your style, a companion for everyday moments, and sometimes, the start of a conversation.
The original YASHICA Y16 was a compact 16mm film camera built around a simple idea: making photography more portable and accessible. Its name carries that heritage forward, connecting the new Y16 to the 16mm film format that defined its predecessor.
Today, the format has changed from film to digital, but the spirit remains. The new Y16 preserves the original’s distinctive compact character while reimagining what a camera can mean in contemporary life — where photography meets personal style, creative expression, and everyday culture. The format has changed. The spirit remains.
Palm-sized and easy to bring along, the Y16 is designed to stay close wherever life takes you. Its distinctive silhouette stands apart from the cameras you see every day, while its intuitive layout and tactile controls keep the experience simple and immediate.
The Y16 features a three-level Xenon flash system with Low, Medium, and High settings, giving you more control over the look and feel of your images. You can easily adjust the flash to suit the moment and experiment with different visual moods.
The Y16 pairs an optical viewfinder with eye-sensor technology for a more focused way to shoot. Raise the camera to your eye and the sensor automatically switches off the rear LCD, letting you compose through the viewfinder. It’s especially useful outdoors, when sunlight and reflections can make a screen difficult to see.
With its photo capture and video recording features, the Y16 is ready for both the still moments you want to keep and the moving moments you want to relive.
Seven Colours. Seven Moods. Yours to Define.
Colour is a form of expression. It can reflect your mood, complement your style, hold a memory, or simply catch your eye. The Y16 comes in seven colours, each offering a different starting point for making the camera your own. There are no fixed rules about what a colour should mean. Choose the one that feels like you today — or choose another when your mood changes tomorrow.
Vivid Colours
Green — Adventurous & Unconventional
For fresh perspectives, unexpected detours, and doing things your way.
Orange — Playful & Social
For creative sparks, shared adventures, and memories made better together.
Red — Bold & Energetic
For spontaneous plans, vibrant nights, and moments that deserve to stand out.
Pastel Colours
Baby Blue — Free & Curious
For open skies, new discoveries, and wherever your curiosity leads.
Baby Pink — Dreamy & Imaginative
For little details, nostalgic moments, and stories told in your own way.
Butter Yellow — Warm & Optimistic
For sunlit days, simple pleasures, and the little things that make life brighter.
The Classic
Black — Timeless & Understated
For effortless style, classic simplicity, and a look that speaks for itself.
Seven colours, seven possible moods, and countless ways to make the Y16 yours. Eye-catching by design. A conversation starter by nature. From its standout shape to its seven colours, the YASHICA Y16 catches eyes, gets passed around, and finds its way into the moments you’ll want to remember. Carry your colour, capture your world, and see where it takes you.