Retro Cameras are ... retro cameras or not?

 There is always a fascination about retro cameras and it isn't a "new" thing. For example the folding camera models (analog photography) have been for a time the "taste of the day" for photo gear collectors, and, overtime other different design categories have been praised by many enthusiasms. What's interesting now in this digital photography times, is that manufacturers are proposing their newer photographic technologies into an old fashion envelop mimicking what ancient photo device looks during the 35mm film-analog golden era. And it seems obvious that a certain market segment is positively responding to these special retro offers.

But as usual there is a trick here or if you prefer a compromise in getting these retro camera models. Although all these new models have beautiful aesthetics for some 35 mm film nostalgic users, some aspects of them are less interesting.

One obvious example is the less interesting handling of these retro camera models. Most of them have a far less secure grip which can became annoying especially for the active photographer. Camera hand prehension have evolute a lot since the last century and, in doing so, have procured a greater confort for the more enthusiasm and professional ones which are by definition heavier users of the photo devices. Some may argue that the compactness factor has been neglected for those ergonomic designs but you must admit that these camera models are really fitted for the "on hand" photographers.

Now there's the "interface" question meaning by that, the direct (and by dials) access to the traditional basic photographic parameters like the sensitivity (ISO), the shutter speed and the lens aperture. Although almost all really oriented digital photography camera models have in fact dials or push buttons to get access to these parameters (and much more!), still some will ask for engraved stepped pre-adjusted and rotating ones in the name of better creative control of the camera. The truth in that debate is that modern sophisticated digital camera models give you an outstanding extensive creative control if you ask for it such as the color reddition, the contrast, a highlight and shadow curve bias, the stacked focus, a pre burst mode and many many more, just name it! Modern interfaces are using not only limited control dials (because they aren't as precise compare to step-less adjustments), but pushbuttons, joysticks and touch-screens, the choice is yours.

Modern digital cameras have to be highly versatile and this is why even the so-called retro camera models are also integrating a lot of automated functionalities. The manufacturers don't want to loose their beloved customers if they suddenly want to get the advantages of the latest technologies available. And this is the real secret about this retro trick, yes for the traditional camera body presentation but no for the limitation of the internal technical camera capacity. At the end, retro camera models are essentially a fashion trend as for many similar consumer products but this is true that they are beautiful to look at!


Photos-illustrations Daniel M