‘Aperture Priority’ Keycaps Are for Fans of Keyboards and Cameras

Feb 03, 2025

Jeremy Gray

Close-up of a mechanical keyboard with black keys and yellow text. One key reads "MODE APERTURE PRIORITY," while others show various icons and numbers, including a camera aperture symbol and a lightning bolt.

Photographers who love customizable mechanical keyboards are in luck, as Akuko Labs’ latest keyboard caps honor photography in style.

The dark-themed PBS Aperture Priority kit features a Leica-inspired custom font and many keys with photography-themed designs and text. For example, the tab key features a 1/100 shutter speed icon, while the caps lock key says “ISO 400.” The shift key is an exposure compensation bar, the function key is a flash icon, control is an aperture dial, and the option key is a daylight white balance icon.

A flat-lay photo of black keyboard keys with photography-related symbols, like ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, arranged around a central yellow key labeled "Mode Aperture Priority." The keys are placed on a black grid surface.

Close-up of a black camera lens control showing an aperture ring with numbers 5.6, 8, and 11 in white. A yellow icon with a currency symbol is visible on the side, set against a yellow background.

A customized mechanical keyboard with camera-themed keycaps, including "Shutter Pri." and "ISO" keys. The keyboard features a yellow base and black keys with white symbols.

All the keys are black with white and yellow text, save for the enter (return) key, which is yellow with an “Aperture Priority” mode logo on it. Top-row function keys include a splash of green, similar to the color photographers find in illuminated analog and DSLR camera viewfinders. There is also a two-piece artisan keycap modeled after red recording buttons created in collaboration with Salvun available separately.

Close-up of a mechanical keyboard featuring unique keycaps with symbols and numbers. The escape key is red with a silver and red circular design. Surrounding keys have labels like "FN1," "FN2," and graphics resembling digital indicators.

“Aperture Priority is inspired by the timeless craftsmanship of analog photography, with legends designed to mirror engraved lens markings,” Akuko Labs explains on its website. “The modifier keys represent essential settings like aperture and ISO, while a custom Leica-inspired typeface brings precision and elegance to the design.”

Close-up of a stylish yellow and black keyboard on a grid-patterned surface. Around it, there's camera film and a camera lens, suggesting a photography theme. Some keys have unique icons and text related to design and creativity.

A disassembled keyboard is laid out on a grid-patterned surface. Keys are labeled with handwritten notes, alongside a rubber bulb blower, a roll of film, and a small screwdriver. A green label reads "Aperture Priority & 605 PBS Staggered Kit.

“Every detail pays tribute to the art of photography, capturing its legacy in a modern, tactile form.”

PBS Profile — the “PBS” stands for “Penguin Belly Slide” — keycaps feature a uniform profile, meaning every row has the same shape. Cannon Keys has much more information about the profile, its size and shape, and how it compares to other keycap standards on its blog. Although PBS keycaps can be almost entirely flat, the PBS Aperture Priority kit sports a convex shape “for a unique aesthetic and feel.”

Pricing and Availability

The Akuko Labs PBS Aperture Priority keycap set is available in two configurations: a base kit for $79 and an Ortho/40s Base Kit for ortholinear keyboards for $74. The separate red Salvun cap is $65. The Aperture Priority keycaps are expected to arrive in late Q2 or early Q3, and preorders are open until February 10. Complete keycap specification information is available on Cannon Keys’ website.

While Cannon Keys sells the Aperture Priority kit in the United States, it is available through other retailers in other markets, including Keygem in Europe, Prototypist in the United Kingdom, and Yusha Kobo in Japan, among others.

Image credits: Akuko Labs