This $55 Toy Camera Looks Like a Cassette Tape for Some Reason

Over on Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake, photographers can support what is arguably one of the goofiest toy cameras to date. And that’s a high bar to clear. The “DV42” is a 24-gram, teeny-tiny camera that, for some reason, is styled to look like a cassette tape.

DC.Watch describes the DV42 as “characterized by its compact size,” but I think it’s the camera’s appearance that really draws the eye. It is generally shaped like a cassette tape, albeit one with weird proportions, and has a black central area with a built-in flash and lens designed to mimic actual cassette reels.

That said, it is a compact camera. It weighs just 24 grams and is 53 x 36 x 17 millimeters (2.1 x 1.4 x 0.67 inches). Its maker, IT Store, isn’t too focused on detailed specs, but does note that the DV42 records 48-megapixel JPEG photos and, for some reason, only 2K video. There’s no word on the specific sensor in the camera, but it’s a very safe bet it’s a small one.

The camera has a small 0.96-inch display on the back, built-in filter effects, and it comes in a wide variety of colors, including translucent, pink, purple, green, yellow, silver, black, and more. If there’s a color, this camera seems to come in it. The camera features a built-in rechargeable battery and has a microSD card slot.

“We launched this project with the hope that many people would find it useful as a camera that can easily capture everyday moments, from casual scenes to travel memories and moments with friends, thanks to its compact size that fits in the palm of your hand and is easy to carry around, as well as its 2K video recording, 48-megapixel photo capabilities, 0.96-inch screen, and variety of filters,” says IT Store in machine-translated text.

“Capture moments that your smartphone can’t,” the maker continues. Well, I don’t think that’s true, but alas.

Pricing and Availability

The DV42 Mini Camera is available for 8,600 yen to super early bird supporters on Makuake in Japan. That’s about $55 at current exchange rates. IT Store says it will begin shipping in November.

PetaPixel’s Take

In a long line of toy cameras, this is certainly one of them. In cases like this, I am always disappointed to see a built-in battery. A product like this is likely going to be used for a bit, tucked away in a drawer somewhere, and forgotten about. Built-in batteries deteriorate when left alone, and eventually, this camera will be destined for a landfill somewhere. A user-replaceable battery would be much less offensive.

It’s not lost on me that by writing about products like this, I contribute to the problem as I see it. However, I don’t know what else to do because these products keep coming.

There is nothing inherently wrong with toy cameras. If people enjoy them, that’s great. I hope companies will take more care with how they design and market cameras like this. Photography should be fun, and cameras shouldn’t always be expensive. But cameras also shouldn’t be designed to be so consumable and easily discarded.

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Image creditsIT Store