Yashica Dips Into Its Rich History for the Very Pretty Y16 Compact Camera

The modern reincarnation of Yashica is dipping back into the original Yashica’s history yet again with an upcoming compact digital camera. The Yashica Y16, inspired by and named for a 1959 classic, is arriving soon with a decidedly retro look.

As reported by Digital Camera Watch, the camera has only a development announcement and a few teaser photos so far. However, Yashica has shared some specs and key features as well.

The new Yashica Y16 features a 12-megapixel image sensor and will capture both photos and videos, as is par for the course for many Yashica digital cameras. The camera also seems to incorporate an old-school xenon flash, a nice step up from the Yashica Tank released earlier this year, which uses an LED instead. It’s practically impossible to recreate the nostalgic flash look with an LED.

What’s most striking about the Yashica Y16 is its shape. Like its inspiration from nearly 70 years ago, the Y16 is very flat, like a flounder of a camera. What would typically be the top of the camera, the thinnest part, is actually the front. This flat front includes the aforementioned flash, the front of the optical viewfinder, and a built-in lens. The camera’s mode dial and shutter release are on the top.

The back of the camera has the viewfinder, which Yashica says includes motion-sensing capabilities, although it’s not clear what that means yet, and a small screen.

There’s no word yet on the specifics of the lens or the size of the image sensor, although based on Yashica’s recent history, the smart money is on a relatively small lens, similar to those found in low- to mid-range smartphones.

A relatively small image sensor is not only Yashica’s modus operandi but an homage of sorts to the original Y16. The original camera used small 16mm film, so it makes some sense for a digital version to have a relatively small sensor.

While it would certainly be nice if the Yashica Y16 offered great image quality, the camera’s main selling point is definitely its style. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that, lots of cameras prioritize form these days, especially in budget-friendly price segments. That said, the Y16 definitely looks really cool.

Yashica says it will come in seven different colors, although what that really means in this case is seven different trim colors. They all feature the same vintage white main body color. Yashica hasn’t said what the Y16 will cost, though the company says preorders are expected to open in October. As of writing, Yashica’s most expensive camera by a wide margin is its $419 Yashica City 300. The rest of its lineup costs less than $300, and some models cost less than $100.

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Image creditsYashica