Thanks to the retro design craze, instant cameras are now popular even among young people who have never seen the original Polaroid. It has become hip to instantly print out photos with thick white borders and share them with friends or even strangers right then and there. These instant cameras have quite a number of limitations even compared to film cameras, but that’s actually a big part of their charm.

With modern technologies, however, much of that is rendered pointless, turning these cameras into glorified photo printers instead. This rather quirky device brings back the appeal of instant cameras and even adds a pinch of whimsical fun as well. It isn’t by coincidence, either, that it doesn’t even look like a camera but can be mistaken for the photo that comes out of those instant cameras instead.

Designer: Escura Camera (via Digital Camera Watch)

You know that universal gesture of forming a box with your index fingers and thumbs, trying to mimic the shape of a camera? That’s basically the idea behind InstantSnap, except you’re using what looks like an instant camera photo frame to do the, well, framing. This object, which produces a squarish photo, is well-known across the Internet, especially since the square format has long been favored by social media sites such as Instagram.

Mixing all those metaphors together, InstantSnap is a digital camera with an obviously unique design. The large transparent area in the middle is pretty much just an open-frame viewfinder and is the only way you can guess what the camera will be shooting. Yes, you can only guess, because there’s no immediate feedback to see the photo you just took. Unlike an actual instant camera, you can’t even print the photo directly and have to access the photos and videos either through the microSD card or through a USB-C connection.

While that might sound like a critical flaw, it’s actually part of the fun that InstantSnap brings to the table. You literally frame the scene and take a shot, not knowing how it will come out. There’s an element of mystery, surprise, and excitement, but it also makes you more thoughtful about each shot. If you only have one chance to do it, you’re more likely to make sure you get it right the first time.

InstantSnap is more of a toy than an actual tool for keeping memories, especially if you consider that it only has a 1.3MP sensor and a fixed shutter speed. It has a video recording mode, though you probably shouldn’t expect much from it. There is also a switch to include the white frame around the photo when it’s saved to the card, further adding to the realism of the instant film photo. And although the frame of the device itself is plain white, it can be customized to have some branding, such as the “Showa” variant that also has a retro effect applied to photos taken with it.

The post Instant film photo is actually an ingenious and delightful digital camera first appeared on Yanko Design.

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