The days of toting around a camera that looks like a digital cigarette case are over. In today’s world, you need more fire power. A full on D-SLR with a massive lens can totally cramp your style at most events. Take a look at these compact cameras which are as stylish as the classic cameras of yesteryear, which inspired them.

Olympus

The Olympus EP-1 and Olympus Ep-2 are perfectly balanced, stylish and functional cameras. Olympus raised the bar with this retro design and is now aggressively marketing it. The biggest draw back for me was the lack of a non-digital view finder. Crack that baby and you’re done, though attachments can address that issue.

Sony

Sony’s Nex-5 is pocket sized and thus world’s smallest interchangeable lens digital still camera. Highlights include titltable 3 inch LCD, panaroma modes and (like your vacuum cleaner) it eats memory cards. The lens quality is great as well.

FujiFilm

Fujifilm

High grade 12.3 mega pixel CMOS high performance sensor allows for shooting HD movies, other features include a hybrid digital/traditional view finder. All protected by a combination of alloy, leather and metal.
Price Point: TBA, probably under a grand when it is released in a few months months

Diana F+

Diana F+

Lomography is to main stream photography what art house cinema is to the Hollywood blockbuster. Remember when photography was random like a game of 13 Tzameti? You’d have to wait a few days to see the photos you printed, as opposed to filling memory cards with photos you never look at.

Lomography takes you back to that by producing spacy shots which are warm, fuzzy and leak-light. The Diana F+ will have you taking artsy photos in know time. It’s glorious teal and black plastic cuts a fun profile
Take a look at a gallery of what this camera can give you
http://microsites.lomography.com/diana/
Price Point: Under 100 bucks for a deluxe package with some film thrown in

Canon

Modified Canon EOS 5D Mark II with 102 year lens

From retro cameras to a camera which takes retro photos: Not for the amateurs, you probably shouldn’t try this at home and I know you won’t but Timur Civan managed to mount a 1908 Wollensak 35mm F5.0 Cine-Velostigmat Lens, on to a 102 year old lens on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. That’s true camera love and the resulting Frankenstien camera might not be the most stylish thing to sling around, but it has produced some cool shots.

Check out some more of the retro photos this camera takes here.

About the Author Price Point: Do you need to ask?

Joseph Hammond is a freelance journalist who has been published in California, Estonia, Egypt, and Jordan. He enjoys learning languages and is pretty good at table football. He’s a big fan of boxing, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and FC Barçelona. He is currently based in Prague, Czech Republic.

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