Retro Digital Camera CHUZHAO

[Chako]

I spied this camera in an advertisement off of Facebook...probably because I have looked at a lot of camera gear lately online. It showed a cute little digital camera shaped like a twin lens reflex with pop up viewing screen. I thought it was darn cute and it wasn't all that expensive and bought one off of Amazon. It came in today, and this miniature digital camera is really cool.

20250428_142651 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_142701 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_142746 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_142854 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_142929 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_143009 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_143017 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_143023 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_143032 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_143154 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_143230 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_143259 by Chako, on Flickr

20250428_144111 by Chako, on Flickr

[Barry Rowland]

I like that!!  Thanks Chako!

[Chako]

Not sure how good the photos will be, but this is certainly one of the cutest cameras I have seen in a long time.

[Chako]

I found this great review.

[Farmer X]

This is certainly one of the cutest cameras I have seen in a long time.

I'm quite interested to see how it performs. Maybe I'll watch the video, but I put more faith in the considered opinions of the members of this fine forum.

[Chako]

I took a few test shots this morning. Here are my first impressions.

1. I have big hands and this is rather small and hard to hold without getting a finger in front of the lens.
2. The top down view really limits your perspective. One would have to retrain yourself from a lifetime of looking through a viewfinder.
3. This is more a toy than a serious camera. I took a series of shots and many of them were a bit grainy for my liking. Nothing a digital darkroom software can't fix. The graininess can be part of its charm, as is the box format of the images that come out of it.
4. I found out that all I needed to do was plug the camera via the included cable to transfer images and videos. No need to have the camera powered up for this.
5. The odd button arrangement does take getting used to.
6. This is a unique fun little camera that just might excel at street photography, and most definitely fits in with the Lomography toy camera movement.

Here is a photo of my currently messy washer top full of camera equipment.

PICT0002A by Chako, on Flickr

2 of my computer guardians.

PICT0005A by Chako, on Flickr

I imagine that this little camera will attract attention out in public. For the price, you get a nice little somewhat functional camera that also looks great in a display case. I should add the lighting was a tad dark which might explain all the graininess. I won't know until I take the camera out on a bright sunny day what my results will be.

Hope that helps.

[Farmer X]

Thanks! My main take-aways are that it's a novelty (though a usable one) and that you'd get better results looking straight at your subject rather than down at it.

[Chako]

That is correct. Still a lot of fun to use though.