Yashica Tank is a cheap avenue to disconnected digital photography
The Yashica Tank is a sub $100 point-and-shoot digital camera that ticks the boxes for a disconnected shooting experience
Affordable point-and-shoot cameras are a dying breed. After all, manufacturers can safely assume that everyone has a half decent camera in their pocket at all times. However, you do see the odd one or two peek through, looking to ensnare people who like to take photos without having the distraction of endless notifications, the temptation of instant sharing, or the overly processed images we get from smartphone cameras these days.
So enter the $100/£89 Yashica Tank, a lightweight point-and-shoot with an LCD display. The 3-inch 19:9 (360×340) screen has a handy flip-up hinge so you can still take passable selfies or film pieces to camera while vlogging. It’s also handy for low-level street photography.
There’s a wide-angle fixed lens with an 8x digital zoom, and a 12-megapixel 1/2.8-inc sensor capable of capturing 4K video. Auto focus offers a 10cm minimum distance, while there are also some manual controls for exposure, white balance, ISO and colour metering. It’s quite capable for such a cheap snapper.
The lightweight 125-gram retro-themed device looks a little like an old Fujifilm cam from yesteryear and promises four colour options, including Noir, Tan, Pink Marshmallow, and Sky Blue. Each has a faux leather finish. It got a USB-C replenished battery and takes Micro SD for storage.
Again, this latest affordable camera from the erstwhile Japanese manufacturer is not that exciting, but it’ll definitely appeal to some who aren’t necessarily seeking a return to analogue, but would like for their digital experiences to be a little less constantly connected.
This one goes into a less cluttered market with the similar Kodak PixPro C1, and mirrors the price point. Do you have space for a dedicated point-and-shoot in your life? How about the Tank? It goes on sale on March 27.
Chris Smith
