Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder

Remember when iPhones used to be innovative? You know, back before Apple just copied Android phone features that were introduced two years ago? Now the only thing a new iPhone seems to provide is a better camera that is ever more unwieldy. But people do love their cameras (and Apple logos), so they keep selling like hotcakes.

However, as is often the case, advancements in technology also fuel a subset of individuals to seek out the tech of the past. Whether this desire comes from the genuine advantages of older hardware or pure nostalgia, it is a common reaction. This has definitely happened with cameras, where people are questioning whether the ultra-high resolution cameras we have today are actually better than the analog devices of the past. As a result, there has been a resurgence in sales of vintage Polaroids and other now obsolete cameras.

These cameras can sometimes fetch a high price on secondhand markets, so creative engineer Blytical decided to make a vintage-style camera from entirely new parts. The goal was to give the pictures it takes that slightly fuzzy, low-resolution look of a VHS video. Blytical was also determined to produce this look authentically, so that means no software filters to fake a retro look from a digital source image.

The camera, called Retro Cam, was designed around a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W single-board computer. Getting the image sensor right was critical, so you won’t find a digital Raspberry Pi Camera Module. Instead, Blytical used an analog camera module with an appropriate 4:3 aspect ratio. An LCD display, also with a 4:3 aspect ratio, was used to show the captured images. The system is powered by a rechargeable 18650 battery, and a speaker, microphone, buttons, LEDs, and other supporting components were stuffed into a 3D-printed case.

The resulting device looks a lot like a chunky digital camera from the early 2000s, and the images most definitely have a retro feel. So if you have had enough of the perfect pictures your iPhone takes, you might want to consider making your own Retro Cam. Aside from the analog camera module, there is a good chance you already have most of the parts in your drawer right now.