Months after the release of the Pentax 17 and the Rollei 35AF, a new 35mm compact camera has been unveiled which the makers say will launch later this year.
The proposed Analogue aF-1 is a 35mm compact camera featuring Lidar-based autofocus and a 35mm f/2.8 lens.
The camera has been designed by the camera store Analogue in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, which says it has been inspired by cult compacts such as the Olympus Mju series and the Yashica T.
“Designed by designers and photographers, the aF-1 combines timeless aesthetics with modern usability. Inspired by iconic compacts like the Olympus Mju series, Contax, and Yashica T, as well as practical favourites like the Minolta Riva series and Pentax Espio series, the camera offers a minimalist look without compromising functionality,” the camera’s website said. “Crafted for one-handed use, it features a firm grip and diamond-cut edges on the lens barrier for a refined touch. Every detail, from the overall design to the smallest finishing details, we have carefully optimised for a great shooting experience.”
The camera was announced with the launch of a slick, scrolling website with details of its specs. According to the website it will have:
- A six-element Renaisson 35mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and a minimum aperture of f/16
- A GN-8 flash with a 0.5-second recycling time and flash range of 3m (10ft) at ISO 100
- Various flash modes, including forced flash, flash off and red-eye reduction
- Lidar-based autofocus
- Automatic film advance and rewinding
- A sliding front cover like that on the Olympus Mju series
- Shutter speed of 1/1000 to four seconds
- DX-coding from ISO 25 to 5000
- Self-timer with 10-second delay
The camera’s website said the design team had been working on the camera since October 2022, with the lens prototype produced in June last year. It said a development sample had been released last month and that 50 pre-production examples will be produced in April, with mass production due to start in May. Deliveries, Analogue said, will start in the summer.
Analogue said the camera will retail for €399 (£330/$410) – half the price of MiNT Camera’s Rollei 35AF, and cheaper than the Ricoh Imaging-produced Pentax 17. Potential customers are being invited to pre-order now, with a 15% discount reducing the price to €339 (£280/$350).
The aF-1’s website contains several images which appear to have been taken on the camera’s lens, though this hasn’t been confirmed.
The aF-1 website says: “Six elements of high-quality glass combined in four groups perfectly balanced in design and performance. Our Double Gauss lens, with a bright f/2.8 aperture, draws in light like no other, delivering sharp, clear photos even in low-light moments. Whether you’re capturing spontaneous memories or carefully composed shots, this lens brings every scene to life.
“The Albada reverse Galilean viewfinder combines compact reliability with bright, clear framing. Featuring built-in guides for subject framing and correction markers for close-up shots, it minimises parallax and maximises brightness.”
Those interested in further details can sign up to Analogue’s email list.
- Many thanks to Alan Duncan of Canny Cameras for the heads up.
I'm a New Zealander who has been living in London since the mid-1990s, shooting film seriously since the year 2000. Kosmo Foto was launched in 2012 and has since become a film brand, with the release of my first films Kosmo Foto Mono 35mm (2017) and Kosmo Foto Mono 120 (2019).
I’m doing everything I can to promote film photography in the 21st Century, and help it survive and thrive. If you want to write something for Kosmo Foto, please drop me a line at foto.dowling@gmail.com.
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Hi Stephen, Thank you for taking the time to write about the aF-1! The current images on the landing have not been taken with the aF-1, we will be adding more and more aF-1 shot imagery over the next couple of months! Kr, Ralph (Analogue)
Thanks for the comment, Ralph -keen to hear more details and get a hands-on with the camera when that’s possible. Have just emailed the team today.
Hi Analogue! Is there any possibility to get a function with +/- 1½ to 2 compensating steps for the exposure? That would make the camera complete and perfect. Now thera are an exposure lock, and that is very good. But I know that many other photographers prefer also an exposue compensation.
best regards, Nils Bergqvist
Incredible pricing, I’m not the biggest fan of auto rewind/advance but it really seems to be the closest to a modern Mju/T2
I really hope this comes to fruition and doesn’t end up being like the FND scamera.
User replaceable battery, or another camera to be discarded once the battwry goes kaput?
On the website they claim it’ll be using CR 123A 3V batteries, not the cheapest but widely available
How do you put film in the camera? There is no opening in the presentation? Makes me very suspicious. Is this only a Dream Project to steel money from people? Over 1000 has already payed the pre order. And it doesn’t exist any porototype yet? The production will be started in a few months. Looks crazy to me?