48 of probably the most uncommon cameras ever made

Digicam expertise has come a good distance for the reason that early days of the digital camera obscura.

Producers and inventors have tried and examined a mess of various digital camera designs some quirky, some bonkers, some extremely profitable. Over time, there have been loads of bizarre cameras in all sizes and styles.

From battle-ready machine gun cameras to sci-fi designs and weird storage mediums, we spherical up a choice of the strangest, rarest and most traditional cameras to be created.

Apple Quicktake 100

The Apple QuickTake was one of many first and final digital cameras developed by Apple.

This digital camera seemed extra like a projector than the traditional digital camera design and will take 32 photographs at a staggering 0.08 MP or eight snaps at 640×480. Initially launched in 1994, it was marketed by Apple till 1997 however didn’t catch on and was deserted in that yr.

Sony Digital Mavica

In 1981, Sony launched the Mavica because the world’s first digital nonetheless digital camera. It wasn’t a digital digital camera within the present understanding as its sensor produced an analogue video sign captured on Video Floppy discs. The captured pictures might then be considered on a TV.

Issues have come a good distance since then.

Leica DMR

The Lecia DMR was the world’s first hybrid 35mm SLR digital camera with the choice for both digital or analogue images.

In typical Lecia style, it was priced at $6,000 and did not make a lot monetary sense however was seen by many because the holy grail of the transition between movie and digital images.

Leica S1

This Lecia digital camera was attention-grabbing not just for its form and design, but additionally for the truth that it provided lens mounts for Nikon, Contax, Canon FD, and Minolta lenses.

The bizarre design meant it captured sq. pictures utilizing 35mm lenses.

Rollei 35

The Rollei 35 was a miniature viewfinder digital camera that was initially launched to the world in 1966 and was the smallest digital camera of the time.

Over time that adopted round two million of those cameras have been manufactured and the design even continued on till 2015.

Lytro

Lytro is a light-field digital camera that was initially developed in pocket-sized format and was attention-grabbing not just for its uncommon form however as a result of it was able to refocusing pictures after being taken.

Later fashions would even be intriguing, with a set aperture it measured decision in mega rays as an alternative of megapixels and was able to focussing from 0 mm to infinity.

George Lawrence’s Mammoth Digicam

In 1900, George Lawrence constructed the world’s largest digital camera with the intention to take a photograph of a practice and seize all of the carriages in a single single shot – a ground-breaking panoramic for the time.

George Lawrence made a reputation for himself with stunts like this and likewise took steps in aerial images innovation that included taking pictures from hot-air balloons and with camera-carrying kites. One other of his famed panoramic pictures confirmed the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake with the ruins of San Francisco.

Gentle L16

The Gentle L16 was a quirkily designed digital camera that used 16 digital camera modules to seize a number of high-resolution snaps at various focal lengths, . The thought right here was to create a digital camera that labored as a pleasant center floor between a big DSLR for high quality and a compact digital camera for portability.

The captured pictures have been fused collectively right into a 52-megapixel photograph which might have its focus edited afterwards and provided “distinctive low-light efficiency”. This one definitely appears to be like prefer it was impressed by a fly and stands out on our listing of bizarre cameras.

Konishoruko (Konica) Rokuoh-Sha Kind 89 Machine Gun Japanese WWII Digicam

Throughout WWII varied battle cameras have been constructed by army forces world wide for coaching functions.

One in every of these cameras was manufactured for the Japanese airforce by Konishoruko, a digital camera producer who would later go by the identify Konica.

These types of cameras have been mounted to planes rather than actual machine weapons and helped with testing and coaching of pilots by confirming kills and evaluating their accuracy. When the pilot pulled the set off on his weapons, footage was taken of what he was aiming at and the captured movie might then be analysed after the aircraft landed.

In the event you just like the look of 1, it is at the moment obtainable to buy from eBay.

HARMAN TiTAN

This pinhole digital camera was constructed from injection moulded ABS, chrome steel and completed with a non-slip coating that made it extraordinarily sturdy and able to withstanding each pure components and tough dealing with.

Within the period of the digital digital camera, the HARMAN TITAN pinhole digital camera is protecting one of many oldest types of images alive with conventional movie seize by way of a pin-hole machine.

Unimaginable I-1 Instantaneous Movie Digicam

This unusual-looking digital camera is pitched as one of many “most superior instantaneous cameras ever made”. In an period of easy smartphone images and digital cameras, this digital camera is designed to permit customers to experiment with their pictures and provides analogue fans the power to snap instantaneous photographs with digital precision.

It is an extremely unusual-looking digital camera within the digital period, however definitely has loads of attention-grabbing quirks too with Bluetooth connectivity, a smartphone app and extra permitting double exposures, gentle work and a mess of different particular options.

Lomography LomoKino 35mm Movie Digicam

A contemporary tackle a retro digital camera, the Lomography LomoKino 35mm movie digital camera is a classically styled, hand-cranked 35mm motion-picture digital camera that permits customers to seize 144 film frames on a 36-exposure roll of movie.

Little doubt a digital camera with a really area of interest market attraction, but additionally a unusual and splendidly uncommon addition to our listing.

Minox DCC 14.0 Digital Digicam

This can be a miniaturised model of the traditional MINOX digital camera and is pitched as a real instance of first-class German engineering.

With precision mechanics and excessive consideration to element, this tiny digital camera is able to 14-megapixel snaps with a high quality that belies its measurement.

DxO ONE Digital Digicam with Wi-Fi

The DxO ONE digital digital camera is a bizarre one because it would not work as a digital camera in its personal proper, it wanted to plug into an Apple iPhone with the intention to work.

This smartphone add-on captures 20.2MP pictures by way of a 32mm equal f/1.8 lens. With shutter speeds as much as 1/20,000 of a second, a max ISO sensitivity stage of 51,200 and a mass of different settings it delivers unimaginable pictures straight out of your telephone.

Avangard Optics Smiling Face Brooch Spy Digicam

A pinhole digital camera constructed right into a smiley face brooch that works as a spy digital camera and may be pinned to clothes to seize 480p video at 30fps.

It is also able to capturing nonetheless pictures and recording pictures on a microSD card. Definitely a bizarre digital camera, we doubt many spy cameras are this unsubtle.

Konica AiBORG

This unusual-looking digital camera by Konica was initially launched in 1991 and shortly turned known as the Darth Vader digital camera resulting from its uncommon styling options.

The Konica AiBORG is a 35mm point-and-shoot viewfinder digital camera with a big and extremely distinctive design. It is notably one of many first cameras able to autofocus superzoom.

Lomography Konstruktor F Do-it-Your self 35mm Movie SLR Digicam Package

The proper present for the images fanatic who already has all of it is a field with a DIY digital camera inside. The Konstruktor F permits folks to construct their very own 35mm from the bottom up with all the mandatory elements.

The thought right here is to provide the consumer a brand new discovered appreciation for the intricate mechanics behind the analogue cameras and the way they work. Plus there is not any doubt one thing particular about utilizing a working DSLR digital camera you constructed your self.

Contax AX

This podgy cumbersome trying 35mm movie digital camera was launched by Kyocera in 1996 and boasted a novel autofocus system that labored with guide focus lenses.

This was uncommon for the time and made it stand out as a bizarre digital camera design.

Olympus Ecru

This unusually designed Olympus digital camera was half restricted run of simply 20,000 models.

The Ecru was a restricted version digital camera which took its identify from the French phrase for “unbleached” and was supposed to be an emblem for “dwelling an intellectually enhanced life as pure as unbleached fabric.”

Zenit Photosniper

One other digital camera that appears just like the battle cameras we featured earlier on this listing, the Zenit Photosniper one in all a number of rifle-styled cameras that have been initially supposed for army use or use for battlefield images.

These types of digital camera have been most famously utilized by Nikita Kruschev who was the chief of the Soviet Union from 1955 till 1964.

Fisher-Value PXL-2000

This Fisher-Value digital camera was often known as the KiddieCorder and was a black-and-white camcorder which was launched within the Nineteen Eighties and used audio cassette tapes for its recordings.

Though hardly bleeding-edge digital camera tech, this little video digital camera was nonetheless extremely wanted on the time for being a improbable toy but additionally afterwards by different film-makers who love the low-fi aesthetic look.

Stylophot

Within the mid-Fifties, SECAM developed this pen-shaped digital camera which seemed like a wonderfully sized spy digital camera. The Stylophot digital camera used double perforated 16mm movie and captured 10x10mm pictures that have been hardly astounding high quality.

Nonetheless, it was definitely a bizarre digital camera and an ideal addition to our listing.

Sakura Petal

In 1947, the Petal Optical Firm of Japan create the PETAL, the smallest subminiature photographic digital camera on the earth.

The Guinness Ebook of World Data holds this digital camera as “the smallest digital camera ever made” measuring at simply an inch in diameter. This tiny digital camera was able to taking six photographs on a bit of minimize movie that might be changed in daylight however was troublesome to make use of.

Pentax Auto 110

The Pentax-110 digital camera system claims to be the smallest interchangeable-lens SLR system ever created. It was so small that the digital camera itself would match neatly into the palm of the hand.

This digital camera system was able to working with a lot of completely different interchangeable lenses and shortly turned extraordinarily common amongst 110 movie cartridge fans.

Doryu 2-16

The Doryu 2-16 is yet one more instance of cameras created within the form of handguns and weapons. These pistol cameras have been developed within the Fifties for police and surveillance job forces however solely round 600 have been produced.

Minolta 110 Zoom SLR

This oddly formed digital camera was the primary SLR within the 110 movie format to be launched. This uncommon form took place when Minolta took the flat form of the standard 110 pocket digital camera and added a bigger lens and prism hump to it.

It boasted a lot of different options together with aperture-priority autoexposure, publicity compensation and allowed using movie speeds aside from the ISO 100 and 400 too.

Olympus AZ-4/Ricoh Mirai

In 1988 Ricoh launched this curious-looking bridge digital camera to market. It was co-created with Olympus and was one of many solely autofocus SLR cameras made by Ricoh.

This digital camera featured a design that made it look one thing like a cross between a video digital camera and a projector and was supposed to supply a futuristic really feel backed by spectacular specs. With a set 35 – 135mm zoom lens, an aperture of f/4.2 (vast) to f/5.6 (telephoto), shutter speeds of 32 sec – 1/2000 sec, TTL autofocus it was definitely an attention-grabbing digital camera for the time.

Casio Exilim TRYX / TR100

This bizarre digital camera from Casio featured a swivelling and rotatable body with a touch-screen show that allowed customers to seize pictures from quite a lot of angle.

It was additionally a super-slim and compact digital camera that was simple to make use of and even simpler to take with you on the go.

Canon Photura

The Canon Photura was an oddly formed Canon digital camera that glided by a number of completely different names together with the “Epoca” in Europe and “Autoboy Jet” in Japan.

This digital camera was a part of Canon’s Positive Shot digital camera vary and had a 35-105mm zoom lens with a robust built-in flash. This odd-looking digital camera appears to be like extra like a torch than a digital camera, however is so funky it was chosen for show by the New York Museum of Fashionable Artwork.

Barbie Videogirl

Video Lady Barbie was a point-of-view video digital camera geared toward children. This little digital camera was constructed right into a Barbie Lady mannequin with the lens being a part of her necklace.

An LCD viewfinder on her again allowed youngsters to see what they have been recording and Video Lady Barbie was able to recording upto 25 minutes of footage that would then be transferred to a PC. Definitely quirky, if nothing else.

Ricoh GXR System

The Ricoh GXR is an uncommon addition to this listing as, the place customary cameras have both a set lens and sensor or interchangeable lenses, this digital camera takes interchangeable models, every holding a lens, sensor and picture processing engine. This allowed for a number of advantages, together with every unit with the ability to be optimised for particular photographic duties the place different cameras would all depend on the identical sensor even with completely different lenses.

The sealed models produced for this technique additionally protected the sensor from mud, injury and contaminants. There’s an added value in fact, which could put many off the acquisition.

Seitz 6×17 Digital

This digital camera is a digital camera that is not a digital camera. It is really a scanner that scans pictures very slowly and must be mounted on a gradual floor because of the sluggish scan occasions.

It additionally requires using accompanying laptop gear and batteries to make it work which makes it fairly specialist. Nonetheless, the Seitz 6×17 Digital received folks excited again in 2006 when it promised 160MP pictures for simply $40,000.

Petri Fotochrome

The Petri Fotochrome was an uncommon digital camera with a unusual design. This digital camera mirrored the captured picture onto the movie aircraft that ran parallel to the bottom, therefore the cameras uncommon design.

This design was a failure because it required using proprietary movie which made it troublesome and costly to make use of. The outcome was a outstanding digital camera that was an entire dud and might nonetheless be purchased right now in its unique packaging as a result of so many have been by no means used.

Pentax ‘Korejanai’ Okay-x

This Pentax digital camera noticed a particularly restricted run with simply 100 models being created and bought. The Pentax ‘Korejanai’ Okay-x was colourfully crafted to match the Korejanai Robotic Mannequin.

The colors have been the one factor that made it stand aside from the usual fashions with each the digital camera physique and lens being in any other case an identical to straightforward Pentax DA-L cameras.

Ricoh LX-22 XOBBOX

This see-through digital camera is also called the XOBBOX, to not be confused with Microsoft’s recreation console. It boasted a clear shell which allowed customers to see the inside workings of the digital camera.

After all, the movie chamber itself wasn’t see-through because it wanted safety from pure gentle. Nonetheless a brilliantly uncommon digital camera with a vibrant and quirky design.

Sport Boy Digicam

The Sport Boy Digicam was launched as pocket digital camera within the late Nineties and was suitable with all of the Sport Boy units in the marketplace.

The digital camera might seize black & white digital pictures utilizing the four-colour palette of the Sport Boy system however was a bit quirky and never one thing that was in excessive demand. The corporate ceased manufacturing 4 years later.

Pentax Optio NB1000

This weird-looking digital camera labored with nano blocks and allowed customers to create their very own digital camera designs by attaching blocks to the entrance of the digital camera.

This digital camera was obtainable in quite a lot of colors and is able to capturing 14MP pictures with a 4x optical zoom and three” digital show. Definitely, a bizarre digital camera, brilliantly designed for the artistic folks on the market.

SMaL Extremely-Pocket

The SMaL Extremely-Pocket is probably finest described by the blurb from the corporate’s web site:

“The Extremely-Pocket is the right entry-level digital digital camera for people and households who need a real pocket digital camera with out sacrificing affordability and high quality. “When folks see and use the Extremely-Pocket, it is not uncommon for them to react with a ‘Wow!’ no less than twice,” stated Keith Fife, Vice President, Engineering, SMaL Digicam Applied sciences. “The primary ‘wow’ is a response to the digital camera’s ultra-thin measurement – actually the scale of a bank card and solely 0.2″ (6 mm) skinny. The second happens once they see how the Autobrite™ expertise clearly captures the darkish particulars of a scene whereas guaranteeing that the intense areas by no means saturate.”

The Extremely-Pocket boasts sturdiness and a modern silver contour. Its VGA decision (300,000+ pixels) is right for sending pictures by way of e-mail or for posting on the internet. The included 8 MB MultiMediaCard detachable reminiscence can maintain as much as roughly 40 pictures. USB connectivity ensures quick downloading and connectivity with Home windows. The digital camera matches simply in your pocket, goes just about in all places you go, and gives easy point-and-click use. With the Extremely-Pocket, it’s by no means been extra handy to seize and share life’s pictures.”

Definitely some attention-grabbing boasts and a unusual little digital camera that is as skinny as it’s bonkers.

Kowa TD-1

This digital camera actually stands out from the group. It is a super-telephoto zoom digital digital camera that provides a staggering focal size from 450 to 1350mm.

It has an SLR type and makes use of a distant management shutter to minimise digital camera shake which might in any other case be a significant issue at such excessive zoom ranges.

Sanyo IDC-1000Z

The Sanyo IDC-1000Z was a fairly attention-grabbing machine when it was first launched in 2000.

This digital camera was definitely unconventional utilizing Magneto-Optical discs to retailer pictures. It solely took 1.5MP snaps with a 3 x zoom however definitely included an attention-grabbing design.

Panono

This spherical digital camera contains 36 separate lenses encased in a protecting plastic shell. Every lens makes use of a 1/4″ sensor which permits for the seize of a 108MP 360-degree picture when all of the photographs are mixed. Definitely staggering and undoubtedly bizarre.

YI Know-how HALO

This bizarre and wonderful-looking factor is called the YI Know-how HALO. A digital camera that sports activities 17 completely different digital camera modules designed to seize 360-degree views and every little thing round it.

On the time of writing one in all these beasts will set you again $17,000!

Reward Trenz Woodsum Pinhole Digicam

What you are here’s a pinhole digital camera. Which in itself is pretty frequent, however they don’t seem to be normally manufactured from wooden just like the Reward Trenz Woodsum Pinhole Digicam.

This digital camera can be a DIY, build-it-yourself 35mm digital camera that definitely stands out from the group. Quirky and weird.

Lytro Illum Gentle Subject Digital Digicam

One other Lytro digital camera makes it onto our listing. This one is kind of trendy trying however once more stays quirky. This digital camera has a set aperture and might focus from 0 mm to infinity.

As soon as once more the decision of its photographs is measured in megarays, not megapixels, which is pretty odd by itself.

Asanuma Acmel License-4

This awesomely retro-styled digital camera out of Japan and was designed to permit the snapping of 4 passport pictures on the identical time.

It additionally had a Polaroid backing which made it capable of ship the pictures in very fast time.

Pigeon digital camera

Homing pigeons had been used extensively throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. When man started experimenting with aerial images utilizing kites, it made sense that ultimately folks would flip to birds as one other technique of snapping photographs.

In 1907, Julius Neubronner strapped a miniature timed-delayed digital camera to a pigeon with a harness and started producing genuine aerial pictures. A good distance from the drone images of right now, however the begin.

Fairchild Okay-17

Although it may not be the strangest on this listing, it’s pretty uncommon to see such huge cameras. That is the Fairchild Okay-17, an aerial survey digital camera that was used throughout WW2. There have been a number of huge variations of this digital camera that have been used for surveillance when put in in Allied planes they usually performed an essential a part of the conflict effort.

The smallest picture sensor

That is the OV6948, which in 2019 was chosen by Guinness World File for having “The Smallest Commercially Accessible Picture Sensor”. It was designed for medical use in endoscopes and different units however has a wide-range of different attainable makes use of too.

This tiny little factor might seize 200 x 200 decision video at as much as 30 frames per second and had an distinctive low-light sensitivity of 1000 mV/lux-sec.