Following my story on the Minolta MND65, it’s certainly been a day for cheap cameras. But I have to say, the Echolens has really piqued my interest, if only for the novel idea of producing a retro-themed digital camera and completely removing the rear LCD screen. For starters, this will help reduce manufacturing costs, but it also gives this little camera a unique selling point, should it meet the crowdfunding support it needs when it launches on Kickstarter in the summer of 2025.
Specs are thin on the ground, but this doesn’t appear to be just another cookie-cutter cheap compact camera. The website includes what I can only assume are sample images that look like they’ve been shot on film. And indeed, Echolens states: “Authentic Film Feel – Our unique film filters recreates the warmth of classic cameras”. Echolens also mentions there will be “no AI smoothing or excessive sharpening”, which certainly fits with the film-era aesthetic.
