Introducing the brand-new Kodak Retina digital mirrorless camera! Inside this retro-styled body is a 40-megapixel APS-C BSI CMOS sensor. It has eight built-in presets that mimic classic Kodak film stocks. The pictures from the Kodak Retina look great straight-out-of-camera, no editing needed! This new camera is bold yet beautiful; classic yet modern; digital yet analog.
I was given a pre-production copy of the Kodak Retina camera to try out, and used that as an excuse to visit the majestic Grand Canyon in northern Arizona! I recorded the experience, which I just published to my YouTube channel. The video is my review of the new camera, plus an epic adventure by train to one of the natural wonders of the world. I’ve included it below—you don’t want to miss this one!
The Kodak Retina
Below are example pictures that I captured on this trip using the eight built-in presets included in the Kodak Retina:
Kodachrome 64
Portra 160
Portra 400
Gold 200
Ultramax 400
Ektachrome E100VS
Vision3 250D
Tri-X 400
At this point, I’m sure you’re already aware that there’s no such thing as a Kodak Retina digital camera. Kodak made Retina film cameras from the 1930’s up to 1970. While Kodak pretty much invented the digital camera, and were an important early innovator of the technology, they never made an interchangeable lens APS-C model. They did produce some full-frame DSLRs in the very early 2000’s, and made an APS-C back for a Nikon SLR in the late 1990’s, and even sold a Micro-Four-Thirds interchangeable-lens mirrorless in 2014 (manufactured by JK Imagining under the Kodak brand name); however, nothing remotely like my faux digital Retina was ever produced by Kodak. This was all just for fun—sorry if I got your hopes up.
The camera is actually a Fujifilm X-T5. That might have been obvious to you. I put some silver tape over the Fujifilm logo, and added a Kodak decal. If you look closely, you can tell that I did that. The lens is a TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 in their limited edition yellow/orange color scheme, which is very Kodak-like; the lens is actually what inspired me to do this project. The camera strap is something I’ve owned for years now, and a red soft-shutter-release completed the look.
The pictures that I captured with this camera/lens combo are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs using eight of my Film Simulation Recipes:
- Kodakchrome 64
- Kodak Portra 160 v2
- Kodak Portra 400 v2
- Kodak Gold 200
- Kodak Ultramax 400
- Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2
- Kodak Vision3 250D v2
- Kodak Tri-X 400
I chose those particular Recipes because they mimic popular Kodak emulsions, which seemed appropriate since the X-T5 was disguised as a Kodak camera. You can find them—and over 300 more—in the Fuji X Weekly App, available for Android and Apple. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
My thoughts with this camera were: what if, 15 years ago, Kodak had pivoted, and began making retro-styled mirrorless cameras with built-in film emulation presets? How much different would the industry look like today if they had? While Kodak didn’t pivot, Fujifilm did. Instead of a digital Retina, we have the X-T5. You don’t need Kodak to make this camera, because it already exists. The X-T5 (or any other Fujifilm model), combined with my Film Simulation Recipes, will do what I proposed a digital Kodak Retina would do. Fujifilm is doing what Kodak should have done but didn’t.
Now it’s your turn! What do you think of this project? How much different would the camera industry look today if a digital Kodak Retina actually existed? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Fujifilm X-T5 in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver: Amazon B&H Moment
TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 in black: Amazon
TTArtsian 27mm f/2.8 in yellow/orange: Amazon
See also:
My Experience Obtaining a Permit to Film in a National Park
The History & Poetry of Kodachrome
God damn it! 😂 I almost googled that thing and thought: Oh no I just bought myself a X-S10. Was that a mistake? But: I need that lens!
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The lens is quite interesting… the colors of the yellow/orange limited edition will definitely be noticed! 😀
My first digital camera was a Kodak. I think it was around 2001. It was gold and about the size of a disposable camera. It had a grey LCD on the back about the size of a postage stamp that told me the number of shots remaining, and the quality setting. There were two quality settings, crap and really crap. The crap setting gave me 16 usable (for 2001) shots; the really crap setting gave me 32 really bad quality shots. It had to be tethered to a pc via usb to offload the pics and view them. It came with a software cd for this purpose. I don’t remember the model number of the camera, but I took it to the Isle of Crete and drove around in a Suzuki Jimmy jeep taking pictures. Gold times!
Oh, very interesting! It’s amazing how for the technology has come. I’m sure you have many great memories and stories from that trip—thanks for sharing! 😀
Haha, you should have posted this on Fool’s Day! No need for Kodak now, since Fuji got that market cornered :). Seriously, that TTArtisan is so ugly that it hurts my eyes. That poor XT5!
I strongly considered that, but I was afraid someone would beat me to the punch(line). I figured that someone else likely would be inspired to do something similar. I’ll have to come up with something else for April 1st… 🤣 😀
The first camera I ever drooled over was the Kodak Retina III back in 1962. But I was in high school at the time and didn’t have the money to buy it. A few years later, after graduation and signing up with the Air Force, I found myself in Okinawa. The Nikon F was sitting on a shelf in the BX at a price I could then afford. The rest is history.
A camera worthy of drooling over even today!
Thank you for your service, btw. 😀
Imagine if Nikon and Kodak got together. Imagine a Nikon Zf with Kodak film simulations. Now that would surely tempt a lot of folks who use Fuji cameras for the film simulations, it would me!
I think Kodak need the financial help and, let’s face it, Nikon aren’t quite the powerhouse they used to be back in the film days.
I would certainly be tempted by in-camera, Kodak made Gold 200, T-Max, Tri-X, Ektachrome simulations to name a few.
Ah, but you can get those in a Fujifilm camera… 😀 😀 😀
Honestly, though, I’ve often wondered why camera makers don’t team up with Alien Skin, RNI, VSCO, etc., to offer those film looks in-camera. Seems like a no-brainer colab that would dramatically transform photography.
Was just about to google for the price before I noticed it’s an XT5 instead. Very nice
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Thanks so much! 😀
You had me going until you admitted it was an XT5! I did think, that looks remarkably like a Fuji camera, but it’s a great idea. The grand canyon photos are fantastic as well!
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I appreciate your kind feedback, thanks so much! 😀
My first reaction was doesn’t TTArtisan make a lens that looks just like that? I thought maybe that was why until I saw the top photo and it clicked that was an X-T5. Well done!
See, my first impression was that TTArtisan probably was buying a Kodak license, like Reto with the Ektar H35 cameras.
I don’t think they did… but maybe they should have and called it the Kodak-edition? Probably would sell more copies that way. Thanks for the input! 😀
That (kind of ugly, kind of beautiful) TTArtisan lens is what inspired me to do this…
I appreciate your kind comment! 😀
I know what you mean, I keep looking at it and one day I want it and the next I don’t 😁
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I was so confused through the first two paragraphs, thinking, dang that looks like my Fujifilm camera. I also was thinking, what a great idea, Kodak! But then realized why the camera looked like my x-t5 and you confirmed it. I agree with an above commenter; this would have played really well on April 1!
Yeah, I strongly considered waiting until then, but I figured I wasn’t the only one with this idea, and didn’t want someone else to beat me to the punch(line). I’ll have to think of something else for April Fools…. 😀
Ha! What a fantastic post. Love it!
Thanks so much! 😀 😀 🤣 🤣
These Kodak straps would make it look even more Kodaky.
https://retopro.co/pages/kodak-multi-purpose-camera-strap
Yeah, perhaps. My strap is from the ’80’s, I think. Found it on eBay five or so years ago. Not sure how hard they are to find in decent condition. Something brand-new is probably more practical for anyone trying to do something similar. Thanks for sharing!
Hillarious. You really had me! Very creative and your totally right about how Kodak should have pivoted. Things would have been very different. I bought my first set of Kodak digital cameras in 1995 or 96 when I was the publisher / editor of a magazine. We made the decision at that time to go totally digital with all aspects of the production and it was a terrific time to cut our teeth on this new thing called the internet as well. Those early Kodak digitals were terrific in so many ways as they allowed us to cut our creative time and production costs down dramatically.
If Kodak had committed more to digital, and pivoted from film, things would likely look much different today, as you said. Thanks for sharing your story! What was the magazine that you were the editor of back then?
I’m sort of surprised you haven’t picked up either a Camp Snap Camera or a Paper Shoot Camera yet. I bought the 16 MP and 18 MP Paper Shoot Camera and the vintage film and Wes Anderson filter cards and to be honest it has been difficult for me to even use my X100V anymore. I’ll get me a Camp Snap camera closer to springtime.
I’ve looked into both. I’m definitely concerned about image quality for the price points. For Camp Snap (which is made for kids), I have retro digicams that probably have equal or perhaps even better IQ, and I paid less for them. Paper Shoot (which is more intriguing) is a lot more expensive, and I read that the paper has a limited life before it needs to be replaced. I paid a similar price for my XF1, and it is I’m certain a far superior camera. If someone gifted me one, I wouldn’t say no; however, I’m not intrigued enough to spend the money. That’s just me personally.
Left fashion photography in 1986 at the height of the film era. Shot Kodachrome 25 processed at the wonderful AI Lab in California. Ran hundreds if not thousands of 120 EPR through a Hasselblad ELM. Fashion runway shows multi a day w/Nikon F2 fresh purchased in Tokyo 1974. tought photography at Otis Parsons. Incredibly critical of my own work and that of others. Missed digital completely (what’s a mega pixel): Really eager for an old man’s carry camera. Sad to say sample photographs just didn’t meet hope for images. Maybe viewing them on my iPhone. Testing of the 15 Pro vs The Fugi could be revelatory. Shalom.
LOL!!! Worked at Kodak for over 30 years, Even worked under Steve Sasson for awhile, the inventor of the digital camera. Now working at Koak Moments after bankruptcy which happened 10 years ago. I can’t wait to share this with my fellow ex-Kodakers to see their reactions. 😃 Too bad Kodak screwed up. However, people are still buying film just like their buying vynl records! There’s something about analog that people love.
People still definitely love Kodak. There was a huge opportunity for them in the digital age, they just (unfortunately) missed it. Sorry that you had to go through that while working there. There’s a large number of photographers who definitely do still love Kodak film, and still shoot with it. And some are even discovering it for the first time!
This would’ve been an amazing April fool’s!
It really would have been 😀 🤣
I believed you that this is a Kodak camera, but I immediately recognized your recipes. I thought is Kodak involving you and Fujifilm… so when you revealed the truth, it wasn’t much of a surprise… Kodak already collaborating with Fujifilm, right? Regarding film… you said that C200 was replaced by Gold 200…. Well, a camera with only those Kodak recipes will cripple it too much. But I would expect a specially prepared sensor from Kodak… Although, a proper rangefinder film camera and cheaper film prices would be a better move from Kodak. And we also need new enlargers on the market because digital scanners are not a solution.
Kodak is like four or five different companies now… after the bankruptcy they were split up and sold. So Kodak film (Kodak Alaris) is an entirely different company than Kodak digital (JK Imaging, I believe). Still, they could do some digital camera colab with Fujifilm if they wanted… it’s possible that both could benefit from it.