The Yashica revival is the story that keeps on giving in terms of drama.
We told you that the new Y35 digiFilm concept was receiving less than rave reviews from backers of the Kickstarter project.
Now they’re taking to their airwaves to let their grievances be known – and it isn’t pretty.
A much hyped resurrection of the storied Japanese optical brand, the Yashica Y35 digiFilm project, at least initially, offered a lot of promise.
Sure, the analog film roll simulation aspect was a bit awkward and no one was really clear on who the camera was being targeted towards in the end, but hopes remained high.
Right until the Y35 arrived in stores.
First arriving in boutique Hong Kong stores, the Yashica Y35 was described by many as being “shockingly” cheap feeling and akin to a toy camera.
This was especially surprising since the camera is not going to be cheap when it is released to the general public.
The main conceit of the Y35 are the digiFilm rolls which promised to give users a different look with each roll as well as simulate the manual switching out of film rolls. This concept has largely fallen flat with users and, when combined with the general consensus that the Y35 is not what it should have been, the whole thing is just a mess.
Flimsy build quality isn’t the only thing holding back the Y35 but also general mismanagement. In his video on YouTube, Point&Shoot Club even shows how the included USB cable that comes with the camera doesn’t even fit the camera which requires a mini-USB cable. How’s that for a shambolic launch?
A lot of the disappoint stems from the fact that Yashica is a pretty storied brand. It’s sad to see it going down like this, especially given the enthusiasm behind the Kickstarter project. While it was never clear why and for whom this camera was being made, it seems the ultimate result is more than disappointing and now veering into tragedy.
Then again, the warning was always there: Expect the unexpected.
