The Chuzhao looks like a vintage Rolleiflex twin lens reflex (TLR). But, at a mere 9x5x4cm, it’s about half the size – and it’s digital.
At a glance:
- Approx £55 (prices vary widely)
- Cute retro styling
- 1/4in CMOS sensor
- 12MP effective resolution
- Full HD video recording
- 16GB micro-SD card supplied for image storage
- JPG and MP4 file formats
- chuzhao.co
A true TLR uses two lenses, the lower one to shoot the picture on film, the upper one to reflect its image, via an angled mirror, up to a focusing screen under a hood on top of the body. The Chuzhao’s upper ‘lens’ does nothing. The lower lens shoots square images to produce 3,456×3,456 pixel files, while displaying their images before, during and after exposure on a tiny 3.5×3.5cm screen under the top-mounted hood.
Unlike a true TLR, whose mirror laterally reverses the viewfinder image, the Chuzhao’s preview image is correctly orientated. A slot for a micro-SD card sits on the base, next to the USB-C charging/file transfer port. Shooting is entirely automatic, with no indication of what shutter speeds or ISOs are being selected, and no record of them in the image files’ EXIF data, either.
Key features:
- Controls: Power on/off, toggle between colour and mono, shutter release, delete button, playback button, video start/stop
- Automation: Fully auto exposure and colour balance, autofocus down to 10cm with viewfinder confirmation
- Battery: Lithium, 3.7 volts, built in and non-removable
- In the box: Camera, USB-USB-C cable for charging and image transfer, neck strap, micro SD card, instructions
Four Rollei-like buttons around the lower lens control the various functions. The shutter releases with a quiet electronic ‘click’ sound, actually reminiscent of a Rollei. Shooting switches from colour to mono at the touch of a button.
Turn what would otherwise be the film crank on the side and the camera goes into movie mode, with no sound recorded. Stop winding and a six second count-down appears in the viewfinder, before recording stops.
Video recording can also activated by pushing and holding the shutter release – and then the camera will also record sound.
Maybe the claimed 12MP actually means a lower resolution has been interpolated upwards. Likewise the possibly upscaled claim of 1,080 pixel video resolution. Comments on the internet mention temperamental colour balance, over-exposure and distortion. But there are lot of these cameras for sale at differing prices, from around £40 to nearly £100, and maybe the quality varies from camera to camera.
The camera I reviewed exhibited a moderate amount of flare against the light and some blown-out highlights. But generally, pictures were sharp, well exposed and correctly colour balanced in both bright and low-light conditions. Images appeared a little pixilated when viewed on the 27in screen of my iMac, but on my MacBook’s 13in screen, they were surprisingly impressive.
Chuzhao retro camera sample images
Our Verdict
The Chuzhao is never going to be considered as a serious digital camera while, if it’s a toy, it’s unlikely that a child would appreciate its retro styling. In the end, it’s a bit of a novelty that looks good, performs well and, most of all, is a lot of fun.
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