A new film-shaped digital camera has been released in Japan under the Opt! brand. Called the OPT100 Neo Film, the device recreates the look of a 35mm film canister but functions as a compact digital camera. It went on sale on December 10 for ¥5,940 which translates to roughly $38.29.

The body keeps the same cylindrical form factor as a film roll, measuring 47.2 × 25 × 25 mm and weighing around 25 g without a microSD card. Opt! is offering three colour options: Yellow × Black, White × Orange, and a multicolor design. The packaging also mirrors the film cartridge branding.

Inside the housing is a 1-megapixel CMOS sensor capable of shooting stills at up to 3760 × 2128 pixels and video at 300,000-pixel (roughly 0.3 megapixels) resolution. Storage is handled through a microSD card slot, with support for cards up to 32 GB. The camera charges via USB-C, and once connected, photos and videos can be transferred directly. The built-in 230 mAh battery takes about two hours to fully charge and gets users roughly one hour of continuous use.

The lens is a 3.2 mm fixed unit (H63P), with a shooting distance of about 70 cm in normal conditions and a 20 cm minimum. Shutter speeds range from 100 to 300 ms, and ISO is listed at 1500. The rear of the cylinder includes a tiny display for basic framing and playback.

Opt! isn’t marketing this as a high-performance camera in any capacity. More than that, the appeal is in its form factor – a classic film roll that fits easily in a pocket or small bag. The company also added small touches such as a startup sound and an optional carry case, all of which pushes it slightly closer to a novelty item with some practical use rather than a pure toy. 

Buy the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Film camera on Amazon.