Escura’s Mini Camera For Film Photographers

credits: Escura

Escura has announced a small cube-shaped camera called Ligar and it is trying something a little different for film photographers. The device attaches to the hot shoe of a film camera and automatically takes a digital photo the moment the camera’s shutter is released. In other words, it captures a digital copy of the moment at the same time the film exposure is made. The idea is partly convenience and partly insurance, if something goes wrong with the film roll during development (or if the film was never loaded at all) you still have a digital version of the shot.

The camera itself is pretty small, weighing around 40 grams, and captures 12-megapixel photos. It can also record video at 1440 × 1440 resolution at 30 frames per second, which Escura says allows photographers to capture moments leading up to the shot or between frames when shooting film. As mentioned, the device sits on the hot shoe, but works independently of the camera, effectively acting as a tiny companion camera that mirrors the moment the shutter is pressed.

Ligar can also function on its own. It includes a 240 × 240 pixel LED viewfinder, a fixed shutter speed of 1/125 second, and a 0.45× wide-angle 3.2mm f/2.8 lens with a focusing range from 0.3 meters to infinity. The lens has a 17mm filter thread, allowing filters to be attached if desired. Escura also added built-in “time capsule” filters designed to mimic the colour styles of different decades, from the 1950s through the 2010s. The company plans to retail the Ligar for $167, with shipping expected to begin in July.