- The Analogue aF-1 is a brand new 35mm point-and-shoot film camera.
- It features a 35mm f/2.8 lens, LiDAR autofocus, and a GN8-class flash.
- Pre-orders are being accepted for €449 / £399 (around $550 / AU$800).
With the resurgence of film photography over the past couple of years, there has been no shortage of new point-and-shoot film cameras.
We liked the cheap models such as Kodak Ektar h35Pentax's return to cinema with half frame 17and dear love letters to cult classics like the reimagined Rollei 35 AF.
Now there is a new model created from scratch by the company's photographers and creatives Analog – Camera store and film photography community hub in Amsterdam, Netherlands – Analogue aF-1.
What immediately catches my eye is the sliding lens cap for 35mm film, which takes me back to the Olympus Mju I loved decades ago – it's an iconic design touch.
Classic looks aside, Analogue is hoping the aF-1's (supposedly sharp) 35mm f/2.8 lens, auto exposure, LiDAR autofocus, and matching built-in flash will seal the deal for film camera aficionados.
And I'm delighted – these clever automatic features should ensure that not a single frame is wasted, while the aF-1's specifications suggest greater versatility than the more expensive Rollei 35 AF.
The aF-1 analogue has been teased for some time now, but it wasn't until this week that the prototype was unveiled on its creator's social platforms (see below). pre-orders are available now, priced at €449/£399. (about US$550/AU$800).
Just another compact 35mm film camera?
There is no shortage of 35mm film cameras, old and new. However, the Analogue aF-1 seems to strike the right balance between classic looks and modern features at an attractive price point that suggests decent quality.
For me, design is key and I like the look of the Analogus aF-1, not least that sliding lens cap, although it's otherwise a bit bulky.
Another standout feature is LiDAR autofocus with a range of 0.5m to infinity. I would expect decent autofocus performance even in low light with this kind of technology on board.
The Renaissance lens is something I haven't seen before: it's a compact 35mm f/2.8 lens made up of six elements. I expect details to be impressively clear when shooting relatively close-up portraits—the makers of the aF-1 certainly think so.
Other standout features include a built-in GN8-class flash (with a 0.5-second recycling time) and a shutter speed range of 4 to 1/1000 of a second—much more versatile than the limited range found in comparable compact cameras with 35-meter film.
Photos can be captured using a simple reverse Galilean viewfinder, and there's automatic film loading and rewinding, as well as automatic exposure, that point to an affordable, high-quality 35mm film camera – more sophisticated than the slightly more expensive Pentax 17.
I've been talking to the good people at Analogue and am hoping to get my hands on a review sample of the aF-1 – it's definitely a camera I'd love to try. Based on current pre-orders, Analogue predicts that first deliveries of the AF-1 will begin in the first quarter of 2026—go ahead!
