Photographers usually hide behind a window or a screen. Lutra‘s new HOA A1 removes both, using an open frame camera viewfinder so you can look at your subject while you shoot.
Lutra, a South Korean consumer electronics startup, has launched a camera brand called Humans of Authenticity, or HOA. Its first camera has no viewfinder and no screen. A large rectangular opening does the framing instead.
How the open frame camera viewfinder works
The camera design is plain. It has a rectangular frame, a solid lower block, and a round lens housing that sits over the opening. Rather than squeezing a small eyepiece into one corner, this open frame camera viewfinder leaves a wide window for your eye.
The appeal is practical. You can keep talking, watch expressions and press the shutter without raising a preview to your face. HOA says the open frame camera viewfinder is meant to be looked through with both eyes open.
Whether the open frame camera viewfinder matches the final picture is less certain. Framing accuracy, especially when the camera sits away from your face, has not been tested in published samples.
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Specifications and what they mean
Inside the frame is a 16-megapixel Sony sensor, listed as a Type 1/2.53 format. It is paired with a fixed 26mm-equivalent f/1.75 lens. HOA lists output files at 4656 x 3104 pixels, about 14.5 megapixels, and does not mention RAW capture.
The sensor is small. PetaPixel calculates a crop factor of roughly six times. It notes that although f/1.75 sounds fast, the sensor will not produce a shallow depth of field.
According to Lutra, autofocus is unnecessary because everything at least 10 centimeters from the lens should be in focus. Notebookcheck reports that autofocus is not supported.
HOA lists a weight of about 4.9 ounces. The battery is rated for up to 90 minutes of continuous shooting, or eight hours in standby.
No sample photographs have been published. HOA says it needs to “fine-tune the camera’s color and tone in collaboration with photographers.” Until sample images appear, image quality cannot be judged.
Wireless transfer and ShootProof authentication
Shooting does not require a connection. Viewing and downloading photos does. Photographers tap a smartphone against the back of the camera to start a wireless transfer, and HOA has not yet explained the viewing process in detail.
The authentication system is called ShootProof. It creates a certificate that binds the image and its data at the moment of capture. PetaPixel reports that the certificate is recorded on a public blockchain and is anonymous, unlike some comparable systems.
HOA says a secure chip signs each image’s digital fingerprint before the record goes into the blockchain registry. PetaPixel also notes that Lutra has prior experience with blockchain and digital asset authentication.
A certificate shows that a file has not changed since capture. It does not show that the scene was honest. A staged photograph still carries a valid record.
The optional signature mode adds a visible mark. You design a signature in the companion app, and the camera places it in the corner of each shot. The signature mode is optional.
Price, numbering and release date
The HOA A1 First Edition costs 360,000 South Korean won, or about $289 in the United States. The first batch is limited to 100 cameras, each engraved with a number from 001 to 100. Buyers can reserve a specific number on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Release dates differ between reports. PetaPixel and Notebookcheck give December 21, with HOA describing the launch as “just in time for Christmas.” The Verge and Techbytes report December 1. Preorders have not opened, and the company has suggested following it on Instagram or leaving an email address on its website for updates.
The frame is an unusual trade. You give up a viewfinder and a screen, and you gain eye contact and a certificate for every file. Image quality will decide whether that trade is worth a second camera beside your phone.
Via yankodesign.com
Frequently asked questions
How much does the HOA A1 camera cost?
The HOA A1 First Edition costs 360,000 South Korean won, or about $289 in the United States. The first batch is limited to 100 cameras, each engraved with a number from 001 to 100.
How does the HOA A1’s open frame viewfinder work?
The HOA A1 has no traditional viewfinder or screen, and instead uses a large rectangular opening to frame the shot. HOA says it is meant to be looked through with both eyes open, so you can keep eye contact with your subject while shooting.
Does the HOA A1 have autofocus?
Notebookcheck reports that the HOA A1 does not support autofocus. Lutra says autofocus is unnecessary because everything at least 10 centimeters from the lens should be in focus.
What is ShootProof authentication on the HOA A1?
ShootProof is the HOA A1’s authentication system, which creates a certificate that binds an image and its data at the moment of capture. According to PetaPixel, the certificate is recorded on a public blockchain and is anonymous, though the article notes that a valid certificate only shows a file has not changed since capture, not that the scene was honest.
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