Most cameras ask you to press your eye to a small window or a screen. The HOA A1 camera asks you to look through its empty rectangular frame with both eyes open.
South Korean consumer electronics startup Lutra Inc. has launched a camera brand, Humans of Authenticity (HOA). Its debut product, the HOA A1 camera, has no traditional viewfinder and no screen. The camera’s rectangular frame does that job instead, which puts it in the same unconventional camp as the Godox C100.
Shooting through a frame
“Frame is designed to be a viewfinder,” HOA says. “Look through it with both eyes open, and feel the air. You can capture the scene just as you see.”
The company’s product photos show the result of that camera design. The photographer looks just over the top of the built-in lens at the subject, which gives the shot an odd, deliberate posture.
Unconventional camera design has a long history, and Revisiting the EPixPro’s Visionary 1990s Technology shows how earlier makers pushed similar ideas, which is worth a look.
The HOA A1 camera’s lens is a 26mm equivalent f/1.75 prime. It feeds a 16-megapixel Sony IMX image sensor. HOA lists output files at 4656 x 3104 pixels, or about 14.5 megapixels. The company’s specifications do not mention RAW capture.
HOA also publishes the sensor’s size, a Type 1/2.53 sensor. That format delivers roughly a six-times crop factor. An f/1.75 aperture sounds fast, but a sensor this small will not produce a shallow depth of field.
Image quality remains untested
HOA has not published any sample photos. The company says it needs to “fine-tune the camera’s color and tone in collaboration with photographers.” Until samples appear, no one can judge the image quality.
The company says the camera launches on December 21, “just in time for Christmas.” Per HOA, its built-in battery provides up to eight hours of standby or 90 minutes of continuous shooting.
Proof built into every frame
Lutra also has experience with blockchain and digital asset authentication, and that background shapes the HOA A1. The camera authenticates each photo with ShootProof, which creates a certificate that binds “image and data” at the moment of capture.
The certificate is recorded on a public blockchain. It is also anonymous, a feature that sets it apart from comparable authentication systems.
“ShootProof proves a photo is real,” HOA says.
“Photography is endangered. Generated images are everywhere, making it hard to trust what you see,” the company says. The concern is hard to dismiss. HOA’s answer is that ShootProof “proves images are captured, not generated,” which the company argues protects photography’s credibility.
If HOA’s certificate approach raises questions about spotting fake images, Google Expands SynthID Detector Access Worldwide covers a different method for identifying AI-generated media, and is a useful comparison.
Photographers can also use a signature mode. They create a signature in an accompanying app, and the camera stamps it into the corner of every shot. The design of that signature is up to the photographer, from a personal mark to a simple illustration.
The smartphone plays a larger role than the signature. The phone is the only way to view photos, although HOA has not yet explained how that works. To transfer images, the photographer taps a phone to the back of the camera, which triggers a wireless transfer.
Shooting works without any connection. Viewing requires Wi-Fi, and HOA says the network is needed to “safely authenticate” photos.
HOA A1 camera launch, price and numbering
The HOA A1 First Edition launches on December 21. The first batch includes only 100 units, each engraved with a number from 001 to 100. Buyers can reserve a specific number on a first-come, first-served basis.
The camera costs 360,000 KRW, or about $289 USD. Preorders have not opened yet. Interested buyers should follow the company on Instagram for updates.
The HOA A1 camera asks buyers to trade the familiar viewfinder for a frame and a certificate. Whether photographers accept that trade will depend on the photos themselves, and HOA has not shown any yet.
Source: petapixel.com
Frequently asked questions
How does the HOA A1 camera frame work as a viewfinder?
The HOA A1 has no traditional viewfinder or screen, so its rectangular frame does that job. HOA says you look through the frame with both eyes open to capture the scene as you see it.
How much does the HOA A1 First Edition camera cost?
The HOA A1 First Edition costs 360,000 KRW, or about $289 USD. The first batch includes only 100 units, each engraved with a number from 001 to 100, and launches on December 21.
Does the HOA A1 camera need an internet connection to shoot?
Shooting works without any connection. Viewing photos requires Wi-Fi, and transferring images involves tapping a phone to the back of the camera.
How does ShootProof authenticate photos taken with the HOA A1?
ShootProof creates a certificate that binds the image and data together at the moment of capture. The certificate is recorded on a public blockchain and is anonymous.
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