Someone has turned an old Game Boy into an almost professional-looking camera. The best: his retro photos

It’s a common place, a hackneyed topicazo and a terrible way to start a post, I know; but I can’t resist saying it: time flies by. This year marks two decades since Nintendo stopped producing its Game Boy Camera (GBC), that late-’90s accessory that let you use your Game Boy like a primitive digital camera. And while 20 years in the tech arena is almost three lifetimes, it hasn’t been enough for GBC fans to forget how fascinating those were. pixelated photos. Nostalgia, you know.

Christopher Graves is one of those devotees of the GBC’s retro imagery. Of the pixel and the limited gray scale. Except that in his case, homesickness has served for something more than keeping his old Camera from the 90s pristine or going out to hunt for pixelated snapshots.

Pulling from her passion for GBC and photography and her skills of modderGraves has accomplished a feat: creating your own version of a camera based on the Game Boy, an amazing prototype that —after value different names— has decided to baptize as Camera Mor M1.

“I wanted something to be proud of”

Sacrificing a Game Boy Pocket to convert it into a mirrorless camera with an appearance and finish that reminds, in a certain way, of the stylized aesthetics of the Fujifilm X-E4.

“M1 is a Game Boy modified and redesigned for exclusive use as a Game Boy Camera. It takes a lot of design cues from SLR cameras (Single-lens reflex) and resembles something a bit more professional and polished for photography than a Game Boy.” comments Graves.

To shape it, in addition to the Game Boy Pocket, he basically used a synthetic leather case adapted to his design, custom PCBs and a backlit IPS display. The design has been further enhanced with Game Boy Advance SP controls and a modification of the Game Boy Camera cartridge itself to incorporate its sensor inside a CS mount.

Example of a photograph taken with Camera M.

Another of his obsessions when designing the Camera M was autonomy. Result: In the prototype, the AAA batteries were changed to a rechargeable 1,800 mAh battery that —calculates Graves— allow the camera to work during approximately eight hours.

The complete list of specifications is shared by the modder in the Web that he has launched to publicize his creation. And it includes, among other features:

• custom shell
• synthetic leather cover
• custom PCBs
• Shutter button A at the top
• Ignition switch redesign
• CS/C mount
• Backlit IPS display
• Attachments to incorporate different accessories, including a tripod or strap
• Port Game Boy Link
• 1,800mAh battery
• USB Type-C charging port

“It is a totally personal and selfish project that aimed to create a solution for Improve my skills What modder and photographer. I am self-taught and my career has nothing to do with these skills.” points out: “I set out to create something I was proud of and I think I succeeded.”

Cart swapping action pic.twitter.com/Q4s9GehHcb

— Game Boy Camera (@thegameboycam) July 10, 2022

That he is proud does not mean, however, that he has given his definitive approval to the result or that he is going to stop thinking about new improvements for his designs. “Although this ‘prototype’ is complete, I am still not 100% satisfied,” confess. Among the points in which he wants to continue advancing, he highlights the casing, the optimization of the PCBs or, simply, simplify manufacturing.

His goal is to sell some complete M1 units and even assembly kits. It has also launched different channels in search of support and resources so that the Camera M continues to delight devotees of photos with retro and pixelated aesthetics.

In his passion, of course, you are not alone.

Images | Game Boy Camera