HOA’s first camera has no screen and no eyepiece. You hold the 140-gram open frame up to your face and look straight through it, both eyes open.
It comes from South Korean startup Lutra, and the 100-unit First Edition is already fully reserved, so the waitlist is the way in now.
Price: $289
Where to buy: HOA (waitlist; First Edition reservations closed, launches December 21, 2026)
Why would you want to look through a camera?
So the person you’re shooting can see your eyes the whole time. The lens and sensor sit on a disc in the middle of the frame, a tiny status display on the back shows battery and shots left, and the shutter’s on the top edge. That’s the whole interface.
What’s inside the frame?
A 16MP Sony sensor with autofocus, Type 1/2.53-inch, behind a 26mm-equivalent f/1.75 lens that focuses from 10cm. Don’t expect blurry backgrounds from a sensor that small. HOA rates the battery at 8 hours on standby or about 90 minutes of continuous shooting, and there aren’t any sample photos yet because it’s still tuning color with photographers.
Can a photo really prove it’s real?
Partly. ShootProof has the camera’s secure chip sign each photo’s fingerprint the moment you shoot and log it on a public blockchain registry, so anyone can check the file hasn’t changed since. HOA’s own FAQ says that proves the photo wasn’t altered, not that what’s in it is true. Signature mode goes one step further and stamps your hand-drawn signature in the corner of every shot.
How do you see your photos?
On your phone. Tap it against the back of the camera to transfer, and you’ll need to be online to pull each photo’s certificate, though the camera shoots fine offline.
If you want a screen-free camera before December, the Camp Snap Pro has an optical viewfinder and a xenon flash, and it’s on Amazon now.
Price: $113.22
Where to buy: Amazon
Price: $289
Where to buy: HOA (waitlist; First Edition reservations closed, launches December 21, 2026)
If you shoot people up close and like a photo that carries its own receipt, get on the waitlist. If you need a camera this month, look elsewhere.
