kyu camera

I'm Yasuaki Matsuura, a designer at kyu. My work focuses on shaping products and the relationship between products and people. At Canon, I was involved in the launch of the first EOS R, the company’s first new system in 30 years, and worked on internal venture projects like the iNSPiC REC. Currently, I'm also creating camera-themed art centered on the theme of memory.

I joined the kyu project because I wanted to move beyond catalog specs and take on the challenge of more essential product development. I still remember being strongly drawn to the new challenges that wouldn't be possible at a large corporation.

The kyu camera Design Approach

The beauty of simplicity

The most important thing in the design was simplicity. Just hold it, and shoot. To achieve this, we optimized every element—size, shape, and the number of buttons. It may seem obvious, but most cameras today are overly multifunctional, and it's surprisingly rare to find a device purely for taking pictures. The complexity unique to cameras is what raises the barrier to photography.

While being multifunctional is one of the charms of a camera, I’ve seen so many users give up because they couldn't master it.

The kyu camera aims to make it easy to casually capture daily memories by lowering the psychological barrier to use as much as possible. When you pull it out of your pocket, it's already in position, ready to shoot in under a second with a single button. We were determined to make this entire shooting experience simpler than any other product.

Imagining from zero

mock-up

Once we envisioned the ideal shooting experience, the functional requirements—the hardware size, the controls—naturally fell into place.

But the exterior design was something I struggled with until the very end. A standard rectangular form could have served the purpose, but this camera's shooting specifications were unconventional. Shouldn't the design be just as challenging?

Above all, this was the first camera from a brand built on the theme of memory. It had to have a presence that was different from any other camera, something that would be memorable at a single glance.

I explored many possibilities, but trying to force originality only pulled me away from the essence of the product. Days passed without any real breakthroughs.

Then, I remembered the moment the final design for the kyu daypack was born. After considering every possible structure, we had set aside our accumulated knowledge and preconceptions, and by starting again from zero, we found a new answer. I decided to do the same for this camera project—a bold restart.

Digital cameras are rectangular because their screens are rectangular. I threw away all these conventions and thought from a blank slate. In a moment of exhaustion, I naturally brought my hands up as if to frame a shot, and a beautiful oval shape appeared in my hands. This was it.

I immediately created a prototype with a 3D printer. It fit in my hand perfectly and had a special aura.

I still vividly remember the look of surprise on my colleagues' faces when I showed it to them at a shared lounge in Marunouchi, just before a kyu daypack photo walk.

In pursuit of the soul in the details

We aimed for a “just right” size—something you could carry in your pocket, pull out in an instant when your heart is moved, and naturally hold.

Smaller is better for portability, but too small, and you sacrifice usability. And since everyone holds a camera differently and has different hand sizes, we sought a perfect balance that would accommodate a variety of grips, rather than fitting just one person perfectly.

We sculpted the details without compromise. At first glance, it looks like a simple oval, but the top and bottom are subtly different. This is so you can hold it without strain and so the back edge doesn’t dig into your fingers. The left and right sides, however, are perfectly symmetrical. A design that isn’t dependent on a dominant hand was a rare challenge in the camera industry, where right-handed use is the norm.

For the 3D-CAD modeling, we used a special technique of shaping the form by deforming a sphere. This allowed us to create a continuous, unbroken curved surface. By making countless small adjustments so that it would feel natural in the hand, we brought out highlights that wouldn't appear on a simple shape, leading to a visually beautiful form.

Prototyping

"Memory" was also the keyword when selecting materials. At first, we considered elastomers and polycarbonates, which could be used freely without worrying about scratches or dirt.

But as a brand that values memory, should we allow our recording device to be treated carelessly? That question led us to aluminum, a material that conducts heat well. We wanted to cherish the feeling of the photographer's warmth—their thoughts—traveling from their hand to the camera. As for scratches and dirt, they are proof of the user's life, a part of their memory. We hope you will grow to feel an attachment to them.

Takeda-Kanagata / MGNET

Beyond the Smartphone

kyu camera

A focus on essential function

What makes the kyu camera unique is its thorough simplicity. A single button, a symmetrical design, and a wired connection. We also created a conversational experience with the camera, where the numbers increase with every shot you take.

The value of a sensory experience

The presence of the kyu camera creates a special atmosphere that draws your attention to the act of taking a picture. The texture in your palm, the feeling of pressing the shutter. These experiences, gained through the five senses, weave deeper memories.

For the friends you photograph, it will be a fresh experience, different from a smartphone. A moment of pure photography, not directly connected to social media. And as the number of shots grows, a conversational relationship forms between the camera, the photographer, and the subject. That is the kyu camera.

The Future of "Memory" as an Experience

Exhibition / Forms of Memory

When there is a new object, new memories are born. In a way, product designers are people who design memories.

As someone who has been involved with the product that creates memories itself—the camera—I approach design with a conscious awareness of this.

The appearance is important, but so are the tactile feelings. I hope that my design will enrich the memories and lives of the people who use it.

The potential of physical product design

In a future where virtual experiences are accelerating, the channels for obtaining physical information will decrease. I believe this will make physical products even more strongly tied to memory.

I recently held an exhibition of art pieces themed around cameras, and for some reason, everyone who saw the works started talking about their old memories. It was a reaffirmation that the physical product itself becomes a memory device.

The meaning of the experience of "touching"

There's a way of thinking that the difference between the real and the virtual is just the amount of information. If you increase the quality of the virtual, you can get infinitely close to the real.

In a future accelerated by the virtual age, the act of us pressing a button to optically capture a subject on a sensor might be a very rich thing. With the kyu camera, only the shutter release is a physical key. Pressing a button with your finger is an act that carries more information and is more proactive than touching a screen.

And in an age where we are used to the flat shape of smartphones, the curved form of the kyu camera should feel unique to hold. This tactile identity deepens the connection to memory and weaves our stories.