Pagani unveils large-format analog camera with stunning details
Pagani is in the process of developing a successor to the Huayra. That’s a massive undertaking, especially for such a small company, yet it found the time to work with Modena-based camera manufacturer Gibellini to design a gorgeous folding camera called the GP810HP.
It took two years of research and development for Pagani to plant its stake in the camera world. The GP810HP is made entirely from solid aluminum and titanium, and it stands out with surprisingly intricate details. Gibellini provided the internal mechanism, Pagani didn’t go that far into the development process, but the materials used are reminiscent of the ones found in hypercars like the Huayra. The tripod that the camera sits on is made with leather-covered carbon fiber, for example, and the pedestal features carbon fiber, aluminum, and Alcantara.
Buyers can customize several features, including the bellows (different colors are available) and the leather-upholstered case that comes with the GP810HP. You’ll likely need the case because this is not a pocket-sized camera you can stuff in your backpack. It’s an old-school, large-format camera configured to take film measuring between 4×5″ and 20×24″. Pagani explains it chose a large-format camera to deliver a high resolution, three-dimensionality, and with adjustments for the lens plane and the film plane to correct perspective.
Tie-ups aren’t rare in the automotive industry: Bugatti made a $300,000 self-leveling pool table in 2021, and Porsche recently announced ice creams pops and shoes. Branching out into the camera segment is a bit more unusual, so Pagani explained its decision.
“One day, a friend of mine gave me a Gibellini analog camera,” explained Pagani founder Horacio Pagani. “As I looked at it, I thought of the hundreds of cellphone snaps we take unthinkingly without enjoying the pleasure of taking a real photograph. I thought of the magic, the strength, and the time it takes to capture an image on a camera like this, after having reflected and meditated long and hard while waiting for the right light. You’re not just taking a photo, you’re experiencing an emotion. I decided to become part of all this.”
Pagani dealers around the world have started taking orders for the GP810HP. Pricing information hasn’t been announced.