Lens flair: 7 cameras that have had an extreme color makeover
Nikon Coolpix W100
Until recently, one decision you didn't have to make when deciding on what camera to get was what color you'd get it in. Cameras were pretty much all black, with the odd chrome/silver finish option available depending on the model you were looking at.
Manufacturers have got a little braver since then, with the likes of mirrorless cameras and tough compacts available in a raft of vibrant colors.
The arrival of the Nikon Coolpix W100 goes beyond that though, with a funky finish that certainly sets it apart from the crowd (if that's too much for you, its also available in a host of other colors). However, it's by no means the most outlandish makeover we've seen on a camera, which got us thinking about some of the more eye-catching paint jobs to grace a camera...
Nikon 1 J1 by Pimp Your Cam
It wouldn't be too harsh to say that the Nikon 1 J1 looked a bit dull and boring from the front. German outfit PimpYourCam.com must have thought the same, using the flat front of the J1 as a blank canvas to create a range of distinctive and unique designs, including this Manga inspired graphic.
Nikon D4 by Pimp Your Cam
If you're jostling with a load of other pros on the touchline at a football match or in the scrum of a press pit and want to stand out from the crowd, why not let PimpYourCam.com take your £3500/$3800 Nikon D4 and set to work with this understated design?
Don't even think about putting a boring black lens on the front though - the £1500/$1600 85mm f/1.4 attached has come in for the same treatment as the body. Not everyone's cup of tea...we think we'll stick with black.
Panasonic Lumix XS1
Panasonic has always been a bit conservative when it comes to the finishes they offer, so they certainly raised a few eyebrows a couple of years ago with the launch of these flashy design options to accompany their more traditional color options for the XS1 slimline compact camera.
Pentax K50
Pentax didn't get the memo that DSLRs have to be black, offering the K50 in a choice of 20 body colours, with a combination of six grip colors. It was also possible to customise the color of the 18-55mm kit lens as well.
Pentax Q7
To add to the production nightmare Pentax inflicted on itself, they decided to do a similar color customisation with the Q7 mirrorless camera as well.
Canon EOS 7D
10 points if you can guess what's lurking under this paint finish? If you said a Canon EOS 7D, you be right...and also a little bit sad.
Known as the Sprinkles 7D, it was created by tech artist PJ Linden using dimensional paint.
Leica D-Lux 5 by ColorWare
Leica's not afraid to roll out a special edition camera with a tasteful paint job, but the trouble is, they can end up costing more than a decent car. However, down at the other end of the scale are a range of Leica compacts that are a bit more affordable, like the Panasonic based D-Lux 5.
Customisation service ColorWare.com will disassemble one for you and respray it in whatever color combination you want.
Phil Hall is an experienced writer and editor having worked on some of the largest photography magazines in the UK, and now edit the photography channel of TechRadar, the UK's biggest tech website and one of the largest in the world. He has also worked on numerous commercial projects, including working with manufacturers like Nikon and Fujifilm on bespoke printed and online camera guides, as well as writing technique blogs and copy for the John Lewis Technology guide.