Everyone loves digital cameras, but if there’s one thing missing from the digital experience it’s having something to hold in your hands after taking all of those pictures. Unless you take the time to upload, select and print your pictures they exist only in digital form. This concept from designer Jinhee Kim is a completely unexpected way to transform those ephemeral digital images into solid items you can hold.

The Stampy camera takes images just like any other digital camera, but then uses some mysterious internal mechanism to turn an image into a rubber stamp. The resulting stamp is a detailed monochrome picture that can be stamped onto paper for long-term enjoyment.

While the concept might seem like just a novelty (and a potentially expensive one at that), it has industrial and small business uses that could easily make it cost effective. Marking and labeling merchandise is just one of the most common-sense uses of this unique instant stamp maker.

The product hasn’t yet made it past the concept stage, and it may never be produced due to what would seem to be a high materials cost. But the idea of a camera that can instantly and easily turn its pictures into long-lasting stamps is an intriguing one. If Polaroid cameras that print out little stickers can become the must-have gadget for tweens, the Stampy stands a good chance of becoming popular.