If you’ve been anywhere on photography Reels or TikTok over the past week, you’ve likely already seen the Kodak Charmera. For those who haven’t, a camera so small you can fit four of them in the palm of your hand is currently taking the internet by storm, with users in love with its colourful design and lo-fi charm – even though its image-making capabilities are nowhere near those of the best compact cameras.
Made by Reto Project in its ongoing licensing of the Kodak brand name, the Kodak Charmera was first announced earlier this month, with hype building across socials thanks to a few influencers getting their hands on it early.
Those who were around in the 1980s will likely recognise those boxy dimensions, as the Charmera is explicitly modelled after the Kodak Fling, a portable single-use camera with pre-loaded film (in case you weren’t clear on the connection, the modern version’s makers have gone to the trouble of writing ‘1987’ on the box).
Of course, the Charmera is digital rather than film. It sports a 1/4″ CMOS sensor with just 1.6MP (!) of resolution. It’s proper point-and-shoot vibes, with no exposure or focus control to speak of, though you can juice up your images with a selection of retro-styled filters.
It may sound crazy that a 1.6MP camera should prove so popular in 2025, but I think it makes sense. Pristine image quality isn’t as important to many camera buyers as it is to pixel-peeping amateur photographers, with scuzzy compact cameras from the 2000s having made a comeback among Gen Z buyers who are embracing their imperfections as lo-fi charm.
Kodak has also absolutely nailed a crucial aspect of the Charmera’s appeal – the kitschy fun factor. This is a good-looking camera with bright, poppy design that comes in a range of retro styles. Also, in a gimmicky but creative bit of marketing, it comes in a mystery box that means you don’t know which style you’re getting before you buy. And then there’s the price – it’s just $29.99! A lot of these retro-style gimmick cameras can be a bit overpriced, like the Super 8-aping Camp Snap CS-8, or the camera I promised myself I wouldn’t mention again but am now going to mention, the Fujifilm X-half.
There’s one particular design decision, however, that I think was an absolute stroke of genius, and has hugely contributed to the Kodak Chimera’s success – the rear screen. Kodak could easily have gone down the Camp Snap route of eschewing the screen for a bit of analog-style mystery, but instead they gave the Charmera an adorable little preview LCD, which has helped it spread like wildfire across Reels and TikToks.
Clearly it’s scratching the same itch as the likes of Fujifilm Instax and Polaroid. It’s not for quote-unquote ‘serious’ photographers, but has huge appeal for those who want to get away from their phones and create images that look and feel a bit different.
It’s proven such a hit already that Kodak Reto is having trouble keeping up with orders; the site currently warns that delivery may be delayed by at least 1-5 days. So, if you like the look of this little camera, you may not want to wait too long!
Related reading:
- Fujifilm X100V and X100VI Alternatives? Best retro cameras
- I’m still waiting for Canon to make a retro compact camera…
- Vintage digital cameras you should actually buy
