Screen-free digital cameras are a relatively new trend, but an increasingly important one. Smartphones mean that there’s nearly always a camera within my reach – but that camera is also a portal to the World Wide Web, a phone, a computer, a videogame console and, frankly, a distraction.
That’s why I decided to ignore my iPhone camera for an entire week and shoot with some of the best screen-free digital cameras instead – and I loved it so much that I lasted nearly two weeks!
The rise of screen-free digital cameras are an admission that smartphone cameras often distract us from the moments that we’re meant to remember. But, a camera without a screen also feels far more retro – and many of them fall under the compact camera trend as well.
The best screen-free digital cameras make photography – and even videography – a slower, more intentional process. After trying out several options, I think these are the top screen-free options available. I’ve personally tested almost all of these cameras, with the exception of two options that were tested by Digital Camera World’s action camera and Leica experts.
I'm a pro photographer – with a mess of childhood photos taken by disposable film cameras. I set out to find a camera that felt analog, but didn't come with the cost and wait of using real film. In the process, I fell in love with simple screen-free digital cameras.
Best screen-free digital cameras
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Best screen-free digital camera overall
The trouble with a lot of screen-free digital cameras is that while they may not have a built-in screen, many rely heavily on smartphone apps to function. The Camp Snap CS-Pro is a screen-free camera that doesn’t require an app at all. The only time you’ll need a screen is to view the photos, and you can do that with a computer, tablet or phone and a USB-C cord or SD card reader.
The Camp Snap Pro uses a 16MP sensor to snap images with a touch of retro imperfection. Some smartphones will capture crisper shots, but I love the built-in retro filters and refreshingly simple design. My biggest complaint is that there’s a slight delay between when the button is pressed and when the photo is actually taken, which can make timing the shots more challenging.
The CS-Pro is a true point-and-shoot. The only controls beyond the shutter button are a dial to adjust the filter and a switch to turn the flash on and off. But perhaps the best part is that the camera only costs around $99 / £90 / AU$153 / CA$140.
Read my full Camp Snap CS-Pro review
Best "screen-free" digital camera for image quality
Okay, the Fujifilm X Half isn’t technically screen-free; in fact, it has two screens. But the X Half has a Film Camera Mode that disables the screen so you only see the shooting settings. You can’t preview your photos at all, are locked into one “roll” and have to wait for the photos to develop.
That makes the X Half both a standard digital camera and a screen-free digital camera in one, depending on which shooting mode you use.
Where most screen-free cameras are low-resolution shooters with small sensors, the X Half uses a 1-inch 17.7MP sensor that gives it a key advantage over cheaper cameras. But what I loved even more than the large sensor was the different film-like options.
The X Half is packed with Film Simulations, including an excellent black-and-white, but there’s also a light leak mode effect and even halation, two of my favorite film-like effects. My biggest disappointment is that you can’t pick a film simulation and the light leak, as the latter is its own separate mode.
Most screen-free cameras don’t have a macro mode, face detection, autofocus or video, but the X Half has all three. You can’t shoot video in the screen-free mode, however, and you can’t see the autofocus points through the optical viewfinder in the screen-free mode either.
The combination of the sensor and Film Simulations makes the X Half a camera that both snaps modern photos that can outperform a smartphone, and capture retro photos that feel more like film. Yes, technically, the X Half has a screen, but the film camera mode with its film advance lever and disabled screen felt just like using a camera without one.
Like many screen-free cameras, though, the X Half needs to connect to a smartphone to “develop” the photos taken in the film mode. Even if you return to standard screen mode, you can’t see the shots on the screen. I would have preferred at least having the option to still use film mode without requiring a smartphone to view them.
Read our full Fujifilm X Half review
Best screen-free digital disposable camera
The Flashback One35 V2 feels like a retro disposable film camera – but it’s a screen-free, reusable digital camera. The Flashback inherits the inherent slowness of disposable film with a charmingly clicky film wind button, which is required between each shot. Otherwise, using the camera is as simple as looking through the viewfinder and clicking the shutter.
What I really loved about the Flashback One35 V2 is the variety of different film presets that are available. There’s an excellent selection to choose from, including more golden tones and black-and-white. That, mixed with a more plasticky lens, gives the digital images some of the charm of disposable film.
The Flashback didn’t have noticeable shutter lag – a common issue among screen-free cameras. But, digital minimalists, be aware that the disposable dupe does require a smartphone, as the app is what allows for swapping film presets.
The standard mode requires 24 hours to “develop” photos before seeing them in the app. There’s a Digicam mode without the wait, but even this mode requires connecting to the app after 27 photos.
Read my full Flashback One35 V2 review
Best screen-free digital camera for kids
While I think the Camp Snap CS-Pro is the better option for grown-ups, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a Camp Snap 2 for a kid, pre-teen, or teenager – though on the strictest budgets, adults may still love this camera too. The second-generation camera adds the ability to swap digital presets as you shoot, but this function can be locked for the youngest kids.
The Camp Snap 2 feels a bit like a disposable film camera in its screen-free design, but unlike the Flashback One35 V2 the camera doesn’t require a smartphone app to work. The camera is so simple that even my six-year-old figured out how to turn the flash on and off.
While the Camp Snap 2 is a key improvement over the original, there’s still some shutter lag to contend with – this means a slight delay in taking the photos. If kids don’t hold still quite long enough, that can create a blurry shot, but there’s an audible click to know when it’s safe to keep moving.
Still, as a parent, I’m annoyed by the cameras for kids with games built in, so I love that my kid can’t try to sneak in extra screen time when I hand him this camera.
Read my full Camp Snap 2 review
Best screen-free digital video camera
One of the biggest things that I missed when I gave up my iPhone camera for more than a week to go screen-free was the ability to shoot videos. Well, Camp Snap has a screen-free camera for videos, too. The CS-8 is a digital camera that looks like a retro Super 8.
I loved the dial on the side of the CS-8 to swap between different retro looks. There’s a dial for adjusting the aspect ratio, too, which is great for social media videos. The quality isn’t the best, at 2.7K 30p across most modes, and the digital zoom in particular is best avoided. But the price also reflects those specs, so I didn’t mind.
My biggest hesitation with the CS-8 is that, while the Super 8-inspired design is endearingly retro, it’s also large – and when I’m traveling, I’ve often eyed the camera but ultimately couldn’t find the space for it in my bag. Still, few screen-free cameras can shoot videos, and the CS-8 is full of retro charm.
Read my full Camp Snap CS-8 review
Most compact / best waterproof screen-free digtial camera
The Insta360 Go 3S Ultra Retro feels like a cross between an action camera and the viral keychain camera, the Kodak Charmera.
The Insta360 Go 3 is typically a modular action camera that sits in a base with a screen. But the retro bundle doesn’t include this screen base and pops the tiny magnetic camera in a tiny retro housing, complete with a viewfinder to frame the shots.
Because the Go 3S is originally an action camera, this tiny screen-free setup will take photos as well as videos of up to 30 minutes in length – or 76 minutes with the included battery pack.
Because the camera is so tiny, adjusting most of the settings and retrieving the photos and videos is done with the smartphone app. But using a single press for photos and a double press for videos allows for swapping between photo and video modes without the app.
The retro attachment effectively turns the action cam into a screen-free digital camera – and a rather tiny one at that. This is a great option for digital minimalists who want to go screen-free while still shooting both photos and videos. It’s also a great option for creators who want something waterproof.
Read our full Insta360 Go 3S review and our take on the retro viewfinder accessory
Best screen-free mirrorless camera
While most screen-free digital cameras fall in the compact camera category, there’s one mirrorless camera that comes to mind that looks like a retro rangefinder but is actually hiding a 60MP digital sensor: The Leica M11-D. By leaving out the screen, the M11-D looks very much like the brand’s film cameras from the same M series.
Without the option to view the images as you shoot, the M11-D – which has always felt more slowed-down and intentional thanks to manual focus lenses – looks and feels more film-like, despite having all digital tech inside. The 60MP sensor and quality of Leica’s M-series lenses churn out wonderfully sharp images with beautiful bokeh.
DCW's Leica photographer, Sebastian Oakley, said it best in his Leica M11-D review: “By removing the rear LCD screen, Leica forces you to rely on your instincts and trust in your abilities as a photographer. It’s a liberating experience, one that places you fully in the moment, just as film cameras did in the past.”
Of course, as a Leica, the M11-D comes with a luxury price tag, but it's rare in its screenless mirrorless design.
Read Seb's full Leica M11-D review
How we tested screen-free cameras
Shopping for a screen-free digital camera isn't quite the same as looking for a standard compact camera. For one, screen-free cameras are often meant to be minimalist in both experience and the tech inside.
Many of them are meant to snap images with a retro feel, so resolution and sensor size aren't quite as important as, say, choosing a mirrorless camera. When considering the different screen-free options, I prioritized cameras that struck an ideal balance between the design, the images and the price.
I also considered cameras that aren't technically screen-free, as long as they had a mode to disable the screen. The screen isn't the real problem – it's the distraction that comes with a screen. That's why the Fujifilm X Half's Film Camera mode makes the list, even though it does technically have screens.
All the cameras on this list have been personally tested by DCW staff. I tested a majority of them myself, when I challenged myself to a week without my smartphone camera, while DCW's action camera expert Adam Juniper recommended the Insta360 Go 3S Retro, and Leica expert Sebastian Oakley voted in favor of the M11-D.
Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World.
How to choose the best screen-free camera
The biggest question to ask when choosing a screen-free digital camera is why you want a screen-free camera in the first place. If you want something small enough to take anywhere without the distraction of a smartphone, then consider a budget point-and-shoot like the Camp Snap CS-Pro.
Leaving the screen off the camera often means the cameras rely on apps to adjust the settings and change the filters. If you're a true digital minimalist and don't want an app connection at all, then the list is an even shorter one, as options like the Flashback One35 V2 and the film mode on the Fujifilm X Half require a smartphone app.
Most screen-free digital cameras are simple compact cameras that try to replicate the look and feel of disposable film cameras. But, if you want something with above-average image quality, consider a camera with a larger sensor like the Fujifilm X Half or even the luxury mirrorless Leica M11-D.
Finally, keep in mind that many screen-free cameras only take still photos or videos and not both. The Insta360 Go 3S Retro is capable of both photos and videos. The Fujifilm X Half is too, but the videos aren't available in the screen-free mode.
