This new “disposable” digital compact camera feels like film – and that’s both good and bad. I tried the new Rewindpix compact camera on a trip, and I’m already charmed

Disposable cameras are making a comeback – and with them has risen an unusual category of digital dupes: “disposable” digital compact cameras. The Rewindpix is a digital compact camera, but it’s screenless, uses a “film” wind dial, and comes paired with an app with dozens of film-inspired looks.

The Rewindpix is meant to bring the simplicity and charm of a disposable film camera to a reusable digital camera. It’s certainly not the first to try to do so – there’s the Camp Snap and the Flashback One35, for example – but it is meant to fight some common complaints like shutter lag and small viewfinders.

The Rewindpix body is compact, simple, and plastic – but it doesn’t feel chinzy. I felt comfortable enough to slide the compact camera into a jacket pocket to head out without a bag, and the little camera survived just fine.

The shutter button is metal and interchangeable. There’s also a cold shot slot for adding on a video light. A small LCD at the back holds vital information like the shots remaining, “film” preset, and battery life, but like film, there’s no way to view the images right away on the camera.

The viewfinder is much larger than other disposable dupes like the Camp Snap and easier to see without squashing my face against the camera. The viewfinder covers a wider view than what the lens will capture. Silver markings indicate what’s inside the shot that you’re framing, but they’re hard to see, which meant several of my photos included more of the scene than I thought.

But by far, the best part of the Rewindpix is the app that houses dozens of film-inspired presets. I could choose from pre-made presets inspired by specific film looks, like those inspired by Kodak Gold series and Fujifilm Vivid, as well as quirky color skews, like infrared and purple tones.

I could also create more own “film” rolls, or edit the existing options. Included among the options like warmth, grain, and vignette, I could also add light leaks or that classic orange date stamp on the corner of the images.

The charm of film photography comes from the ability to load a variety of different film types and get a range of different looks from the same camera. The vast amount of digital presets brings some of that color creativity to digital photography on the Rewindpix app.

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I wasn’t locked into one film type for 36 shots. There’s a small switch at the back of the camera with three different positions, so I can load three different types of film and swap back and forth between them as I fill out that 36-shot “roll.”

But while the Rewindpix has some of the charm of real film, it has some of the limitations too. Once the “roll” is finished, I have to go back into the mobile app to load another roll. And naturally, finishing a roll doesn’t always come at the most convenient time to sit down, turn on the Wi-Fi, and connect to the mobile app.

The developer explained, however, that this is designed to make the app faster, as if you waited to “develop” the film until after 100 shots, the process of transferring the files to the app would take longer.

The Rewindpix is a digital compact camera that reminds me of both the good and bad sides of film. Images are fun, quirky, and imperfect shots, with a wide range of film-inspired styles. There’s noticeable grain in low-light shots, and I got a few blurred shots too. The flash is, at times, too powerful and can blow out closer objects. But anyone seeking perfect photos shouldn’t be looking for a digital dupe of a disposable film camera, as the “mistakes” are part of its charm.

With no preview screen and the need to “wind” after every shot, the quirky little camera also has that slowed-down feel of shooting film. The wireless ability also makes it easy to get my photos without cords or an SD card reader.

But, some of the Rewindpix’s disadvantages feel like film too. I have to stop and reload a new “roll” of film after taking 36 photos, which of course doesn’t always happen when it’s actually convenient to sit down and pull out my phone.

There's an "in-camera mode" that's not limited to 36 shots, but it doesn't come with the film filters from the app. At least that meant the photos I took after I ran out of "film" were still saved to the SD card!

Shots taken with the in-camera mode and built-in presets rather than the app presets

The Rewindpix launches on Kickstarter today – and while there are a few things that need tweaking, I’m charmed by the variety of film-inspired effects and slowed-down shooting style.

The start-up has already made tweaks since I first started testing the little camera. The flash always seemed to be delayed from when I pressed the shutter, suggesting some significant shutter lag, but there’s already a firmware fix that I’m eager to try.

There are a few other small bugs that reminded me that the Rewindpix that I used is a prototype. The viewfinder markings, as I mentioned, are hard to see. The app could use a few tweaks to make changing the film types more self-explanatory.

Most users probably won’t ever need to remove the small screw to access the microSD card slot, as images are retrieved via the app (and also USB-C). But, when I tried to pull out the microSD for a firmware update, I angled the card the wrong way, and there’s an opening there just big enough that the microSD card fell into the body of the camera. Thankfully, breaking into the camera is just a matter of removing the screws, and I was able to retrieve the card (and get a tour of the camera’s insides). The developer says this gap on the prototype has already been corrected.

I’m hopeful that the Rewindpix will iron out a few annoyances ahead of the full launch. The Rewindpix certainly isn’t perfect, but it’s a charming throwback with a lovely retro look to the image.

Backers willing to take the risk on a charming but work-in-progress camera can support the project on Kickstarter. All Kickstarter projects come with risks, but this is one that I hope gets to move forward with full funding and a few tweaks.

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