The spec sheet on Kodak’s new compact camera isn’t very impressive, boasting just a 1.6MP 1/4-inch sensor. But the new Kodak Charmera isn’t about fancy tech, it’s about charming nostalgia – and fans are already obsessed.
The Kodak Charmera launched on September 9, but the tiny camera sold out of pre-orders in less than a day.
The Charmera is a tiny keychain camera – that still takes photos and videos – inspired by Kodak’s 1987 camera dubbed the Kodak Fling. The retro exterior of the camera mixes with the low-tech sensor reminiscent of early digital cameras. The camera includes retro filters along with Kodak-inspired frames, and yes, there’s a film border option in that mix of frames. The camera also has that retro orange time and date stamp from classic point-and-shoot film cameras.
But the Charmera mixes the trend towards retro tech and the increasing demand for compact cameras with the blind box craze. The Charmera has seven different exterior designs, all of them retro, and shoppers don’t know which one they’re going to end up with until they open the box. That includes a so-called “secret edition,” although the design isn’t exactly a secret – it’s a clear camera that allows you to see the device’s inner workings.
The other thing going for the Charmera? The price. The camera sells for about $30 / £30, or a set of all six standard designs goes for about $180 / £180. (Australia pricing has not yet been announced.)
The Charmera really hits three trends in one – retro, compact, and blind box – and, at about $30, its overnight success hardly feels surprising. Compact cameras are coming back for digital minimalism and nostalgia, and the tiny 1.6MP Charmera seems to fit that description.
The Kodak Charmera is manufactured by the same brand behind the Kodak Ektar H35 half-frame film camera – but not the same company that made the 1987 Kodak Fling that inspired the Charmera. The Charmera and Ektar are made by RETO Production Limited, one of the companies that licenses the iconic Kodak name.
Kodak began licensing its name to other manufacturers shortly after declaring bankruptcy in 2012. That means the success of the Charmera isn’t going to impact the iconic Eastman Kodak’s current struggles. The longstanding brand shared plans of settling a pension fund in order to settle debts in August, although the company said that it felt confident that settling the pension fund would allow the company to end the year with “a stronger balance sheet than we have had in years."
A banner on the RETO website says shipping may be prolonged for the new camera. The first pre-orders were expected to ship on October 08. Due to the demand, the company has limited the pre-order quantities to a single camera or one whole set box of six.
The company advises fans to keep an eye on its Instagram page for updates on when the tiny Charmera is back in stock. In the US, retailer B&H has a stock alert option to notify users once the camera is in stock.
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