Godox has just launched its first-ever camera – and it looks brilliant. But it's also very similar to another camera that was launched by another company last year.
This is the Godox C100 – a "transparent viewfinder camera" with a large "intelligent transparent display" that performs multi-aspect ratio shooting (16:9, 4:3, 3:2 and 1:1) for both stills and video.
It's obscenely cheap at just ¥199, which is about $29 / £22 / AU$42. It weighs just 65g and measures a mere 104 x 71.7 x 19.1mm – half of which is screen, with the finder being 60.8 x 47.8mm.
"The C100 is equipped with a transparent display screen with a light transmittance of >50%, which can display information such as the composition frame, parameters and battery status, balancing aesthetics and practicality."
It charges (and transfers or displays files) via USB-C and accepts microSD cards up to 128GB for bountiful shooting. And obviously, the design is extremely compelling – especially given the burgeoning market for screen-free digital cameras.
But here's the thing. See if you can spot the difference between these two pictures:
On the left is the Godox C100. On the right is the Escura InstantSnap, which debuted at CP+ 2025 and looks… how can I say this charitably, like it "heavily inspired" Godox's new camera.
Of course, these kinds of screen-free cameras with a body that acts like a viewfinder aren't new. There was the Canon Ivy Rec, for starters, and more recently the Instax Pal – neither of which I was particularly enamored with.
However, the Godox camera comes with a secret weapon that might make it irresistible for film photographers: it also acts as a light meter.
"The C100 features metering capabilities, allowing it to read the brightness of the central area and automatically calculate the optimal exposure value. It is simple, reliable and meets the shooting needs of film photography enthusiasts."
This is the bit that might actually sell me on the C100. I'm a big proponent of incident light meters, because I grew up in the film era, but unless you're using supplemental light they're pretty unnecessary in the digital age.
However, with a device like the Godox C100 – which slips into a pocket, acts as a fun little snapper and can also meter exposure – it could be an indispensable companion for anyone who uses a film camera. Indeed, it might even act a bit like "taking a Polaroid" before firing your expensive film exposure back in the day.
The C100 launched first in China, and doesn't appear to have hit the big international retailers yet, so keep your eyes on the official Godox website for more information. Honestly, for 20 bucks you probably can't go wrong!
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