When Madison Stefanis, now 23, dropped out of The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in the last semester of her bachelor of Business degree, she could never have imagined she would soon have a multimillion-dollar business.
After maintaining a successful side hustle flipping vintage cameras while still at university, she soon ran into supply issues due to the renewed interest in retro film cameras. It was then she turned her attention to developing her own film camera.
Stefanis launched 35mm Co. in 2021 in an attempt to combine her love of disposable cameras, and a desire for a more sustainable option.
“When I would head out with friends on the weekend, you could always find a disposable camera in my clutch,” Stefanis told Digital Camera World (DCW).
“I wanted to create my own film camera, a product that was small and compact like a disposable camera, but completely reusable. I found that customers were looking for a beginner-friendly camera at a much lower price.”
At 19 years old the business-savvy Stefanis invested $50,000 AUD (about $33,000 or £42,000) into the business, having saved the money during four years working at a supermarket during high school, as well as multiple small business ventures. According to Stefanis, 35mm Co. is still a fully bootstrap company (meaning without investors or loans) and the business turned over two million Australian dollars in its first year.
Describing her cameras as “cute and compact” Stefanis designed her flagship camera, ‘The Reloader’, with a vintage look and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. They come in seven colors including Pastel Blue, Dusty Pink and Mint Green for $119.95 AUD, £64, or $78 USD and she sells directly.
The Reloader reusable film camera is 119mm by 67mm by 44mm, with a 31mm focus-free f/9 lens, a shutter speed of 1/120sec shutter speed powered by one AAA battery, and a focus from 1m to infinity.
It’s compatible with all 35mm film and has a vegan leather wrist strap.
Consumer trends have got us all looking to the past recently, with demand for the best retro digital cameras going through the roof. People have also been searching for the best film cameras, instant cameras, or even rangefinders.
This movement is big - retro cameras really are popular. Fujifilm got a new lease of life when it released the retro-style X-series, and Olympus, Panasonic and Nikon have followed suit.
“I love seeing customer results and hearing the stories behind their film photos,” said Stefanis, “Shooting film is an experience and there’s something so incredibly nostalgic about holding a physical photograph in your hand.”
Check out our guides to the best retro digital cameras here, as well as the best film cameras.
