A world of AI. Constant connection to the world around us. Work from an office, work from home, work while you commute. Always on. Always plugged in. Always posting.
Life, today, is a futuristic nightmare. I’ve played my part in that, don’t get me wrong. But that intro gave me an ick that only tech can do. Tech seems to ruin everything, which is why I love a simple gadget. Enter the Kodak Charmera.
What is the point of the Kodak Charmera?
Kodak hasn’t tried to make up for the fumbling of the digital camera with the Charmera. Instead, it’s trying to tap into a modern day ditching of high-tech. It’s not uncommon to see retro cameras being drawn upon, or even disposable cameras for people on a trip. Film and printing photos has a certain draw to it in a world of digital media.
The Charmera skirts the line here, creating digital media that looks retro. The Charmera boasts a whopping 1.6MP lens that frankly takes woeful photos. Low-light, a slight shake or a centimetre in the wrong direction, and you’ve taken a terrible photo. What’s worst is you won’t know it’s a bad photo till you get home.
Or is that really worse?
Kodak Charmera
Capture the moment. Imperfections and all.
Buy nowAffiliate link: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
This is actually the point of the Charmera. Instead of you getting bogged down in taking 10 photos of the moment and it looking perfect, now you take one photo of the moment and get back to it.
This is good tech.
Watch My Kodak Charmera Review
Living with the Charmera’s Limitations
The keychain form factor means it’s genuinely always with you, which matters more than the spec sheet suggests. I’ve had proper cameras stay home because I couldn’t be bothered carrying them. The Charmera clips to your keys and disappears until you need it.
That 1.6MP sensor isn’t a compromise, it’s a feature. The technical limitations force a different approach. You can’t pixel-peep. You can’t zoom in and check focus. You compose, shoot, and trust the process. It’s oddly freeing once you accept it.
The lack of a screen changes your behaviour entirely. Without immediate feedback, you stop chimping. You stop taking insurance shots. You stop trying to manufacture perfection and just capture what’s in front of you. Some will hate this. I’ve found it genuinely refreshing.
When It Works (and When It Doesn’t)
The Charmera takes some bad photos, but every now and then, it captures the essence of a moment, and that’s amazing. Decent light and reasonable subject distance, and you’ll get something with character. The grain, the slight softness, the imperfect exposure, it all adds to photos that feel authentic rather than processed.
But be realistic about its limits. Don’t expect sharp landscapes or detailed portraits. This isn’t replacing your phone camera for important documentation or anything requiring clarity. It’s for spontaneous moments where the act of capturing matters more than technical excellence.
The Verdict
The Charmera won’t suit everyone. If you need reliable image quality or want control over your photography, look elsewhere. But if you’re tired of the modern photography loop, shoot, review, delete, repeat, this offers a genuine alternative.
It’s a deliberate step backwards that somehow feels like progress. You stay present. You engage with moments rather than screens. You accept imperfection as part of the process.
In a world drowning in megapixels and computational photography, the Charmera’s limitations are its greatest strength. It’s not trying to compete with your phone. It’s trying to make photography fun again.
And mostly, it succeeds.
Kodak Charmera
Capture the moment. Imperfections and all.
Buy nowAffiliate link: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
