Kodak’s Charmera Sells Out as Retro Photo Frenzy Takes Hold

I got my hands on the viral Kodak Charmera, and its charm is obvious within moments. This thumb-sized camera is like shooting with a disposable from the ’80s: soft edges, crunchy contrast, and just enough unpredictability to make every frame feel like a treasure. It’s also a functional digital camera that retails for under $30 and dangles from your keychain. No wonder batches are flying off shelves.

After the initial novelty, there is an apparent thesis: we’re awash in clinically perfect smartphone images. The Charmera responds with cheerful imperfection — lo-fi color, constrained dynamic range, and delightful artifacts that might have been developed at the drugstore on the corner in 1987.

What the Kodak Charmera Is: A tiny $30 digital keychain camera

The Charmera, developed by Reto Project — a long-time licensee of Kodak and the guys responsible for the company’s Ektar H35 and H35N half-frame film cameras — is a fully functioning micro camera, but comes in at $29.99. It powers via USB-C (cable is included) and records to microSD (card is not included). Toy-like in size, it shoots stills and 1080p video, and has a minuscule LCD on the back for framing.

Some of the mania is because of the blind box format. The units come in a sealed package that has one of seven designs — six standard variants and an uncommon clear version. The chase variant has 1-in-48 odds; the six standard finishes are evenly spread, making each unboxing a small lottery.

Design That Tips Its Hat to the 1980s disposable era

“The Charmera” plays off the Kodak Fling, a disposable camera from 1987 that sheathed a 110 film cartridge in perky cardboard. Fujifilm’s QuickSnap landed first, but Kodak popularized disposables in the U.S., eventually moving to 35mm FunSaver models. The Charmera channels that lineage too with period-right type and colorways, all the way down to a winking “1987” graphic where you might expect a film speed badge.

It’s small — about 2.3 by 1.0 by 0.8 inches — and weighs just over an ounce. “It has a metal clip so — keychain, baby! And it really shoots, which I didn’t even know if these purses shot until today.” The build is plastic, but it feels sturdy enough to withstand pockets and day trips.

Shooting Experience, Features, Filters, and Video

Let’s put things into perspective: the Charmera sports a 1.6MP Type 1/4 sensor, and the “photos” are meant to be rough around the edges. Highlights blow, shadows crush, and detail smears. Landscapes read like impressionist paintings. That’s the point. The vintage filters enhance the vibe — black-and-white tones, warm/cool tints, pixel-art color modes (blue, gray, red, and yellow), and playful overlays such as Kodak-themed stickers, faux film sprockets, and a retro desktop UI. There’s also an LED-style date stamp for that full retro energy.

It captures 1080p video, with sound resembling the home movies you would dub off a VHS tape, at a 4:3 aspect ratio.

It’s catnip for the sort of creator who yearns for a fast analog look with some authenticity without futzing around with LUTs or renting a CRT monitor.

Controls are straightforward. A power button on top wakes the camera to a splash screen for photos, video, and setup. Hit the shutter to dive into stills, as the rear up-down buttons for mode-changing/menu-opening, or a quick tap of power, will toggle among shooting options. A tunnel-style optical finder is perched on top of the camera, but it’s not as loose as what you get with your average viewfinder; you’re better off using the rear LCD screen that’s small and non-touch.

Why It Went Viral: nostalgia, social feeds, scarcity

Three forces converged. First, nostalgia: Disposable-camera aesthetics are back, and not just as filters. Second, social media: lo-fi footage translates as authenticity in feeds flooded with AI-upscaled perfection; as long as the content is interesting and important (partygoers on Zoom — no!). Third, scarcity: Reto has already sold out lots of production batches, and the blind box “hunt” adds a game mechanic to keep collectors coming back.

The broad market is lifting the trend. In recent years, Instax sales at Fujifilm have been hovering in the 10-million-units-per-year neighborhood, which is somewhat ironic given evidence of a prolonged decline for traditional compact cameras as documented by the Camera & Imaging Products Association. People continue to hunger for tactile, characterful images — whether from instant film or from a digital toy that loves flaws.

Who This Is For and Buying Options to Consider

Get it for the content creator who’s after a unique look right out of the camera, the photographer who loves collecting vintage (but still new) Kodak ephemera, or even buy it for the tween ready to move up to their first “real” camera without having to worry about perfection. It makes for a super cheap stocking stuffer at under $30 — but with one asterisk: You’ll also have to toss in a microSD card.

If you are pursuing a particular finish — or the clear 1-in-48 — buy by the boxful or be prepared to barter. With demand as strong as it is, we would also anticipate restocks to sell out fast. Whether you snoozed or made it through the sale, here’s how to set retailer alerts and preorder when possible to avoid the scramble.

Bottom Line: a dinky digital with delightful flaws

The Kodak Charmera condenses the disposable-camera experience down into a dinky digital form, and equally shonky charm. It won’t replace your phone or a mirrorless camera and an assortment of lenses, but it will make you smile — and sometimes, that’s the shot that counts.