The Camp Snap Camera is nostalgia done to perfection. It is one of those products that people are either going to love or hate. I will say, for those that don’t like the camera, to me, they clearly didn’t understand what they were getting. If you go in, knowing what to expect, knowing what you’re getting, then the Camp Snap Camera is an absolute joy to have and use.
The Appeal of the Camp Snap Camera
My wife is a photographer, so when I saw the ad for the Camp Snap pop up in my Instagram feed, it was an easy impulse buy. To me, the appeal of a screen-free design that called back to the days of disposable cameras was a gimmick that was too good to pass up.
The retro-feel, compact, lightweight, and simplistic camera is just a nostalgic joy to have. The camera’s biggest selling point is its lack of screen, but I think the overall aesthetic of the camera is worth highlighting.
Surprisingly, nobody has previously embraced the clever idea of the Camp Snap Camera with its retro design and feel. With Polaroid cameras making a comeback in recent years, a return to the point-and-shoot disposable camera seemed like the next logical step. Lightweight, simplistic controls, and small enough to fit in your pocket, the Camp Snap Camera is a great addition to any adventure-seeking individual or family.
Great for Kids
If you look up other reviews of this camera, you’ll see people reference getting away from more screen time, or that the camera is a great one for kids to use. Both points are true. My nephew had a chance to use the camera and loved just snapping photos. The camera is designed with children in mind. To help them stay present in the moment and fully engage with their surroundings. As their website says, the camera is meant to “inspire adventure, foster creativity, and encourage children to unplug and experience the world around them”, but if you’re a kid from the 80s or 90s, you’ll get a kick out of the camera yourself.
Photo Quality
No one ever looked at a disposable camera as a camera to take high-quality photos. The point of the camera was to capture moments. A quick and dirty way to grab a handful of photos, that you ultimately only expected 2-3 out of your 24 to be worth keeping. The Camp Snap Camera isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel. It’s more like a reinterpretation, bringing the same mentality of the disposable camera into the age of digital. So the photo quality feels essentially the same. While some may find that jarring, especially in the days of carrying a 48MP or better camera in your pocket, the 8MP of the Camp Snap camera isn’t going to blow your mind, but it guarantees to capture photos that will make you smile. As it says on the Camp Snap website; photo quality is ‘vintage film style‘.
The designers designed the camera with exploration in mind, and it fits that role perfectly. We’ve used the camera on multiple hiking trips and walks in the park, and it unlocks a view of the world you haven’t seen in a few decades.
Use
Yes, Camp Snap pushes the screen-free design of the camera, but the simple use of the camera is not something to just skim over. Again, this camera works just like the old disposable cameras did, a simple point-and-shoot. With just a shutter button, and a switch to select if you want flash or not, it could not be simpler. It’s so simple, that it almost feels as if you’re doing something wrong when you first start. However, if you’re from the times of those continually referenced disposable cameras, that old muscle memory comes back quicker than you’d expect.
The Specs
With a camera this simple, the specs are pretty clear cut, as is its operation.
- What’s in the box: Camp Snap Camera, USB-C cable, 4 GB memory card included
- Sensor: 8 megapixels
- White Balance: Auto. I suggest adjusting the white balance in post (like Lightroom, Photoshop, or Gimp [free]) to get the colors just right.
- Camera Size: 4.5″ x 2.5″ x 1″
- Flash Settings: On, Off, Auto
- File Type: JPG
- Weight: 92g
Operation:
- On/off: Hold the shutter button for 2 seconds to turn the camera on and off – you will hear a 2 and 1 audible beeps, respectively
- Take a photo: Press the shutter once and you’ll hear the shutter sound
- Flash: Slide the selector between On, Off, and Auto
- Importing photos: Turn on the camera, insert USB-C into the camera’s port and your computer, and drag and drop
The camera can store around 2,000 photos, so there is plenty of room to take as many 8MP photos as you’d like. The USB-C connection is your way of finally seeing your photos, rather than being uploaded to your computer or connecting to your iPhone or iPad.
You can check out the image below from Camp Snap’s website, to give you a better idea of how simplistically awesome this camera is!
The Cost
The Camp Snap Screen-Free Digital Camera costs $65 plus shipping from the Camp Snap website and is available with a leather-effect trim in Aqua, Brown, Pink, Forest Green, Black, Yellow, Red, Navy, and White. I bought my wife the Forest Green version, which she loves, and thinks that is the unmatched best color option available. If I were to critique the camera at all, it would be for the placement of the LED photo counter, which causes glare when using the viewfinder. The camera’s “shutter” volume level is also a bit jarring. I would also add a loop to attach a wrist strap. While the camera fits easily into a pocket, a wrist strap would be especially nice.
Final Thought
For what I wanted the Camp Snap Camera to be, I can’t complain. I know some people do and will. The image quality isn’t the best. It doesn’t come close to 2024 standards, but it also isn’t striving to. I feel like the Camp Snap makes it pretty clear what you’re getting. It is a camera made, not so much to capture memories, but to make them. It is a fun choice for camera lovers and adventurers, or to give the kids for taking photos.
I look forward to using it this summer to capture more of my family’s adventures. It has quickly become an adventure essential, especially on hikes, as you can see from some of our photos taken with the Camp Snap Camera below.