Well, it finally arrived. The blindbox of nostalgia point-and-shoot from 1987, the Kodak Charmera (check Amazon for availability here: https://amzn.to/3W8XLwF). I must say that the packaging and everything is pure nostalgia from the time we actually had disposable point-and-shoot. It gave us the ability to capture the moment when smartphone cameras weren’t a thing yet.
The card and mini poster also added to the effect. It had me feeling the same way when I opened the NES Classic from Nintendo. The way the whole thing was packaged gave the maximum effect of opening the box for the first time in the late 80’s.
I was able to get the blue version (any would’ve done it for me) and was happy with how it looked. I don’t know why but this one reminds me of summer camp, trips the woods, and even a trip with friends out to the city scene. It’s one of those type of things you would stash into your back pocket for in-the-moment captures and didn’t really get in the way like smartphones do.
The QR code on the card about the camera directed you to the quick start site: https://www.kodak.retopro.co/pages/kodak-charmera-keychain-digital-camera-quick-start-guide . It wasn’t clear at first from the directions (before I got the camera) whether it used a normal SD card or a micro SD card. Once you had the camera on hand, you can see that it takes only microSD cards. I opt for the SanDisk 64GB card (the sub $20 pack came with two just in case and it comes with an adapter for full size SD if you needed it) that balanced price for performance and would suit the needs of this 1.6 megapixel camera.
I’ve plugged in the USB-C charger chord that comes with it and await for it to full charge before taking it on a trip for nostalgic photography. Let’s hope it captures the moment just like the old days. Just a reminder that you don’t really need a large micro SD card for this because you’ll probably have more than enough for a day or two before unloading with a 64 GB card. My card says 99999 because of the large amount of photos it can store on the micro SD card.
From what I’ve read on forums, day time and indoors with a lot of light are the most optimal for this tiny point-and-shoot. I’ll be keeping to that but I’ll try some dark and night shots just in case. Remember, it’s all about having fun with this.