Kodak Snapic A1 Review and Impressions: A Ray of Hope or Just Another Plastic Toy?

As makers of accessories for the film photography community, we have a real interest in seeing new film cameras built in the years to come. Few cameras match the mechanical quality of the SLRs and rangefinders from film's golden age, but newcomers in particular need new cameras that are reliable and easy to get hold of.

Finally, we have some facts: after the Lomo MC-A, the Kodak Snapic A1 (from licensee RETO) is now here too. On the whole, that's a good sign for all of us, because new cameras keep demand for film alive in the long run. We took a closer look at the specs and the first reviews.

What the specs tell us

The teaser video on Instagram had already given away the key point: there's a 25mm glass lens inside (a triplet made of three elements), and the camera shoots full frame (36x24mm). That's the crucial difference from the usual “reusable” cameras, which often have nothing more than a simple plastic lens. According to early tests, sharpness really is decent, much better than the typical “Lomo look”.

But here's where we have a gripe:

The camera has a fixed aperture of f/9.5 and a fixed shutter speed of 1/100 second. There's no ISO setting. In other words, it's a basic snapshot camera with no exposure controls, just with a glass lens and the option to reload it.

At just under €100 (or $99), that's worth thinking over carefully. On the used market, for a lot less money, you can get cameras like an Olympus AF-10, Minolta AF-E, Canon Sure Shot Max or any number of point-and-shoots with an f/2.8 or f/3.5 aperture. They let in far more light and often have variable shutter speeds. With the Snapic's f/9.5 aperture, you're heavily dependent on sunlight, or you'll be using the flash all the time. A fast film (ISO 800, for example) makes up for some of that, but at f/9.5 and 1/100 s your margin stays small.

What do zone focusing and the OLED display bring to the table?

Focusing works in zones (0.5 m to 1.5 m for portraits, 1.5 m to infinity for landscapes). Physically speaking, though, that's not critical with a 25mm wide angle and such a tiny aperture. The depth of field is so great that hardly any shot will come out blurry.

The OLED display on the top plate is an interesting touch. According to the first reviews, it's more useful than you'd expect:

• It shows the frame counter and flash modes.
• Handy: the camera remembers the flash setting when you switch it off, so you don't have to set the flash again every time.
• It shows the double exposure mode, which has its own switch. A fun little extra.

Watch out: reviews show very heavy flash falloff (anything close to the camera comes out bright, everything behind it stays dark). It's a look you have to like.

Lomo MC-A vs. Kodak Snapic A1

Alongside the Snapic, the new Lomo MC-A is causing quite a stir. The two cameras take completely different approaches. At just under €500, the Lomo MC-A costs five times as much, but for that you get a “proper” camera:

• Fast 32mm f/2.8 Minitar-II lens.
• True autofocus (LiDAR).
• Aperture and focus can be set manually.
• Solid metal body instead of plastic.
• Fully manual film advance and rewind (advance lever/rewind crank).
• Rechargeable CR2 battery, charged via USB-C.

If you’re serious about photography and want control, you’ll end up with the Lomo (or with a vintage camera). The Snapic A1, on the other hand, is clearly an easygoing “fun camera”: film loading, advance and rewind are all motorized, and it runs on two AAA batteries.

What we’d love to see from the industry

We welcome the Snapic A1 as a way in for people new to film photography. Right now, though, the market is being flooded with either extremely basic plastic cameras or very expensive premium reissues.

What’s really missing, and we hear this from customers again and again, is the courage to build a mechanical mid-range camera. A modern take on a classic SLR, like a Pentax Spotmatic with an M42 mount, would be a dream.

• Fully mechanical: still repairable 50 years from now, and the shutter keeps working even with a dead battery.
• Compatible with millions of existing vintage lenses.

Of course, a camera like that is expensive and complex to manufacture. But until a manufacturer dares to take it on again, we’ll keep the old treasures alive. At least the Lomo MC-A, with its fully manual film advance and rewind, takes a step in that direction.

The Snapic A1 could be a fun camera for a beach trip: there’s enough light for f/9.5 there, and your expensive Contax T2 is better off staying in the safe.

But if you also want to shoot without flash when the light isn’t great and you only have €100, you’re often better off with a tested secondhand camera. The risk: it may give up the ghost at some point, and there’s no warranty.

If you’re considering Kodak’s half-frame cameras instead of the Snapic, our guide to the Kodak Ektar H35 and H35N covers the differences between the two models, how to choose the right film, and what makes half-frame a special case when developing and scanning.

Disclaimer: We sell some of the products mentioned here. Even so, this article is meant first and foremost as a helpful guide, not as a sales pitch.

The Ektar H35’s shutter button is very light, so in a bag it likes to fire off a few frames on its own. Our lens cap covers the button too, and our filter adapter takes standard 30.5 mm filters. Neither fits the Snapic A1, which is shaped differently. See the Ektar accessories.

What do you think? Is f/9.5 enough for your snapshots, or is it a dealbreaker for you?

Be the first to hear about new accessories: When a new film camera comes out, sooner or later we make accessories to go with it, such as caps, adapters or battery replacements. Our newsletter always has it first: ausgeknipst.de/pages/newsletter

Cheers, Vladi

Image credits: The images are taken from the teaser video on Instagram.