Kodak Snapic A1 Test & Experience – Hopeful or the Next Plastic Dud?

Kodak Snapic A1 – Hopeful or the next plastic bomb?

As a manufacturer of accessories for the analog photo community, we are naturally interested in there being analog cameras in the future. Of course, little compares to the mechanical quality of the SLRs and rangefinders from the golden analog era, but especially for beginners, easily available and above all reliable new cameras are needed.

Here are finally some facts: After the release of the Lomo MC-A, the Kodak Snapic A1 (from licensee RETO) is now also available. Basically, this is a positive signal for all of us because new hardware secures long-term demand for film. We took a closer look at the specs and the first reviews.

The specs: Glass meets hard limits

The teaser already revealed the most important figure: It has a 25mm glass lens (triplet) installed and the camera exposes in full frame (36x24mm). This is the crucial difference from the usual "reusable" cameras, which often only have a simple plastic lens. According to initial tests, the sharpness is actually decent and clearly above the "Lomo look."

But here comes my personal criticism:

The camera operates with a fixed aperture of f/9.5 and a fixed shutter speed of 1/100 second. There is no ISO setting. This means the camera is a simple point-and-shoot or compact camera (with glass lens and reload function).

For the price of just under €100 (or $99), you have to think carefully. On the used market, you can get cameras like an Olympus AF-10, Minolta AF-E, Canon Sure Shot Max, or various point-and-shoots for much less money, which have apertures of f/2.8 or f/3.5. These let in much more light and often have variable shutter speeds. With the Snapic's f/9.5 aperture, you are extremely dependent on sunlight – or you have to keep using the flash. However, the lack of light can also be easily compensated by choosing a high-sensitivity film (e.g., ISO 800).

Zone Focus & OLED: Gimmick or useful?

Focusing is done via zone focusing (0.5m – 1.5m for portraits, and 1.5m – infinity for landscapes). Physically, this is uncritical with a 25mm wide-angle and the tiny aperture. The depth of field is so huge that it's almost impossible to produce blurry images.

The interesting part is the OLED display on the top. In practice, it proves to be more useful than expected:

• It shows the frame counter and flash modes.
• Feature highlight: The camera remembers the flash setting when turned off (no annoying flash resetting).
• It shows the double exposure mode (controlled via a dedicated switch), which is a nice creative feature.

Warning: Reviews show a very strong flash-related light falloff (physical flash falloff) when the flash is used. You have to like that.

The comparison: Lomo MC-A vs. Kodak Snapic A1

Alongside the Snapic, the new Lomo MC-A is causing a stir. Here we see two completely different approaches:

The Lomo MC-A costs about 550 €, which is five times as much, but it’s a "real" camera:

• Bright 32mm f/2.8 Minitar-II lens.
• True autofocus (LiDAR).
• Manual control over aperture and focus possible.
• Solid metal body instead of plastic.
• Fully manual film transport (winding lever/crank) and power supply via a rechargeable CR2 battery through USB-C.

If you want to take photography seriously and need control, you end up with the Lomo (or vintage cameras). The Snapic A1, on the other hand, clearly positions itself as an uncomplicated "fun camera": It’s fully motorized (auto-load, advance, rewind) and runs classically on 2x AAA batteries.

Our wish to the industry

We welcome the Snapic A1 as an entry point for new analog photographers. But the market is currently flooded either with extremely simple plastic cameras or very expensive premium reissues.

What’s really missing – and we hear this from you again and again – is the courage for mid-range mechanics. A modern interpretation of a classic SLR, like a Pentax Spotmatic with M42 mount, would be a dream.

• Fully mechanical (repairable in 50 years).
• Fully mechanical shutter (which still works even if the electronics/battery fail).
• Compatible with millions of existing vintage lenses.

Of course, manufacturing that is expensive and complex. But until a manufacturer dares to tackle it again, we keep the old treasures alive. After all, the Lomo MC-A already partially fulfills this mechanical dream with its fully manual film transport.

Conclusion

The Snapic A1 could be a fun "daily driver" for the beach vacation, where there’s enough light for the f/9.5 aperture and you’d rather keep the expensive Contax T2 in the safe.

But if you want to shoot without flash even in low light and only have a 100 euro budget, a tested used camera is often a better choice (even though there’s always the risk it might break down eventually and you have no warranty).

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

Your Vladi

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