In Atomic Habits, James Clear writes about removing friction and designing your environment to suit your goals. That’s what I’m going with as my motivations behind two new nano-gadgets in my life.
This is part one of two, featuring the Kodak Charmera.
I was in Johor Bahru over the weekend with my extended family. Being quite new to Johor Bahru, my cousins were showing me around Mid Valley SouthKey, which is a huge upscale mall (relative to the other malls I was brought to), when an acrylic display of six retro-looking tiny cameras in a camera shop caught my eye.
These turned out to be the viral Kodak Charmeras, which truth be told, were not on my algorithm (why, Instagram? I’m very interested.) I later found out they were taking the world by storm, and I didn’t even know it! So here’s my impression of the Charmera from the moment I laid my eyes on it till this time of writing (I’ve had it for a week now), and how it fits (like a charm) in my life.
TLDR: I love it and am obsessed. If you’re looking for tea to not get it, just get it.
Name and concept
‘Charmera’ is a portmanteau of charm and camera, which aptly sums it up: a digital camera the size of a bag charm which takes photos and videos with a charming (yes) dreamy effect. It comes with a bunch of filters and preset templates, which are nice to have but I have not reached for.
The Charmeras aren’t produced by Kodak themselves, but by a licensee company known as RETO Production Limited. The designs are inspired by the Kodak Fling in the 80’s, which was Kodak’s first single-use camera.
They come in blind boxes, with 7 available designs, 6 standard and 1 secret (the transparent case). Personally, I like the yellow, white, red, and transparent ones – so I was quite happy when I got the red, but my last shred of self-restraint is keeping me from trying to collect them all.
In each box, you get the camera, a keychain attachment, and a usb-c – usb cable. Do note that you will require a micro-sd card for storage which is not included. I got a cheap 8gb one (do they even make these anymore?) from a random shop in JB for MYR14, and it is more than enough, given I transfer the photos to my phone regularly.
Technicals
I’m not a tech blogger, so here are the technicals that mattered to me. For more, visit the official website.
1. Size
I was first drawn to their size: they are tiny, measuring approximately 58mm (width) x 24.5mm (height) x 20mm (depth), and weighing 30 grams.
While I have other digital cameras, they weigh something and I always end up defaulting to my phone camera on a daily basis. On my phone you will find a bunch of mindless snaps I occasionally look through, and countless retakes I never end up deleting. I’m trying to be more intentional with what I capture nowadays, and to take just one snap each time, so having a separate camera helps, and with the Charmera weighing next to nothing, there is no excuse to not bring this everywhere you go.
2. Screen and viewfinder
When I was 14, I had a similar keychain digital camera. It had no viewfinder or screen, and you could view images captured when you plug it into your laptop via a usb port. As a result, I never really used it – it turns out I like to view things the moment I capture them or I quickly forget!
So I really appreciate that the Charmera has a digital screen (and a semi-accurate viewfinder). The digital screen is a game-changer as it allows you to preview what you capture and also scroll through past captures. The viewfinder is nice to have but I never really use it. The camera actually captures more than what you see through the viewfinder.
3. Transferring photos to your phone
The Kodak Charmera has a usb-c port, which makes transferring photos to your phone very easy. I use an Android (Nothing phone) now, so with a usb-c to usb-c cable, I navigate to files and move the photos to an album on my phone.
One issue though, is that the photos don’t get saved in a chronological order, which can be annoying.
4. Price and where to buy
I bought mine in person and it costed MYR 188 at the shop in Mid Valley, which is around SGD 60. I got the last box, but the staff told me they restock every 1-2 weeks. Considering the instant gratification factor, I would say this camera is worth it. I was later educated by a friend that they retail for SGD 39 originally but have been sold out, and resellers or online retailers have been selling them for much more.
I found some for a pretty fair price on Taobao, if you are so interested after reading this post, you can considering picking one up here.
Performance
The Kodak Charmera powers up quickly, is lightweight, captures beautifully, and transfers easily.
I would describe the images captured as the essence of memory: hazy, rose-tinted, real. The Charmera is a millennial’s dream (and also many Gen Z’s, based on the messages I got after posting an IG story of mine); it reminds me of VSCO, tumblr’s heydays, I guess, of how I remember my teenage years.
As I round the curb on thirty, it is clear to me that I’d like to live mindfully – that means, taking in everything life presents, in the present, and remembering what’s important.
I look at the photos I take on the Charmera and think, what a beautiful and charmed life I am living, full of love and laughter, fine people and good food. I think, this is how I want to remember my life.
I’ll post more pictures on @marmiteprincess on IG
Here’s to living x