With Kodak, Lomography and Harman to name a few, releasing brand new 35mm compact cameras, we thought it was time for us to take a look, and go through individually some of our favourites that we stock here at Bokeh.
Kodak Ultra F9
Definitely the prettiest point and shoot camera you can buy at the moment in its black/yellow colour-way, in my opinion. The Kodak Ultra F9 uses a single element 31mm lens with an f9 aperture. The lens itself is surprisingly sharp and can capture some fantastically sharp images. It's very simple to use with its focus free design and simple on/off switch for the flash.
The simplicity of this camera is its strong point. If you currently use disposables, this is the perfect upgrade. It is just as simple to use, yet is environmentally friendly being reusable. It also will save you money over time
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Yellow/Black
Green/White
Kodak Ektar H35
This is probably my favourite of the bunch. I've always been a big fan of half frame cameras, and I was shocked when Kodak decided to release one. I've used An old Olympus Pen EE for years and when this came out I had to get one.
The half frame concept is more valid now, than it has ever been with the current price of film. We covered what half frame is here, but it pretty much means that you can take double the amount of photos on the same amount of film, therefore saving you money.
In terms of the camera itself, it's a very simple to use camera, with a manual wheel film advance similar to what you'd find on a disposable camera. Similarly to the Kodak Ultra F9, the lens on this has no right to be as sharp as it is.
The lens is fixed focus 22mm (32mm equiv) with a fixed f/9.5 aperture and a shutter speed around 1/100.
Overall, this is a great option for new photographers who want to spend less on film or experienced photographers who want to dip their toe into a new format.
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Sand
Black
Brown
Sage
Harman EZ35
While the Harman may not be as pretty as the Kodaks, in terms of bang for your buck, It blows everything at this price point out of the water.
The camera has a typical 31mm fixed focus lens with a f/11 aperture and a fixed ~1/100 shutter speed. While this seems very standard for one of these cameras there are a few things that set the Harman ahead of all of its competitors.
The switch on the front also acts as a lens cover, similarly to the system the old Canon AF-7 used. The only other cameras offering a built in lens cover at the moment are the Lomography’s LC-A series.
It also has a Red Eye reduction feature in the form of a bright LED bulb.
The camera unlike many also has a small window on the rear to let you see what film is loaded.
But the most impressive feature is that this is the only 35mm camera on the market to use a motorised film advance. The last camera to use this was the Nikon F6 which ceased production in 2020.
Overall this is the most impressive, in my opinion, 35mm compact camera on the market currently and at such an affordable price.
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Black/Green
Lomography Simple Use
The Camera that started off the new wave of re-usable disposable cameras. This camera is as close to a disposable as possible while still being reusable. It has a fixed focus 31mm lens with a fixed aperture of f/9 tied to single 1/120 shutter. Flash is manually activated by holding a press in button on the front. The colour versions of this camera also have a few gels that can be placed in front of the flash to create a unique look on your photos.
The flash has a 15 second recharge time and optimal range is 1-2m. It’s powered by a single AA battery. Lomography rate the focal range of the lens from 1m to infinity but it is definitely more comfortable beyond the 1.7m mark.
In terms of performance its exactly like a disposable, not the sharpest and soft around the edges, but this "Lo-fi" result is what many people desire. It is a fantastic option to move away from disposables as it achieves the very same look while being more eco-friendly and giving you more flexibility with film choice.
Get it here:
Blue