Kodak Charmera: the charming master of nothing
Everyone’s buying the Kodak Charmera as if there’s no tomorrow. But why? One thing I know for sure since testing it: it’s not down to the mini camera’s performance.
Almost everyone who sees a working mini camera for the first time in their life can’t help but smile. Isn’t that cute? A fun gadget, a charming gift – these things, about the size of a chocolate, are selling like hotcakes.
But at some point, you might want to do something with it. Like take a photo. That’s when the smile disappears. After all, it’s not always the first impression that counts.
The same goes for the Kodak Charmera. This thing is tiny, weighs next to nothing, and can be used as a keychain. My grey one reminds me of an eraser, even in terms of its size (58×25×20 mm). You buy a blind box, which means you won’t know which of the seven designs you’ll get until it arrives. It’s a bit like gambling, and as we all know, gambling is addictive. The Charmera is currently ranked number one in sales in the camera category.
Abysmal image quality
It’s just a shame that you always end up winning the consolation prize in this game of chance. I find it hard to describe the image quality without using profanity. It’s just the worst. Even compared to my old Nokia phone from 2011, it falls short. The nominal resolution is 1440×1080 pixels; the actual resolution is much lower.
The camera apparently has a fixed focus and is unable to focus on nearby objects. Not that you really notice, because everything is out of focus anyway. But you can see it clearly here.
Bright areas are almost always overexposed; this doesn’t require harsh light or reflections. This photo was taken at a north-facing window. In other words, the lighting was soft and the conditions were perfect. But the mere fact that the apple is lying on a dark surface is already too much for the sensor to handle.
With videos, the low image quality is less of a problem. They’re a bit easier to digest.
Useless viewfinder and other shortcomings
I can barely see what it is I’m photographing on the tiny screen. It’s not even an inch wide; the resolution is unknown but it’s definitely low. The Kodak Charmera has an optical viewfinder – or, to put it more accurately, a peephole. You’d think this was an option for composing the image. Unfortunately, it isn’t. The peephole doesn’t show anywhere near the correct field of view. For example, I’ll see a person’s head in the viewfinder, but almost their entire body ends up in the photo.
The microSD card slot is set a little too deep into the housing. This makes it very difficult to insert and remove the card. You have to press it into the housing with your thumbnail or a small object.
The other downsides are the short battery life and the non-removable battery. But that would only be relevant if someone used this camera for a long time, which certainly won’t happen.
The device doesn’t record any EXIF data, and the manufacturer’s specifications are minimal. The «lens» supposedly has a 35-millimetre equivalent focal length and an aperture of f/2.4. I can confirm the focal length is correct. But I can’t check the aperture, and it doesn’t really matter anyway.
No better than other mini cameras
In 2025, I gave the Rollei Mini Camera three stars. I’ll admit that was very generous and clearly a result of the mini camera’s «charm effect» as mentioned earlier. Sadly, this charm wears out quickly. This concept isn’t new anymore; there are plenty of other gadgets like this even in our shop.
These mini cameras are all more or less the same. The screen always has the same dimensions. The sensor is always 1/4 inch in size. And with all of them, it’s very difficult to remove the microSD card.
Compared to the Easypix MiniPro XS1, I actually think the Kodak Charmera is even worse. The Easypix model is significantly smaller, and the image quality is slightly better. Even though it has three buttons instead of five, it’s easier to use. With the Kodak Charmera, every time I turn it on, I first have to choose whether I want to take photos or videos. The same thing happens when I switch from playback mode to recording mode.
I don’t understand why the Kodak Charmera, of all things, became such a bestseller. It has nothing to do with the device itself. Perhaps it’s due to the lucky-dip design aspect or increased media attention.
In a nutshell
Nothing more than a fleeting gag
Like any mini camera, the Kodak Charmera seems like a fun little gadget at first glance – but five minutes later, the fun’s over and the device just sits there gathering dust. Given its small size, I’m happy to accept some compromises in image quality. But not to this extent. The Kodak Charmera doesn’t even measure up to an old Nokia mobile phone.
It also doesn’t perform better than other mini cameras. The picture quality is equally poor across the board. Despite having more buttons, it’s certainly not fun to use; the viewfinder is useless as it shows a completely incorrect frame. The only thing that sets it apart from other mini cameras is that when you buy it, you don’t know which design you’ll get.
Pro
- Cute
- Design is a surprise element
Contra
- Terrible image quality
- Viewfinder shows the wrong section
- Cumbersome operation
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
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