Camp Snap Review: Is this $65 camera worth it?
I test a lot of tech gadgets at NBC Select. None of them caught the interest of my co-workers as fervently as the Camp Snap camera. This little colorful camera caused such a buzz in our office that 10 staffers wanted to test it for this review.
Two weeks of testing later, I think I understand why. It turns out that a lot of us like the experience of snapping photos with friends and family with a camera, not our phones.
What is the Camp Snap camera?
Camp Snap Camera
The Camp Snap camera is a pocketable digital camera that costs $65, a much lower-price than most competitors on the market. Despite being a digital camera, it is designed like a disposable film one — there is no screen on the back and no settings to change, you just point and shoot. The only controls are a flash switch (on, off, auto) and the shutter button.
The camera can hold up to 2000 photos on its included micro-SD card. To transfer photos, simply plug the camera into a computer using the included USB-C cable. You can also download color filters on the Camp Snap website.
Focal length: 35mm | Screen: None | Viewfinder: Yes | Built-in flash: Yes | Weight: 0.31 lbs. (140g) | Aperture: f/1.8 | Shutter speed: 1/30-1-250 sec. | ISO: 100-3,200 | Photo resolution: Up to 3264x2448 | Battery life: Up to 500 shots
Our experience with the Camp Snap camera
Ten staffers on team Select tried the Camp Snap camera for about two weeks after the brand sent us samples for review. The camera won our hearts, not with its stunning image quality (it's so-so) or high-tech features (it doesn't have any), but just by being a joy to carry around and take photos with.
What we like
Everyone loves using it
Everywhere we took this camera, people wanted to use it. An outing with friends or family suddenly became an excuse for everyone to pass around the Camp Snap camera to take photos, says NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin. 'Everyone wanted to do cute poses and asked me where to buy one — I can't say the same about taking pictures with my phone.'
It's so compact, easy to pocket and simple to use that anyone can pick it up and snap some photos, similar to the approachability of a disposable camera (but without the cost of film development).
It keeps you in the moment
The lack of any screen or controls means that all our testers found themselves staying in the moment instead of trying to get the perfect photo, similar to shooting with a film camera. We felt less self-conscious about the photos we took, and didn't worry about whether we got 'the shot'.
It's easy to view your photos when you are done
We loved how simple it was to review photos — just plug the Camp Snap directly into a computer and two clicks later, you can see your photo library, says NBC Select SEO editor Nikki Brown. Many of our testers' laptops don't have SD card slots, and transferring photos over an app often leads to headaches, in my experience.
At $65, it feels like a fun accessory, not an investment
Many of the best point-and-shoot cameras are an investment, costing upwards of $1000. Most of our testers are not photographers, and would never pay that much for something they aren't sure they would use regularly. But at $65, the Camp Snap camera is a fun splurge and a great gift.
Potential drawbacks to keep in mind
Image quality isn't great (but that's sort of missing the point)
None of us think the Camp Snap camera takes stunning images. That's not really the point — it's more about capturing a specific vibe.
'The images are reminiscent of Facebook era party photos — the focus tends to miss things and, without flash, the shots tend to be really grainy,' says NBC Select commerce editor Jordan Bowman.
All our testers agreed that if you are looking for high quality photos with sharp details and vivid color, you are better off using your phone (or a more expensive point-and-shoot camera). But if you are looking for photos with an imperfect, vintage aesthetic, you may like the look of this camera's photos.
Too many blurry shots
While most of our team didn't mind the so-so image quality, what we did find annoying was how many shots came out blurry. When NBC Select social video producer Josh Rios looked at his shots, so many were blurry, dark or overly-green that he wanted to put them into Adobe Lightroom to fix them. He started to, then stopped, realizing that adjusting white balance in post-production is almost the opposite of what the Camp Snap camera is intended for. 'I was making this camera into something it wasn't,' says Rios.
Who is the Camp Snap camera for?
The Camp Snap camera is the epitome of a vibes camera. It's something to give to a friend to take pictures with and laugh about later, says Rios. It's an alternative to smartphone photos, something that lets you stay immersed in the real world while still being able to capture the moment, says NBC Select associate reporter Ashley Morris. And it's a camera you can gift to anyone, of any age, regardless of their photography skills. Just know that the Camp Snap camera is more about the joy of taking the photos rather than printing 'high-quality' pictures to frame and display in your home.
Why trust NBC Select?
I am a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including recent stories on point-and-shoot cameras, smartwatches, running shoes and more. For this story, ten NBC Select staffers tried out the Camp Snap camera for about two weeks after the brand sent us samples for review.
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