Kodak’s retro Super 8 camcorder is outrageously expensively, but I’ve found this super-cheap digital alternative
- Screen-free pistol-grip digital camcorder with analog controls
- Four vintage-inspired filters and choice of aspect ratios
- Available for pre-order at the end of July
Call me a sucker for nostalgia, but I’ve long wanted to get my hands on the stunning 21st-century version of the Kodak Super 8. Now I’ve found something that scratches that itch without also requiring that I re-mortgage my house: the Camp Snap CS-8.
Kodak revived the Super 8 last year, and it’s truly something special. Supplied in a custom-made, foam-lined Pelican Case complete with a 6mm detachable lens and pack of 8mm film, the 2024 take on the iconic 1960s home movie camera can shoot both analog and digital video and is built to unimpeachable standards. The eye-watering asking price reflects that: it’s $5,495 (about £4,350 / AU$8,450).
For those seeking a shot of nostalgia at a cost that’s slightly more palatable, there’s always the option to pick up a good-quality original Super 8 camera on the used market. Or you could just go cheap, modern and digital. Step forward the Camp Snap CS-8, launching very soon.
If the name rings a bell, it’s because the Redondo Beach, California-based company Camp Snap is responsible for the tiny, distinctive and vibrant screen-free point-and-shoot digital camera of the same moniker. Oozing retro appeal and available in a wide array of color finishes, this stripped-back 8MP snapper is yours for a mere $69.95 / £53 / $110 (and it resides in our best cameras for kids guide).
Clearly, the Camp Snap doesn’t perform like a Fujifilm X100IV – and in fact it’s kind of missing the point to even compare it to what most of us might class as a “real” digital camera. But I think its simplicity and “in the moment” unobtrusiveness makes it perfect for documenting weekend trips or handing to kids who want to take their first steps into photography. The basicness is the point.
Pull that trigger
The Camp Snap CS-8 brings that very same low-tech, high-charm approach to a digital camcorder. Just like the film-based Super 8s of the past, it sports a pistol grip design – recording when the user holds down the trigger, stopping when it’s released. A small electronic viewfinder is used, but only for live composition – there are no menus to browse through and no options to play back recordings in-camera. Recording are instead stored on SD card (a 4GB card comes in the box) and can be off-loaded to your computer via USB-C (also used to recharge the battery).
The CS-8 comes with a selection of digital filters and the option to flip between four aspect ratios (1:1, 9:16, 4:3 or 16:9) on the fly, allowing users to record social media-ready clips without the need for any off-camera editing. All of these are selected by twisting old-fashioned dials, while remaining battery life and storage can be tracked by glancing at the needle’s position on an analog meter. The only other control you need to worry about are the buttons that zoom in and out.
The price for all this retro gorgeousness? A mere $199 (which currently converts to around £147 / AU$302), with pre-orders starting on 31 July. That’s just 3.64% the price of Kodak’s new Super 8.
Camp Snap has sent us a CS-8 to test, so look out for a full, in-depth review here very soon. Do let us know in the comments if there’s anything in particular you’d like us to focus on when we take this old-timer camcorder for a test drive.
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Screen-free pistol-grip digital camcorder with analog controls Four vintage-inspired filters and choice of aspect ratios Available for pre-order at the end of July Call me a sucker for nostalgia, but I’ve long wanted to get my hands on the stunning 21st-century version of the Kodak Super 8. Now I’ve found…
