Kodak Charmera Review: The Keychain Camera Explained

The Charmera comes in blind box packaging — you won't know which design you're getting until you open it. There are seven retro-styled variants in the collection, each with a different colour and finish. If you're feeling lucky, there's also a secret edition featuring a transparent shell, available at a 1-in-48 probability.

The blind box format makes the Charmera as much a collectible as a camera. Many buyers order multiples hoping to land the transparent edition, or to trade designs with friends. Maplin also stocks a pack of six if you want to maximise your chances — or share them as group gifts.

One practical note: the Charmera cannot be used while it's charging. Charge it up before heading out.

At 1.6 megapixels, the Charmera produces images that are soft, grainy, and low in dynamic range. In good outdoor light, shots have a warm, nostalgic quality — genuinely reminiscent of a cheap disposable camera from the 1980s or 90s. In low light or indoors, results become noticeably murkier, and the automatic LED flash provides limited help at distance.

The fixed-focus f/2.4 lens means there's no manual control over what's sharp — everything is set at a single focal distance, and you accept the results. There's no image stabilisation, so motion blur in moving subjects is common.

None of this is a flaw in the Charmera's design — it's the design. The camera is built to liberate you from the pressure of getting a technically perfect shot. If you're looking for a camera that competes with your smartphone, this isn't it. If you're looking for one that produces images with character and makes you smile when you look at them, that's a different conversation.

The Charmera offers 11 creative options split across two categories:

Filters (7): Cool tone, warm tone, black and white, and four pixel-style filters in red, yellow, blue, and grey. The warm tone filter is the most popular for everyday use, adding a vintage amber cast. The pixel filters are bold — best for abstract or graphic shots rather than portraits or landscapes.

Frames (4): A Kodak-branded frame with film icons and hearts, a painter frame, a classic film strip frame with sprocket holes, and the retro Charmera 1987 frame. All are baked into the image at capture — you can't remove them in post.

Filters and frames are selected before shooting via the rear controls. You choose your mode each time you turn the camera on, so decide your look before you start.

The Charmera shoots video at 1440 × 1080 and approximately 30fps. In practice, footage can appear slightly jerky — partly due to the frame rate and partly due to the lack of stabilisation. Short clips work well; handheld walking shots less so. Think of it as the video equivalent of the stills: lo-fi, characterful, and best viewed as part of the aesthetic rather than a technical output.

The Charmera works best for a specific kind of buyer. It's an excellent fit if you:

• Want a camera that's always with you without adding bulk
• Love lo-fi, vintage, or disposable camera aesthetics
• Are buying a gift for a child or teenager — the simple operation and fun designs make it very accessible from around age 8 upwards
• Are interested in collecting all seven designs
• Find yourself leaving your camera at home because it's too much effort to carry
• Enjoy film photography but don't want the ongoing cost of film

It's a harder sell if you shoot primarily indoors, need reliable low-light performance, or want images you can print large. For those needs, look at our full digital camera range.

Pros

• Genuinely pocketable — clips onto a bag and stays there
• USB-C charging (not micro-USB)
• Fun blind box format — great as a gift or collectible
• No settings to learn — works for any age
• MicroSD storage means no limit on how many shots you take
• Vintage image aesthetic is genuinely appealing in the right conditions

Cons

• 1.6MP resolution — not suitable for printing large or cropping
• Cannot be used while charging
• Video quality can be jerky (however, this can complement the lo-fi look)
• Not ideal for low light
• You can't choose your design — it's a blind box

The Kodak Charmera is available at Maplin for £35, or £45 bundled with a 32GB microSD card. A pack of six is also available at £209.99 — ideal for events, parties, or collectors working through the full set of designs.

Shop the Kodak Charmera at Maplin →