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Camp Snap recently enjoyed a successful run with the 103B. It is a basic digital photo camera that borrowed its styling from the disposable film cameras of the past.
Those compact rigs made excellent travel cameras back in the day. Why the 103B caught on so widely still baffles us.
Meanwhile, the company has launched something new. The Camp Snap CS-8 is a digital video camera built to resemble a retro Super 8mm camcorder.
A Nod to the Kodak Super 8
The CS-8 openly takes its inspiration from the Kodak Super 8. It brings back the one-handed shape, so you shoot video while holding the camera in a pistol grip.
As with the earlier photo camera, the design stays old school and has no playback screen. That pushes you to stay in the moment and watch every frame you record.
All the Vintage Controls
At a glance, the CS-8 looks like a genuine vintage Super 8mm camcorder. It repeats the hallmark features of those classic machines: a handle shaped like a pistol grip, a record trigger, and plenty of retro controls and indicators.
Several of those controls are dials. One is the power switch, another sets the aspect ratio (1:1, 9:16, 16:9 or 4:3), and a third picks the vintage filter.
The filter choices are standard film, grainy analog, black and white, faded sepia and washed retro tones. Zooming in and out is handled by rocker buttons.
An analog-style gauge shows the battery level and the SD card space. It is a big dose of nostalgia for people who love vintage camera designs, and it is also pretty weird.
Resolution, Storage and Sound
There is no official word on resolution yet. The Hollywood Reporter got some hands-on time with the camera and says it can shoot up to 4K at 30fps, depending on the aspect ratio you pick.
The camera ships with a 4GB card. When shooting at that resolution and frame rate, the company says the card tops out at 30 minutes of footage.
You can swap in a bigger SD card, since the camera supports up to 128GB. A card that size is estimated to hold 16 hours of footage.
A built-in mic records mono audio. You will probably want to capture sound some other way, because that mic is unlikely to sound good.
How Recording Works
You have to keep the trigger pulled for the entire time you record. Letting go stops the recording automatically.
The next pull starts a new MP4 file. When you finish, pull out the SD card and use a card reader.
Alternatively, connect the camera over USB-C and treat the SD card as an external drive.
Built for a Younger Crowd
As you might guess, this camera targets younger buyers. They probably enjoy the novelty of vintage design while still liking the comforts of digital video.
The aspect ratios reflect that, since they suit popular social platforms. Instagram suits 1:1, Reels and TikTok suit 9:16, and YouTube longform suits 16:9.
The 4:3 option is there simply for that classic camcorder feel.
David Chen
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