If you’ve priced a used point-and-shoot lately, you know the situation is grim to say the least. Olympus Stylus clamshells that once sold for pocket change now command several hundred dollars on eBay, and a Contax T3 will run you more than a decent mountain bike.
Thankfully, Kodak licensee Reto has clearly been watching, because its new Kodak EC35 borrows the best trick from those cult classics and sells it for $35.
The Clamshell Comeback
The EC35’s defining feature is its sliding lens cover, a direct nod to the Mju-style compacts that defined ’90s street photography. Slide it shut and it locks the shutter, meaning the camera can rattle around a tote bag or back pocket without burning frames on accidental shots of your own leg.
Obviously, the glass underneath is not Stylus-grade by any means. The 25mm lens is a 2-element acrylic affair with a fixed f/10 aperture and a single 1/100-second shutter speed, which puts image quality squarely in drugstore disposable territory.
But that lo-fi, flash-blasted look is exactly what Gen Z is chasing right now, and the EC35 delivers it without generating a plastic corpse after every 36 exposures.
Refillable, Not Disposable
Everything here is manual: wind, rewind, the whole tactile ritual. The built-in flash runs off a single AA battery (not included, along with the film), and it weighs just102 grams. The camera also clocks in under five inches wide making it truly pocketable for EDC.
The EC35 slots in beneath Reto’s $100 Snapic A1 and the $50 Ektar H35 half-frame in the brand’s steadily growing analog lineup. No zone focusing, no double exposures. Just point, shoot, and wind.
Seven Flavors of Nostalgia
The camera comes in seven different colorways including Midnight Black, Vanilla White, Butter Yellow, Lavender, Powder Blue, Blush Pink, and Avocado Green. Each one gets a slightly contrasting lens cover, and even the black model sports subtle accents that elevate it nicely.
Spec Sheet
Model: Kodak EC35
Film Format: 35mm
Lens: 25mm 2-element optical-grade acrylic
Aperture: f/10 (fixed)
Shutter Speed: 1/100s (fixed)
Flash: Built-in (1x AA battery, not included)
Film Transport: Manual wind and rewind
Dimensions: 119 x 65 x 41.5mm
Weight: 102g
Construction: ABS plastic
Colors: 7x
Pricing & Availability
The Kodak EC35 is available now for $34.99 directly through Reto’s web store or Amazon, with a strap included in the box (film and battery are not). Several colorways are reportedly already selling out, so don’t dawdle if you’re set on the Avocado Green. Head over to Reto’s Kodak site to check it out.
Recap
Kodak EC35 35mm Film Camera
Reto revives the ’90s clamshell compact formula with the Kodak EC35, a $35 reusable point-and-shoot that replaces the drugstore disposable for good.
