NewsBy FilmFocus
Kodak EC35: A New $35 Entry-Level Film Camera
This is an AI translation of an article originally published in Japanese. If anything reads oddly, the Japanese original is the authoritative version.
Reto Project has announced the Kodak EC35, a Kodak-branded 35mm film camera. It's a simple camera with manual film advance and a built-in flash, and orders opened on Friday, July 17, the same day it was announced. The price is a low $35.
On the spec sheet, the EC35 has a 25mm f/10 acrylic lens with two-group construction and a fixed 1/100 sec shutter. The built-in automatic flash runs on a single AA battery. A distinctive feature is the sliding front cover, which Kosmo Foto points out shares its design language with retro compacts like the Olympus Mju-II. It also doubles as protection for the lens.
On the product page, Reto Project describes it as "a beginner camera that strips away the complexity of film photography and brings back the pure joy of every frame," pitching it as something you can just toss in your bag. It also comes in a wide range of colors, seven in all, a lineup clearly aimed at people just getting into film photography. There's also a starter kit that includes a roll of Kodak Ultramax 400, priced at $45.
Reto Project has released Kodak-branded products aimed at younger buyers before. The Kodak Charmera, a digital camera launched in 2025, drew attention with a design modeled on the Kodak Fling (110 format), Eastman Kodak's first single-use film camera. On the film side, the company also released the Snapic A1 last year, which has a two-group glass lens and automatic film advance.
For users in Japan, this price is roughly the cost of a few disposable cameras. With an acrylic lens and a fixed shutter, it's a no-frills design, but getting a reusable 35mm camera with a flash for $35 is an attractive option for anyone who wants an easy way into film photography.