It’s no secret that film (and developing costs) have gotten expensive recently. A roll of 35mm can cost $15 nowadays. That’s a lot of money for 36 shots – which is why we love the Kodak Ektar H35 half-frame film camera – it takes double the number of shots so you can capture even more memories on one roll!
I love shooting film, there is a quality to it you just don’t get on digital even when you edit your photos with that film aesthetic. With no preview, getting them developed is always a surprise, and even the ones that don’t quite turn out how you expect have a certain magic to them. What I love about the Kodak Ektar H35 is you can be very creative with your shots and take two different perspectives or two complimentary shots to create one final image.
Even though I own one of the best film cameras ever created (the Nikon FM2) I still love a cheap, easy-to-use point-and-shoot. If I’m out with friends, it’s so much easier to have a camera with a built-in flash and simple exposure controls so that anyone can use it. Trying to explain how to focus and check the light meter on a “proper” film camera takes time and energy I just don’t have.
Since it’s made of plastic, the Kodak Ektar H35 is lightweight and pocket-sized, so you can take it with you pretty much anywhere you go. It comes in four different colors, brown, black, sage, and sand – although brown and brown options are the only one currently down to $32 (and, in my opinion, the brown one is the best-looking!). The camera has that real vintage feel to it but it’s worth noting that it’s only a leather look and not actual leather.
Whether you’re looking to get into film photography, or after a cheapish camera you can take everywhere with you, the Kodak Ektar H35 is perfect for beginners to more serious photographers. You might have to watch a video on how to load the film correctly (otherwise you’ll end up with a blank roll of film which is very disappointing) but that will be the most challenging bit of using this camera.