Kodak SnaPic A1: Kodak’s Premium “Disposable”
Yesterday I finally had the time to take the Kodak SnapPic A1 out for a proper walk in Oslo. Kodak’s idea here feels like a premium disposable, if that’s even a category we’re allowed to invent, but that’s honestly the best way to describe it. The camera offers two focus modes, one close and one far, an LED display that shows how many frames you’ve taken, multiple flash modes including auto flash and low-light flash, and even auto rewind. On paper, it sounds more capable than it ends up feeling in practice.
I loaded it with Kodak Portra 400. It felt right. If you’re shooting a Kodak camera, you might as well stay loyal to the ecosystem.
Walking through Oslo with Kim, the SnapPic A1 around my neck, the camera became part of the conversation rather than the focus. Moments first, settings second.
I mixed things up while shooting. Some frames with flash, some without. Street scenes, passing people, small details, nothing staged. And pretty quickly, the quirks of the camera started to reveal themselves. The flash mode button on the left side is almost too easy to hit. Because the camera has no auto sleep mode, it stays powered on even when you’re not actively using it. So it is very easy to accidentally fire frames while walking, especially when the camera bumps against your chest or stomach. That happened more than once. I also managed to unintentionally cycle through flash modes without noticing, which adds an element of surprise that feels less creative and more costly.
That said, the camera does perform exactly as promised. This is not a camera that will create wonders. It won’t give you razor-sharp results or deep control. But it will give you decent, usable photos. It feels like a disposable camera that’s been given better materials and a bit more confidence. A professional disposable, if that phrase makes any sense at all.
Would I recommend it for a party? Maybe. That’s probably where it fits best. There aren’t many cameras like this on the market right now, although Kodak’s own half-frame cameras might be a better choice for many people. Especially when you consider the price. In Norway, the SnapPic A1 costs around 150 US dollars, which is a lot to ask for something that’s meant to be playful and simple. That price naturally raises expectations, and the camera doesn’t always meet them.
In the end, this is a fun camera. That’s really what it’s made for. It’s good at telling a story, even if it’s not a technically impressive one. I just wish it offered a little more for the price. So don’t walk into it with big hopes, but also don’t be surprised if it delivers a few genuinely great shots when you least expect it. That’s probably the best way to describe the SnapPic A1.
