This is Better than the Kodak Charmera

The latest from the Phoblographer for November 18th, 2025.

Author

Chris Gampat
November 18, 2025

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Here’s the latest:

The S5 II Nears the End of Product Life

By Chris Gampat

November 18, 2025

We updated our Panasonic S5 II review recently. Our update talks about the new firmware changes from firmware 3.4 as well as an issue with the shutter button becoming faulty after some time. If you want to just see the update, please see below. At this point, I don't think we should be expecting more firmware for the camera. It's pretty much at the end of its life.

Give Your Fingers a Plush Feeling – Camp Snap Is In Velvet Now

By Feroz Khan

November 18, 2025

We love our compact cameras and adore retro products; we certainly enjoyed the Camp Snap camera, which combines the best of both worlds. What if we told you there's an extra level of enjoyment you can experience with a new version of Camp Snap now, one that provides an added tactile pleasure. Read on to know more.

This Photographer Tried To Document an Entire Society. But Did it Work?

By Nilofer Khan

November 18, 2025

The early 20th century was a time of wonder. Photography has gradually taken root in the art world, and many creative minds have turned to it to document the world around them. One of them was German photographer August Sander, who decided to achieve something far more ambitious (and somewhat authoritarian): he wanted to photograph a whole country. Considered to be the most important creator of that time, his work continues to have a sway even today. But was his idea so novel that it requires a place even now?

Top 5 Cameras in Gen Z’s Most-Searched List Before Black Friday

By Nilofer Khan

November 18, 2025

Young photographers often wait for discounts or rebates to purchase a camera that they have been eyeing for a while. We chose to examine the devices that have been trending on Google Trends over the past 10 days, and it appears that the most searched options have been vintage offerings. If you are someone who is keen on sustaining Y2K aesthetics, these cameras can be what you have been looking for. Have a peek.

Echolens Review: The Kodak Charmera on Steroids

By Chris Gampat

November 18, 2025

While all the other photo publications are chasing companies that don't care about us for review units on the newest cameras, I've decided a while ago that I've mostly given up on the big three. At this point, asking the non-existent avodacos in my fridge to stop browning feels easier than asking Canon, Nikon, and Sony to make something for photographers first. And I know that I speak for communities of photographers out there who face reality with a dose of therapy -- that's why so many new point-and-shoot cameras are popping up. And most recently, the Echolens has found its way into my office. To be honest, this is the most enjoyable experience I've had with one of these digicams all year.

The Look of Nikon’s Most Iconic DSLR: In a Preset

By Chris Gampat

November 17, 2025

We really worked very hard to get the look of the old Nikon D700 in a great preset.. Our presets are designed to make editing a minimal task so you can get back to shooting! We're in love with Retro Digital. Luckily, that's when we founded the website closer to two decades ago. So we dove into our image archives, looked at how the Adobe Gurus were telling us how to edit, and adapted those methods to create our Retro Digital Lightroom Presets and Capture One Styles. These are in addition to the popular Photojournalism presets that we released a while back.

Why This Pentax Camera Could be Exactly What You Need

By Chris Gampat

November 17, 2025

I reviewed the Pentax 17 a while back, and even updated the review after a really long time. For most of us, this camera is probably something that you won't even bother paying attention to. I mean, it's a film camera: and you have to be a fan of doing that. Plus it limits you in many ways and is fairly expensive for what it is. In my walks around NYC, I also never see people using this camera at all. Instead, there are lots of other point and shoots people are picking up that appeal to them. Recently though, after nearly 16 years of reviewing cameras and 20 years in the journalism world, I've come to a very different point from lots of people who buy and shoot with cameras.

The Best Wide Lenses From a Decade Ago For Young Photographers

By Nilofer Khan

November 17, 2025

Young photographers have a wide range of options to choose from. They not only get the opportunity to buy vintage cameras and lenses from decades ago, but also newer tech that allows them to bring their vision to life. However, the latter can be a pinch on your pocket, with third-party lenses being the only way out. If you use a mirrorless camera, these older lenses can be of assistance with the right converter. Thus, lenses in the 20mm to 25mm range can be great if you are into street, astrophotography, or environmental portraits. Without further ado, let's dive in.

This Accessory Broke a Camera. We’d Never Recommend It

By Chris Gampat

November 17, 2025

Every now and again, I highlight great work that we've done for the photography industry via our reviews. And recently, I was reminded of a product that we warned against using for a very long time. But as Google Searches and paid ads go, sometimes the real journalism get silenced. Back in 2013, we reviewed a product called the B-Grip Evo camera belt. When using it, it broke a camera and a lens. While many other reviewers would just simply not write anything, I've always encouraged the staff here to lean into their feelings. And that's exactly what we did back then.