Flashback ONE35: two-minute overview
For the terminally—sadly—on-line, the ONE35 Digicam’s promise is an alluring one: a digital model of the disposable digicam, providing the identical form of tech you’d have gotten within the 90s with photographs that really feel like they had been shot on movie.
Which means no screens, a xenon flash and no controls barring a pleasingly tactile winding wheel and a toggle to show the flash on. It is a comparable idea to the Camp Snap Camera, solely Flashback goes one step additional – it limits you to the variety of photographs very like a roll of movie, and it’s a must to ‘ship the photographs’ off to be developed one the roll is finished.
That is proper, if you’ve loaded in one of many three several types of movie from the Flashback app, you have solely bought 27 snaps earlier than it’s a must to ship the photographs off to be developed, with a 24 hour wait time earlier than you possibly can see them.
This idea sufficient to provide the Flashback ONE35 an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign. I caught wind of it late final 12 months and as somebody who has been toting an Instax Wide round for each massive social occasion for the final decade, I used to be tempted by a digicam I might maintain in my pocket that might nonetheless let me snap photographs however would not let me see them unexpectedly.
I am sufficiently old to recollect taking disposable cameras out with me the primary time round, and the phantasm right here is powerful. The ONE35 seems like an affordable plastic digicam however the building is sturdy and durable and the digicam is turned on by turning the clicky winder. The flash is shiny and highly effective: sufficient that your complete New 12 months’s Eve social gathering I used to be at turned to have a look at me after every photograph.
The one a part of the digicam’s design that provides me pause is the toggle for that flash, positioned on the entrance of the digicam. This does not lock securely and there is no technique to know whether or not the flash is engaged or not, and it is given me a scare just a few occasions as a result of the flash button has been barely knocked off so it does not hearth. This usually means a ruined photograph if it isn’t completely lit since you’ll need that xenon flash on for just about each situation besides shiny daylight.
The ONE35’s dedication to 90s movie pictures is terrible low-light efficiency. Contemplating the purpose of the ONE35 is that I can spend much less time fascinated with the photographs that I am taking and extra time having fun with the circumstances by which I am snapping them, it is somewhat annoying when a photograph does not work on account of that misaligned flash toggle.
There are another quirks too: I am pretty sure that the ONE35’s viewfinder is out of focus, with photographs wanting barely blurry every time I look by it, and once I maintain the digicam utilizing its grip, my fingers find yourself popping up within the nook of photographs. Neither of those are massive points although, just a few issues that you will have to acclimatize to utilizing the digicam.
It is value persevering although, as a result of the photographs look nice. You have got three totally different movies to decide on between, however all of them have that very same disposable digicam really feel. Your selections are Flashback Basic, Flashback Mono and Flashback Beta.
Basic and Beta supply totally different colour tones however really feel comparable, whereas Mono is your black and white choice. These photographs look nice however technically aren’t good: there is no EXIF knowledge on the photographs and so they come out round 4MP, however they appear positive on a telephone and the noise and grain from the processing by the app disguise the very fact that is in all probability the bottom high quality sensor out of any digicam in my assortment.
The true kicker for me is that to get these photographs you possibly can’t merely use a USB cable, however you will need to undergo the Flashback app which sends them off for “growing” with a 24 hour wait, which is definitely just a few processing at Flashback’s finish.
As novel an thought as that is, it irks me somewhat bit as a result of I do not benefit from the thought of sending an organization my photographs, but additionally as a result of I fear about what occurs if Flashback stops providing this service, as I do not pay for a subscription service. There’ll merely be no technique to get the photographs again.
Nonetheless, if the idea pursuits you greater than it issues you, then Flashback ONE35 is a breath of contemporary air, and I can see it making a superb present – whereas its screen-free design lends itself as a camera for kids.
Flashback ONE35 digicam photograph samples
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Throughout my photographs, colour depth is surprisingly good, significantly within the black and white Mono movie. In any other case, I am an enormous fan of the Beta movie which appears to ship on that nostalgic 90s theme. Nonetheless, I discovered round 30 p.c of my photographs transpire out of focus or poorly lit, which might really feel like a ache particularly with the 24 hour wait time.
Flashback ONE35: Worth and availability
The Flashback ONE35 Digicam is obtainable just about worldwide from JoinFlashback.co. At present it is available in 4 colorways: Orange/Black, Yellow/Black, Purple/White and Teal/White. Within the UK it will set you again £78. Within the US it is $97, whereas in Australia it is $150. The accompanying iOS / Android app is free.
Ought to I purchase the Flashback ONE35 digicam?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
How I examined the Flashback ONE35 digicam
I had the Flashback ONE35 digicam at all times on me, in my pocket, for a number of weeks, throughout which period it has been used to seize snap pictures at events. I’ve used the flash, examined the three movie sorts on supply, and despatched my photographs off by the app.
First reviewed February 2025