Why everyone is talking about it
The Charmera mixes several things TikTok loves at once: blind boxes, keyrings, nostalgia and deliberately imperfect photos. It sold out within a day at launch in 2025, and restocks kept disappearing. Read the full story in our Charmera explainer.
What the reviews agree on
Reviewers are unusually unanimous. PetaPixel called the image quality objectively bad. Amateur Photographer was harsher still, while TechRadar called it the worst camera its reviewer had used, yet still loved it for being so retro. Tom’s Guide summed it up as a camera meant for fun, not serious photography. Results are best outdoors in good light, at a metre or two from your subject.
Volt’s take
Rated as a camera, it would score lower. Rated as what it really is (a fun, inexpensive collectible that takes charming bad photos), it delivers. Buy from official stockists, never pay scalper prices, and if you want the retro look with better results, see our guide to the digicam comeback.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
