

Plus you can get any of the paper cases for the same price, so you can change up the look of your camera as often as you want or just whenever the shell is ready to be replaced. You can get two-packs with a radial and six-prism effect lenses or micro and wide-angle lenses for just $25.

The Paper Shoot comes with a basic lens, but other lenses can be swapped in to add special effects.

Even most of the Polaroids and other instant cameras we've tested cost more, and with those you have to factor in the cost of instant film, which is pricey. But I think that's perfectly reasonable for a solid and fun camera such as this, and I generally consider myself cheap.

The number one comment I see on the company's TikTok page is a complaint about the $120 price. The only other button on the Paper Shoot is the shutter, which is placed on the front of the camera, right where your pointer finger naturally wants to sit when holding it. Other than the little switch on the back that flips between those color settings, there's nothing else to mess with. But I liked the effect these limitations had on my photos. There's no flash, so indoor photos need natural light, and night photos may be slightly blurred. Whichever you choose, you’ll capture a memory beautifully, without the extreme high-definition of your phone. There are four photo options: regular color, black and white, sepia tone, and blue tone. The camera's 13-megapixel image sensor produces big photos that have a great old-school feel with just a little bit of grain. The company recommends using a card with 32 gigabytes of storage. Remember when we just had to have faith that it would turn out OK? Instead, you transfer the shots to your computer via the SD card later. When you're taking pictures with it, you stay in the moment without feeling like you have to instantly check that the photos are good (and then probably retake them). Like an old-school analog camera, there are no screens on the Paper Shoot. As a film fan who was craving a more immediate experience-I use film cameras regularly, but buying and developing film is pricey and takes forever-I knew this device was exactly what I needed. I started seeing the Paper Shoot Camera on TikTok a few months ago. I feel something similar every time I see a great film photograph of someone doing nothing special, like sitting at the desk in their first dorm room, hanging out on a road trip with friends, or moving into a new apartment.Įnter the Paper Shoot digital camera, a device that approximates the feel and aesthetic of a film camera without the hassle of developing. She filmed and photographed everything around her, and the documentary left me feeling nostalgic for a life I didn’t live. I recently watched Kid 90, the Hulu documentary by Soleil Moon Frye (aka Punky Brewster), and was overcome by how much amazing footage she had from her life. When I look at an iPhone photo, instead of appreciating the moment, I’m staring at all the flaws the camera has amplified. Digital images are too posed, too hi-def. And yet, the resulting photos are not nearly as good as what we got with film. Unlike previous generations, we can document our world endlessly, with no need to carry a camera or pay-and wait-to get film developed. Our phones give us the ability to take footage of our entire lives.
