If you’re searching for an easily portable camera to take with you on a night out, the Camkory is a safe bet.

Digital point-and-shoot cameras have made a massive comeback thanks to Gen-Z. In an effort to bring back the late ’90s and early aughts, Gen-Z is on the search for ways to take more retro-looking pictures. As a recent TechRadar article points out, Google searches for simple cameras like the Nikon Coolpix are up over 8,000% year over year. I’ve spent the past couple of months searching for a cheap digital camera to take out to bars and on my travels with me and after using the Camkory Digital Camera, I think I finally found it.

The Camkory is a point-and-shoot camera made for beginners and those who don’t want worry about losing something expensive while they’re out. I’m notorious for losing things or, more commonly, breaking things, so I wanted a camera that would capture fun pictures while I’m out but wouldn’t cost a lot if I ever needed to replace it. If you’re in the market for an affordable but decent quality camera, the Camkory Digital Camera is a safe bet.

Price, availability and specs

The Camkory Digital Camera is primarily available on Amazon and originally cost $54, but I’ve always seen it on sale for $49. You can also buy the camera on eBay or Temu, but I would stick to Amazon.

What I liked about the Camkory Digital Camera

An easy-to-use point-and-shoot for beginners

There were so many unexpected features of the Camkory that I loved. When I first opened the Amazon package, the camera definitely felt cheaper and more child-like than other cameras I’ve used. It turns out, that’s exactly what I needed.

Before I even began using it, I immediately loved the price and size of the camera. On the higher end, digital point-and-shoots can range between $100-200, so paying less than $50 makes this one totally worth it. The camera is small enough to fit into my fanny pack, purse or even my jean pocket. It doesn’t weigh me down like some other cameras may, which is exactly what I’m looking for when I’m going out and exploring.

Although the Camkory doesn’t have fancy features like my Fujifilm X-T200 does, there are more than enough features for those who want something more simple. The camera is easy to use, you just go to the settings menu and can change the filters, width, and face detection. To take a picture, just point at your target, press the shutter button and snap away.

After you take your picture, you can easily upload the pictures to your phone or laptop by using a microSD card reader. The pictures, once uploaded, have an even better vintage look than I was expecting. On the camera’s screen the pictures look okay, but when I downloaded them to my phone, they looked even better.

What I didn’t like about the Camkory Digital Camera

Limited features and availability

Honestly, there wasn’t much about the Camkory that I didn’t like. I didn’t expect it to have a bunch of features that other cameras have, but if that’s what you’re looking for then you may be disappointed. Although the photos the camera took had that vintage look I wanted, they look grainy and don’t have much definition. The flash also illuminates too much in some pictures, washing out the background as a whole.

Another downside is that the camera is only widely available on Amazon, so if you’re not an Amazon user then you may be out of luck.

Should you buy the Camkory Digital Camera?

Those who want to buy a camera for beginners or those wanting a cheap and easy camera to take with them on the go would get great value out of it. The camera is lightweight, portable and super easy to use so there’s not a big learning curve.

If you want something that will last you a little longer and has more features than you may want to go with a more expensive digital camera.