Camp Snap CS-8 Video Camera 2025: Tested and Reviewed

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Lately, something unexpected has been brewing in the world of personal photography: analog-inspired cameras are quietly stealing the spotlight from the ever-present-in-our-hands smartphone. A growing number of Millennials are shunning sleek smartphone cameras in favor of tapping into their nostalgia for using lo‑fi digital devices of yore (even Gen Zers are also hopping on this train, though they never experienced the early 2000s firsthand).

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram, as disruptive to the concept of photography and videography as they may have been upon their release, are ironically now reviving that era’s imperfect charm. The grainy, washed‑out, slightly blurry aesthetic (complete with flash halos and date‑stamp nostalgia) is now coveted among younger creators seeking a kind of pathway to “authenticity”. The glossy perfection of iPhone content capture has begun to feel, admittedly, a bit sterile and predictable.

Although there is a case to be made that this isn’t just about “everything old is new again” or decades-old aesthetics eventually coming back around. Maybe it’s simply the pendulum swinging the other way from the instant gratification era of content capture — the tactile process of pulling out a separate camera and waiting to see results later, or filming on a camcorder and viewing the clips on your SD card when you get home, directly resists the instant feedback loop of endless quick phone shots and swipe-on filters. Enter the Camp Snap CS‑8, a charm‑filled throwback camcorder built for today’s digital-first, analog-appreciating storyteller.

The conscious choice to experience photography as an activity and not simply a means to an end has become particularly attractive of late. The trend has sparked a surge in demand for retro‑style gadgets: old point‑and‑shoot models are flying off shelves, and the global vintage cameras market is projected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2024 to $1.8 billion by 2033. Brands like Camp Snap are releasing intentionally lo‑fi gear designed around those same sensibilities, and the CS-8 is their latest hat toss into the ring.

We’ve admired Camp Snap’s original still camera in the past for its budget-friendly, screen‑free design, so when the CS‑8 was revealed, I was eager to try it out for myself. Priced at $149 during this pre-order period (then $199 retail), it aims to capture the spirit of the Super 8 in a quirky digital camcorder — without needing 8 mm film or a film lab. This minimalist, pistol-grip contraption has analog dials and no screen, and for someone looking to slow down and create mood-rich clips (or just break away from smartphone video), it’s a charming little rebel of a camera. But I decided to put it through its paces shooting a weekend at Lollapalooza — let’s see how it fared.

Camp Snap CS-8 Review: How It Works

Picking up the CS‑8 feels like immediately stepping into a time machine. Its boxy black-and-silver body, trigger-style grip, analog battery and memory meters all echo the Super 8 cameras of the Sixties and Seventies (although in practice, the footage quality and usage felt more reminiscent of 2000s digital camcorders). There’s no playback screen or menus, just the viewfinder, the dials, and the trigger to start and stop filming. It’s intentionally restrictive, which does make you want to commit to what you’re shooting and then keep it moving. But a major boon is its ability to be ready-to-shoot out of the box, with user-friendly controls that feel tactile and intuitive, even if you have zero familiarity with the original Kodak Super 8.

There’s a simply On/Off dial, and boot-up time is a few seconds at most (ask me how fast my trigger-finger was when Sabrina Carpenter brought Earth, Wind, and Fire out onto the stage). You’ll need a free hand to zoom in or out with the T and W buttons, but that’s part of the analog experience. The camera’s rubber eyecup and a padded cushion are comfortable, and while I don’t love how plasticky the entire thing feels compared to “real” retro cameras, this allows for it to handle super, super lightweight. Looking through the viewfinder, and you’ll see the time, a battery life indicator, and your selected filter. You can also attach a lanyard to a loop on the camera, and there’s a hole at the bottom for setting it up on a tripod.

The video resolution goes up to 4K, depending on the aspect ratio, and the camera offers twist‑dial controls to change between these ratios: 4:3 (classic home movie), 16:9 (widescreen), 1:1 (square) and 9:16 (for Reels or TikTok). There are also five fixed-in filters, including Standard, Vintage 1 (which has a Y2K-feeling tone), Vintage 2 (sepia-warm), Analog (grained low‑fps), and B&W. You can zoom up to 8× digitally, which is fairly impressive, though visual quality drops the closer you get. Unlike early Super 8 cameras (film with sound didn’t hit the market until 1973), the CS-8 has a built-in speaker that records mono audio.

Battery life was solid. After a full charge via USB‑C, I recorded around 30 clips — mostly short sequences— before needing recharge. Camp Snap claims roughly 5 hours of footage per 4 GB card with two analog meters keeping track of your battery life and storage, and supports up to 128 GB (~16 hours). That matched my real‑world use pretty well. The USB-C cable also connects the device to a computer to download files. Pro tip: although it’s a little antithetical to the whole camera’s ethos, if you really want to check on your footage on the go, you can upload videos directly to your phone using the cable and review footage IRT under your “Files” app.

Let’s talk video specs — the CS-8 shoots in encoded H.264 (MP4) at a frame rate of about 30 fps, so your file size won’t be too crazy. You won’t be able to switch between filters in the middle of filming a clip either, but that’s wasn’t a huge dealbreaker for me.

I took the CS‑8 on a long weekend covering Lollapalooza 2025 in Chicago, filming everything from wandering crowds, to Chance the Rapper’s surprise 15-minute-long set. Recording was simple enough — you pull and hold the trigger, release to stop, and with each pull you start a fresh clip. While holding down the trigger may feel annoying (and there’s no “beep” to indicate that you’ve stopped recording), I preferred that over fiddling around with bloated menus. It made every clip feel deliberate yet spontaneous.

Switching aspect ratios and filters via the clickable dials was almost meditative — one click for 9:16 for Insta stories, a quick twist to Analog for moody sunset shots, or B&W for concert set sequence. The UI is limited, but charming nonetheless. Shockingly, it performed better in low light than I initially expected, although I’d still recommend shooting in broad daylight for the best results.

This is where personal taste comes in — the CS‑8‘s resolution can theoretically reach 4K at 30fps depending on settings, but most of my clips looked slightly grainy, especially zoomed sequences (although that does have its charm). The Analog filter though was more of a disappointment, the “grain” too fakey, repetitive, and obtrusive to accurately capture what true film grain looks and feels like. There are so many Instagram filters and video editing apps that replicate this more genuinely, so this feels like a big miss, especially for a camera banking on that nostalgia factor.

Audio is also serviceable, and tinny at best — birds, street chatter, and wind all seep in, and there’s no stereo or gain control. It fits the retro mood, but a clip of me and my teammates clinking glasses and laughing came out much clearer than the audio-obliterating bass on the footage I shot of Doechii’s set. To review clips, I connected via USB‑C to my laptop; they show up as standard MP4s, and are easily ready to drag, drop, and share.

Camp Snap CS-8: Pros & Cons

From the delightfully retro, screen-free focus, to the lack of audio control and stabilization, here’s what you should consider before picking up the CS-8.

CS-8 Pros:

CS-8 Cons:

Camp Snap CS-8: Final Verdict

The Camp Snap CS‑8 just isn’t the tool for videographers chasing high resolution or pro features. But if you’re drawn to analog charm and the creative spontaneity of never knowing exactly just what you’ll get, it delivers exactly what it promises. The CS‑8 leans into the quirks of an aging medium, just translated into digital form.

Would I love sharper close-ups and a little stabilization? Even an optical zoom? Sure, but then the whole experience wouldn’t feel as genuine. Instead, the CS‑8 reminds me of waiting for film prints: there’s excitement in discovering what you captured days later. Your footage won’t make a blockbuster, but it might bring that family road trip or outdoor concert to life more authentically.

The CS‑8 is also, notably, not a smartphone alternative. For $149 pre-order (and just $199 retail), it’s a minimal‑tech creative tool that’s refreshing and a hell of a lot of fun. I highly recommended for anyone who wants to capture memorable moments (or just everyday life) without getting sidetracked by screens. It’s a joyful, imperfect little camcorder, and if “living in the moment” is your creative goal, it’s hard not to love.