Kodak Ektar H35N Owners Review

Are you looking for an affordable film camera that you can take almost anywhere to capture memories? The Kodak Ektar H35N might just be what you are looking for! This is a real world review by me, Mary Ann Mustard, a very amateur photographer and weekend explorer who just wants to make the most of life and remember the good times!

This review is not sponsored and I have no incentive to write this review (besides hopefully helping you on your camera journey). Some links are affiliate links, using them would help me out to keep writing guides and reviews just like this one!

My Kodak Ektar H35N film camera

Overview

• What Is The Kodak Ektar H35N?

• How To Use It

• What It’s Like To Own

• Picture Quality And Samples

• Final Verdict

What Is The Kodak Ektar H35N?

The Kodak Ektar H35N is a budget point-and-shoot style film camera made by legacy film and camera brand, Kodak. This camera uses 35mm film (the most common film rolls available) and only uses half a frame for each picture. “What does that mean?” you ask? Each frame of film that a regular camera would use for a whole picture, this camera uses just half of the frame, and with all that extra space, it fits 2 pictures on one frame of film. This also means that you are taking pictures in portrait (taller, not loger) that better suit viewing on your mobile phone and sharing on social media. Maybe the best part about shooting on half frame is you get twice as many photos on one roll of film. A 24 exposure roll of film now takes 48 pictures and 36 frames is now 72 pictures, all rolls of film are now always 50% off if you're into a bit of “girl math”, adding to this cameras affordability.

The difference between full frame (left) and half frame (right).

The Kodak Ektar H35N is mostly made of plastic, making it light, surprisingly durable and keeping the cost down, but this can make some of the moving parts unreliable for some people. There are almost no settings you can adjust on this camera other than the flash (which requires a AAA battery that's easily changeable) and a star filter than you can flick down in front of the lens. This might be frustrating if you are a more advanced photographer and you want more control of your final image, however, if you have little or no experience with cameras or are looking for a no-fuss, point and shoot experience, this camera does exactly what you need it to!

How To Use It

The Kodak Ektar H35N is essentially a reusable disposable camera. You don't need to be a photography expert to figure this camera out and is extremely beginner friendly.

Loading the film is easy and straightforward with exact instructions easy to find if you're ever unsure (Check them out here if you need). Now all you need to do is take a photo and wind the film again. In most cases I recommend turning the flash on, the lighter and brighter it is where you are taking the picture, the better the picture is going to look. This really is all there is to it! The simplicity of this camera really makes the shooting experience easy and non intrusive to the moment you are trying to capture. Once you have used all of your film and reached the end of the reel, you simply rewind all your frames, take the film out and replace it with a new roll to continue capturing memories. You do have to develop your film rolls to see the photos you've taken but I promise that the wait is worth it!

What It’s Like To Own

I have had this camera for almost a whole year now and I have really, really enjoyed having it. I bought my Kodak Ektar H35N for around $90 AUD and I take this thing with me everywhere I go, most of the time keeping it at the bottom of my bag incase a good moment pops up that I want to capture. Because of this cameras light weight and relatively low cost, the fear of breaking this camera has never gotten in the way of me packing it in whatever bag I leave the house with. Because of the Kodak Ektar H35N’s ease of use, I will happily give this camera to anyone around me to take a photo for me, whether it’s someone I know or a complete stranger.

Not wanting to waste film, I only take 2-3 pictures to capture a moment before putting the camera back down or passing it around the group. I've noticed people are more open to give a bigger smile and be a little more goofy and relaxed with a film camera compared to a digital camera or a phone. There's a sense of security that no one can see the photo we just took and no potential for the instant embarrassment of a bad photo, and certainly not 10 of them in a row.

The Kodak Ektar H35N is pretty compact and able to fit in most jacket pockets. The small size does however mean that your finger can easily slip in front of the lens. This was definitely the case for me but something i'll be more mindful of as I continue using it.

The only real issue I have had with this camera is that over time, the rotating lense frame to turn the flash on and off gets really stiff to the point of not being able to use my bare hands. This only really started after the 6 month mark of owning and regularly using the camera and for me isn't a deal breaker when considering the low cost of the Kodak Ektar H35N.

Picture Quality And Samples

I have to admit, the Kodak Ektar H35N does not take the best quality photos you'll ever see. I’ve been using Kodak Gold as my film of choice, mainly because it’s an affordable option, readily available and I love the colour quality. This camera has a tendency to get grainy if the lighting isn't super bright and the lack of good quality lens glass means your images will be on the softer side. This does however emulate a retro and pretty vibey effect that I personally love the look of! Here are some pictures i've taken using the Kodak Ektar H35N with Kodak Gold film.

Outdoors on a sunny day

Morning light from inside a swag

Afternoon, sunny day in the city

Bright day with a bit of cloud cover

Sunny day with some clouds - beach

Sunny clear morning in the city

Afternoon and overcast

Bright day but in a rainforest

Sunny day with some clouds - beach

Afternoon sun in the city

Final Verdict

I have been using the Kodak Ektar H35N as more of a “memory catcher” as opposed to a way of taking award winning works of art and I think that's exactly what it's designed for. This go-anywhere, give to anyone, affordable, lightweight and compact camera has been a great companion for the adventures i've been on in this past year. If you are looking for better picture quality and more control of the final outcome, you will likely need a camera that can do a bit more and likely cost a lot more. You can still get the Kodak Ektar H35n for around $90 AUD, making it a very affordable option in today's camera market. Sure, this camera isn't amazing/ blow your socks off, but for a budget option, the value proposition here is still quite impressive. The main things to be aware of while using this camera is making sure there is enough light where you are taking the photo (the flash is your friend) and try to keep your fingers out of the frame.

Using the Kodak Ektar H35N has been easy and enjoyable and I don't plan on replacing it anytime soon.

You can find the Kodak Ektar H35N to purchase here: https://amzn.to/3KDUFhG

And the Kodak Gold film here: https://amzn.to/4ndVY5z

If you’re not sure if film photography is for you, follow me over on instagram or subscribe down below so you don't miss the next blog post (coming out very soon) that i've written to help make your decision.