The Reto Ultra Wide & Slim is a small, lightweight plastic camera requiring no batteries. The Reto film camera has a fixed f11 aperture, a single 1/125th of a second shutter speed, and a 2-element focus-free plastic lens. But what caught our attention here was the wide 22mm focal length.
If you’re new to film photography as we are, you must have wondered if anyone would start making new film cameras again. This question was answered when the Reto Ultra Wide & Slim was announced in January 2022. We got one a couple of months later, and we will tell you everything you need about it in this review.
We got ours in early 2022 when we realized what we wanted to accomplish with film photography couldn’t be done with a disposable camera. We researched for a bit, and, at the time, we didn’t want to buy anything used.
We wanted a new film camera that was outside the price range of a Lomo LC+A camera, and this is how we ended up with a gray Reto camera.
Where can you buy this film camera?
You can find the Reto camera for sale on Amazon, Foto Impex, Safe Light Berlin, and the Reto shop.
How does the Reto camera work? Let’s talk about the Reto camera itself.
The Reto camera uses 35mm film, is focus-free, and has a standard viewfinder. This is a simple camera to use without a metering system or flash. There is no need for batteries due to its manual film wind and rewind. Our favorite feature is the 22mm wide lens, which works well with the fixed f11 aperture and a 1/125 second shutter speed.
This means you’ll need to choose your film wisely based on the shooting conditions, but you’ll learn this by yourself once you shoot the first few rolls and see the difference with your own eyes.
The Reto camera weighs less than 70 grams and measures 100mm x 59mm x 28mm. It comes in five colors and is an excellent option for an easy-to-use, lightweight travel camera. We have two of them here. First, we got the gray one, and we loved it so much that we got a pink as well.
Now… Enough with the technical talk about the Reto film camera. How is it to shoot with?
We managed to get some great shots with the camera during the summer of 2022, and we found it to be a fun and reliable camera. Its compact size made it easy to carry around in our pockets, fanny packs, and even on our bike packs. And the best thing is that we didn’t even have to worry about batteries or different settings.
The wide-angle lens was perfect for capturing landscapes and architecture around Berlin. The fixed aperture and shutter speed gave my photos a consistent look.
If you’re in the market for a compact, portable film camera that’s easy to carry while traveling, you must consider the Reto Ultra Wide & Slim.
What film to use with a Reto Ultra Wide & Slim?
We found it best to use ISO 100 or 200 films for bright and sunny days, while ISO 400 is a good choice for slightly overcast days. We tested this camera through the summer months with different films.
First, we used a Kodak Gold 200 and an AGFA 100. Later we decided to use more black and white films, and we tried it with a Kodak TRI-X400 that was fantastic, a gorgeous Lomochrome Purple and a Street Candy roll before they stopped selling it. And we have to say that we cannot complain about any of the films we used and how the Reto camera behaved with them.
Suppose you’re used to cameras with exposure, aperture, or shutter speed controls. In that case, you must adjust your shooting style with this camera. You won’t have these features to rely on, so paying attention to the lighting conditions and choosing your film accordingly is essential. This is a crucial tip from us to you.
Using an ISO 100 film on a cloudy day could result in underexposed images, while shooting an ISO 800 or higher film might be too fast for the fixed shutter speed in daytime shooting conditions. However, it could be an option for low-light photography. But we didn’t even try using a film above ISO 400 because of that. A film with a higher ISO like this is better for a camera with proper settings.
Despite its simplicity, the Reto camera is entertaining to use. It feels more like a point-and-shoot or a toy camera. The Reto Ultra Wide & Slim gives excellent results for such a small and simple camera, and it’s still a lot of fun to shoot if you are looking for something simple.
Its simplicity is a significant part of its charm, and it’s why we love it so much. Also, its ultra-wide lens makes it perfect for capturing travel moments.
If you’re looking for a small camera to take on your next adventure, the Reto Ultra Wide & Slim might be worth checking out.
A bit about the Reto Camera Ultra Wide & Slim
This Reto Ultra Wide & Slim is Reto‘s second offering, following their 3D camera that we never tried before, but we are extra curious about it. But this camera isn’t anything new.
In January 2022, when Reto announced their second addition to their camera lineup, some people realized they had seen something similar. The Reto camera with wide lenses felt like a reboot of the Vivitar version from a few decades ago. We don’t have any problem with that, so… Why not?
Based on what we understood, there was a Vivitar Wide camera before a Reto camera. Similar to the one we talked about before. This Vivitar camera appeared a few decades ago with almost the same technical specs and name. It had the same aperture, shutter speed, and a focus-free 22mm lens.
Because of its simple controls and wide lenses, it became popular in the lo-fi photography community. But even though the camera carried the Vivitar name, it wasn’t made by Vivitar. The camera came from Sunpet Industries in Hong Kong.
Through the years, Sunpet has used this design for film cameras of different brands and styles. One of them got somewhat famous in the early 2000s, in what we believe was the first wave of Lomography. It was manufactured for Superheadz, and it’s the most well-known.
Sometimes we spot it on eBay but have yet to see one for sale here in Berlin.
The Reto Ultra Wide & Slim is an excellent camera for capturing travel memories on film. If you’re willing to work within its limitations, you’ll be rewarded with stunning, wide-angle images that showcase the beauty of your travels. Still, it requires extra attention to lighting conditions and film selection. Get yours before your next trip, load it with some film, and take magical pictures.
You can find the Reto camera for sale on Foto Impex, Amazon, Safe Light Berlin, and the Reto shop.
