My favorite retro compact camera just got a major glow-up — but should you buy the original or the new model?

My friends are never surprised when I break out my Camp Snap camera. Whether we’re out for dinner, taking a stroll through town, or just out for a couple of drinks, I love snapping pictures so we can all have some memories.

The Camp Snap screen-free digital camera has a permanent place in my bag and comes with me literally everywhere. So when Camp Snap announced the new CS-Pro camera in September 2025, I was pretty excited. The new camera comes with major upgrades but also an increased price tag, so which one should you buy?

What’s the price tag?

Both cameras are under $100, but the new CS-Pro comes with a higher price tag, and increased capabilities along with it. The original Camp Snap screen-free camera is available for $69 on the Camp Snap website, and the brand new CS-Pro is available for $99 from the Camp Snap website.

Both cameras are still available for purchase, and I’d even argue that if you were so inclined, having both cameras is a good thing. Despite having the newer version, I think the original gives a totally retro vibe, whereas the CS-Pro replicates the needs digi-cam vibe that is more popular today.

Tech specs

What’s the difference?

As you can see, the CS-Pro brings some major upgrades in areas Camp Snap users have been asking for, including the sensor, which has double the resolution. Images now look crisper, and there is even an opportunity for some cropping without sacrificing too much image quality.

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But my favorite upgrade is the flash. The original Camp Snap had an LED flash built into the camera, which, while effective, often left subjects looking like a deer in the headlights and had a tendency to wash me out.

The new CS-Pro houses a xenon flash, which better encapsulates the full spectrum of color, resulting in results that are more accurate to the real world. The result is better skin tone replication and people not looking shell-shocked by the camera flash.

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The shutter lag has also been noticeably improved, but not entirely eliminated in the new model. When using the old model, there is an issue with missed shots due to the shutter delay, but on the new model, this only happens if taking shots in quick succession.

Filter dial

The filter dial provides a big change and a bit of whimsy to the Camp Snap. On the original model, if you wanted to switch over from color to black and white, you would need to plug the camera into your computer and swap the files using the Camp Snap website. But with the new model, you can do this with the flip of a switch.

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There is a dial mounted to the top of the CS-Pro camera with four filter settings: STD, VTG1, VTG2 and B&W. This makes taking pictures a little more fun and instantly customizes the images. When using the original Camp Snap, I always edit the images in post, but I never need to with the CS-Pro.

Which one should you get?

I love having both of the cameras for different vibes, but if you’re going to buy one, it has to be the CS-Pro. This new camera is certainly better than the original iteration, but the original is still the best way to achieve the retro vibe of a 2000s-era digital camera.

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The CS-Pro’s 16MP makes it a big win, but the xenon flash is what strongly yanked me over to the new version. Its upgraded flash is far better and makes it a more usable camera for a wider variety of situations.

I'd personally opt for the new model. The upgrades that come with the extra $30 are too good to pass up, and it's clear to me that Camp Snap has listened to its long time users to create a vastly improved camera.

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