In 2025, I reviewed the Echolens camera — and really fell in love with it. Sure, it’s got some hardware associated problems, but it’s by and large one of the only cameras that I’d ever want to carry around with me. Recently, the brand updated their app to allow for even more filters. And from the naming convention, some of them even seem to be going after looks like Cinestill 800T — a film with some of the most unique renderings you’ll ever find. So we’ve updated our review accordingly.
You can read the full text of the Echolens camera review at this link, but below is the updated text.
Update February 2026
Since reviewing the camera back in November 2025, Echolens has given the app new updates that show us a preview of what’s to come. The original four image filters are now going to be expanded on. And some have some pretty fascinating names, insinuating that they’re based on actual film emulsions. For example there’s CineSpill 800T and Velvide. Plus, there’s the Ekstra and Soft Pro 400 filters.
At the moment, when you load these filters onto your camera, they don’t really seem to work.
Echolens told me a while ago that I’d be part of a beta program — and so this could be them trying to add more water to the pancake batter that is the app. With that said, they still need time to cook.
This would put it up pretty squarely against the Camp Snap system — which has a huge mod community but doesn’t have hardware that’s necessarily as likable as the Echolens. If you really want more of a vintage feeling then both the Echolens and the Flashback 35v2 are incredibly hard to beat.
As a matter of transparency, please believe me when I say that I’ve got solid amounts of trust in all of these companies. What we’re seeing here are just minor firmware issues that don’t really get in the way of enjoying the camera and the experience. But most Japanese-made cameras these days have menu systems that require you to go through and customize the entire thing without the use of a search bar that understands common language. To that end, many of the modern cameras have been enshitified.
With these newer brands — you’re not enshitified. You’re understanding exactly what you’re buying and you’re buying into that experience. That’s why when I read CNET’s review of the Flashback 35, I was so shocked. It’s not supposed to have the settings adjustment option, the idea of “better photos” is very subjective because lab tests these days are moot, and it’s not really a gimmick when no one else has really done anything like this.
Cameras like these, including the Echolens, are designed for those of us who want to get away from screens more and more. And if you’re considering this camera, you’d really better get ready to embrace that.