The Ilford Sprite 35mm-II Hands-On Review

Let The Good Times Roll (in black & white or color!)

Taylor hits the nail right on the head in her review video. At first (or even second) glance, the Ilford Sprite 35mm-II doesn’t seem quite impressive, and that’s because it’s not. Not in the traditional sense, anyway.

Like other analog cameras, the Sprite 35-II impresses for different reasons. Reasons tied closer to the heartstrings. From the way you initially load it with your choice of film stock, the way you shoot without worrying about anything besides the subjects in front of you, to the authenticity of needing to wait to get your scans back before you can review what you created. Even its old-school aesthetic — like the seemingly intentional grainy shots — creates a feeling you can't replicate in professional cameras.

There are no technical barriers, no settings to mess with, nothing to distract you from what you're doing, and nothing to disguise (or make up for) any weaknesses, creatively speaking.

What do I mean here? As the world around us becomes faster, more digital, and more automated, so do the methods we use to record it. We creatives tend to rely on technology, features, settings, lenses, etc. That’s certainly not bad — it’s tough to beat the awe-inspiring renderings of sick 4k drone footage. But I digress. The point is that the Ilford Sprite 35mm-II brings a certain frankness or realness with it, and we love that, too.

The minimalist design frees your mind to focus on the organic, creative, intentional, and here-and-now aspects of photography—which, in part, is precisely why the Sprite II is so much fun for beginners and casuals.

Its fixed shutter speed and single-element f9 fixed-focus wide-angle lens make the 35 II the perfect companion for capturing memories in well-lit scenes -- think 2021 summer beach trip vibes. Imagine you’re on the road, trekking cross country, and you’re coming up on a brilliantly illuminated landmark as the clock hits noon. That’s a perfect opportunity to whip out your Sprite II and instantly capture the Moment. Shooting in the dark? All good; you can flip on the flash and snag nighttime shots that feel equally transcendent. My only regret is that this camera wasn't available during my last road trip out west. Reminiscing California’s magnificent landscape would hit very differently if I had a deck of pictures from the Sprite II to shuffle through. Don’t miss the opportunity.

One of our favorite features of the Ilford Sprite 35mm-II is its environmental impact — or lack thereof. The camera blends what we love about film photography while erasing its biggest drawback, the waste that tossing disposable cameras creates. You can reload this camera with your favorite 35-mm film, black & white, or color negative, and let the good times keep on rolling time after time.

Learn how to get the most out of your new Ilford Sprite 35mm-II Camera and the ins and outs of the film photography game in our Beginner’s Master Guide to Film Photography — totally actionable and totally free!

Key Features:

• Easy as heck to use with only one button, fully automatic and fixed settings, and WYSIWYG shooting style.
• Effortless to carry at an ultra-lightweight 122 grams. Take the Sprite II anywhere you want to snag new old-school analog photos.
• A fixed shutter speed and single element f9 fixed-focus wide-angle lens that’s perfect for daytime photography.
• Features a manual film advance winding lever that moves through each exposure & rewinds the roll when finished.
• Compatible with various 35mm film stocks to ensure you can create the exact look or emotions you expect to get from film.

In Detail

The Sprite II is fully automatic and minimalist to the core. It features a fixed shutter speed of 1/120th of a second, a 31mm lens, and an aperture of f9 -- making it ideal for shooting during perfectly illuminated daylight hours. As previously mentioned, if you’re a night owl, the film camera does have a built-in flash with a 15-second recycle time -- although that varies during real-world use. You don’t need batteries for regular operation, but you will need one single AAA battery to use that flash. To get the best exposure, especially during less-than-ideal conditions, you’ll want to use 800-speed film versus 400-speed film.