Disposable cameras today
Surprisingly in this digital age, a lot of disposable film cameras can still be found for sale. At the time of writing, there were literally hundreds on Amazon’s website with prices averaging out at £12-20 each. A search for disposables on eBay turned up 655 results with previously sold prices starting at £3.40 and topping out at £22 for a disposable styled like a retro film camera. A lot of these might contain outdated film, which isn’t to say they can’t still be used. When shooting with a disposable camera, you need to forget your pre-learned photographic techniques and let your inner snapshot photographer shine through…
⬤ Outdoors, shoot in bright light, preferably with the sun behind you and never directly into the sun.
⬤ Steer clear of fast-moving subjects that might defeat the camera’s average-speed shutter.
⬤ Avoid shooting indoors without flash.
⬤ Where built-in flash is available keep the subject within the specified distance range, detailed on the back of the camera.
⬤ Ask your subjects not to look directly into the lens to reduce the risk of red-eye in flash pictures.
⬤ Don’t shoot closer than 1 metre from your subject to avoid lens blur.
It’s still easy to get disposable camera film processed. Asda Photo, for example, will develop a 27-exposure film, negatives only for you to scan, for £5.75; or produce 27 enprints (6x4in) for £8.50; or give the pictures back to you on a CD for £6.75. Similar offers can be found at other processors. Google ‘disposable camera processing’ to find which is best for you.