Fuji Quicksnap - can the film be extracted safely?

[zuikologist]

The offer here in the UK at 89p for a 36 exposure roll is too good to miss. Can the film be extracted safely for use elsewhere?

http://mail1.7dayshop.com/_act/link.php?mId=B921573909977973597426566454719&tId=168826559

Apparently direct from Fuji UK:

"PLEASE NOTE: The reason these cameras are so 'cheap' is because they have an expiry date of Sept 2013. DON'T PANIC! These cameras will be perfectly fine to use in the next 6 months easily, probably a lot longer! Stock supplied directly to us by Fuji UK!"

 

[doolittle]

I haven't tried it with the Fuji disposable cameras, but I have with a Kodak disposable camera. It came with the film spooled out completely (i.e. winding on returned the film to the cartridge), so I shot the complete roll inside a dark bag. It was a standard film cartridge, I can't recall if it was DX coded.

 

[Joosep]

Yes. The film is already out of the cartridge. Every time you cock the shutter you wind film back into the cartridge. These cameras are pretty tightly shut. The best ones are Rollei ones, you can very simply reload them and start over. Not so with Kodak, Fuji, Smilephoto etc... ones. Very tricky to get film out without destroying the camera.

For you two simple solutions.

a) Cover "lens" with something, fire the whole roll away. Later retrieve the leader tip. (If you dont want to hassle, nor have the tool then go ask a camerastore, they always have a "Film Picker").

b) Same as before but dont shoot last frame, this way you will lose the first frame of the film but dont have to hassle with getting the tip out.

 

[Rodchenko]

I haven't tried it with the Fuji disposable cameras, but I have with a Kodak disposable camera. It came with the film spooled out completely (i.e. winding on returned the film to the cartridge), so I shot the complete roll inside a dark bag. It was a standard film cartridge, I can't recall if it was DX coded.

Yup. I've done that before, and it worked out fine. It tends to be poorer quality film used in these devices, but it can be an economical option.

 

[Steve M.]

Be very careful opening any of these disposable cameras w/ a flash. The capacitor will have a full charge and may knock you on your rear end even if the battery is out. I know it sounds like overkill (bad choice of words) but people w/ heart conditions have been killed by these. It probably won't do that if you're shocked, but it will be nasty I assure you. Don't ask me how I know :{

http://www.sciforums.com/Shock-from-a-camera-flash-is-lethal-t-40865.html

 

[zuikologist]

Thank you. I ordered 20 rolls. I will take care with the flash. Is it "safe" to say if the camera has never been used, the caapcitor should be discharged.

 

[zuikologist]

Good tip on the final shot. Since it is a 39 exposure roll, at least 36 exposures should be good 🙂

Yes. The film is already out of the cartridge. Every time you cock the shutter you wind film back into the cartridge. These cameras are pretty tightly shut. The best ones are Rollei ones, you can very simply reload them and start over. Not so with Kodak, Fuji, Smilephoto etc... ones. Very tricky to get film out without destroying the camera.

For you two simple solutions.

a) Cover "lens" with something, fire the whole roll away. Later retrieve the leader tip. (If you dont want to hassle, nor have the tool then go ask a camerastore, they always have a "Film Picker").

b) Same as before but dont shoot last frame, this way you will lose the first frame of the film but dont have to hassle with getting the tip out.

 

[Joosep]

Be very careful opening any of these disposable cameras w/ a flash. The capacitor will have a full charge and may knock you on your rear end even if the battery is out. I know it sounds like overkill (bad choice of words) but people w/ heart conditions have been killed by these. It probably won't do that if you're shocked, but it will be nasty I assure you. Don't ask me how I know :{

http://www.sciforums.com/Shock-from-a-camera-flash-is-lethal-t-40865.html

Hah. Yeah. I have been zapped by one of those twice.
If you wont start disambling the camera, then you will be all good.
The part where the film pops out is a safe region. :angel:

 

[Rodchenko]

Oh - I forgot. I spent a summer working at a large d&p lab in Leeds. Although I was working mainly on the neg tanks, I did have a bit of an induction opening these annoying beasties.

The capacitor is generally not near the film, so you can usually crack the plastic back off with a screwdriver on the bottom edge without needing to go near any contacts.

But do take care!

 

[B.J.Scharp]

Pity, they don't ship abroad. That's a good deal indeed.