Single Use Camera Users

[Gabriel M.A.]

We're a lazy society.
My sentiments exactly. The stone age, bronze age, iron age, industrial age and the disposable age. What is next?

The stone age, reloaded. But they've been making good sequels lately, so who knows, perhaps we'll get to ride cars that run 20 feet a pebble.

 

[XAos]

Ok, it backfired, I picked up a two pack of single use cameras tonight for $6.28. Do not allow to become wet. Oh well, I'll leave it in the wrapper until I use it. 10 ft flash range (w/ ISO 400 film, sounds more like a spark gap than a tube of any sort) . I'm almost suprised these things are 35mm instead of APS given the size.

Fixed focus, min focus is 3.3ft. I'm not sure what "continuous flash" is, but I'm guessing that it's engrish for if the switch is on, the flash will go off, no attempts to detect ambient light levels. I've never seen specs on these suckers, and I've looked. Are they fixed aperture, or auto/auto? I wouldn't be too suprised to learn they were all f/8 or f/11 only but the presence of the flash makes me not too sure. Anybody know?

 

[atelier7]

If something comes up and I forgot to bring my camera, the disposables are available everywhere. I a party spontaneously happens I can run to a CVS, Kinneys or a supermarket and pretty much anywhere there's a town, you're back in 5 minutes. Another is if you don't want to damage a regular camera. The digital disposables Ritz and CVS sell are pretty good too! I wish Konica still sold that Ultra wide disposable with the 17mm lens.

hmmm, I found some konica disposable cameras with supposedly wide angle here in australia. not sure if it's 17mm. will go home and check.

 

[Doug]

Of course, you could always put them on a guilt trip about adding to our landfills since none of the labs recycle these cameras.

I was chatting the other day about single-use cameras with the manager of the local branch of a string of processing labs, and she brought out a cardboard box full of the shells of used disposable cameras which had been cracked open to process their films. She said that they DO refill some of these if they seem otherwise to be in good condition. Electronic flashes, aspheric lenses (superwides & even zooms?), usable batteries... why not. They may reuse the original cartridges, loading them again from bulk rolls.

 

[QuillianSW]

Got me. My theory is that people feel really bad when they trash a "nice" camera, so for beach/hiking/snowboarding/rapelling out of the space shuttle, folks like disposables. As you say, it keeps the market alive, and that's good for me. My major annoyance is that when I run across one of these situations (no camera with me, going someplace nasty) the only disposables I can find are loaded with iso 800.

 

[keithslater]

Here is the link for that Kodak with zoom, I guess it is like one of the 80's twin lens cameras:

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2/3/9/1026/1051&pq-locale=en_US

 

[kuvvy]

I've only ever used a disposable camera once. It was part of a bag of goodies I won in a competition. It was a Fuji model and I think was loaded with 800 film. I used it on holiday but wasn't expecting much in the way of results. I was pleasantly surpised at the quality. Much better than the Vivitar 35mm compat I bought my mother at 4 times the price.

Paul

 

[Kat]

I never used them, but I'm curious about the water-proof ones that could be used in water. Anyone tried those?

 

[TPPhotog]

Kat I've seen the results from them and they are at least as good as more expensive p&s cameras that have even more expensive waterproof casings that can be purchased for them.

 

[Elmer Fishpaw]

hmmm, I found some konica disposable cameras with supposedly wide angle here in australia. not sure if it's 17mm. will go home and check.

I wish those were still available here in the USA. I do like also the underwater ones. Just toss them to the kiddos when at the beach or pool.

 

[atelier7]

Hey Elmer Fishpaw,
I checked the box, the konica disposible camera is quote "Super Wide (17mm)"
Film: 400 Centuria Super 27 EXP. Guess how much it costs? $2 aussie.
If anyone wants some... let me know! I'll pop by the discount store and see if they have more!

 

[Elmer Fishpaw]

Hey Elmer Fishpaw,
I checked the box, the konica disposible camera is quote "Super Wide (17mm)"
Film: 400 Centuria Super 27 EXP. Guess how much it costs? $2 aussie.
If anyone wants some... let me know! I'll pop by the discount store and see if they have more!

That is great!! If the store has a website, maybe they could be ordered direct and save you the hassle.

 

[wierdcollector]

Not technically Single Use Cameras but...

Not technically Single Use Cameras but...

Hope this works. While not technically single use cameras, this camera gave me results I was pleasantly surprised with. No laughing, but the camera was one of two "freeebies" I have that came with Kellogg's cereal, no film included. Camera back is closed with a screw and I used dollar store "Pro Click" 400 film. Only Photo Shop used was to crop out the tip of my big fat fingers in front of the lens. P.S. if I accidentally download every picture in my "puter bear with me, lol.

 

[Kat]

Thanks, Tony, Elmer. I think I will pick one up soon🙂

Curt, great shots! I love the second one!

 

[Doug]

Keith, thanks for the link to the Kodak disposable zoom... It's not clear to me that it's a "zoom" as I'd think of it, but perhaps only a dual-focal-length arrangement, as they say you have two choices; to shoot with zoom or without zoom. What does "without zoom" mean? I'm guessing they're using zoom to mean telephoto, catering to a common consumer misunderstanding.

Here's Kodak's take on reloaded disposable cameras...
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=4213/4214&pq-locale=en_US

Kodak also trumpets their recycling program for disposables... I wonder if Kodak does use returned one-use parts to build new one-use products. If so, and if revealed, I bet that would be termed "refurbished" rather than "reloaded". 🙂

 

[derevaun]

Hey Elmer Fishpaw,
I checked the box, the konica disposible camera is quote "Super Wide (17mm)"
Film: 400 Centuria Super 27 EXP. Guess how much it costs? $2 aussie.
If anyone wants some... let me know! I'll pop by the discount store and see if they have more!

I'd love to get ahold of a couple of these. I had one for awhile but it didn't survive long, due to clumsiness when I first opened it. 🙄

 

[Kin Lau]

Outpost.com has the Konica Superwide. Just search for "Konica Superwide". It's US$9.99.

 

[etrevino]

Hi,

How long does exposed film last in these 'disposable' cameras? (I will never look at these 'one-timers' the same again!)... I just found one that I lost after a trip to Costa Rica in 2002.... Any chance the pictures might still be salvaged?

Peter

Hello all, first post here but I've been reading RFF for some time.

Last week I took two disposables for processing after I found them somewhere at home. One had film which had expired 5 1/2 years ago and I got 3 pictures out of 27. Colors were a bit faded but that's all; the other 24 pics were completely lost or damaged to an extent that they're absolutely unrecognizable and useless. The photos were taken in 1999 and 2000. Nothing important on those lost pictures though.

The other one had expired about one year ago (photos taken around March 2003), every pic was complete but some colors, particularly highlights and greens, were faded. I've not tried Photoshopping these but I think they can be fixed.

I think that maybe you'll get faded pictures but you should get all, or at least most, of your pictures. Don't wait more time to get them processed or you could forget about them again.

I carry one disposable at all times in my car mainly for these purposes

1) If I have an accident or happen to witness something which should be documented, I'll be able to do it quickly, and
2) If there's something odd/interesting on the road I can just take the camera out of the glove box

Of course I could have a cheap P&S but with a disposable I don't worry about the camera falling on the car floor, running out of batteries or something like that...

Eduardo

 

[Elmer Fishpaw]

I tried Outpost.com but the item is out of stock and Customer service had no idea when they'd be in. (the konica superwide)

 

[Kin Lau]

I tried Outpost.com but the item is out of stock and Customer service had no idea when they'd be in. (the konica superwide)

Bummer... it's listed on Konica Canada's website. I think I might email or phone them to see who they have carrying it. There used to be a Konica minilab around here, but they've switched over to Kodak.