The great thing about disposable cameras is that they can give your photos a very nostalgic look. But the even better thing is the excitement that accompanies them. You shoot your photos and then have to wait for a while to see them. The anticipation will build, and if you know what you’re doing then the photos will be really awesome. And even if you don’t practice good habits, the photos can still be really cool. So we dove into our reviews index to find the best disposable cameras we could find.
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Table of Contents
Pro Tips on Using Disposable Cameras and Making the Most of Them
Here are some tips on getting the most of disposable cameras:
- For the record, the Lomography simple use cameras actually aren’t disposable, but they’re so affordable that they basically are. They can surely be used again.
- Disposable cameras are a lot of fun for parties, street photography, and a lot more!
- When you get your film developed, always ask for high-resolution scans for posting online.
- Disposable cameras have a fixed lens with a fixed aperture. Trust us when we say it’s best to use the flash when you can.
- Don’t worry, we tested all of these cameras.
Lomography Simple Use Cameras
Pros
- Fun to use
- A black and white, color negative and Lomochrome Purple version
- All ISO 400
- Gels on the flash in some cases
- Small
- Simple to use; just point and shoot
Cons
- Nothing really
In our review, we state:
“Essentially, remember that you’ve got ISO 400 film in there. That’s what the light meter is designed to be used with. Then you shoot the film until it is fully back into the roll, open the camera up, reload the film, wind it, and then continue shooting. No matter what, they’re all set to shoot at ISO 400 and so you can put black and white film in the color negative camera, and more.”
Ilford XP2 Single Use Camera
Pros
- C41 development means you can take it to a lab and they’ll deal with it. In this case, Lomography developed the film for us–thanks Lomography!
- Small
- There’s almost no thought involved
- Fairly wide angle
- Powerful flash
- Fun!
- Affordable
Cons
- Some folks would probably prefer to develop black and white film themselves at home.
In our review, we state:
“The Ilford XP2 super single use camera has a 30mm f9 lens. In the majority of situations I really liked the image quality I get. There are some great reasons to use the flash as the images you create will look that much better.”
Fujifilm Quicksnap 800
Pros
- Waterproof
- Floats
- Simple to use
- Great film colors
- Recyclable
- It’s $13
Cons
- Tiny viewfinder
- Fixed focus
- Grainy (but it’s the good grain)
In our review, we state:
“The Fujifilm Quicksnap 800 Waterproof doesn’t have autofocus — the lens is fixed focus. The camera is made to focus 3.3 feet to infinity above water. Because of how light bends water, you’ll get sharp photos of anything between 3.3 feet to 10 feet in clear water (less if the water isn’t super clear). Murky water will get you nothing at all.”
The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.