Disposable camera: which one to choose? Flash, water and film

Disposable camera: which one should you choose?

A camera without settings. Everything there is to choose has already been decided by the maker: which film is inside, how many pictures it holds, whether there is a flash and whether it can take water. All you do is press, wind on the film and hand it in when the roll is finished. That is why the choice in the shop decides how the pictures turn out.

What sets them apart

All the cameras in our disposable cameras category use ordinary 135 film, the same format as most film cameras. The differences lie in the film speed, the number of pictures, the flash and the housing. The table shows nine cameras from cheapest to most expensive.

	Kodak Daylight Singel Use Camera 39 Exp	LeBox 400 27 Blixt	LeBox 400 27 Wedding	LeBox 400 27 Ocean	Kodak Suc Water Sport 27X1	Kodak Fun Saver 39 Disposable	Kodak Professional Tri-X B&W 400 - 27 Exposure SUC	Kodak Power Flash 27+12 Disposable	Ilford Film Single Use Camera HP5 Plus white
Why choose it	You only shoot outdoors and want 39 pictures	You want an automatic flash for parties	You need cameras for the wedding	You will swim or snorkel, waterproof to 3 m	You want a tough shell, waterproof to 10 m	You want a flash and 39 pictures	You want black and white with an automatic flash	You want the longest flash range, 4.5 m	You want black and white on Ilford HP5 Plus
ISO	800	400	400	400	800	800	400	800	400
Exposures	39	27	27	27	27	39	27	39	27
Manufacturer	Kodak	AgfaPhoto	AgfaPhoto	AgfaPhoto	Kodak	Kodak	Kodak	Kodak	Ilford Photo
Price	219 krSee the product	239 krSee the product	239 krSee the product	259 krSee the product	279 krSee the product	299 krSee the product	319 krSee the product	319 krSee the product	349 krSee the product

Kodak Tri-X disposable camera next to a roll of Tri-X 400 film

Colour or black and white

Most disposable cameras are loaded with colour negative film. Two of ours are black and white, and both carry film that photographers have used for decades.

The Kodak Tri-X holds 27 pictures of Tri-X 400. Kodak has given it an automatic flash that recharges by itself, and according to Kodak it is built to make shooting indoors easier. Ilford’s counterpart, the Ilford HP5 Plus, has HP5 Plus at ISO 400 and 24+3 pictures, so 27. Ilford calls the film forgiving. It copes with quite a lot of exposure error, which suits a camera where you cannot set anything. It has a built-in flash too.

Black and white asks a little more afterwards. Ilford writes that the HP5 film is developed in standard black and white chemistry in total darkness, or by a lab with a dedicated black and white service. Ask the lab before you hand the camera in, and the same goes for Tri-X.

Flash or daylight only

If you will shoot indoors, in the evening or at a party, the camera needs a flash. The Kodak Daylight has none, and Kodak says plainly that it is for outdoor use only. In return it is the cheapest, has 39 pictures and ISO 800 film that according to Kodak handles both dim and bright conditions outside. The lens is a simple 32.8 mm at f/10, and focus runs from 1 metre to infinity.

Among the cameras with a flash there is a difference that is easy to miss. The Kodak Fun Saver has a manual flash that reaches 1.2 to 3.5 metres. You switch it on yourself with the flash button before every picture that needs it. The Kodak Power Flash recharges automatically and reaches 1.2 to 4.5 metres, the furthest of the cameras here. The LeBox Flash charges automatically as well. Its maker gives a range of 4 metres, and the camera is meant for group shots at parties.

The range is worth taking seriously. Anything further away than the flash reaches turns dark, so get close. A couple of metres from the people you photograph is about right.

Waterproof LeBox Ocean disposable camera in a clear housing

At the beach and under water

Two cameras can take water, and the difference in depth is large. The LeBox Ocean is waterproof down to 3 metres and copes with sand and dirt. That is enough for the pool, the beach and snorkelling at the surface. The film is ISO 400 with 27 pictures.

The Kodak Water Sport is waterproof down to 10 metres. It sits in a rubber shell that according to the supplier resists knocks, sand and sunscreen, and it is meant as much for the ski slope and the hike as for the sea. Here the film is ISO 800, again with 27 pictures. If the camera is going diving or into a rucksack, this is the one to pick.

LeBox Wedding disposable camera in its wedding-themed box

Weddings and parties

The LeBox Wedding is the same camera as the LeBox Flash at the same price. The only difference is the print: the Wedding has a wedding design that suits the tables. Film, flash and number of pictures are the same, ISO 400 and 27 pictures. If you want the guests to take pictures all evening you need several cameras.

27 or 39 pictures

If the box says 27+12, that means 39 pictures in total. That applies to the Fun Saver and the Power Flash, and the Daylight has 39 too. The other cameras here have 27. Twelve extra pictures sounds like little, but over a whole holiday day or a long party it makes a difference. If you are unsure how much you will shoot, two cameras with 27 pictures is an option, and then you can pick different kinds.

When the film is finished

You do not open the camera yourself. AgfaPhoto writes that you hand the whole LeBox camera in to a photo lab for development once you have shot the roll. The colour film is negative film, and the lab gives you prints or scanned files depending on what it offers. For the black and white ones, what is said above about black and white development applies.

Which one should you choose?

For parties and evenings indoors the LeBox Flash is the easy choice: automatic flash with a 4 metre range and colour film. If you want the flash to reach a little further, the Power Flash has the longest range of the cameras here.

For the wedding, take the LeBox Wedding. It is the same camera as the LeBox Flash at the same price, just with a wedding print.

By the water, depth decides. The Ocean handles the pool, the beach and snorkelling with its 3 metres. If you are going deeper or want a camera that can be dropped, the Water Sport is worth the extra money.

For black and white it is the Tri-X, with a flash that recharges itself, and HP5 Plus as the alternative from Ilford. And if you only shoot outdoors in daylight, the Daylight gives the most pictures for the money, as long as you do not need the flash.

Frequently asked questions

How deep can you take a disposable camera under water?

It depends entirely on the model. The LeBox Ocean is waterproof down to 3 metres and the Kodak Water Sport down to 10 metres. Cameras without a waterproof housing should be kept dry.

What does 27+12 mean on a disposable camera?

That the camera has 27 pictures plus 12 extra, so 39 pictures in total.

Do you have to switch the flash on yourself?

On the Kodak Fun Saver yes, the flash is manual and is switched on with the flash button before each picture. The Power Flash, LeBox Flash and Tri-X recharge the flash automatically.

Can you shoot indoors with the Kodak Daylight?

Kodak writes that it is for outdoor use only, since it has no flash. Indoors you need a camera with a flash.

How do you get a disposable camera developed?

You hand the whole camera in to a photo lab. Black and white film needs black and white development, so check that the lab offers it before you hand in the Tri-X or the HP5 Plus.