Disposable cameras split hairs: some love them for their nostalgic appeal, ease of use and, of course, price, while others scoff at the material waste they become after a single use.
But with reusable point-and-shoot cameras priced similarly to throwaway models available, despite their resurging popularity with Gen Z, there is a growing argument for these products to become a thing of the past.
"I do think that disposables are definitely one of the worst cases for film photography," said Rosalie Legg, lab manager at Analogue Wonderland, a film processing company in the UK. "It feels like a large amount of resources for one-time use."
In a bid to promote more sustainable film photography, Analogue Wonderland recently launched its first reusable point-and-shoot camera – the Pure35.
This added to the array already available on the market, alongside models like the Kodak Ultra F9S and Praktica 35mm Reusable Film Camera, which cost slightly more than their disposable counterparts.
However, it’s important to note that disposable cameras are not all simply thrown away after use. Major disposable manufacturers such as Kodak and Fujifilm, along with camera distributors, have long-standing recycling schemes in some countries.
“All our empty disposable cameras are sent to Swains (a UK photography distributor) for recycling; they dismantle them entirely and reuse and recycle each part as best they can,” said Rosalie.
But although companies like Kodak have historically claimed an 84% disposable camera recycling rate in the US, they do not offer this in other parts of the world, such as the UK.
“Fundamentally, the best way to minimize the impact is to encourage people to spend a (very small amount) more and get a film camera that can be reloaded with fresh rolls, time and time again,” Rosalie added.
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