I wouldn’t buy a Kodak disposable camera (or any disposable camera, for that matter) for two reasons. Firstly, it’s not economically viable in a world where exceedingly cheap reusable film cameras, like the Kodak M35 / M38 exist and reusable film cameras are more environmentally friendly.
Don't get me wrong, Kodak disposable cameras have carved out their own niche. And you could argue that a single-use disposable camera will only set you back $10-20 / £10-20 and you don’t have to worry about buying film. But once you’ve rattled through 30 or so exposures, it’s spent; you’re forced to invest in a new camera.
Technically, some disposable cameras can be reused. But since they’re not intended for this purpose, this involves dismantling the camera in question, which can prove fiddly and requires a bit of technical know-how. It’s really only something hardcore camera nerds will enjoy doing.
Another problem with Kodak disposable cameras, iconic as they may be, is that you may need to carry more than one, depending on how many photographs you anticipate taking, which takes up space. And while reusable film cameras do tend to be bigger, you can still get some pretty small ones.
This is where the Kodak M35 comes in. It only costs around $30 / £25 / AU$50 and you can find some pretty good deals if you shop around. You do have to factor in the cost of a single AAA battery and your first roll of film, but you’re only looking at the cost of two or three disposables and you’ve broken even.
Newbie or casual film photographers are often attracted to the foolproof design of a Kodak disposable camera, but while the M35 is a little more involved you really only have to learn how to swap out the film. It’s still fixed focus, it’s still fixed aperture, it’s still fixed shutter speed and it still has a flash. Once you’ve loaded in your film, you simply point and click.
Herein lies the underappreciated beauty of film photography to the uninitiated. Not only do you get to reuse your film camera, but you get to try out different types of film – and that’s when you really catch the creative film photography bug.
So, if you aim to pick up a Kodak disposable camera for this year’s vacation or big family trip, why not invest in a reusable camera and a couple rolls of film? You won’t regret it.
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