Disposable cameras

Disposable cameras, also known as single-use-cameras, are box cameras with a built in flash and a roll of film installed. The film is pre-loaded in the camera either as a cartridge or simply wound in the camera.

Due to the high price of cameras in the early days of production companies strove to make cheap single-use cameras. Although they were first released by Photo-Pac in 1949 the company did not last very long. Finally in 1986 Fujifilm released the QuickSnap line of cameras, which are the same as the commonly known disposable cameras. Kodak followed one year later with its version the Fling and Funsaver.

There are various styles of these cameras including versions for sports and underwater photography. They are commonly used for travel or occasions where a normal camera could be lost or stolen.

Now there are also digital single-use-cameras available on the market. Since their release in 2004 the popularity of this product has not matched its film predecessor. Since digital cameras have become so widely used and the prices have decreased the low quality and costly processing fee turn customers toward normal digital cameras.

Both film and digital single-use-cameras are still available today in many variations.