# The Disposable Camera Challenge



## lordfly (Oct 14, 2010)

*Edited: New rules, and some notes to get started.*

I'm very tired, and cranky, and going to bed soon, so quickly:

Fairly often, gear wars erupt here on the beginner's forum. What gear should I get? What camera should I buy? How many lenses do I need before I can put a watermark on my pictures? If I buy a 7d will I really be "pro"?

These questions, as well as the "nikon vs canon" debates, are usually invitations for a slugfest ending in derision, slander, rended garments, or all three.

Taking a cue from Ken Rockwell, that lovable scamp, I propose a challenge.

1) Keep all your gear at home.
2) Drive to a Walmart or a Walgreens.
3) Buy the cheapest disposable camera you can find.
4) Take pictures.
5) Develop them, get them put on a CD at the one hour place, and post the best here.

Notes:
1) Take pictures of anything you want.
2) No post processing; how good can you get without relying on digital magic?
3) Have fun. Or else. 


Any takers? Being the broke sourpuss I am, I really want to believe that gear doesn't matter.


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## edouble (Oct 14, 2010)

I am in.


I recommend the rules modified to :
- buy a disposable...absolute cheapest available 
- get them developed (well not really developed) on CD
- NO ALTERATIONS FROM ORIGINAL EXPOSURE.....NONE!
- upload them to a flickr group ie. TPF Disposable Challenge


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## mrshaleyberg (Oct 14, 2010)

I'll do it too! I'm curious to see what people will come up with!


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## Abby Rose (Oct 14, 2010)

That sounds like fun! I'll do it. 

Though I dont know what I'll do without my aperture priority setting.


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## girl_with_brain (Oct 14, 2010)

Any subject? It may be easier to compare pictures of apples to apples


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## swedberg311 (Oct 14, 2010)

agreed we should have a set subject. and I dont like this whole no post idea.


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## Overread (Oct 14, 2010)

edouble said:


> - buy a digital disposable...absolute cheapest available



Wait how do you get a digital disposable? 
As in it takes 30odd shots and then breaks - that sounds soo wasteful - even more so than the film disposables that you have to all but smash open to get the film out


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## swedberg311 (Oct 14, 2010)

nice catch, i didnt even notice that.


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## edouble (Oct 14, 2010)

Overread said:


> edouble said:
> 
> 
> > - buy a digital disposable...absolute cheapest available
> ...



I havent  bought a disposable camera in 15 years atleast. I have seen "digital disposable" cameras in checkout lines. After quick research on the topic I read that these so called "digital disposable" cameras are indeed film. 

I will edit my previous post.


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## Abby Rose (Oct 14, 2010)

I dont think we need a set subject. It's not a contest, is it?


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## swedberg311 (Oct 14, 2010)

he said the winner gets a pat on the back


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## Abby Rose (Oct 14, 2010)

What is the "best" way to develop the film? I see that lordfly says to get them on CD... how does that work? 

The last time I used a disposable camera I dropped it off at meijers and picked up my pack of pictures a day or two later. And I was about 10 years old.  Is it different now?


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## GeneralBenson (Oct 14, 2010)

I might join in on this. Sounds like a great idea. I"ve really been wanting to get an old Pentax K1000 and load it up with Tri-X B&W film, and just shoot some stuff all manual exposure, manual focus and no review until you get your film back. I think it would be very challenging and great for creativity since there's only the composition and the moment to focus on.


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## white (Oct 14, 2010)

Sounds fun. I'll do it.


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## white (Oct 14, 2010)

Abby Rose said:


> What is the "best" way to develop the film? I see that lordfly says to get them on CD... how does that work?


You either pay for prints, at something like .50/print x 24, which is probably more expensive than just getting the negatives digitized and put on CD.

Or you could be hardcore and just have them develop the negs and scan them yourself.


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## lordfly (Oct 14, 2010)

To develop film: Walgreens, Riteaids, CVS, and some Walmarts still do one-hour processing of the images. Otherwise, it's a sendoff service (up to five days).

Most places offer a CD with your prints already digitized (no need to scan them in) for a nominal fee.

I'm glad people are in on this. The cheapest cameras I've seen are at Walmart: 2.97 for a Fuji Quicksnap, no flash.


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## Abby Rose (Oct 14, 2010)

ok... so you're the boss; you suggested the challenge.  PP allowed or not? Set subject or not? 

Also, I have family in Monroe. It's a nice place.


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## lordfly (Oct 14, 2010)

For the first contest, let's make it FOR REALSIES and say no PP. Straight pulled from the CD the one hour place gives you. This prevents people from sugaring up their pictures into something they're not.

Set subjects? Nah. We all take different pictures. Art is subjective, anyway. This is more of an exercise than a proper contest.

Monroe is nice, sometimes. As I get better with my camera, I'm noticing it can occasionally be photogenic, too. I just wish more happened around here.


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## misskrys (Oct 14, 2010)

I like this idea! I got four disposable cameras for free with my D5000. I've been wondering what to do with them. So I'm in =)


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## ghpham (Oct 15, 2010)

eh...when is the deadline for submitting photo's?


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## lordfly (Oct 15, 2010)

ghpham said:


> eh...when is the deadline for submitting photo's?



End of the month.


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## edouble (Oct 17, 2010)

Here is my contribution 

First of all, I forgot how much disposable cameras suck!!! I bought the cheapest I could find which was a Fuji ISO 800 without flash. The one hour photo shop gave me 20 of the 27 exposures. 7 exposures didn't make it.

Here is the Fuji disposable. Taken with my Nikon.






Fuji Pics!!!! No post!!!















For comparison. Fuji disposable pic.





Same scene, same time/day with Nikon D5000


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## lordfly (Oct 17, 2010)

Awesome first entry. 

I've started a flickr group, feel free to add pictures:

Flickr: TPF Disposable Camera Challenge.


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## Christie Photo (Oct 18, 2010)

That's it so far?

This thread got my attention, so I took a disposable with me for a family portrait session yesterday.  My clients were only slightly amused.

I'll be back with the results.

-Pete


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## lordfly (Oct 18, 2010)

I haven't had time to take many pics, myself. I still have half a roll to shoot.


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## Christie Photo (Oct 30, 2010)

OK.  Now...  I did bend the rules a bit, but not much.  I didn't get the cheapest camera; choosing one with a zoom.  It wasn't much of a zoom.  The zoom choice was pretty much like a normal lens.  Sadly, the camera was loaded with 800 ISO film, so the grain is not too pretty.

I couldn't resist the temptation to post it in the pro section for some critiques.  It's only been up a couple of days, so only two so far.

I would have waited longer to reveal what I'd done, but I didn't want to miss the deadline and my chance to win that pat on the back.

-Pete


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## Village Idiot (Nov 1, 2010)

Can I use flashes?


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## lordfly (Nov 8, 2010)

Well, I've managed to not take any pictures for the past three weeks, and it's killing me. I still have that half a roll...

Did anyone else manage?


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## lordfly (Nov 8, 2010)

Village Idiot said:


> Can I use flashes?



Sure, why not.


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## Sisco (Nov 8, 2010)

I just saw this, I am in.tomorrow!


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## PJL (Nov 9, 2010)

I think the "ZOMG no PP?!?!?" and "what do I do with film???" reactions are hilarious.

But this activity sounds interesting. I may partake.


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