Tech & Gear Photography The 9 Best Disposable Cameras of 2023 By Krystin Arneson Krystin Arneson Instagram University of Edinburgh Krystin Arneson is a writer and editor based out of Berlin, Germany. She covers an array of hotels, products, and destinations for TripSavvy. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 11/08/22 Share Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. The Rundown Best Overall: Kodak Funsaver Disposable Camera ISO-800 at Amazon "One of the brand's best single-use cameras." Best Value: Fujifilm Disposable 35mm Camera with Flash at Amazon "Its price is low enough to justify picking up a few more." Best Waterproof: Fujifilm QuickSnap Waterproof Camera at Amazon "Great for taking photos in water of any sort." Best Retro Look: Ilford XP2 Super Single-Use Camera at Amazon "Delivers low-grain, black-and-white images with great contrast and toning." Best for Effects: Lomography Simple Use Color 35mm Camera at Amazon "The resulting photos come with a wash of your chosen filter." Best Extra Exposures: Kodak SUC Daylight 39 Disposable Camera at Amazon "Perfect for capturing clear, crisp images at outdoor weddings and parties." Best IRL Filters: Lomography Simple Use Disposable Camera at B&H Photo Video "Decks each of your snaps out in a slightly grainy, blue-tinged, retro hue." Best Black and White: Ilford HP5 Plus at Amazon "HP5 Plus offers a little more grain but a lot more of the good stuff, like contrast and exposure latitude." Best for Parties/Best Flash: Afga Le Box 400 at Amazon "This is the disposable camera you want on hand for parties, nightlife, and post-sunset walks." If you’ve been on Instagram lately, you know that lo-fi photography is having a moment again, along with all other things ‘90s. And sure, you can use an iPhone photography app like Huji Cam to mimic the look of a disposable pic from those pre-iPhone years, but perhaps the best thing is a disposable camera itself. Chalk it up to nostalgia, but actually having pictures you can hang up instead of scroll through is a great way to keep those vacation memories (and cheesy family photo poses) up and on display. Disposable cameras are made to be low-tech, too, with no tripods or gear needed; this is all about having fun. The point-and-shoot cameras are easy to use, so everyone can snap some shots and capture the highlights of your trip uniquely. These days, the best place to look for disposable cameras is online. While some stores still carry them, you’ll likely get better pricing online (especially if you’re buying multiple at a time). Read on for our best disposable camera picks. Best Overall: Kodak Funsaver Disposable Camera ISO-800 Courtesy of B&H Buy on Amazon What We Like Crisp, clear images Responsive shutter What We Don't Like Requires a well-lit environment Kodak’s disposable version is one of the brand’s best single-use cameras, and it’s preloaded with 800-speed film—faster than many others that are loaded with 400. A higher-speed camera will let you capture clear images at action-packed events like concerts, and while you can’t adjust exposure (making low-light concerts a bit difficult), it does well for shows with a bit more lighting, like outdoor gigs and music festivals. The camera also has a super responsive shutter and a great lens that gives you crisper and sharper images than what you normally find with disposables. Price at time of publication: $25 Best Value: Fujifilm Disposable 35mm Camera with Flash Courtesy of Walmart Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart What We Like Easy to use Pocket sized Charming vintage aesthetic What We Don't Like Some photos may appear grainy Seems to require flash in any situation At two for the cost of one typical single-use camera, Fujifilm’s disposable model takes decent pictures for a price that’s low enough to justify picking up a few more. Although the photos don’t blow up the best—its prints work best in their standard, 4 x 6-inch size—and overcast weather is this camera’s natural enemy, sharp pictures can be captured in sunny conditions. Plus, the camera is easy to use so the whole family can get in on the photo-taking. There’s a 10-foot built-in flash that does a modest job of illuminating indoor scenes, and there are plenty of opportunities to get the right shot with 27 exposures. Price at time of publication: $48 Best Waterproof: Fujifilm QuickSnap Waterproof Camera Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart What We Like Ideal for outdoors in wet and snowy conditions Easy to use What We Don't Like Silent shutter button is counterintuitive Requires a well-lit environment Fujifilm's QuickSnap Waterproof Camera is the best single-use camera today for taking photos in water of any sort—like the ocean when you're snorkeling on your Caribbean vacation. There's no flash, so don't bring this one on a night swim, but there's not much on the market that'll capture your family's beach vacation memories like this one. Besides taking great underwater photos, it's also among the sturdiest disposable cameras out there, so don't fret if it gets shuffled to the bottom of your vacation tote. Just a word of caution: there's no sound when you press the shutter, which takes some getting used to. Price at time of publication: $48 Best Retro Look: Ilford XP2 Super Single Use Camera Buy on Amazon What We Like Durable, plastic casing Well-suited to natural and urban environments What We Don't Like One review mentions technical issues Whether heading to the city or the country during your next vacation, Ilford’s XP2 single-use camera delivers low-grain, black-and-white images with excellent contrast and toning. Thanks to exceptional performance in daylight conditions, it makes a great choice if you want to shoot sharp country landscapes or dramatic architectural photographs in an urban setting. Plus, the extra clear plastic casing on the outside means it’ll hold up on vacations, even under the rough-and-tumble travel conditions. Price at time of publication: $44 Best for Effects: Lomography Simple Use Color 35mm Camera Buy on Amazon What We Like Low-tech filters in 3 colors More exposures than the average single-use camera Reloadable What We Don't Like Indoor photos come out dark For artistic creativity, the Lomography 35mm camera offers playful filters for shots. The tech isn’t exactly advanced, but it works brilliantly: the front of the camera has three plastic rectangles in yellow, magenta, and cyan attached that slip over the camera, and the resulting photos come with a wash of your chosen filter, plus a touch of graininess. It comes loaded with plenty of exposures, too: 36, compared to the standard 27 you get with most single-use cameras. There’s also a built-in flash, but take note that it works best for outdoor pictures, as indoor ones skew a little dark. Price at time of publication: $35 Best Extra Exposures: Kodak SUC Daylight 39 Disposable Camera Buy on Amazon What We Like Plenty of exposures Lightweight and packable What We Don't Like No flash You wouldn't think there'd be new releases in disposable cameras, but Kodak just released this camera in Europe a few years ago, and now it's made its way to the States. The camera comes with 39 exposures—about a dozen more than you'll get with a standard digital camera—and it features the 800 ISO film that makes Kodak's much-loved FunSaver model a hit. Note that it's a daylight camera—there's no flash—so shoot inside at your own risk. However, it's perfect for capturing clear, crisp images at outdoor weddings and parties. Price at time of publication: $23 Best IRL Filters : Lomography Simple Use Disposable Camera Courtesy of Lomography Shop Buy on B&H Photo Video What We Like Reloadable High number of exposures What We Don't Like One review mentioned a technical issue Kick your aesthetic up a notch with this version of the Lomography color camera. It comes with purple monochrome film and decks each of your snaps out in a slightly grainy, blue-tinged, retro hue that looks straight out of the 60s. It also has filters you can mix and match for customized shots. The flash is great, and you’ll probably want to use it in all but the brightest conditions. You have 36 exposures to get it right. Even more, it’s reloadable once you’re done (you just have to swap out the film, though it can be tricky). At just a few ounces, it’s not going to weigh your bag down, either. Price at time of publication: $25 Best Black and White: Ilford HP5 Plus Buy on Amazon Buy on Adorama.com Buy on B&H Photo Video What We Like Sturdy Flash illuminates subjects well What We Don't Like Must press flash button every time Most black-and-white disposable cameras are low-contrast enough that you get really retro photos. The Ilford XP2 delivers that look. But if that's not quite the vibe you're going for, try Ilford's HP5 Plus. It offers a little more grain but a lot more of the good stuff: contrast, exposure latitude, and even more detail in the shadows. With this camera, you'll get 27 exposures, weighing around 4.5 ounces, making it easy to throw in your bag for a day out. Price at time of publication: $17 Best for Parties/Best Flash: Afga Le Box 400 Buy on Amazon What We Like Auto-recharge means no winding Takes fast shots What We Don't Like Some reviews mention technical defects This is the disposable camera you want on hand for fun gatherings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, nightlife, and post-sunset walks. Photoblogs rate Agfa’s Le Box 400 as having one of the best flashes in the disposable camera game, and it checks most other boxes well. It has a 4-meter (about 13-foot) flash, meaning you can get pretty spectacular results for a single-use camera. The Afga Le Box 400 also has an auto-recharge, so you don’t have to worry about reloading when setting up your next shot. Price at time of publication: $17 What to Look for in Disposable Cameras Price Disposable cameras come in a range of prices, and they often correlate with the quality of the photos you’ll get from them. The cheapest might be a little hit-and-miss in terms of function—and quality can vary even within brands. Unless you’re into a really lo-fi aesthetic, it’s worth checking out middle-of-the-road cameras—usually around $25 to $35—if that’s what you’re relying on to capture your travel memories. Quantity Each disposable camera has a set amount of pictures (exposures) you can take with it. The standard is 27, but some come with as many as 36. If you’re heading out for a long day and anticipate lots of photos being taken, it might be better to invest in a disposable camera with more exposures so you can avoid taking a second camera with you. Features While disposable cameras are a little bare bones compared to the advanced cameras on today's cell phones, there are plenty of feature options for disposable cameras as well. Lomography's retro-style camera, for example, has literal filters of yellow, cyan, and magenta that colorize the shots you're taking. Frequently Asked Questions How do I get my pictures developed? You can check with your local drugstores like CVS or Walgreens to see if they have a photo-developing center. You simply drop your camera off at their counter, then return in a few days to pick up your processed photos and negatives from the roll. When should I turn the flash on? Turn the flash on in dark lighting conditions, like outside at night or in most indoor settings—the latter will give your photos some high-contrast pop. If you’re outside and the sun is shining brightly, you probably don’t need it; you’ll get your lighting from the sun already around you. What lighting conditions are best for disposable cameras? Lots of good natural light provides the optimal condition for shooting with a disposable camera. While there are some great disposable flash cameras out there, they aren't as good as flashes on regular film cameras or phones. If you're going to shoot at night, look for a camera with best-in-ranking flash capabilities, like Agfa's Le Box 400. Why Trust TripSavvy TripSavvy authors are experts in their topics and spend hours researching and reading user reviews to ensure the products they're recommending are the right ones for you. For this article, the writer spent hours looking through photography blogs, expert reviews, and customer ratings on major retail platforms. Krystin Arneson is a freelance editor and writer based in Berlin, Germany. During the week, you'll find her traveling and photographing as often as possible. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Continue to 5 of 9 below. Continue to 9 of 9 below.