We all love disposable cameras. They’re fun, durable, portable, and take photos with a very unique look. But once you’re done shooting, do you really just have to throw them away? Can you reuse a disposable camera?

Can You Reload a Disposable Camera?

The answer is YES and NO, depending on what type of disposable camera you have. The Kodak disposable cameras (Funsaver, PowerFlash, Professional Black and White) are all reloadable. The plastic camera bodies pop apart and the counter can be reset and film reloaded (in the dark only).

The Fujifilm Quicksnap disposable camera is not. The Quicksnap has several plastic welds that have to be broken to get the camera apart. Once those plastic welds are broken, the camera has light leaks that can only be covered by using electrical tape.

Other, less popular brands of disposable cameras are not really reloadable. The Ilford black and white disposable cameras can be reloaded but they are a little more difficult to load.

How do you reload a disposable camera?

Here’s a quick overview on how to reload a Kodak disposable camera!

1. Make sure all of the photos on the camera are taken and the film winder spins without stopping

2. Remove the label from the camera

3. with a flat head screwdriver, insert the tip into the tabs located on the sides of the camera

4. Use the flat head to release the clip on the top of the camera

5. Carefully remove the back of the camera

6. Remove the film canister from the camera

7. Get your film developed! Click Here to get your film developed by Shutter Junkies

8. Reset the exposure counter the top of the camera to 27

9. Take the camera and your new roll of film (make sure it’s ISO 400 and up!) into a dark room with absolutely no light

10. Remove the empty spindle from the camera

11. Insert the film leader into the spindle

12. Turn off the lights

13. Wind the film around the spindle until all of the film in the canister is out and wound around the spindle

14. Make sure to keep the film tight and don’t let it unspool

15. Carefully replace the spindle and put the film canister in the camera

16. Make sure the film fits onto the little sprocket wheel under the film counter (this is how the counter works and the shutter is armed)

17. Replace the back of the camera - make sure everything tightly clicks into place

18. Turn on the lights and start taking photos

Simple-Use Cameras - Designed to be reloadable

If you’re looking for something that isn’t so wasteful as a disposable camera and also is really easy to reload, you might want to look into Simple-Use Cameras. There are several different Simple-Use Cameras on the market, some come loaded with film and others are empty and ready to be loaded with your choice of film. Some of the most popular simple-use cameras are made by Lomography. You can purchase Simple-Use Cameras directly from Lomography and also from Amazon. These cameras come pre-loaded with different types of film from Black and White to some very unique color films. You can also purchase Simple-Use cameras that come empty and ready to be loaded with your choice of film.