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Why Non-Disposable Film Cameras Are a Growing Trend

It’s more than just the ultimate Instagram filter

By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 26, 2021 03:49PM EST Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming

Key Takeaways

Harman/Ilford’s new EZ-35 is a plastic point-and-shoot camera with a motorized winder.These cheap reusable cameras are a growing trend.The prints from these cameras will probably outlast all your digital photos. UK film company Harman's new EZ-35 non-disposable camera is plastic, cannot focus, and has no way to adjust the exposure. And it probably will sell a zillion units. Film photography is undergoing a serious revival. Part of that is retro-hipster fashion, but today film photography has a solid and growing base. Kodak has unofficially announced two new films for this year, and the price of used film cameras continues to rise. Surprisingly, disposable film cameras also are popular, as are a new wave of non-disposable models, which essentially are the same cheap plastic boxes, only with a door on the back to swap in new films. But what is the appeal of these cheap, low-quality cameras today? "It’s the point-and-shoot aesthetic," Hamish Gill, founder of film website 35mmc, told Lifewire via direct message. "That grungy, grainy often-underexposed look is what a lot of people see as what film looks like now. It’s the antithesis to great photos from an iPhone, and therein lies a big chunk of the attraction."

Why Film

For a moment here, let’s forget about photography nerds, the people who are buying up old film SLRs and developing B&W films in their kitchens. Anecdotally, the buyers of cheap, plastic cameras are young-ish people whose only other camera is their phone. Is film just an extension of Instagram-style filters? After all, there’s no more genuine way to get the film look than from film itself. Or is there more to it than that? I asked Gill who he thinks is buying these cameras. Dubblefilm "Newbies who don’t know what camera to buy used," said Gill, "people who shoot for the disposable/cheap point-and-shoot aesthetic, people who like the simplicity of them. It’s fun shooting such basic kit, after all." "There are probably three or four different kinds of people buying these cameras," the founder of film photography site Emulsive, who goes by the handle "EM," told Lifewire via direct message. "They're popular because they are cheap, provide acceptable results, and can be used by digital-native newcomers, returnees to film, and current photographers alike."

Non-Disposable

We’re probably all familiar with disposable cameras. We may have bought one, or picked one up off the table at a wedding reception and shot a few pictures. Harman’s new EZ-35 is very similar to these cameras. The specs are almost painfully bad. The 31mm lens is a fixed-focus model, and has one aperture setting: ƒ11. Likewise, the shutter speed is fixed at 1/100sec. Even with the supplied ISO 400 Ilford HP5 film, you won’t be shooting indoors without a flash. The EZ-35 has one of those, although it takes 15 seconds to charge before you can fire it. For people coming to film photography for the first time, these colorful attractive plastic cameras are a curiosity... They're the original point and shoots, There’s one standout feature. The EZ-35 has a motor to wind the film, which seems like overkill on such a device. Harman’s camera is far from the only such camera on the market. Dubblefilm’s Show is a similarly basic point-and-shoot that launched last year, and there are others. Meanwhile, Nikon Just Axed Its Last Film Camera "Recently Kodak and a bunch of other brands like Dubblefilm, Agfa and even a company called Ilford Imaging (nothing to do with the film company) are jumping on with their own versions of relatable plastic cameras," says EM. "The new one from [Harman] is a little bit different because it represents the first automation iteration for these kinds of cameras." The film industry, says EM, is undergoing a restart. Companies are having to relearn how to make film cameras, "because folks like Nikon, Canon, Pentax, etc. don't have any interest."

Approachable

In the end, this kind of camera may be popular because it is so approachable. "For people coming to film photography for the first time, these colorful attractive plastic cameras are a curiosity. They're cheap, they don't take a lot of brains to operate. They're the original point and shoots," says EM. "These are the photographs that you're going to be looking at in 50 years time—not the ones that were left on your SD card, or still stuck in your export folder." Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire The 7 Best Online Photography Classes of 2022 What Is a DSLR Camera? Digital vs. Traditional Film Photography The 7 Best Instant Cameras of 2022 How to Have Success With Crowd Photography Full Frame vs. Crop Sensor Comparison The 6 Best Canon Cameras of 2022 The 5 Best Cameras for Under $2,000 in 2022 The 6 Best Waterproof Cameras of 2022 The 5 Best Cameras for Kids, Tested by Experts The 8 Best DSLR Cameras of 2022 The 8 Best Lenses for DSLR Cameras of 2022 How to Get the Bokeh Effect in Smartphone Photos What Is a Point and Shoot Camera? The 8 Best Wi-Fi Cameras of 2022 The 8 Best Light Meters for Photography in 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies