Best quality disposbale cameras?

banshcat

Hi.

I need advice regarding disposable cameras for a research project I am undertaking. I need to get really good quality shots and need to be able to enlarge them so they can be exhibited without loss of quality. Also, where is the best place to source the cameras and where is best for processing? I know nothing about cameras and photography of any kind, so any advice is very welcome please.

Thank you.

CK

leinsterman

That'd be a Lomo or a Holga ...

http://www.lomography.com/

http://shop.lomography.com/shop/

For development ... I'd recommend Gunns of Wexford St in Dublin ... ask for Fiona ...

Fenster

Aren't quality disposables something of an oxymoron?

magicbastarder

i hardly think a holga is disposable; unless you've got a fat wallet.

Roen

Any of the Nikon D series cameras should do you.
But seriously though, are you talking about those €10 efforts? I don't think you're going to be enlarging much past 10x8" with them, and even that would be pushing it.
As has been said already, quality disposable is a contradiction in terms. Would recommend Gunns though.

leinsterman

magicbastarder wrote:

i hardly think a holga is disposable; unless you've got a fat wallet.

Your right ... but some of the Lomo cameras are a bag of fun ... an quite cheap ...

It all depends on what this project is about ...

maybe a better option is to borrow a digital SLR from someone ...

banshcat

Thanks for the help!

I will be giving cameras to young people so that they can take pics to represent their lives - I'll need to give two cameras/rolls of film (at least) to about 10 people. I have a limited budget for the research and need to know what the best thing to do is, as these pics have to be exhibited. What should I be looking for in a camera for this project? Is there a cheap digital camera (no more than about 40 Euro) that might be suitable? Are Lomo's available anywhere in Dublin? Any help with this would be great? I'm totally clueless.
Thanks,

C

City-Exile

Right, I'm an awful blagger and if I were you, I'd get onto Coca-Cola, 7Up or someone like that. They often give away disposable cameras, so you might get them to "sponsor" your little project. These cameras are worth almost nothing nowadays. Suss out someone in the marketing department of some global brand. The worst they can say is, sorry, we can't help you!

banshcat

Thanks - thats a good suggestion, but quality is important. I need to get the best quality pics with the best available camera available within budget.

City-Exile

Many of them come with ISO 100 film, which could get you nice prints.
I have used Fuji disposable cameras before and got some really nice prints.

banshcat

Great, do you think they the pics could be enlarged enough to exhibit - what size is appropriate for exhibiting anyway?

C

Paulw

Try contacting Fuji Ireland. I'd bet they would be more than willing to sponsor you and give you the free disposable cameras.

8x10 images should be fine for you.

City-Exile

ISO numbers are typically, 100, 200, 400, etc...
The higher the number, the less light is needed to get an exposure.
As a consequence, the image is more grainy and this doesn't make for good enlargements.
If you had ISO 100 or 200, you'd get better prints, at larger sizes, but you'd need to use a flash indoors or take pictures outdoors, in good light.
The size of the picture, depends on what you want.
Some places will give you 8x12 (20cm x 30cm)
That should be as big as you want to go.

Zillah

Roen wrote:

Any of the Nikon D series cameras should do you.

Oh you're asking for it!!

banshcat

All this info is really great, thanks a million!

sineadw

Are you working for/with a registered youth project or charity? Do you have some sort of documentation you could use to support this? (even a registered email address.. user@youthgroup.com type thing). If so you should definitely be able to get them for free, plus development and printing. I worked with youth groups for a long time, and the corporate bodies just LOVE you. Anything to do with youth, education, if you can slip development or socio-economics in there (inner city.. deprived areas..) all the better. Its all about the jargon. Promise that you'll mention their kind generosity and they'll be falling over you. Mind you, it takes time to sort out. What sort of time frame are you working with?

If you need a hand with that side of it give me a shout and I'll see if I can.

As for quality, any of the film ones should do you for 10x8's - they're surprisingly good quality. Penneys and Tesco value do them for about 3 euro each, with flash (excluding processing and printing! :eek: )

DotOrg

banshcat wrote:

I need to get really good quality shots and need to be able to enlarge them so they can be exhibited without loss of quality.

the quality of the camera is actually largely irrelevant as all are pretty much the same. the Kodak disposable cameras are the best quality and yield the best quality print under a variety of lighting conditions. they use iso800 film which most of the best disposable cameras use

Boots chains sell them for €14.50 each but have a buy one get one free offer which makes them €7.25 each



Boots processing for a 3 day service is €5.45

After that, go to somewhere like the camera centre on grafton st or Gunnes on wexford street to get the enlargments made.

Technical quality of a 12x8 print won't be stunning but the images will often make up for any lack of quality