It’s Kinda Like Three Rolls of Film for the Price of One! Oh, and You Get a FREE Camera, Too

Everybody loves a bargain. Especially in today’s tough economic times. Imagine the surprise when a disposable camera appeared on the Freestyle Photo & Imaging website for a shockingly low price of $8! Ho-Hum, another disposable camera, right? Not so fast. This isn’t one of those low-grade cameras. This is a bona fide camera deal that is filled with the delightful Ilford Ilfocolor color film.

[Please note: As this article was going to press, the Ilfocolor disposable camera became listed as “currently unavailable” at Freestyle Photo & Imaging.]

Ilford Ilfocolor film is a high-speed ISO 400 emulsion that lends a retro-like look to its negatives. Even better, this little plastic camera holds a legitimate 27-exposure film cartridge inside. Which leads us to why this camera is such a bargain. For reference, a roll of 24-exposure Ilfocolor film costs $16.95.

Using just a small amount of advance planning, you can get 3 different kinds of film outta this one camera. Yes, it’s almost like getting three rolls of film for the price of one…provided, your definition of a “roll” is approximately 9 exposures each. This is how you make three from one.

Work Backwards to Go Forwards

There are two secrets for making this one project add up to three! First, this disposable camera is actually a bit of duplicity. Like almost all disposable cameras, this Ilford Ilfocolor camera contains an actual retail-like film cartridge inside its plastic body. But you don’t want to just open the camera and remove this roll of film. Why not? In normal operation, all of the unexposed film is pre-wound (unwound) onto the take-up spool. During exposure, the film is actually advanced “back” into the film cartridge. Therefore, when the camera is finished, the film has been properly “rewound” back into the cartridge. Neat trick, eh?

The second trick with getting the most usage out of this camera is to cover the lens with your hand while clicking the shutter and advancing the film. Doing this seemingly silly juggling act enables you to keep the film unexposed while advancing/rewinding it into the cartridge. You’ll see why this technique is important in just a bit. Armed with these two bits of knowledge/technique will now enable you to find those three “hidden” rolls of film.

Roll 1. Beginning at the end. Initially, the camera is really sitting at frame number 27. Remember, you’re rewinding the film into the cartridge as you advance each exposure. So go ahead, use this disposable camera as a regular camera and shoot 7-8 exposures. In other words, make conventional disposable camera photographs until the exposure counter reads 20. Now stop.

Roll 2, Part I. Double trouble. Continue using the disposable camera, but use some inspiration for the next 7-8 exposures: pretend you’re making double exposures on each single exposure. Huh? When you reach Roll #3, you will see why this action is important. For now, however, try to divide the frame into distinct separations of dark/light lighting situations. Just like you’d do for a conventional double exposure.

Roll 3. Roll, baby, roll. This is where you’ll utilize that second technique of covering the lens with your hand while firing off the remaining exposures in this disposable camera. Don’t overdo it, though. Stop all firing/advancing when the exposure counter reaches “X.” You will now open this disposable camera by removing the sticky labels and prying apart each of the little clips that hold the plastic shells together. Your reward is the film cartridge neatly sitting inside one shell with its film leader threaded across the light chamber. Load this cartridge into your fave film camera and use the following profiles for exposing Roll #2, Part II and Roll #3:

• The first 7-9 exposures are just like “normal” Ilfocolor photographs. In other words, shoot these exposures as you would normally expose a roll of film inside your camera.
• The next 14-18 exposures are Part II of the double exposures from Roll #2, Part I. Recalling your initial dark/light separations used inside the disposable camera, expose these “recalled” shots as legitimate double exposures.
• STOP! The remaining 19-27 exposures are the photographs from the initial use of the disposable camera. Rolls #1, #2, Part II, and #3 are now complete; at this point, rewind the film and process the negatives.

There ya go…it’s like getting three rolls of film from the purchase of one disposable camera. Without a doubt, the greatest source of anticipation will come from the double exposure results. These photographs will be totally “hit-or-miss.”

If your 3-in-1 technique is well-honed, however, you should expect three completely different winning shots from this single roll of film: a typical disposable camera photograph, a wild double-exposure photograph, and a conventional photograph with your fave film camera. That’s 3-for-1 and a terrific bargain. Oh, and don’t forget, that you had a “free” camera during those initial Roll #1 exposures, too.

[Pro Tip: Regardless of whether or not you elect to try this project, you should still learn how to take a disposable camera apart. Why? Almost every film processing laboratory will charge you an extra surcharge for developing a disposable camera. By opening a used disposable camera and removing the exposed roll of film, you can avoid this extra cost during the development of your film.]

Enjoy.

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