This is how you make a D(isposable)SLR

A “disposable” camera sounds so wasteful in today’s increasingly polluted world; doesn’t it? Even when known by its alternative name, “single-use,” these small 35mm film cameras just don’t sound very “photographically correct.” Luckily, there’s more to this story of landfill waste and it’s hidden deep inside that plastic exterior shell.

[Please note: as a footnote to this disposable camera wasteful dilemma, the manufacturers of these plastic cameras do attempt to recycle them into, you guessed it, more plastic cameras.]

Typically, in the lifespan of the disposable camera, the film is exposed, the camera is dropped off at a film processing laboratory, negatives and prints are made, and the camera’s leftover plastic shells are shipped to a recycling center. What a waste. In just a few short minutes, however, you could take this worthless plastic trash and extract three valuable photographic tools from the discarded shells. Even better, these salvaged bits can then be used with your DSLR–effectively creating a D(isposable)SLR.

There are two distinctly different paths that you can take to arrive at this same, D(isposable)SLR, end result. One route will cost nothing (FREE!), while the second alternative is the cost of buying a disposable, single-use camera (approximately $13 for a Kodak Tri-X 400 B&W Single-Use Flash Camera). Unfortunately, if FREE is your choice, then grabbing a FREE camera comes down to being very lucky.

Your amount of good luck will largely depend on whether or not you live near a film processing lab that develops single-use cameras. In this context, your local “lab” might even be a pharmacy or drug store that features a disposable camera processing kiosk. Whatever the case may be, an inquiry with a member of the staff could yield you with a gratis disposable camera shell. Just be aware that camera manufacturers pay the labs to return processed single-use camera shells and your request could go unfulfilled.

If your attempt at this FREE route turns up empty handed, you can opt for purchasing a new, off-the-shelf single-use camera. The fringe benefit of buying your own camera is the “reward” of obtaining a useable roll of 35mm film that can be easily extracted from these cameras (see below).

Adding to this recovery of a valuable roll of film (remember, freely obtained single-use cameras from a film lab will NOT have any film inside the shells), there are three other items that can be salvaged from any disposable camera.

First and foremost is the no-name-brand AA battery, which powers the onboard electronic flash. You can easily pop this battery out of the camera’s baseplate. Naturally, you can repurpose this battery into other battery-operated devices.

Along with this battery is the second valuable item that can removed from a single-use camera. The electronic flash inside these cameras is a self-contained circuit board featuring a battery holder, a flash tube, a high-voltage capacitor, and a trigger switch (see below). After extraction, this palm-sized unit can be used as a standalone flash unit or a remote slave trigger. Just beware: the capacitor can make a dangerous shock. ONLY use this flash if you are aware of the dangerous safety risks from potential shocks and knowledgeable about handling high-voltage capacitors.

Finally, the third and best tool that can be removed from a disposable camera is the plastic lens. Combining this lens with a DSLR plastic body cap creates an incredible opportunity to shoot photographs evoking unique, powerful aesthetic imagery. These focus-free lenses are typically at an f/10 aperture that results in incredible depth-of-field (see Figure 6). Remarkably, you should be able to shoot moderately sharp photographs from 1-foot to infinity (hey, remember, it’s a plastic lens that’s about the size of a pea). Better yet, you might find that your close subjects (i.e., 2 – 10-feet) will have a fair degree of sharpness (see Figure 7).

Now that you’re convinced about the benefits of reclaiming a disposable camera, here are the steps for making your own D(isposable)SLR:

Please note: in this article, a Kodak Tri-X 400 B&W Single-Use Flash Camera (27 Exposures) will be used.

1. Get the film

This is the only step that pertains to a newly purchased single-use camera. Stop right there; there’s a perfectly good roll of 35mm film hiding inside this camera. In order to retrieve this film, you must completely cover the lens and advance the film and trip the shutter 27 times. Now that you’ve safely secured the film inside its cartridge, you can proceed to the best part of this project…demolition!

[Please note: sharp-eyed readers will see that, as shown in Figure 2, above, Kodak uses 24-exposure film for obtaining 27 photographs with this disposable camera. Good work, Kodak!]

You’ll only need two tools for this camera demo:

• A small Phillips-head screwdriver – for removing the plastic lens housing.
• A small flat-head screwdriver – for prying the two camera halves apart.

2. Camera splitting

Place your flat-head screwdriver under the side-mounted latches and pry the camera halves apart. You’ll have to pry both latches to separate the camera shell. It opens up just like a plastic clam.

3. Get the parts

Remove the Kodak 24-exposure roll of Tri-X film and store it in a safe spot. The ideal spot for storage is inside a 35mm film camera (see Figure 8)–ready for use with a body cap lens from this project. At this time, you should also remove the AA battery.

Again, use your flat-head screwdriver for prying the film chamber + light box out of the front camera shell. Pry under the cylinder that held the 35mm roll of film and on the opposite side that contains the empty film spool. Refer to Figure 4, above.

4. Remove (and discharge) the flash

Turn the removed film chamber + light box over and use your Phillips-head screwdriver to remove the two screws that are holding the lens assembly in the light box. The electronic flash circuit board can also be removed with a gentle pull away from the light box. Use a piece of plastic to trip the flash’s trigger and safely discharge the capacitor as shown in Figure 9.

In order to install your disposable lens in your DSLR, you will need one spare part and one tool:

• A spare plastic body cap for your DSLR will be used for holding the single-use camera plastic lens.
• A battery-powered drill equipped with a 5/8-inch spade bit will be used for drilling a hole in the body cap for holding the lens.

5. Adjust the flange distance

There’s only one last thing that you have to do before you can take any photographs with this plastic lens. Refer to Figure 10 for this step. Because the lens-to-film plane distance inside the disposable camera is different from your DSLR, you have to disassemble the plastic lens and remove one lens element and a spacer. This is a trivial task that begins by gently twisting the plastic lens retaining cap off the lens body. Carefully lift the top lens element out of the lens and turn it over, then temporarily set it aside. Next remove the black spacer from inside the lens, followed by lifting out the bottom lens element. Neither of these pieces will be needed, but hold on to them until you’re completely satisfied with the lens’ final performance in this project.

6. Put everything together

Return the top lens element into the lens body. Remember that you should’ve turned it over when you temporarily removed it. Yes; you are going to use it upside down. Reattach the plastic lens retaining cap to the lens body. This step could be a little difficult because the top lens element has been flipped over…it will work, though.

Push the lens assembly into the body cap from the inside, attach the cap to your DSLR, and look through your viewfinder (or, use the LCD, if you prefer). How’s it look?

Please note: creating a “test” template for temporarily holding the lens against your DSLR lens mount is a great way to determine the ideal spot for drilling the body cap. There’s no hurry with this step; take your time. Ensure that your template’s placement on your DSLR produces a nice, clear, albeit, somewhat fuzzy view at infinity (see Figure 11). A closer subject, at approximately 2-feet, however, should be pretty clear (see Figure 12).

Prior to photographic use, the lens from a discarded Kodak Tri-X single-use camera requires that you make a couple of setting changes on your DSLR. First, your camera’s ISO must be fixed at 400. This setting effectively duplicates the disposable camera’s film speed.

Second, and more importantly, Tri-X is a black & white film. Therefore, your DSLR should be set for making monochrome photographs (see Figure 13). This step is vital for ensuring that everyone believes you when you tell them that you are using a D(isposable)SLR.

Enjoy.