Your camera

How to use your camera.

Never shot film before? It takes about ten seconds to learn, and there is nothing you can break by trying.

The ten second version

Three things to remember

  • Wind before every shot

    Turn the wheel on the back until it stops. If you have not wound it, the button simply will not press.

  • Flash on, almost always

    Inside, after dark, in the shade, even at sunset. Film needs far more light than your phone does.

  • Get closer than feels right

    One to three metres from whoever you are shooting. Anything further away comes out small.

Know your camera

Which bit does what

Your camera will have its own artwork. The buttons are in the same places.

The front
The front of a Quokka Cam disposable camera, with five numbered markers on the shutter button, viewfinder, lens, flash and flash switch.
  1. Shutter buttonOn the top edge. Press it to take the photo.
  2. ViewfinderLook through this, not at the lens, to line up your shot.
  3. LensKeep your fingers and your hair well clear of it.
  4. FlashFires automatically when the flash is switched on.
  5. Flash switchSlide it across to ON. Leave it there all night.
The back
The back of a Quokka Cam disposable camera, with four numbered markers on the wind wheel, shutter button, viewfinder and shot counter.
  1. Wind wheelThe ridged wheel marked WIND ME. Turn it towards the arrow until it stops.
  2. Shutter buttonThe same button, seen from behind.
  3. ViewfinderThe window you look through.
  4. Shot counterCounts down how many photos you have left.
Taking a photo

Five steps, every time

  1. Turn the flash on

    Slide the switch on the front across to ON. Give it a few seconds to charge before your first shot, and a few seconds between shots after that. Leave it switched on for the whole night.

  2. Wind it on

    Turn the wheel on the back towards the arrow until it stops turning. That pulls fresh film across and unlocks the button.

  3. Line it up

    Hold the camera up to your eye and look through the viewfinder. Get close, about one to three metres, and keep the light behind you rather than behind your subject.

  4. Press the button

    Press the button on top firmly, holding the camera steady. One press, one photo. There is no preview and no delete, which is rather the point.

  5. Wind it straight away

    Wind it on again as soon as you have taken the shot, so the camera is ready for whoever picks it up next.

Getting good photos

What actually makes a difference

  • Fill the frame

    Half a step closer than feels natural. Faces, not scenery.

  • Flash indoors, always

    A room that looks bright to you is dark to film. If you are inside, use the flash.

  • Keep the sun behind you

    Shooting into the light turns your friends into silhouettes.

  • Hold still

    Film is slower than a phone camera. A steady grip and a braced elbow go a long way.

  • Check your fingers

    The lens sits where your left hand naturally lands. Easy to cover without noticing.

  • Shoot more than you think

    No one ever regretted using the whole roll. Use it.

Four things not to do

How a roll gets ruined

  • Do not open the back

    That is the film in there. Opening the camera exposes it to light and wipes out the photos on the roll.

  • Do not force the wheel

    If it will not turn, the roll is finished. Forcing it can tear the film.

  • Do not get it wet

    Keep it out of the pool, the rain and the esky.

  • Do not try to rewind it

    There is nothing to rewind by hand. The camera takes care of the film for you.

When the roll runs out

You have finished. Now what?

  • At an event?

    Pop the camera back where you found it, or hand it to whoever is running the day. They will get the film developed and share the photos around.

  • Is it yours to keep?

    Take the whole camera to any lab that develops 35mm film. You hand over the camera, not the film, and they do the rest.

  • How long does it take?

    Most labs turn a roll around in a few days. Ask for digital scans as well as prints, so you can actually share them.

Ordered your cameras from us? Ask about our partner labs, where our customers get a better rate. Email hello@quokka.cam.

Still stuck

Questions

The button will not press. Is it broken?

Almost certainly not. The camera locks the button until it is wound. Turn the wheel on the back towards the arrow until it stops, then try again. If the wheel will not turn either, you have reached the end of the roll.

How many photos do I get?

The counter on the back counts down as you go. Most rolls are eighteen or twenty-four shots.

Can I see the photo I just took?

No. There is no screen and no delete button. You see them all at once when the film is developed, which is the best part.

Do I need the flash outside?

Usually yes. Film needs much more light than a phone. The flash fills in faces in shade, under a marquee and at sunset. Leave it on.

I opened the back by accident.

Close it straight away and keep shooting. You will lose some shots to the light, but the rest of the roll often survives. Let the lab know when you drop it in.

Where do I get the film developed?

Any lab that develops 35mm film. Hand the whole camera over, they do the rest. If you ordered your cameras from us, ask about our partner labs where our customers get a better rate.

Want these at your event?

We design custom disposable cameras for weddings, occasions, hotels and brands. Yours could have your artwork on the front.

Get a quote