Disposable cameras at a wedding, or a QR code?
Updated by Scan & Snap
Disposable cameras give you real film photos and a fun table activity, but each one has limited shots, you have to pay to buy and develop them, and many frames may be wasted. A QR code album collects what's already on guests' phones, with no developing. Choose film for the look and the fun, and a QR code to get as many photos as possible.
Side by side
| Disposable cameras | QR code album | |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | Limited per camera, commonly about 27 | Unlimited on paid plans, 50 on our free plan |
| Cost | Each camera, plus developing and scanning | Free, or a one-off €29 or €59 |
| Results | Weeks, once developed | Straight away |
| Quality | Grainy and nostalgic, with flash needed indoors | Whatever each guest's phone takes |
| Guest photos already on phones | Not collected | Collected |
| Video | No | On paid plans |
Work out the real cost
Get a quote before you decide. For example, if you have 12 tables with one camera each, you'll pay for 12 cameras and 12 rolls to develop and scan, and that's about 324 frames at most. Children, accidental shots and forgotten flashes will reduce that. Prices vary by country and lab, so ask a local lab. Don't forget to allow time to get the cameras back on the night.
Why people still love them
They're fun. People enjoy using a real camera, they can't see the result, and the look is hard to fake. Getting the prints back weeks later is a nice surprise after everything else has finished. If that's what you want, it's a perfectly good reason. Just don't rely on them as your only source of guest photos.
Tips if you use film cameras
- Try one camera first, so you know how the flash works and what the results look like in a dim room.
- Put a short instruction card by each camera: wind on, flash on, step back.
- Ask someone to collect them at the end, as they do tend to wander off.
- Check how long your chosen lab takes, and whether you'll get digital scans.
Or use both
A few cameras on the tables for fun, and a QR code for everything else. If a physical camera isn't essential but you still like the idea, read about disposable camera apps. Then add a QR code to catch the photos guests take anyway.