An easy and worry free alternative to those "real cameras"

I actually do own a real camera: one where you purchase film, load it in, and perform sophisticated functions such as zoom. However, I have often found myself doubting the safety of said camera, be it from sand or too many handbags thrown on a table at a dance. The additional concern of that pesky little battery dying has led to me to the wonderful revolution of one time use cameras.

Fuji Film Quicksnap is a brand that I frequently purchase. It seems to be a nice compromise between its higher priced Kodak cousins and its lower priced generic supermarket cousins. Truth be told, I have not noticed a considerable difference in the quality of Fuji versus Kodak pictures from these disposable cameras, however I'll address that shortly.

Fuji Film Quicksnap is smaller than most "real cameras", however it is not the smallest one time use camera on the market. Its body is a sturdy black plastic and it's covered by a multi-colored cardboard sleeve, which you should not remove under any circumstances, despite its ability to label you as a tourist faster than your lobster red "pre-tan" or your gaping wonder as you snap away at every sight. It includes a flash, which is one of the greatest features because it doesn't prohibit you from using your one time use camera in terms of location the way earlier nonflash models of every brand did. (I find this especially nice because even if I'm attending an outdoor event, I often don't use all of the exposures, and used to become quite annoyed by the fact that I then could not use my camera inside for the few that remained.) Additionally, having a flash does not keep you from being able to take photos in semidarkness or cloudy conditions.

Note: Take care when grabbing your Fuji Film Quickflash from the shelves. Double check to make sure it has the flash, because sometimes these types of cameras aren't clearly marked and nonflash siblings sit right next to the flash ones. Added to the fact that customers don't always put stuff back where they grabbed it from, and not looking could cause you a headache when you get home and realize your "flash" camera doesn't indeed have a flash. So, just take a moment and double check that, even though you are a very intellegent human being, you took the camera you intended to.

Anyway, the flash on this camera takes a second. Unlike a "real" camera, it won't pop up right away. But you shouldn't exactly be missing shots waiting for it to come on either. (As you near the end of your exposures, this time may increase a bit.) It will turn itself off after you've taken a picture, or will stay lit for a predetermined amount of time and then power itself off. Fuji Film Quickflash is extremely easy to operate, and just in case you need a reminder the directions are clearly printed on the back of that fun cardboard sleeve. As with a typical point and shoot camera, you simply wind the film, get your subject in the viewfinder, and push the designated button. I would suggest waiting until you're ready to take your next photo before winding again, as it seems that it is particularly easy for these cameras to shoot lovely pictures of the inside of your bag or pocket should you wind post photo. (Ususally a certain amount of winding is needed before the initial picture is taken, consult the directions on the back of the camera for more specific instruction.)

Like I mentioned before, I've never noticed a signifigant difference between the quality of pictures from a Fuji Quicksnap and those of a higher priced disposable camera. The price difference is generally only a few dollars, but if you tend to take a lot of pictures you know that every little bit counts. At the last store I checked at, the price difference was something like 9 bucks for the Fuji versus around 12 for Kodak. Watch when the sun starts to go down or in the dark- some will turn out, but others won't, even with the flash. The cameras are very durable. I've dropped one of these more than once and it has never affected the body of the camera nor the quality of the pictures.

In short, this camera is fabulous for a variety of people and circumstances. Since it's easy to operate, kids can handle it quite well, which makes it perfect to send on field trips or to tote on vacation. (They will get a kick out of having their own camera to take pictures with!) It's also good for parties or other situations where you might worry about misplacing something more expensive, or a liquid spilling on something more expensive. (Think: a good camera to have around the dorms my college crowd.) It's also great for camera illiterate folk who don't want to fuss with the loading and winding of traditional film.