Disposable cameras have been around for decades. In the age of digital cameras, there is something to be said for the experience of taking images with a disposable camera on film and needing to wait for the film to processed, their ruggedness, their low cost, and that they come in a waterproof option. You also may also have a few disposable cameras laying around that you want to get processed. Walgreens is one of the few drugstores in the United States that still develops disposable cameras.
Since most disposable cameras have 27 exposures, Walgreens charges $15.86 (plus tax) to develop a disposable camera with 27 exposures within 7 – 10 business days. The price includes a glossy 4×6 inch print of each image and a free CD of digitally scanned negatives or $10.48 for only a Photo CD without prints. However, Walgreens doesn’t return your negatives.
Now that you know how much it costs to develop a disposable camera at Walgreens. Keep reading to see how much it costs for a double set of prints, how long the process takes, how to get the images onto your phone, and the cost of other film formats Walgreens can develop.
Can I Get My Disposable Camera Developed at Walgreens?
Walgreens can develop disposable cameras. Most disposable cameras have 27 exposures but some have as little as 24 exposures and as much as 36 exposures. Keep in mind that Walgreens does not return your negatives. See the list below for a full list of prices:
Number of Disposable Camera Exposures | Single Set of Prints (4×6 inch Prints) | Additional Set of Prints |
|---|---|---|
24 exposures | $14.99 | + $4.00 per set |
27 exposures | $15.86 | + $4.57 per set |
36 exposures | $17.99 | + $5.50 per set |
Walgreens also charges around $3.99 each for an 8×10 inch print and around $10.48 for a Photo CD from film processing without prints ordered and $5.99 for a Photo CD from previously developed negatives without prints. See the chart below for prices for additional photo related products:
Additional Photo Products | Price |
|---|---|
8×10 prints | $3.99 each |
Photo CD (from film processing, no prints) | $10.48 |
Photo CD (from negatives, no prints) | $5.99 |
Since Walgreens doesn’t return your negatives and the scans are not high-quality, see this list of places to get a disposable camera developed
about the same price with better quality scans and your negatives returned. Also see this guide about how to ship your film safely and inexpensively to one of these online labs.
How Long Does It Take Walgreens to Develop Disposable Camera?
Walgreens can take anywhere from 7 days – 10 days to develop a disposable camera. This is because Walgreens does not process and scan disposable cameras in-house and mails it out to another lab (usually a Fujifilm facility) to be processed. In my experience, the process for a disposable camera loaded with color film takes about a week and a camera loaded with black & white film can take up to 3 weeks.
How Do You Develop a Disposable Cameras at Walgreens?
The process to have a disposable camera developed at Walgreens is very easy. All you you need to do is to fill out information on their own paper envelope and put your disposable camera (one camera per envelope) into it. The steps are as follows:
- Locate and go to a Walgreens physical location with a photo department. Bring along your undeveloped disposable camera and ask for a film development envelope.
- Fill out the envelope with your information and the list the amount of prints you want.
- Place your exposed disposable camera inside the envelope and seal it. Note only one camera per envelope so if you are developing multiple cameras, you will need multiple envelopes with your information and number of prints.
- Drop the completed enveloped with your information and number of prints into the collection box in the photo department of Walgreens.
Walgreens will notify you by phone once your order has been processed and ready to be picked up. With your order you will receive is a CD with your digitally scanned negatives on it for future printing or sharing on social media and 4×6″ glossy prints. If you ordered more prints you will also receive those.
How Do I Get Images from a Disposable Camera to My Phone?
There are two basic approaches to getting images from a disposable camera to your phone. Once you finish taking all the images on your disposable camera, you will first need to develop your disposable camera by using an online (or local) film development lab or a local drugstore.
Using An Online Lab To Get Images from A Disposable Camera
If you choose an online lab to develop your disposable camera they will send you your scans back and you can download them to your phone or you can scan the negatives yourself using a scanner, dedicated camera set up, or a smart app.
Using Walgreens To Get Images from A Disposable Camera
However, if you choose to develop your disposable camera at a local drug store like Walgreens, you will receive a set of glossy 4×6″ prints (one for each of your exposures) and scans of your negatives on a CD with your purchase. Since most computers available now don’t have a CD-rom drive to access the images on the CD that you get back from Walgreens, I recommend bringing along a USB flash drive to make it easier to transfer the images from the CD to the USB drive at one of the photo kiosks located in Walgreens. Then you can transfer the images from the USB to your computer and then to your mobile device.
Using An Smartphone App To Get Images from A Disposable Camera
Another option is using a smartphone app like PhotoScan by Google to scan the 4×6 prints you receive back from Walgreens. The free app is available for iPhone phones and Android phones and takes high resolution images of prints without reflections as well as automatically crops, resizes, rotates, and enhances the image.
Does Walgreens Have Disposable Cameras?
Walgreens sells all kinds of disposable cameras in the store and online. If they don’t have it for sale in the store, the cameras are eligible for free same day delivery from Walgreens or with orders over $10. Note that the price is just for the camera and does not include development.
At the time of writing you can find these disposable cameras for sale in-store and online at Walgreens for a pretty good price (not including tax):
- Kodak HD Power Flash Single Use Camera with 27 exposures for around $34.99
Unless you need the disposable cameras right away, I recommend purchasing this camera on Amazon.com where you will get a better price (not including tax):
- While Amazon does not carry the Kodak HD Power Flash Single Use Camera it does carry the very similar Kodak MAX 35mm Single Use Cameras with Flash in a 2-pack with 27 exposures each for around $44.99
What Other Film Formats Can Walgreens Develop?
In addition to disposable cameras loaded with color film, Walgreens can also develop other film formats like color and black & white 35mm film, slide film, APS (advantix), and 110mm film for the same price as a disposable camera. Just like with developing a disposable camera at Walgreens, the price also includes a set of 4×6 inch glossy prints, and a free CD of your digitally scanned negatives.
However, keep in mind these formats take longer to process (up to 2 – 3 weeks) than a color disposable camera at Walgreens. Here is a list of how many exposures specific film formats come in and how much it costs:
- Most APS (advantix) film is 24, 25, or 40 exposures on it so the cost is between $14.42 – $17.99 (plus tax).
- Most slide film (E-6) has between 24 – 36 exposures on it so the cost is between $14.42 – $17.99 (plus tax).
- 110mm film comes in between 10, 12, or 24 exposures so the cost is around $14.99 (plus tax).
Number of Exposures | Single Set of Prints (4×6 inch Prints) | Additional Set of Prints |
|---|---|---|
12 exposures | $11.99 | + $2.00 per set |
24 exposures | $14.99 | + $4.00 per set |
27 exposures | $15.86 | + $4.57 per set |
36 exposures | $17.99 | + $5.50 per set |
39 exposures | $18.82 | + $5.57 per set |
Additional Photo Products | Price |
|---|---|
8×10 prints | $3.99 each |
Photo CD (from film processing, no prints) | $10.48 |
Photo CD (from negatives, no prints) | $5.99 |
Keep in mind Walgreens doesn’t return your negatives and the scans are not high-quality. Check out this list of places that will develop these formats inexpensively that also will return your negatives.
In Summary and Pros & Cons of Getting A Disposable Camera Developed at Walgreens
Walgreens is a good place to develop your disposable camera because of its convenient locations, decent quality photo prints, and has better scans than Walmart. Similar to CVS and Walmart, Walgreens doesn’t return your film negatives from your disposable camera. If you want your negatives returned and/or you care about getting more than low quality and low resolution scans, I suggest that you read this guide that lists several places to get film developed that will return negatives and give you much better quality scans. Also, see this guide to learn how to ship your film safely and inexpensively to one of these online labs.
Below are a list of pros and cons about getting a disposable film camera developed at Walgreens.
Pros:
- Many Walgreens locations available so it is likely near you
- No shipping cost
- Shorter wait time for color film (7 – 10 days) than Walmart (2 – 3 weeks)
- Can develop color and black & white disposable or single-use film cameras
- Can develop color 35mm
- Can also develop other film formats like black & white 35mm film, Advantix (APS), 110, and slide film (E-6) but locations may vary and it takes longer (up to 2 – 3 weeks)
- Prints are better than CVS and Walmart
- Extra sets of prints are cheaper than CVS and Walmart
- Free CD of scanned negatives and a set of glossy 4×6 inch prints included with development cost
- Will call you when your order is ready
- Decent quality scans but low-resolution (compared to Walmart)
- Can get just a Photo CD without prints for a cheaper price at $10.48
- Can get negatives scanned to a Photo CD for just $5.99 (check with the store to see if you get your negatives back)
Cons:
- Long wait time of 3 weeks for specific film formats (Advantix / APS, 110, Slide Film / E6, and 35mm black & white film)
- Extra sets of prints are more expensive than CVS and Walmart
- Receive back low-resolution scans and prints
- Don’t receive your negatives back
- Very little, if any, customer service – drop film in a paper envelope in the store
- No online film development ordering available (must go to the physical location)
- Slightly more expensive than Walmart and CVS to develop a disposable camera
- No bulk pricing available
- Price for development cost lands between Walgreens and Walmart. With Walmart being the least expensive and Walgreens being the most expensive.
- Different cost to develop rolls of film with 24 exposures and 36 exposures (unlike other online development labs)
- Will not give a discount on scanning if the roll is blank (like some online labs)
