Who knew a Kodak disposable camera could lead to such an adventure? For a recent experiment, I pulled the film from a Kodak disposable camera and loaded it into my Nikon F5, & set off with a small group on our monthly photo walk, this time through the Pirianda Gardens in the Dandenong Ranges.
Each of us brought something different to the mix—35mm film, 120 film, Polaroid, and digital cameras.
The Magic of Film from Disposable Cameras
To work with film from a disposable camera, you first need to “set it free,” haha. The film in a disposable winds into the canister with each shot, so to reuse it, you’ll need to click through all the frames and wind it back in. I did this in a dark bag to keep the film fresh, but I think I might shoot another disposable camera at some point then shoot it in the F5 to try my hand at random double exposures.
Since the disposable film canister doesn’t have DX coding, my Nikon F5 couldn’t automatically detect the ISO. You’ll run into the same issue if you have a DX codes camera but you should be able to set it to ISO 800 manually.
A Walk Through Pirianda Gardens – The Film’s Personality
As I clicked away in the garden, a few things stood out about this Kodak disposable camera film:
- ISO 800 and Shadow Detail: Shooting at ISO 800 and metering for the shadows, I found the details nicely preserved in darker areas, even in the garden’s varied light.
- Colours and Saturation: The colours were stunning! The film kinda gave me Kodak Gold or maybe UltraMax vibes, with a warm, saturated tone that felt friendly, familiar & vibrant.
- Yeah, A Familiar Feel: Interestingly, the look also somehow reminded me of the old Japanese-made FujiFilm, though this could be due to my scanner’s interpretation of the negatives.
- Visible Grain: Grain was noticeable but didn’t distract—if anything, it added to the character and felt completely at home in these images.
- Dynamic Range: I found the dynamic range was decent for an ISO 800 roll.
Exploring Pirianda’s Hidden Corners
Originally a private retreat, Pirianda Gardens is rich with history. The once-grand house, now managed by Parks Victoria, still has a mysterious charm. I couldn’t resist making a photo through the front windows, where old office chairs sat stacked—a strange but oddly compelling scene, set against the beautiful gardens outside.
Our crew stumbled down the property and to the creek, while towering trees and hidden structures gave each of us plenty to photograph. At one point, we found a massive fallen tree stretched across a bridge, with an orange road cone inexplicably resting on its uprooted roots. These quirky surprises kept us all alert to the details around us.
A Community of Perspectives
One of the best parts of these walks is seeing how differently each person interprets the same environment. Some photographers zoomed in on small details, while others went for sweeping views of the garden paths or creek. No two photos were alike, which made it all the more fun to share and compare notes back in the carpark. Shooting film in the Dandenong Ranges is always a rich experience, but it’s the collective adventure, the sense of community, that brings everything together.
I’m looking forward to the next one!
