How Long Does It Take To Develop A Disposable Camera?

Film photography has made a huge comeback in recent years, and disposable cameras still remain one of the easiest way to get started, and a fun memento for weddings, holidays and festivals.

If it's your first time shooting and getting a disposable camera developed, you may be wondering how long it takes to get your shots back. The short answer is that is can totally depend on the lab you get them processed at, based on this you could get your photos back on the same day for labs that offer a same day turnaround, whereas some labs may take 2 weeks to get them back to you.

At FilmProcessing.co.uk we pride ourselves on our quick turnaround times at a high quality, let's break it down.

Where You Get It Developed Matters

The time it takes to get a disposable camera developed depends largely on who's developing your film.

Specialist Film Labs (Independent or Online Services)

Depending on which lab you choose, again turnaround times can vary greatly. But at FilmProcessing.co.uk we pride ourselves on being one of the labs in the UK with the quickest turarnound times.

If you're local to Plymouth you can drop your films in and opt for our same day turnaround on processing. We also operate our disposable camera developing service online, once you place your order for disposable camera developing, simply send your film to us and let us do the rest! We usually develop disposables within 1-2 days from when we receive the camera in the post.

When you order with us you can opt for prints, digital photos, a CD, or all of the above!

• Digital scans will be emailed to you via a dropbox link on the day they are processed

• Prints, CD's and negatives (if requested) are sent out to your address on they day they are developed, shipping times vary, but you will receive a tracking number for your order by email

High Street Photo Labs

Some of the high street photo labs/supermarkets generally only operate an online/postal service for film developing these days (with few store opportunities) and a lot of the larger chains take around 7-9 working days to develop photos.

This is going to be the longest amount of time you could expect to wait to get your standard colour disposable cameras back.

DIY Home Developing

If you're into home developing, it’s possible to develop black-and-white film from a disposable camera at home. Colour film is trickier but still doable with the right chemicals.

If you are experienced, you may be able to get your photos developed in a few hours with this method.

But it's important to note that most disposable cameras use colour film (typically C-41), which requires a more controlled process.

What Affects Turnaround Time?

📦 Mailing Time

If you’re posting your disposable camera to a lab, factor in shipping times both ways (especially if you're just requested prints). We always recommend sending via a tracked service so you have full traceability of your camera.

📆 Lab Workload

Busy times (like after summer or during wedding season) can slow things down. Labs often get a surge of film orders during holidays. At FilmProcessing.co.uk, we continue to operate on our 1-2 day turnaround on colour disposable cameras throughout the seasons.

🖼️ Service Type

• Develop only: Quicker turnaround (sometimes just a couple of days).

• Develop + scan + prints: More time needed, especially if prints are involved.

• Type of disposable camera: Black & white developing often takes longer than traditional colour disposable cameras.

While the average disposable camera doesn’t offer instant results, that’s part of the charm!

Waiting a few days to see your shots can actually be more exciting than scrolling through your phone gallery, plus whether you've been on holiday or got married, it keeps those blues at bay a little bit longer.

Whether you get your film processed at a local shop or send it off to a pro lab (such as ourselves!), enjoy the surprise when your photos finally arrive.