Between computational photography and new tech to squeeze cameras into tiny devices, smartphone cameras inch closer to “perfect” with every launch. But here’s the thing: Sometimes, perfect is boring. That’s why lately, when I don’t have my camera close enough to snap a photo, I find myself tapping on a disposable camera app instead of opening my iPhone’s native camera app.
Huji Cam is a free app on iOS and Android that mimics a 1990s disposable camera, down to composing the photo in a tiny “viewfinder” and pressing an oversized shutter release button to snap the photo. Photos can even have that iconic orange date stamp added automatically.
But the real reason that I love the Huji Cam app is that the results are wildly unpredictable. Yes, I know that sounds like a bad thing, but it’s actually not, at least, not if you’re looking for a film-like experience from a digital camera. The photo albums from my 90s childhood are full of images that have light leaks, bright flash, and unusual colors.
Unpredictability is part of the magic of film. The Huji Cam app has a random light effects option that adds light leaks to your photos. I never really know what to expect, and both the unpredictability and the light leaks themselves make the digital photos feel more like film.
I’ve used a variety of film cameras, from disposables to instant film to 35mm SLRs, and no digital camera is going to fully replicate that experience. But the Huji Cam app does a fantastic job trying to replicate that feeling, without having to pay to develop the film.
Not every image will have a light leak effect on it – part of the randomness is some images not having a light leak at all – but the colors are a bit more wild, a bit more saturated than the photos from the native camera app on my iPhone as well. Sometimes, the app even adds some dust and scratches to the images.
The app has some of the limitations of a disposable film camera as well. The biggest one? There's no zoom. You can, however, switch to the selfie camera if you use the larger viewfinder mode.
The “development” time is only a few seconds, not the weeks that you often wait when finishing up the remaining shots on a disposable film camera and sending it in for development.
The app has a few ways to customize the experience – you can turn off those light leaks if you want. The date stamp can also be turned on and off. And if you don’t like the small viewfinder shooting experience, you can toggle the “viewfinder touch mode” on in the settings, then double-tap the viewfinder for a larger view of what you are about to take a photo of.
I still use my mirrorless camera more than my iPhone, but I often photograph my kids' daily antics with my iPhone since that’s the closest camera on hand. With the Huji Cam app, the photos that I’m capturing of my family feel a bit more like the photos of growing up in the 90s.
The Huji Cam is a free app on iOS and Android. Shooting and downloading photos are part of the free app, while fans can unlock the ability to edit existing photos with an in-app purchase.
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Want the real film experience? Browse the best disposable cameras, the best film cameras, or the best 35mm film. Or, for more digital cameras that feel like disposable film, look at the Camp Snap or the Flashback One35 V2.
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