Single-use Camera - Put one in cache?

[+Kohavis]

I had an older cache that's now archived. When I set it up, I added a Kodak single-use camera so the finders could snap pics of themselves. The idea being that when it was full, I'd develop it, scan in the pics, and add them to the cache page. I thought it would be fun.

 

But the response while it was out there in the cache was something less than enthusiastic. I got a few who snapped their pics, but most just ignored it. One eve noted in his find log that he "skipped the camera".

 

When I archived the cache I removed the camera, planning to put it in a new cache. But now I'm wondering if that would be a good idea.

 

I'm hiding a new cache tomorrow. It will be a regular size forest hide, so there's room for the camera. I'd like to get the opinions of a few folks here before I bother. If you think it's a good idea, and something you yourself would participate in, please let me know.

 

If you think the idea is lame, and you'd never bother with it out at a cache site, I'd like to know that too. If enough people think it's a bad idea, I won't bother tomorrow.

 

Please sound off Thanks!

[+nittany dave]

I think it's a great idea. I used to see the disposable cameras more often but don't see them that much anymore. I guess it's hard to fit one of them into an altoids tin or a bison tube.

 

I would sometimes take my pic and sometimes not. If I was with a group we would always take a pic. If people don't want to take a picture they don't have to. It's tough being in the witness protection program. Just like trading, some people do it, some don't. If someone complains about the presence of a camera, they've got the problem, not you. Go for it!

[+Mule Ears]

We put a disposable camera in our first cache and have had the film developed to CD (for uploading to the cache page) each time the camera filled up. Just installed the fourth camera. You get some really interesting pictures--though the Arizona heat is not kind to film. Check out the gallery on this page; the images called "frame #xx" are from the cache camera.

[+Buggheart]

I think it's a cool idea as well and if I came across your cache and found a camera with pictures left to be taken I'd surely take one or two for you. I'm sure others would too. But then you'll have those that think it's a dumb idea and would be bothered by it. You can't make everyone happy all the time so I say just go for it.

 

But also keep in mind that you might end up having someone take a whole roll of useless pictures. My brother did the disposable cameras on every table thing at his wedding hoping people would take pictures of the people at their tables, etc, and one guy ended up taking pics of the toilet, his butt, the urinal and a myriad of other icky things.

Edited October 28, 2008 by Buggheart

[+sportside]

I would use it, but not for a pic of me. Depending on where it is, you would end up with either a shot of the view, or a pic of the Geodog

 

All those 'useless' pics are part of the cache history

[+Mule Ears]

 

 

...and so on. Cache-cam pictures are more assorted than a Forrest Gump box o' chocolates. With the heat-induced color cast I bet I could have my own show in some swanky gallery...

[+Kohavis]

I think it's a great idea. I used to see the disposable cameras more often but don't see them that much anymore. I guess it's hard to fit one of them into an altoids tin or a bison tube.

 

I would sometimes take my pic and sometimes not. If I was with a group we would always take a pic. If people don't want to take a picture they don't have to. It's tough being in the witness protection program. Just like trading, some people do it, some don't. If someone complains about the presence of a camera, they've got the problem, not you. Go for it!

Thanks, Dave!

 

We put a disposable camera in our first cache and have had the film developed to CD (for uploading to the cache page) each time the camera filled up. Just installed the fourth camera. You get some really interesting pictures--though the Arizona heat is not kind to film. Check out the gallery on this page; the images called "frame #xx" are from the cache camera.

Those are great!!! That's exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for. It gives the finders a bit of fame when their pic shows up in the cache's gallery, and it's just fun. The heat thing is a bit of a factor here, too, but I'm hoping that if I pick a cooler hide spot, like under something that will offer shade, it won't be too extreme. Still, even with the color shift those are fun pics

 

I think it's a cool idea as well and if I came across your cache and found a camera with pictures left to be taken I'd surely take one or two for you. I'm sure others would too. But then you'll have those that think it's a dumb idea and would be bothered by it. You can't make everyone happy all the time so I say just go for it.

 

But also keep in mind that you might end up having someone take a whole roll of useless pictures. My brother did the disposable cameras on every table thing at his wedding hoping people would take pictures of the people at their tables, etc, and one guy ended up taking pics of the toilet, his butt, the urinal and a myriad of other icky things.

And I'll bet he's single, too. No surprise!

 

I was worried about that, too. I didn't want to pay for the processing just to get a shot of some cacher's butt Of course, depending on the cacher ........it could be a positive thing

 

Just kidding No butt pics, I hope

 

Well, I hear a lot of positive stuff here about the idea, so I think I'll go ahead and put it in the cache tomorrow. Those who don't want to participate can just ignore it and move on to the McToys swag

 

Thanks a bunch, everyone!

Edited October 28, 2008 by Kohavis

[Skippermark]

We've found cameras in caches & have taken our picture but no one ever gets them developed it seems like. Or, they just sit there, full and ready to be developed but never get developed.

[+Kohavis]

We've found cameras in caches & have taken our picture but no one ever gets them developed it seems like. Or, they just sit there, full and ready to be developed but never get developed.

Mine will get developed. No problem there. I don't "plant 'em and forget 'em"

[+StarBrand]

I've done this for years with great sucess. Sure only about 50% of folks will shoot a picture but it is fun for those that do. I have had cameras in at least 40 of my caches and replaced some of them up to 4 times. The disposables are hardy too - some have survived mutliple winters down to -30F and summertimes up to 112F.

[+chuckwagon101]

I suppose it would be ok to take a pic if someone was with you to get a little distance between you and the camera....but a pic at arms length will cause even the tiniest nose to develope into a bulbous monstrosity that would scare the cache owner out of their wits! And don't even talk about profiles done single handed! Who wants a closeup of a big blob of earwax, in focus or not!

[+mfamilee]

Go for it!

We love finding caches with disposable cameras in them... especially our jr. explorer!

[+DanOCan]

Yeah, I think the disposable camera thing is a great throw-back to the days when people put a little more effort in their cache hides than they do now. We used to see a lot more of them but not much anymore and I think it is a wonderful idea.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Oh, they're fun. If people don't want their picture taken, that's their prerogative.

From my third cache find, over four years ago:

 

 

Okay, so it's a terrible photo. But it was fun!

[+Corey]

There are a lot of good pictures from the camera in an old local cache:

http://coord.info/GC9C

[TermiteHunter]

Only found one camera in a cache. The cache page said it was there so I was expecting it. It was located at the Lowes Speedway near Charlotte so it ended up with several pics of people that were there for the racin'. They are anonymous enough and this one appeared fairly popular. Perhaps being in a high traffic area helped. I routinely checked the page waiting for the film to be developed.

Go for it.

[+sataraid1]

I like them and think they're a neat idea. I have snapped my picture at several caches since I started, but have yet to see any of them included in a cache listing.

 

I've thought about dropping one of the digital versions in one of my caches, but never had one handy when I placed the hide.

[+forman]

There are a lot of good pictures from the camera in an old local cache:

http://coord.info/GC9C

 

Oh.....I know who's cache that is.

 

I always get alot of fun taking care of this cache. BTW, when I get the pix's uploaded I send an email out to all the people in the time frame that the camera was there asking if people want there names listed.

[+Star*Hopper]

Y'know, you could always make it a logging requirement. Sure it'd put it in that 'hated realm' of Unknown/Puzzle/Mystery hides....but that's TPTB's interpretational skills, not ours.

 

Just be sure to spell it out in the cache description.....stave off the gripers ahead of time. "No pic, no smiley!" Hmmmm.....that might even be a good name for the cache!

 

~or~

"Pocket-full O' Posers"

"Say 'Cheese'"

"Say 'Butterbean'"

 

Gawrsh....I'm inspired! Guess what my next cache's gonna include!!

~*

[Skippermark]

We've found cameras in caches & have taken our picture but no one ever gets them developed it seems like. Or, they just sit there, full and ready to be developed but never get developed.

Mine will get developed. No problem there. I don't "plant 'em and forget 'em"

I say go for it then. I love seeing pictures of others at caches and think others would enjoy it too!

[CoyoteRed]

We take the pics when there is a camera in the cache. When my most significant other while stop to pose for them--come to think of it, she'll do it when I take pic with my own camera at ground zero--even though she is loath to do so while on the trail.

 

I do become disappointed when full cameras become ignored.

 

I say go for it!

Edited October 29, 2008 by CoyoteRed

[Mushtang]

My brother and I hid a cache with a camera, and when it got full I put them on their own web page instead of posting them to the cache page. But we put a link to the picture page on the cache page in case anyone wanted to come back and see their picture.

 

We've had some good feedback on it.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Brings back memories.....years ago almost all caches had a camera it them. I bought them by the packfull to put in mine as well. I think the idea is fine but its one thats fallen by the wayside.

[+Renegade Knight]

...When I archived the cache I removed the camera, planning to put it in a new cache. But now I'm wondering if that would be a good idea....

Post the photo's on the cache page. Use a new camera for the new cache.

 

Iv'e seen this. I opt out of taking a photo most times, but I also look at the pics when posted.

[+welch]

If your camera is over a year old I would say develop it and get a new one to put out just so the flim is fresh.

 

I like cache cameras, I think you should keep trying

I personally don't have the greatest luck with them. Seems like I have to put out three or four to get one good one. Just beause they either get taken or traded out, or ones that come back with damaged film from moisture, heat/cold, age (seems to take at least a year to get even half full around here), ??? also read somewhere some chemical fumes off paint and nail polish can damage the film.

[+vw_k]

I've taken a few pictures on cache cams, and have never checked back on the cache page to see the developed pictures, I must go and check!

 

I think they are a great idea, although one thing to consider is that id the cache site is under trees then the photos may alll come out very dark and hard to see.

[+Kohavis]

Y'know, you could always make it a logging requirement. Sure it'd put it in that 'hated realm' of Unknown/Puzzle/Mystery hides....but that's TPTB's interpretational skills, not ours.

 

Just be sure to spell it out in the cache description.....stave off the gripers ahead of time. "No pic, no smiley!" Hmmmm.....that might even be a good name for the cache!

 

I don't want to make taking a pic a requirement for getting credit for the find. Some people just do NOT want to take their own pic. Making it a requirement would cut down on the traffic, I'd suspect. I could see it if false logging was a big problem, but it isn't here

 

My brother and I hid a cache with a camera, and when it got full I put them on their own web page instead of posting them to the cache page. But we put a link to the picture page on the cache page in case anyone wanted to come back and see their picture.

 

We've had some good feedback on it.

That might be a better way to go than adding it to the gallery. I have my own dedicated server and I could easily whip up a webpage for the cache. Thanks for the idea

 

Post the photo's on the cache page. Use a new camera for the new cache.

.

The camera is only 2 months old, has never gotten wet or very hot, and has only 4 exposures (out of 27) from the first cache. Why toss it? I'll just take the first four pics and add them to the archived cache's page, and the rest on the current cache's page

 

If your camera is over a year old I would say develop it and get a new one to put out just so the flim is fresh.

 

I like cache cameras, I think you should keep trying

I personally don't have the greatest luck with them. Seems like I have to put out three or four to get one good one. Just beause they either get taken or traded out, or ones that come back with damaged film from moisture, heat/cold, age (seems to take at least a year to get even half full around here), ??? also read somewhere some chemical fumes off paint and nail polish can damage the film.

As stated above, the camera has had an easy life for the 2 months it's been in the other cache. No reason to toss it.

 

Well, thanks everyone for the feedback. It sounds like it's a generally popular idea, and that I shouldn't be discouraged by a few local cachers who won't join in the fun.

 

I hid the new cache yesterday with the camera in it. It's " Kohavis Kanopy" - GC1HDVR. There was a 1am FTF on it, and the cacher took his pic. Maybe that's a good omen Here's the cache page:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...00-1c4ff20ea04f

[+looseneutraldrums]

If your camera is over a year old I would say develop it and get a new one to put out just so the flim is fresh.

 

I like cache cameras, I think you should keep trying

I personally don't have the greatest luck with them. Seems like I have to put out three or four to get one good one. Just beause they either get taken or traded out, or ones that come back with damaged film from moisture, heat/cold, age (seems to take at least a year to get even half full around here), ??? also read somewhere some chemical fumes off paint and nail polish can damage the film.

 

I placed a camera in Greenbelt Sunset...Revived near Steamboat Rock, IA over two years ago and it just finally filled up a few weeks ago. I swapped it out with a fresh one and just got the pics developed to CD and they all turned out fine. Two years of cold winter, hot summer and lots of rain in an ammo can didn't seem to affect the film at all. This thread reminded me to get the pictures up on the cache page. Gonna do that right now!

[+Star*Hopper]

Just a quick think on the issues - it seems to me a better solution would be something with digital memory you (the CO) could swap out periodically so's could do a better job of staying current with posting the pictures, & not have to wait "2 years until it filled up".

 

Question is, anybody know of a digital that'd be cheap enough you wouldn't have to worry about it "walking off"?

 

~*

[+Kohavis]

Just a quick think on the issues - it seems to me a better solution would be something with digital memory you (the CO) could swap out periodically so's could do a better job of staying current with posting the pictures, & not have to wait "2 years until it filled up".

 

Question is, anybody know of a digital that'd be cheap enough you wouldn't have to worry about it "walking off"?

 

~*

That's the big question. A single-use film camera is about 6 bucks at Walgreen's. I found a small digital camera with a USB interface for $3.99

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00...mp;linkCode=asm

 

Problem is, it doesn't use removable flash memory so I'd have to lug a laptop out to the woods to download the pics, instead of grabbing the full card and swapping in a fresh one.

 

Intriguing idea, but my gut instinct is that it'd walk off pretty fast, I'm sorry to say

[+welch]

 

]As stated above, the camera has had an easy life for the 2 months it's been in the other cache. No reason to toss it.

 

Well, thanks everyone for the feedback. It sounds like it's a generally popular idea, and that I shouldn't be discouraged by a few local cachers who won't join in the fun.

 

I hid the new cache yesterday with the camera in it. It's " Kohavis Kanopy" - GC1HDVR. There was a 1am FTF on it, and the cacher took his pic. Maybe that's a good omen Here's the cache page:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...00-1c4ff20ea04f

I wasn't saying throw the camera away, just develop the 'old' one, and put a new one in the new cache. Though two months is pretty short, I would probably have done the same as you did.

 

I placed a camera in Greenbelt Sunset...Revived near Steamboat Rock, IA over two years ago and it just finally filled up a few weeks ago. I swapped it out with a fresh one and just got the pics developed to CD and they all turned out fine. Two years of cold winter, hot summer and lots of rain in an ammo can didn't seem to affect the film at all. This thread reminded me to get the pictures up on the cache page. Gonna do that right now!

Thats great! Sometimes they DO make it threw

How many have you had go missing, Or come back damaged?

[+looseneutraldrums]

 

]As stated above, the camera has had an easy life for the 2 months it's been in the other cache. No reason to toss it.

 

Well, thanks everyone for the feedback. It sounds like it's a generally popular idea, and that I shouldn't be discouraged by a few local cachers who won't join in the fun.

 

I hid the new cache yesterday with the camera in it. It's " Kohavis Kanopy" - GC1HDVR. There was a 1am FTF on it, and the cacher took his pic. Maybe that's a good omen Here's the cache page:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...00-1c4ff20ea04f

I wasn't saying throw the camera away, just develop the 'old' one, and put a new one in the new cache. Though two months is pretty short, I would probably have done the same as you did.

 

I placed a camera in Greenbelt Sunset...Revived near Steamboat Rock, IA over two years ago and it just finally filled up a few weeks ago. I swapped it out with a fresh one and just got the pics developed to CD and they all turned out fine. Two years of cold winter, hot summer and lots of rain in an ammo can didn't seem to affect the film at all. This thread reminded me to get the pictures up on the cache page. Gonna do that right now!

Thats great! Sometimes they DO make it threw

How many have you had go missing, Or come back damaged?

 

This is the only cache I have a camera in and it has never ended up broken or missing. Maybe I'm just lucky or something.

[+paleolith]

I guess it's hard to fit one of them into an altoids tin or a bison tube.

I recently searched for a small cache, GC1DK2C Troop 76, which contains an SD card and asks that those with compatible cameras take a pic on it. Too bad I DNFed it, because my camera does take SD cards. You can say it would likely disappear, but OTOH a small capacity SD card is so cheap now, why would anyone bother? Only three finds so far, so hard to tell if the technique works. An SD card would easily fit in an Altoids tin, but I don't know how well it would hold up to the water and rust.

 

Edward