Fuji DL-7 Plus Point and Shoot 35mm Camera

When it comes to basic photography, point and shoot cameras are perfect. This is more of a documentation-style approach than an artistic one, however, the two are not mutually exclusive. Both styles are welcomed by these easy-to-use cameras, and anyone can pick one up and give it a try!

If this camera looks interesting to you, it is one of the cheapest 35mm cameras I have used and enjoyed. You can buy one for $20 or less!

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The Fuji DL-7 Plus Point & Shoot Camera

Fujifilm’s Fuji DL-7 Plus point & shoot 35mm is one of the easiest cameras to use ever. The Drop-Load system (which is why it is called DL) is an easy-load system that is absolutely fool-proof. After loading my first ever rolls into an SLR incorrectly, only to find out far too late, it was good to use a system that could support dummies like me.

On top of an easy-load function, it has a sliding lens cover. When it is closed off, the shutter release button locks so you don’t accidentally take a photo. If you’re anything like me, this is a nice feature. A good tip: if there is a lock feature, then use it! There have been too many times when A photo gets away because I accidentally hit the button when I was messing around, or when i dropped a camera, or when shifting it around a bag or on a strap.

The Fuji DL-7 Plus was the first incredibly basic camera I owned, aside from some disposable cameras on the side. It was also a camera I felt incredibly comfortable putting in the hands of non-camera users. So I did just that: my first time using this camera was for documentation purposes at a bachelor party.

Being the only camera lover in the group, I knew no one was going to know how to use it, but this camera has 2 settings: Flash on/ Flash off. With that being said, clear days in Central Oregon meant that ISO 200 film was going to be an absolute success no matter who had the camera when or where.

The entire camera is plastic, and it has a disposable-camera-style film advance winder, which is familiar enough to  those who may not have used anything aside from disposables in the last few decades.

The basic function with a cheap lens made it perfect for documentation, as I was initially aiming for, but some neat photos did sneak in the bunch.

The Basic Functions

After being gifted this camera new in box from 1994, I broke it out in 2020, looked up the basics and started playing. It shoots at a shutter speed of 1/100 seconds and has a fixed aperture of f/8. Since the aperture is fairly closed off, anything roughly 3 feet (1 meter) away from the rangefinder came out focused.

Being the old school camera that it is, it does not have a DX Code reader, so any film can be used, but I found ISO 100-200 is safest. Any shot outside during the daytime turned out lovely, whether in the sunshine or in overcast conditions. The shots indoors looked great as long as there was a good amount of light or when the flash was on.

Many people recommend anything from ISO 100-400, but I would cap out at 200 since any higher will wash out with the use of the flash. Any photos that might not wash out have to be a decent distance from the photographer, and the flash just isn’t high-quality enough to reach too far.

Compared to Disposables

Anyone who loves getting disposable cameras should consider getting the Fuji DL-7 Plus instead. If you do any amount of quick math, buying this camera and a few rolls of film will become much cheaper very quickly. Additionally, this is hardly bigger than a disposable, the flash is better and easier to use, it uses modern AA batteries, and the overall operation of the camera is pretty much identical to a disposable camera. The best part: The photo quality is always a bit higher, so long as your film is good.

Final Remarks

Since it is fully plastic, I firmly believe there are better options out there than this one, but what a great option for starting out! Even more so if you are able to get a deal on it! While not many of them are in circulation, you may be able to find the DL-7 Plus model or other comparable point and shoot cameras reasonably priced well under $50.

Even if there are better cameras, buying used is always a gamble. The simplicity of this camera gives a little more comfort when buying it used because there are fewer things to break. The chances of getting this camera in operating condition when purchasing it used are incredibly high.

Fuji DL-7 Plus Film Cameras For Sale in 2026

Buying used gear isn’t always simple. The Fuji DL-7 Plus camera, however, is so minimalistic that it is hard to find broken ones. Since the camera is fully plastic, the externals are likely to break before the internals. This makes the vetting process so easy.

These are the listings I would trust. There are some rules I follow when adding them to a list and recommending them.

Here are those rules. They can be good ones to consider when buying this particular camera used or new.

What to Look for When Buying A Fuji DL-7 Plus

This camera is cheap and simple. It is fully plastic, it has a spring shutter, and the only electronics are for the flash. With that, the big things to look out for are damage you can see on the outside of the camera, like cracks, or corrosion in the battery compartment. Even if the battery compartment is compromised, the camera will work perfectly without it, you just lose the flash.

Corrosion is easy to clean as long as it hasn’t been there for decades. Even then, it can be removed sometimes! a cotton swab with lemon juice goes a long way.

If the camera does not show any of these signs of damage, then it most likely is working without any kind of issue due to its simplicity.

With such a low cost, this is a camera I would take the chance on, especially since 95% of the time or more, this specific camera just works.

The last thing I look for on any camera is the lens. One like this isn’t as important, but if you can see that it is clear, that is a good sign. Lenses on cameras like these are not hard to clean and YouTube goes a long ways these days. As always, know what you’re purchasing and consider the risks. Since the price is so low on this one, I believe the risk is worth it every time.