WorthWait brings the wait for film development back to mobile photography

WorthWait Camera is an iOS app that simulates a disposable film camera and lets you view your photos after 24 hours.

Dennis Berti’s app simulates a disposable film camera: you can’t view your shots until you’ve finished shooting and waited 24 hours. WorthWait is available for iOS, with an Android version expected in November.

WorthWait brings the wait for film development to mobile photography

Documentary photographer Dennis Berti, who lives in Mexico, created the WorthWait Camera mobile app. It simulates the experience of shooting with a disposable film camera: users take a series of photos and can view the results only after a waiting period.

Each “roll” holds 24 or 36 shots. Once you finish shooting, the app keeps the images hidden for 24 hours. This delay is intended as part of the experience, rather than being due to technical limitations: just as with film development, you can’t check what made it into the frame.

Fixed lens and four film options

The app uses a lens with a 35mm-equivalent focal length, a format often found in the built-in lenses of classic disposable cameras. Four film simulations are available: Original, Negative, Positive, and Flat.

Berti recommends choosing Negative if you’re not sure where to start. He describes the profile as capturing “nostalgia for authentic negatives.”

You can also set the aspect ratio separately. Options include a 1:1 square, 3:2, and the iPhone’s native 4:3 format.

Shooting modes and the paid version

The paid version includes a full-screen viewfinder with no visible controls, an exposure compensation mode, and Blind Mode, which lets you shoot without a preview on the screen. In Blind Mode, photographers rely only on the lighting, their sense of composition, and the direction of the camera. The photo itself becomes visible once the shooting session is over and 24 hours have passed.

The full paid version is called Plena and costs $14.99 as a one-time purchase. It lets you develop your photos without waiting, although this removes one of the app’s key features. Plena also offers 36-shot rolls, the ability to run up to five rolls at once, and Full Immersion mode.

The free version retains most of the features. You can use all four film simulations and shoot in standard mode or Blind Mode, but only one roll can be active at a time. Once you finish shooting, you still have to wait 24 hours to view the results.