Skip to main content

Got a bunch of old receipts? This $89 camera turns them into instant photos

The average person probably has a few receipts tucked in their wallet destined for the trash can — or perhaps as potential film for an instant camera. The Alulu camera is an instant camera that uses a thermal receipt printer instead of instant film, spitting out images on old receipts or a new roll of receipt paper.

Rather than spitting out instant film, the Alulu — named after the creator of the first receipt — prints out images on receipt paper using a built-in thermal printer. Like the receipts you probably have tucked in your wallet, the photos are grayscale creations that are actually made up of a bunch of tiny dots. 

While the lo-fi receipt images aren’t designed to compete with the quality of a traditional image, what the Alulu images lack in quality, they make up for in affordability. The camera can use a roll of new thermal receipt paper — which can be found on Amazon for about $1 for an entire roll if you buy in bulk — or users can simply feed the camera their old receipts. Like a receipt printer that prints, well, receipts, the printer inside uses heat to generate the image, which means there’s no ink required, just the paper.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Alulu camera keeps controls simple with four different shooting modes — sunny, cloudy, indoor, and flash — along with a self-timer. The viewfinder is simply a piece of acrylic that unfolds from the side of the camera to frame up a rough estimate of what the camera will capture. By re-winding the paper, the camera can also capture double exposures. A built-in battery is recharged via USB.

Besides getting a roll of images for $1, the Michigan-based creators of Alulu say the camera is also environmentally friendly. Besides reusing receipts that can’t be recycled, the camera uses fewer materials than instant film or digital Zink instant cameras, along with using no animal byproducts. 

Created by a small team consisting of two mechanical and software engineers and an industrial designer, the Alulu is launching on Kickstarter to fund manufacturing. The group is aiming for a $300,000 goal with a campaign ending on August 15. If the campaign and manufacturing is successful, early backers could pick up the camera for $89, with shipping expected in December 2020. The expected retail price for the camera is $99.

Editors' Recommendations

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
How to hide photos on an Android phone or tablet
Google Photos

While today's best Android phones are quite secure as long as they remain locked with a passcode or biometrics like a fingerprint, by default those features only protect the front door. If someone picks up your phone while it's unlocked, there aren't typically any barriers that will keep them out of exploring everything from your contacts and emails to your photos.

This can be particularly challenging when it comes to photos, since those are the things we like to show off the most from our phones. We've likely all had those moments when we want to show a friend or co-worker a funny cat meme, so we hand over our phone and trust that they won't swipe right and see the photo of the hairy mole that we sent to our doctor that morning.

Read more
Best Sony A7 III deals: Save $300 on the full frame mirrorless camera
Sony A7 III

Sony A7 III Daven Mathies/Digital Trends / .

Even if you have one of the best camera phones at the moment, if you're a photography fanatic, you're probably feeling the burn for something new and exciting. For example, the Sony A7 III line is like none other in the world of handheld cameras and you can find several cameras in that line on sale right now at Best Buy. Here, we round up the best deals in the sale, then analyze how buying a Sony Alpha A7 III looks at the moment.
Today's best Sony A7 III deals

Read more
How to use (almost) any camera as a webcam for Zoom and more
how to use any camera as a web cam v2 00 58 01 still007

Cameras, even those in phones, brag about megapixels and lens specifications -- but laptops? Not so much. There’s a reason computer companies don’t say much about the webcams that come built into the bezels of their screens. Most of these cameras are low-quality, with tiny sensors and cheap lenses. Sure, they work for basic videoconferencing, but they aren’t very impressive and certainly leave us wanting something more.

While you could just buy a stand-alone webcam that connects over USB, to really take production value up a notch, you can opt for a DSLR or mirrorless camera. You’ll need a few workarounds to get this type of camera to be recognized as a webcam by your computer, but the trouble is worth it for the higher resolution, much better low-light performance, and cinematic background blur.

Read more