Hands on with the Polaroid Instant Digital Camera

Fri Jan 9, 2009 6:36PM EST

See Comments (73)

Desperate to try to replace the instant-developing film that made it famous with something for the digital age, Polaroid has finally launched a camera that snaps digital pics and gives you a printout within about a minute.

The Polaroid Instant Digital Camera is as big as its name (weighing 10 oz.), a clear first-generation product that will appeal to relatively few buyers, due to the generally poor quality of the prints.

The camera itself is a five megapixel model with a fixed focus lens (digital zoom only), and quality is about what you'd expect from something with such low-end specs. The focus here, of course, is fun, on-the-fly pictures, with a feature that lets you add goofy borders to your shots before you print them out.

Once they slide out of the printer slot (paper runs $4.99 for a 10-pack), picture quality is decidedly grim. The sample shot taken of me (at right) makes me look like Casper the Ghost (hey, even I'm not that pasty), and the color reproduction is dismal. It's probably fine if you're shooting pics as souvenirs for your four-year-old's birthday party, but anyone thinking they'll replace their standard digicam with this is going to be sorely disappointed.

The good news: The camera itself is only $199.

Here's hoping for a 2nd generation product that improves the quality!

Comments on Hands on with the Polaroid Instant Digital Camera

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  • 66 Posted by mindygrl2003 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    Polaroid rocks. I still have my polaroid camera I bought in 96. Still like brand new.The digital cameras aren't worth all the rave. I have bought numerous digital ranging from cheap to way too exspensive. And the pictures only turn out part of the time. It's not worth the hype either way. Any camera is only as good as the person using it,the area you are in.

  • 67 Posted by mindygrl2003 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    Polaroid rocks. I still have my polaroid camera I bought in 96. Still like brand new.The digital cameras aren't worth all the rave. I have bought numerous digital ranging from cheap to way too exspensive. And the pictures only turn out part of the time. It's not worth the hype either way. Any camera is only as good as the person using it,the area you are in.

  • 68 Posted by mindygrl2003 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    Polaroid rocks. I still have my polaroid camera I bought in 96. Still like brand new.The digital cameras aren't worth all the rave. I have bought numerous digital ranging from cheap to way too exspensive. And the pictures only turn out part of the time. It's not worth the hype either way. Any camera is only as good as the person using it,the area you are in.

  • 69 Posted by marilyngarry@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:07PM EDT Report Abuse

    The GOOD NEWS is that the camera ONLY costs $200....for grim quality pictures?!!? I'd hate to know what the Bad News is. Guess there are still people out there with money to waste.

  • 70 Posted by marcelbuquet on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    If the print is not as good as a print from a standard digital camera, then what is the use. In my estimation a 100 dollar standard camera with a personal printer would be just as good. Getting a print takes a few minutes, bad results last forever. I think that it would be a good idea if the prints were first improved. People will not buy something that doesn't give good results

  • 71 Posted by maryleanholt1@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    I love my Polaroid it's relatively new. I also have an old one that still works. If they will just keep film available for this camera at affordable prices, I will be satisfied. I bought a pack of (10) Polaroid film this past Saturday, and it cost me $18.95 at Walgreen's [it's doubled in price]. I have a digital camera and a camcorder, but there are times I still like to use my Polaroid!!! Mae

  • 72 Posted by msijg on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    i will stick with the non digital camera for now-no self respecting mall stil uses these anyway. they all use digital cameras with printers! Polaroid needs to stop insulting us and get up to at least 8 mp for a decent pic from this camera

  • 73 Posted by travelbug on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    STAY AWAY FROM POLAROID, THEY DONT STAND BEHIND THEIR WARRANTY AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AN EAST INDIAN TELLING YOU THERE IS NO REPAIR SERVICE, SO THROW IT OUT, IS WHAT SHE SAID!!!

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