Camera-and-Photography Info - Polaroid i-zone Translucent Pocket Instant Camera, Phat Blue

Features:

Takes instant pictures the size of a postage stamp
Fun, new film format
Focus-free with built-in flash and simple loading
Sticky or nonsticky film available
Kit includes camera, trial pack of sticky film, and batteries

Accessories:

Polaroid i-Zone Sticky Pocket Film (3-Pack)
Kodak Max 4 NiMH 2100mAh Rechargeable AA Batteries

Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating:

Summary: Smile...

Comment: This small camera is ideal for young children to adults. It provides the user with instant pictures. Film for the camera can be purchased with a sticky or nonsticky backing and is easily intalled into the camera. The mediocre flash adds some functionality to the fun camera. The flashy colors and design add a blast of "ah-ha" to the cameras overall appearence. Althought the film is moderately expensive in relation to regular film, the addition of the "neat effect" balance the two. With a relatively low retail price, you will be investing in a camera and a great time!

Customer Rating:

Summary: Fun camera!

Comment: I've had my i-zone camera since they first came out, and I constantly use it (when I can afford the film, that is!). I've bought a few more for friends as gifts, and everyone seems to enjoy them. The i-zone camera is a fun thing to take small pictures with, and the sticky film is awesome!

Customer Rating:

Summary: Piece of junk.

Comment: Picture quality is consistently extremely poor. Very small image. Film is over priced. Camera breaks extremely easily. Images do not scan well even on a high quality scanner. I think the product is mostly just a gimick and a fad which I hope disappears quickly. I recieved one for free as a prize in a contest at a web site. Tried it out, and I think it's completely useless. I would not even purchase as a gift for someone. Reguardless as to how much they want it except to satisfy curiosity. It will most likely end up either collecting dust or being sold at garage sales for a penny. However, if it goes out of production quickly enough maybe they'll become collectables.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Sort of Cheap Fun

Comment: I often buy this as a gift, especially for the 8-12 year old group. It's easy to use and the pictures aren't bad - they're about 1 X 1 1/2 inches and have the same fuzzy flattering quality of the regular size Polaroids. The film isn't cheap, though, and after the kids run through the measly 5 picture roll that's included, Mom and Dad or older kids with allowances get to shell out close to [price] for another 3-roll pack (12 pictures each). But it is fun and kids of all ages love it.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Polaroid I Zone Camera

Comment: I love my I Zone camera, but what I don't like about it is that the film isn't very good. What I mean is, it's sharp and everything, but the sticky stuff on the back isn't very durable. Also, it's about 50 cents a shot. I'm 12 years old, so that's a bit expensive for me. Another thing is, I can only find sticky film. The closest place to my house I could find non sticky film was 5 miles away (and I can't even drive yet) But that's not something to judge the camera by.) I would recomend the camera to anyone who's under 15.

Editorial reviews:

Polaroid's i-zone pocket cameras produce tiny, high-quality Polaroid pictures about the size of a frame of 35mm film (or your average postage stamp). The i-zones use either sticky or nonsticky instant film, so you can put your pictures in a frame or stick them onto your notebook or CD player. While the cameras all have the same funky oblong plastic design, they are available in a variety of interesting color schemes. The silver edition is a solid silvery gray color, while Phat Blue and Fireball Red are neon-like translucent monotones, and most others are two-tone, like the Jade version, which has an aqua green front and bluish back.

Each i-zone set comes complete with camera, instant pocket film (six shots), and two AA alkaline batteries--everything you need to start making pictures. We recommend buying extra film right away, especially if the camera is a gift, because those first six shots tend to go pretty fast. Loading the camera is as easy as dropping the film cartridge into the back of the camera and closing it back up. The trickiest part is remembering to pull the film tab out in one fluid motion, without stopping--exactly like most other Polaroids. When you expose a shot and pull out the film, you get something that looks like a Band-Aid, with an image in the middle and extra paper on both ends. Just clip the extra paper off with a pair of scissors and you have your final product. Be careful not to cut into the actual photo, as you don't want to give the caustic paste inside a chance to seep out and get on your fingers.

There are three exposure settings on the i-zone--indoors (with flash), outdoor/sunny, and outdoor/cloudy. Overall, the camera is probably best for subjects within 2 to 8 feet, although we took pictures of downtown buildings that turned out pretty well. The outdoor/sunny setting requires bright sun directly on the subject for a good exposure. Even if it isn't cloudy, try using the outdoor/cloudy setting if the subject is in shadow or if it is early or late in the day when the sunlight isn't at full strength. The flash seems to work best from about 4 to 5 feet away.

The best part is figuring out what to do with the mini photos once you've created them. The options seem to be limitless, from decorating cell phones to using them as key chains, putting them in mini frames, or making refrigerator magnets. These cameras are affordable, simple to use, and a lot of fun. --Walt Opie