A Handy Polaroid Digital Camera Buying Guide
Polaroid i1036
The Polaroid i1036 is one of the simple, easy-to-use cameras, which comes with awesome capabilities that are sure to vow the beginner level photographers. You can’t find all the bells and whistles that you’d find in a professional camera, but the Polaroid i1036 isn’t really targeted at professional users.
And, this product definitely lives up to its tagline, with its sleek and stylish design. Aimed at amateur photographers, the 10MP digital camera is delivered as a comprehensive package with aim-and-shoot capability. A 2.7” LCD screen enables image previewing before capture.
The red-eye reduction feature, which comes with the auto flash, assists in red-eye correction. Another special feature is that audio tags enable the user to add names to faces in a photograph.
There are 15 shoot modes that provide a variety of options to customize your picture. Best lighting is provided for captured images by the Auto-flash. As expected, photos can be transferred to the computer through a USB port. The 3x optical zoom does enough for minimum requirements, and it bears an extremely affordable price tag of just $59.99.
Having said that, this unit is a ‘cute’ alternative for those tyros out there, who just want to capture images to add on to their collection.
Polaroid t1235
The striking Polaroid t1235 comes with a 12 MP CCD sensor and provides stable handling with its compact build. Images can be personalized by adding captions and icons through the touch screen menu.
As with the i1036, the t1235 also provides audio tags, which allow names to be assigned to faces in a photograph. There are 19 different shooting modes, 3 exposure settings, 8 special effects modes, 4 flash settings and 3 color setting options that ensure you get to tune the camera to your image requirement, while the electronic image stabilizer ensures shake-free images.
The 3” color LCD screen provides a luxuriant view of the subject image. Standard connections like SD Memory Card slot, Composite video/audio output and USB are provided. This unit can be synchronized to all Windows PCs and Macs which run OS 10.0 to 10.4.
Pricing-wise it is a little more expensive than the Polaroid t1036, and costs about $119. Overall, the t1235 is a high end camera for the ‘almost-professional’ photographer.
Polaroid t1031
The Polaroid t1031 comes with a capability to shoot images at resolutions up to a good 10MP. The 3-inch LCD is exuberance and provides good image reproduction on screen, but introduces streaking while shooting in excess light.
Autofocus is precise and fast; however, the shutter speed adjustment needs improvement as the t1031 tends to overexpose, causing reduced clarity and detail. The face-detection tool is a boon for aim-and-shoot users.
The smile-detection feature is sloppy at times and fails to impress. Various shooting modes ensure perfect photos are captured at specific locations. However, as we are spoilt for choice, these modes get us confused!
Mode changes are slow as they have to be made through the menu and no dedicated dial is provided. However, a pleasant surprise is that the t1031 offers complete manual controls for even the shutter speed and aperture settings. The t1031 has a capability to shoot HD video at a resolution of 1,920-by-1,080 with sound.
But, on the weaker side, the video quality is compromised by its low-quality lens. It bears a reasonable price tag of about $80. Being in the mid segment and having a host of features, the Polaroid t1031 is a good choice for the photographer who is no more an amateur and wants to experiment new things.
Polaroid Digital Camera Buying Tips
Having seen some of the popular Polaroid digital cameras, you must have gotten a fair idea about the parameters that need to be assessed while purchasing a Polaroid digital camera (or any other digital camera for that matter).
Remember, image quality matters, but so does your requirement. A 6 MP camera is enough to produce life size images, so a higher MP camera may not be needed if you’re looking to shoot only outdoors.
Shutter speed and exposure levels have to be perfect. Shake protection feature is mandatory. Having said so, a clear definition of your requirement gets you the best camera for yourself.
