Picture Perfect (Polaroid PDC 5055)

Member Name: newby2

Product:	Polaroid PDC 5055
Date:	30/07/07 (270 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: easy and affordable

Disadvantages: not the best you can get

Polaroid PDC5055 Digital Camera




We have had this camera for a short while now and needing to get it out and make sure the batteries are fully charged for the imminent arrival of my first child I thought I would write a quick review on how it has been up to now. I would think that we are going to get tons more use out of it within the next year or so and I am happy enough to stick with using it for the time being.


I chose this camera because it is really pretty simple. I am not, to be perfectly honest, that up together with all this digital stuff and find things can get a little over complicate in this day and age (ooh don’t I sound old!!). However all I wanted was a good straight forward and simple camera that will take my pictures and will make them seem good once I have had them printed out and this is exactly what I got once I had bought this Polaroid PDC 5055.


As with most things I seem to buy this camera was purchased from my local Argos store and I was instantly attracted to it because at the time there was some money off the RRP so instead of paying £90 I landed myself a bargain and paid only £70 for it. On top of that £70 however I had to fork out a further £25 to buy a memory card so that I could take a goof amount of photos, as I believe the built in memory is pretty poor and can only hold around 70 pictures.


So inside the camera box was everything I needed to get me started which was:
The Actual Polaroid PDC 5055 Digital Camera itself,
CD-ROM Software,
2AA Batteries,
USB Cable,
Camera Strap and
Camera Case to hold camera inside.
I was pleasantly pleased that not only was a USB cable provided, as they always seem not to be but also that the camera came with batteries as well because along with the USB cable batteries seem like another added extra that I always seem to be forking out for!


The specifications of this camera, that really don’t mean that much to me, are as follows:
5.3 Mega pixel CCD
2592 x 1956 pixel resolution
4X Digital zoom
32MB internal flash memory (16MB SD RAM)
1.5" colour TFT-LCD display
USB Cable
JPEG compression
SD memory card compatible
Off, Auto, Red-Eye reduction and Fill Flash.
Auto or Manual exposure
Movie clip with sound


The specifications all sound pretty good but as I have said before I am not overly into all this stuff and find that it is the actual use of the camera that really is the important factor. The Polaroid Camera itself is silver in colour and doesn’t really look like it would cost a lot of money, I know it didn’t but it really does look a bit tacky looking. The large rubber buttons are easily labelled and the whole thing looks pretty easy to operate. The shutter at the front has no obvious signs of a zoom button but the zoom that is available is clearly stated on the large silver buttons on top of the camera. The USB port is hidden by a large rubber strip that is easy to cover up and to uncover for times of downloading. The on off button is large and easy to use but of course the camera will turn itself off if not being used for a short period of time, this I do believe is to save on battery power but batteries seem to last for such a short time when actually using this camera I have opted for buying rechargeable ones to save on both money and waste.


On first using the Polaroid camera I found it to be exactly as it looked simple and easy. All the options under the menu are simple to use and there are not too many functions that are there to confuse people like me. The options are simple and easy to understand even without using the manual. The flash is very good and strong although this can be changed from various types of flash so that it is not stronger in some cases and brighter in others. The zoom works well although the picture can be slightly distorted if the zoom is set in too close to an object.


The manual that comes with this camera is rather thick and I am not one for really taking the time to sit and read through every page. I have from time to time flicked through and been able to find the answer to my problem pretty quickly and straightforward. The book is set out so that it is easy to understand and the headings for each section mean that you can flick to a section you are interest in with great ease. The booklet on the whole is very hand to have and I have kept it along side all my other manuals for any future reference I might need.


Once the pictures have been taken it is easy to flip back through and look or delete any that you particularly want to. You even have the option to delete all the photos at one time that I find very helpful after you have downloaded all the photos to the computer so that the camera is clear for you to start snapping all over again. The small LCD screen that the camera has on the back is pretty clear and shows the photos off to a good standard. However I do always find that the photos themselves look ten times better once they have been transferred from the camera onto the computer so at times the LCD display can be a little deceptive in making you think that it is not a clear photo when in fact the photo is wonderful.


Being able to transfer the photos from the camera on to the computer is so straightforward and simple that literally a child could do it. Once the CD-ROM had been installed from the Polaroid box you are pretty much all set. The CD-ROM guides you through the instillation as they usually do and you really need do no more. Once this is on the computer and you are attempting to download some pictures, as soon as you hook your camera up with the USB cable to the computer it will automatically begin to download the pictures fro the camera. It them saves the photos to a folder in your selected computer file and awaits the command to print if that is of course what you are choosing to do.


So I would say this camera is really the most simple and easy to use camera I have had the pleasure of owning. It does exactly what I need it to do and takes a good quality photo with ease. It is so simple that anyone could use it with no problems and be happy with the final photos that you are getting out from it. The cost of the camera was pretty reasonable for the actual quality in the photo you are getting. I have had it for a good while now and I think it is set to last for a good while longer (touch wood!).


I would think this is a prefect camera for people who are not overly technical minded and just wants something to really do the job easily and without too much mucking about. The price is good the camera is good and the photos turn out pretty great. What more can you ask for in a camera. Recommended to all.

Summary: a cheap and easy camera

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