Polaroid Releases Instant Printer/Camera

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 11/9/2011

New York - Polaroid used the occasion of the International CES Press Preview Tuesday to formally introduce its latest instant digital camera and printer combination, designed to deliver the instant gratification of the brand's old Land cameras with the quality of today's imaging technology.

The Polaroid instant digital camera Z340 is available now from online retailers, including BestBuy.com, Amazon.com and Polaroid’s own website, for a $299 suggested retail.

The Z340 ($299 suggested retail) offers the guts of a 14-megapixel digital camera with an integrated Z-ink-based printer. Z-ink is a printing technology used by Polaroid that doesn't require traditional inkjet cartridges and printing paper. Instead the ink is embedded into the paper as clear dye crystals that are activated by heat to create a nearly instant photo print.

 Though heftier than most point-and-shoot digicams, the Z340 is still small and light enough to be easily carried in a medium-sized handbag. It is equipped with a hand strap for safe and easy portability.

Photos shot with the camera are first stored and digital JPEG files on SD memory cards, like most digital cameras. The user can decide whether or not to make a print on the spot to hand out to friends.

An LCD screen is added to the back of the camera to preview images and perform quick and easy image fixes including red-eye elimination, cropping or adding image borders.

The camera includes manual ISO and white-balance settings for trickier shots, in addition to an Auto function for photographers who would rather not think about adjusting the camera for the ideal composition.

The Z340 features 30 different scene modes, including Portrait, Sunset and Backlight, among others.

The camera uses a fixed focus lens.

It comes bundled with a 10 sheets of Z-ink printing paper, each measuring 3 inches by 4 inches. Additional paper supplies will run $20 for a pack of 30 sheets.