DeathSurplus

Buy here! A few days ago my Kodak Printomatic arrived, and I've taken about 20 pictures now. I know that's not a lot, but I plan to update this review as I use it more. The main reason I wanted to buy this was cost: the camera itself is, as of writing, $50 not including shipping, and I've found a listing on amazon that is 50 pictures for $25 with free shipping if you have prime. It hasn't jammed or malfunctioned at all, and putting in paper is a breeze. Tip for the unsure: put the paper in underneath the metal part. So far it's been a great camera for what I bought it for- an easy way to take pictures that'll be in my hand seconds after I take them. The camera itself is small and portable (couldn't quite fit in the pocket of your jeans, but definitely any jacket pocket). Like other instant cameras, you have very little control over how your picture is going to come out. The Pritomatic decides when flash is necessary or not, and all aspects of the lens are fixed. All you can do is press the shutter. So, not a good camera if you're looking for control, but honestly a relief when you just want to take a picture without thinking. The backs of the ZINK paper are sticky once peeled, meaning you can put them on whatever flat surface you desire.

As you can see from the picture, I've left the plastic on the lens for now. This is because this camera is cheap (which is what I bought it for) and thus is rather fragile. I'm taking the advice of this video that I watched and buying a step-down ring to protect the lense and attach filters. It is very easy to put the camera lens-down in a way that would definitely damage it, so I think it's a rather necessary step to using this camera. I'd highly recommend watching the video for a review from a professional photographer. NOTE: the camera seen in that video is not the same as the product you'll get. The manufacturer of these cameras has removed the switch that allows you to take black and white photos, and now there's only one indicator light other than the battery light (so: just one light for errors. I've yet to fully decipher what the different lights mean), and the door to put in paper is different.


Here are some pictures I've taken with it- not the best display of quality but I'd rather not share close ups of pictures with people in them. The orange cat is the best example- the other two were not so expertly shot. You can see that the pictures are small but have a pretty good amount of detail for an instant camera. Certainly looks absolutely intelligible from the distance you'd typically hold it. They have the usual instant photography dream-like haze, but not worse than I was bargaining for. Expect a totally understandable (as in: you can tell who's who in the family portrait) but somewhat fuzzy picture.

Overall, I'd say this is a great camera for personal use. By no means can it produce professional-quality photos, but they look absolutely fine if you aren't examning them super up-close. To see what I mean, look at the example pictures at the size they are on screen, then right-click one and open it in a new tab. It's fuzzy up close, but looks normal from a short distance. You can also clearly see the fuzzy haze and slight color distortion that comes with instant photography: it's always a gamble for picture quality. Always be wary of the light around you before taking a picture. If you're looking for any old camera that will give the classic instant photography look, to use for fun, and to quickly take a picture and give it to a friend, this is the camera I'd recommend. ESPECIALLY if you want to take lots of pictures for cheap.