Polaroid IS2132-BLACK 16MP 21X Zoom Digital Still Camera with 2-Inch LCD (Black)

As a pro photographer, I've used many types of cameras over my 30+ years of taking images - first film, of course, and now digital. I also have something of an "Island of Misfit Toys" love for off-kilter, under-appealing cameras and oddball brands (I went though a serious Holga phase 15 years ago before realizing that I was spending far too much money on developing film from what essentially is among the worst film cameras around.) Hence my attraction to what are now branded as Polaroid cameras, even though they're made by Sakar (which also produces cameras under the Crayola, Hello Kitty, Vivitar and [the once mighty] Kodak brands.) Last year, I read a PhotographyBlog.com review of the U.K. available BenQ GH700; it didn't rate terribly well, but there was something appealing about the posted test images which made me want to try a GH700 for myself. The BenQ GH700, however, isn't available in the US but when comparing specs and product images, it looked to the near twin to the Polaroid iS2132. And the Polaroid had an extra advantage: it was available in it's sexy, satiny "come hither" red body. It beckoned like Jessica Rabbit incarnated as a small superzoom bridge camera.Well, never buy a camera solely by its color - no matter how alluring. The Polaroid iS2132 performs largely as expected, which is to say merely acceptable to poor under low light, to well above average, such as when settings and conditions are my favour (strong sunshine and proper alignment of the planets, for example). Under bright sun with the finest res selected and lower ISO settings, the camera is capable of producing really good images, with well controlled noise and nice details. Also, there's a saturated richness to the images which recalls some of the slide films I shot years ago; reds, yellows and greens all come across nicely (due to the camera's Sony produced sensor, no doubt). There are manual controls for white balance and shooting shutter priority, aperture priority and manual...although, like on previous Polaroid digitals I've used, the camera gives a choice of only a high and a low setting when aperture priority is chosen, so a tripod might be needed for deep focused shots even in bright light. Still, image quality can beat the knickers off of similarly priced Nikon, Olympus, Samsung and Pentax models. The popup flash, which I've used quite sparingly, is bright and does provide good coverageHowever, the camera's other major sore points (in addition to a low resolution LCD screen for composing and image playback, one that's poorly visible in bright light) are difficulty focusing in macro mode and also in low light - the lens really has to hunt for its point of focus - and an auto white balance that appears to work according to whatever mood it's in at a particular moment. I use manual white balance most of the time and color correct in Photoshop afterward, so the camera's auto white balance mood swings don't bother me. Slow image processing times from large JPEG files (at the highest res setting) means that the camera also isn't the best choice for action photography. Battery life is acceptable when using four rechargeable AAs (I recommend Powerex IMEDION AA 2400mAh NiMH Rechargeable Batteries - they last a good long time), which is important since the camera has no optical viewfinder.All in all, the Polaroid iS2132 - while not a great camera by any means - is capable of producing very good images, but only if the user knows how to get the best out of it via control overrides. It's small, lightish, packs a long range into its decent 21x optical zoom lens, and fits well in the right hand thanks to a good grip, making it fun to use for casual photography where speed isn't critical. It does a nice job on still life setups, food shots and portraits. As long as I know ahead of time what subject matter I might be encountering and how bright the light will be, the Polaroid iS2132 is welcome to tag along. And that red body with a soft sheen really is sexy in late afternoon sunlight...

This was a steal. Awesome camera at an even better price. I'm just starting to get into photography, but I didn't want to invest in a product that wasn't going to be worth it for me in the long run. This camera is the perfect beginner's camera. It's a little dated, but honestly, what isn't nowadays?

This older designed digital camera is easy to use & fairly easy to navigate menu system.PROS:>>Decent 21x optical zoom with 4x digital zoom>>Built-in flash>>It uses regular SD or SDHC cards>>It uses 4 AA batteries>>Decent menu layout>>Pretty easy to use>>Built in flash>>Has a Panoramic feature [easy to use that feature]>>It has full manual modes>>Rather compact in size when comparing other "bridge-type" digital camerasCONS:>>"Burst mode" is hard to locate>>Does not have an optical viewfinder [just a 2 inch LCD screen]>>Video is 720p [no HD on this camera]Photo qualities seem fine for outdoor daylight conditions for this camera with no flash, indoor photos with flash are rather good, video quality is just about as good as any other comparable digital camera at 720p...not bad. Most or all other digital cameras I've had in the past, had the hi-speed burst mode[s] someplace on the camera body, mostly on the back side....but not directly on the function mode wheel. The SD card slot is on the underside of the camera body alongside the AA battery compartment next to the tripod mount....which is typical for this kind of digital bridge camera.This is pretty much a basic point & shoot digital bridge camera with full manual modes if you ever feel like trying that out & takes 720p video just fine. Some of the basic controls are hard to find, especially the exposure mode....but overall, this camera does the job alright and fairly easy to use.The camera came fast and came with 4 AA batteries, strap, lens cap, manual, a mini USB cord and the camera itself. The camera has a decent rubberized handle grip on it. The build quality seems pretty good & feels pretty well built.If you need a low-cost basic digital camera that has auto & manual modes on it with a mid-sized 21X optical zoom lens that's fairly easy to use that takes pretty decent photos & videos or home, work or vacation use...this camera probably will do just fine. I gave this camera overall 4 of 5 stars....I upped it from 3 to 4 stars recently as this camera still does overall a wonderful job taking good enough photos for my Flickr site.

Nicely detailed point-and-shoot easy photos.I use it solely to photograph items for sale on eBay or to UL silly fun pics to Facebook. The standard memory doesn't hold many images, twenty or so depending on resolution, so don't expect to use this for a long vacation without DLing pics to another repository. Nevertheless it is more than adequate for my needs. It works well in low light, and I find this camera to be very good !/$.

I got the package a little early. The camera was in excellent condition and I had enough time to take some shots before the batteries died. I was surprised how far I could zoom in with the camera. It's cool, light weight and will suit my needs for a camera.

Bought this for a concert and it took great pictures but recording videos the sound quality wasn't good it was in and out in and out when i played it back on my computer

I like that because it was very simple to use.

I was leary because I bought this camera used for 39 bucks. When I got it, I was pleasantly surprised. It takes wonderful pictures and serves my needs 100 percent. The camera really is in like new shape. No issues thus far. The box was beat up but my cat took that quite well. So it's all good.

I wanted something better than my ol' "point & shoot" camera but didn't want to spend alot, this camera is perfect, i'm really pleased with it. Looks very straight forward to use, i downloaded the manual of 67 pages & it has a lot more features than i first realised. So can't wait to start tinkering with it & to see the results.

Really good once you read the instructions

Bought for daughter's birthday and she loves it. Brilliant camera for a reasonable price.

Fantastic camera will have lots of fun using it on my holidays

Great camera for the price very easy to use and takes great pictures