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Polaroid PDC 2300Z
Lightweight and straightforward, this 2.1-megapixel is a perfect choice for first-time digital shooters
Text And Photography By Wes G. Pitts
Writing for two photo magazines, I get a lot of questions from family and friends about digital cameras. Should I buy one? Which do you recommend? Are they difficult to use? And so on.
These digital-curious characters don't necessarily live, breathe and eat photographic technology the way we do. They simply want an easy-to-use camera that will deliver quality comparable to what they're used to with film, and they don't want to spend a lot of money or have to struggle with the equipment.
Not so long ago, I wasn't exactly sure what to tell them. Many of the high-quality cameras were fairly expensive and loaded with advanced features that presented a learning curve for the average point-and-shooter.
Even though these cameras had excellent automatic modes, the mere presence of so much control could be intimidating.
Today, there's a number of cameras like Polaroid's new PDC 2300Z that deliver solid image quality for a price comparable to a compact 35mm camera. With a 2.1-megapixel CCD, the PDC 2300Z has enough resolution to print excellent-quality 3x5s and 4x6s, and good 8x10s, too. And thanks to USB connectivity and evolved camera designs, using the technology has become dramatically simpler and more accessible to everyone.
 I took the PDC 2300Z to Olvera Street, a popular historic and tourist destination in downtown Los Angeles. It's a festive place that celebrates the Mexican heritage of our city year-round. I wanted to photograph as if I was experiencing this place for the first time as a tourist. How easy would it be to get some good photographs on the fly in this bustling, colorful open market?
Polaroid has done an excellent job cutting the clutter of controls with the PDC 2300Z. People wanting an uncomplicated photographic experience will be pleased with the usability and performance of this easygoing camera.
There's a simple mode dial—choose record, playback, setup, erase or PC connect modes. Also, toggle buttons are dedicated to image-quality settings, macro mode, flash setting and the self-timer, eliminating the need to sift through menus to use these features.
 Speaking of the menus, they, too, are simple and uncomplicated. They're designed so that all of your options are immediately displayed—no scrolling around to find the feature you need. Helpful controls like exposure compensation and adjustable viewfinder brightness are found here.
Switch on the camera, set the mode dial to record and begin photographing. It's that easy. The auto exposure produced wonderful, saturated images. I selected the macro mode to get some terrific close-ups of the colorful details around Olvera Street, using the 1.8-inch LCD to fine-tune my compositions.
Special
Features
The viewfinder's adjustable
brightness lets you use the LCD
more effectively
Exposure compensation gives
you some manual control over exposure
Focus as close as 1.5 inches for sharp, detailed close-ups |
Other Comments
Image recording delay is a bit
longer than most, so don't plan
on taking multiple shots in a
fast sequence |
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The PDC 2300Z features a 2.3x optical zoom lens, which has a 35mm equivalent of a 38-90mm. This is a good range for both telephoto portraits and details, as well as wider shots that take in more of the scenery. The zoom reaction is a bit sluggish, but the optical viewfinder does zoom along with the lens, so you aren't bound to using the LCD for compositional accuracy.
Back at home, connecting the camera to my PC was a snap. The included USB cable and software streamline the download process. Within minutes, I was reviewing and printing the photographs I had taken just hours before on my inkjet printer. Digital photography really has become easy.
Contact: Polaroid, (800) 343-5000, www.polaroid.com.
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