Home > Consumer Reviews > Polaroid PDC 640CF 0.3MP Digital Camera

I recently purchased the PDC 640CF after I returned my PDC 640 to Wal-Mart because the flash stopped working. The original 640 was a pretty good camera that took outstanding pictures, but it had one annoying drawback... You could not see what you were aiming at through the viewfinder because of the green glare from "power on" light. But anyway, I took it back an figured that the updated "CF" version would have fixed that problem.

The PDC 640 CF is nowhere near the quality of its predecessor! Right out of the box you can see and feel that it is cheaply made. It takes the flash at least 20 to 30 seconds to warm up and you must wait for your photo to "process" before you can take another. Even if you shut the cover while it is still processing, you'll lose that picture. None of these faults appeared with the 640.

And the picture quality is horrible! Even on its highest resolution, the pictures appear "grainy" and slightly distorted. Also, if you're taking a picture of someone in motion, it blurs. I took a picture of my daughter running through the yard and her image was extremely "streaked".

Tomorrow it goes back to Wal-Mart. Thank God for their return policy. After doing some research, I'll probably spend the extra $125 and go with the Olympus D-360. If you think you want Polaroid at this price...go with the original PDC 640...its a much better camera if you can live with the distorted viewfinder.

I received the PDC 640CF as a Christmas gift. It came as a complete package with charger, cables, software and even batteries. It's a very simple camera to use. The display and controls are very easy to work. However, taking pictures is another story. The flash works from 3-7 feet. At that range people in the image come out with green/blue skin tones. Further away and the image is too dark if not black. THE CAMERA IS NOT FOR INDOOR USE. Outdoors its fairs better as long as conditions are ideal. If it is too sunny lighter colors streak. Too cloudy and the images are too dark. All the working of various settingS will not correct this. Also, images are fuzzy, even on the highest quality setting. With the camera on a tripod and the image subject immobile, it's fuzzy. I had to use Adobe Photoshop to sharpen images. It doesn't do well on details at all. THIS CAMERA IS NOT FOR OUTDOOR USE. The bottom line, IMAGES TAKEN BY THIS CAMERA ARE UNUSABLE FOR ANY PURPOSE, EVEN FOR QUICK SNAPSHOTS. Beginners will become quickly frustrated with the poor quality. Polaroid dropped the ball on this one. Out of 500 images taken I have yet to produce one I would use for anything--including e-mail.

One word: banding. The camera takes great pictures in sunlight, but if you have to use the flash about half the time you get banding which looks like lines in the picture. Not much can be done about it, that and the tiny 640x480 images (which remind me of picturebooth shots) make it a great camera for the year 1999. I would spend the extra $30-$100 bux and get something with bigger shots and 1.3 mpixel. In the cameras defense I bought it refurbished, but it was probably refurbished for the above reasons. If you're looking for something cheap, you can find 1.3 mpixel cameras now for the same price.

Since the day I got this camera it never worked right. At first it was just the fact that the serial connection did not work. So for awhile it took great pictures and they printed very nice! Then it started draining the batteries. Then it just stopped working. Polaroid has done nothing to help me. Not since the day I bought it. Then I also went and bought another polaroid camera and it doesnt work either. And I inquired with polaroid again, and they still haven't helped me! DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY! The are horrid and do not care about their customers. And their cameras dont work. There have been hundreds of these cameras (this particular model) on ebay that are non working and being sold for parts! As is mine! BEWARE!

Operating this camera has been the most frustrating experience I have ever encountered. I am ready to send it to the garbage can. The settings do not make any sense at all. You pick and choose settings all day long and never get a clear picture from it. It will not take a decent picture at all.
My entire reason for wanting a digital camera was to own one for myself to learn how to use it and to buy one for my daughter and son-in-law. Christmas of 2001 was the big camera day. Thanks Santa! The kids have now moved to Germany from North Carolina and they are expecting their first baby and my first grand baby. I can not even get a picture on line of my daughter. Never been more upset over a purchase in my entire life. I will not buy another Polaroid Camera of any kind. No Thank You!