By Nolan Apostle

8/25/03
 

Do you remember when the Polaroid company introduced a consumer camera that shattered the market with its "One-Step Instant Camera" that created a picture just minutes after the image was taken? Well, this time it is being done in conjuction with Olympus. On Tuesday they announced what appears to be the digital version of this camera, named the C-211 ZOOM. The C-211 ZOOM is a digital camera with a built-in instant photo printer.  Slated to be available to the public in late October and to cost $799, the camera uses optics developed by Olympus and film printing technology from Polaroid.  The C-211 ZOOM is a 2.1 megapixel camera with 1,600x1,200 resolution. Other imaging technologies featured in the digital camera include a 3x optical glass zoom; a 2x digital zoom; and a 2-inch LCD monitor for viewing and playback. The camera offers 2 different formats for still images, TIFF and JPEG and QuickTime for their different Movie modes. In addition, the C-211 ZOOM comes with an 8-MB SmartMedia removable memory card for storing images. The C-211 ZOOM also features USB connectivity for both Mac and Windows computers.  The printer that is amazingly built right into the C-211 ZOOM uses a combination of a proprietary print mechanism and Polaroid advanced instant film to provide fade-resistant photographic prints in a quick 15 seconds. The excellent optical front end and superior electronics in the print engine enables the system to optimize an image electronically for printing. The result is a true, continuous tone output that is, according to Polaroid, superior to an inkjet printer and better than other photographic output. (As I write this I have not yet seen output from the device to comment on these claims.) The Olympus C-211 ZOOM will use Polaroid 500 film, which should cost about $10 a roll, according to Polaroid.  The marketing of this product will focus on consumers and business applications, including meetings, real estate, law enforcement, special events, insurance, etc.  I believe that a camera of this nature, able to create a print in 15 seconds with all ofthe advatages of digital photo-imaging is going to hit a lot of home runs. But you need to ask yourself several questions: How long will the pictures last? What is the output quality of the images? Is the camera too expensive for consumers? Will the business community embrace this thechnology or write it off as a fad? For more information and for a FREE pass to the expo please visit www.seyboldseminars.com .  Tell them that you heard it at EVENT CITY PREMIER, the new online magazine for the Events and Creative industries. A comprehensive feature story on Digital Technology and Photographic imaging including  reviews on some of the top digital cameras for the hospitality and entertainment industries, meeting planners, event producers, tradeshow managers and other creative industry professionals. Let us introduce you to some of the hottest products on the market today.  Stay Tuned!  If you want us to visit your event and photograph it with new digital technology Click here for info on inviting the EVENT CITY PREMIER to your next Special Event. During the Event City Network Beta Test you can sign up for additional news by sending an Email to our News Director, Anthony Joseph, he will add your name and company to receive FREE industry reports, news and other information pertaining to your industry(ies) via Email. These may include product, talent, show and movie reviews, equipment, software and technology stories/reviews for the computer, wireless, sound, audio, lighting, home automation and robotics industries.Stay Tuned!  For event, show and other coverage Click here for info on inviting the EVENT CITY PREMIER to your next Tradeshow, Conference, Meeting, Special Event, Facility or for Interviewing or Product Reviews.