This is a
digital camera/printer combination for thermal paper strips, widely
used in supermarket check-out systems, cash machines or petrol stations. The paper
is black and white only and comes in cheap rolls. The camera is
designed for kids. This one is called Uleway, its model number is P81,
it is made in blue and a pink. There are other versions and different
names, but the cameras seem to be nearly the same. Different designs
with different technical features also exist.
There is little technical information and the manual is short. This is the information I gathered from different sellers:
12 MP resolution, 4608x2592
1080p HD-Video
2,0 inch LCD colour screen
32 GB microSD
card to store the images, at least
3000 images
1000 mAh rechageable lithium battery via USB
MP3 Player
Microphone
10 languages
Camera:
XNO CORP, model P10 Focal length 5mm all images say F3, 1/50s, ISO 153
Features:
:
5 filters
20 cartoon frames
8 special effects
4 Puzzle games
Size: 10 x .5 x 4 cm
Weight: 210gr with new roll of paper
Picture size: ~ 10 x 5.5 cm
Picture area: 8.5 x 4.3
The box.
The box unpacked
What's
in the box: camera, USB cable, short instructions booklet,
strap, 3 rolls of paper (one I put already in the camera), colour pencils for colouring the prints.
The front. Tiny lens and printer eject.
The
back: small LCD screen and control
buttons, easy to use.
Camera on and ready for photo.
Photo ejeted.
Paper roll trap open.
The
basic
handling is very easy. The camera is relatively small and light. The
plastic is o.k., rather on the cheap side, not high quality, but robust
and fine for kids. Switching
the camera on is fine, you press the "On" button for 2 seconds and it
lights up. The
menu is easy, there is some choice. With 4 buttons and the shutter
release
button you can access the choices: camera, video, medal (number of
photos taken from a roll), playback, games and settings That's it. The
screen is small, but clear and sufficient. No way to adjust exposure,
not before, not after taking a photo. The photo is immediately printed
and the file stored on the memory card. If you want frames, effects or
filters, you have to choose them before taking the photo. The sceen
shows the result in advance. No way to apply them afterwards.
The printed
photos are OK seen the print medium used. I did not expect much and I
was positively surprised. There is no focussing, it's
rather fixed focus, but it's sharp from less than 10cm to infinity. The
files are between 2 and 3 MP, contrast is heavily enhanced and with
full resolution they look awful, but seen the resolution of the printer
they are more than fine. 10 x 15 cm prints from the files are OK. The
camera maker XNO is into tiny surveillance cameras. The EXIF
files are obviously wrong. All
images say F3, 1/50s, ISO 153. This can't be true, pictures are well
exposed under all circumstances, even with dim light. There is no
flash. This makes sense for a kid's camera, they could hurt their eyes
holding a flash near to their eyes.
Putting a roll of paper is very easy, you just drop it into the
compartment and guide the end of the strip out of it before closing the
lid. A roll of paper gives 50 to 70 prints. At the moment offers are
10€ for 5 rolls. That makes less than 4 cents a photo. You can use
thinner cash machine paper, which is less than 10€ for 10 rolls, these
give nearly 100 photos which brings the cost down to 1 cent per photo.
Rolls have to be 57mm wide (a standard), but not more than 30mm in
diameter (a standard as well). There are also rolls with self-adhesive
stickers, they are shorter. Often you can buy a lot of 3 ordinary rolls
and 2 sticker rolls, still 10€ on offer.
Edit: I have used the camera for a year now, several times a week, to
memorize things. With one charge you can easily print 100 photos. Only
recently I have put higher quality paper which was on offer as an
addition to the camera when I bought it. It's branded V-tech. It really
makes a difference. There are scans at the end of the page.
It would be nice to have a "adult" model, with flash, exposure control
and no gadgets. It would be a marvellous tool to categorize storing
without many words.
And here are some pictures taken with it. I used the paper packed
with the camera first. There are other paper qualities further down.
They do make a difference:
First
photo. View from my atelier over the roofs of Cologne with the
cathedral in the background. A rainy winter day. You have to keep the
camera steady while printing. If you move it, stripes on the top may
occur as on the photo.
A legend of instant photography.
Less than 10cm. Note that the façades to the right at more than 10m are in focus.
My veranda in winter. Size comparison to an Instax Mini photo.
