hi, not sure if i should have put this in the photography thread, but i'm looking into getting my hands on a polaroid camera, and there are so many different models out there that i was wondering if anyone could help me in narrowing down the playing field.....thanks....

how could we, we don't know what you want to use it for. Just compare them, with the criteria you need personally in mind.

um, i'm looking to take picutres with it......but i don't know very much about the technicalities of photography, or the equipment used....that's why i think a polaroid would be simple and effective for my purposes....i was just wondering if anyone had any experience with them, and whether or not they could point me in the direction of some of the better models....

Sounds like you need a digital camera. They're easy to use and you can erase your mistakes. If you are looking for images the same size as a polaroid, you can likely get away with a 1 megapixel camera that should be easy to get for $100 bones or so.
I'm no photographer and digital made it much easier for me.

If we're talking true Polaroid, instant film and all, the only real benefits is the novelty of having a copy of the image right there and the aesthetics of a "polaroid." Professionals use top of the line Polaroid cameras to compose shots and to get a feel for lighting, composition, etc. This is going the way of the buffalo, though, due to on demand digital printing. Plus, over the life of the camera, Polaroid film is expensive compared to 35mm, especially when figuring out the cost per shot price. I have one, and it's a fun camera and can pop some cool pictures, but it's strictly a novelty to me.

I'd second getting a barebones digital camera for however much you can afford. That way you can take as many as you want, share them and print out the ones you want.

Hopefully, this helps you out.

groovy, thanks a lot, that does help....i just checked out film prices and they're ridiculous....digital looks like a much better investment.....

Be sure to check out your needs.

Megapixel count is important. It refers to the resolution of the digital image. As a rule of thumb, 3.0 Megapixels will give you an 8.5 X 11 print.

Optical zoom is also important. Digital zoom will pixellate your image. Only optical zoom will give you clear zooming.

Battery operation is also important. Some take "AA" some take rechargeable cells. The cells generally last longer than "AA" but they are expensive to replace and when it is out of juice you can't just grab another from a variety store.

Someone with more experience may be able to help you with other things such as digital gadgetry and aperture settings and all that camera guts stuff.

Digital Photo Review is an awesomely comprehensive site regarding digital cameras. They have a buying guide, forums (of varying depth) for each brand and in depth reviews.