VTech
VTech KidiZoom PrintCam with Instant Photo Printing
The Kidizoom model that actually prints instant photos, with a flip-up lens for selfies. Costs more than the standard Pix Plus and needs refill paper, but it's the closest thing in this lineup to a real instant camera experience for a kid.
See current price on AmazonAbout VTech KidiZoom PrintCam
VTech built its name on real, working electronics designed specifically for young kids, not toys that only look the part, and the Kidizoom camera line is the clearest example of that: actual photo and video capture in a compact body a young kid can hold and drop without much worry. The other cameras in this lineup, the standard Pix Plus and the dual-lens Duo FX, all start from that same premise of a real first camera, but each one adds exactly one distinct feature on top rather than everything at once.
The PrintCam is the model in the lineup built around one specific feature: printing physical photos on the spot. Kids frame a shot on the 2.4 inch color screen, or flip up the lens to switch to a selfie, and the camera prints instantly in black and white using the included paper roll, good for about 80 images before a refill pack is needed (VTech sells its own PrintCam Paper Refill Pack, and most standard 2.2 by 1.2 inch thermal paper refills also work). Beyond the printer, it carries over the same creative extras as the rest of the line: more than 110 templates for things like comic strips and greeting cards, stickers and filters to add before printing, a mode that turns a photo into a line drawing a kid can color in, and a handful of built-in games for downtime between shots. Parents can cap daily screen time and daily print counts, which matters here since every print uses up paper. Unlike the AA-battery-powered Pix Plus, the PrintCam charges over its included USB cable, and VTech lists it for ages 4 and up. All of that instant-printing hardware pushes it to the most expensive camera in the Kidizoom lineup.
The PrintCam earns its higher cost for one kind of kid specifically: one who wants the classic instant-camera experience, shoot a photo and hold the physical print in their hand a few seconds later, the way disposable and Polaroid-style cameras have always worked, just built for small hands and simple enough to run without much help. If instant prints aren't the draw and a different feature is, a selfie-facing lens, a green screen for video, or a ruggedized body built for outdoor play, our full comparison of every VTech Kidizoom camera breaks down which model in the line fits which kid best.
The Honest Take
What We Like and What We Don't
What we like
- Prints real, physical photos in seconds using the included paper roll, no ink cartridges needed
- Preview a shot on the color screen first, then flip up the lens to switch to a selfie
- 110+ templates plus stickers, filters, and a photo-to-drawing mode add real creative play beyond just printing
- Built-in rechargeable battery charges over USB, no AA batteries to keep buying like the standard Pix Plus
- Parental controls cap daily screen time and print counts, which helps manage paper use
- Sturdy build that held up to everyday drops and bumps, per multiple reviewers
What holds it back
- Instant prints come out in black and white only, not color
- Needs refill paper rolls once the included roll runs out, an ongoing cost the base Pix Plus doesn't have
- Costs meaningfully more than the standard Pix Plus for the printing feature
- One reviewer said the print paper compartment needed a screwdriver to open and prints tore easily
- One reviewer reported the selfie screen and display failing within days of regular use
- Photo and video quality is basic, fine for a kid, not something to frame
Is This For You?
Who Should (and Shouldn't) Buy This
Get it if…
your kid already has the basics of a first camera down and is specifically asking to hold and share a physical photo right away, without waiting on a print shop or a parent's phone, and you don't mind buying refill paper occasionally.
Skip it if…
instant printing doesn't matter to your family, since the standard Pix Plus covers the same real-camera experience without the added cost or ongoing paper, or a different feature fits your kid better, other Kidizoom models are built specifically around selfies, video, or outdoor play instead.
The verdict
The PrintCam does exactly one thing the rest of the Kidizoom lineup doesn't: put a real, physical photo in a kid's hand within seconds of taking it, no screen, no phone, no waiting on a parent. That single feature comes at a real cost, a higher price than the standard Pix Plus and an ongoing need for refill paper, and reviewers do report a couple of rough edges, from a print compartment that can be stiff to open to occasional failures with the selfie screen. For a kid who's genuinely drawn to instant photography, printed proof of their own pictures right away, it delivers on that promise. For everyone else, the standard Pix Plus covers the same real-camera basics without the added cost or paper.
What Real Buyers Say
“Let's be real...it's a kids camera meant to entertain them and withstand bumps and drops. Photo quality is ok for kids but definitely nothing to frame. Bought it for vacation and my daughter loved taking pics of whatever caught her eye.”
Canada · March 28, 2024
“Having to use a screwdriver to open print cavity is ridiculous. Very difficult to tear paper without ripping.”
United States · January 6, 2024
“I bought this camera for my six year old grandson. First, delivery took a very long time, and once the package finally arrived, he could only take pictures with it for a few days before the selfie function stopped working and the display started showing only stripes. We are now trying to get a replacement, but a new order takes another six to seven weeks to arrive. It's hard to understand, and a shame, that you get so little for what you pay, especially since the same camera in a different color costs noticeably less here. Now I have to send the defective camera back and cover a steep shipping fee myself, since the package goes to the USA. Phone support told me there was no other way. I find it unacceptable that a Prime customer has to pay shipping costs for a defective device. Impossible service. I am canceling Prime right away. (Translated from a German-language review.)”
Germany · November 21, 2023
“My daughter loves this camera so much. So easy for her to use too”
Canada · April 27, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the VTech KidiZoom PrintCam print in color?
No. It only prints in black and white using the included thermal paper roll, though kids can still shoot and view full-color photos and video on the camera's own screen before printing.
How many photos can I print before I need more paper?
The included roll prints about 80 images. After that, you'll need a refill, either VTech's own PrintCam Paper Refill Pack or most standard 2.2 by 1.2 inch thermal paper rolls.
Does it need batteries?
No AA batteries here. Unlike the standard Pix Plus, the PrintCam has a built-in rechargeable battery that you charge with the included USB cable.
Is the instant printer reliable, or does it break easily?
Most reviewers say it holds up fine, but a few report real issues: one buyer said the print compartment needed a screwdriver to open and prints tore easily, and another said the selfie screen and display stopped working within days. If reliability worries you more than instant prints excite your kid, the standard Pix Plus skips the printer and its moving parts entirely.
How does this compare to the other VTech Kidizoom cameras?
It's the only model in the lineup built around instant photo printing. The Duo FX adds a front-and-back lens for selfies instead, the Creator Cam adds a green screen for video, and the Action Cam 180 is built rugged and mountable for outdoor play. Our guide comparing every Kidizoom model breaks down which one fits which kid.
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