Polaroid's licensed budget compact — 18MP, 8x optical zoom, 2.4in LCD, 1080p video, SD storage
The Polaroid iE826 is a licensed-brand digital compact from the 2010s, produced under the Polaroid name by the brand's licensee (retailer listings identify Sakar/Vivitar as the manufacturer) rather than by the original instant-film company. It was sold cheaply through mass-market channels in black, red, purple and pink, aimed at buyers wanting a basic standalone camera in the smartphone era.
Headline specification is an 18-megapixel sensor paired with an 8x optical zoom lens, with a 2.4-inch LCD on the rear for framing and review. Video records at up to 1080p, and continuous shooting reaches around 3 frames per second with face detection. Aperture-priority and shutter-priority modes offer some exposure control alongside auto-flash, red-eye reduction, image stabilisation and a self-timer. Images save to SD cards up to 32GB (Class 4 or faster recommended), and power comes from a supplied rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
This is a budget snapshot camera, not a photographic tool with heritage: image quality is typical of low-cost licensed compacts and well behind name-brand cameras with similar numbers. It suits buyers wanting a very cheap, simple zoom compact or a first camera for a child, and it carries the Polaroid logo without any instant-film capability.
Used examples hinge on the proprietary lithium-ion battery and its USB charger, so confirm both are present and holding charge, as branded spares can be hard to trace. Test the 8x zoom through its range for smooth travel, check the LCD for scratches, and format an SD card of 32GB or under in-camera. Boxed examples with the Polaroid software disc add little; working battery and charger matter far more.