A starter option for the photographers of the future, we take a look at the MyFirst Insta Wi camera and let you know if it’s worth your money.
Unmistakably a camera for Kids
Obviously, the MyFirst Insta Wi is a children’s camera, so the first thing we must establish is do not expect the best camera quality. However, when snapping a few pictures of my own, I must say this little camera is quite fun to use. 
With little sound effects for the menus and a snapping effect for when you take a picture, I can see the kid’s element to this camera. This is also emphasised by the cute looking rubber ‘ears’ that makes the camera seem like a bear, again something which kids will love. There is an option to add in little pre-set edits to your pictures, such as rabbit ears, a Viking helmet and Christmas sunglasses, once again adding a little extra fun to your child’s photos. 
The camera itself is also very easy to operate, with simply the click of the shutter button to take a picture and an easy button that takes you straight to your gallery of digital photos.
Instantly Printable Pictures
Printing out the pictures might need the assistance of an adult, as the thermal paper slot could be easily tampered or broken by a child. 
Once the thermal paper is in, the printing process is simple and easy. You click the circular print button that sits next to the 3 other shaped buttons after you have taken a photo and just like that, out prints your photo. The choice of thermal printing, which is how receipts are printed if you’re not sure what it is, is a welcome one for a kid’s camera. You don’t have to mess around with ink cartridges that could potentially harm your child, meaning you can let your child play freely with their camera. 
One thing that is important to mention is that thermal printing only prints in black and white, which is a slight downside but is again safer than having to use ink and a lot quicker – we all know how impatient children can be! Another parent-friendly aspect of thermal printing is that the rolls you can print onto are very affordable. You can get about 100 prints from a roll costing as little as £1. Who doesn’t love a bargain? 
The thermal print system on the MyFirst Insta Wi camera also covers labels and stickers, meaning your child won’t be limited to just pictures. The print quality on the sticker sheets isn’t quite as good as the standard non-sticker roll, but it is still a lot of fun, nonetheless.
The Technical Nitty Gritty
The Insta Wi camera we must not forget is still a piece of tech which has its hardware and technical aspects. The build and body itself are big and bulky, measuring just under six inches across and four inches high. These details are contrasted by its relatively light weight coming in at around 230 grams, making it pretty suitable for an average kid’s hands. 
The materials used are obviously not the best in terms of high-quality camera materials, however for a kids use, the choice of the rigid but soft plastics and rubber is perfect. The rubber on the corners of the camera prevents any nasty sharp edges, with a rounded shape also helping in that department. 
As for the actual camera, the MyFirst Insta Wi is equipped with a 12MP front camera and 6MP rear camera, with are both a bit retro and below par, although we can’t expect much more for a kid’s camera. Surprisingly, the Instant Wi is capable of 1080/720 video, however MyFirst opted for an AVI format when saving the content, making the 1080/720 capability to be unnoticeable.
Other Features
MyFirst has an app for the Insta Wi that allows you to do a multitude of things. One aspect I like a lot is the fact you can print out pictures from your phones camera roll wirelessly using the Insta Wi’s print system. The app also has options to spice up your labels and stickers, with little icons that you can add to your label design. This isn’t exactly world breaking, but I’m sure a kid would find this exciting. 
A nice plus about the MyFirst Instant Wi is that a 16GB card is included, which you can upgrade to a maximum of 32GB. You’ll also be able to slot the MicroSD into a MicroSD USB 2.0 reader, letting you transfer pictures to your PC easily. 
You can chuck in any SD card that fits, so if your child loves to spam their shutter button, you have the freedom to load up with storage space. The battery time is pretty solid, with 5 hours of usage time available once it has been fully charged, which takes around 2 hours. These times were pretty accurate, and I think 5 hours is plenty of time for your child to use the camera before they get bored and move onto their next activity. 
There is the pleasant addition of a lanyard which you can attach to the camera and put on your child, increasing the chance that the camera you just spent around £115 on will be found hopefully around the neck of your child and not on the floor in a heap, although who knows with kids! 
Finally, there is a relatively handy plastic stand that comes with the camera too, giving you a place for your kid to rest the camera on, although we all know that the camera will probably end up in the place you least expect it. Nevertheless, it’s a nice addition to the bundle.
Should you buy the MyFirst Insta Wi?
Final Rating: 4/5
My conclusion on the MyFirst Insta Wi is a relatively simple one – this camera does what it says on the tin. It has safety aspects suitable for a child’s use, whilst also some fun aspects such as the sound effects and edit pre-sets that will no doubt engage a child. Yes, the camera itself isn’t exactly a Canon but I doubt your kid will be laying in forests for 3 hours waiting for a perfect shot of a woodland bird of prey. My point is kids won’t care about the camera quality too much, this camera is for fun, not for work. 
The print department is a safe and easy one, however the lack of colour is slightly underwhelming, especially as I feel kids love bright and exciting colours. Apart from that, the printing is speedy and I’m sure kids will enjoy the thrill of taking a picture, with it instantly printing out the other side. Overall, I think this is a good bit of kit.
It’s durable and tough but cute and fun, exactly what you want for a child’s camera. I would definitely recommend the MyFirst Insta Wi to parents, if you can afford the slightly hefty £129 price tag that comes with it of course.
Buy the MyFirst Insta Wi here: https://store.myfirst.tech/products/myfirst-camera-insta-wi?variant=39940182605957
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