VTech KidiZoom Fun FX Camera review: a fun first camera for budding photographers

Our verdict

If your child loves taking photos, the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX is a brilliant introduction to photography. With its chunky design, easy-to-use controls and impressive selection of creative features, it's a fun kids' camera that gives children the freedom to capture the world around them.

I tested the Fun FX with my four-year-old over two months, and it's safe to say it was a huge hit. She loved taking photos and videos, but it was the special effects and funny voice recordings that really captured her imagination.

One of its biggest strengths is how accessible it is for younger children. The large buttons and comfortable grips make it easy to handle, although my daughter needed quite a bit of help navigating the different menus and features. She found taking photos and videos relatively straightforward once I'd shown her how, but using the camera independently took some practice. It's also surprisingly sturdy, having survived being dropped during testing.

The photo and video quality is fairly basic (as you'd expect from a children's camera), it doesn’t come with a carry case, and there are a few minor frustrations. There's a slight delay when taking pictures, the screen can be difficult to see in direct sunlight and you'll need to supply four AA batteries before getting started. 

However, these are relatively small complaints for a camera that's provided so much entertainment. At £40, I think the KidiZoom Fun FX offers excellent value for money, particularly for younger children who are just discovering an interest in photography.

My four-year-old getting to grips with the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX during testing.

How we tested the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX

I tested the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX over two months with my four-year-old, using it regularly at home and when out and about.

During testing, I looked at how easy it was to set up, how comfortable it was for her to hold and whether she could navigate the different features independently. I also assessed the photo and video quality, durability, portability and overall value for money.

Most importantly, I wanted to see how much she enjoyed using it and whether it would hold her interest beyond the initial excitement of having her own camera.

What's included in the box and how easy is it to set up?

The VTech KidiZoom Fun FX comes with the camera itself, a wrist strap and an instruction manual.

Unpacking is straightforward, although you'll need four AA batteries to get started as these aren't included. The batteries fit into two separate compartments, one on either side of the camera, with two screws to undo on each side. You'll need a screwdriver to open them.

Once the batteries were installed, the initial set-up took around two minutes. I just needed to select the language and enter the time and date before the camera was ready to use.

It would have been nice to have batteries included, particularly if you're buying it as a birthday or Christmas present, so I'd recommend having some ready beforehand.

The VTech KidiZoom Fun FX features a colourful menu and password-protected parental controls.

Is the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX easy to use?

Yes, and I think this is one of its biggest strengths, especially for younger children.

The camera itself is larger than I expected, but it's been thoughtfully designed for small hands. There are chunky grips on either side, making it comfortable and secure for my daughter to hold, and the buttons are large enough for her to press without difficulty.

There's a dedicated shutter button for taking photos, although you can also use the OK button in the centre of the controls, which gives children two options. The zoom button is positioned separately on the side of the camera, making it easy to locate.

The main menu is clearly laid out, with options for taking photos and videos, playing games, accessing creative tools, changing settings and viewing saved pictures.

My daughter soon got the hang of taking photos and recording videos once I'd shown her what to do, but she needed quite a bit of help navigating the menus and switching between features. Finding her way back to previously captured footage wasn't particularly intuitive at first, especially when switching directly from photo mode, although we found accessing playback through the main menu was the easiest option.

There's also optical viewfinders, with two eyepieces for children to look through, alongside the colour screen. Most of the time, my daughter preferred using the screen to frame her pictures.

Overall, the basic controls are well suited to younger children, but I wouldn't describe the camera as completely intuitive for a four-year-old. Some adult guidance is definitely needed for younger kids, particularly when exploring the more advanced features.

The VTech KidiZoom Fun FX has a chunky, child-friendly design with easy-to-grip sides and a rotating lens ring for adding photo effects.

What's the photo and video quality like?

For a children's camera, I think the photo and video quality is perfectly adequate. The Fun FX can capture photos at up to 16MP (interpolated) and features a 4x digital zoom, although the results aren't going to compete with a smartphone or dedicated digital camera.

Pictures are relatively basic, but they're good enough for young children who are more interested in what they're photographing than capturing every little detail.

There is a slight delay of around a second between pressing the shutter button and the photo being captured. It wasn't a major issue for us, but it's worth bearing in mind when photographing anything that's moving, as younger children may not realise they need to keep the camera still for a moment.

I also found the screen difficult to see in very bright sunlight, which made framing photos outdoors a little trickier.

Neither issue seemed to bother my daughter particularly, but they're worth considering if your child is likely to use the camera outdoors regularly.

What special features does the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX have?

The VTech KidiZoom Fun FX is a 10-in-1 camera, offering much more than just photo and video recording. With over 50 special effects, built-in games and a range of creative tools to explore, there's plenty to keep young photographers entertained.

My daughter particularly enjoyed experimenting with the different photo frames, filters and effects. The rotating lens lets children switch between different effects, and there's also a selfie mode for taking pictures of themselves. The video mode offers its own smaller selection of filters and effects too.

The voice recorder was probably one of her favourite features. It lets children record their voice and play it back with funny character effects, including a cat, dinosaur and robot. She found this absolutely hilarious, and it's the kind of simple feature that younger children can enjoy again and again.

There are also tools for creating animations, editing photos, making collages and experimenting with comic-style effects, alongside four built-in games. Children can also take panoramic photos and use burst mode to capture several pictures in quick succession. There's even a musical slideshow feature for playing back their photos.

Parents can access parental controls, which is a useful addition. It's also worth knowing that video recordings are limited to five minutes each, so it's better suited to capturing short clips rather than longer videos.

Not all of these features were immediately accessible to my four-year-old, and she needed some help exploring the more advanced options. However, I actually see that as a positive. There's plenty of scope for her to discover new things as she gets older, rather than quickly outgrowing the camera.

As well as taking photos and videos, the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX includes built-in games and a range of fun filters and effects.

Does the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX have good play value?

Absolutely. After two months of testing, my daughter is still enthusiastic about using it, which is always a good sign when assessing a toy's entertainment value.

What I particularly like is that there's no set way to play. Children can photograph their toys, capture family moments, make little videos or come up with their own creative projects.

It's also a nice way to encourage children to take notice of their surroundings. My daughter has enjoyed choosing her own subjects to photograph, and I've loved seeing the world from her perspective.

Although the built-in games are a fun addition, I think the biggest appeal is being able to create something, rather than simply watching or playing on a screen.

Is the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX educational?

Although it's primarily designed as a fun camera, I think there are some lovely opportunities for learning through play.

Taking photos can help children develop hand-eye coordination, particularly when they're learning to position the camera, frame a picture and press the shutter at the right moment.

Choosing what to photograph and experimenting with different effects can also encourage creativity, observation and decision-making.

As children get older, the photo-editing tools and animation maker offer opportunities to develop basic digital skills, sequencing and storytelling.

It's not an educational toy in the traditional sense, but there's real value in giving children the tools to explore their creativity.

My four-year-old taking photos with the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX, complete with a wrist strap for extra security.

What age is the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX suitable for?

VTech recommends the Fun FX for children aged three and over, and based on our experience, I think it's well suited to preschoolers and younger primary-school children.

At four, my daughter found the basic functions easy to use, although she occasionally needed help navigating some of the menus.

Three-year-olds may need a little more guidance, while children aged five and above are likely to get more out of the editing tools and other advanced features.

I'd particularly recommend it for children aged around four to seven who are starting to show an interest in photography but aren't ready for a more sophisticated digital camera.

Is the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX durable and easy to take out and about?

Despite being larger than I expected, the Fun FX is still a practical camera for taking on holidays, days out or visits to family. Just be aware that it doesn’t come with its own carry case.

Its chunky plastic body feels sturdy, and it survived being dropped during our testing without any apparent damage or issues with its performance. The grips also make it easier for younger children to hold securely, while the included wrist strap provides a little extra reassurance.

There are two colour options available, pink and blue. Pink was the obvious choice for my daughter as it's her favourite colour, although a few more options would have been welcome.

There's built-in memory for saving photos and videos, with the option to expand the storage using a microSD card, although you'll need to purchase this separately.

The camera also has a USB-C connection for transferring files to a computer, but the cable isn't included. It's also worth noting that this isn't a rechargeable camera, so you'll need to replace the AA batteries when they run out.

Overall, I think the slightly bulkier design is a worthwhile trade-off for how robust and easy to handle the camera feels.

VTech KidiZoom Fun FX vs Duo FX: what's the difference?

The VTech KidiZoom Fun FX isn't the only camera in the KidiZoom range. We've also tested the VTech KidiZoom Duo FX, which offers additional features for children who want to experiment with photography.

Both cameras have plenty to offer, but which one is best will depend on your child's age, interests and how much you want to spend. 

The Fun FX is the more affordable option and, based on my experience testing it with my four-year-old, has more than enough features to keep younger children entertained. 

The Duo FX offers a wider range of games and creative activities, so may be better suited to slightly older children who are confident exploring different functions. 

Here's how they compare:

Is the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX good value for money?

With an RRP of £40, I think the VTech KidiZoom Fun FX offers very good value for money.

It's much more than a basic kids' camera, and the variety of creative activities means there's plenty to keep children entertained without needing to buy additional accessories.

The additional cost of batteries and a microSD card is worth considering, although the latter isn't essential for getting started.

Having used it regularly over two months, I think it's a worthwhile investment for children who enjoy photography and creative play, with the potential to remain a favourite for several years.

About the author

Laura Westerman is Mumsnet's Deputy Head of Editorial Content, with 10 years' experience writing, editing and commissioning product reviews and buyer's guides.

As mum to a four-year-old, Laura has first-hand experience testing a wide range of toys and games, from educational activities to creative play products. She's passionate about finding toys that children genuinely enjoy using and that offer good value for money.