Flash Cam is a toy camera that parents can give their young children to play with when they are taking pictures. Oftentimes, when a child sees an adult using a camera, they too want to take pictures and play with it. The Flash Cam provides an alternative method of satisfying the child while not endangering an expensive piece of equipment.
This toy camera has a flash which the child charges to take pictures. The camera has a crank on the underside that charges a capacitor when turned. As the child takes a picture, the capacitor is discharged and the flash goes off. This entertains the child much like taking a picture with an actual camera.
On the back of the camera, below the viewfinder, is a small screen much like those on digital cameras. After a picture is taken, the child can flip through some pictures which are preloaded on a round microfilm inside the camera. The film is magnified by the viewing lens, and presents various typical scenes such as a family, pet dog or cat, or countryside. The child can pick the one that best matches the picture it just took to show to others.
Flash Cam could entertain groups of small children for extended periods of time as they take turns posing for and taking pictures. Older children would probably lose interest in it after a few pictures in favor of a real camera. The optimal age would be four to six years of age, when a child is interested in photography but does not demand an accurate representation of its picture on the viewing screen.

Flash Cam does not present any manufacturing or safety problems. It would be quite easy and inexpensive to fabricate, requiring only plastic for most of its body making it durable as well. The capacitor and the charging mechanism would probably comprise the bulk of its costs. In addition, it does not have any small parts that could easily be removed and pose a choking hazard.