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HP (Hewlett-Packard)? Hmm! Photographers know this company mainly as a manufacturer of computers and printers. Those who are dealing with computers more closely have perhaps already noticed some ads for HP photo cameras in catalogues or even in a computer shop. The name HP is printed on digital photo cameras since 1998. In 2000 they have published a strategic cooperation with photo company Pentax and introduced an interesting camera Photosmart 912, which even at a first glance looked »more photographic« than other digital compact cameras. It lied in your hands nearly as well as a real single-lens reflex camera.
Everybody, who is used to classical cameras, will have to accept a different design.
Basic characteristics
The body is made from robust plastic, front side is covered with aluminium, the back is made from soft rubber. It fits very well to your right hand and the rubber back gives you a good and a kind of warm feeling. Photosmart R707 measures 96 x 60 x 35mm (w h d) and weights 180g. With battery and memory card, it weights 205g. It's size and weight does not place it in a ultra compact cameras class, but it wasn't meant to be there in a first place. Size and weight are a personal preference of a photographer.
In the front, there is a built-in flash (which is positioned very well and can hardly ever be blocked by a finger), viewfinder hole, microphone and a red light, which can function as a focus assist lamp or a blinking signal when using self-timer mode.
On the top, there are two buttons. The smaller is for video capture and the larger one is a shutter button and is placed just where it is supposed to be. In the middle, there is a tiny hole for a speaker. On the left is a button for metering mode selection.
At the back, there are eleven buttons, all positioned very well and they somehow complete the look of the camera. Top most, there is an on/off switch. To the right, there is a focal length button, underneath are four navigation buttons with a confirmation button in the center. Top left is a viewfinder. Lower on the left is a 1.5'' TFT screen (3.8cm diagonal) and next to it are seven function buttons.
At the bottom, there is a plastic tripod mount and a slot for an optional docking base, which can be connected to a computer via USB cable and makes an easy way for transferring photos. On the right, there are a rubberized door for the battery and for SD memory card compartment. Camera uses 1050mAh Li-Ion battery which measures 53 x 35 x 7mm. Included in a box is also a 32MB SD memory card. There is a safety switch so the battery does not fall out if we forget to close the door. Memory card is very easy to insert and remove. To all new users, remember to push a card slightly inside and it will jump out on it's own.
On the right side is a mount for a hand strap which makes sure the camera does not slip us through the fingers and falls down.
On the left, there are USB and DC outlets, which are well sealed with rubber covers. Data can be transferred via USB 2.0 connection.
CCD sensor in the HP Photosmart R707 is 1/1.8'' (7.18 x 5.32mm) with resolution of 5.24 million pixels. Maximum picture size is 2608 x 1952 pixels and 320 x 240 pixels for capturing movies at 30 frames per second. We can set ISO values of 100, 200 and 400 or we can leave the camera to control these values automatically. CCD sensor uses RGB color filter, so half of filters in front of the pixels are green, 1/4 are red and 1/4are blue.
Lens used in HP Photosmart R707 has built-in 3x optical zoom with focal range 8.0 – 24.0mm (39-117mm in 35mm format). Maximum aperture is rather modest in a tele range because of the need for a small body size. At the wide end we have f2.8 and at the tele end we have only f4.9. However this is pretty common in cameras of this class. When unit is turned off, the front lens is protected only by a plastic curtain, which is split in the middle and so it can be possible to scratch the lens when we have our camera bouncing around in our bag with other things. The lens itself is well integrated into the camera and even when fully stretched it does not stick out too much. You cannot attach no additional lens or UV filters, because the camera has no mount for it.
The lens in HP Photosmart R707 has 3x optical zoom. Focal length is 8.0 – 24.0mm (39-117mm in 35mm format).
At the wide angle, barrel distortion is fairly visible.
3x optical zoom
Digital zoom. The image is captured only with 2.5 mega pixels.
8x digital zoom. File size shrinks to only 0.1 mega pixels.
When in digital zoom mode we can check what crop and how many pixels will be used.
Sharpness in the center is good.
Auto focusing in the camera operates using TTL mode for evaluating the contrast. The camera has only one, central AF point. There are four different AF modes: auto, infinity, manual and macro. Focusing is quite fast and accurate. There is also a focusing assist light, which helps enlighting the subject in the dark, so focusing is satisfiable good in bad light environment, also. Minimum focusing distance is 50cm in normal mode and 14cm in macro mode.
Viewfinder is similar as on other cameras. It is small and hardly useful at all for a serious work, but it does has minimum parallax when photographing close to the subject. Through the viewfinder we only see 75% of the motif, so despite the parallax we still capture the whole scene. Next to the viewfinder there are two lights. Upper one lights red when capturing movies. Lower one lights green when focus is set and is blinking during focusing.
TFT screen is about average. It is not the largest, nor the smallest. Not the best and not the worst. It measures 1.5'' (3.8cm diagonal) and has 119.548 pixels. We can set it's brightness and nothing else. While photographing, it shows all important data, but not the histogram, which is not possible even in a replay mode when reviewing photos. It is true, however, that an average user of this camera will not use histogram at all as only advanced users will really know how to use it to get a correct exposure. There is also no screen protection cover which is expected – so be careful not to scratch it with sharp objects.
The camera is well built. All protection covers for connections, battery and memory card compartment can be closed firmly.
Flash is almost at the middle of the front side of the camera. It is perfectly positioned, because it would be very difficult to place a finger over it or to get in it's ways otherwise. It can lit an object up to the distance of 2.7m (100 ISO) at the wide angle. At the tele end (117mm) it is effective up to de 1.5m at 100 ISO. The flash can be controlled with basic features. On/off, auto, night mode and red-eye reduction. This last effect can be further controlled with the software in the camera.
The power of the flash weakens toward the edges.
The camera can focus even under dark conditions. Complex meterings are performed well.
Flash fill-in
Functions and features
One feature which was not mentioned until now is that this camera already has a built-in memory with capacity of 32MB. This becomes very useful when we fill our main memory card and still have a back up memory in the camera itself. We can capture photos even without a memory card or transfer images from the card to the internal memory to free up space on our card. This internal memory really is a fine idea. It is a back up we always have at hand when we fill our SD memory card and we don't have to carry an extra small memory card. HP Photosmart R707 uses SD cards. One 32MB card is included in the box. Together with the internal memory this makes 64MB of memory supplied in the camera when we buy it. However it is not that much considering this is a five mega pixel camera. Image size is 1.2-2MB, so if you intend to enjoy photographing for a few hours, you should buy another 256MB memory card, which will store approx. 150 images in full resolution, 18 images in the internal memory and 18 images on the supplied SD card.
This camera is not made for more demanding users who want manual settings. HP Photosmart R707 has 10 preset modes. Auto, sport, landscape, portrait, sunset, panorama, sea/snow, document scanning, Av (aperture priority), custom setting (My mode). The only manual mode is Av, where we can manually set aperture value and exposure time changes automatically. A very interesting feature is My mode, where we can manually select various parameters: white balance, EV correction, AF mode, ISO value, contrast, sharpness and color settings. All these functions can be quickly accessible. Just press a button on top of the camera and follow the menus. There are also 10 default settings.
Using a special dock unit, images can instantly be sent to email.
Grey and primary colors are correctly detected.
The camera uses metering with electronic-guided shutter in the lens, for shorter times it even uses a CCD electronic shutter. Longest exposure time is 16 seconds, shortest is 1/2000s. Exposure compensation is available in the range of +-3 in all modes. It is not possible to customize buttons on the camera, but few shortcuts are already there: flash mode, self-timer, burst-shot, AF mode etc. Light metering is done via TTL metering with different areas: center weighted, whole area and spot. Exposure and focus can be locked by half press of the shutter button. There is also a possibility of exposure bracketing and software corrections for adding/removing sharpness, contrast and saturation. Following the menu, we can set four different image resolutions and four JPEG compressions. TIFF and RAW are not possible.
The menu is very easy to navigate and includes many functions. With every setting there is a basic description available of what it does.
White balance settings are standard, with a custom selection, too. At the highest resolution, we can make 3 photos per second and 4 in a row. Self-timer is set to 10 seconds which cannot be changed. After engaging, the numbers on the screen are counting the time remaining, while on the front of the camera the red light is blinking (the one that helps focusing in the dark environment). There is also a 8x digital zoom which can be accessed with 49 presses of the zoom button. The camera shuts down after one minute of inactivity – the screen turns off and the lens retracts. We can also add an audio recording to each photo. This can be made simply by pressing the shutter button and thus capturing an image and then keep holding the button pressed, which causes the camera to record voices. When we release the button, the recording stops. Of course we can add audio recording to a photo we made before. All we need to do is to select the photo we like in the menu and then select »record audio«. There is of course a possibility to capture movies. We can do so in 320 x 240 pixels and 30 frames per second. On top of the camera there is a button for starting/stopping the recording of the movie. On-screen menus are very user-friendly and easy to navigate. The most interesting thing in the menus are tips and instructions, which are already available in-camera and can be read on the screen. So there is little need for paper instructions. There are instructions for each and every feature of the camera. And there is more. Reviewing an image, you can select Image Advice and tips for improving the photo will be displayed on the screen. It is true that in most cases the camera will have nothing to say about your photos. However when using long exposure times or under dark conditions, the camera will advise you how to make a sharp photograph, e.g. use a tripod. Another useful feature is Remove Red Eyes. If the flash in red-eye reduction mode was not enough, we can select the function Remove Red Eyes via menu screens. The camera automatically detects the position of the red eyes and corrects it – it literally paints the eyes with black, but the shine in the eyes still remains. It does happen that the software does not find two red eyes or that the correction is too obvious. But in most cases I had positive experiences with this feature. The camera has one another attractive function. This is HP Adaptive Lighting Technology. When we need a photo which consists of some very dark parts, this function detects them and automatically makes them brighter. This is very useful when photographing toward direct sunlight without fill-in flash. The program HP Adaptive Lighting Technology takes care that the photo will be well exposed and that even dark areas will have beautiful tone values. In these very programs it is visible the strength of the companies, which have some background in the computer technology. These programs make it possible for photos to look better.
Basic motif for noise test.
100ISO
400ISO
With the blue button at the back of the body we can review captured images. One image is displayed without information. If we return to the menu and select Image Info, various data about the image are displayed (even the size in KB), but unfortunately no histogram, which would be very useful for advanced users. The camera features a fantastic 140x close-up, which can be achieved via 2-second press on the zoom button. Every single pixel can literally be seen. On the screen we can review up to 9 images simultaneously. We can rotate images for 90 degrees, but we cannot crop them, resize them or compress them. All photos are automatically rotated right after capturing, if we selected so in the menu of course. It is very convenient that this HP camera has some internal memory, which can be used for transferring the images from the memory card and thus freeing some needed space, or just capturing photos on the internal memory directly.
The responsiveness of the camera is not bad. After approx. two seconds it is ready for shooting. Focusing is quick, shutter lag is minimal and light metering is quick, also. It needs less than two seconds to move the lens from wide to narrowest angle. Saving an image in full resolution and highest quality does take some time. With full battery I have managed to get more than 200 photos, using the screen and menus often. The only downside is slow processing of images. Which is something I would not expect from a company like HP. Whatever you want to do with an image, you will have to wait for the »process« sign to disappear. It takes a second or even two only if you want to zoom-in. However these are some minor flaws. The important thing is capturing the light. This is something this camera can do well. The rest is a compromise, where one had to choose where to keep the costs down and where to stress the quality. I think that they have hit the bull's-eye with this camera. An average user with a little computer knowledge can find himself browsing through the menus and making great photos. This is what this camera is built for and as always, the decision of likeness, design and usability is always up to the user to decide. However there is something which holds true with this camera. If you are at least a bit familiar to computers and you know how to browse through the menus, then this camera will make great looking images for you, suitable even for larger formats.
Quality of the image
If we know who this camera is made for, we can make some evaluation of the quality of the photos from this camera. Firstly, at HP they target the photographers which became photographers with digital photo technologies. Secondly, users should know basics of manipulating with computers. If so, there is no need to be ashamed to own a camera with a HP logo on it. It will not happen soon for professional photographers to use DSLR cameras of this company. But some of their equipment will soon have similar technologies built-in. Photos from this camera are great for an average family or business user. And if you know just a little something about computers, you can get even more from the camera using it's special software solutions. The lens is ok. I don't know who is the manufacturer. I tested some basic things such as sharpness, barrel distortion, chromatic aberration etc. and it performed completely in par with it's competitors in the class of small compact cameras with the 1/1.8'' sensor.
There are many settings. Fortunately, help is always at hand. Short instructions can be displayed on the screen.
100 ISO. Nice color hue and saturation. Sharpness at the edges is also good.
400 ISO. The difference toward 100 ISO is obvious!
In macro mode, the lens performs very well.
Focusing is ok and performs well even in dark environments thanks to the strong red light, which can serve as a focusing assist lamp. I cannot overlook the great software solutions, which are inside the camera and can help us make better photos. Image Advice is one such feature that helps inexperienced users. Another great thing are in-camera instructions for all functions of the camera. HP Adaptive Lighting Technology is a chapter of it's own. With classical cameras we would need a fill-in flash or exposure compensation – if the camera would have them of course. But this new camera has built-in quite complex software, which is more known in PRO cameras when using RAW files and suitable applications. So this little HP camera can manipulate the RAW data of captured image to make a photo look better. Should this camera R707 be bought for family or business photography, it would deliver quality images. Users, who are familiar to using menus and different settings will have a slight advantage. Why? Because with two or three presses on the buttons you can improve your photo in a fair way. Well, the photography is changing. Traditional photo companies are not the only one there. There are many computer companies which are developing technologies how to make better photos. Which really does not need much. An interesting motif, right settings and right timing. HP Photosmart R707 has all this. The rest is on the photographer!
At the end
Once again, Hmm! After few days with this camera I still didn't get used to the body, which in itself is great. But for me, there are too many sharp edges. This of course is only my personal opinion. Soft rubber on the back of the camera is sometimes appealing, sometimes not. The camera feels warm and does not slip through the fingers. I quickly got familiar with the buttons, except those around the screen. Not regarding their functions, but the design and material. They are from solid plastic. I repeat again, this is only my personal opinion at the first serious contact with this camera! However the capabilities of this camera are great if we look even outside the photographic world. Lots of pixels (five million) enables us printing on larger formats and crops. 8x digital zoom make it possible to really reach far subjects. Internal memory of 32MB is a great solution for a small back up. The lens is ok and comparable with it's competitors. It is true that it does not offer true wide angle and that maximum aperture at tele end is only f4.8. But this camera still is very user-friendly and easy to deal with. It has an amazingly simple menus and settings. It clearly shows that HP has many experiences in this area of how to offer the user what he can do with the camera and how he or she can improve the photos.
The Help feature includes instructions for various settings and buttons, there are also some tips and hints available. R707 offers something more than what we get from other companies. More experienced users might not take this very seriously, but than again, remind them how they are constantly searching for help and instructions for their computers and software. R707 is a very user-friendly camera for all newcomers to photography.
Need an advice? You will get it! Of course only when the software in the camera decides the settings were really critical.
Important! It's software solutions are what makes this camera so special. The camera and it's built-in tips and instructions will help us to capture even some more difficult situations. You have to pay attention only on one thing. You have to cooperate with the camera. And people at HP are aware of it. Every computer user must alter some settings on his home computer, enable this function or disable the other. When you do this on the camera, it becomes an efficient and fun tool to use. I know that for a photographer, who is more used to traditional cameras, it is difficult to accept the fact that a non-photographic company can make a good camera, too. I believe that this is the camera many computer users will buy. Built-in software solution and the dock station are perfectly suitable for them. At the end, the photos from HP Photosmart R707 are good. Even great if you actively use it's functions and follow the instructions it offers. Of course I am speaking for the class of middle range compact cameras! And for the conclusion. They have put it in the attractive price class. For 90.000SIT (and I've seen even better offers), you get a decent camera, 64MB of memory (32MB internal memory and one 32MB SD card), Li-Ion battery, charger, quality photos and instructions in the camera itself (not in Slovene). I have to say one more good thing about HP. On the supplied CD are included Slovenian instructions!
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