Not a bad little camera
Written: Jun 24 '04 (Updated Jun 24 '04)
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Pros: quality pictures, makes you feel like a pro!
Cons: Eats batteries
The Bottom Line: I would recommend it to anyone who is not looking for professional quality but wants a good quality camera that will not empty your pockets.
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| sprottn's Full Review: Hewlett Packard Photosmart 735 Digital Camera |
First I would like to state that my only experience with digital cameras before this was a simple polaroid digital that offered no options such as zoom or memory cards and whatnot. This is my first real digital camera with options, so I present this to you as a review from a novice user.
I am one of those people who don't always take the time to read the owners manual right off the bat so I felt impressed that I was able to do anything at all with this camera before I got to reading.
I got this camera in a bundle I purchased from HP. I wanted to replace the low quality polaroid digital and they offered a rebate which brought the cost down to $149.00. The owners manual is a little thick, which intimidated me but I was taking pictures fairly quick.
When I opened the box, there was the camera, a wrist strap, 2 AA batteries, a USB cable, A cable to attach to your TV to view right from your camera and the owners manual. It also had a plastic part that states you should NOT lose it as you will need it if you purchase the docking system. It did not come with any memory card so I bought a 64MB card to start off with, which holds about 35 high quality photos.
The packaging was solid to where you know the camera did not get banged around in the box during shipping. When the camera is turned off, it is compact yet not tiny and the lens is protected. The lens opens and auto extends when you turn the power on.
This camera has several options that I have only toyed with so far, such as the ability to take video. I found that the sound quality was not very good as far as it sounded muffled and very low but for the price of the camera I was not suprised so I would not even list it as a con. For indoor video, use it in a well lit room or you will have a dark video. Keep in mind that using the video feature will use up the batteries quickly.
Now, I still do not understand all the wonderful things this camera can do but it has a lot of neat little options to help you take pictures like a pro. You can set it for red eye elimination which saves me the time I used to have to take editing photo's online before e-mailing them to family and friends! You can set it to use the flash or not use the flash.
The camera does eat batteries (I was using Energizer E, Lithium and they did not last very long at all) so I suggest purchasing good quality rechargables to save some money. I took several pictures (less than 14) in a short period of time and had to put new batteries in it the first day.
It has a shutter lag so it is a little difficult to take spontaneous shots of my kids. It does make a cute little sound like an old fashion camera shutter going off which gives it a small note of nostalgia. When using the digital zoom, rely on your viewfinder instead of the display screen as any tiny move makes the picture on the screen blur. Not ever having used a camera like this, I do not know if that is normal or not. The camera has a timer and is able to be attached to a tripod so you can jump into your own pictures.
This camera also has the ability to take shots one after another like a "photo shoot" (called "Burst") as well as taking landscape and portrait format photo's. You can choose the quality of photo, which also determines the memory used on the camera. If you plan on taking many high quality photo's, a memory card is a must!
My camera came with software that basically installed itself once I hit the OK button. My PC and Printer are also equipped with slots for my memory cards so all I have to do is remove the card from the camera and slip it into my printer and my pics appear on my screen to view and save or print.
The camera asks you after each photo is taken if you wish to delete it and it lets you scroll through all photos on your display screen.
All in all, we were so happy with it that my husband wanted one for himself so we bought another.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 149.00
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
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Epinions.com ID:
sprottn
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Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 0 members
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