Consider spending a little more
Written: Jul 08 '04
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Pros: Light, inexpensive, good flash
Cons: Terrible color balance, exposure, slow shutter response time
The Bottom Line: OK if price is more important to you than quality of color and exposure
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| timbo64's Full Review: Hewlett Packard Photosmart 435 Digital Camera |
I already had a digital camera I was happy with - a little Casio QVR 4 megapixel. But one day I found myself out of town, and needed a simple digital camera in a hurry.
Rushed into the nearest shop and laid down $250 Canadian for an HP Photosmart 435, 3 megapixel, the most inexpensive camera on the shelves with 3 megapixels. It did the job, but the difference between the two cameras is incredible, and it isn't in the megapixels. When the Photosmart works, it takes a nice image, comparable to the Casio, which is $100 more.
Yep, I said 'when it works'. Or more specifically, when the color balance works. Looking at my image libraries on the PC now, I can see that maybe 20% of the shots taken with the Photosmart 435 have terrible color balance - pink tint, yellow tint, green tint.
Another irk factor in comparison to the Casio is shutter time. The Casio is instant - you press the button and the shutter clicks. On the HP your subject has time to swat a fly, duck, or disappear in the time between when you press the button and the shutter clicks. This is something I experienced at the dawn of digital photography, not something I expect from a camera from HP in 2004, even a bargain priced camera.
What else does Casio give you for the extra hundred dollars - well, enough to more than justify the cost. Longer battery life, clearer viewfinder, and larger storage capacity just to name a couple of things.
Recommended:
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Amount Paid (US$): 200 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
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Epinions.com ID: timbo64
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Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 0 members
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