shoplmart's Full Review: Hewlett Packard Photosmart 435 Digital Camera
I recently received a Canon PIXMA IP5000 photo printer as a gift; the only problem was I didn't have a digital camera or any type of camera for that matter. Since I have had a positive experience with both my HP computer and DeskJet printer, I thought it would be a smart move to go with the HP brand for my digital camera needs. Update infomration- Read updated reliability info in 12th paragraph.
What you get in addition to the camera:
2 USB cables for PC and printer, a wrist strap, 2 non-rechargeable AA batteries, dock insert, a highly detailed manual, and photo imaging software. There is a host of optional equipment for this camera that can be purchased at hp.com.
Specs/features:
3.1 megapixel, 16 MB of internal memory (32MB memory card optional), 1.5" LCD, 5x digital zoom, microphone, 2 shooting modes; auto and action, flash with 5 white balance modes, direct printing capabilities, the ability to add audio attachments to pictures, exposure and picture quality controls, and the ability to make short video clips (with sound). Note: Video clips are fuzzy and can only be made during the day.
Styling:
If style is a must for your digital camera needs, you may want to take a pass on the 435. It's not that the 435 is an ugly camera, however its almost perfect rectangular physic combined with it's silver color scheme makes for plain-Jane styling at best. At 4.6" wide x 2.4" high x 1.5" deep, the 435 is also not the smallest 3.0 + megapixel digital camera on the market either, it is, however quite lightweight at a mere 5.8 ounces.
Ergonomics:
Although the 435's rear fascia may appear to be a bit overcrowded with buttons, all the swtichgear is logically located and very easy to get accustomed to. This camera is also extremely comfortable to hold for long periods of time, making this a very user-friendly camera.
Performance:
Sporting only 3.1 megapixel and an MSRP of only 119 dollars, I wasn't expecting anything but the most basic imaging from this camera. The HP 435 does impress, however. The HP 435's ability to capture outdoor color is quite impressive as is its ability to automatically adjust white balance and sharpness. In comparison to other cameras in this price range, the HP 435 seems to be one of the better buys. Having used a similarly priced Vivitar ViviCam and a Olympus D-395, the HP 435 does seem to be the better of the 3.
Indoor picture quality, on the other hand, is a mixed bag. This camera will take a fairly decent indoor photo so long as there is plentiful ambient light in a room. If there isn't good natural lighting, however, photographs can turn out horribly dark; many I have taken couldn't even be saved using the software HP provides to fix such photographs. I have had much better experiences with indoor photography even with those cheap key-chain type digital cameras in these types of dark environments. This is not a problem for me as I usually only use my digital camera for outdoor scenic shots, but if you are planning on taking photographs of the interior of your home, you may want to shell out a few more bucks and upgrade to a better camera.
The HP 435 offers 3 picture quality modes; good, better, and best. With the setting set to 'best' you can take 11 photos with it's standard 16 MB of internal memory, 17 photos with the 'better' setting, and 172 photos in 'good' setting. Since I have not noticed any significant differences between these modes, I usually just leave it on the lowest quality setting which allows me for quite a bit more photos without sacrificing significant image quality.
The 5x digital zoom is a great feature, especially for a camera that retails at a frugal 119 dollars. This zoom feature has come in handy when taking pictures of deer and other wildlife in the Appalachian mountains during excursions in my forestry class. One should note that when using the zoom feature you have to be in "live view mode" so it takes precious seconds away from battery life.
My biggest rant with this camera would be its glutinous use of batteries. I don't exactly know why this camera uses so much power, but out of the four digital cameras I have used (excluding the HP 435), all have offered almost triple the battery life. It's quite depressing when you are taking pictures and after 10 or so "live view" shots the battery display shows you are down to 40% power. The most photographs I have been able to get using the LCD display and flash combined was around 20 shots with fully charged premium NiMH batteries (highly recommend). The HP owner's manual suggests not using the LCD display to save on battery life, but this method defeats the entire purpose of having an LCD display in the first place. Without using the LCD display I have been able to get around 100 photos before this camera will shut down due to depleted batteries. Not using the flash is not an option, this camera, even outside, usually needs the flash to make a decent photo.
Yet another gripe is the LCD display. I have found this display to terribly inaccurate in both color, sharpness, light, etc. Indoors, the LCD feature is rendered almost useless as the LCD image is usually too dark or too fuzzy.
Reliability:
I have had this camera for over 3 months now and it has been horrible when it comes to both battery life and general reliability. For example, when I try to take a picture, the LCD screen turns red and displays a message that the camera's memory is full, even though there are no pictures stored in the camera. The result: I can't take a picture, which is why I am lowering my rating of this camera from 3 to 2 stars. On a positive note, HP has agreed to provide me with my money back, so no financial loss other than shipping.
Final Thoughts:
There are many pros and cons to the HP 435, unfortunately the cons outweigh the pros. Due to reliability issues and poor battery life, I do not recommend this camera. If you are in the market for a new digital camera I highly suggest checking out the offerings from higher end brands, i.e. Canon.
Thanks for reading!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 128.00 (tax) This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
3.1 megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 8 x 10 prints and medium-quality prints up to 11 x 14 5x continuous digital zoom S...More at Amazon Marketplace
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