| At press briefings during PMA 2004 HP | | | | a separate indicator for flash and focus |
| staff quietly admitted they had finally | | | | readiness, but this is a minor niggle. |
| realized that the company's digital | | | | The LCD monitor is a fairly typical |
| cameras suffered from something of an | | | | 1.5-inch 119,000 pixel affair, it's |
| 'image problem'. Big, seemingly designed | | | | sharp and bright with sufficient |
| to resemble a house brick, and made from | | | | resolution, and the refresh rate is |
| the kind of materials normally found | | | | significantly better than earlier HP |
| only on the dashboard of a 1980's | | | | models. My only complaint is that screen |
| hatchback, the Photosmart range simply | | | | is turned off after about 30 seconds |
| couldn't compete with the slick, shiny | | | | (something you can't change) to save |
| and keenly priced Far Eastern offerings. | | | | batteries. The camera can be woken up by |
| From now on, we were told, HP cameras | | | | half-pressing the shutter, but the live |
| would be designed for style, speed and | | | | preview has to be re-activated by |
| ease of use, and would no longer be | | | | pressing the record button, an |
| twice the size of their direct | | | | unnecessary extra step. |
| competitors. The 5 megapixel, 3x zoom, | | | | HP's new design 'signature' is a |
| Photosmart R707 is the first of this new | | | | wave-shaped indent moulded into the |
| wave of slimmed-down, metal-bodied HP | | | | front of the camera to improve grip. It |
| cameras, offering a tempting mix of | | | | adds a little flair to the design and |
| thoughtful design and some genuinely | | | | certainly seems to do the job without |
| innovative features. Most of these are | | | | adding to the bulk of the body. The |
| aimed at ensuring less experienced users | | | | brushed steel cladding looks and feels |
| avoid common photographic pitfalls, | | | | very luxurious, but we found it quite |
| something possible mainly due to the | | | | easy to scratch, and inevitably it shows |
| inclusion of a clever Texas Instruments | | | | every greasy fingerprint. If you like |
| Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The | | | | your camera to look clean you'll be |
| power of the DSP is obvious when you | | | | wiping the fascia with your T-shirt |
| look at some of the features it has | | | | every 10 minutes. |
| allowed HP to shoehorn into the R707: | | | | In a move we struggle to understand |
| Adaptive lighting technology ('digital | | | | (also seen on Canon's new PowerShot S1 |
| fill flash') | | | | IS) there are two shutter releases - one |
| In-camera red-eye removal | | | | for stills, the other for movies (it |
| MPEG movie mode | | | | only works when the camera is set to |
| Comprehensive on-screen camera | | | | movie mode). The results from the R707's |
| instructions | | | | movie mode are certainly impressive, |
| In-camera panorama stitching (preview) | | | | which makes the fact that I kept |
| 'Image advice' - on-screen help system | | | | pressing the 'wrong' capture button |
| that analyses saved pictures, identifies | | | | whenever I tried to use it doubly |
| problems and suggests how they could | | | | annoying. Another minor niggle is the |
| have been avoided. | | | | main stills capture button, which could |
| The R707 is surprisingly comfortable in | | | | be more responsive. |
| your hand, with the subtle moulding of | | | | At a glance the R707 might look like |
| the front plate offering considerably | | | | nothing more than a stylish |
| more secure single-handed operation than | | | | point-and-shoot camera, but once you |
| appearances might suggest. The two | | | | start to dig a little deeper you'll find |
| controls most used in everyday snapping | | | | a real wealth of features designed to |
| - the shutter release and zoom rocker - | | | | help the novice snapper, as well as a |
| are perfectly positioned, though I felt | | | | few manual controls thrown in for the |
| more comfortable supporting the camera | | | | more experienced user. As with most |
| with both hands as operating the zoom | | | | compact cameras with limited real estate |
| meant relaxing my grip. There are eight | | | | available for external controls the |
| other clearly marked buttons on the | | | | majority of the more advanced features |
| rear, plus a 4-way controller and the | | | | are accessed via the extensive on-screen |
| power switch. At 180g the R707 is | | | | menu system. The most commonly accessed |
| weightier than it looks, which helps | | | | functions - macro mode, flash mode and |
| keep the camera stable when shooting. | | | | self-timer - get their own buttons, as |
| One minor point - the R707 can get | | | | do HP's now standard instant sharing and |
| mighty warm in continuous use, something | | | | printing features. |
| you need to bear in mind if you want the | | | | Rear of camera |
| best possible image quality (noise | | | | The main controls are ranged around the |
| increases as the camera temperature | | | | top and right sides of the 1.5-inch LCD. |
| rises). | | | | These offer quick access to macro mode, |
| Body elements | | | | manual focus, self-timer and continuous |
| The R707 has a combined SD/MMC and | | | | shooting (burst) mode, plus buttons for |
| battery slot (fortunately the battery is | | | | switching between playback and record |
| held in with a latch so no chance of | | | | modes and HP's instant share and instant |
| losing it when changing cards. Although | | | | print functions. The camera is turned on |
| no card is supplied in the box. The | | | | and off with a slider button next to the |
| camera can handle any SD or MMC card | | | | optical viewfinder. The right-hand side |
| from 8MB to 2GB. The battery is a L1812A | | | | of the rear of the camera is home to a |
| Lithium Ion that is recharged in-camera, | | | | small zoom rocker switch that falls |
| and - if you can find one anywhere - the | | | | perfectly under the thumb, and a |
| camera can also use a Duracell CP1 | | | | four-way controller surrounding the Menu |
| disposable cell. In our tests battery | | | | OK button. Pressing this once brings up |
| life with the supplied rechargeable was | | | | the on-screen menus, which are navigated |
| excellent. | | | | using the directional 'arrow' keys. |
| The optical viewfinder is a standard | | | | Another press of the central button |
| direct view affair that is really too | | | | confirms menu selections. |
| small for regular use. And if you wear | | | | Top of camera |
| spectacles, forget it; there's no | | | | On the top of the camera you'll find two |
| dioptric adjustment and you'll never see | | | | shutter releases - the main one is for |
| the entire frame with your glasses on. | | | | taking stills, the smaller one to the |
| The upper LED (red) lights up during | | | | left is a 'stop/start' button for |
| movie capture, the lower (green) LED | | | | recording movies. Over the lens is |
| glows when the camera is ready to take a | | | | another small button that cycles through |
| picture, or blinks to indicate a focus | | | | the R707's various shooting modes. |
| problem or flash not charged. I'd prefer | | | | |