If you think about innovation in digital photography, you probably think of Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Olympus, etc. But the truth is that HP is one of the few companies coming up with new and useful features for their cameras, instead of just dropping a higher resolution CCD into the same tired body this year. Their latest camera, the 5.1 Megapixel Photosmart R707 ($349) is a showpiece for HP innovation. Some of the cool features that you'll find on the R707 include:
- In-camera redeye removal
- Adaptive Lighting - a kind of "digital flash" that really works
- In-camera panorama preview
- Image Advice - analyzes your images and tells you how they can be improved
- Instant Share - mark pictures for easy printing or e-mailing
- Ability to undelete a photo you trashed
What's in the Box?
Before we begin, I should mention that there are several different models of the R707 going around. There's an R707, R707v, and R707xi (at least). Rest assured that the camera is always the same -- it's usually just a difference in the software bundle.
The HP Photosmart R707 has a very good bundle. Inside the box, you'll find:
- The 5.1 effective Megapixel Photosmart R707 camera
- lithium-ion rechargeable HP PHOTOSMART R707 battery
- AC adapter / battery charger
- Wrist strap
- USB cables (one for computers, one for printers)
- CD-ROM featuring HP Image Zone software
- 191 page camera manual (printed)
You won't need to buy a battery right away, as HP includes the R07 lithium-ion battery in the box. This compact battery doesn't have too much power -- just 3.8 Wh of energy -- but HP estimates an average of 200 shots per charge, which isn't too bad for a compact camera like this.
If you've been visiting this site for a while you know my position on proprietary batteries like the one used by the R707. For one, they're expensive -- buying another one (which I recommend) will set you back $50. My other complaint, that you cannot use alkaline batteries to get you through the day, isn't totally valid here. That's because the R707 supports Duracell's CP1 disposable battery. That would be all well and good if these batteries were readily available, but they're not -- at least not yet.
When it's time to charge the battery, plug in the included AC adapter. Charging takes a whopping 5 to 7 hours! The AC adapter can also be used to power your camera, thus saving the battery for when you really need it.
Optional dock. Note the video out, DC-in, and USB ports on the side
Another look at the dock plus its remote controlThe optional Photosmart R-series dock ($79) is the best camera dock that I've seen -- it does it all. You can use it for charging the camera's battery, transferring photos to your Mac or PC, and playing back photos on your TV. Thanks to the included remote control, you can use the dock and your television from the comfort of your sofa. The remote lets you view photos, navigate the menus, tag photos for printing, and even do the "zoom and scroll" feature! Do note that the remote can only be used in playback mode. But wait -- there's more. The dock can charge a spare battery, too (see above photo), in about half the time as it would inside the camera.
The Photosmart R707 has a built-in lens cover, so there are no lens caps to worry about. As you can see, it's a pretty small camera.Accessories for this compact camera are limited. You can purchase a quick recharge kit which includes an external charger, extra battery, travel pouch, and a camera case for $80. The quick charger takes just an hour to fully charge the R07 battery. The only other accessory is a premium camera case ($30) -- there are no lens accessories for this camera.
The area where HP's Photosmart cameras really shine is in the software department. HP's Image Zone Software is for Mac OS X and Windows. The Mac version is 7.1.9, while the Windows version is 3.5. Combined with the Instant Share system on the camera (more on that later), HP has created a system that lets you easily share photos in a number of ways.
Above is the main part of the software, known as HP Gallery, where you can view and edit photos, as well as send them to the other programs included in the package.
The software can do basic photo editing like adjusting contrast, sharpening/blurring, and removing redeye. You can crop and rotate photos as well.
The most impressive parts of the software package are the photo sharing tools. You can share photos via prints, online albums, e-mail, or even CDs, all using the HP software.
The software doesn't actually e-mail the photos to people anymore. Now it puts them on the web and sends the link to your recipients.Printing photos is very easy as well, and there are all kinds of prints to choose from, ranging from albums to greeting cards.
If you've got a CD-R/RW drive, one of the coolest features it he ability to create a CD with your photos.
Using the HP Memories Disc Creator Software, you can make a Video CD containing your photos. They are presented as a slide show, and you can even pick a song from your MP3 collection to use as background music. The whole process takes just a few minutes, and then you've got a CD you can share with friends and family. The catch is that you need a fairly modern DVD player to read these discs (most computers can see them), and the Video CD quality isn't the greatest. Still, it's a nice product to include with the camera.The Photosmart R707's manual should stand as an example to some of the other manufacturers who think a digital camera is a VCR (it's not). There are good explanations for the cameras features, without a lot of fine print.
HP PHOTOSMART R707 Battery's Specifications:
- Chemistry: LI-ION
- Capacity: 1050mAh
- Voltage: 3.7V
- Color: BLACK
- Dimension: 53.20x35.30x7.10 mm
- Net Weight: 26.00g
