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  • Physical Tour

  • Components

  • Design / Layout

  • Modes

  • Control Options

  • Image Parameters

  • Connectivity / Extras

  • Overall Impressions

  • Conclusion

  • Physical Tour
  • Components
  • Design / Layout
  • Modes
  • Control Options
  • Image Parameters
  • Connectivity / Extras
  • Overall Impressions
  • Conclusion

Physical Tour

Moving along the top edge of the camera, the user will find the horizontally configured in-camera flash. The flash is far enough off the center point of the lens to cause harsh shadows upon subjects. To the left of the flash, there is a slightly raised HP logo, which can act as a slight finger grip on an otherwise slick exterior. Beneath the HP logo and flash is the title "Photosmart R927" in a light gray tone. Nonetheless, the visually appealing stainless steel exterior shows finger marks and perspiration. There are also no grips on the front of the camera body, making it problematic if hands are sweating or weather is less than serene.

The HP Photosmart R927 features a few departures from previous and less stylish HP models of recent years. The R927 has a more refined scalloped finger rest which functions nicely when shooting casually. Running along the top of the camera body is a second aesthetic design improvement for the R-series. Separating the front and top faces of the camera body is an angled and sleek scallop which echoes the finger hold located in bottom left corner of the camera. Its also creates more visual interest and flow than earlier models which leaned more towards the boxy and stocky physique.

Back

The 3-inch 230K pixel LCD is the overwhelming feature on the back of the Photosmart R927, not that this should be surprising considering the overall dimensions of the camera body itself. The screen is framed and raised off of the camera and does not solarize when viewed in a variety of angles.

To the right of the LCD are two sections of controls, each placed within a scalloped thumb rest to avoid accidental deployment when not in use. The zoom toggle on this camera is an interesting design—a basic L shape turned ninety degrees clockwise. The telephoto control is to the top right, while the wide angle is positioned at the bottom of this rotated L-shape. While in playback, the telephoto doubles as an image enlarging device, while the wide angle functions as a zoom out and toggle device between full frame, six frames, and nine frame multi-up.

Below the zoom control, the shooter will find the generous size four-way controller with a Menu/OK button placed in the center. While this controller is perfectly adept at navigating menus and engaging in most quick alterations to menu selections, there is not enough physical space between the up and down arrows on the four-way controller for efficient movement between settings on the shutter speed and aperture scales. There was a tendency towards accidental engagement of the Menu when trying to scan from one end of the shutter speed to the other. The up arrow functions as a shortcut access point for the shooting modes, while the down arrow is used as the trash function when reviewing images in playback mode.

Top

The top of the camera body slopes down on a smooth angle to both the front and back of the camera to soften what would otherwise be another typically harsh rectangular lower priced point-and-shoot body design. The playback speaker for the R927 is positioned on the left side of the top face, allowing users to review both audio clips and movie clip audio while digital video files remain in-camera.

To the right of this single speaker is a series of buttons that are flush with the surface of the camera. Moving from left to right, one first finds the flash button, which when pressed allows users to navigate flash control options on the LCD screen. Beside this control is the Focus button, which also provides an instant menu on the LCD. These controls are well placed and sized for quick access and engagement. By placing these important and more frequently used manual control settings on the exterior of the camera body, HP makes immediate engagement and alteration far easier than scanning endless menu structures.

Moving to the right of the Focus button, there is the Photosmart Express button, which allows users to enter into an onscreen menu for marking images to be printed or sent via WiFi to a PC for uploading onto the Internet. Beside this there is a button which allows users to toggle between shooting and playback modes. This control, like all the controls on the top of the camera body, is marked by a well sized universal symbol marking its intended function. To the right of this is a blue LED which acknowledges when the camera is currently running. This LED is large enough and bright enough to be seen even in situations with bright lighting.

Next to the LED is the camera’s On/Off button, clearly labeled with large font text. On the angled face which connects the top to the front of the camera, the user will find the shutter button for the R927. This shutter button is a raised ovoid large enough for comfortable use. To the right of the On/Off button and on the angled face which connects the back and the top of the camera, the user will find the Movie Record button that switches users from still image to video mode. On the far right edge of the top face, is an eyelet for a wrist strap. The eyelet sits flush with the camera body, a design decision which will allow this camera to slide more easily into a pocket.

Right

The right side of the HP Photosmart R927 features no controls, ports, or other accessories; there are merely two screws flush with the camera body surface.

Left

Like the right side of the HP Photosmart R927, the left side has no features and is a smooth sleek continuation of the front and back faces of the camera design.

**Bottom **

The bottom of the Photosmart R927 has the metal tripod mount placed beneath the lens barrel of the camera. The metal tripod mount seems to be sturdier and less inclined to stripping when compared to the plastic tripod mount found on the R725. Moving to the left of this tripod socket, is the port for the printer/wireless dock. This feature is set into the camera body.

On the left side of the bottom face, the user will find a port door cover which when opened reveals both the lithium-ion battery and the memory card slot for the camera. This door has a locking mechanism which must slide to the right before the cover will open. This locking mechanism should prevent accidental opening and breaking of the port cover when the camera is in transport or handled haphazardly.

Components

**Viewfinder
**The R927 does not provide users with a viewfinder of any sort, although this should come as no surprise considering the petite size of the camera body and the impressively large 3-inch LCD screen. With the inaccurate framing and impossible viewing set-up often found with optical viewfinders on lower-priced digital cameras, the lack of a second viewing alternative should not be seen as a disadvantage.

LCD Screen
The HP Photosmart R927 does not shy away from the ever-expanding LCD screen size competition, providing users with an impressive 3.0-inch, 230K LCD screen. This is a marked improvement over the R725’s mere 2 inches of screen size. The solarization often found on the LCD screens of digital cameras was a not a problem with the R927; nor was viewing of real time and playback images, even in less than ideal viewing situations.

This LCD is the only viewing source for the camera and although optical viewfinders generally save on battery life, a 3-inch LCD with frame accuracy is a far better option than an undersized, ill-placed optical viewfinder with inaccurate framing. Located within the setup menu are controls for LCD screen brightness.

Flash
The flash for the HP Photosmart R927 is positioned on the right side of the camera face flush with the surface of the camera body. There is enough distance between this feature and the lens to cast unflattering shadows and harsh contrast upon illuminated subjects. That being said, this feature isn’t likely to be covered by meandering features.

Users may choose auto, on, and off as manual control flash options when shooting. Automatic in-camera red-eye adjustment is enhanced over models from last year, letting users set the Red-eye elimination to an automatic real time correction rather than a postproduction alteration. That being said, HP still provides the postproduction editing of red-eye anyway via the red-eye correction submenu found within the Design Gallery menu.

Zoom Lens

The HP Photosmart R927 comes with a retractable lens barrel, unlike the fixed lens found on other models within the R-series. This model comes with an HP Precision Lens, with 3x optical zoom, which extends from 7.5 to 22.5mm and offers an aperture that opens from f/2.8 to f/8.5. The zoom lens is controlled by an L-shaped zoom toggle positioned on the back of the camera body. The placement and L-shaped design help with quick control and even though it is placed within the scalloped thumb rest, it still manages to avoid being accidentally deployed when the thumb is at rest.

Design / Layout

Model Design / Appearance
The R927 makes a conscious design break from its predecessors, actually providing a sleek, stainless steel exterior with well labeled buttons, concise handling, and aesthetics which aren’t clunky or plastic. With such functional form, beginning users won’t find themselves lost or confused by poorly labeled or small controls; the format aids in quick activation of frequently used controls like focus, flash, and print.

The scalloped top edge on the front face provides an interesting alternative to the rectangular square shape often found with lower priced digital cameras.  The mirroring finger grip/scallop for the right hand is also surprisingly comfortable when compared to last years models.

**Size / Portability
**The overall camera dimensions for the HP Photosmart R927 are a slim and small 3.3 x 0.8 x 2.2 inches. With these dimensions and a 3-inch LCD screen, the minimal external controls on the back of the camera manage to be concise and well-sized while not feeling cramped or too small. The R927 weighs 4.06 ounces which feels appropriate to both the size and materials used in the construction of this camera. The R927 is slim enough to be easily slid into a pants or shirt pocket or purse. The construction of this model appears to be concise and well articulated, with no shifting in seams or gaps showing when being handled.

Handling Ability

The overall handling on the camera is comfortable. There are no edges or surfaces which could make basic shooting complicated. But the sleek veneer of stainless steel makes it possible for the camera to accidentally slip and fall from users’ hands if they are damp or perspiring. The grip or scallop on the front face of the camera is aesthetically appealing and definitely works for short shots, but during longer shutter speeds and multiple frame capturing the lack of texture made this feature less than functional. The in-camera microphone is placed intelligently away from meandering fingers, although it did tend to pick up the sound of zoom lens adjustment and other camera noise during use in movie mode. The camera impressively manages to incorporate generously sized external controls and a 3-inch LCD screen without feeling awkward.

**Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size **

The controls on the outside of the camera are both minimal and quick to activate. The controls located on the top of the camera are clearly labeled with either textual or symbol based labels, and even though positioned with their edges touching, they are large enough to engage without accidental activation of incorrect settings.

The shape and placement of the zoom toggle at first seemed worrisome, but using it was quick and simple, and never did get hit accidentally. The four-way control and menu button are well sized for most operations, but altering shutter and aperture speeds with the up and down arrows caused a continual (and accidental) opening and closing of the menu structure.

Menu

All of the menus found on the HP Photosmart R927 are well laid out and logical, with full text descriptions available when specific submenus are entered. If users are unsure of specific menu settings there are help options available on most screens that provide definitions of parameters such as White Balance or ISO.

The menu structure is list-based and easily scanned via the up and down arrows, with alterations to settings made by the left and right arrows. To exit the menu the user either returns to the top of the list or selects the Exit feature at the bottom of any list. The submenus offer textual descriptions and thumbnail examples of scenic situations upon an opaque background to inform users on how these settings may be used.

The Capture Menu, Set-up Menu, Design Gallery, Playback, and Help Menu may all be entered by pressing the Menu/OK button on the back of the camera body. The Photosmart Express menu is entered by pressing the Photosmart Express button on the top of the camera. Although the Capture Menu list is by far the longest, it shouldn’t impede shooting efficiency too greatly. The Help Menu is one of the more in-depth in-camera help menus I’ve encountered on a point-and-shoot, and should provide answers to most shooting issues. Live views are available whenever the user is in the main menu structure, a great design feature for helpful feedback.

The menu structure is easy to navigate, and changes to settings are easily recognizable. The font is sized for comfortable reading.

Capture Menu - When the user enters into the Capture Menu on the R927, they will find a lengthy list of options pertaining to real time capturing of images to memory. This list could have been broken into multiple screens for faster navigation. The Capture Menu has the following options: Shooting Mode, Self Timer, Red-Eye Removal, Exposure Compensation, Adaptive Lighting, Image Quality, Video Quality, Burst, White Balance, Auto Focus Area, AE Metering, ISO Speed, Saturation, Sharpness, Contrast, Date/Time Imprint and Exit.

Set-up -The Set-up menu allows users to manipulate the overall structure of the R927 for control over DISPLAY brightness, sound volume, focus assist light, Display Timeout, Instant Review, Digital Zoom, Date and Time, USB, TV Configuration, Language, Reset Settings, and Exit.

Design Gallery - The inclusion of the Design Gallery will allow users to immediately move into Playback mode to edit images with postproduction digital effects without having to export the images onto a PC. The Design Gallery provides access to the following settings: Apply Art Effect, Modify Color, Add Borders, Remove Red-Eye, Rotate, Crop and Exit.

Playback - The Playback menu is short and concise, allowing users to finish panorama images and move them from memory to card. The Playback menu also offers access to: Delete, Image Advice, Image Info, View Slideshow, Stitch Panorama, Record Audio, Move Image to Card and Exit.

Help - The Help Menu found on the R927 is one of the most extensive in-camera help systems we’ve encountered over the last year. Interestingly, and perhaps in reflection of the intended market and user, the lower-end R725 has even more help features than the more expensive and more involved R927. The Help Menu for the R927 still manages, however, to cover an extensive list of settings: Top ten tips, Camera Accessories, Camera Buttons, Using Shooting Modes, Using Design Gallery, Sharing Images, Printing Images, Recording Video Clips, Extracting Prints from Video, Deleting Images, Transferring Images, Managing Buttons, Getting Assistance, Camera Shortcuts, About and Exit.

Photo Express -This menu is activated by pressing the Photo Express button on the top of the camera body and grants users access to the following submenu options: Print, Buy Prints Online, Share All Images, Share Menu Set-up and Exit. The Share Images and Buy Prints Online settings will allow the users to upload images to the HP Snapfish website, giving user and authorized shared viewers the opportunity to order prints from a home PC.

Ease of Use

The HP Photosmart R927 has an overall ease of use factor which should impress. After all, it has help options and full text descriptions available for nearly all settings that would be encountered by the point and shoot enthusiast. The camera has a basic list menu structure with transparent overlays that provide users with live time views of image alterations as they change settings. Access to flash and focus is quick and concise, due to their having external button control. Although the zoom has a fast reaction time, the painfully slow and illegible enlarged view manual focus feature makes it so that users will need to rely primarily upon AF settings.

Modes

**Auto Mode
**The Auto Mode on the R927 allows individuals to shoot in full auto mode or access many of the manual control features listed below. The only settings which are locked when in Auto Mode are the aperture and shutter priority settings. It is still possible, however, to enter into manual White Balance, Focus, Flash settings, Exposure Compensation, Bracketing, and other options. The Auto Mode may be found within the Shooting Mode submenu listed at the top of the Capture Menu screen. Auto Mode produces images that occasionally struggled with White Balance, an easily fixable problem by entering into the preset and manual control settings of this basic feature.

Movie Mode

Twenty-four fps video at 640 x 480 resolution with audio may be recorded via a microphone placed on the front of the camera body. There is a playback speaker positioned on the top of the camera body on the far left side of the frame. There are two other settings, VGA Medium Quality and QVGA, which allow users to select slower frame rates and lower quality video resolution in order to save memory space and enable better email capabilities. It is still possible to engage the zoom when shooting in movie mode, although the noise created by the zoom will be captured on the microphone since it’s positioned so close to the lens barrel of the camera. The Menu/OK button may be used in playback mode to pause and extract stills from the movie, a far better option than real time alternatives which often leave gaps in the video clip. The monaural microphone can record simultaneously during video capture as well as autonomously to record audio clips that will be saved to specific still images.

Drive / Burst Mode

Burst Mode can be controlled through the Burst Mode setting found within the Capture Menu. The Burst Mode captures 3 images in succession at a rate of 2 frames per second, according to HP, but this claim was unable to be independently verified at press time. (Check back later for our speed tests in our full review.) The camera also has a self-timer option of ten seconds which captures one image, and a self-timer setting of ten seconds which captures two images.

Playback Mode

It is possible to enter Playback mode via two interfaces, either through entering the playback menu settings which appear when the user opens the Menu, or through the Shooting/Playback button located on the top of the camera body.

The Playback Mode allows users to select images for printing or sharing, upload images, engage in automatic slide shows with various durations, glean photo information, receive photo advice, and view in both multi-up and thumbnail formats. Users may delete either all images, or single frames. The Playback Mode Menu is easy to navigate, and like the other menus, appears as a transparent overlay, allowing continued viewing of an image while scanning image options.

Design Gallery featuring Color Modification, Added Borders, and Artist Effects is only accessible when engaged in Playback Mode since these features are only postproduction digital effects. Even once the altered digital image is saved to memory, the original image without the effect remains in place.

Custom Image Presets

The Photosmart R927 is able to provide users with numerous preset modes outside of Manual, Auto, and Shutter/Aperture Priority Modes. The R927 has the following self-explanatory custom image presets, found through the main Capture Menu page: Document, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Night Scenery, Night Portrait, Action, Panorama Left/Right, Portrait, and Landscape.

The Panorama mode is unique in its design; it eliminates the guesswork often encountered with usual Panorama modes which only use overlays to display previously captured images and their parameters. HP has enabled the R927 to select image information and highlight specific objects within the frame, making it easier to overlay images through the matching of obvious visual cues from frame to frame. The panorama stitches together up to 5 images that have been shot to create one overall image.

If users don’t understand the icons for the shooting presets, the in-depth submenu provides detailed descriptions and sample thumbnail images of when these shooting modes could be engaged.

Control Options

Manual Control Options

There are a substantial number of manual control options available on the highest priced camera within the 2006 R-series considering the projected price range of just under $400. The R927 provides either full or partial manual control over: Focus, White Balance, ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture Opening, Exposure Compensation, AE Metering, and Exposure Bracketing. When adding these manual controls to the numerous preset, auto, and playback modes, it’s hard to imagine that the R927 is ill-suited to any audience.

Focus
Auto Focus

The R927’s Auto Focus has parameters controllable via the Focus button positioned on the top of the camera that allow the user to select either multi or spot focus settings. The selected Auto Focus setting is displayed as a green frame on the LCD, which indicates the readiness of the camera to capture a properly focused image. When using the framing feature the camera efficiently snapped into focus, although there was a slight delay before focus was locked. While not extreme, this slight lag may be frustrating for some.

*Manual Focus
*The manual focus control is also accessed through the Focus button positioned on the top of the camera body. This setting allows the user to establish focal depth via an enlarged image frame positioned in the center of the LCD screen. Interestingly, this enlarged image is not in color, but rather in black and white.

The depth of field is represented by a vertical sliding bar located on the right side of the LCD screen, and controlled via the up and down arrows of the four-way controller - a useful visual cue to those learning ther medium and how to manipulate visual effect with aperture and shutter speed settings. The manual focus was slow to transition, and would be ok in a shooting situation with static subjects. But don’t think that this feature will function on the fly when shooting at a sporting event.

Metering

The metering modes for the HP Photosmart R927 are found within the Capture Menu and provide three settings enough for most shooting situations. The metering mode settings for the R927 are: Average, Center Weighted, and Spot metering. The R927 lets users manipulate metering in both manual shooting and auto shooting modes, though the R927 will return to the center-weighted metering as its default option if reset.

The Photosmart R927 also included an adaptive lighting system which allows users to lighten or darken images overall via a setting located within the Capture Menu. If users are uncertain of shadow and light level readings within a situation, they may also choose to bracket the shot using the Adaptive Lighting Bracketing feature found in the Bracketing submenu.

Exposure

Not surprisingly, there is no extension manual control over shutter or aperture, but there are still several different exposure control options available with the HP Photosmart R927. There is an Exposure Compensation scale which features an expanded range when compared to the standard +/-2 EV which most point-and-shoot cameras engage; the R927 provides a +/-3 Exposure Compensation scale with 1/3-stop adjustments available throughout this scale.

There is also an included bracketing feature which will allow users to control not merely exposure, but also Adaptive Lighting and Color. The Exposure Bracketing setting will allow the user to shoot three images at three separate bracketing levels: +/- 0.3, 0.7, and 1 EV. This setting will be useful when users find themselves uncomfortable gauging the lighting of a scene.

**White Balance
**The White Balance settings for the R927 provide a number of pre-sets, a full auto mode, and a pleasing inclusion of a full manual mode setting. The preset controls for White Balance are Auto, Sun, Shade, Tungsten, and Fluorescent. When viewing these settings in the Capture Menu, a live view remains, allowing users to immediately view the alterations made to the scene when switching between modes. Although these settings may be switched while remaining in the overall Capture Menu, it is also possible to enter into the White Balance submenu, which will provide a full title and description of each setting. However, when the user enters the full description menu for White Balance there is no live view. Instead, the user is given an explanation regarding the setting and a thumbnail image of a situation which may merit this specific White Balance preset.

**ISO
**The R927 lets users control ISO levels via the Capture Menu main screen. The ISO submenu provides offerings of Auto, 100, 200, and 400 ISO. This seems to be a truncated ISO range, since many camera manufacturers are also providing an ISO setting of 50 or 64.

When comparing shots taken within the showroom, the levels of noise became markedly higher when ISO 400 was used. ISO 200 definitely showed evidence of noise as well; ISO 100 returned very low levels of noise. (For more information regarding noise performance, check back soon for the full review of the R927.)

**Shutter Speed
**There is some manual control of Shutter Speed on the R927 via the Manual mode or the Shutter Priority Mode. The shutter speed range should be able to comfortably handle both low light and well lit situations which the everyday point-and-shoot user may encounter. The camera can shoot at speeds as slow as 16 seconds and as fast as 1/2000. The shutter speed range appears at the top of the LCD screen and is controlled via the up and down arrows on the four-way controller. Adjusting shutter with the four-way controller is especially awkward, with repeated accidental entries into the Menu thanks to the Menu/Ok button between the two controls.

**Aperture
**Aperture, like Shutter Speed, may be manually controlled via two mode settings when shooting with the HP Photosmart R927. The user can either enter the Aperture Priority Mode or the My Manual Mode to access and alter aperture. The R927 has an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/7.8 in wide angle, and f/5.0 to f/8.5 when in telephoto. Aperture is altered in the same way shutter speed is, and like shutter speed adjustments, quick and concise alterations of aperture settings were not always possible.

Image Parameters

Picture Quality / Size Options
**The Image Quality settings are controlled via a subsection located through the Capture Menu. These settings provide users with options for setting the image quality to VGA, 2 MP
**, 5 MP****, 8 MP*****, and Normal. Still images are recorded in JPEG format while video clips are being captured in MPEG-1. An interesting and unusual feature of the HP Photosmart R927 is that is can upload both still images and video clips directly to Snapfish. This enables photographers to upload, order, print, and share their images online with other members approved by the user.

Picture Effects Mode

This area is a particular selling point for the R927; the camera offers a group of settings meant to partially or wholly replace postproduction editing software programs. While certainly not Photoshop, these settings provide a plethora of preset options which manipulate borders, color palettes, and image styles often found in the preset control options of basic image editing software programs. In the main Capture Menu, the user can set the R927’s Saturation, Sharpness, and Contrast levels, three options which will be deployed during real-time photo capture. While these settings are more than functional, it is the preset digital effects in post-capture Playback Mode that are bound to impress the point-and-shoot enthusiast.

By scrolling to the right of the Capture Menu the user is able to highlight the Design Gallery menu, a menu which allows users to control art effects, modify colors, and add borders to previously captured images. These settings are not available during capture. The R927 will gauge the overall scene just captured by the user and then provide a preset color and tint setting to it. This preset control aims to eliminate the need to scan endless color menus.

The Artist Effects submenu has settings for control over Ink Dots, Cartoon, Watercolor, Center Focus, Posterize, Retro, Soft Glow, Vintage, Slimming, Sky Color, Ground Color, Kaleidoscope, and Solarize. The Modify Colors submenu allows users to select Black and White, Sepia, Black and White tints, Color Tints, and Views. The R927 provides a thumbnail of the image as you scroll through the list of options, instantaneously displaying the results of each alteration.

The Design Gallery features are not available when shooting in movie mode, which is a bit of a disappointment considering the comparable similarities between these presets and the presets found within many basic video editing software packages. Ah well, we’ll see what HP comes up with in 2007.

Connectivity / Extras

**Connectivity **
*Software
*The HP Photosmart R927 comes with in-camera editing options which should address the needs of the point-and-shoot market. Adding to these in-camera editing features, the R927 also comes bundled with HP Photosmart Express editing software which allows for sharing, web work, editing, and uploading of images. However, it is not necessary to use the Photosmart Express software interface if loading to the web and direct printing is desired. The camera has an optional WiFi dock which may be purchased separately and allows users to upload images and videos to Snapfish to share with approved members, order prints, and organize their video and still image files for a nominal monthly or yearly fee.

Jacks, Ports, Plugs

The R927 is capable of engaging WiFi connections via a WiFi dock which is sold separately from this camera model. The camera does come with a standard dock which may be physically connected to a printer, television, or PC. The camera body itself only has a port for connecting the camera to the dock base; all other ports and jacks may be found on the dock itself. The dock has both an A/V out and a USB 2.0 port for connection to both external playback devices and personal computer. The tripod socket on the bottom of the camera is milled out of stainless steel, a marked improvement over the plastic mount found on the R725.

Direct Print Options

The camera itself comes with a printer dock that may be used for PictBridge compliant printing. The printer dock also has an A/V Out for television viewing or optional connection to PC if necessary. Although the camera is WiFi compliant it is not bundled with a WiFi dock, an odd decision which will necessitate the purchase of more equipment… well, maybe that isn’t so odd, but it is unfortunate. It is possible to dictate in-camera which prints are to be shared and printed. Access to the printer control is simple and immediately activated through the Photosmart Express button located on the top of the camera.

*Battery
*The HP Photosmart R927 comes with a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, contained in the base of the camera underneath the same locking port cover which protects the optional SD memory card slot.

*Memory
*The HP Photosmart R927 also comes with 32 MB of internal memory, and is capable of using optional SD memory cards. The SD memory card slot is located on the bottom of the camera and placed beneath a locking port door for extra security during poor handling or rough transportation. The camera can also take images saved to the internal memory and transport them onto an SD card when the R927 is entered into playback image review. Thirty-two MB of internal memory is certainly better than nothing; users should be able to save at least a few high resolution images or brief video clip without relying on a card. More shutter-happy buyers, however, will want to purchase an SD card as well.

Other Features
Image Advice - The Image Advice feature provides automatic shooting information for one image at a time, post-capture. This feature would be especially advantageous for users who want to move beyond a purely Auto shooting experience but don’t yet have the skills

Image Info -The Image Info setting located within the Playback menu displays the image along with information regarding the photo name, image quality, date, and time.

Snapfish - This website provides R927 camera users the opportunity to load images and digital video clips onto the web, allowing them to select images, order prints, and share both stills and video clips with personally invited members. There is a nominal fee to create an account, and a monthly or yearly fee for continual display of images. However, friends and relatives invited by the user may view images for free.

Overall Impressions

Value

The HP Photosmart R927 has a projected retail price somewhere within the $400 price range, and although it perhaps isn’t the most feasible option for the budget consumer, this model is definitely a strong candidate for the segment of the point-and-shoot market that wants ease of use, a large viewing display, considerable resolution, and aesthetics. The camera has impressive preset shooting modes, shutter and aperture priority modes, and manual control over ISO, exposure, focus, metering and other options. Bracketing features which allow for selections of Adaptive Lighting, Exposure, and Color continue to add to the extensive list of included features. Although this model is WiFi capable, it unfortunately does not come with the WiFi dock, an omission which will drive the overall price of the camera up above the projected price point for some. This is a regrettable decision, considering the heavy marketing being done in regards to this feature and the accompanying relation to the HP Snapfish website.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters - With the full auto modes, the preset in-camera Design Gallery and the numerous preset options, this camera is certainly a feasible option for the point-and-shoot market.

Budget Consumers - The budget consumer may find the price a bit out of their range, with estimations at just under $400. However, there are other models within the R-series; both of the other new releases at CES provide the same Design Gallery options, several preset options, and automatic red-eye correction, albeit with more limited manual control access.

Gadget Freaks - Although sleek and smooth, this camera still doesn’t offer settings tailored to the true Gadget Freak. In their case, the Design Gallery features will not be able to replace a PC image editing suite of software. While the WiFi transferability may have been novel last year, this is a feature that many manufacturers are flocking towards nowadays just to stay competitive.

Manual Control Freaks - This higher-end compact model in the R-series is able to provide manual control of White Balance, Exposure Compensation, Exposure Bracketing, Focus (although it struggles), Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, and other preset shooting modes for multiple occasions. But these controls are manipulated via digital interface, so speed and efficiency is often an issue, as are the truncated settings for the in-camera flash. This crowd probably won’t go for it.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists - There wouldn’t be a real reason for the Pro or Serious Hobbyist to pick up the R927; the in-camera editing features and other settings are bound to pale in comparison to the pro software and control features they are accustomed to.

Conclusion

Conclusion

The HP Photosmart R927 has introduced a number of new features and strengthened older ones in the HP line of digital cameras such as simplicity, basic navigation, and direct editing, printing and viewing of images via WiFi connection. The R927 offers numerous preset shooting modes, and provides full text explanations and visual examples of each feature. The camera also comes with manual settings for influence over ISO speed, exposure, aperture, shutter speed, metering, focus, and bracketing of color, adaptive lighting and exposure. These settings also come with full text explanations and thumbnails when additional help is required. Menu structures are easy to navigate and simple, with easy-to-read submenu headings. The new in-camera Design Gallery options to set border styles, modify colors, and set artist effects met with varying success, though the effects should satisfy the basic point-and-shoot audience demands. The R927 also provides users with live views when alterations are executed with manual control settings. Improving over models from last year, this camera is able to provide Image Advice and Red-eye Reduction options while in real time processing. These features may also be accessed during playback review as well.

The camera did have a few notably weak areas, namely the manual focus display and its illegibility, as well as the lagging digital delay which occurred during alternation of this setting. Also, when the camera was turned quickly in any direction, the 3-inch LCD tended to hiccup slightly, dropping a frame before settling again. And finally, the design of the four-way controller was fine for menu navigation, but not for shutter speed and aperture changes. The Menu/Ok button was highly vulnerable to accidental engagement in these situations.

Overall though, the HP Photosmart R927 marks a definite change in both the style and intentions of prior HP digital cameras. These may actually provide a competitive alternative to the Kodak EasyShare consumer base. The R927 provides in-depth help, preset controls, manual options, WiFi connectivity, easy navigation, and in-camera editing options all while still producing a stylish and visually attractive product. While manual controls were the main concern, many users may never bother with them. With these points to consider, it will be interesting to see how well this model can perform when run through the DigitalCameraInfo.com testing system. We’ll find out if HP really will give Kodak a run for its money.

Meet the tester

James Murray

James Murray

Editor

James Murray is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

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