HP PhotoSmart 850 4MP Digital Camera w/ 8x Optical Zoom
by Hewlett Packard

List Price: $499.99
Our Price: $89.99
You Save: $410.00 (82%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Digital Camera
See more product details

Digital Photo Product Details

• 4-megapixel sensor captures 2,272 x 1,704 images for prints at sizes up to 11 x 14 inches
• Autofocus lens with 8x optical plus 7x digital (56x total) zoom
• Included 16 MB SD card stores 15 images at default settings
• Connects with PCs and Macs via USB port; powered by 4 AA batteries (disposables included)
• Movie mode records video and audio for up to 60 seconds

• Adobe Photoshop CS5 Upgrade [Old Version]
• AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to Mini-B Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
• AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to B-Male Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
• Adobe Photoshop CS4 Upgrade [OLD VERSION]
• AmazonBasics SDHC Class 4 32GB Secure Digital Card

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of HP PhotoSmart 850 4MP Digital Camera w/ 8x Optical Zoom

Customer Review: Want to buy a good 35mm?
Summary: 5 Stars

A couple of things I learned from other customers: get a camera with a lot of OPTICAL zoom. Buy as much MEMORY as you can afford. Get the optional dock. Buy a travel plug.

Zoom: OPTICAL and DIGITAL zoom is not the same thing. Get as much OPTICAL zoom as you can afford. 3x Optical (seems that most of the retail digital cameras offer only 3x optical) is not very much; this one has 8x Optical plus 7x digital zoom (my 35mm has a 140mm zoom, and this is MUCH better). What that means is you can zoom in REALLY, REALLY far away. I was at an outdoor cookout yesterday, and took a couple hundred pics. I took one pic of a mountain a few miles away. Then I zoomed in as far as it would go and snapped another shot. I was amazed to find that I could make out shrubs and boulders on the mountain! WOW! Couldn't see those with the naked eyes.

It is extremely easy to operate. Within minutes of getting it, I was taking pics. Taking digital pics takes a little getting used to compared to 35mm, but I've gotten the hang of it. I've taken over 1,000 pics in the 45 days that I've owned the camera. When you take a pic, there is a slight pause (about 1 1/2 seconds) before it snaps the pic. If the subject moves right after you push the button, then the pic could be blurry. I'm not too crazy about that, but I guess this is the way all digital cameras operate. But after taking the pic, you can immediately review it and if you don't like it you can simply delete it and try again.

I've taken pics using the macro setting, action setting, w/flash, w/o flash, w/the 10 second timer, as well as a couple other settings. The great thing about a digital camera is, you can experiment, and if you don't like the shot, just delete it and take another.

A really cool feature of this camera is that it will record up to 30 seconds of audio onto a picture. This is really cool. We used this on a friend who met someone online and wanted to send a pic to her. She was impressed. And you can record up to 60 seconds of video w/audio. Neat!

When I purchased the camera it came with a discount on a memory upgrade. The camera comes standard with a 16mb card (not much), so I ordered a Viking 256mb SD memory card at a very good price... The camera's owner's manual says that you can only use up to 128mb of memory, however I have not had a problem using the 256mb card. It stores a ton of pics, depending on the size and pic quality. I usually set the camera on the 4MP medium quality setting, or the 1MP best quality setting, and the card holds 232 pics on either setting. On the 4MP best setting it holds 116 pics; on the 1MP good setting it holds 953 pics. Try using all the different settings and see what you like best.

I ordered the optional dock. Highly recommend. Makes downloading pics very easy, plus it comes with 4 rechargable batteries and it charges them when you put the camera in the dock. The rechargable batteries last a long time. I've taken several hundred pics on one charge, and I always use the LCD screen to shoot the pics. Plus, I'm zooming in and out, reviewing shots, and deleting them, and the batteries still last a long time.

I also purchased an AC adapter, so when I go out of town I can recharge the batteries if I need to. Also, because of the depth of the camera, you need to get a large carry case. I found one at Best Buy that was large enough for the camera and all the accessories.

On the downside, the LCD screen is pretty worthless outside. It is almost impossible to see the image in sunlight. Also, you need a steady hand when taking macro shots because of the delay. It just takes practice.

But overall, I am glad I got this camera. Several of my friends are buying this after seeing mine, and a couple of friends are going to upgrade their digital camera after comparing theirs to this.

If you are shopping for a digital camera, you don't need to look any further! Or I'll make you a great deal on my 35mm.

Description of HP PhotoSmart 850 4MP Digital Camera w/ 8x Optical Zoom

Unfortunately, the autofocus didn't always show us a crisp image on the LCD--the photos would show up sharply, but it was difficult to decide where exactly to line up the shot.

Other than minor issues with the zoom, we're enamored with the 850. Its 4.1-megapixel resolution results in deeply detailed images, while its 2-inch LCD displayed photos more brightly and in much higher quality than other digital camera LCDs. And the camera can record video (complete with audio) in clips of 288 x 216 pixel resolution and up to 60 seconds long. You can even record audio with your still photos to give them more life.

You'll want to spend some extra cash to upgrade the camera, however, as it only ships with a 16 MB Secure Digital media card. The optional docking station makes it easier to transfer images to your PC and also includes rechargeable batteries (the camera comes with four disposable AA batteries).

If you have a compatible HP printer, you can also print directly from the camera--no need to pass images through your PC. Although, if you do send your pictures to your computer, you can use HP's suite of tools, including HP's Instant Share, which lets you automatically send pictures to an e-mail recipient or the Web.

With its depth of resolution, high level of zoom, and versatility, the HP Photosmart 850 is a camera worth considering. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• 8x optical zoom
• Audio with still images
• 60-second video clips

Cons:

• Not as portable as some
• Focus issues

Optics and Resolution
The 4-megapixel CCD sensor creates sharp and brilliant images with a total resolution of 2,384 by 1,734 pixels. The 36-bit color depth renders even the subtlest variations in the image to make photos vibrant and real to life. With an 8x optical and 7x digital zoom, the 56x total zoom won't let anything out of your sights. Focusing can be set to manual, automatic, or macro for greater control.

Storage and Transfer
The 850 already has a built-in flash and 32 MB of SDRAM memory. Also included is a 16 MB SD card for even more storage, as the camera is compatible with MMC and SD memory cards. You can transfer your files onto a PC running Windows 98 or higher or Macintosh running OS 9.1 or higher. The USB port is easy to connect, and uploading and downloading files is fast and error free.

Movie Mode
In addition to taking still photos, the 850 can also record up to 30 seconds of video with sound using the movie mode.

More Features
The HP camera includes many presets and automatic functions to fit your photographic needs, such as autoexposure, shutter priority, aperture priority, white balance, and light metering. There are also preset picture modes to use when shooting action, portraits, or landscapes. Add variety to your shots with the black-and-white and sepia color filters. You can easily keep track of all these modes, as well as compose your shot and review photos, using the large 2-inch color LCD screen.

Power, Size, and Contents
Included with the 850 are four AA e2 titanium batteries. The camera itself measures a 4.5 by 3.3 by 3.3 inches and weighs 13.7 ounces. Other standard accessories are a neck strap, CD-ROM with imaging software, user manual, USB cable, and USB host cable to printer.

Digital Cameras

• Camera & Photo > Digital Cameras