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HP PHOTOSMART 720XI
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More…| Overall rating | 77 |
| Image quality: To gauge picture quality, we take a series of shots, with and without flash, at 640 by 480 resolution and at the camera's highest resolution. We photograph a complex still life and a mannequin to see how well each camera captures details and subtle colorings such as skin tones. A panel of judges reviews the on-screen and printed photos and assigns image-quality scores; we then average those scores. | Very good |
| Ease of use | Fair |
| Features | Fair |
| Maximum effective pixels | 3.18 megapixels at 2048 by 1536 |
| Bundled media | 16MB internal memory, Secure Digital media slot |
| Focal range (35mm equivalent) | 34mm to 102mm |
| Aperture range | f2.6 to f8 |
| Shutter speed range (seconds) | 2 seconds to 1/1000 second |
| Viewfinders | Optical viewfinder, 1.6-inch LCD |
| Video/audio recording | Yes/Yes |
| Semiautomatic/manual modes | Full automatic exposure only |
| Optional lenses | None |
| File formats supported | JPEG |
| Image output connectors | USB, video |
| Software | HP Photo & Imaging with Share-to-Web software and HP Memories Disc Creator |
| Battery score | Good |
| Battery life | 306 shots, 107 minutes |
| Battery type | Four AA |
| Dimensions and weight | 4.6 by 2 by 2.9 inches; 12.1 ounces |
| Support policy score | Fair |
| Support policies | One-year parts and labor warranty, 16-hour weekday and Saturday toll-call tech support |
Bottom Line
The HP Photosmart 720 takes sharp, well-exposed pictures-both on-screen and in print-but for a point-and-shoot, the camera feels a bit too large and heavy to suit us.
HP Photosmart 720
PHOTOSMART 720XI Review, by Nikki Echler McDonald and Carla Thornton September 25, 2002
HP's gray-and-silver Photosmart 720 is built like a brick, with a large lens and a rubber hand grip to the right. Some users may prefer the blocky style and heavy feel-the camera weighs just over 12 ounces-but it's overkill in a point-and-shoot model. It ships with 16MB of internal memory in lieu of a removable memory card, but it also includes a slot for the tiny SD memory cards.
The 3.18-megapixel camera has a mixed bag of features. It gives some control over exposure, letting you set the white balance and exposure compensation, and it includes a multiburst mode; but it omits core features like scene and macro modes. Some of the menu selections are oddly placed: Exposure settings are under the set-up menu in playback, instead of under the shooting mode, for example. On the other hand, three buttons on top of the camera offer instant access to the flash, the self-timer, the continuous shooting mode, and the image-quality settings.
In overall image quality, the Photosmart 720 ranked near the top of our point-and-shoot group. Though the 3X optical zoom felt slow and jerky, the camera produced crisp, well-exposed images that were pleasing both on-screen and as printed photos. The close-up of our still life looked sharp, and outdoors the camera delivered accurate colors and highlights, with adequate detail in the shadows. Only the shots of our mannequin, taken without the flash, came out overexposed, with a slight yellow cast.
UPSHOT: The HP Photosmart 720 takes sharp, well-exposed pictures-both on-screen and in print-but for a point-and-shoot, the camera feels a bit too large and heavy.
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Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
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Reviewed by: rebelfish
Strengths: Cheap cost, good quality pictures, AA Batteries,
Weaknesses: Horrible reliability! Poor battery indicator.
Overall: The camera battery life indicator has just three levels, nominally 100%, 30%, and 10%. However, by the time the 30% is reached, the camera only has a few minutes of operating life left. This camera is the least reliable electronic product I have ever owned. Within the warrenty, four of my cameras had to be sent in for replacement. For the first one, the LCD screen would only display blue. Then the left arrow was stuck down. Then the zoom lense would not retract. Finally, all pictures that it took appeared as pitch black. The customer service of HP, in a saving grace, is sometimes phenominal. HP shipped a new camera promptly the first three times, and included a pre-paid shipping label for me to return my defective one. Other times it's horrible. The last time, however, after a series of shipping mysteries (and perhaps realizing there was a flaw in the 720), HP sent me the 935. HP is immensely disorganized about shipping and it took five tries and well over threeweeks to actually send out a replacement camera. (Not just for it to arrive--it took this long just for a camera to leave the HP service center!) To quote a technician: "It's not that the service centers receive just one camera at a time. We do this often."
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Reviewed by: jmurdock10
Strengths: 12x (3x optical - 4x digital). clear vibrant pictures. audio (mic and speaker). great great camera.
Weaknesses: none
Overall: I have used 3 other digital cameras, & I have always run into the same problems, fuzzy images, weird lighting problems, software issues when downloading images to the computer, and complicated to use. this camera is very user friendly, easy to use, it has clear vibrant pictures indoor and outdoor. It is easy to download pictures to computer. great great camera.
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Reviewed by: swadams77
Overall: Fantastic camera for the money. No real weaknesses; HP has shown once again how superior their products really are. Although this camera is packaged with a rather large operating manual, it takes little practice to master the camera's system. Great product!
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