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Photograph: Rick Rizner
HP PhotoSmart R817 Digital Camera (5.2MP, 2616x1960, 5x Opt, 32MB Internal Memory, SD/MMC Slot)
- Spec Navigator
- Digital Format
- Display
- Exposure
- Image Processor
- Included Software
- Lens
- Shutter
- Storage
- LCD Screen
- Exposure Controls
- Dimensions
- Power
- Flash
- Lens Features
- Connectivity
- Other Features
Image Processor
| Number of image sensor pixels | 5.1 megapixels |
| Image sensor | CCD |
| Maximum horizontal image resolution | 2616 |
| Maximum vertical image resolution | 1960 |
| Image sensor quantity | 1 |
| Image format | JPEG |
| White balance | 0 |
Exposure Controls
| Maximum shutter speed | 2000 |
| Minimum shutter speed | 16 |
| Bulb setting | 0 |
| ISO equivalencies |
|
| Exposure settings | 0 |
| Exposure compensation range | 0 |
| Number of scene modes | 9 |
- Lab Tested
- How We Test Cameras »
Pros
In-camera red-eye reduction
5X zoom
Cons
Below-average image quality
Low battery life
Bottom Line
Offers in-camera red-eye reduction like the similar R717, plus a more powerful zoom, but image quality was less impressive.
HP Photosmart R817
PhotoSmart R817 Digital Camera (5.2MP, 2616x1960, 5x Opt, 32MB Internal Memory, SD/MMC Slot) Review, by Paul Jasper August 29, 2005
With its small size and stainless steel shell, HP's Photosmart R817 bears a strong family resemblance to its sibling, the Photosmart R717, a Best Buy recipient. The $349, 5.1-megapixel R817 costs more and has fewer megapixels than the $300, 6.2-megapixel R717, but you do get a longer zoom lens (5X versus 3X) and a larger LCD (2 inches versus 1.8 inches) than with the R717. Unfortunately, the R817's larger screen leaves no room for an optical viewfinder--a fact worth bearing in mind if you expect to shoot in extreme lighting conditions. You'll have to buy an SD memory card separately, but the camera comes with a usable 32MB built in.
On the back of the camera, several dedicated buttons occupy the lower left edge, where you can press them relatively easily with your left thumb. I never got comfortable with HP's banana-shaped zoom control: The little bumps, designed to let you feel each end without looking, left my thumb stinging after extended use. The R817's small mode button, which lets you select among nine different scene modes, sits in the upper left corner--an unusual position. Advanced users can choose shutter-priority, aperture-priority, or full-manual modes for better exposure control. The camera also lets you save your favorite settings in a handy "My Mode."
The R817's menus are easy to navigate, with settings that you can select and adjust quickly. Alternatively, you can drop into a separate screen that presents the options with plenty of help information. The separate Help menu provides basic descriptions of the camera's functions, plus a "Top Ten Tips" list for new owners who are itching to snap some shots right away. From the Playback menu, you can request image advice on shots already taken. This menu explains which features and modes might be useful for improving focus, exposure, depth of field, and so on. I took a couple of intentionally bad shots and the advice I received was pretty good. HP supplies several functions for editing your shots, including simple but effective in-camera red eye reduction.
In our image quality tests, the R817's scores were slightly above average for color accuracy, exposure accuracy, and sharpness. Our flash portrait had especially lifelike colors. We saw noticeable noise in our 8-by-10 prints, however--especially with solid colors.
The camera runs on a lithium-ion battery that lasted for only 175 shots between charges in our tests. The only way to charge it is by first attaching the camera to the docking cradle. The cradle has a USB port for printing and uploading your photos, but it lacks an AV port for displaying images on a TV. Because the R817 sits upright in its cradle, it's a bit harder to use than competing models that lean backward slightly in their cradles.
Upshot: The HP Photosmart R817 isn't as sexy looking as some point-and-shoots of similar size, but it takes great photos and gives novice photographers a gentle introduction to digital photography.
Paul Jasper
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PCWorld Lab Results
- Rating Breakdown
-
67
-
82
-
70
- See Complete Lab Results »
67
84Performance
| Battery Life (minutes) | 95.25 |
| Battery Life Score | Poor |
| Image Quality Score | Good |
| Image Quality, Color | 62.5 |
| Image Quality, Distortion | 39 |
| Image Quality, Exposure | 63.8 |
| Image Quality, Exposure--Flash | 68 |
| Image Quality, Exposure--Normal | 62 |
| Image Quality, Overall | 58 |
| Image Quality, Sharpness | 36.5 |
| Number of Batteries | 1 |
| Number of Shots | 175 |
User Reviews
Average User Reviews for HP PhotoSmart R817 Digital Camera (5.2MP, 2616x1960, 5x Opt, 32MB Internal Memory, SD/MMC Slot)
1 Review Add your own »
- Latest User Reviews 1 review
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Reviewed by: MUSTANGPC
Duration of ownership: 1 Month
Strengths: A small size camera with so many wonderful features
Weaknesses: Definitely the missing viewfinder
Overall: A camera with so many features - the size is just right. It takes wonderful pictures even with low light and has received several kudos from people who owned much expensive cameras. A great buy for any photography enthusiasts.
Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
User Reviews From Around the Web
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Reviewed by: alko2731
Strengths: Ease of use
Weaknesses: No viewfinder
Overall: I am very pleased with this, my first digital camera. It is very easy to use and the manual is easy to follow. The 5X zoom is impressive for framing shots and it's wide angle allows for getting your whole subject in the frame without maneuvering. I haven't tried the software so I can't comment on it at this time. It is sometimes difficult in bright sunshine to frame the subject using only the screen - a viewfinder would be helpful. Overall I would recommend this camera to anyone for casual use.
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Reviewed by: john_t1234
Strengths: Solid metal build, uses secure digital cards, picure quality
Weaknesses: No optical viewfinder, needs second battery that are not cheap
Overall: The HP PhotoSmart R817 Digital takes great pictures with lots of manual controls and the 5X optical zoom gives you something extra. The camera feels sturdy and not something that would break easily. It used SD cards, which offer the best value out of all the different formats. The only thing missing in my opinion is the lack of an optical viewfinder, which I consider to be a must. You may also need a second battery as a backup in case the first one runs out. Still, this camera is an excellent buy. Highly recommended.
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Reviewed by: jamo888
Strengths: Very Good Zoom 5X for a portable point and shoot camera
Weaknesses: Battery life, slow charging
Overall: HP R817 has a pentax lens 5X zoom, which pretty good for the price HP is offering. It has a large screen fast enough camera on day light shooting, good for indoor shots using the adaptive lighting capability. This camera is capable of redeye, panorama, etc.My only concern was the battery life, it took 100 pictures for the charge(Regular use) with some use of flash and zooming.
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Reviewed by: dehip
Strengths: intuitively straight-forward use. compact size--can fit in pocket. optical zoom 5X
Weaknesses: slightly larger than other pocket-sized cameras
Overall: This is a great camera; 5X optical zoom total 40X zoom) makes a big difference vs. 3X zoom in comparable products. Great value for the money. I would definitely purchase this again if I had to do it over. Got a outstanding deal at J&R
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Reviewed by: HOTDAMNLADY
Strengths: Fast Shipping
Weaknesses: None
Overall: I recieved the camera quickly, and it worked right out of box...great deal on camera! I shopped around online for hours, this was the best deal I could find! Defintely recommend!!!!
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