The HP Photosmart R707 uses a 1/1.8
inch CCD with 5.36 million pixels of which 5.14 million are
effective to capture an image with a maximum size of 2592 x
1952 pixels.
CCD Sensitivity is set to Auto by default allowing the camera to increase
sensitivity over the entire range of values — 100, 200 or 400 ISO — as
warranted by the ambient light. Alternatively a specific value can be selected
in the menu.
A 3X optical zoom is used on
the R707 offering a focal length range of 8 to 24 mm which
is equivalent to a 39 to 117 mm in the 35 mm film format. The
lens has two apertures, f2.8 and
f4.8 which become respectively f4.9 and f8.9 when the zoom
is at its maximum telephoto.
As we've previously noted with other HP cameras the stenciled zoom factor
on the camera is a combination of the optical and the digital zoom, in
this case the 3X optical zoom and the 8X digital zoom.
The digital zoom is a cropping
tool which selects the central part of the image and saves
the cropped image without any interpolation. Nevertheless,
at the whopping 24X power indicated on the camera's
front, the image is a mere 320 x 240 pixels.
Shutter speeds are automatically selected by the camera in all modes and
range from 1/2000 second to 16 seconds, and noise reduction is automatically
applied to all images captured with a shutter speed longer than 1 second.
The HP R707 is able to record 4 different image sizes:
5M: 2592 x 1952 pixels,
3M: 2048 x 1536 pixels,
1M: 1280 x 960 pixels
VGA: 640 x 480 pixels.
And images can be saved at any one of four compression levels — there
is no uncompressed image format — and each level is identified by
stars:
the least compressed image format.
It has an average compression ratio of around 1:6 which yields
the highest image quality.
An average compression level
offering a ratio of approximately 1:8.
A stronger compression level
with a ratio of approximately 1:10.
The strongest compression possible,
giving preference to a small file size over image quality.
It uses a compression ratio of 1:16.
With the R707, there are 3 focus options: autofocus, manual, or forced
to infinity. Furthermore, when set to autofocus, the up and down arrows
of the 4-direction control can be used to encourage the system to select
a distant or near point on which to focus. Holding the up arrow while pressing
the shutter button halfway will force the camera to start searching for
a focus point from infinity inwards, making it more likely that the system
will focus on a more distant subject. Alternatively, holding the down arrow
while pressing the shutter release halfway will cause the system to start
searching for a focus point from the closest focus distance (approximately
40 cm/15.6 inches in the normal focus range and 14 cm/5.46 inches in the
macro range) making it likely than the camera will focus on a nearby subject.
The HP R707 offers one unusual function in its capture menu (see further
down) called Adaptive Lighting. The function allows the camera
to do post-capture processing to bring out details in the shadow
areas of a photo. The system adjusts the contrast and brightness of light
and dark areas that have a harsh contrast, but preserves gentle contrast
areas.
As noted above, this option along with others that have a direct impact
on the way the image is captured, are offered in the camera's menu. The
menu — identical in all shooting modes — is divided into 5
sections, each identified by a tab near the top of the screen.
The first section provides all the options available for the capture modes
(the menu is shown here on a black background to improve legibility, but
normally the menu is superimposed on the live image):
EV Compensation: provides an exposure compensation
range of ± 3 EV in 1/3 EV increments.
Image Quality: To select the size and image quality (see
above). This option offers a Custom setting
that makes it possible to create a 4-star image quality
at any of the image sizes.
White Balance offers presets for: Auto, Sun, Shade,
Tungsten, Fluorescent or Manual which allows setting the
white balance for the ambient lighting conditions, by basing
the white balance on a piece of white or gray paper.
ISO Speed: Auto (100 - 200), 100, 200 or 400 ISO.
AE Metering: selects the metering pattern Average, Centre-weighted or spot (spot
is not available in the the movie mode).
Adaptive Lighting: turns On (Low or High), or
Off the post capture image processing (see above).
This option is not available when the camera is set to
either Panorama or Movie mode.
Colour: determines whether the image will be recorded
in colour (default) or Black and White, or Sepia.
Saturation has 3 settings: Low, mutes the colours
slightly, Medium (default), or High which accentuates colours.
Sharpness, 3 settings: Low, Medium (default) and
High.
Contrast, also offers 3 settings: Low, Medium
(default) and High.
AE Bracketing: serves to capture one exposure
with the evaluated settings, one underexposed and one overexposed
by a pre selected increment (± 1 EV in 1/3 EV increments).
This option is not offered when the camera is set to Panorama
mode.
Date & Time Imprint: not available with either
the Panorama or Video modes, the option serves to permanently
stamp the date, or the date and time onto the lower left
of the image.
Exit: clears the menu off the screen.
The second tab of the menu is
for the Playback mode:
Delete provides several options: Cancel returns
to the Playback menu without deleting the image, This
Image deletes the currently displayed image or video
clip, Entire Panorama Sequence deletes all images
associated with a panoramic sequence, All Images (in
Memory/on Card) deletes all of the images and video
clips either in internal memory, or on an optional memory
card, Format formats the internal memory or memory
card, Undelete Last recovers the last deleted image.
Remove Red-Eyes: is an option that is only available
for photos captured with the flash. With the image to
be processed on the screen, selecting the option automatically
removes the red-eye effect if it is there. The corrected
image is then displayed, and the user can save it or
cancel it.
Image Advice: this option checks the image for
problems such as possible camera shake, overexposure etc.
The option is not available for video clips.
Image Info: presents the shooting data superimposed
on the image. The data shown includes the shooting mode,
flash mode, all non-default Capture menu settings, f-number,
shutter speed, EV compensation, ISO speed, file name, and
file size.
Record Audio: serves to attach a voice annotation,
up to a minute long, to an image.
Rotate: allows rotating images clockwise in 90° increments.
Panorama Preview: presents a series of images
recorded using the Panorama mode as a seamless panoramic
image which can be seen using the right and left arrows
of the 4-direction control.
Exit: clears the menu from the screen.
The third part of the menu is called HP Instant Share and
contains options used to specify a destination for images such
as e-mail addresses, group distribution lists, online albums,
or other online services.
Options shown here must be
preset and have been uploaded to the camera using the included
software, HP Image Zone:
Share All Images: shares all images whether these
images are in internal memory or on an optional memory card,
seding them to selected destinations.
Instant Share Setup: serves to add e-mail addresses
or web sites to which photos will be directed.
Exit: clears the menu from the screen.
The fourth tab of the menu accesses
the Setup menu, and its options are detailed in the Interface & Software section
of this review.
The fifth tab — identified by a question mark icon — accesses
the camera's help menu. This menu contains advice about using the camera,
its buttons and controls, and detailed information about the use of the
various shooting modes. It also includes a listing of all the accessories
available from HP for the R707, along with a list of phone numbers to obtain
assistance if needed. This is a remarkable feature and is equivalent to
having the user manual built-into the camera.
The HP R707 is compatible with SD (Secure Digital) or MMC (MultiMedia)
memory cards. The card slot is located in the same compartment as the battery
that powers the camera, underneath the camera.
The camera is retailed without
a memory card but has 32MB of internal memory, 27MB of
which is available for images while the rest is reserved for
the operating system. With 27MB the HP R707 can capture approximately:
Resolution\Quality
5M: 2592 x 1952
6
10
17
32
3M: 2048 x 1536
9
16
26
45
1M: 1280 x 960
22
34
51
75
VGA: 640 x 480
88
136
202
290
As noted above, the Lithium ion
battery (L1812A) that powers the R707 is located in
the same compartment that holds the memory card slot. The battery
is held in place by a spring-loaded catch that prevents it
from falling out when the compartment's door is opened. The
battery is recharged while in the camera, and a charger is
included with the R707 which takes from 5 to 7 hours to fully
recharge the battery.
The battery charger jack is
located on the lower left side of the camera, and is covered
by a flexible plastic door.
To the right of the DC-in jack is the USB port (Full Speed, compatible
2.0) which serves to connect the camera to a computer or to a PictBridge
compliant printer.
Moreover, the camera also has
a special connector underneath, designed for use with HP's
Docking Station (C8887A), a dock designed specifically
for R-series cameras. This station provides USB and Audio/Video
connections and can also be used to recharge the camera while
it is in the dock, in addition to an extra battery.
Compare Prices for HP Hewlett Packard PhotoSmart R707 Duracell Battery
Characteristics
