On early digital cameras the battery life was compromised, the images poor and uploading images took ages. Even shooting the picture was a slow process. However manufacturers improved on the technology until they got it to a fine art, one such company is hp, and the new PhotoSmart 320 is a prime example.
Just slip in the SD card and batteries and you are ready to start shooting. With the included memory card you can also start recording MPEGs, up to 30 seconds. However, before you can start downloading, uploading, e-mailing and sharing your ‘candid camera’ moments you need to install the included software. This shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
As simple as point and click. The Photosmart 320 looks remarkably similar to a standard SLR camera so users migrating to digital will have no problem at all. The buttons are clearly labelled and are with in easy reach whilst shooting.nnnnThe 320 uses two viewfinders, the standard peephole for bright days or when your batteries are running low and, an LCD panel at the rear. The LCD panel also doubles up as a screen to playback you shots and MPEGs and is also where you can edit your photographs. The LCD display is also used to display things like the current date and time, number of photos left on your memory card and the resolution at which you are taking the photos.nnnnConnecting the camera to your computer is also very easy. Just install the included software, connect the camera up to your USB port and begin downloading. The program used for downloading your images is simple and straightforward to use, all the options are clearly market and settings are easy to change. As an optional extra you can buy a docking station, this means you won’t have to crawl behind your machine every time you want to plug the camera in, just plug the docking station in and perch it on top of your desk or machine. The docking station also doubles up as a battery charger if you opt for rechargeable batteries.
It’s advertised as a three-step process – shoot, select and share. Well it does all that and more, we were able to shoot, edit and download in less than two minutes. We then had a multitude of options as to what we could do with the picture. Because the camera uses a 2.1Megapixel CCD we were able to print the pictures at near photo quality, we were also able to reduce the quality and size to post them on the Internet and e-mailing. nnnnOn the camera side of things, we took ample pictures effortlessly and we also squeezed in a couple of thirty-second flicks. All of which were done hassle free.
Costing a mere R 2 999 it is a definite yes. Its resolution is not as good as other digital cameras available on the market however the resolution is perfectly suited for taking family holiday pictures. This camera oozes value for money left right and centre.
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