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The Imaging Resource Quick Review Hewlett Packard Photosmart 945 Digital Camera
Introduction
Looking much like a shrunk-down version of a 35mm "big lens" SLR, Hewlett Packard's Photosmart 945 offers the benefit of a powerful Fuji 8x optical zoom and a choice of automatic or some manual controls in a reasonably compact, user-friendly package. Measuring a mere 4.8 x 3.4 x 3.4 inches (123 x 85 x 85 millimeters) and weighing 17.8 ounces (504 grams) with the batteries and SD memory card, the Photosmart 945 is just a little larger than average compared to other recent long-zoom cameras, and a bit too chunky for a shirt pocket. It should fit into larger coat pockets, purses, and backpacks without trouble though. A neck/shoulder strap comes with the 945, for more secure portability. Covered in charcoal-gray plastic body panels, the 945's body is built around the large lens barrel. A substantial rubberized handgrip provides a solid hold, and provides room to house the four AA batteries that power the camera. A plastic lens cap protects the telescoping lens, but tethers to the camera body to prevent it from being accidentally lost. The 945 features a 5.08-effective megapixel CCD, which produces high resolution images for making sharp prints as large as 8x10 inches, as well as lower resolution images better suited for email distribution. With its range of exposure options, 8x optical zoom, and high resolution CCD, the 945 is a versatile and capable performer. The Photosmart 945 is equipped with an impressive 8x, 7.6-61mm lens manufactured by Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd., the equivalent of a 37-300mm lens on a 35mm camera. This represents a range from a moderate wide-angle to a fairly substantial telephoto. This lens appears to be the same as used on the Photosmart 850 model that was announced in September 2002. Maximum aperture ranges from f/2.8 to f/3.1, depending on the lens zoom setting. Focus ranges from 1.6 feet (0.5 meters) to infinity in normal mode, with a macro setting ranging from 3.9 to 39.4 inches (10 to 100 centimeters). As well as standard and macro focus modes, the 945 also offers the ability to lock focus at infinity, and (a new addition over the 850) to set focus manually. An unusual feature of the 945 is "Focus Search Priority", which allows you to bias the autofocus to objects that are nearer to or further from the camera, should the focus area at the center of the frame include objects at different distances. A focus assist light is available to aid with focusing on nearby subjects under poor lighting conditions. In addition to the optical zoom, the Photosmart 945 offers as much as 7x digital zoom. (I always remind readers though, that digital zoom inevitably decreases the overall image quality because it simply enlarges the central pixels of the CCD's image.) For composing images, the Photosmart 945 offers a 2.0-inch LCD monitor, as well as a smaller, electronic optical viewfinder LCD display. The 945 switches between the two displays so that only one is active at a time. This can either be accomplished courtesy of an "Eyestart Sensor" below the Electronic viewfinder, or manually by pressing the Live View button. Full information and image displays including the LCD menus are available on both displays. When it comes to exposure, the Photosmart 945 offers a range of options, controlled by the Exposure Mode dial on top of the camera. Main exposure modes include Auto, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority modes, with three preset Scene modes and a Movie mode available as well. In Auto mode, the camera handles aperture and shutter speed, but allows the user to adjust all other exposure settings. Aperture and Shutter Priority modes provide partial manual control, letting the user adjust one variable while the camera selects the other. Aperture settings range from f/2.8 to f/12.4, with the actual maximum and minimum values depending on the lens zoom position. Shutter speeds range from 1/2,000 to 16 seconds in Shutter Priority mode. The three Digital Subject Program modes include Action, Landscape, and Portrait modes, for shooting in common, yet sometimes challenging, situations. By default, the 945 employs a Center-weighted metering system, which reads the entire frame and places emphasis on the center to determine the exposure. Through the Record menu, however, you can opt for Average or Spot metering modes. Also located in the Record menu is an Exposure Compensation option, adjustable from -3 to +3 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third step increments. Light sensitivity is adjustable to ISO values of 100, 200, or 400, with an Auto setting as well. White Balance options include Auto, Sun, Shade, Tungsten, and Fluorescent light sources, as well as a Manual setting for manually adjusting the color balance with a white card. The Record menu also offers Sharpness, Contrast, and Saturation adjustments, as well as a Color setting with Full Color, Black and White and Sepia color options. A Digital Flash option simulates the effect of a fill flash by boosting brightness in shadow areas of images. The Photosmart 945 features a built-in, manual pop-up flash, which operates in Auto, Auto with Red-Eye Reduction, On, On with Red-Eye Reduction, Night, or Night with Red-Eye Reduction modes (the flash is disabled altogether by pushing down on it to lock it in the stored position). In Movie exposure mode, the camera captures 288 x 208-pixel resolution moving images with sound. The recording time per segment is limited to approximately 60 seconds, with a frame rate of 15 frames per second. Unusually, while on most cameras the lens can't be zoomed while recording to prevent noise from the lens motor from affecting the sound track, the Photosmart 945 allows use of the optical zoom during movie recording. We'd like to see more manufacturers take this approach - some users may find that the noise captured by the microphone is less objectionable than being limited to digital zoom. The camera's Self-Timer mode provides two choices, both starting with a 10-second delay between the time the Shutter button is pressed and the time that the camera actually takes the picture, allowing you to get into your own shots. The second of the two Self-Timer modes captures two shots, with a delay of several seconds in between - useful in case somebody blinks in the first shot. For shooting fast action subjects, the Photosmart 945's Burst mode captures a rapid series of images while you hold down the Shutter button, much like a motor drive on a traditional 35mm camera. In Burst mode, you can capture from 4-6 frames at about 1.8 frames per second. The actual frame rate and number of images in a series will depend on the resolution setting, subject matter, and the amount of available memory space. The Photosmart 945 stores its images on SD memory cards, and a 32MB card accompanies the camera. (The camera also works with the slightly less expensive MMC cards.) I highly recommend picking up a larger capacity card right away, so you don't miss any important shots. (Currently, a 128 MB card represents a good tradeoff between capacity and cost.) Connection to a host computer for image download is via USB. The Photosmart 945 is a "storage-class" device, which means that it doesn't require any separate driver software for Windows 2000 and XP, or for Mac OS 8.6 and later. The camera utilizes four AA-type batteries for power, and a set of single-use Photo Lithium batteries accompanies the camera. As always, I recommend picking up at least two sets of high-capacity rechargeable NiMH batteries and a good charger, and keeping a set freshly charged at all times. Click here to read my "battery shootout" page to see which batteries currently on the market are best, or here for my review of the Maha C-204F charger, my longtime favorite. The optional AC adapter is also useful for preserving battery power when reviewing and downloading images, or when viewing images and movies on a television, via the supplied A/V cable. Many of our readers will be familiar with the earlier Photosmart 850, so I put together the following major feature comparison between the 850 and the 945, based on specifications for the Photosmart 850 provided by HP, and our own observations of the Photosmart 945.
Basic Features
Special Features
The front of the 945 is dominated by the large lens and handgrip. When powered on, the lens extends approximately one and a half inches from the camera front. A plastic lens cap clamps onto the lens for protection, and tethers to the camera body with a small strap. A set of filter threads around the inside lip of the lens barrel on the body of the camera accommodate 55mm accessory lenses and filters via an optional accessory adapter. Also on the front panel is the autofocus assist lamp (to the left of the pop-up flash, when looking at the camera from the rear), which doubles as an indicator lamp for the self-timer. On the other side of the flash is the two-hole grille for the microphone. A substantial handgrip provides a firm hold on the camera, with plenty of room for your fingers to curve around the leatherette-finish rubber grip. While it offers plenty to grab onto, the handgrip is also small enough to be comfortable for users with smaller hands.
On the right side of the 945 (as viewed from the rear) is the Secure Digital card slot door, and slightly above this is the Power / Memory light, which lights solid green to indicate the power is on, solid amber to indicate the camera is writing to the Secure Digital card, blinking green to indicate that the camera is powered off and charging the batteries, and blinking red to indicate that the batteries are depleted. The rest of this side of the camera is blank apart from one of the neck strap attachment eyelets
The opposite side of the camera features the second neck strap eyelet, just above the connector panel. A soft rubber cover attached to the camera protects the connectors, bending aside to reveal them. The camera's USB, A/V and DC In connector terminals are located on the connector panel under this cover. Also visible on this side of the camera is the diopter adjustment dial surrounding the viewfinder eyepiece.
On the Photosmart 945's top panel is the pop-up flash compartment and release lever. A nine-hole speaker grille, the camera's Exposure Mode dial, and the Shutter button are also located on top of the camera.
The remaining camera controls are on the rear panel, along with the electronic optical viewfinder (EVF) and 2.0-inch color LCD monitor. The EVF is surrounded by a dioptric adjustment knob with a fairly wide range of adjustment, although a somewhat low eyepoint meant that I had to mash my eyeglass lens against the eyepiece in order to see the whole frame. Between the electronic optical viewfinder and the LCD are an infrared transmitter and receiver, which together are used to detect when your eye is close to the electronic viewfinder. To the right of this, above the LCD monitor, are the Flash, Timer / Burst, and Macro / Manual Focus buttons. Along the right side of the LCD monitor are the Live View, Playback, and Print buttons. To the right of the Print button is the Email button. The Power slider sits at the bottom right of the camera, directly below the Four-Way Controller with central OK button. Finally, at the top right of the camera's rear is a two-way Zoom Rocker button..
The 945's bottom panel is fairly flat, with a metal threaded tripod mount under the lens (a good position for people interested in panoramic photography), and the battery compartment at the base of the handgrip. The tripod mount is just far enough away from the battery compartment to allow quick battery changes while working on a tripod. I always appreciate this, given the amount of studio work I do, and am glad that the battery and memory card slots are both accessible while working on a tripod. One note is that the tripod mount is at the very rear of the camera, which may not provide the most stable platform for mounting the camera. A sliding switch locks and unlocks the battery compartment door, to prevent it from accidentally flying open while shooting. Also located on the bottom of the camera is a connector for the optional HP Photosmart 8881 camera dock, covered by a rubber plug which is not attached to the camera (you'll want to be very careful not to lose this plug, which can be a bit difficult to remove with short fingernails, and so thankfully isn't likely to get knocked out by mistake).
With only a handful of external camera controls and a well-organized LCD menu system, the Photosmart 945's user interface is straightforward and easy to grasp. The Mode dial on the top panel controls the camera's main operating mode and the level of exposure control available. The 945's efficiently laid out LCD menu system is easy to understand and relatively quick to navigate. Given the camera's straightforward setup and user-friendly design, most users should be able to operate the camera right out of the box, referring to the manual only for more complex operations. Pressing the up or down-arrow key on the Four-Way arrow pad, or the right-arrow key after the last image in the series, calls up the Total Images Summary screen, listing the number of images on the flash card, the number of images which can be taken using the current settings, and the number of images marked for printing or sharing. Through the playback menu you can also zoom in up to 150x (although at such a high zoom you're literally only seeing an area of about 17 x 13 pixels, even at the highest image quality) to check fine details, focus and framing, and can scroll the enlarged viewing window around the full image using the camera's arrow keys.
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Hewlett
Packard's Photosmart brand name covers a wide array of digital cameras designed
to suit a wide range of experience levels and price points, from entry level
to models offering high resolution and long zoom lenses. The newest addition
to the pack is HP's Photosmart 945. The 945 offers a range of exposure control
options, and a long-ratio 8x zoom lens, with an easy to learn user interface,
all at an affordable price. Compared to the Photosmart 850, changes in the 945
include a higher resolution and slightly larger sensor, improved exposure and
focusing options, and a new body that offers improved control layout in a more
professional looking charcoal grey and black plastic. Shaped like a miniaturized
35mm SLR, the 945's plastic body with contrasting rubber handgrip is sleek and
sophisticated, and sports only a few external controls. Measuring 4.5 x 3.3
x 3.3 inches (115 x 85 x 85 millimeters), the Photosmart 945 is rather too bulky
for shirt pockets, but should slip into larger coat pockets and purses without
trouble. The camera's plastic body helps keep the weight down, despite the large
8x zoom lens, at 17.8 ounces (504 grams) with the batteries and SD memory card.
A neck strap accompanies the camera for easy toting, but I'd recommend picking
up a small camera case to protect the finish of the charcoal grey plastic body
panels when traveling.
Record-Mode
Viewfinder Display: In record mode, the 945 displays an information overlay
on the LCD screen or electronic viewfinder, which cannot be disabled. Information
shown includes exposure mode (except in Auto mode), capture menu settings (if
not default, including white balance, metering mode, ISO sensitivity, Digital
Flash function, saturation, contrast, and sharpness), exposure compensation
(if a compensation adjustment has been made), image size and quality setting,
flash status, burst mode, self timer, macro mode, manual focus, infinity focus,
number of shots remaining on the memory card, battery life remaining, and a
set of focusing brackets. Aperture and shutter speed are reported when the Shutter
button is halfway pressed.
Playback-Mode
Viewfinder Display: In playback mode, the 945 displays the current image,
a battery gauge, and an indication of the current image number and how many
images are on the flash card. A limited information display can be called up
through the playback menu. For still images, this offers a display of the capture
menu settings (if not default, including white balance, metering mode, ISO sensitivity,
Digital Flash function, saturation, contrast, and sharpness), shutter speed,
aperture, exposure compensation (if a compensation adjustment has been made),
ISO sensitivity (duplicating the previous capture menu display if ISO was set
manually), image file name, zoom setting (including digital zoom), file size,
macro mode, flash mode, image size and quality, and date. For movie files, the
information display includes file name, file size, date, and clip length.
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External Controls
Exposure Mode Dial (see previous): Surrounding the Shutter Button, this dial selects the camera's exposure mode. The following options are available:
Unlike the Print button, this button will automatically switch the camera to Playback mode and call up the Instant Share menu if pressed in Record mode.
In Playback mode, the right and left arrow keys scroll through captured images. The up / down arrow keys call up or dismiss the Total Images Summary screen, listing the number of images on the flash card, the number of images which can be taken using the current settings, and the number of images marked for printing or sharing. When an image has been enlarged, all four keys pan the view. Although not labelled as such, in all modes the center button calls up the on-screen menu system, with the available options depending on the current camera mode.
Camera Modes and Menus Record Mode: In Record mode, the camera can capture still images or videos with sound, with two screens of options available through the settings menu. The Exposure Mode dial sets the exposure control mode, while the LCD menu provides the following exposure options (some options are not available in all modes). Options can either be cycled through on the menu screen with the left / right arrow buttons, or the OK button can be pressed to bring up a screen describing the specific option and allowing it to be altered, and all options also offer a Help screen describing them in more detail:
Playback Mode: This mode allows you to review captured images on the memory card, erase them, protect them, set them up for printing, etc. Pressing the Menu button displays the following options:
Setup Mode: The following Setup menu options are accessible through both the Record and Playback menu screens, as an option at the bottom of the menu:
In the Box
About Batteries
Information on shooting speed, battery life, etc. can be found here.
See the specifications sheet here.
See our sample pictures and detailed analysis here. The thumbnails below show a subset of our test images. Click on a thumbnail to see the full-size photo. For a set of more pictorial sample photos from the Photosmart 945, visit our Hewlett Packard Photosmart 945 photo gallery.
Test Results In keeping with my standard test policy, the comments given here summarize only my key findings. For a full commentary on each of the test images, see the Photosmart 945's "pictures" page. As with all Imaging Resource product tests, I encourage you to let your own eyes be the judge of how well the camera performed. Explore the images on the pictures page, to see how 945's images compare to other cameras you may be considering. Not sure which camera to buy? Let your eyes be the ultimate judge! Visit our Comparometer(tm) to compare images from the Photosmart 945 with those from other cameras you may be considering. The proof is in the pictures, so let your own eyes decide which you like best!
All this makes it tricky to come up with a definitive bottom line for the camera. If you're an "enthusiast" photographer looking for high image quality, low image noise, and lots of control, I don't think the Photosmart 945 is for you. On the other hand, if you're a former "point & shoot" user looking for an easy step up to the next level, the 945 could be just the ticket. It has useful features that can make a genuine impact on the quality of your photos, and gives you the option of more exposure control while remaining fairly easy to use, thanks to a very clear menu structure. If you're looking for a flexible camera that'll help you make the most of poor lighting with a minimum of manual control twiddling, the Hewlett Packard Photosmart 945 could be what you've been waiting for.
Related Links More Information on this camera from... Megapixel.net: DCViews:
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Auto:
This mode puts the camera in control of aperture and shutter speed, the
user retaining control over all other exposure variables.
Movie:
Indicated on the Exposure Mode dial by a silver film camera icon, this mode
records moving images with sound.
Aperture
Priority (A): Here, the user controls the aperture setting, while
the camera selects the best corresponding shutter speed.
Shutter
Priority (S): The opposite of Aperture Priority mode, this mode
lets the user choose the shutter speed setting while the camera selects
the lens aperture.
Action: Marked on the Exposure Mode dial by an icon of a running
person, this mode uses faster shutter speeds to "freeze" fast-paced
action.
Landscape:
This mode is indicated by an icon of a pair of mountains on the Exposure
Mode dial. Here, the camera uses a smaller lens aperture, so that both the
background and foreground will be in sharp focus.
Portrait:
An icon of a person's head indicates this mode on the Exposure Mode dial.
In Portrait mode, the camera employs a larger lens aperture setting, which
decreases the depth of field. This produces a sharply focused image of the
subject, in front of a slightly blurred background.
Capture Menu
Playback
Menu
Setup
Menu
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